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Zhao Y, Gagne JR, Yu F, Chang CN. Associations Between Maternal Negative Affectivity and Young Children's Disruptive Behavior Problems: The Mediating Effect of Callous-Unemotional Traits. J Genet Psychol 2024; 185:244-255. [PMID: 37975338 DOI: 10.1080/00221325.2023.2280610] [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: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The current study examined associations between maternal negative affectivity (NA) and child disruptive behavior problems. The mediating role of child callous-unemotional (CU) traits in these relationships was also investigated. A multilevel mediation modeling approach was adopted using a sample of 100 families with children between 2.5 and 5.5 years of age (N = 201; mean age = 3.8, standard deviation = 1.0). The mediation models showed significant mediating effects of maternal NA through CU traits for ADHD (β = 0.12, p<.01), ODD (β =0.13, p<.01), and aggression (β =0.16, p<.001), and a significant direct effect for aggression (β = 0.12, p<.05). A structural equation modeling analysis was also performed, and overall, the results were consistent with that from mediation models, which suggested that child CU traits were significantly correlated with maternal NA (β = 0.252, p<.001), ADHD (β = 0.504, p<.001), ODD (β = 0.545, p<.001), and aggression (β = 0.686, p<.001). Our results indicated that maternal NA could serve as a potential risk factor for child CU, which, in turn, may contribute to disruptive behavior during early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Zhao
- Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Gagne
- Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Fanyi Yu
- Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Chi-Ning Chang
- Department of Foundations of Education, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
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2
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Paz Y, Perkins ER, Colins O, Perlstein S, Wagner NJ, Hawes SW, Byrd A, Viding E, Waller R. Evaluating the sensitivity to threat and affiliative reward (STAR) model in relation to the development of conduct problems and callous-unemotional traits across early adolescence. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2024. [PMID: 38480986 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13976] [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] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Sensitivity to Threat and Affiliative Reward (STAR) model proposes low threat sensitivity and low affiliation as risk factors for callous-unemotional (CU) traits. Preliminary evidence for the STAR model comes from work in early childhood. However, studies are needed that explore the STAR dimensions in late childhood and adolescence when severe conduct problems (CP) emerge. Moreover, it is unclear how variability across the full spectrum of threat sensitivity and affiliation gives rise to different forms of psychopathology beyond CU traits. METHODS The current study addressed these gaps using parent- and child-reported data from three waves and a sub-study of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study® of 11,878 youth (48% female; ages 9-12). RESULTS Consistent with the STAR model, low threat sensitivity and low affiliation were independently related to CU traits across informants and time. Moreover, there was significant interaction between the STAR dimensions, such that children with lower sensitivity to threat and lower affiliation had higher parent-reported CU traits. Unlike CU traits, children with higher threat sensitivity had higher parent-reported CP and anxiety. Finally, children with lower affiliation had higher parent-reported CP, anxiety, and depression. Results largely replicated across informants and time, and sensitivity analysis revealed similar findings in children with and without DSM-5 defined CP. CONCLUSIONS Results support the STAR model hypotheses as they pertain to CU traits and delineate threat sensitivity and affiliation as independent transdiagnostic risk factors for different types of psychopathology. Future research is needed to develop fuller and more reliable and valid measures of affiliation and threat sensitivity across multiple assessment modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael Paz
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Emily R Perkins
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Olivier Colins
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Department of Special Needs Education, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Samantha Perlstein
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nicholas J Wagner
- Department of Brain and Psychological Science, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samuel W Hawes
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Amy Byrd
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PN, USA
| | - Essi Viding
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rebecca Waller
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Levine RS, Smith K, Wagner NJ. The Impact of Callous-Unemotional Traits on Achievement, Behaviors, and Relationships in School: A Systematic Review. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2023; 54:1546-1566. [PMID: 35438469 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-022-01344-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) are associated with significant academic, behavioral, and relationship challenges in the school setting. Children with co-occurring DBDs and callous-unemotional (CU) traits show a distinct pattern of early starting, chronic, and aggressive disruptive behavior and are resistant to traditional DBD interventions. There is growing evidence that CU traits have important consequences for children's school functioning. The purpose of this systematic review is to synthesize research on CU traits in school with a focus on academics, relationships, and behavior. We searched PsycINFO, PubMed, and Education Full-Text to identify 37 empirical studies that met inclusionary criteria. Findings suggest that CU traits are associated with poor academic performance, high levels of aggression and conduct problems, and difficulty forming relationships at school, often above and beyond the impact of DBDs alone. Findings and future directions are discussed including how the current study can support key stakeholders in promoting the success of students with elevated CU traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca S Levine
