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Rapisarda S, De Carlo A, Pasqualetto E, Volling BL, Dal Corso L. Breaking the maternity mold: navigating the return to work and challenging rigid maternal beliefs through an online psychological intervention. Front Glob Womens Health 2024; 5:1266162. [PMID: 38638326 PMCID: PMC11024285 DOI: 10.3389/fgwh.2024.1266162] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Working mothers must often balance work and family responsibilities which can be affected by rigid and irrational beliefs about motherhood. The present study had two aims: (a) to provide psychometric evidence for a shortened Italian version of the Rigid Maternal Beliefs Scale (RMBS) and (b) to facilitate mothers' return to work after maternity leave by reducing perceptions of anxiety and stress related to rigid maternal beliefs (i.e., perceptions and societal expectations of mothers, maternal confidence, maternal dichotomy) and by teaching specific recovery strategies (e.g., relaxation, mastery experiences) to manage anxiety and stress through an online psychological intervention. Results replicated the three-factor structure of the original RMBS and showed good psychometric properties. The online psychological intervention resulted in decrease in the rigidity of maternal beliefs, perceived anxiety and stress, and increase in recovery strategies. These initial results are promising and encourage further investigation into online psychological interventions for improving the well-being of working mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastiano Rapisarda
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandro De Carlo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Elena Pasqualetto
- Department of Private Law and Critique of Law, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Brenda L. Volling
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Laura Dal Corso
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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2
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Dagan O, Schuengel C, Verhage ML, Madigan S, Roisman GI, Van IJzendoorn M, Bakermans-Kranenburg M, Duschinsky R, Sagi-Schwartz A, Bureau JF, Eiden RD, Volling BL, Wong MS, Schoppe-Sullivan S, Aviezer O, Brown GL, Reiker J, Mangelsdorf S, Fearon RMP, Bernard K, Oosterman M. Attachment relationship quality with mothers and fathers and child temperament: An individual participant data meta-analysis. Dev Psychol 2024:2024-53463-001. [PMID: 38358672 DOI: 10.1037/dev0001677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
A growing body of research suggests that, compared with single parent-child attachment relationships, child developmental outcomes may be better understood by examining the configurations of child-mother and child-father attachment relationships (i.e., attachment networks). Moreover, some studies have demonstrated an above-chance level chance of concordance between the quality of child-mother and child-father attachment relationships, and child temperament has been offered as a plausible explanation for such concordance. To assess whether temperament plays a role in the development of different attachment network configurations, in this preregistered individual participant data meta-analysis we tested the degree to which the temperament dimension of negative emotionality predicts the number of secure, insecure-avoidant, insecure-resistant, and disorganized attachment relationships a child has with mother and father. Data included in the linear mixed effects analyses were collected from seven studies sampling 872 children (49% female; 83% White). Negative emotionality significantly predicted the number of secure (d = -0.12) and insecure-resistant (d = 0.11), but not insecure-avoidant (d = 0.04) or disorganized (d = 0.08) attachment relationships. Nonpreregistered exploratory analyses indicated higher negative emotionality in children with insecure-resistant attachment relationships with both parents compared to those with one or none (d = 0.19), suggesting that temperament plays a small yet significant role in child-mother/child-father insecure-resistant attachment relationships concordance. Taken together, results from this study prompt a more in-depth examination of the mechanism underlying the small yet significantly higher chance that children with increased negative emotionality have for developing multiple insecure-resistant attachment relationships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Or Dagan
- Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program, Long Island University-Post Campus
| | - Carlo Schuengel
- Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
| | - Marije L Verhage
- Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
| | | | - Glenn I Roisman
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
| | - Marinus Van IJzendoorn
- Research Department of Clinical, Education and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London
| | | | - Robbie Duschinsky
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge
| | | | | | | | | | - Maria S Wong
- School of Social Sciences, Communication, and Humanities, Endicott College
| | | | - Ora Aviezer
- Department of Psychology, Tel Hai Academic College
| | - Geoffrey L Brown
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia
| | - Julie Reiker
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University
| | | | | | | | - Mirjam Oosterman
- Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
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Volling BL, Oh W, Gonzalez R, Bader LR, Tan L, Rosenberg L. Changes in children's attachment security to mother and father after the birth of a sibling: Risk and resilience in the family. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:1404-1420. [PMID: 34903310 PMCID: PMC9192831 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421001310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Changes in children's attachment security to mother and father were examined for 230 firstborn children (M = 31.17 months), their mothers and fathers participating in a longitudinal investigation starting in the last trimester of the mothers' pregnancy and 1, 4, 8, and 12 months after the birth of an infant sibling. Both parents completed the Attachment Q-set at prenatal, 4, and 12 months. Growth mixture models revealed four latent classes in which children's attachments were (a) both secure with a modest decline to both parents (68.3%); (b) more secure with father than mother with a steep decline for both (12.6%); (c) both insecure with no change (10%); and (d) more secure with mother than father with a modest increase for both (9.1%). Multi-group latent growth curve analyses revealed that parenting and coparenting differed across families. Children had lower externalizing behavior problems in families with two secure attachments than in families with one secure attachment, either to mother or to father, who, in turn, had fewer problems than children with two insecure attachments. Findings underscore the strengths of a family systems framework to understand attachment relationships with multiple caregivers and the family risks and protective factors that covary with children's behavioral adjustment after the birth of a sibling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda L. Volling
