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Rioux C, Fulp DC, Haley PN, LaBelle JL, Aasted ME, Lambert KK, Donohue MT, Mafu NT. Phenotypic Environmental Sensitivity and Mental Health During Pregnancy and Post Partum: Protocol for the Experiences of Pregnancy Longitudinal Cohort Study. JMIR Res Protoc 2023; 12:e49243. [PMID: 38055312 PMCID: PMC10733836 DOI: 10.2196/49243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mental health problems during pregnancy and post partum are common and associated with negative short- and long-term impacts on pregnant individuals, obstetric outcomes, and child socioemotional development. Socio-environmental factors are important predictors of perinatal mental health, but the effects of the environment on mental health are heterogeneous. The differential susceptibility theory and the environmental sensitivity framework suggest that individuals differ in their degree of sensitivity to positive and negative environments, which can be captured by individual phenotypes such as temperament and personality. While there is strong evidence for these models in childhood, few studies examined them in adults, and they were not examined in pregnancy. OBJECTIVE The primary objective of the Experiences of Pregnancy study is to explore whether childhood and current environments are associated with mental health and well-being in pregnancy and whether these effects depend on individual sensitivity phenotypes (personality). This study also aims to gather important psychosocial and health data for potential secondary data analyses and integrative data analyses. METHODS We will conduct a longitudinal cohort study. The study was not registered elsewhere, other than this protocol. Participants will be recruited through social media advertisements linking to the study website, followed by an eligibility call on Zoom (Zoom Video Communications). Participants must be aged 18 years or older, currently residing in the United States as citizens or permanent residents, and currently planning to continue the pregnancy. A minimum of 512 participants will be recruited based on power analyses for the main objectives. Since the data will also be a resource for secondary analyses, up to 1000 participants will be recruited based on the available budget. Participants will be in their first trimester of pregnancy, and they will be followed at each trimester and once post partum. Data will be obtained through self-reported questionnaires assessing demographic factors; pregnancy-related factors; delivery, labor, and birth outcomes; early infant feeding; individual personality factors; childhood and current environments; mental health and well-being; attachment; and infant temperament. A series of measures were taken to safeguard the study from web robots and fraudulent participants, as well as to reduce legal and social risks for participants following Dobbs v. Jackson. RESULTS The study received ethics approval in April 2023 from the University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Institutional Review Board. Recruitment occurred from May to August 2023, with 3 follow-ups occurring over 10 months. CONCLUSIONS The Experiences of Pregnancy study will extend theories of environmental sensitivity, mainly applied in children to the perinatal period. This will help better understand individual sensitivity factors associated with risk, resilience, plasticity, and receptivity to negative and positive environmental influences during pregnancy for pregnant individuals. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/49243.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlie Rioux
- Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Delaney C Fulp
- Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Parker N Haley
- Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Jenna L LaBelle
- Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Mary E Aasted
- Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Kasie K Lambert
- Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Madison T Donohue
- Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Nkatheko T Mafu
- Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
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Pinsonneault M, Parent S, Castellanos-Ryan N, Zelazo PD, Séguin JR, Tremblay RE. Transactional associations between vocabulary and disruptive behaviors during the transition to formal schooling. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:1529-1539. [PMID: 35796242 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579422000268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the transactional relations between vocabulary and disruptive behaviors (DB; physical aggression and opposition/rule breaking/theft and vandalism), during the transition to formal schooling, using a community sample of 572 children. Cross-lagged panel model analyses were used to examine bidirectional relationships, comparing physical aggression to non-aggressive DB. Transactional associations between vocabulary and DB were observed, coinciding with school entry. Lower vocabulary in preschool (60mo.) was predictive of higher physical aggression scores in kindergarten. In turn, higher physical aggression in kindergarten was predictive of lower vocabulary in 1st grade. For non-aggressive DB, recurrent associations were found. Lower verbal skills in preschool (42mo.) and kindergarten predicted higher non-aggressive DB scores later in preschool and in 1st grade respectively. In turn, higher non-aggressive DB in kindergarten predicted lower vocabulary scores in 1st grade. In contrast to transactional paths from vocabulary to DB, transactional paths from DB to vocabulary observed after the transition to elementary school remained significant after controlling for comorbid hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention behaviors, suggesting these links were specific to aggressive and non-aggressive DB. Practical implications for prevention are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Pinsonneault
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- School of Psychoeducation, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sophie Parent
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- School of Psychoeducation, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Natalie Castellanos-Ryan
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- School of Psychoeducation, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Philip David Zelazo
- Department of Psychology and Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jean R Séguin
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Richard E Tremblay