- Education Studies, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Kelly Smith
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 64 Cummington Mall, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nicholas J Wagner
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 64 Cummington Mall, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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Kimonis ER. The Emotionally Sensitive Child-Adverse Parenting Experiences-Allostatic (Over)Load (ESCAPE-AL) Model for the Development of Secondary Psychopathic Traits. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 2023; 26:1097-1114. [PMID: 37735279 PMCID: PMC10640461 DOI: 10.1007/s10567-023-00455-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Understanding and treatment of antisocial behavior have improved through efforts to subtype individuals based on similar risk factors and outcomes. In particular, the presence of psychopathic traits is associated with distinct etiological factors and antisocial behavior that begins early in life, is aggressive, persistent, and less likely to normalize with traditional treatments, relative to individuals low on psychopathy or its childhood precursor, callous-unemotional (CU) traits. However, important distinctions can be made within individuals with CU/psychopathic traits according to the presence of elevated anxiety symptoms and/or adverse childhood experiences, known as secondary psychopathy/CU traits. This paper provides a broad and brief overview of theory and empirical literature supporting the existence of secondary psychopathy/CU variants as a distinct subtype of childhood antisocial behavior. It outlines the Emotionally Sensitive Child-Adverse Parenting Experiences-Allostatic (Over)Load (ESCAPE-AL) model for the developmental psychopathology of secondary psychopathic/CU traits and discusses research and theory supporting this perspective. Future research directions for testing this conceptual model and its implications for assessing and treating high-risk individuals with secondary CU/psychopathic traits are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva R Kimonis
- Parent-Child Research Clinic, School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
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Wagner N, Perkins E, Rodriguez Y, Ordway C, Flum M, Hernandez-Pena L, Perelstein P, Sem K, Paz Y, Plate R, Popoola A, Lynch S, Astone K, Goldstein E, Njoroge WFM, Raine A, Pincus D, Pérez-Edgar K, Waller R. Promoting Empathy and Affiliation in Relationships (PEAR) study: protocol for a longitudinal study investigating the development of early childhood callous-unemotional traits. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e072742. [PMID: 37802613 PMCID: PMC10565261 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072742] [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: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Children with callous-unemotional (CU) traits are at high lifetime risk of antisocial behaviour. Low affiliation (ie, social bonding difficulties) and fearlessness (ie, low threat sensitivity) are proposed risk factors for CU traits. Parenting practices (eg, harshness and low warmth) also predict risk for CU traits. However, few studies in early childhood have identified attentional or physiological markers of low affiliation and fearlessness. Moreover, no studies have tested whether parenting practices are underpinned by low affiliation or fearlessness shared by parents, which could further shape parent-child interactions and exacerbate risk for CU traits. Addressing these questions will inform knowledge of how CU traits develop and isolate novel parent and child targets for future specialised treatments for CU traits. METHODS AND ANALYSIS The Promoting Empathy and Affiliation in Relationships (PEAR) study aims to establish risk factors for CU traits in children aged 3-6 years. The PEAR study will recruit 500 parent-child dyads from two metropolitan areas of the USA. Parents and children will complete questionnaires, computer tasks and observational assessments, alongside collection of eye-tracking and physiological data, when children are aged 3-4 (time 1) and 5-6 (time 2) years. The moderating roles of child sex, race and ethnicity, family and neighbourhood disadvantage, and parental psychopathology will also be assessed. Study aims will be addressed using structural equation modelling, which will allow for flexible characterisation of low affiliation, fearlessness and parenting practices as risk factors for CU traits across multiple domains. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethical approval was granted by Boston University (#6158E) and the University of Pennsylvania (#850638). Results will be disseminated through conferences and open-access publications. All study and task materials will be made freely available on lab websites and through the Open Science Framework (OSF).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Wagner
- Department of Brain & Psychological Science, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Emily Perkins
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Yuheiry Rodriguez
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Cora Ordway
- Department of Brain & Psychological Science, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michaela Flum
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lucia Hernandez-Pena
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Polina Perelstein
- Department of Brain & Psychological Science, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kathy Sem
- Department of Brain & Psychological Science, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yael Paz
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rista Plate
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ayomide Popoola
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sarah Lynch
- Department of Brain & Psychological Science, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kristina Astone
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ethan Goldstein
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wanjikũ F M Njoroge