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Wonjung Oh
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Richard Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lauren R. Bader
- Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, University of Toulouse Capitole, Toulouse, France
| | - Lin Tan
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lauren Rosenberg
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Lee JY, Lee SJ, Volling BL, Grogan-Kaylor AC. Examining mechanisms linking economic insecurity to interparental conflict among couples with low income. Fam Relat 2023; 72:1158-1185. [PMID: 37346744 PMCID: PMC10281744 DOI: 10.1111/fare.12698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Objective The current study used the family stress model to test the mechanisms by which economic insecurity contributes to mothers' and fathers' mental health and couples' relationship functioning. Background Although low household income has been a focus of poverty research, material hardship-defined as everyday challenges related to making ends meet including difficulties paying for housing, utilities, food, or medical care-is common among American families. Methods Participants were from the Building Strong Families project. Couples were racially diverse (43.52% Black; 28.88% Latinx; 17.29% White; 10.31% Other) and living with low income (N = 2,794). Economic insecurity included income poverty and material hardship. Bayesian mediation analysis was employed, taking advantage of the prior evidence base of the family stress model. Results Material hardship, but not income poverty, predicted higher levels of both maternal and paternal depressive symptoms. Only paternal depressive symptoms were linked with higher levels of destructive interparental conflict (i.e., moderate verbal aggression couples use that could be harmful to the partner relationship). Mediation analysis confirmed that material hardship operated primarily through paternal depressive symptoms in its association with destructive interparental conflict. Conclusion The economic stress of meeting the daily material needs of the family sets the stage for parental mental health problems that carry over to destructive interparental conflict, especially through paternal depressive symptoms. Implications Family-strengthening programs may want to consider interventions to address material hardship (e.g., comprehensive needs assessments, connections to community-based resources, parents' employment training) as part of their efforts to address parental mental health and couples' destructive conflict behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce Y. Lee
- College of Social Work, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
| | - Shawna J. Lee
- School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
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Volling BL, Tan L, Rosenberg L, Bader LR. Will I love my second baby as much as my first? Prevalence and psychosocial correlates of maternal-fetal relationship anxiety for second-time mothers. Infant Ment Health J 2023; 44:541-553. [PMID: 37149744 PMCID: PMC10524320 DOI: 10.1002/imhj.22060] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Most mothers have more than one child. Second-time mothers may worry about whether they will love the second baby as much as their first child. The current study examined mothers' maternal-fetal relationship anxiety (MFRA) to their second baby, the prediction of mother-infant bonding (MIB) and infant-mother attachment security post-partum, and the psychosocial correlates of mothers' MFRA during pregnancy. Mothers (N = 241, 85.9% White, 5.4% Black, 2.9% Asian/American, 3.7% Latina) and their second-born infants (55% boys) living in the Midwestern United States participated in a longitudinal investigation starting in the last trimester of pregnancy, and 1, 4, 8, and 12 months postpartum. Most women reported little to no anxiety about forming an attachment to their second baby (89.1%). MFRA predicted less maternal warmth toward the baby at 1, 4, and 8 months postpartum, but did not predict security of the infant-mother attachment at 12 months. Prenatal MFRA was also related to maternal depressive symptoms, an insecure attachment with the first child, more marital distress, and more adult attachment avoidance and ambivalence prenatally. Mothers worrying about loving a second baby as much as their first child may be experiencing other psychosocial risks that have repercussions for the developing mother-infant relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lin Tan
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Systems, University of North Texas, Health Science Center
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6
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Chen BB, Volling BL. Paternal and maternal rejection and Chinese children's internalizing and externalizing problems across the transition to siblinghood: A developmental cascade model of family influence. Child Dev 2023; 94:288-302. [PMID: 36222063 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
This longitudinal study examined the reciprocal associations between paternal and maternal rejection and firstborn children's (Mage = 49.9 months; 55% boys) behavior problems across the transition to siblinghood in a sample of 120 families recruited from 2016 to 2018 from Shanghai, China. Parental rejection and behavior problems were assessed before (prenatal) and 1, 6, and 12 months after the birth of a baby sibling. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models revealed positive relations between internalizing problems and both maternal and paternal rejection, and between externalizing problems and paternal rejection at the between-person level (rs = .32-.37), but only cross-lagged effects from children's internalizing and externalizing problems to maternal rejection at the within-person level (βs = .30-.54).
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Volling BL, Bae Y, Rosenberg L, Beyers-Carlson EEA, Tolman RM, Swain JE. Firstborn Children's Reactions to Mother-Doll Interaction Do Not Predict Their Jealousy of a Newborn Sibling: A Longitudinal Pilot Study. J Perinat Educ 2022; 31:206-215. [PMID: 36277228 PMCID: PMC9584099 DOI: 10.1891/jpe-2021-0017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mothers are concerned about their firstborn children's acceptance of a baby sibling. Observing children's reactions to mothers interacting with an infant doll simulator has been offered as one means of seeing how children will react to the baby sibling. A longitudinal pilot study with 30 pregnant mothers and their firstborn children was conducted comparing children's behaviors to mother-doll interaction in the laboratory before birth with behaviors during home observations of mother-sibling interaction 1 month after birth. Children responded to mother-doll and mother-sibling interaction differently, with no significant associations across children's behaviors in mother-doll and mother-sibling interactions. The use of an infant doll simulator before birth did not reliably predict children's behavioral adjustment after the birth of a baby sibling.
