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Buisman RSM, Compier-de Block LHCG, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Pittner K, van den Berg LJM, Tollenaar MS, Elzinga BM, Voorthuis A, Linting M, Alink LRA. The role of emotion recognition in the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment: A multigenerational family study. Child Abuse Negl 2024; 149:106699. [PMID: 38417291 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.106699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding how child maltreatment is passed down from one generation to the next is crucial for the development of intervention and prevention strategies that may break the cycle of child maltreatment. Changes in emotion recognition due to childhood maltreatment have repeatedly been found, and may underly the intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment. OBJECTIVE In this study we, therefore, examined whether the ability to recognize emotions plays a role in the intergenerational transmission of child abuse and neglect. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING A total of 250 parents (104 males, 146 females) were included that participated in a three-generation family study. METHOD Participants completed an emotion recognition task in which they were presented with series of photographs that depicted the unfolding of facial expressions from neutrality to the peak emotions anger, fear, happiness, and sadness. Multi-informant measures were used to examine experienced and perpetrated child maltreatment. RESULTS A history of abuse, but not neglect, predicted a shorter reaction time to identify fear and anger. In addition, parents who showed higher levels of neglectful behavior made more errors in identifying fear, whereas parents who showed higher levels of abusive behavior made more errors in identifying anger. Emotion recognition did not mediate the association between experienced and perpetrated child maltreatment. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between abuse and neglect when investigating the precursors and sequalae of child maltreatment. In addition, the effectiveness of interventions that aim to break the cycle of abuse and neglect could be improved by better addressing the specific problems with emotion processing of abusive and neglectful parents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renate S M Buisman
- Institute of Education and Child studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, The Netherlands.
| | | | - Marian J Bakermans-Kranenburg
- University Institute of Psychological, Social and Life Sciences, Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Psychology, Personality, Social and Developmental Psychology, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Katharina Pittner
- Institute of Medical Psychology Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität Berlin, Germany
| | - Lisa J M van den Berg
- Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | - Marieke S Tollenaar
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, The Netherlands; Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | - Bernet M Elzinga
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, The Netherlands; Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | - Alexandra Voorthuis
- Institute of Education and Child studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | - Mariëlle Linting
- Institute of Education and Child studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | - Lenneke R A Alink
- Institute of Education and Child studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, The Netherlands
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2
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Pittner K, Buisman RSM, van den Berg LJM, Compier-de Block LHCG, Tollenaar MS, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, van IJzendoorn MH, Elzinga BM, Alink LRA. Not the Root of the Problem-Hair Cortisol and Cortisone Do Not Mediate the Effect of Child Maltreatment on Body Mass Index. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:387. [PMID: 32457665 PMCID: PMC7225356 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Experiencing maltreatment during childhood exerts substantial stress on the child and increases the risk for overweight and obesity later in life. The current study tests whether hair cortisol-a measure of chronic stress-and its metabolite cortisone mediate the relation between abuse and neglect on the one hand, and body mass index (BMI) on the other. METHOD The sample consisted of 249 participants aged 8 to 87 years (M = 36.13, SD = 19.33). We collected data on child abuse and neglect using questionnaires, measured cortisol and cortisone concentrations in hair, and BMI. In a structural model, the effects of abuse and neglect on hair cortisol, hair cortisone, and BMI were tested, as well as the covariance between hair cortisol and BMI, and hair cortisone and BMI. RESULTS Within the sample, 23% were overweight but not obese and 14% were obese. Higher levels of experienced abuse were related to higher cortisone concentrations in hair (β = 0.24, p < .001) and higher BMI (β = 0.17, p =.04). Neglect was not related to hair cortisol, hair cortisone, or BMI. Hair cortisol and cortisone did not mediate the association between maltreatment, and BMI. Sensitivity analyses demonstrate the same pattern of results in a subsample of adult participants currently not living with their parents. However, in younger participants who were still living with their parents, the associations between abuse and cortisone (β = 0.14, p =.35) and abuse and BMI (β = 0.02, p =.92) were no longer significant. CONCLUSION These findings confirm that experiencing abuse is related to higher BMI but suggest that hair cortisol and cortisone are not the mechanism underlying the association between child maltreatment and BMI. This is the first study to show abuse may be associated to elevated concentrations of hair cortisone-evidence of long-term alterations in chronic stress levels. Future research may benefit from exploring the effects of maltreatment on weight gain in longitudinal designs, including measures of other potential mediators such as eating as a coping mechanism, and more direct indicators of metabolic health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Pittner
- Centre for Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany
| | - Renate S. M. Buisman
- Centre for Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Lisa J. M. van den Berg
