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Bérubé A, Pétrin R, Blais C. Parental depression moderates the relationship between childhood maltreatment and the recognition of children expressions of emotions. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1374872. [PMID: 38903632 PMCID: PMC11188386 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1374872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Sensitivity plays a crucial role in parenting as it involves the ability to perceive and respond appropriately to children's signals. Childhood maltreatment and depression can negatively impact adults' ability to recognize emotions, but it is unclear which of these factors has a greater impact or how they interact. This knowledge is central to developing efficient, targeted interventions. This paper examines the interaction between parents' depressive symptoms and childhood maltreatment and its influence on their ability to recognize the five basic emotions (happiness, anger, sadness, fear, and disgust) in children's faces. Method The sample consisted of 52 parents. Depressive symptoms were measured by the depression subscale of the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18), and maltreatment history was assessed by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Children's emotional stimuli were morphed images created using The Child Affective Facial Expression (CAFE) database. Results Our findings indicate that depressive symptoms moderate the relationship between parents' history of childhood maltreatment and emotion recognition skills. Parents with higher depressive symptoms had lower emotion recognition accuracy when they had not experienced maltreatment. When childhood maltreatment was severe, emotion recognition skills were more consistent across all levels of depression. The relationship between depression and emotion recognition was primarily linked to recognizing sadness in children's faces. Conclusion These findings highlight how different experiences can affect parental abilities in emotion recognition and emphasize the need for interventions tailored to individual profiles to improve their effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Bérubé
- Ricochet, Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, University of Quebec in Outaouais, Gatineau, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche Universitaire sur les Jeunes et les Familles (CRUJeF), Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
| | - Rachel Pétrin
- Ricochet, Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, University of Quebec in Outaouais, Gatineau, QC, Canada
| | - Caroline Blais
- Social and Visual Perception Laboratory, Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, University of Quebec in Outaouais, Gatineau, QC, Canada
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2
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McCurdy LY, Yip SW, Worhunsky PD, Zhai ZW, Kim S, Strathearn L, Potenza MN, Mayes LC, Rutherford HJV. Neural correlates of altered emotional responsivity to infant stimuli in mothers who use substances. J Psychiatr Res 2024; 171:126-133. [PMID: 38277872 PMCID: PMC10922955 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Mothers who use substances during pregnancy and postpartum may have altered maternal behavior towards their infants, which can have negative consequences on infant social-emotional development. Since maternal substance use has been associated with difficulties in recognizing and responding to infant emotional expressions, investigating mothers' subjective responses to emotional infant stimuli may provide insight into the neural and psychological processes underlying these differences in maternal behavior. In this study, 39 mothers who used substances during the perinatal period and 42 mothers who did not underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while viewing infant faces and hearing infant cries. Afterwards, they rated the emotional intensity they thought each infant felt ('think'-rating), and how intensely they felt in response to each infant stimulus ('feel'-rating). Mothers who used substances had lower 'feel'-ratings of infant stimuli compared to mothers who did not. Brain regions implicated in affective processing (e.g., insula, inferior frontal gyrus) were less active in response to infant stimuli, and activity in these brain regions statistically predicted maternal substance-use status. Interestingly, 'think'-ratings and activation in brain regions related to cognitive processing (e.g., medial prefrontal cortex) were comparable between the two groups of mothers. Taken together, these results suggest specific neural and psychological processes related to emotional responsivity to infant stimuli may reflect differences in maternal affective processing and may contribute to differences in maternal behavior in mothers who use substances compared to mothers who do not. The findings suggest potential neural targets for increasing maternal emotional responsivity and improving child outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yan McCurdy
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA; Division of Prevention and Community Research, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
| | - Sarah W Yip
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA; Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Patrick D Worhunsky
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Zu Wei Zhai
- Department of Neuroscience, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT, 05753, USA
| | - Sohye Kim
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA; Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Lane Strathearn
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA; Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA; Hawkeye Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA; Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA; The Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT, 06109, USA; The Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Linda C Mayes
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