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Tan L, Volling BL, Gonzalez R, LaBounty J, Rosenberg L. Growth in emotion understanding across early childhood: A cohort-sequential model of firstborn children across the transition to siblinghood. Child Dev 2022; 93:e299-e314. [PMID: 34970992 PMCID: PMC9851428 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13729] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Emotion understanding develops rapidly in early childhood. Firstborn children (N = 231, 55% girls/45% boys, 86% White, 5% Black, 3% Asian, 4% Latinx, Mage = 29.92 months) were recruited into a longitudinal study from 2004 to 2008 in the United States and administered a series of tasks assessing eight components of young children's emotion understanding from ages 1 to 5. Cohort sequential analysis across three cohorts (1-, 2-, and 3-year-olds) demonstrated a progression of children's emotion understanding from basic emotion identification to an understanding of false-belief emotions, even after controlling for children's verbal ability. Emotion understanding scores were related to children's theory of mind and parent reports of empathy, but not emotional reactivity, providing evidence of both convergent and discriminant validity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Tan
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan
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9
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Beyers-Carlson E, Schoenebeck S, Volling BL. Mother of One to Mother of Two: A Textual Analysis of Second-Time Mothers' Posts on the BabyCenter LLC Website. Front Psychol 2022; 13:859085. [PMID: 35548491 PMCID: PMC9082668 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.859085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Mothers use online resources frequently to obtain information on pregnancy, birth, and parenting. Yet, second-time mothers may have different concerns than first-time mothers given they have a newborn infant and another child at home. The current study conducted an on-line textual analysis of the posts of second-time mothers during pregnancy and the first months postpartum on the BabyCenter LLC website, one of the largest online parenting communities. Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) analysis on roughly 16,000 posts to BabyCenter birth clubs in 2017 by approximately 4,000 users revealed second-time mothers relied on the online support of the BabyCenter community to share and discuss topics of pregnancy, birth, and child rearing. Second-time mothers also raised questions about preparing their firstborn children for a new baby sibling, how they would care for two children, whether they would love the second one as much as the first, and how the second child would change family dynamics. Future research needs to recognize that second-time mothers may have distinct concerns surrounding the birth of their second baby, and antenatal education and parenting classes may need to be modified to be more inclusive of these women's needs and perspectives. Online parenting communities offer avenues to support women as they make the transition from one child to two and may provide targeted opportunities to disseminate evidence-based practices that can assist these women and their children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Beyers-Carlson
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Sarita Schoenebeck
- School of Information, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Brenda L. Volling
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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10
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Abstract
Guilt- and shame-prone responding were examined in a sample of 146, 18-month-old toddlers and their older siblings (M = 49.5 months, SD = 10.4) during mishap tasks which were used to differentiate both toddlers and their older siblings into Amenders (low avoidance) and Avoiders (high avoidance). Toddlers and older siblings classified as Amenders expressed more concern and were less distressed by the mishap than Avoiders. Children were divided into four groups: Amender-Amender (older sibling-toddler), Amender-Avoider, Avoider-Avoider, and Avoider-Amender to examine differences in sibling interaction and moral development. Older siblings in the Avoider-Avoider group were significantly more aggressive and less empathic toward toddlers than older siblings in the Avoider-Amender group. Toddlers in the Amender-Amender, Amender-Avoider, and Avoider-Amender groups showed significant gains in moral regulation from 18 to 24 months whereas toddlers in the Avoider-Avoider group did not. In contrast, while older siblings were generally high on moral regulation when toddlers were 18 months, this was not the case for older siblings in the Avoider-Avoider group, who had lower moral regulation scores that significantly increased over time. Findings are discussed with respect to the significance of sibling socialisation for toddlers' developing moral sensibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy M Kolak
- Department of Psychology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Brenda L Volling
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Dagan O, Schuengel C, Verhage ML, van IJzendoorn MH, Sagi-Schwartz A, Madigan S, Duschinsky R, Roisman GI, Bernard K, Bakermans-Kranenburg M, Bureau JF, Volling BL, Wong MS, Colonnesi C, Brown GL, Eiden RD, Fearon RMP, Oosterman M, Aviezer O, Cummings EM. Configurations of mother-child and father-child attachment as predictors of internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems: An individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis. New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2022; 2021:67-94. [PMID: 35005834 DOI: 10.1002/cad.20450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
An unsettled question in attachment theory and research is the extent to which children's attachment patterns with mothers and fathers jointly predict developmental outcomes. In this study, we used individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis to assess whether early attachment networks with mothers and fathers are associated with children's internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems. Following a pre-registered protocol, data from 9 studies and 1,097 children (mean age: 28.67 months) with attachment classifications to both mothers and fathers were included in analyses. We used a linear mixed effects analysis to assess differences in children's internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems as assessed via the average of both maternal and paternal reports based on whether children had two, one, or no insecure (or disorganized) attachments. Results indicated that children with an insecure attachment relationship with one or both parents were at higher risk for elevated internalizing behavioral problems compared with children who were securely attached to both parents. Children whose attachment relationships with both parents were classified as disorganized had more externalizing behavioral problems compared to children with either one or no disorganized attachment relationship with their parents. Across attachment classification networks and behavioral problems, findings suggest (a) an increased vulnerability to behavioral problems when children have insecure or disorganized attachment to both parents, and (b) that mother-child and father-child attachment relationships may not differ in the roles they play in children's development of internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Or Dagan
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, New York, USA
| | - Carlo Schuengel
- Section of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Department of Educational and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marije L Verhage
- Section of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Department of Educational and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Research Department of Clinical, Education and Health Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Abraham Sagi-Schwartz
- Center for the Study of Child Development and School of Psychological Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Sheri Madigan
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Robbie Duschinsky
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Glenn I Roisman
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kristin Bernard
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, New York, USA
| | - Marian Bakermans-Kranenburg
- Section of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Department of Educational and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jean-François Bureau
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | - Maria S Wong
- School of Social Sciences, Communication & Humanities, Endicott College, Maryland, USA
| | - Cristina Colonnesi
- Research Institute of Child Development and Education, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Geoffrey L Brown
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Georgia, USA
| | - Rina D Eiden
- Department of Psychology, Penn State University, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - R M Pasco Fearon
- Clinical, Educational, and Health Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mirjam Oosterman
- Section of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Department of Educational and Family Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ora Aviezer
