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Isenhour J, Speck B, Conradt E, Crowell SE, Raby KL. Examining the implications of contextual stress and maternal sensitivity for infants' cortisol responses to the still face paradigm. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 166:107059. [PMID: 38692096 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Infants' hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis responses to acute stressors are theorized to be shaped by parents' sensitive responsiveness to infants' cues. The strength and direction of the association between maternal sensitivity and infants' HPA responses may depend on the context in which maternal sensitivity is observed and on broader environmental sources of stress and support. In this preregistered study, we used data from 105 mothers and their 7-month-old infants to examine whether two empirically identified forms of contextual stress-poor maternal psychosocial wellbeing and family socioeconomic hardship-moderate the association between maternal sensitivity and infants' cortisol responses to the Still-Face Paradigm (SFP). Results indicated that maternal sensitivity during the free play and family socioeconomic hardship interacted to predict infants' cortisol responses to the SFP. Specifically, maternal sensitivity during this non-distressing interaction was negatively associated with cortisol responses only among infants whose mothers were experiencing relatively high socioeconomic hardship. Exploratory analyses revealed that poor maternal psychosocial wellbeing was positively associated with overall infant cortisol production during the SFP. Altogether, these findings suggest that experiences within early parent-infant attachment relationships and sources of contextual stress work together to shape infant HPA axis activity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bailey Speck
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, USA
| | - Elisabeth Conradt
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, USA
| | | | - K Lee Raby
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, USA.
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2
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Sullivan ADW, Roubinov D, Noroña-Zhou AN, Bush NR. Do dyadic interventions impact biomarkers of child health? A state-of-the-science narrative review. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 162:106949. [PMID: 38295654 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early life adversity is related to numerous poor health outcomes in childhood; however, dyadic interventions that promote sensitive and responsive caregiving may protect children from the negative consequences of such exposures. To date, quasi-experimental and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have examined the impact of dyadic interventions on a range of individual biomarkers in children, which may elucidate the relation between early stress exposure and transdiagnostic risk factors for prospective poor health. However, the content of interventions, analytic strategies, and findings vary widely across studies, obscuring key themes in the science and hindering policy and research efforts. METHODS We use a narrative approach to review findings from methodologically rigorous (predominantly RCT) studies of dyadic interventions' impacts on different biomarkers in children, including indicators of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, parasympathetic (PNS) and sympathetic nervous systems (SNS), brain development, inflammation, and intracellular DNA processes. We contribute to this important area of inquiry through integrating findings across biological systems and identifying contextual and mechanistic factors to depict the current state of the field. RESULTS Evidence suggests dyadic interventions improved PNS functioning and advanced brain maturation. Some studies indicated interventions reduced hair cortisol concentrations, systemic inflammation, and resulted in differences in DNA methylation patterns. Findings did not support main effect-level change in salivary measures of HPA axis activity, SNS activity, or telomere length. Importantly, reviewed studies indicated significant heterogeneity in effects across biological systems, underscoring the importance of contextual factors (e.g., adversity subtype and severity) as potential moderators of effects. Further, findings suggested enhanced parenting behaviors may be a mechanism through which dyadic interventions operate on biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS We close with future policy and research directions, emphasizing the promise of biologically-informed dyadic interventions for understanding and ameliorating the effects of early adversity on transdiagnostic biomarkers of health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra D W Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Health and Community, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
| | - Danielle Roubinov
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Health and Community, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Amanda N Noroña-Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Health and Community, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental Medicine, UCSF, USA
| | - Nicole R Bush
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Health and Community, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental Medicine, UCSF, USA.