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Bublitz MH, Swain J, Lustig S, Barthelemy C, DeYoung L, Dickstein D. Maternal History of Childhood Maltreatment and Brain Responses to Infant Cues Across the Postpartum Period. CHILD MALTREATMENT 2024; 29:3-7. [PMID: 36154501 PMCID: PMC10165352 DOI: 10.1177/10775595221128952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Adults with histories of childhood maltreatment (CM) are more likely to display problematic parenting behaviors. The goal of this study was to examine changes in maternal brain activation to negative infant cues over the early postpartum period among new mothers with and without histories of CM, as this is a period of immense neuroplasticity in the maternal brain. CM was measured using the Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) conducted at approximately 5 and 13 weeks postpartum measured brain responses to own and unfamiliar infant cues in primiparous women. Women with histories of CM displayed increasing activation in the anterior cingulate cortex, and greater increases in anterior cingulate cortex activation was associated with maternal reports of less regulatory capacity in their infants. Preliminary results suggest that new mothers with CM histories display greater brain responses to negative infant cues compared to new mothers without CM histories. Women with CM histories may benefit from additional supports during the transition to parenthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret H. Bublitz
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Women’s Medicine Collaborative, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - James Swain
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Department of Psychology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Shoshanna Lustig
- Women’s Medicine Collaborative, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Christine Barthelemy
- Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lena DeYoung
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Daniel Dickstein
- PediMIND Program, McLean Hospital, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, & Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry, Belmont, MA, USA
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4
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Wang Y, Chen X, Zhou K, Zhang H. A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Childhood Maltreatment on Elderly Depression. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2023; 24:1593-1607. [PMID: 35232293 DOI: 10.1177/15248380211073838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Background: The present study aimed to synthesize the effects of five types of child maltreatment (physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect and emotional neglect) on late-life depression.Method: Four English-language databases (Web of Science, PsycINFO and PsycARTICLES, PubMed, and Cochrane Library) and three Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, and Weipu Database) were systematically reviewed, and data related to the association between child maltreatment and late-life depression were extracted. Ten studies involving 30,308 older adults were included, and the effect sizes were pooled using random-effect models.Findings: Except for sexual abuse, four types of child maltreatment were found to be positively associated with late-life depression. Physical abuse, emotional abuse and physical neglect were associated with elderly depression (PA: OR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.55-1.95, p < .001; EA: OR = 1.92, 95% CI = 1.73-2.12, p < .001; PN: OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.15-3.67, p < .01) at a small level, and emotional neglect was associated with elderly depression (OR = 3.25, 95% CI = 1.43-7.39, p < .001) at an approximately moderate level. Gender moderated the relationship between physical neglect, emotional neglect, and late-life depression.Conclusion: Our findings highlight the significance of child maltreatment in the development of late-life depression, and underscore the need for future research and practice to explore potential ways to address late-life depression among older adults who suffered child maltreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wang
- Department of Social Work and Social Policy, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Chen
- Department of Social Work and Social Policy, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Ke Zhou
- Department of Social Work and Social Policy, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Huiping Zhang
- Department of Social Work and Social Policy, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
- Center for Studies of Sociological Theory and Method, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
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5
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Jin X, Xu B, Lin H, Chen J, Xu R, Jin H. The influence of childhood emotional neglect on emotional face processing in young adults. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2023; 232:103814. [PMID: 36527819 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103814] [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] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Childhood emotional neglect (CEN) refers to a failure to meet the basic emotional needs of a child, which can seriously impact interpersonal communication and psychological health in young adults. Emotional face processing is critical in interpersonal communication; however, whether CEN affects this processing in young adults has not been investigated. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore the effects of CEN on emotional face processing in young adults. Using the Child Trauma Questionnaire, an online survey was conducted with 5010 students from four universities in Tianjin, China. After online interviews and diagnosis by professional doctors, we obtained 20 participants with CEN (CEN group) and 20 without CEN (control group). None of the participants had any mental diseases. A 2 × 4 mixed design was used to investigate the differences in accuracy and response time when identifying the valence of the emotional faces. Compared to the control group, the CEN group identified the valence of all emotional faces more slowly, but there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of accuracy. CEN caused delayed emotional face processing in young adults, which may be related to unresponsive, unavailable, and limited emotional interaction patterns between parents and their children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaokang Jin
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Bin Xu
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Huiyan Lin
- Institute of Applied Psychology, School of Public Administration, Guangdong University of Finance, Guangzhou 510521, China
| | - Juntao Chen
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Ruitong Xu
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Hua Jin
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China; Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China.