- Center for the Study of Child Development and School of Psychological Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - E Mark Cummings
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
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Lee JY, Volling BL, Lee SJ. Material Hardship in Families With Low Income: Positive Effects of Coparenting on Fathers' and Mothers' Parenting and Children's Prosocial Behaviors. Front Psychol 2021; 12:729654. [PMID: 34955959 PMCID: PMC8696346 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.729654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Families with low income experience high levels of economic insecurity, but less is known about how mothers and fathers in such families successfully navigate coparenting and parenting in the context of material hardship. The current study utilized a risk and resilience framework to investigate the underlying family processes linking material hardship and children's prosocial behaviors in a sample of socioeconomically disadvantaged mother-father families with preschoolers from the Building Strong Families project (N = 452). Coparenting alliance and mothers' and fathers' responsive parenting were examined as mediators. Results of structural equation modeling showed that coparenting alliance was associated with higher levels of both mothers' and fathers' responsive parenting. Subsequently, both parents' responsive parenting were associated with higher levels of children's prosocial behaviors. Material hardship was not associated with coparenting alliance and either parent's responsive parenting. Tests of indirect effects confirmed that the effects of coparenting alliance on children's prosocial behaviors were mediated through both mothers' and fathers' responsive parenting. Overall, these results suggest that when mothers and fathers have a strong coparenting alliance, they are likely to withstand the negative effects of material hardship and thus engage in positive parenting behaviors that benefit their children's prosocial development. Family strengthening interventions, including responsible fatherhood programs, would do well to integrate a strong focus on enhancing a positive coparenting alliance between mothers and fathers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce Y. Lee
- College of Social Work, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Brenda L. Volling
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Shawna J. Lee
- School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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Lee JY, Volling BL, Lee SJ. Testing the father–child activation relationship theory: A replication study with low-income unmarried parents. Psychology of Men & Masculinities 2021. [DOI: 10.1037/men0000301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Grumi S, Saracino A, Volling BL, Provenzi L. A systematic review of human paternal oxytocin: Insights into the methodology and what we know so far. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:1330-1344. [PMID: 33694219 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
With the consolidation of fathers' engagement in caregiving, understanding the neuroendocrine and hormonal mechanisms underlying fatherhood becomes a relevant topic. Oxytocin (OT) has been linked with maternal bonding and caregiving, but less is known about the role of OT in human fatherhood and paternal caregiving. A systematic review of methods and findings of previous OT research in human fathers was carried. The literature search on PubMed and Scopus yielded 133 records. Twenty-four studies were included and analyzed. Significant variability emerged in OT methodology, including laboratory tasks, assessment methods, and outcome measures. Fathers' OT levels appear to increase after childbirth. OT was significantly correlated with less hostility and with the quality of paternal physical stimulation in play interactions, but not with paternal sensitivity. Fathers' and children's OT levels were significantly correlated in a limited subset of studies, intriguingly suggesting that cross-generational OT regulation may occur during the early years of life. This study highlights relevant issues and limitations of peripheral OT assessment in human subjects, especially in fathers. Although the study of paternal neuroendocrinology appears promising, coping with these issues requires dedicated efforts and methodological suggestions are provided to guide future advances in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Grumi
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Annalisa Saracino
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Brenda L Volling
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Livio Provenzi
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
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Bader LR, Tan L, Gonzalez R, Saini EK, Bae Y, Provenzi L, Volling BL. Adrenocortical interdependence in father-infant and mother-infant dyads: Attunement or something more? Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:1534-1548. [PMID: 33615462 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Father-infant and mother-infant (one-year-olds) adrenocortical attunement was explored during the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) among 125 father-infant and 141 mother-infant dyads. Cortisol was assessed at baseline (T1), 20 (T2), and 40 minutes (T3) after the first parent-infant separation. Initial correlations indicated significant associations between father-infant and mother-infant cortisol at each time. Cortisol interdependence was further explored using Actor-Partner Interdependence Models. There was no evidence supporting cortisol interdependence based on within-time residual correlations between parent-infant cortisol, once stability and cross-lagged paths were controlled. Infant cortisol at T2 predicted T3 cortisol for fathers and mothers resulting in a series of follow-up exploratory analyses to examine mediating processes which revealed that infant distress during the SSP predicted infant T2 cortisol, which, in turn, predicted infant negativity during the 15-min mother-infant teaching task that followed the SSP. Among father-infant dyads, infant T2 cortisol predicted infant negativity during father-infant interaction, with infants expressing more negativity having less sensitive fathers. Findings provide little support of parent-infant adrenocortical attunement across either father-infant or mother-infant dyads during the SSP, but preliminary evidence indicates infant distress as a potential mediator. Future research may want to focus on affective and behavioral processes that underlie the concept of parent-infant adrenocortical attunement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren R Bader
- Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, University of Toulouse Capitole, Toulouse, France
| | - Lin Tan
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Richard Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ekjyot K Saini
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Yeonjee Bae
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Livio Provenzi
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Brenda L Volling
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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van Berkel SR, Song J, Gonzalez R, Olson SL, Volling BL. Don't touch: Developmental trajectories of toddlers' behavioral regulation related to older siblings' behaviors and parental discipline. Soc Dev 2020; 29:1031-1050. [PMID: 33288974 PMCID: PMC7687271 DOI: 10.1111/sode.12440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral regulation is one of the key developmental skills children acquire during early childhood. Previous research has focused primarily on the role of parents as socializing agents in this process, yet it is likely that older siblings also are influential given the numerous daily interactions between siblings. This exploratory longitudinal study investigated developmental heterogeneity in behavioral regulation during toddlerhood and the early preschool years (18 to 36 months) and relations with older siblings' control and behavioral regulation while taking into account parental discipline. Toddlers were visited at home at 18, 24, and 36 months and observed during a gift-delay task with their older sibling in 93 families. Behavioral regulation of both siblings and gentle and harsh control of the older sibling were coded during the sibling gift-delay task, which was validated using parent-reports of toddlers' internalized conduct. Analyses revealed five distinct developmental trajectories among toddlers' behavioral regulation, revealing different patterns of developmental multifinality and equifinality. Older siblings' harsh control and parental discipline differed across toddler trajectory groups. Older siblings' behaviors covaried with the toddlers' behavioral regulation suggesting that older siblings may be acting as models for younger siblings, as well as disciplining and teaching toddlers to resist temptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila R. van Berkel
- Forensic Family Science and Youth Care StudiesLeiden UniversityLeidenthe Netherlands
| | - Ju‐Hyun Song
- Department of Child DevelopmentCalifornia State University Dominguez HillsCarsonCAUSA
| | | | - Sheryl L. Olson
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
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Rauer A, Sabey AK, Proulx CM, Volling BL. What are the Marital Problems of Happy Couples? A Multimethod, Two-Sample Investigation. Fam Process 2020; 59:1275-1292. [PMID: 31433860 DOI: 10.1111/famp.12483] [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] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