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3
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Hare MM, Trucco EM, Hawes SW, Villar M, Zucker RA. Pathways to substance use: Examining conduct problems and parenting behaviors from preschool to adolescence. Dev Psychopathol 2024; 36:454-466. [PMID: 36744529 PMCID: PMC10404304 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579422001328] [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] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
While many studies have identified risk and protective factors of substance use (SU), few have assessed the reciprocal associations of child conduct problems (CP) and parenting practices and behaviors in the prediction of SU across development. A greater understanding of how these factors relate over time is needed to improve the timing of targeted prevention efforts. This study examined how child CP, parenting behaviors, and parents' own antisocial behavior relate from preschool to adolescence and eventuate in SU. Participants included 706 youth (70.6% male; 89.7% white) enrolled in the Michigan Longitudinal Study. Data from waves 1 (ages 3-5), 2 (ages 6-8), 3 (ages 9-11), 4 (ages 12-14), and 5 (ages 15-17) were included. A random intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) examined reciprocal associations between parenting practices, parents' antisocial behavior, and child CP over time (waves 1-4) and how these factors contribute to adolescent alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use (wave 5). At the within-person level, negative parenting and parents' own antisocial behavior had a strong influence in late childhood/early adolescence. Only child CP emerged as a significant predictor of SU. Results highlight the importance of early intervention and the potential influence of parenting and child factors throughout development in the prevention of SU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan M. Hare
- Center for Children and Families, Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Elisa M. Trucco
- Center for Children and Families, Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Samuel W. Hawes
- Center for Children and Families, Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Michelle Villar
- Center for Children and Families, Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Robert A. Zucker
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Eiden RD, Ettekal I, Zhao J, Kelm MR, Nickerson AB, Ostrov JM, Schuetze P, Godleski S. Prenatal substance exposure, early-life adversity, and parenting: Associations with adolescent stress response. Dev Psychobiol 2023; 65:e22365. [PMID: 36811371 PMCID: PMC9971663 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22365] [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: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
We tested a conceptual model examining associations between prenatal substance exposure and adolescent cortisol reactivity profiles in response to an acute social evaluative stressor. We included cortisol reactivity in infancy, and direct and interactive effects of early-life adversity and parenting behaviors (sensitivity, harshness) from infancy to early school age on adolescent cortisol reactivity profiles in model testing. Participants were 216 families (51% female children; 116 cocaine-exposed) recruited at birth, oversampled for prenatal substance exposure, and assessed from infancy to early adolescence (EA). Majority of participants self-identified as Black (72% mothers, 57.2% adolescents), and caregivers were primarily from low-income families (76%), were single (86%), and had high school or below education (70%) at recruitment. Latent profile analyses identified three cortisol reactivity patterns including elevated (20.4%), moderate (63.1%), and blunted (16.5%) reactivity groups. Prenatal tobacco exposure was associated with higher likelihood of membership in the elevated reactivity compared to the moderate reactivity group. Higher caregiver sensitivity in early life was associated with lower likelihood of membership in the elevated reactivity group. Prenatal cocaine exposure was associated with higher maternal harshness. Interaction effects among early-life adversity and parenting indicated that caregiver sensitivity buffered, and harshness exacerbated, the likelihood that high early adversity would be associated with the elevated and blunted reactivity groups. Results highlight the potential importance of prenatal alcohol and tobacco exposure for cortisol reactivity and the role of parenting as exacerbating or buffering the impact of early-life adversity on adolescent stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rina D. Eiden
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
| | | | - Junru Zhao
- University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY
| | | | | | - Jamie M. Ostrov
- University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY
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O'Brien JR, Loi EC, Byrne ML, Zalewski M, Casement MD. The Link Between Positive and Negative Parenting Behaviors and Child Inflammation: A Systematic Review. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2023; 54:51-65. [PMID: 34347228 PMCID: PMC8814056 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-021-01224-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Children's inflammation may be an important link between parenting behaviors and health outcomes. The aims of this systematic review were to: (1) describe associations between parenting behaviors and child inflammatory markers, and (2) evaluate the relevance of existing literature to the review question. Database searches identified 19 studies that included a measure of positive or negative parenting behaviors and a marker of child inflammation, 53% of which measured parental responsiveness/warmth. Greater parental responsiveness/warmth was associated with lower levels of child pro-inflammatory markers in 60% of studies. Across studies, the association between parenting and child inflammation varied as a function of parenting construct, inflammatory measure, and sample characteristics. Studies were highly relevant, with 42% rated 5 + out of 6 for study's ability to address links between parenting behavior and child inflammation. If future research uncovers causal effects of parenting behaviors on inflammation, parenting interventions could be employed as a preventative tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline R O'Brien
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, 1451 Onyx Street, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA.