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Adriane Raine
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Donna Pincus
- Department of Brain & Psychological Science, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Rebecca Waller
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Shakiba N, Lynch SF, Propper CB, Mills-Koonce WR, Wagner NJ. Vagal Flexibility Moderates the Links between Observed Sensitive Caregiving in Infancy and Externalizing Behavior Problems in Middle Childhood. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2023; 51:1453-1464. [PMID: 37300786 PMCID: PMC11257083 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-023-01088-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This study explored how patterns of physiological stress reactivity underpin individual differences in sensitivity to early rearing experiences and childhood risk for psychopathology. To examine individual differences in parasympathetic functioning, past research has largely relied on static measures of stress reactivity (i.e., residual and change scores) in infancy which may not adequately capture the dynamic nature of regulation across contexts. Using data from a prospective longitudinal study of 206 children (56% African Americans) and their families, this study addressed these gaps by employing the latent basis growth curve model to characterize the dynamic, non-linear patterns of change in infants' respiratory sinus arrhythmia (i.e., vagal flexibility) across the Face-to-Face Still-Face Paradigm. Furthermore, it investigated whether and how infants' vagal flexibility moderates the links between sensitive parenting, observed during a free play task when children were 6 months of age, and parent-report of children's externalizing problems at 7 years of age. Results of the structural equation models revealed that infants' vagal flexibility moderates the predictive relations between sensitive parenting in infancy and children's later externalizing problems. Simple slope analyses revealed that low vagal flexibility, characterized by less suppression and flatter recovery patterns, exacerbated risk for externalizing psychopathology in the context of insensitive parenting. Children with low vagal flexibility also benefited most from sensitive parenting, as indicated by the lower number of externalizing problems. Findings are interpreted in the light of the biological sensitivity to context model and provide evidence for vagal flexibility as a biomarker of individual's sensitivity to early rearing contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nila Shakiba
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 64 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| | - Sarah F Lynch
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 64 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Cathi B Propper
- School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - W Roger Mills-Koonce
- School of Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Nicholas J Wagner
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 64 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
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7
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Laursen B, Hoff E, Gaudree A, Højen A, Bleses D. Child disruptiveness moderates the effects of home book reading on oral language development. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2022.111763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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8
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Rattaz V, Puglisi N, Tissot H, Favez N. Associations between parent–infant interactions, cortisol and vagal regulation in infants, and socioemotional outcomes: A systematic review. Infant Behav Dev 2022; 67:101687. [DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Lynch SF, Bedford R, Propper C, Wagner NJ. Examining Links Between Infant Parasympathetic Regulation during the Still-Face Paradigm and Later Callous-Unemotional Traits. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2022; 50:489-503. [PMID: 34424454 PMCID: PMC11244580 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-021-00860-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Although research suggests that callous-unemotional (CU) traits are underpinned by deficits in social affiliation and reduced sensitivity to threat, there has been little investigation of the biophysiological regulatory mechanisms underlying these processes in infancy. The current study uses data from the Durham Child Health and Development Study (DCHD; n = 206) to examine whether and how the combination of infants' behavioral reactivity and levels of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), an indicator of parasympathetic nervous system functioning, during the still-face episode of the still-face paradigm at 6 months differentiates risk for CU traits and oppositional defiant behaviors (ODD) at age 3 years, as well as whether these relations vary by children's attachment security. Results indicate that reduced negative affect during the still-face episode at 6 months predicts higher CU traits (B = -0.28, β = -0.27, p = 0.003) and ODD (B = -0.35, β = -0.24, p = 0.007) at 3 years. Results also show that comparatively lower RSA, i.e. engaged parasympathetic system, predicts higher CU traits (B = -0.10, β = -0.34, p = 0.013), but not ODD. Tests of moderation suggest the combination of blunted negative affect but comparatively lower RSA levels during a social stressor constitutes risk for later CU traits for children who are also insecurely attached (simple slope = -0.70, t = 2.88, p = 0.006 at -1 SD). Findings contribute to our understanding of the complex and interactive risk processes which precede the development of CU traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah F Lynch
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University Developmental Sciences, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rachael Bedford
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, Psychology & Neuroscience, London, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Cathi Propper
- Center for Developmental Science, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Nicholas J Wagner
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University Developmental Sciences, Boston, MA, USA.