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Departments of Psychology and Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- School of Public Health, Physiotherapy & Population Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Einziger T, Berger A. Individual differences in sensitivity to positive home environment among children "at risk" for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A review. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:927411. [PMID: 35935437 PMCID: PMC9353058 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.927411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the evidence for the genetic basis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is strong, environmental factors, such as the quality of parenting or the home environment, may moderate such genetic liability. The plausible negative effect of a low-quality home environment and negative parenting on child outcomes is well-established; however, the positive effect of a high-quality environment and positive parenting remained largely uninvestigated. Due to the presence of genetic, temperamental, or physiological factors, children who were traditionally considered at-risk for ADHD may be more sensitive to aspects of their environment compared to children who are not at such risk. Therefore, they would be more affected by their environmental experience, either for good or bad. Under supportive environmental conditions, such at-risk individuals might actually outperform their non-vulnerable peers, suggesting that these individual factors might be considered susceptibility factors rather than risk factors. Little is known regarding the positive effect of the environment in the ADHD literature, but it has been demonstrated in cognitive functions that are closely associated with ADHD, such as executive functions (EF). We review this literature and examine the extant empirical support for sensitivity to aspects of the home environment and parenting in the case of ADHD and EF. Moreover, we review factors that could help identify the specific aspects of the home environment and parenting that these children might be more susceptible to. Such knowledge could be valuable when designing preventive interventions and identifying those children that are especially sensitive and could benefit from such interventions. Recommendations for future studies are discussed as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzlil Einziger
- Department of Behavioral Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Emek Hefer, Israel
| | - Andrea Berger
- Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
- Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
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Reiss D, Ganiban JM, Leve LD, Neiderhiser JM, Shaw DS, Natsuaki MN. Parenting in the Context of the Child: Genetic and Social Processes. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 2022; 87:7-188. [PMID: 37070594 PMCID: PMC10329459 DOI: 10.1111/mono.12460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
The focus on the role of parenting in child development has a long-standing history. When measures of parenting precede changes in child development, researchers typically infer a causal role of parenting practices and attitudes on child development. However, this research is usually conducted with parents raising their own biological offspring. Such research designs cannot account for the effects of genes that are common to parents and children, nor for genetically influenced traits in children that influence how they are parented and how parenting affects them. The aim of this monograph is to provide a clearer view of parenting by synthesizing findings from the Early Growth and Development Study (EGDS). EGDS is a longitudinal study of adopted children, their birth parents, and their rearing parents studied across infancy and childhood. Families (N = 561) were recruited in the United States through adoption agencies between 2000 and 2010. Data collection began when adoptees were 9 months old (males = 57.2%; White 54.5%, Black 13.2%, Hispanic/Latinx 13.4%, Multiracial 17.8%, other 1.1%). The median child age at adoption placement was 2 days (M = 5.58, SD = 11.32). Adoptive parents were predominantly in their 30s, White, and coming from upper-middle- or upper-class backgrounds with high educational attainment (a mode at 4-year college or graduate degree). Most adoptive parents were heterosexual couples, and were married at the beginning of the project. The birth parent sample was more racially and ethnically diverse, but the majority (70%) were White. At the beginning of the study, most birth mothers and fathers were in their 20s, with a mode of educational attainment at high school degree, and few of them were married. We have been following these family members over time, assessing their genetic influences, prenatal environment, rearing environment, and child development. Controlling for effects of genes common to parents and children, we confirmed some previously reported associations between parenting, parent psychopathology, and marital adjustment in relation to child problematic and prosocial behavior. We also observed effects of children's heritable characteristics, characteristics thought to be transmitted from parent to child by genetic means, on their parents and how those effects contributed to subsequent child development. For example, we found that genetically influenced child impulsivity and social withdrawal both elicited harsh parenting, whereas a genetically influenced sunny disposition elicited parental warmth. We found numerous instances of children's genetically influenced characteristics that enhanced positive parental influences on child development or that protected them from harsh parenting. Integrating our findings, we propose a new, genetically informed process model of parenting. We posit that parents implicitly or explicitly detect genetically influenced liabilities and assets in their children. We also suggest future research into factors such as marital adjustment, that favor parents responding with appropriate protection or enhancement. Our findings illustrate a productive use of genetic information in prevention research: helping parents respond effectively to a profile of child strengths and challenges rather than using genetic information simply to identify some children unresponsive to current preventive interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Reiss
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine
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Rioux C, Parent S, Castellanos-Ryan N, Archambault I, Boivin M, Herba CM, Lupien SJ, Marc I, Muckle G, Fraser WD, Séguin JR. The 3D-Transition Study: Objectives, Methods, and Implementation of an Innovative Planned Missing-Data Design. Am J Epidemiol 2021; 190:2262-2274. [PMID: 33987638 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwab141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of mental health problems represents a significant burden on school and community health resources as early as preschool. Reducing this burden requires a better understanding of the developmental mechanisms linking children's early vulnerabilities with mental health after the transition to formal schooling. The 3D-Transition Study (2017-2021) follows 939 participants from a pregnancy cohort in the province of Québec, Canada, as they transition to kindergarten and first grade to examine these mechanisms. Biannual assessments include completed questionnaires from 2 parents as well as teachers, parent-child observations, anthropometric measurements, and age-sensitive cognitive assessments. Saliva is also collected on 11 days over a 16-month period in a subsample of 384 participants to examine possible changes in child salivary cortisol levels across the school transition and their role in difficulties observed during the transition. A combination of planned missing-data designs is being implemented to reduce participant burden, where incomplete data are collected without introducing bias after the use of multiple imputation. The 3D-Transition Study will contribute to an evidence-based developmental framework of child mental health from pregnancy to school age. In turn, this framework can help inform prevention programs delivered in health-care settings during pregnancy and in child-care centers, preschools, and schools.