| | - Elizabeth C Loi
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, 1451 Onyx Street, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Michelle L Byrne
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, 1451 Onyx Street, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Maureen Zalewski
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, 1451 Onyx Street, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Melynda D Casement
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, 1451 Onyx Street, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
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Reindl V, Schippers A, Tenbrock K, Job AK, Gerloff C, Lohaus A, Heinrichs N, Konrad K. Caregiving quality modulates neuroendocrine and immunological markers in young children in foster care who have experienced early adversity. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2022; 63:535-543. [PMID: 34327711 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early adversity is believed to alter the body's stress-response systems, putting children at increased risk for somatic and mental health problems. However, it remains unclear whether such alterations normalize under improved caregiving experiences. Thus, the goal of the present study was to investigate (a) whether children in foster care show endocrine and immunological alterations relative to children living with their biological families, (b) whether these alterations change over time spent with the foster family, and (c) whether the alterations are modulated by current caregiving experiences. METHODS A total of 94 children in foster care and 157 biological children, aged two to seven years, took part in a longitudinal study with three assessments conducted over a 12-month study period. At the initial assessment, children lived for an average of 18 months with their current foster families. Children's cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and progesterone concentrations and cortisol/DHEA ratios were measured in scalp hair and children's secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels in saliva. Caregiving quality was assessed based on caregiver-reports and observational measures of caregiver-child interactions. RESULTS Children in foster care had lower cortisol/DHEA ratios and higher progesterone concentrations than biological children, while no group differences were found for cortisol, DHEA or sIgA. Time spent with the current foster family did not significantly influence the child's endocrine or immunological markers. Importantly, caregiving quality modulated cortisol/DHEA ratios and sIgA concentrations: children in foster care of lower caregiving quality had lower cortisol/DHEA ratios than children in foster care of higher caregiving quality and showed decreasing, rather than increasing, sIgA concentrations across the study period. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that caregiving quality in the foster family may have an important modulating effect on selected indicators of the child's stress response and could thereby mitigate the possible consequences of early childhood adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Reindl
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, RWTH Aachen and Research Centre Juelich, Juelich, Germany
| | | | - Klaus Tenbrock
- Department of Pediatrics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ann-Katrin Job
- Institute of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy and Assessment, Department of Psychology, University of Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Christian Gerloff
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, RWTH Aachen and Research Centre Juelich, Juelich, Germany
| | - Arnold Lohaus
- Department of Psychology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Nina Heinrichs
- Institute of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy and Assessment, Department of Psychology, University of Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Konrad
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, RWTH Aachen and Research Centre Juelich, Juelich, Germany
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7
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Scott MG, Smiley PA, Ahn A, Lazarus MF, Borelli JL, Doan SN. A mother's touch: Preschool-aged children are regulated by positive maternal touch. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22243. [PMID: 35191531 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Positive maternal touch plays an important role in the development of children's physiological regulation and cognitive development in infancy, as well as the development of sociality in early childhood. However, few studies have looked beyond infancy to consider the possible continuing impact of positive maternal touch on child stress reactivity during early childhood. A diverse community sample of mothers (N = 114, Mage = 33.52 years, SD = 5.33) and their preschool-aged children (Mage = 41.68 months, SD = 4.67; 49.1% female) participated in the study. Basic demographics were reported by mothers. We coded maternal touch behaviors during an emotionally charged laboratory conversation task and assessed children's physiological reactivity to stressful laboratory tasks with salivary cortisol. Results reveal a significant negative association between positive maternal touch and child salivary cortisol reactivity. In addition, family income, adjusted for family size, and child sex were significantly associated with child cortisol stress reactivity. Findings are discussed in terms of persistent downregulating effects of positive maternal touch on child stress reactivity, as well as possible links of stress reactivity with family income, a proxy for economic stress, and child sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirenna G Scott
- Department of Psychological Science, Pomona College, Claremont, California, USA
| | - Patricia A Smiley
- Department of Psychological Science, Pomona College, Claremont, California, USA
| | - Ashley Ahn
- Department of Psychological Science, Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, California, USA
| | - Molly F Lazarus
- Department of Psychology, Scripps College, Claremont, California, USA
| | - Jessica L Borelli
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Stacey N Doan
- Department of Psychological Science, Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, California, USA