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Mills-Koonce WR, Towe-Goodman N, Swingler MM, Willoughby MT. Profiles of family-based social experiences in the first 3 years predict early cognitive, behavioral, and socioemotional competencies. Dev Psychol 2022; 58:297-310. [PMID: 34941304 PMCID: PMC9238939 DOI: 10.1037/dev0001287] [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] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
This study utilized latent profile analyses to identify unique configurations of children's family-based social experiences during the first 3 years of life and examine differences across profiles with respect to developmental outcomes at 36 and 48 months of age. Seven family process variables were used: maternal emotional functioning, maternal sensitivity, negative controlling parenting, cognitive stimulation, corporal punishment, adult-adult aggression, and household disorganization. Data were collected by the Family Life Project (N = 1,087), a longitudinal study of families living in low-wealth, nonurban areas, for whom the biological mother was the child's primary caregiver from 6 to 36 months of age. On average, mothers were 26 years of age at 2 months of child age. Approximately 36% of the families lived below the federal poverty limit, and 41% identified as Black; 49% of children were female. Latent profile analyses identified four groups: (a) positive exposure (b) average exposure, (c) problematic adult functioning, and (d) problematic parenting . Comparisons indicate that children in the positive exposure profile had the highest levels of socioemotional and cognitive outcomes compared to overall profiles. Children in the problematic adult functioning and problematic parenting profiles had the most problematic child outcomes, with children in the problematic parenting profile scoring lowest overall. Results indicate that there is configural heterogeneity in family-based social experiences at the highest levels of risk and that exposures to problematic parenting may be more consequential for later child outcomes than exposures to problematic adult functioning in the absence of compromised caregiving. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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11
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Propper CB, McLaughlin K, Goldblum J, Camerota M, Gueron-Sela N, Mills-Koonce WR, Wagner NJ. Parenting and maternal reported child sleep problems in infancy predict school-age aggression and inattention. Sleep Health 2021; 8:62-68. [PMID: 34980579 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleh.2021.11.010] [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: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine caregiving predictors of maternal reported sleep problems and child behavioral and cognitive outcomes in early childhood. DESIGN A prospective longitudinal study from 6 to 84 months of age. SETTING Lab visits, assessments, and questionnaires conducted with a community-based sample. PARTICIPANTS One hundred sixty-four African American and White children, their mothers, and teachers. MEASUREMENT Parenting behavior was measured during a free-play task at 6 months of age, maternal-report of child sleep problems was completed at 6 timepoints, and teacher report of child aggression and attention was collected in kindergarten and second grade. RESULTS Latent growth curve modeling revealed that maternal reported sleep problems decreased in children from 18 to 84 months and harsh-intrusive parenting at 6 months predicted sleep problems at 18 months. Maternal reported sleep problems at 18 months predicted aggressive behaviors in kindergarten and second grade. CONCLUSION Parenting at 6 months of age exerts an influence on sleep quality at 18 months which is associated with aggressive behavior in early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathi B Propper
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
| | - Kirsten McLaughlin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jessica Goldblum
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Marie Camerota
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Noa Gueron-Sela
- Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - W Roger Mills-Koonce
- School of Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nicholas J Wagner
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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12
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Lo SL, Riley HO, Sturza J, Vazquez DM, Rosenblum K, Kaciroti N, Lumeng JC, Miller AL. Cortisol in early childhood moderates the association between family routines and observed affective balance in children from low-income backgrounds. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:e22204. [PMID: 34813102 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The study of emotion regulation often addresses control of negative emotion. Researchers have proposed that affective balance is an indicator of emotion regulation that incorporates the role of positive emotion in the context of negative emotional experiences. Environmental and individual factors, such as family processes and biological stress regulation, are known to shape emotion regulation. The present study investigated whether child diurnal cortisol, an indicator of biological stress regulation, moderated the association between family routines and observed affective balance. Children (N = 222; M age = 4.70 years, SD = 0.60) from low-income households provided saliva samples to measure diurnal cortisol and completed a behavioral task designed to elicit negative emotions. Affective balance was defined as the difference score between the proportion of positive and negative emotional expressions displayed during the task. A higher affective balance score indicated greater positive compared with negative emotional displays. Simple slope analyses indicated that for children with a low morning cortisol intercept, more frequent family routines were associated with more affective balance. This pattern was not observed in children with average or high morning cortisol. Positive family routines may play an important role in shaping affective balance among children with disrupted cortisol levels from low-income backgrounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon L Lo
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Hurley O Riley
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Julie Sturza