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Kühl E, Geeraerts SB, Deković M, Schoemaker K, Bunte T, Espy KA, Matthys W. Trajectories of Executive Functions and ADHD Symptoms in Preschoolers and the Role of Negative Parental Discipline. Dev Neuropsychol 2021; 46:555-573. [PMID: 34711098 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2021.1995736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, we investigated whether the longitudinal growth trajectories of executive functions (EF) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms are related. In addition, we investigated whether negative discipline moderated these longitudinal relations. The sample consisted of predominantly clinically referred preschoolers (N = 248, age 42-66 months at Time 1; 79.0% boys). Assessment occurred three times: at baseline, at 9 months, and at 18 months. EF was assessed with five EF tasks. ADHD symptoms (Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5) were reported by parents. Groups of medium to high and low negative discipline were based on mother- and father-reports (Parenting Practices Inventory). Growth curve models showed that EF generally increased and ADHD symptoms generally decreased over time. Parallel process models showed that there was no relation between the change in EF and the change in ADHD symptoms over time, suggesting no co-development. However, higher EF at baseline was related to lower ADHD symptoms at baseline. This was irrespective of whether children were exposed to high or low negative discipline. Overall, the results suggest that, while EF and ADHD symptoms are related, they develop independently across the preschool years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Kühl
- Department of Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sanne B Geeraerts
- Department of Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Maja Deković
- Department of Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kim Schoemaker
- Department of Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Kimberly A Espy
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental & Regenerative Biology, College of Sciences, University of Texas at San Antonio and Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Walter Matthys
- Department of Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Gauchat A, Zadra A, El-Hourani M, Parent S, Tremblay RE, Séguin JR. Disturbing Dreams and Psychosocial Maladjustment in Children: A Prospective Study of the Moderating Role of Early Negative Emotionality. Front Neurol 2020; 11:762. [PMID: 32849218 PMCID: PMC7427048 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Although frequent disturbing dreams, including bad dreams and nightmares, have been repeatedly associated with poor psychological well-being in adults, considerably less information exists on their psychosocial correlates in children. Recent empirical and theoretical contributions suggest that the association between disturbing dream frequency and psychosocial adaptation in children may differ as a function of children's negative emotionality. The current study assessed the moderating effect of very early negative emotionality (17 months of age) in the relation between disturbing dream frequency and psychosocial maladjustment (i.e., externalizing + internalizing behaviors) in a sample of 173 11-year-old children. Mixed-model analyses revealed that disturbing dream frequency was associated with some internalizing behaviors but that the association between disturbing dream frequency and most externalizing behaviors was moderated by early negative emotionality. The latter result indicates that the relation between disturbing dream frequency and externalizing behaviors was significant in 11-year-old children showing moderate negative emotionality early in life, but particularly strong in those children with high early negative emotionality. Whereas, a moderating effect of early negative emotionality was not found between disturbing dream frequency and internalizing behaviors, the findings highlight the more specific role of early emotional negativity as a developmental moderator for the link between disturbing dreams and externalizing behaviors in children. The results are discussed in light of recent models of disturbed dreaming production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Gauchat
- Clinique de Consultation Conjugale et Familiale Poitras-Wright, Côté, Longueuil, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Antonio Zadra
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mira El-Hourani
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sophie Parent
- School of Psychoeducation, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Richard E Tremblay
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,School of Public Health, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jean R Séguin
- CHU Ste-Justine Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
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