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Mizuguchi N, Kato K, Sugawara SK, Yoshimi T, Goto Y, Takasu K, Isaka T. Age and parous-experience dependent changes in emotional contagion for positive infant sounds. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1336126. [PMID: 38601818 PMCID: PMC11004475 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1336126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Emotional contagion is achieved by inferring and emotionally resonating with other persons' feelings. It is unclear whether age-related changes in emotional contagion for infant sounds are modulated by the experience of childbirth or childcare. This study aims to evaluate changes in inference and emotional resonance for positive and negative infant sounds (laughter and crying) among women, based on age and parous experience. Methods A total of 241 women (60 young nulliparous, 60 young parous, 60 old nulliparous, and 61 old parous) completed a web-based questionnaire. After listening to three types of infant sounds (laughter, cooing, and crying), participants responded with their valence for hearing infant sounds and estimated infant valence on an 11-point Likert scale. Results The analysis for emotional resonance revealed that the correlation coefficient between self and estimated infant valences was greater in young parous and old nulliparous women than in young nulliparous women, in laughter and cooing sounds. However, correlation coefficients for crying did not differ among any of the four groups. Conclusion The degree of emotional resonance for infant valence increased depending on age and parous-experience for positive infant sounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nobuaki Mizuguchi
- Research Organization of Science and Technology, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan
- Institute of Advanced Research for Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan
- Assistive Robot Center, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kenji Kato
- Assistive Robot Center, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan
| | - Sho K. Sugawara
- Neural Prosthetics Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Yoshimi
- Assistive Robot Center, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yuta Goto
- Research Organization of Science and Technology, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Kaori Takasu
- Administrative Office, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan
| | - Tadao Isaka
- Institute of Advanced Research for Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan
- College of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan
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Anikiej-Wiczenbach P, Kaźmierczak M, Czerwiński S. Exploring the key drivers of responsive parenting in mothers and fathers - observed and self-reported responsiveness. HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY REPORT 2024; 12:39-52. [PMID: 38425885 PMCID: PMC10900979 DOI: 10.5114/hpr/181511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This article explores parental responsiveness - the ability of a parent to react to a child's needs adequately, promptly, and with tenderness and synchrony. Parental responsiveness can be measured using observational and self-report scales. The purpose of this study was to explore whether individual differences in empathy and attachment in mothers and fathers and their satisfaction with their relationship are predictors of parental responsiveness toward infants. Moreover, self-report and observational measures of parental responsiveness were compared. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE A total of 110 triads (mother, father, and child aged 6-10 months) took part in the free play procedure and parents' behaviors towards their children were assessed using the Ainsworth Sensitivity Scale. Moreover, they filled out a set of questionnaires measuring parental self-reported responsiveness, empathy, experiences in close relationships and romantic relationship satisfaction. RESULTS Higher empathic concern was connected with higher responsiveness and this was seen in both individual and partner measures. At the individual level, measures of responsiveness (self-report and observational) were not congruent and probably depended on other variables. In couples, there were positive correlations in three aspects of their family functioning: observed and self-reported parental responsiveness as well as relationship satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS This study revealed differences between self-reported and observational measures of parental responsiveness, indicating that their results may not always be congruent and could depend on other variables.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Kaźmierczak
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Science, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Stanisław Czerwiński
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Science, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
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Zheng X, Zhu Z, Chen J, He J, Zhu Y, Zhang L, Qu F. Efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia or sleep disturbance in pregnant women: A systematic review ad meta-analysis. J Sleep Res 2023; 32:e13808. [PMID: 36529887 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13808] [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: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
During pregnancy many women may experience negative emotions and sleep disturbances. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) or sleep disturbance in pregnant women. From the earliest available publications to 15 April 2022, seven electronic literature databases were searched: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, and VIP Database for Chinese Science and Technology Journal. Randomised controlled trials of CBT-I in pregnant women with insomnia or sleep disorders were included. The methodological bias of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. Stata Statistical Software: Release 15 was used for sensitivity analysis and publication bias. We included eight randomised controlled trials involving 743 pregnant women. Meta-analysis showed that, compared with the control group, CBT-I significantly improved the Insomnia Severity Index (mean difference [MD] = -4.25, 95% confidence interval [CI, -6.32, -2.19], p < 0.001), The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (MD = -3.30, 95% CI [-4.81, -1.79], p < 0.001), sleep onset latency (standardised mean difference [SMD] = -1.25, 95% CI [-2.01, -0.50], p = 0.001), anxiety (SMD = -0.99, 95% CI [-1.32, -0.67], p < 0.001), and depression (SMD = -0.40, 95% CI [-0.72, -0.07], p = 0.02). No significant differences were found in total sleep time (SMD = 0.31, 95% CI [-0.54, 1.17], p = 0.47) and sleep efficiency (SMD = 0.80, 95% CI [-0.53, 2.13], p = 0.24). CBT-I significantly improved pregnant women's sleep quality, insomnia severity, depression, and anxiety. This meta-analysis provides evidence that CBT-I is valid for insomnia or sleep disturbances during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Zheng
- Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zheng Zhu
- Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medical, Tianjin, China
| | - Juan Chen
- Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiaying He
- Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuhang Zhu
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Hangzhou TCM Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fan Qu
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Cheng N, Ruan X, Wu Z, Yue X, Wang Z. The effect of maternal empathy on infants' attachment security: Moderation by maternal emotion regulation and infant temperament. Psych J 2023. [PMID: 36750399 DOI: 10.1002/pchj.631] [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: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between maternal empathy and infants' attachment security and tested the moderating effects of maternal emotion regulation and infant negative emotional temperament. Participants were sampled from 215 families whose infants were 6 months old (T1) and from 170 families of the same cohort whose infants were 14 months old (T2). At T1, mothers were measured for their empathy (empathic concern and perspective taking), emotion regulation (reappraisal and suppression), and infant negative emotional temperament (sadness, falling reactivity, fear, and distress to limitations). At T2, mothers were again measured for their emotion regulation, and infant attachment was measured using the Strange Situation Procedure. Maternal empathic concern (EC) and perspective taking (PT) were found to be positively related to infant attachment security, while maternal reappraisal and infant temperamental sadness moderated the relationship between maternal PT and infant attachment security. No significant moderation effects were found between maternal EC and infant attachment security. Simple slope results showed that for infants with higher maternal reappraisal or infant sadness, maternal PT could positively predict infant attachment security. These findings highlight the importance of how the individual characteristics of mothers and infants may interact with maternal empathy during the critical period of infant attachment formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanhua Cheng
- School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, Research Center for Child Development, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xingjian Ruan
- School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, Research Center for Child Development, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhijun Wu
- School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, Research Center for Child Development, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaodong Yue
- School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengyan Wang
- School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, Research Center for Child Development, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
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Zhang K, Du X, Liu X, Su W, Sun Z, Wang M, Du X. Gender differences in brain response to infant emotional faces. BMC Neurosci 2022; 23:79. [PMID: 36575370 PMCID: PMC9793562 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-022-00761-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Infant emotional stimuli can preferentially engage adults' attention and provide valuable information essential for successful interaction between adults and infants. Exploring the neural processes of recognizing infant stimuli promotes better understandings of the mother-infant attachment mechanisms. Here, combining task-functional magnetic resonance imaging (Task-fMRI) and resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI), we investigated the effects of infants' faces on the brain activity of adults. Two groups including 26 women and 25 men were recruited to participate in the current study. During the task-fMRI, subjects were exposed to images of infant emotional faces (including happy, neutral, and sad) randomly. We found that the brains of women and men reacted differently to infants' faces, and these differential areas are in facial processing, attention, and empathetic networks. The rs-fMRI further showed that the connectivity of the default-mode network-related regions increased in women than in men. Additionally, brain activations in regions related to emotional networks were associated with the empathetic abilities of women. These differences in women might facilitate them to more effective and quick adjustments in behaviors and emotions during the nurturing infant period. The findings provide special implications and insights for understanding the neural processing of reacting to infant cues in adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaihua Zhang
- grid.410585.d0000 0001 0495 1805School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250358 Shandong China
| | - Xiaoyu Du
- grid.1008.90000 0001 2179 088XFaculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010 Australia
| | - Xianling Liu
- grid.411634.50000 0004 0632 4559Department of Medicine Imaging, The People’s Hospital of Jinan Central District, Jinan, 250014 Shandong China
| | - Wei Su
- grid.410585.d0000 0001 0495 1805School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250358 Shandong China
| | - Zhenhua Sun
- grid.410747.10000 0004 1763 3680School of Information Science and Engineering, Linyi University, Linyi, 276000 Shandong China
| | - Mengxing Wang
- grid.507037.60000 0004 1764 1277College of Medical Imaging, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, 201318 China
| | - Xiaoxia Du