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Delia M Vazquez
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Katherine Rosenblum
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Niko Kaciroti
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Julie C Lumeng
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Alison L Miller
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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13
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Waller R, Powell T, Rodriguez Y, Corbett N, Perlstein S, White LK, Barzilay R, Wagner NJ. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children's Conduct Problems and Callous-Unemotional Traits. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2021; 52:1012-1023. [PMID: 33405026 PMCID: PMC7786862 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-020-01109-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered family life, but whether family exposures to and worries about the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted child conduct problems (CP) and callous-unemotional (CU) traits is unknown. Thus, we evaluated 303 parents (Mage = 38.04; SD = 5.21; 92.4% biological mothers) and children (Mage = 6.43; SD = 2.13; 51.8% female) during a four-month period early in the pandemic. We examined associations between parental exposures to COVID-19, parental worries about the pandemic, harsh and warm parenting practices, and child CP and CU traits. Although more parental worries were not directly related to parenting practices, more worry about COVID-19 was specifically related to higher levels of child CP, particularly parental worries about themselves or family members contracting the virus. Our findings add to a growing literature demonstrating the burden that the pandemic has placed on families and its implications for children's mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Waller
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Tralucia Powell
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 64 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Yuheiry Rodriguez
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Natalie Corbett
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Samantha Perlstein
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Lauren K White
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Ran Barzilay
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Nicholas J Wagner
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 64 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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Shakiba N, Gao MM, Conradt E, Terrell S, Lester BM. Parent-child relationship quality and adolescent health: Testing the differential susceptibility and diathesis-stress hypotheses in African American youths. Child Dev 2021; 93:269-287. [PMID: 34473345 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
This study tested two competing models of differential susceptibility and diathesis-stress in a prospective longitudinal study of African American youths (N = 935). It examined whether individual variations in the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis at age 11 interact with middle childhood parent-child relationship quality to predict mental and physical health problems in adolescence (ages 11-15 years old). Adolescent boys with lower levels of cortisol reactivity to laboratory challenges had the highest levels of internalizing problems if they experienced a high conflictual relationship with their parents. Equally low-reactive boys, however, reported the lowest number of physical illnesses if their relationship with their parents was characterized by high levels of intimacy and support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nila Shakiba
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 64 Cummington Mall, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA
| | | | - Elisabeth Conradt
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.,Department of OB/GYN, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Sarah Terrell
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Barry M Lester
- Department of Psychiatry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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15
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Wu Q. Trajectory of Maternal Postpartum Depressive Symptoms Moderates the Bidirectional Associations between Maternal Intrusive Parenting and Infant Fear. J Affect Disord 2021; 292:359-368. [PMID: 34139409 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.05.099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The association between maternal intrusive parenting and infant fear remains poorly understood, especially in the persistence of maternal postpartum depression. The current study investigated the moderating role of maternal postpartum depressive symptoms on the bidirectional link between maternal intrusive parenting and infant fear, among a sample of low-income, rural mothers. METHODS . A sample of 1,292 mothers reported their depressive symptoms at 2, 6, 15, and 24 months postpartum, whereas their intrusive parenting behavior and infant fear were observed at infants age 6, 15, and 24 months. RESULTS . Latent growth curve models revealed that maternal postpartum depressive symptoms increased over 2 years. From 6 months to 24 months, maternal intrusive parenting remained stable, and infant fear increased. Moderation analyses revealed that when mothers had low levels of initial depressive symptoms, a higher initial level of maternal intrusive parenting predicted a faster increase of infant fear. Additionally, when mothers' depressive symptoms showed a fast increase, a higher initial level of infant fear predicted a faster reduction in maternal intrusive parenting. LIMITATIONS . The low-income, rural community sample limited the generalizability of the current findings. CONCLUSIONS . The interplay between maternal intrusive parenting and infant fear supports a transactional model of child development in the context of maternal depression, with implications for future research and intervention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Wu
- Department of Human Development & Family Science, College of Health and Human Sciences, Florida State University, Sandels 322, 120 Convocation Way, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, United States.