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6
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Bérubé A, Turgeon J, Blais C, Fiset D. Emotion Recognition in Adults With a History of Childhood Maltreatment: A Systematic Review. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2023; 24:278-294. [PMID: 34238064 PMCID: PMC9660286 DOI: 10.1177/15248380211029403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Child maltreatment has many well-documented lasting effects on children. Among its consequences, it affects children's recognition of emotions. More and more studies are recognizing the lasting effect that a history of maltreatment can have on emotion recognition. A systematic literature review was conducted to better understand this relationship. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol was used and four databases were searched, MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and FRANCIS, using three cross-referenced key words: child abuse, emotion recognition, and adults. The search process identified 23 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The review highlights the wide variety of measures used to assess child maltreatment as well as the different protocols used to measure emotion recognition. The results indicate that adults with a history of childhood maltreatment show a differentiated reaction to happiness, anger, and fear. Happiness is less detected, whereas negative emotions are recognized more rapidly and at a lower intensity compared to adults not exposed to such traumatic events. Emotion recognition is also related to greater brain activation for the maltreated group. However, the results are less consistent for adults who also have a diagnosis of mental health problems. The systematic review found that maltreatment affects the perception of emotions expressed on both adult and child faces. However, more research is needed to better understand how a history of maltreatment is related to adults' perception of children's emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Bérubé
- Department of Psychology and Psychoeducation, Université du Québec
en Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada
- Annie Bérubé, Department of Psychology and
Psychoeducation, Université du Québec en Outaouais, P.O. Box 1250, Station Hull,
Gatineau, Québec, Canada J8X 3X7.
| | - Jessica Turgeon
- Department of Psychology and Psychoeducation, Université du Québec
en Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada
| | - Caroline Blais
- Department of Psychology and Psychoeducation, Université du Québec
en Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada
| | - Daniel Fiset
- Department of Psychology and Psychoeducation, Université du Québec
en Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada
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7
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Riem MME, Witte AM, Lotz AM, Cima M, van IJzendoorn MH, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ. Parental protection in fathers with negative caregiving experiences: Heightened amygdala reactivity to infant threatening situations. J Neuroendocrinol 2022:e13230. [PMID: 36648172 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Parental protection is an important, yet understudied, aspect of parenting behavior. Predictors of the quality of protection and potential underlying neural mechanisms are still unknown. In this study, we examined whether negative caregiving experiences in fathers' own childhood are related to protective behavior and neural reactivity to infant threatening situations. Paternal protective behavior was measured with self- and partner-reported protective behavior and behavioral observations in an experimental set-up (auditory startling task) in 121 first-time fathers (mean age child = 19.35 weeks, SD = 11.27). Neural activation during exposure to videos of infant-threatening (vs. neutral) situations was measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We found a significant and positive association between negative caregiving experiences and amygdala reactivity to infant-threatening situations. A history of negative caregiving experiences was not significantly related to reported or observed paternal protective behavior. Our findings suggest that fathers with negative caregiving experiences show emotional hyperreactivity to cues of infant threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelon M E Riem
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Clinical Child & Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annemieke M Witte
- Clinical Child & Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anna M Lotz
- Clinical Child & Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Institute of Education and Child Studies, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | - Maaike Cima
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, UCL, University of London, London, UK
| | - Marian J Bakermans-Kranenburg
- Clinical Child & Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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8
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Capistrano CG, Grande LA, McRae K, Phan KL, Kim P. Maternal socioeconomic disadvantage, neural function during volitional emotion regulation, and parenting. Soc Neurosci 2022; 17:276-292. [PMID: 35620995 PMCID: PMC10829500 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2022.2082521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The transition to becoming a mother involves numerous emotional challenges, and the ability to effectively keep negative emotions in check is critical for parenting. Evidence suggests that experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage interferes with parenting adaptations and alters neural processes related to emotion regulation. The present study examined whether socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with diminished neural activation while mothers engaged in volitional (i.e., purposeful) emotion regulation. 