- grid.412543.50000 0001 0033 4148Department of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, No.399 Shanghai Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200438 China
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Jin Y, Wu Y, Li J. Midwife empathy and its association with the childbirth experience: a cross-sectional study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2022; 22:960. [PMID: 36550461 PMCID: PMC9774080 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-022-05309-3] [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: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although pregnancy and childbirth comprise a life-course that most midwives experience, whether their own experiences of childbirth resonate with other women during childbirth remains to be determined. In this study, we therefore characterized midwives' empathic capabilities and defined their underlying factors. METHOD We conducted a cross-sectional study with data from 464 midwives in Guangdong, China, that were collected through the "Chinese version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Health Professionals (JSE-HP)." This questionnaire contains sections related to midwife demographics and delivery characteristics. We then implemented multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify empathy-related factors. RESULTS Our analysis revealed 303 (65.3%) participants in the high-empathy group while 161 (34.7%) were in the middle-empathy group. Compared with the reference groups, these results indicated that higher empathy was associated with an elevated educational level (OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.04-3.25), high monthly salary (OR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.11-4.80), and no shift work (OR, 2.89; 95% CI, 1.09-7.63). The odds of a high empathy score were higher for midwives who experienced two childbirths (2.27, 1.11-4.66) and for those who had children under the age of 3 years (2.81, 1.34-5.92). CONCLUSION Midwives possess a moderate-to-high level of empathy, and the greater the number of childbirths they experienced and the younger their children, the higher their reported empathy score. This study contributes novel information regarding the empathic behavior of midwives toward women who give birth in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhua Jin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shenzhen Samii Medical Center, Shenzhen, 518118 Guangdong Province China
| | - Yanpeng Wu
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 China
| | - Jing Li
- grid.488521.2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, 518100 Guangdong Province China ,grid.443187.d0000 0001 2292 2442School of Nursing, Philippine Women’s University, 1743 Taft Avenue, 1004 Malate, Manila, Philippines
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Rantanen H, Nieminen I, Kaunonen M, Jouet E, Zabłocka-Żytka L, Viganò G, Crocamo C, Schecke H, Zlatkute G, Paavilainen E. Family Needs Checklist: Development of a Mobile Application for Parents with Children to Assess the Risk for Child Maltreatment. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19169810. [PMID: 36011439 PMCID: PMC9408053 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19169810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Child maltreatment (CM) has been enormously studied. However, a preventive practice still requires comprehensive and effective instruments to assess the risks for CM in a family context. The aim of this study is to describe the development process of an evidence-based CM risk assessment instrument (Family Needs Checklist, FNC) for primary prevention online utilization. This article reports the development process of the checklist and its mobile application, consisting of a systematic literature review, identification of known risk factors using the content analysis method, and generation of the checklist, including a multidisciplinary group in the design and feedback. As a result, a comprehensive and compact checklist was developed to be used by parents or caregivers as a self-referral instrument with an option to be used with professionals as a basis for joint conversations. The FNC consists of parental, family-, and child-related risk factors. Based on the international evidence, the online application consists of knowledge about different CM types, information about risk factors and protective factors as well as recommendations and guidance to support services. The FNC is based on robust evidence on known risk factors causing CM in families. It can be used for primary prevention utilization in the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Rantanen
- Health Sciences Unit, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland
- Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere University Hospital, Elämänaukio 2, 33520 Tampere, Finland
- Correspondence: (H.R.); (E.P.)
| | - Irja Nieminen
- Health Sciences Unit, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland
- School of Health Sciences, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Kuntokatu 3, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Marja Kaunonen
- Health Sciences Unit, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland
- Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere University Hospital, Elämänaukio 2, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Emmanuelle Jouet
- Mental Health and Social Sciences Research Laboratory, Groupement Hospitalier Universitaire, Psychiatrie & Neurosciences (GHU-PARIS), 258 Rue Marcaret, Bât N, 2ème étage, 75018 Paris, France
| | - Lidia Zabłocka-Żytka
- Institute of Psychology, The Maria Grzegorzewska University, Szczęśliwicka 40, 02-353 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Giovanni Viganò
- Synergia s.r.l., Via Molino delle Armi 19, 20123 Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Crocamo
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Biocca, Via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Henrike Schecke
- Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addictive Medicine, LVR-Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Virchocstrasse 174, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Giedre Zlatkute
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, N Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9TF, UK
| | - Eija Paavilainen
- Health Sciences Unit, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland
- Etelä-Pohjanmaa Hospital District, 60220 Seinäjoki, Finland
- Correspondence: (H.R.); (E.P.)