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8
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Kortesluoma S, Korhonen LS, Pelto J, Tuulari JJ, Karlsson L, Karlsson H. Age and sex differences in the cortisol stress reactivity and recovery among infants exposed to prenatal psychological distress. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 135:105580. [PMID: 34785419 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) functioning is one of the potential mechanisms bridging exposure to maternal prenatal psychological distress (PPD) and later risk for offspring psychiatric illness. Research on infant cortisol stress reactivity, on scarcely studied recovery and their associations with maternal PPD is needed to clarify these mechanisms. Knowledge on sex differences in prospective settings is largely lacking. We aimed at filling these gaps by building upon our previous report showing that exposure to maternal prenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms associates with slower cortisol recovery among 10-week-old female infants. METHODS In all, 363, 205 and 263 infants at 10 weeks, six and 14 months of age from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study participated in a stress test comprising of venipuncture and nasopharynx sampling. Five saliva cortisol samples were collected during each visit to measure cortisol reactivity and recovery. PPD was assessed from maternal self-reports for depressive, anxiety and pregnancy-related anxiety symptoms at gestational weeks 14, 24 and 34. RESULTS An 11% enhanced recovery among 14-month-old females was associated with higher depressive and anxiety symptoms (95% CI=1-23%) and pregnancy-related anxiety symptoms (2-21%). No alterations in the female cortisol reactivity or male cortisol stress responses were observed. CONCLUSIONS The opposite directions in the associations between the PPD exposure and infant cortisol recovery among 10-week-old and 14-month-old females suggest sex- and age-dependent associations between HPA axis functioning and PPD exposure among healthy infants. Follow-up is needed to characterize the impact of this altered negative feedback mechanism on later health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Kortesluoma
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
| | - Laura S Korhonen
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Juho Pelto
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jetro J Tuulari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Turku Collegium for Science, Medicine and Technology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
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Szenczy AK, Bernard K, Raby KL, Garnett M, Dozier M. Foster parent responsiveness and young children's diurnal cortisol production. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:1626-1634. [PMID: 33368174 PMCID: PMC8236069 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Foster children are at risk for dysregulated hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis functioning, conferring risk for negative health outcomes. Responsive parenting may support young children's HPA axis regulation; however, few studies have examined the association between responsive parenting and cortisol production among children in foster care. In a sample of 97 foster parent-child dyads, we examined whether variation in foster parent responsiveness was linked to children's waking and bedtime levels of cortisol. Children's saliva samples were collected at wake-up and bedtime for three consecutive days. Foster parent responsiveness, as indicated by parent sensitivity, intrusiveness, and positive regard, was assessed during video-recorded semistructured play interactions between foster parents and children. Foster parent responsiveness significantly predicted children's waking cortisol levels (β = 0.26, p = .023). Follow-up analyses revealed that foster parent sensitivity uniquely predicted waking cortisol (β = 0.46, p = .006), over and above other dimensions of parenting, such that children with more sensitive foster parents had higher waking cortisol than children with less sensitive foster parents. The association between foster parent sensitivity and the waking-to-bedtime slope of cortisol across the day was nonsignificant. Findings suggest that sensitive caregiving may support foster children's healthy HPA axis functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - K. Lee Raby
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah
| | - Mallory Garnett
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware
| | - Mary Dozier
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware
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Enhancing diurnal cortisol regulation among young children adopted internationally: A randomized controlled trial of a parenting-based intervention. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 32:1657-1668. [PMID: 33427179 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Children who have been adopted internationally commonly experience institutional care and other forms of adversity prior to adoption that can alter the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In particular, internationally adopted children tend to have blunted diurnal declines compared to children raised in their birth families. The Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up (ABC) intervention was developed to enhance young children's biological and behavioral regulation by promoting sensitive parenting. The current study used a randomized controlled trial to assess whether ABC improved the diurnal functioning of the HPA axis among 85 children who had been adopted internationally when they were between the ages of 4 and 33 months (M = 16.12). Prior to the intervention, there were no significant differences in diurnal cortisol production between children whose parents were randomly assigned to receive ABC and children whose parents were randomly assigned to receive a control intervention. After the intervention, children whose parents had received the ABC intervention exhibited steeper declines in cortisol levels throughout the day than children whose parents had received the control intervention. These results indicate that the ABC intervention is effective in enhancing a healthy pattern of diurnal HPA axis regulation for young children who have been adopted internationally.