59 mothers, at an average of 4 months postpartum, underwent fMRI scanning and completed the Emotion Regulation Task (ERT). When asked to regulate emotions using reappraisal (i.e., Reappraise condition; reframing stimuli in order to decrease negative emotion), mothers with lower income-to-needs ratio exhibited dampened neural activation in the dorsolateral and ventrolateral PFC, middle frontal and middle temporal gyrus, and caudate. Without explicit instructions to down-regulate (i.e., Maintain condition), mothers experiencing lower income also exhibited dampened response in regulatory areas, including the middle frontal and middle temporal gyrus and caudate. Blunted middle frontal gyrus activation across both Reappraise and Maintain conditions was associated with reduced maternal sensitivity during a mother-child interaction task. Results of the present study demonstrate the influence of socioeconomic disadvantage on prefrontal engagement during emotion regulation, which may have downstream consequences for maternal behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leah A Grande
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Kateri McRae
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
| | - K Luan Phan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Pilyoung Kim
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA
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9
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Riem MME, Lotz AM, Horstman LI, Cima M, Verhees MWFT, Alyousefi-van Dijk K, van IJzendoorn MH, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ. A soft baby carrier intervention enhances amygdala responses to infant crying in fathers: A randomized controlled trial. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 132:105380. [PMID: 34391194 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
New fathers may grow into their parental role through active involvement in childcare. Spending time in physical contact with the child may promote an adaptive transition to fatherhood. In this randomized controlled trial, we tested the effects of a baby carrier intervention on fathers' hormonal and neural functioning. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined whether infant carrying affects neural reactivity to infant crying in first-time fathers, taking into account the role of the hormone oxytocin as a mediating mechanism and fathers' own childhood experiences as a potential moderating factor. Sixty first-time fathers (infant age M = 11.18 weeks, SD = 2.08) were randomly assigned to a baby carrier intervention group (n = 32 fathers) or a control group (n = 28 fathers). Fathers in the intervention group were instructed to use a baby carrier for three weeks, whereas fathers in the control group were instructed to use a baby seat. Before and after the intervention salivary oxytocin was measured and neural reactivity to infant crying was assessed using fMRI. Results showed that the infant carrier intervention increased amygdala reactivity to infant crying compared to the infant seat users. This effect was most pronounced in fathers with experiences of childhood abuse. The carrier intervention did not affect fathers' oxytocin levels. Our findings indicate that spending time in physical contact with the infant may promote attention to and accurate perception of infant signals, in particular in fathers with more adverse childhood experiences. Soft baby carriers may, therefore, facilitate an adaptive transition to fatherhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelon M E Riem
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, The Netherlands; Clinical Child & Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Anna M Lotz
- Clinical Child & Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lisa I Horstman
- Clinical Child & Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Maaike Cima
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, The Netherlands
| | - Martine W F T Verhees
- Clinical Child & Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kim Alyousefi-van Dijk
- Clinical Child & Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, UCL, University of London, UK
| | - Marian J Bakermans-Kranenburg
- Clinical Child & Family Studies, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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10
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Clark ELM, Jiao Y, Sandoval K, Biringen Z. Neurobiological Implications of Parent-Child Emotional Availability: A Review. Brain Sci 2021; 11:1016. [PMID: 34439635 PMCID: PMC8391119 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11081016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Parental influences are important for a child's behavior, overall adjustment, as well as cognitive/language development. New research is exploring how relationships with parents can influence a child's neurobiological functioning and development. In this systematic review, our first aim is to describe how the caregiving environment influences these aspects of child development. The second and main aim is to review and recommend that the concept (and measurement) of "emotional availability" may provide a new window in this continued exploration. Emotional availability (EA) refers to the capacity of a dyad to share an emotionally healthy relationship. The EA Scales assess this construct using a multi-dimensional framework, with a method to measure the affect and behavior of both the child and adult partner (caregiver). In this review, we first provide an overview of child development research, with regards to stress physiology, neuroendocrine system, genetics and epigenetics, and brain mechanisms. We then summarize the results of specific EA research in these areas, and propose a theoretical model integrating these constructs. Finally, we offer areas for future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Zeynep Biringen
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University, 1570 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (E.L.M.C.); (Y.J.); (K.S.)