How couples handle marital conflict may depend on what issues they are facing, as some issues may be more difficult to resolve than others. What is unclear, however, is what issues happy couples face and how these issues may be different for couples depending on their developmental stage. To explore this possibility, the current study used both self-reports and observations drawn from two separate samples of happily married couples-one early in middle adulthood (N = 57 couples; average marital duration = 9 years) and one in older adulthood (N = 64 couples; average marital duration = 42 years). Results indicated that all issues were relatively minor, but early middle-aged couples reported more significant problems than did older couples. As to determining the most salient topic for happy couples, it depended on the spouses' gender, developmental stage, and how salience was assessed (i.e., highest rated issue vs. most discussed issue). Only moderate links were found between what happy couples said was their most serious concern and what they actually tried to resolve during observations of marital problem-solving, but there were differences in how spouses behaved based on the proportion of their time discussing certain topics. Findings suggest that more attention should be devoted to understanding what marital issues happy couples discuss and why, as doing so may reveal how couples maintain their marital happiness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Rauer
- Department of Child and Family Studies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
| | - Allen K Sabey
- The Family Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
| | - Christine M Proulx
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
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Safyer P, Volling BL, Wagley N, Hu X, Swain JE, Arredondo MM, Kovelman I. More than meets the eye: The neural development of emotion face processing during infancy. Infant Behav Dev 2020; 59:101430. [PMID: 32146254 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2019] [Revised: 02/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
This study explored the impact of infant temperament and maternal stress on the development of the infant medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) among sixteen 6-8-month-old infants. Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to measure activation of the infant mPFC in response to angry, happy, and sad faces. Infant temperament and dimensions of maternal stress were measured with the Infant Behavior Questionnaire and the Parenting Stress Index Respectively. Infants with high negative emotionality demonstrated increased mPFC activation in association with all emotion face conditions. Negative emotionality moderated the effect of total maternal stress on mPFC activation to angry and sad faces. Mother-infant dysfunctional interaction was related to increased mPFC activation associated with happy faces, supporting the "novelty hypothesis", in which the mPFC responds more strongly to unique experiences. Therefore, this study provides additional evidence that infant temperament and the quality of the mother-infant relationship influence the development of the mPFC and how infants process emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Xiaosu Hu
- University of Michigan, United States
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Olson SL, Ip KI, Gonzalez R, Beyers-Carlson EEA, Volling BL. Development of externalizing symptoms across the toddler period: The critical role of older siblings. J Fam Psychol 2020; 34:165-174. [PMID: 31403811 PMCID: PMC7012728 DOI: 10.1037/fam0000581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We examined child and family risk factors that were associated with the development of individual differences in externalizing problems across the toddler years. Our central hypothesis was that toddlers with more aggressive and disruptive older siblings would be at elevated risk for heightened levels of externalizing behavior. We tested this hypothesis in the context of other theoretically relevant risk factors: toddlers' inhibitory and internalized control, experiences of coercive parental discipline, and gender. Participants were 167 toddlers, their older siblings, and parents in a longitudinal study following younger siblings across the first 3 years of life. Mothers and fathers contributed ratings of externalizing symptoms between 1 and 18 months across the transition to siblinghood for older siblings and 18 to 36 months for younger siblings. Toddlers' inhibitory and internalized control were assessed using behavioral and parent report measures, and parents completed questionnaires concerning their use of coercive discipline. Individual differences in toddler externalizing symptoms were highly stable between 18 and 36 months of age for a sample of second-born children with older siblings, even though there was evidence of significant decline in externalizing symptoms from 18 to 36 months. As predicted, toddlers with elevated levels of externalizing symptoms tended to have older siblings with higher externalizing difficulties across the first 18 months of the younger sibling's life. Thus, these findings highlighted the need for further research on older siblings' contributions to the behavioral development of their toddler-age younger siblings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Lee JY, Volling BL, Lee SJ, Altschul I. Longitudinal relations between coparenting and father engagement in low-income residential and nonresidential father families. J Fam Psychol 2020; 34:226-236. [PMID: 31750693 DOI: 10.1037/fam0000612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Coparenting relationship quality and father involvement are closely linked but few studies have investigated this relationship using samples of socioeconomically disadvantaged families. The current study used family systems theory to examine the longitudinal and bidirectional relations between coparenting relationship quality and father engagement in caregiving and play, using a large and racially diverse sample of low-income residential and nonresidential fathers in the Building Strong Families project (N = 1,908). Structural equation modeling tested cross-lagged relations between couple-level coparenting and father engagement at two time points for both residential and nonresidential father families. For residential fathers, positive coparenting at 15 months predicted father engagement in caregiving at 36 months. There was no support for a bidirectional or unidirectional model between coparenting and father engagement in play for either residential or nonresidential fathers. There were significant concurrent relations between coparenting and father engagement in caregiving and play for both residential and nonresidential fathers, providing support for positive spillover in line with family systems theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce Y Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan
| | | | - Shawna J Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan
| | - Inna Altschul
- Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver
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Volling BL, Cabrera NJ, Feinberg ME, Jones DE, McDaniel BT, Liu S, Almeida D, Lee JK, Schoppe-Sullivan SJ, Feng X, Gerhardt ML, Dush CMK, Stevenson MM, Safyer P, Gonzalez R, Lee JY, Piskernik B, Ahnert L, Karberg E, Malin J, Kuhns C, Fagan J, Kaufman R, Dyer WJ, Parke RD, Cookston JT. Advancing Research and Measurement on Fathering and Child Development. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 2019; 84:7-160. [PMID: 31034620 DOI: 10.1111/mono.12404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Fathers are more than social accidents. Research has demonstrated that fathers matter to children's development. Despite noted progress, challenges remain on how best to conceptualize and assess fathering and father-child relationships. The current monograph is the result of an SRCD-sponsored meeting of fatherhood scholars brought together to discuss these challenges and make recommendations for best practices for incorporating fathers in studies on parenting and children's development. The first aim of this monograph was to provide a brief update on the current state of research on fathering and to lay out a developmental ecological systems perspective as a conceptual framework for understanding the different spaces fathers inhabit in their children's lives. Because there is wide variability in fathers' roles, the ecological systems perspective situates fathers, mothers, children, and other caregivers within an evolving network of interrelated social relationships in which children and their parents change over time and space (e.g., residence). The second aim was to present examples of empirical studies conducted by members of the international working group that highlighted different methods, data collection, and statistical analyses used to capture the variability in father-child relationships. The monograph ends with a commentary that elaborates on the ecological systems framework with a discussion of the broader macrosystem and social-contextual influences that impinge on fathers and their children. The collection of articles contributes to research on father-child relationships by advancing theory and presenting varied methods and analysis strategies that assist in understanding the father-child relationship and its impact on child development.