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16
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Maung HH. Psychopathic personalities and developmental systems. PHILOSOPHICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/09515089.2021.1916453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hane Htut Maung
- Department of Philosophy, School of Social Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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17
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Kalomiris AE, Phelps RA, Kiel EJ. The Relation between Specific Parenting Behaviors and Toddlers' Early Anxious Behaviors is Moderated by Toddler Cortisol Reactivity. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 47:1367-1377. [PMID: 30793236 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-019-00522-9] [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] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Differential susceptibility theory posits that neurobiological reactivity (e.g., cortisol levels) should be considered as an individual index of susceptibility to both positive and negative environments. The current investigation separately examines cortisol reactivity and total concentration in toddlerhood as moderators of the longitudinal relation between maternal protection and encouragement of independence and increases or decreases in observed anxious behaviors, respectively. A total of 119 mother-toddler dyads participated in a laboratory visit when toddlers were 12- to 18-months-old. Mothers reported on their parenting behaviors and toddlers participated in a novelty episode from which their anxious behaviors were coded. Toddlers provided three saliva samples, yielding measures of cortisol reactivity and total cortisol concentration. One year later, dyads returned to the laboratory where toddlers participated in another novelty episode to observationally assess anxious behaviors. Results revealed that maternal protection tended to relate to greater increases in anxious behaviors one year later only for toddlers who displayed high cortisol reactivity. Cortisol reactivity also moderated the relation between maternal encouragement of independence and change in toddler anxious behaviors, with this parenting behavior relating to greater decreases in anxious behaviors only for toddlers with high cortisol reactivity. Results examining total cortisol concentration as a moderator were not significant. Results suggest the importance of considering toddler cortisol reactivity a context of susceptibility when examining the longitudinal relation between parenting behaviors and the development of anxious behaviors in toddlerhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E Kalomiris
- Psychology Department, Miami University, 90 N. Patterson Ave, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA.
| | - Randi A Phelps
- Psychology Department, Miami University, 90 N. Patterson Ave, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Kiel
- Psychology Department, Miami University, 90 N. Patterson Ave, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
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18
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Donohue MR, Tillman R, Luby J. Reparative Prosocial Behavior Difficulties across Childhood Predict Poorer Social Functioning and Depression in Adolescence. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 48:1077-1088. [PMID: 32388593 PMCID: PMC9808884 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-020-00646-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Difficulty using reparative behaviors (i.e., prosocial behaviors that individuals use after they have transgressed to cause another's distress) has been concurrently associated with poorer social functioning and both internalizing and externalizing disorders in children and adults. Despite these associations, no study has examined social and psychological outcomes of children who display consistently low levels of reparative behaviors across childhood. This study used established developmental trajectories of reparative behaviors that span preschool through early adolescence (low-stable, moderate-stable, and high-stable) to predict social and psychological outcomes in adolescence (N = 129). Membership in trajectories characterized by lower levels of reparative behaviors predicted greater social rejection, social withdrawal, aggression, and symptoms of depression in adolescence, even when controlling for baseline levels of each outcome. Membership in the low-stable reparative trajectory also significantly mediated the relationship between high levels of guilt in preschool and greater depression severity in adolescence. Findings suggest that children who display persistently low levels of reparative behaviors may be at-risk for a variety of poorer social and emotional outcomes. Further, preschoolers who display both high levels of guilt and low levels of reparative behaviors may be at particularly high risk for depression recurrence in adolescence. Thus, interventions that teach young children reparative skills and/or promote approach rather than avoidance after transgressions may have important implications for preventing a wide range of poorer social and emotional outcomes in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Rose Donohue
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4444 Forest Park Avenue, Suite 2100, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA.