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11
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Olsavsky AK, Stoddard J, Erhart A, Tribble R, Kim P. Reported maternal childhood maltreatment experiences, amygdala activation and functional connectivity to infant cry. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 16:418-427. [PMID: 33438749 PMCID: PMC7990072 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsab005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal childhood maltreatment experiences (CMEs) may influence responses to infants and affect child outcomes. We examined associations between CME and mothers' neural responses and functional connectivity to infant distress. We hypothesized that mothers with greater CME would exhibit higher amygdala reactivity and amygdala-supplementary motor area (SMA) functional connectivity to own infant's cries. Postpartum mothers (N = 57) assessed for CME completed an functional magnetic resonance imaging task with cry and white-noise stimuli. Amygdala region-of-interest and psychophysiological interaction analyses were performed. Our models tested associations of CME with activation and connectivity during task conditions (own/other and cry/noise). Exploratory analyses with parenting behaviors were performed. Mothers with higher CME exhibited higher amygdala activation to own baby's cries vs other stimuli (F1,392 = 6.9, P < 0.01, N = 57) and higher differential connectivity to cry vs noise between amygdala and SMA (F1,165 = 22.3, P < 0.001). Exploratory analyses revealed positive associations between both amygdala activation and connectivity and maternal non-intrusiveness (Ps < 0.05). Increased amygdala activation to own infant's cry and higher amygdala-SMA functional connectivity suggest motor responses to baby's distress. These findings were associated with less intrusive maternal behaviors. Follow-up studies might replicate these findings, add more granular parenting assessments and explore how cue processing leads to a motivated maternal approach in clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aviva K Olsavsky
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine Anschutz Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.,Pediatric Mental Health Institute, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Joel Stoddard
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine Anschutz Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.,Pediatric Mental Health Institute, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Andrew Erhart
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA
| | - Rebekah Tribble
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA
| | - Pilyoung Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine Anschutz Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA
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12
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Hammarlund M, Granqvist P, Forslund T. Mothers With Mild Levels of Intellectual Disability: Emotion-Interpretation, Traumatization, and Child Attachment Representations. AMERICAN JOURNAL ON INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2021; 126:341-356. [PMID: 34161561 DOI: 10.1352/1944-7558-126.4.341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Prior research indicates links between parents' experiences of interpersonal trauma and emotion-interpretation difficulties, and between such difficulties and child attachment insecurity and disorganization. Although mothers with mild levels of intellectual disability (ID) are at heightened risk for trauma and emotion-interpretation difficulties, and their children for attachment insecurity, corresponding links in this population have not been examined. We therefore investigated emotional interpretations among mothers with mild levels of ID (n = 23) and matched comparison mothers without ID (n = 25), in relation to mothers' experiences of trauma and their children's attachment representations. Mothers with mild levels of ID were not less accurate than comparison mothers with regard to general positive and negative emotion-interpretation accuracy, but they were significantly more likely to misinterpret shame and anger. Among mothers with mild levels of ID, misinterpretations of shame were positively related to maternal experiences of trauma, and to child attachment insecurity and disorganization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pehr Granqvist
- Mårten Hammarlund and Pehr Granqvist, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Tommie Forslund
- Tommie Forslund, Stockholm University and the SUF Resource Center, Uppsala, Sweden
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Postpartum Stress and Neural Regulation of Emotion among First-Time Mothers. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:1066-1082. [PMID: 34128217 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-021-00914-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Early parenting relies on emotion regulation capabilities, as mothers are responsible for regulating both their own emotional state and that of their infant during a time of new parenting-related neural plasticity and potentially increased stress. Previous research highlights the importance of frontal cortical regions in facilitating effective emotion regulation, but few studies have investigated the neural regulation of emotion among postpartum women. The current study employed a functional neuroimaging (fMRI) approach to explore the association between perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and the neural regulation of emotion in first-time mothers. Among 59 postpartum mothers, higher perceived stress during the postpartum period was associated with less self-reported use of cognitive reappraisal in everyday life, and greater use of emotion suppression. While viewing standardized aversive images during the Emotion Regulation Task (ERT), mothers were instructed to experience their natural emotional state (Maintain) or to decrease the intensity of their negative emotion by using cognitive reappraisal (Reappraise). Whole-brain analysis revealed a two-way interaction of perceived stress x condition in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) at p < .05 cluster-wise corrected, controlling for postpartum months and scanner type. Higher levels of perceived stress were associated with heightened right DLPFC activity while engaging in cognitive reappraisal versus naturally responding to negative stimuli. Higher right DLPFC activity during Reappraise versus Maintain was further associated with elevated parenting stress. Findings suggest that stress and everyday reappraisal use is reflected in mothers' neural regulation of emotion and may have important implications for their adaptation to parenthood.