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Abstract
The current study investigated connections between implicit motives of power and affiliation, adult attachment styles, and parenting behaviors using self-report and observational data from 191 mothers, fathers, and their 12-month-old infants. An interaction between avoidant attachment and nAffiliation indicated that implicit affiliation motives predicted positive maternal behaviors, but only for highly avoidant mothers. For fathers, lower attachment anxiety and nPower were associated with positive parenting behaviors, whereas high levels of attachment anxiety and nPower were associated with negative parenting behaviors. Attachment styles of avoidance and anxiety, as well as implicit motives of power and affiliation, were unique predictors of parenting behaviors. Overall, the findings suggest that parenting behaviors in the first year of infancy are predicted by parents' working models of attachment and implicit motives of affiliation and power.
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Kuo PX, Saini EK, Tengelitsch E, Volling BL. Is one secure attachment enough? Infant cortisol reactivity and the security of infant-mother and infant-father attachments at the end of the first year. Attach Hum Dev 2019; 21:426-444. [PMID: 30836833 PMCID: PMC6779037 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2019.1582595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Attachment security is theorized to shape stress reactivity, but extant work has failed to find consistent links between attachment security to mothers and infant cortisol reactivity. We examined family configurations of infant-mother and infant-father attachment security in relation to infant cortisol reactivity. One-year old infants (N = 180) participated in the Strange Situation with mothers and fathers in two counterbalanced lab visits, one month apart (12 and 13 months). Infants with secure attachments only to their fathers and not their mothers had higher cortisol levels than infants with a secure attachment to mother and also exhibited a blunted cortisol response (high at baseline and then a decrease after stress). Results suggest that a secure attachment to father may not be enough to reduce infant stress reactivity when the infant-mother attachment is insecure, and future research is needed to uncover the family dynamics that underlie different family configurations of attachment security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patty X Kuo
- a Department of Psychology & William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame , Notre Dame , IN , USA
| | - Ekjyot K Saini
- b Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University , Auburn , AL , USA
| | | | - Brenda L Volling
- d Department of Psychology, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , MI , USA
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Edelstein RS, Chin K, Saini EK, Kuo PX, Schultheiss OC, Volling BL. Adult attachment and testosterone reactivity: Fathers' avoidance predicts changes in testosterone during the strange situation procedure. Horm Behav 2019; 112:10-19. [PMID: 30879994 PMCID: PMC7328342 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.01.009] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
We assessed parents' testosterone reactivity to the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP), a moderately stressful parent-infant interaction task that pulls for parental nurturance and caregiving behavior. Parents (146 mothers, 154 fathers) interacted with their 1-year-old infants, and saliva samples were obtained pre- and post-task to assess changes in testosterone. We examined whether testosterone reactivity differed between mothers and fathers, the extent to which parents' characteristic approaches to closeness (i.e., adult attachment orientation) contributed to testosterone changes, and whether any influences of adult attachment orientation were independent of more general personality characteristics (i.e., the Big Five personality dimensions). Results revealed that mothers and fathers showed comparable declines in testosterone during the SSP, and that these declines were attenuated among fathers with a more avoidant attachment orientation (i.e., those less comfortable with closeness). Associations between fathers' avoidance and testosterone reactivity were statistically independent of broader personality traits. Our findings provide some of the first evidence for short-term changes in both mothers' and fathers' testosterone in contexts that pull for nurturance. Moreover, these findings demonstrate that individual differences in adult attachment may play an important role in understanding such changes. We discuss possible explanations for gender differences in associations between adult attachment and parents' testosterone reactivity, and the extent to which testosterone reactivity might be sensitive to changes in context for mothers versus fathers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin S Edelstein
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America.
| | - Kristi Chin
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - Ekjyot K Saini
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
| | - Patty X Kuo
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, United States of America
| | | | - Brenda L Volling
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
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Volling BL. Widening the lens on family processes and the development of parent-child attachment relationships. Attach Hum Dev 2019; 22:124-128. [PMID: 30907251 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2019.1589068] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
This commentary addresses the research conducted by McConnachie et al. (this issue) on attachment in gay father families, lesbian mother families, and heterosexual parent families. Strengths of the research included the inclusion of different family constellations, the focus on between-family and within-family differences, the longitudinal research design, and the age-appropriate assessment of attachment. Some limitations noted included the lack of control for age at adoption in analyses, the lack of information on parenting processes and parental mental health in the formation of attachment, and questions about information obtained from parent reports of children's prior caregiving histories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda L Volling
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Szabó N, Dubas JS, Volling BL, van Aken MAG. The Effect of Paternal and Alloparental Support on the Interbirth Interval Among Contemporary North American Families. Evol Behav Sci 2017; 11:272-280. [PMID: 28944258 DOI: 10.1037/ebs0000093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The present study investigated whether the length of interbirth intervals between first and second-born children in a North-American middle-class sample could be explained by paternal and alloparental support and firstborn children's gender. The sample consisted of 225 families in which mothers were expecting their second child. Parents reported on paternal and alloparental support (maternal kin, paternal kin, and non-kin support). The results showed that higher maternal kin support and having a firstborn son was linked with shorter interbirth-intervals. Mothers' longer work hours during the pregnancy with the second born was related to longer interbirth intervals. These results highlight the importance of maternal kin support and children's characteristics in understanding the timing of birth when parents have a second child.