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Massey SH, Estabrook R, Lapping-Carr L, Newmark RL, Decety J, Wisner KL, Wakschlag LS. Are empathic processes mechanisms of pregnancy's protective effect on smoking? Identification of a novel target for preventive intervention. Soc Sci Med 2022; 305:115071. [PMID: 35660692 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spontaneous cessation and reduction in smoking by pregnant women suggest that concern about others, or empathy, could be a malleable target for intervention. We examined various empathy-related processes in relations to reported and biochemically assessed smoking during pregnancy. METHODS Participants were 154 pregnant women (M = 12.4 weeks gestation, SD = 4.6) who were smoking cigarettes immediately prior to pregnancy recognition (85 had quit and 69 were still smoking at enrollment). Empathy-related processes were measured with performance-based paradigms (affect sharing, empathic concern, and theory of mind) and a speech sample (expressed emotion). Smoking was assessed with timeline follow back interviews and urine cotinine assays. Using zero-inflated Poisson regression models, we tested direct and interactive effects of empathy-related processes with respect to biologically verified smoking cessation (zero portion); and mean cigarettes/day smoked after pregnancy recognition among persistent smokers (count portion). RESULTS Affect sharing was inversely related to post-recognition cigarettes/day (B(SE) = -0.17(0.07), 95%C.I. -0.30,-0.04, p = .011) and moderated the relationship between pre-recognition smoking and post-recognition smoking consistent with a buffering effect (B(SE) = -.17(0.05); 95%C.I. - 0.28,-0.06; p = .002). Other empathy related processes showed neither direct nor interactive effects on smoking outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Further research is recommended to clarify the role of empathy in pregnancy smoking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suena H Massey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 N Saint Clair Street, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA; Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 633 N Saint Clair Street, 19th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| | - Ryne Estabrook
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1007 W Harrison Street, 1018D, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Leiszle Lapping-Carr
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 N Saint Clair Street, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Rebecca L Newmark
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 N Saint Clair Street, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA; University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, 513 Parnassus Ave, Suite S-224, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Jean Decety
- Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, 5848 South University Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Katherine L Wisner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 N Saint Clair Street, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Lauren S Wakschlag
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 633 N Saint Clair Street, 19th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA; Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 625 N. Michigan, Suite 2100, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
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Raghunath BL, Sng KHL, Chen SHA, Vijayaragavan V, Gulyás B, Setoh P, Esposito G. Stronger brain activation for own baby but similar activation toward babies of own and different ethnicities in parents living in a multicultural environment. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10988. [PMID: 35768627 PMCID: PMC9243063 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15289-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Specific facial features in infants automatically elicit attention, affection, and nurturing behaviour of adults, known as the baby schema effect. There is also an innate tendency to categorize people into in-group and out-group members based on salient features such as ethnicity. Societies are becoming increasingly multi-cultural and multi-ethnic, and there are limited investigations into the underlying neural mechanism of the baby schema effect in a multi-ethnic context. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine parents' (N = 27) neural responses to (a) non-own ethnic in-group and out-group infants, (b) non-own in-group and own infants, and (c) non-own out-group and own infants. Parents showed similar brain activations, regardless of ethnicity and kinship, in regions associated with attention, reward processing, empathy, memory, goal-directed action planning, and social cognition. The same regions were activated to a higher degree when viewing the parents' own infant. These findings contribute further understanding to the dynamics of baby schema effect in an increasingly interconnected social world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bindiya Lakshmi Raghunath
- Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kelly Hwee Leng Sng
- Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - S H Annabel Chen
- Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Centre for Research and Development in Learning (CRADLE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Office of Educational Research, National Institute of Education, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Vimalan Vijayaragavan
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Balázs Gulyás
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Peipei Setoh
- Psychology Program, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gianluca Esposito
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy.