| | - Rebecca Tillman
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4444 Forest Park Avenue, Suite 2100, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | - Joan Luby
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4444 Forest Park Avenue, Suite 2100, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA
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19
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Zhang Y, Yang X, Liu D, Wang Z. Chinese college students’ parental attachment, peer attachment, and prosocial behaviors: The moderating role of respiratory sinus arrhythmia. Biol Psychol 2020; 150:107844. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2020.107844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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20
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Wright N, Pickles A, Braithwaite EC, Sharp H, Hill J. Sex-dependent associations between maternal prenatal cortisol and child callous-unemotional traits: Findings from the Wirral Child Health and Development Study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 109:104409. [PMID: 31446327 PMCID: PMC6857434 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elevated maternal glucocorticoids during pregnancy may impact on fetal development in a sex-dependent way, leading to increased amygdala activation and increased risk for internalising disorders in females. Based on evidence implicating reduced amygdala activation in callous-unemotional (CU) traits, we predicted that elevated maternal cortisol in pregnancy would be associated with lower CU traits and elevated anxious-depressed symptoms, only in girls. METHODS Participants were 225 members of a stratified subsample within an epidemiological longitudinal cohort (WCHADS). Salivary cortisol was measured over two days at 32 weeks gestation (on waking, 30-min post-waking and during the evening) and the log of the area under the curve (LogAUC) was calculated as an index of diurnal cortisol. Mothers reported on child CU traits and anxious-depressed symptoms at 2.5, 3.5 and 5.0 years of age. RESULTS As predicted there was a sex of child by cortisol interaction (p < .001) whereby elevated maternal cortisol was associated with lower child CU traits, explaining 25% of the variance, in girls, but not in boys. This effect remained when controlling for relevant confounders and anxious-depressed symptoms. By contrast, elevated maternal cortisol did not predict higher anxious-depressed symptoms in girls. CONCLUSIONS The study adds to growing evidence for sex-dependent effects of elevated maternal cortisol during pregnancy on early child psychopathology, consistent with mediation by elevated amygdala activation. The conditions under which, in girls, this is associated with heightened responsiveness to others' distress characteristic of low CU traits, or with increased affective symptoms, require further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Wright
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, London, UK.
| | - Andrew Pickles
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, London, UK.
| | | | - Helen Sharp
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Institute of Life and Human Sciences, Liverpool, UK.
| | - Jonathan Hill
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK.
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21
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Richardson PA, Bocknek EL, McGoron L, Trentacosta CJ. Fathering across contexts: The moderating role of respiratory sinus arrhythmia in predicting toddler emotion regulation. Dev Psychobiol 2019; 61:903-919. [PMID: 30825203 PMCID: PMC7018438 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 11/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Caregivers play an integral role in promoting children's emotion regulation, while children's individual physiology affects how they respond to the caregiving environment. Relatively little is known about how fathering influences toddler emotion regulation, particularly within African American and low-income communities, where risk related to the development of emotion regulation is higher. This study investigated relations among fathering, toddler parasympathetic regulation, and toddler emotion regulation in a sample of 92 families. Fathering was assessed during two interactions: engagement following a stressor during a triadic task and a dyadic play task. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (resting and reactivity) was obtained as an index of toddler parasympathetic arousal. Findings demonstrated an association between fathers' engagement poststressor and toddler emotion regulation. Toddler RSA moderated this association: toddlers with elevated levels of resting RSA benefitted from parenting engagement following a stressor. Fathering during play did not relate to toddler emotion regulation. The importance of fathering and physiologic contexts in early regulatory development is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia A Richardson
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
- Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
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22
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Horn SR, Roos LE, Berkman ET, Fisher PA. Neuroendocrine and immune pathways from pre- and perinatal stress to substance abuse. Neurobiol Stress 2018; 9:140-150. [PMID: 30450380 PMCID: PMC6236513 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2018.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity is a documented risk factor for substance abuse and addiction. The pre- and perinatal period (i.e., from implantation, through pregnancy, to 6 months of age) is a critical period marked by high biological plasticity and vulnerability, making perinatal stress a particularly robust form of adversity. The neuroendocrine and immune systems are key mechanisms implicated in the transmission of addiction risk. We review animal and human studies that provide preliminary evidence for links between perinatal stress, neuroendocrine and immune dysregulation, and risk for substance abuse and addiction. A translational neuroscience perspective is employed to elucidate pre- and perinatally-induced biological mechanisms linked to addiction and discuss implications for prevention and intervention efforts. Significant evidence supports associations between pre- and perinatal stress and dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and immune systems as well as links between neuroendocrine/immune functioning and addiction risk. More work is needed to explicitly examine the interplay between pre- and perinatal stress and neuroendocrine/immune disruptions that together heighten substance abuse risk. Future work is needed to fully understand how pre- and perinatal stress induces biological alterations to predispose individuals to higher risk for addiction. Such knowledge will strengthen theoretically-driven and empirically-supported prevention efforts for substance abuse and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Horn