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Beyers-Carlson E, Stevenson MM, Gonzalez R, Oh W, Volling BL, Yu T. IX. DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORIES OF CHILDREN'S SOMATIC COMPLAINTS AFTER THE BIRTH OF A SIBLING. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 2017; 82:118-129. [PMID: 28766780 PMCID: PMC5596877 DOI: 10.1111/mono.12315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Oh W, Song JH, Gonzalez R, Volling BL, Yu T. VIII. DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORIES OF CHILDREN'S WITHDRAWAL AFTER THE BIRTH OF A SIBLING. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 2017; 82:106-117. [PMID: 28766785 PMCID: PMC5596895 DOI: 10.1111/mono.12314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Song JH, Oh W, Gonzalez R, Volling BL, Yu T. V. DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORIES OF CHILDREN'S ATTENTION PROBLEMS AFTER THE BIRTH OF A SIBLING. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 2017; 82:72-81. [PMID: 28766778 PMCID: PMC5596885 DOI: 10.1111/mono.12311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Safyer P, Stevenson MM, Gonzalez R, Volling BL, Oh W, Yu T. X. DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORIES OF CHILDREN'S SLEEP PROBLEMS AFTER THE BIRTH OF A SIBLING. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 2017; 82:130-141. [PMID: 28766776 PMCID: PMC5596883 DOI: 10.1111/mono.12316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Thomason E, Oh W, Volling BL, Gonzalez R, Yu T. VI. DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORIES OF CHILDREN'S ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AFTER THE BIRTH OF A SIBLING. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 2017; 82:82-92. [PMID: 28766774 PMCID: PMC5596887 DOI: 10.1111/mono.12312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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Kuo PX, Volling BL, Gonzalez R, Oh W, Yu T. VII. DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORIES OF CHILDREN'S EMOTIONAL REACTIVITY AFTER THE BIRTH OF A SIBLING. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 2017; 82:93-105. [PMID: 28766772 PMCID: PMC5596886 DOI: 10.1111/mono.12313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Volling BL, Gonzalez R, Yu T, Oh W. IV. DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORIES OF CHILDREN'S AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIORS AFTER THE BIRTH OF A SIBLING. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 2017; 82:53-71. [PMID: 28766783 PMCID: PMC5596893 DOI: 10.1111/mono.12310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Volling BL, Oh W, Gonzalez R. III. STABILITY AND CHANGE IN CHILDREN'S EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL ADJUSTMENT AFTER THE BIRTH OF A SIBLING. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 2017; 82:46-52. [PMID: 28766777 PMCID: PMC5596873 DOI: 10.1111/mono.12309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Abstract
This study examined changes in coparenting after the birth of a second child. Mothers and fathers from 241 2-parent families reported on their spouses' coparenting cooperation and conflict with their firstborn children before (prenatal) and 4 months after the birth of a second child. Parents completed prenatal questionnaires on their gender-role attitudes, marital satisfaction, and firstborn children's temperamental characteristics. Parents also reported on their second-born infants' temperaments at 1 month of age. Coparenting conflict increased across the transition, and cooperation decreased. Couples in which fathers reported greater marital satisfaction were more cooperative 4 months after the second birth. Firstborns' difficult temperaments contributed to less cooperative coparenting by both parents. When mothers had more traditional gender-role beliefs, fathers engaged in more conflictual coparenting behavior, and when fathers had more traditional gender-role beliefs, mothers engaged in more conflictual coparenting behavior. Mothers, but not fathers, engaged in more coparenting conflict regarding the firstborn when both the firstborn and infant sibling had difficult temperaments. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
- Patty X. Kuo
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Brenda L. Volling
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
- Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, 300 North Ingalls, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Richard Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
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Volling BL. I. INTRODUCTION: UNDERSTANDING THE TRANSITION TO SIBLINGHOOD FROM A DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 2017; 82:7-25. [PMID: 28766787 PMCID: PMC5596879 DOI: 10.1111/mono.12307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The birth of an infant sibling is a common occurrence in the lives of many toddler and preschool children. Early childhood is also a time for the emergence of disruptive behavior problems that may set the stage for later problem behaviors. The current study examined individual differences in young children’s behavioral and emotional adjustment after the birth of a sibling in an effort to uncover developmental trajectories reflecting sudden and persistent change (maladaptation), adjustment and adaptation (resilience), gradual linear increases, and no change (stability and continuity). Growth mixture modeling (GMM) was conducted with a sample of 241 families expecting their second child using a longitudinal research design across the first year after the sibling’s birth (prenatal, 1, 4 8 and 12 months) on seven syndrome scales of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL 1.5–5:(Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000 ): aggression, attention problems, anxiety/depression, emotional reactivity, withdrawal, somatic complaints, and sleep problems. For all scales, multiple classes describing different trajectory patterns emerged that reflected predominantly intercept differences; children high on problem behavior after the birth were those high before the birth. There was no evidence of a sudden, persistent maladaptive response indicating children underwent a developmental crisis for any of the problem behaviors examined. Most children were low on all problem behaviors examined and showed little change or actually declined in problem behaviors over time, although some children did experience more pronounced changes in the borderline clinical or clinical range. Only in the case of aggressive behavior was there evidence of an Adjustment and Adaptation Response showing a sudden change (prenatal to 1 month) that subsided by 4 months, suggesting that some young children react to stressful life events but adapt quickly to these changing circumstances. Further, children’s withdrawal revealed a curvilinear, quadratic path, suggesting children both increased and decreased in their withdrawal over time. Guided by a developmental ecological systems framework, we employed data mining procedures to uncover the child, parent, and family variables that best discriminated the different trajectory classes and found that children’s temperament, coparenting, parental self-efficacy, and parent-child attachment relationships were prominent in predicting children’s adjustment after the birth of an infant sibling. Finally, when trajectory classes were used to predict sibling relationship quality at 12 months, children high on aggression, attention problems, and emotional reactivity in the year after the birth engaged in more conflict and less positive involvement with the infant sibling at the end of the first year.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the effectiveness of sibling preparation classes to facilitate the adjustment of a firstborn child to the birth of a sibling. DESIGN Longitudinal study with five measurement occasions: third trimester of the mother's pregnancy and 1, 4, 8, and 12 months after the sibling's birth. SETTING Communities in southeastern Michigan. PARTICIPANTS A total of 241 families, including mothers, fathers, and firstborn children. METHODS Mothers and fathers completed questionnaires to assess changes in children's adjustment. Parents were also asked about their children's attendance at a sibling preparation class focused specifically on preparation for the newborn. Effects of attendance were tested using linear mixed models. RESULTS Other than avoidance of the infant, children who attended sibling preparation classes did not differ from children who did not attend. CONCLUSION Sibling preparation classes for adjustment after the birth of an infant sibling had few effects on participants.