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10
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Mavrogiorgou P, Diop S, Turmes L, Specht C, Vanscheidt S, Seehagen S, Juckel G. Computer-based mother-infant interaction analysis and mental functioning in postpartum depression. Psychiatry Res 2022; 311:114506. [PMID: 35287041 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Among mothers suffering from postpartum depression (PD), 10-13% additionally experience a mother-infant interaction disturbance that causes a severe mental health risk for the infant. Besides depressive symptomology, the underlying factors promoting dysfunctional maternal interaction behavior have not yet been sufficiently investigated. Therefore, we examined potential relationships between computer-based mother-infant interaction among postpartum depressed dyads and maternal mental functioning. METHODS Mother-infant interaction was video-recorded and evaluated via a computer-based micro-interaction analysis program (INTERACT). We included only 25 hospitalized mother-infant dyads that fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of PD and tested mothers on their mental functioning (empathy, theory of mind, meta-cognition and alexithymia). RESULTS Behavioral interaction analyses indicated that mothers with PD were prone to inactive maternal behavior, less positive maternal behavior along with more rejective behavior and also disengaged affect towards the infant. Distortions in mothers' mental functioning may have had an influence on the dysfunctional patterns of mother-infant dyads. CONCLUSIONS Cognitive and social functioning could be an influencing factor on dysfunctional maternal interaction behavior. Early detection of distortions of mental processing in expectant mothers might help to inhibit the clinical manifestation of dysfunctional mother-infant bonding and negative child outcome in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paraskevi Mavrogiorgou
- Department of Psychiatry, Ruhr University Bochum, LWL-University Hospital Bochum, Alexandrinenstr. 1, 44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Shirin Diop
- Department of Psychiatry, Ruhr University Bochum, LWL-University Hospital Bochum, Alexandrinenstr. 1, 44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Luc Turmes
- LWL Hospital Herten of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic, Mother-Child Unit, Im Schloßpark 20, 45699 Herten, Germany
| | - Christina Specht
- LWL Hospital Herten of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic, Mother-Child Unit, Im Schloßpark 20, 45699 Herten, Germany
| | - Simon Vanscheidt
- Department of Psychiatry, Ruhr University Bochum, LWL-University Hospital Bochum, Alexandrinenstr. 1, 44791 Bochum, Germany
| | - Sabine Seehagen
- Ruhr University Bochum, Faculty of Psychology, Department of Developmental Psychology, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Georg Juckel
- Department of Psychiatry, Ruhr University Bochum, LWL-University Hospital Bochum, Alexandrinenstr. 1, 44791 Bochum, Germany.
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Kaźmierczak M, van Ijzendoorn MH, Bakermans-Kranenburg M. Do empathy and oxytocin predict responsiveness to a crying infant simulator in expecting and non-expecting couples? A multilevel study. Attach Hum Dev 2022; 24:624-644. [PMID: 35437099 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2022.2063911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Infant crying is a strong emotional stimulus that elicits caregiving responses in adults. Here we examine the role of empathy (measured with the Polish version of Interpersonal Reactivity Index) and salivary oxytocin in modulating sensitive responsiveness to a crying infant simulator in two groups of heterosexual couples: 111 expecting or 110 not expecting a baby. Sensitive responsiveness was observed during a standardized procedure using the Ainsworth Sensitivity Scale while participants took care of the infant simulator, both individually and as a couple. Other-oriented empathy predicted elevated levels of individual but not couple sensitive responsiveness. More OT reactivity to crying predicted less responsiveness in non-expecting couples, which might be explained by their stronger focus on task performance. This study uniquely combined hormonal, observational and self-report measures in couples, and showed that personality and hormonal correlates of sensitive responsiveness might be studied before the child's birth with the use of infant simulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Kaźmierczak
- Social Sciences of the University of Gdanskul, Institute of Psychology, Gdańsk, Poland
| | | | - Marian Bakermans-Kranenburg
- Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Anikiej-Wiczenbach P, Kaźmierczak M. Validation of the Parental Responsiveness Scale. CURRENT ISSUES IN PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 9:258-266. [PMID: 38013957 PMCID: PMC10658842 DOI: 10.5114/cipp.2021.104800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parental responsiveness is a parent's predisposition to react to their child's verbal and non-verbal cues promptly and adequately. There is no self-report scale that measures this type of behavior. The aim of this study was to construct a valid and useful scale to measure this construct as subjectively reported by parents of young children. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE Two hundred and fifty parents (including 186 mothers) of young children aged from 1 to 18 months (Mage = 8.60, SDage = 4.06) took part in the study. To confirm the external validity of the tool, participants filled in the following questionnaires: the Parental Responsiveness Scale, the Empathic Sensitivity Scale, and the Experience in Close Relationships-Revised Scale - short version. RESULTS The confirmatory analysis verified the one-dimensional structure and that the model has a good fit. Moreover, the results of external validation indicated satisfactory correlations between parental responsiveness and empathic concern (r = .30, p < .01), perspective-taking (r = .31, p < .01), and avoidance (r = .23, p < .01) in relationships. CONCLUSIONS The Parental Responsiveness Scale is valid and reliable. This scale could be useful in research on family and child development, and on individual differences between parents, but can also be of use in practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Kaźmierczak
- Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Science, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
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13
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Zhang K, Rigo P, Su X, Wang M, Chen Z, Esposito G, Putnick DL, Bornstein MH, Du X. Brain Responses to Emotional Infant Faces in New Mothers and Nulliparous Women. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9560. [PMID: 32533113 PMCID: PMC7293211 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66511-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The experience of motherhood is one of the most salient events in a woman’s life. Motherhood is associated with a series of neurophysiological, psychological, and behavioral changes that allow women to better adapt to their new role as mothers. Infants communicate their needs and physiological states mainly through salient emotional expressions, and maternal responses to infant signals are critical for infant survival and development. In this study, we investigated the whole brain functional response to emotional infant faces in 20 new mothers and 22 nulliparous women during functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. New mothers showed higher brain activation in regions involved in infant facial expression processing and empathic and mentalizing networks than nulliparous women. Furthermore, magnitudes of the activation of the left parahippocampal gyrus and the left fusiform gyrus, recruited during facial expression processing, were positively correlated with empathic concern (EC) scores in new mothers when viewing emotional (happy-sad) faces contrasted to neutral faces. Taken together, these results indicate that the experience of being a mother affects human brain responses in visual and social cognitive brain areas and in brain areas associated with theory-of-mind related and empathic processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaihua Zhang
- Department of Electronic Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plasma and Magnetic Resonance, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361000, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Department of Physics, School of Physics and Electronic Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Paola Rigo
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialisation, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Xueyun Su
- Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Mengxing Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Department of Physics, School of Physics and Electronic Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Department of Electronic Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plasma and Magnetic Resonance, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361000, China
| | - Gianluca Esposito
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, Trento, Italy.,Psychology Programme, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang, Singapore
| | - Diane L Putnick
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Marc H Bornstein
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xiaoxia Du
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Department of Physics, School of Physics and Electronic Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China.
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The unique social sense of puerperium: Increased empathy and Schadenfreude in parents of newborns. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5760. [PMID: 32238840 PMCID: PMC7113282 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62622-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy and puerperium are typified by marked biobehavioral changes. These changes, which are traceable in both mothers and fathers, play an important role in parenthood and may modulate social cognition abilities. However, the latter effects remain notably unexplored in parents of newborns (PNs). To bridge this gap, we assessed empathy and social emotions (envy and Schadenfreude) in 55 PNs and 60 controls (childless healthy participants without a romantic relationship or sexual intercourse in the previous 48 hours). We used facial electromyography to detect physiological signatures of social emotion processing. Results revealed higher levels of affective empathy and Schadenfreude in PNs, the latter pattern being accompanied by increased activity of the corrugator suppercilii region. These effects were not explained by potential confounding variables (educational level, executive functioning, depression, stress levels, hours of sleep). Our novel findings suggest that PNs might show social cognition changes crucial for parental bonding and newborn care.
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Abstract
Our ability to maintain a coherent bodily self despite continuous changes within and outside our body relies on the highly flexible multisensory representation of the body, and of the space surrounding it: the peripersonal space (PPS). The aim of our study was to investigate whether during pregnancy - when extremely rapid changes in body size and shape occur - a likewise rapid plastic reorganization of the neural representation of the PPS occurs. We used an audio-tactile integration task to measure the PPS boundary at different stages of pregnancy. We found that in the second trimester of pregnancy and postpartum women did not show differences in their PPS size as compared to the control group (non-pregnant women). However, in the third trimester the PPS was larger than the controls’ PPS and the shift between representation of near and far space was more gradual. We therefore conclude that during pregnancy the brain adapts to the sudden bodily changes, by expanding the representation of the space around the body. This may represent a mechanism to protect the vulnerable abdomen from injury from surrounding objects.
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