- University of Oregon, Department of Psychology, 1227 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97402, USA
| | - Leslie E Roos
- University of Oregon, Department of Psychology, 1227 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97402, USA
| | - Elliot T Berkman
- University of Oregon, Department of Psychology, 1227 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97402, USA
| | - Philip A Fisher
- University of Oregon, Department of Psychology, 1227 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97402, USA
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23
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Wagner NJ, Hastings PD, Rubin KH. Children's autonomic functioning moderates links between maternal rejecting attitudes and preschool aggressive behaviors. Dev Psychobiol 2018; 60:739-747. [PMID: 29927485 PMCID: PMC6107380 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Substantial theoretical and empirical literature suggests that the extent to which children's early experiences contribute to the development of aggressive behaviors may depend on the psychophysiological regulatory capacities of the child. This study adds to this literature by examining the relations between mothers' rejecting child-rearing attitudes and children's aggressive behaviors, as well as whether children's parasympathetic regulation, both at rest and in response to anger-inducing films, moderate these links. Using the data collected from 88 preschoolers (mage = 51 months), the results revealed that the positive association between mothers' rejecting child-rearing attitudes and children's aggressive behaviors was moderated by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) reactivity to anger. More rejecting child-rearing attitudes predicted more aggressive behaviors only for children who showed mild RSA suppression to RSA augmentation. Conversely, and consistent with the differential-susceptibility model, children who showed mild RSA suppression to RSA augmentation had the fewest aggressive behaviors when mothers reported less rejecting child-rearing attitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J. Wagner
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 64 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, , 252-290-7444
| | - Paul D. Hastings
- Department of Psychology, UC Davis, 267 Cousteau Place, Davis, CA 95618
| | - Kenneth H. Rubin
- Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, Benjamin Building, RM 3304, 3942 Campus Dr., College Park, MD 20742
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24
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Wagner NJ, Gueron-Sela N, Bedford R, Propper C. Maternal Attributions of Infant Behavior and Parenting in Toddlerhood Predict Teacher-Rated Internalizing Problems in Childhood. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL FOR THE SOCIETY OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY, AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, DIVISION 53 2018; 47:S569-S577. [PMID: 29893582 PMCID: PMC6669045 DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2018.1477050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Social-information-processing theories of parenting posit that parents' beliefs and attributions about their children's behaviors contribute to how parents interact with their children. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between negative parenting attributions in infancy, harsh-intrusive parenting in toddlerhood, and children's internalizing problems (IPs) in early childhood. Using data from a diverse longitudinal study (n = 206), the current study used a structural equation modeling approach to test if mothers' negative attributions measured at 6 months predicted teacher ratings of children's IPs in 1st grade, as well as the extent to which observed harsh-intrusive parenting behaviors measured at ages 1, 2, and 3 years mediated this link. Maternal negative attributions in infancy predict more IPs in 1st grade, but this link becomes nonsignificant when observed harsh-intrusive parenting is included as a mediator. A significant indirect effect suggests that harsh-intrusive parenting mediates the association between early negative attributions and eventual IPs. Findings from this study identify harsh-intrusive parenting behaviors as one potential mechanism through which the effects of early attributions are carried forward to influence children's IPs. The developmental and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Wagner
- a Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences , Boston University
| | - Noa Gueron-Sela
- b Department of Psychology and Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience , Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
| | - Rachael Bedford
- c Biostatistics and Health Informatics Department , Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London
| | - Cathi Propper
- d The Center for Developmental Science , University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
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25
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Callous-Unemotional Traits and Autonomic Functioning in Toddlerhood Interact to Predict Externalizing Behaviors in Preschool. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2017; 46:1439-1450. [DOI: 10.1007/s10802-017-0374-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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