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Laura H. C. G. Compier-de Block
- Centre for Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Marieke S. Tollenaar
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Marinus H. van IJzendoorn
- Primary Care Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Bernet M. Elzinga
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Lenneke R. A. Alink
- Centre for Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
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3
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Buisman RSM, Pittner K, Tollenaar MS, Lindenberg J, van den Berg LJM, Compier-de Block LHCG, van Ginkel JR, Alink LRA, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Elzinga BM, van IJzendoorn MH. Intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment using a multi-informant multi-generation family design. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0225839. [PMID: 32163421 PMCID: PMC7067458 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In the current study a three-generational design was used to investigate intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment (ITCM) using multiple sources of information on child maltreatment: mothers, fathers and children. A total of 395 individuals from 63 families reported on maltreatment. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to combine data from mother, father and child about maltreatment that the child had experienced. This established components reflecting the convergent as well as the unique reports of father, mother and child on the occurrence of maltreatment. Next, we tested ITCM using the multi-informant approach and compared the results to those of two more common approaches: ITCM based on one reporter and ITCM based on different reporters from each generation. Results of our multi-informant approach showed that a component reflecting convergence between mother, father, and child reports explained most of the variance in experienced maltreatment. For abuse, intergenerational transmission was consistently found across approaches. In contrast, intergenerational transmission of neglect was only found using the perspective of a single reporter, indicating that transmission of neglect might be driven by reporter effects. In conclusion, the present results suggest that including multiple informants may be necessary to obtain more valid estimates of ITCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renate S. M. Buisman
- Centre for Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Katharina Pittner
- Centre for Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Marieke S. Tollenaar
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Lisa J. M. van den Berg
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Laura H. C. G. Compier-de Block
- Centre for Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Joost R. van Ginkel
- Methodology and Statistics, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lenneke R. A. Alink
- Centre for Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Marian J. Bakermans-Kranenburg
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bernet M. Elzinga
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marinus H. van IJzendoorn
- Primary Care Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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van den Berg LJM, Tollenaar MS, Compier-de Block LHCG, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Elzinga BM. An intergenerational family study on the impact of experienced and perpetrated child maltreatment on neural face processing. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 103:266-275. [PMID: 30754001 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Altered processing of emotional faces due to childhood maltreatment has repeatedly been reported, and may be a key process underlying the intergenerational transmission of maltreatment. The current study is the first to examine the role of neural reactivity to emotional and neutral faces in the transmission of maltreatment, using a multi-generational family design including 171 participants of 51 families of two generations with a large age range (8-69 years). The impact of experienced and perpetrated maltreatment (abuse and neglect) on face processing was examined in association with activation in the amygdala, hippocampus, inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and insula in response to angry, fearful, happy and neutral faces. Results showed enhanced bilateral amygdala activation in response to fearful faces in older neglected individuals, whereas reduced amygdala activation was found in response to these faces in younger neglected individuals. Furthermore, while experienced abuse was associated with lower IFG activation in younger individuals, experience of neglect was associated with higher IFG activation in this age group, pointing to potentially differential effects of abuse and neglect and significant age effects. Perpetrated abusive and neglectful behavior were not related to neural activation in any of these regions. Hence, no indications for a role of neural reactivity to emotional faces in the intergenerational transmission of maltreatment were found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa J M van den Berg
- Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, PO Box 9555, 2300 RB Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Marieke S Tollenaar
- Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, PO Box 9555, 2300 RB Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Bernet M Elzinga
- Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, PO Box 9555, 2300 RB Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands
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5