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Isenhour J, Raby KL, Dozier M. The persistent associations between early institutional care and diurnal cortisol outcomes among children adopted internationally. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:1156-1166. [PMID: 33354777 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Young children in institutional care experience conditions that are incompatible with their needs for attachment relationships. As a result, early institutionalization is expected to have lasting effects on the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. The current study tested whether early institutionalization has persistent consequences for diurnal HPA axis outcomes among 130 children who had been adopted internationally between the ages of 6 and 48 months. Daily cortisol samples were collected from children at two time points: shortly after adoption (average of 5.3 months after adoption) and approximately 3 years later (average of 39.2 months after adoption). Shortly after adoption, children who had experienced a long duration of institutional care had lower morning cortisol levels and more blunted declines in cortisol across the day than children who experienced minimal or no institutional care. Three years later, children who had experienced a long duration of institutionalization continued to exhibit low morning cortisol levels and also exhibited low bedtime cortisol levels. Altogether, these results support the idea that early adversity results in the downregulation of the HPA axis and suggest that the effects of institutionalization on HPA axis functioning may persist several years after children are adopted into highly enriched families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Isenhour
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - K Lee Raby
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Mary Dozier
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
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12
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Martins RC, Blumenberg C, Tovo-Rodrigues L, Gonzalez A, Murray J. Effects of parenting interventions on child and caregiver cortisol levels: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry 2020; 20:370. [PMID: 32669084 PMCID: PMC7362449 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-020-02777-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nurturing care, in which children are raised in engaging and safe environments, may reduce child stress and shape hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning. Hence, parent-training programs may impact child cortisol levels, as well as behavioral, social and health outcomes. We conducted a systematic review of the impact of parent-training interventions on children's and caregivers' cortisol levels, and meta-analyzed the results. METHODS In January 2020, searches in PubMed, LILACS, ERIC, Web of Science, Scielo, Scopus, PsycNET and POPLINE databases were conducted, and two independent researchers screened the results for eligible studies - randomized trials that assessed the impact of parent-training interventions on child or caregiver cortisol levels. Random effects were used to pool the estimates, separately for children and caregivers, and for children's morning and evening cortisol levels, as well as change across the day. RESULTS A total of 27 eligible studies were found. Data from 19 studies were extracted and included in the meta-analyses, with 18 estimates of child cortisol levels and 5 estimates for caregiver cortisol levels. The pooled effect size (standardized mean difference) for the effects of parent training programs on morning child cortisol was 0.01 (95%CI: - 0.14 to 0.16; I2: 47.5%), and for caregivers it was 0.04 (95%CI: - 0.22 to 0.30; I2: 0.0%). Similar null results were observed for child evening cortisol and for the slope between morning and evening child cortisol. No evidence of publication bias was found. CONCLUSION Existing evidence shows no effect of parent-training interventions on child or caregiver post-intervention cortisol. Researchers are encouraged to adopt standardized protocols to improve evaluation standards, to test for intervention effects on psychosocial outcomes that are theorized to mediate the effects on biomarkers, and to use additional biomarkers for chronic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela Costa Martins
- Human Development and Violence Research Centre (DOVE), Federal University of Pelotas, Rua Marechal Deodoro 1160, Pelotas, RS, 96020-220, Brazil.
- Post-graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
| | - Cauane Blumenberg
- Post-graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Luciana Tovo-Rodrigues
- Human Development and Violence Research Centre (DOVE), Federal University of Pelotas, Rua Marechal Deodoro 1160, Pelotas, RS, 96020-220, Brazil
- Post-graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Andrea Gonzalez
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Joseph Murray
- Human Development and Violence Research Centre (DOVE), Federal University of Pelotas, Rua Marechal Deodoro 1160, Pelotas, RS, 96020-220, Brazil
- Post-graduate Program in Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
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13
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Buckwalter KD, Maxon D, Moody K. Prevention of Medical Trauma in Children With Early Onset Scoliosis and the Use of Mehta Casting. Creat Nurs 2019; 25:103-112. [PMID: 31085662 DOI: 10.1891/1078-4535.25.2.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Despite recent emergence of information about treatment of medical trauma in children, the literature remains sparse regarding prevention of medical trauma. Health-care professionals are in an ideal position to educate about and advocate for ways to prevent the far-reaching consequences of medical trauma, yet policies remain which at times contribute to the problem. This article presents practical approaches intended to reduce the likelihood of medical trauma in children receiving serial casting for treatment of progressive infantile scoliosis (PIS). The majority of the suggestions apply not only to children being treated for PIS, but to children receiving medical treatment for many conditions. The article also provides suggestions for parents who are enduring the stress of their child undergoing repeated surgeries and hospital stays. The authors interviewed a variety of experts in the field and draw on their own experiences as clinical social workers specializing in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and developmental trauma in children.