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Postpartum depression (PPD) negatively impacts caregivers, infants, siblings, and entire families. Mothers with infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) face additional risk for PPD, coupled with risk factors extending beyond a NICU admision. The novelty of this review is the focus on maternal PPD for mothers with infants admitted to the NICU. Interventions aimed at limiting and preventing PPD in this population include: prenatal and postpartum depression screening, PPD symptom awareness and monitoring, and trauma-informed care. RECENT FINDINGS PPD, the most frequent complication of childbirth, affects approximately 10-15% of mothers worldwide. Prevalence rates increase to 40% for mothers whose infant is admitted to the NICU. PPD can affect maternal and child health across the life course and predispose future generations to a myriad of developmental, psychosocial, and physical challenges. Prevalence rates are higher for racial and ethnic minorities, immigrant and refugee populations, and mothers in rural locations. Trauma-informed care is suggested at individual and organizational levels, leading to better care for those with and without previous trauma exposure. SUMMARY Increasing PPD symptom awareness, screening for PPD, and connections with resources should begin during prenatal visits. Care teams should discuss barriers to resources for mothers, children, and families to improve access and support.
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Kim P. How stress can influence brain adaptations to motherhood. Front Neuroendocrinol 2021; 60:100875. [PMID: 33038383 PMCID: PMC7539902 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Research shows that a woman's brain and body undergo drastic changes to support her transition to parenthood during the perinatal period. The presence of this plasticity suggests that mothers' brains may be changed by their experiences. Exposure to severe stress may disrupt adaptive changes in the maternal brain and further impact the neural circuits of stress regulation and maternal motivation. Emerging literature of human mothers provides evidence that stressful experience, whether from the past or present environment, is associated with altered responses to infant cues in brain circuits that support maternal motivation, emotion regulation, and empathy. Interventions that reduce stress levels in mothers may reverse the negative impact of stress exposure on the maternal brain. Finally, outstanding questions regarding the timing, chronicity, types, and severity of stress exposure, as well as study design to identify the causal impact of stress, and the role of race/ethnicity are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilyoung Kim
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States.
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16
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Turgeon J, Bérubé A, Blais C, Lemieux A, Fournier A. Recognition of children's emotional facial expressions among mothers reporting a history of childhood maltreatment. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243083. [PMID: 33373377 PMCID: PMC7771866 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies have shown that child maltreatment is associated with both positive and negative effects on the recognition of facial emotions. Research has provided little evidence of a relation between maltreatment during childhood and young adults' ability to recognize facial displays of emotion in children, an essential skill for a sensitive parental response. In this study, we examined the consequences of different forms of maltreatment experienced in childhood on emotion recognition during parenthood. Participants included sixty-three mothers of children aged 2 to 5 years. Retrospective self-reports of childhood maltreatment were assessed using the short form of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Emotion recognition was measured using a morphed facial emotion identification task of all six basic emotions (anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise). A Path Analysis via Structural Equation Model revealed that a history of physical abuse is related to a decreased ability to recognize both fear and sadness in children, whereas emotional abuse and sexual abuse are related to a decreased ability to recognize anger in children. In addition, emotional neglect is associated with an increased ability to recognize anger, whereas physical neglect is associated with less accuracy in recognizing happiness in children's facial emotional expressions. These findings have important clinical implications and expand current understanding of the consequences of childhood maltreatment on parents' ability to detect children's needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Turgeon
- Department of Psychology, University of Québec at Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Annie Bérubé
- Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, University of Québec in Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada
| | - Caroline Blais
- Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, University of Québec in Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada
| | - Annie Lemieux