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Buisman RSM, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Pittner K, Compier-de Block LHCG, van den Berg LJM, van IJzendoorn MH, Tollenaar MS, Elzinga BM, Lindenberg J, Alink LRA. Parents' experiences of childhood abuse and neglect are differentially associated with behavioral and autonomic responses to their offspring. Dev Psychobiol 2019; 61:888-902. [PMID: 30727029 PMCID: PMC6766986 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Although childhood maltreatment has been shown to compromise adaptive parental behavior, little is known what happens in terms of physiological regulation when parents with a history of childhood maltreatment interact with their offspring. Using a sample of 229 parents (131 women), the present study examined whether childhood maltreatment experiences are associated with parents’ behavioral and autonomic responses while resolving conflict with their offspring. Self‐reported experienced child maltreatment was measured using a questionnaire assessing abuse and neglect. Parents (Mage = 52.7 years, rangeage = 26.6–88.4 years) and their offspring (Mage = 24.6 years, rangeage = 7.5–65.6 years) participated in a videotaped parent–offspring conflict interaction task. Parental warmth, negativity, and emotional support were coded. In addition, their pre‐ejection period and respiratory sinus arrhythmia were measured as indicators of underlying sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system reactivity, respectively. Findings demonstrated that experiences of abuse and neglect were associated with behavioral and physiological responses in different ways. Separating these two types of maltreatment in research and in clinical practice might be important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renate S M Buisman
- Centre for Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marian J Bakermans-Kranenburg
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Clinical Child & Family Studies, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Primary Care Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Katharina Pittner
- Centre for Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Laura H C G Compier-de Block
- Centre for Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lisa J M van den Berg
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Primary Care Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marieke S Tollenaar
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Bernet M Elzinga
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Lenneke R A Alink
- Centre for Forensic Family and Youth Care Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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6
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van den Berg LJM, Tollenaar MS, Pittner K, Compier-de Block LHCG, Buisman RSM, van IJzendoorn MH, Elzinga BM. Pass it on? The neural responses to rejection in the context of a family study on maltreatment. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2018; 13:616-627. [PMID: 29897537 PMCID: PMC6022637 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsy035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Rejection by parents is an important aspect of child maltreatment. Altered neural responses to social rejection have been observed in maltreated individuals. The current study is the first to examine the impact of experienced and perpetrated abuse and neglect on neural responses to social exclusion by strangers versus family using a multigenerational family design, including 144 participants. The role of neural reactivity to social exclusion in the intergenerational transmission of maltreatment was also examined. Exclusion by strangers was especially associated with increased activation in the left insula, while exclusion by a family member was mainly associated with increased activation in the ACC. Neural reactivity to social exclusion by strangers in the insula, ACC and dmPFC, was associated with experienced maltreatment but not with perpetrated maltreatment. In abusive parents, altered neural reactivity during exclusion was found in other brain areas, indicating different neural correlates of experienced and perpetrated maltreatment. Hence, no mechanisms could be identified that are involved in the transmission of maltreatment. Hypersensitivity to social rejection by strangers in neglected individuals underscores the importance to distinguish between effects of abuse and neglect and suggests that the impact of experiencing rejection and maltreatment by your own parents extends beyond the family context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa J M van den Berg
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University Medical Center
| | - Marieke S Tollenaar
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University Medical Center
| | - Katharina Pittner
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University Medical Center
- Department of Child and Family Studies, Leiden University
| | | | | | | | - Bernet M Elzinga
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University Medical Center
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7
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Buisman RSM, Pittner K, Compier-de Block LHCG, van den Berg LJM, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Alink LRA. The past is present: The role of maltreatment history in perceptual, behavioral and autonomic responses to infant emotional signals. Child Abuse Negl 2018; 77:23-34. [PMID: 29294414 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In the current study associations between parents' experiences of childhood maltreatment and their perceptual, behavioral and autonomic responses to infant emotional signals were examined in a sample of 160 parents. Experienced maltreatment (both physical and emotional abuse and neglect) was reported by the participants and, in approximately half of the cases, also by their parents. During a standardized infant vocalization paradigm, participants were asked to squeeze a handgrip dynamometer at maximal and at half strength while listening to infant crying and laughter sounds and to rate their perception of the sounds. In addition, their heart rate (HR), pre-ejection period (PEP), and vagal tone (RSA) were measured as indicators of underlying sympathetic and parasympathetic reactivity. Results indicated that participants did not differ in their perceptions of the infant vocalizations signals according to their maltreatment experiences. However, maltreatment experiences were associated with the modulation of behavioral responses. Experiences of neglect during childhood were related to more handgrip force during infant crying and to less handgrip force during infant laughter. Moreover, a history of neglect was associated with a higher HR and a shorter PEP during the entire infant vocalization paradigm, which may indicate chronic cardiovascular arousal. The findings imply that a history of childhood neglect negatively influences parents' capacities to regulate their emotions and behavior, which would be problematic when reacting to children's emotional expressions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renate S M Buisman
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands.