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14
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Stroud CB, Chen FR, Curzi BE, Granger DA, Doane LD. Overestimating Self-Blame for Stressful Life Events and Adolescents' Latent Trait Cortisol: The Moderating Role of Parental Warmth. J Youth Adolesc 2019; 49:283-298. [PMID: 31446583 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-019-01112-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive interpretations of stressful events impact their implications for physiological stress processes. However, whether such interpretations are related to trait cortisol-an indicator of individual differences in stress physiology-is unknown. In 112 early adolescent girls (M age = 12.39 years), this study examined the association between self-blame estimates for past year events and latent trait cortisol, and whether maternal warmth moderated effects. Overestimating self-blame (versus objective indices) for independent (uncontrollable) events was associated with lower latent trait cortisol, and maternal warmth moderated the effect of self-blame estimates on latent trait cortisol for each dependent (at least partially controllable) and interpersonal events. Implications for understanding the impact of cognitive and interpersonal factors on trait cortisol during early adolescence are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine B Stroud
- Department of Psychology, Williams College, Williamstown, MA, 01267, USA.
| | - Frances R Chen
- Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.,Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697-7085, USA
| | - Blair E Curzi
- Department of Psychology, Williams College, Williamstown, MA, 01267, USA
| | - Douglas A Granger
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697-7085, USA.,The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Bloomberg School of Public Health, and School of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.,Salivary Bioscience Laboratory and Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Leah D Doane
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1104, USA
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15
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Braren SH, Perry RE, Ursache A, Blair C. Socioeconomic risk moderates the association between caregiver cortisol levels and infant cortisol reactivity to emotion induction at 24 months. Dev Psychobiol 2019; 61:573-591. [PMID: 30820941 PMCID: PMC6488391 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Relations between maternal baseline cortisol and infant cortisol reactivity to an emotion induction procedure at child ages 7, 15, and 24 months were analyzed using data from the Family Life Project (N = 1,292). The emotion induction consisted of a series of standardized and validated tasks, including an arm restraint, toy removal, and mask presentation, intended to elicit responses of fear and frustration. Results revealed that at 7 and 15 months, maternal baseline cortisol was negatively related to child cortisol reactivity, such that children of mothers with lower cortisol exhibited steeper cortisol increases in response to the emotion induction. At 24 months, the association between mother and infant cortisol was moderated by socioeconomic risk, such that maternal baseline cortisol was associated with child cortisol reactivity only in dyads characterized by low socioeconomic risk. Furthermore, at 24 months, children of mothers with low baseline cortisol and low socioeconomic risk exhibited decreasing cortisol responses, whereas children of mothers with low baseline cortisol but high risk exhibited flat cortisol responses. Children in dyads characterized by high baseline maternal cortisol also exhibited flat cortisol responses regardless of socioeconomic risk. The role of caregiver physiology in the regulation of the child's stress response in the context of adversity is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen H. Braren
- Department of Applied Psychology, 246 Greene Street, Kimball Hall, 8 Floor, New York University, New York, NY, 10012, United States
| | - Rosemarie E. Perry
- Department of Applied Psychology, 246 Greene Street, Kimball Hall, 8 Floor, New York University, New York, NY, 10012, United States
| | - Alexandra Ursache
- Department of Population Health, 227 East 30th Street, 7 Floor, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, United States
| | - Clancy Blair
- Department of Applied Psychology, 246 Greene Street, Kimball Hall, 8 Floor, New York University, New York, NY, 10012, United States
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