- Department of Psychoeducation and Psychology, University of Québec in Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada
| | - Amélie Fournier
- Department of Psychology, University of Québec at Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
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Kim P, Tribble R, Olsavsky AK, Dufford AJ, Erhart A, Hansen M, Grande L, Gonzalez DM. Associations between stress exposure and new mothers' brain responses to infant cry sounds. Neuroimage 2020; 223:117360. [PMID: 32927083 PMCID: PMC8291268 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to severe stress has been linked to negative postpartum outcomes among new mothers including mood disorders and harsh parenting. Non-human animal studies show that stress exposure disrupts the normative adaptation of the maternal brain, thus identifying a neurobiological mechanism by which stress can lead to negative maternal outcomes. However, little is known about the impact of stress exposure on the maternal brain response to infant cues in human mothers. We examined the association of stress exposure with brain response to infant cries and maternal behaviors, in a socioeconomically diverse (low- and middle-income) sample of first-time mothers (N=53). Exposure to stress across socioeconomic, environmental, and psychosocial domains was associated with reduced brain response to infant cry sounds in several regions, including the right insula/inferior frontal gyrus and superior temporal gyrus. Reduced activation in these regions was further associated with lower maternal sensitivity observed during a mother-infant interaction. The findings demonstrate that higher levels of stress exposure may be associated with reduced brain response to an infant’s cry in regions that are important for emotional and social information processing, and that reduced brain responses may further be associated with increased difficulties in developing positive mother-infant relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilyoung Kim
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, 2155 South Race Street, Denver, CO 80208-3500, United States.
| | - Rebekah Tribble
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, 2155 South Race Street, Denver, CO 80208-3500, United States
| | - Aviva K Olsavsky
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, 2155 South Race Street, Denver, CO 80208-3500, United States; University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine/Children's Hospital Colorado, 13123 E. 16th Avenue, CO 80045, United States
| | - Alexander J Dufford
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, 2155 South Race Street, Denver, CO 80208-3500, United States
| | - Andrew Erhart
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, 2155 South Race Street, Denver, CO 80208-3500, United States
| | - Melissa Hansen
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, 2155 South Race Street, Denver, CO 80208-3500, United States
| | - Leah Grande
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, 2155 South Race Street, Denver, CO 80208-3500, United States
| | - Daniel M Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, 2155 South Race Street, Denver, CO 80208-3500, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, 25 Shattuck St, Boston, MA 02115, United States
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18
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Endendijk JJ, Smit AK, van Baar AL, Bos PA. What a cute baby! Preliminary evidence from a fMRI study for the association between mothers' neural responses to infant faces and activation of the parental care system. Neuropsychologia 2020; 143:107493. [PMID: 32407904 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Infant facial characteristics, i.e., baby schema, are thought to automatically elicit parenting behavior and affective orientation toward infants. Only a few studies, conducted in non-parents, have directly examined the neural underpinnings of this baby schema effect by manipulating distinctiveness of baby schema in infant faces. This study aims to further our understanding of the intuitive nature of parenting, by studying the baby schema effect in mothers of young children (at least one child aged between 2 and 6 years old). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine mothers' (N = 23) neural responses to unfamiliar infant faces varying in distinctiveness of baby schema. Also, it was studied how this neural activation to infant faces was associated with maternal nurturance. Results revealed that infant faces elicited widespread activation in bilateral visual cortices, the hippocampus, sensory-motor areas, parietal and frontal cortices, and the insula, which was not modulated by the distinctiveness of baby schema in the infant faces. Furthermore, higher self-reported maternal nurturance was related to increased neural responses to infant faces in the putamen and amygdala, brain regions known to be associated with reward and salience processing. These findings could suggest that in our small sample of mothers some of the core networks involved in reward and salience processing might be less sensitive to variation in distinctiveness of baby schema. Also, unfamiliar infant faces seem to be rewarding only for mothers who report high nurturance. These findings should be considered preliminary, because they need to be replicated in studies with larger samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce J Endendijk
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3548, CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Anne K Smit
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713, GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Anneloes L van Baar
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3548, CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Peter A Bos
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3548, CS, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333, AK Leiden, the Netherlands
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