| | - Katharina Pittner
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Lenneke R A Alink
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands; Faculty of Law, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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8
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Compier-de Block LHCG, Alink LRA, Reijman S, Werner CD, Maras A, Rijnberk C, van IJzendoorn MH, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ. Handgrip force of maltreating mothers in reaction to infant signals. Child Abuse Negl 2015; 40:124-31. [PMID: 24717144 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2013] [Revised: 02/25/2014] [Accepted: 03/15/2014] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Handgrip force responses to infant signals were examined in a sample of 43 maltreating and 40 non-maltreating mothers. During a standardized handgrip paradigm, mothers were asked to squeeze a handgrip dynamometer at maximal and at half of their maximal handgrip strength while listening to infant crying and laughter sounds. Maltreating mothers used excessive force more often while listening to infant crying and laughter than non-maltreating mothers. Of the maltreating mothers, only neglectful mothers (n=20) tended to use excessive force more often during crying than non-maltreating mothers. Participants did not rate the sounds differently, indicating that maltreating mothers cannot be differentiated from non-maltreating mothers based on their perception of infant signals, but show different behavioral responses to the signals. Results imply that, in response to infant signals (i.e., crying or laughing), maltreating mothers may be insufficiently able to regulate the exertion of physical force.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura H C G Compier-de Block
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, The Netherlands
| | - Lenneke R A Alink
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, The Netherlands
| | - Sophie Reijman
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | - Claudia D Werner
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, The Netherlands
| | - Marian J Bakermans-Kranenburg
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, The Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, The Netherlands
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9
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Reijman S, Alink LRA, Block LHCGCD, Werner CD, Maras A, Rijnberk C, IJzendoorn MHV, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ. Autonomic Reactivity to Infant Crying in Maltreating Mothers. Child Maltreat 2014; 19:101-112. [PMID: 24879060 DOI: 10.1177/1077559514538115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We examined autonomic reactivity to infant crying in a sample of 42 maltreating and 38 non-maltreating mothers. Exploratively, we tested if differential reactivity was related to child neglect versus the combination of neglect and abuse, and we tested whether mothers' experiences with maltreatment in their own childhood moderated the association between their current maltreatment status and physiology. During a standardized cry paradigm, mothers listened to cry sounds of various pitches. Heart rate (HR), pre-ejection period (PEP), skin conductance levels (SCLs), and vagal tone (root mean square of successive differences [RMSSD]) were measured as indicators of underlying sympathetic and parasympathetic reactivity. The maltreating mothers showed lower SCL reactivity to the cry sounds than non-maltreating mothers. Furthermore, significant negative correlations between HR and PEP in the non-maltreating group differed from nonsignificant correlations in the maltreating group, which suggests a lack of sympathetic cardiac control in maltreating mothers. We found no differences between neglectful mothers and those who were additionally abusive. Together, our findings support the notion of sympathetic hypoarousal as a risk factor for child maltreatment, which may be indicative of disengagement in a caregiving context. Intervention programs might focus on improving maternal sensitivity to improve responsiveness to child signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Reijman
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lenneke R A Alink
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Laura H C G Compier-de Block
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Claudia D Werner
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marian J Bakermans-Kranenburg
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
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