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Abstract
A major task for parents during the transition to second-time parenthood is to help their firstborn adjust to their new roles as siblings. Increased father involvement has been theorized to be protective for firstborn adjustment. Fathers, however, are under increasing pressure to balance both work and family responsibilities. Here we evaluate fathers' relative involvement in two-child families as a function of family structure, gender role beliefs, and work-family conflict in 222 dual- and single-earner families from the Midwestern region of the United States after the birth of a second child. Couples reported on father involvement with firstborns and infants when the infants were 1, 4, 8, and 12 months old. On average, fathers increased their involvement with infants but decreased their involvement with firstborns. Dual-earner fathers were more involved with their children than single-earner fathers. Although mean levels of father involvement were different between dual- and single-earners, multi-group parallel process trajectory latent growth curve models revealed more similarities than differences between dual- and single-earners in processes guiding father involvement. Both dual- and single-earner fathers engaged in juggling childcare between children and both dual- and single-earner fathers' involvement with infants was constrained by work-family conflict. Gender role beliefs predicted child care involvement for dual-earner, but not single-earner fathers: more egalitarian gender roles predicted greater involvement with the firstborn immediately after the birth of the second child. Results underscore the need for greater workplace support for fathers' caregiving roles after the birth of an infant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patty X Kuo
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Brenda L Volling
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
- Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, 300 North Ingalls, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Richard Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
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Volling BL, Belsky J. Infant, Father, and Marital Antecedents of Infant Father Attachment Security in Dual-Earner and Single-Earner Families. International Journal of Behavioral Development 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/016502549201500105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In contrast to the research examining infant-mother attachment, much less is known about the development of infant-father attachment relationships. Several recent findings suggest that infants in dual-earner families may develop insecure attachments not only to their mothers, but to their fathers as well. The purpose of the present study was to examine characteristics of the father, the infant, and the marital relationship as antecedents of secure/ insecure infant-father attachments in dual-earner and single-earner families as recent reports suggest that different family processes may exist within these two family ecologies. Longitudinal data from 113 fathers and their firstborn infants were collected before the birth of the child, and when infants were 3 and 9 months old, while Strange Situation assessments were conducted when infants were 13 months of age. Results indicated that change in perceived infant temperament, men's recollected child-rearing histories, and the division of labour distinguished families in which secure or insecure infant-father attachments developed. In only one instance, that of marital conflict, does it appear that different antecedent processes underlie the development of infant-father attachment security across the two family contexts. Results suggest that conclusions based upon research on the antecedents of infant-mother attachment security cannot be presumed to apply to the study of infant-father attachment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jay Belsky
- The Pennsylvania State University, U.S.A
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Diniz E, DeSousa D, Koller SH, Volling BL. Longitudinal effects of contextual and proximal factors on mother-infant interactions among Brazilian adolescent mothers. Infant Behav Dev 2016; 43:36-43. [PMID: 27110652 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2016.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Revised: 02/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Adolescent mothers often come from vulnerable backgrounds which might impact the quality of both maternal and infant behavior. Despite the negative impact of adolescent motherhood for maternal and infant behavior, social support may decrease the risks and promote maternal behavior toward the infant. The aim of this study was to investigate longitudinally the effects of proximal (maternal behavior) and distal (mother's perceived social support) variables on infant development in a sample of Brazilian adolescent mothers and their infants. Thirty-nine adolescent mothers (Mage=17.26years; SD=1.71) were observed interacting with their infants at 3 and 6 months postpartum and reported on social support. Results revealed that maternal and infant behavior were associated within and across times. Mothers' perceived social support at 3 months had an indirect effect on infant behavior at 6 months, totally mediated by maternal behavior at 6 months. Our findings revealed the mutual influence between maternal and infant behavior, revealing a proximal process. The results also underscored the importance of the passage of time in the interplay between mother-infant interactions and their developmental context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Diniz
- Department of Psychology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil.
| | - Diogo DeSousa
- Department of Psychology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil
| | - Silvia H Koller
- Department of Psychology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil; Optentia Research Focus Area, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
| | - Brenda L Volling
- Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, United States
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Song JH, Volling BL, Lane JD, Wellman HM. Aggression, Sibling Antagonism, and Theory of Mind During the First Year of Siblinghood: A Developmental Cascade Model. Child Dev 2016; 87:1250-63. [PMID: 27096923 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A developmental cascade model was tested to examine longitudinal associations among firstborn children's aggression, theory of mind (ToM), and antagonism toward their younger sibling during the 1st year of siblinghood. Aggression and ToM were assessed before the birth of a sibling and 4 and 12 months after the birth, and antagonism was examined at 4 and 12 months in a sample of 208 firstborn children (initial Mage = 30 months, 56% girls) from primarily European American, middle-class families. Firstborns' aggression consistently predicted high sibling antagonism both directly and through poorer ToM. Results highlight the importance of examining longitudinal influences across behavioral, social-cognitive, and relational factors that are closely intertwined even from the early years of life.
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Kuo PX, Saini EK, Thomason E, Schultheiss OC, Gonzalez R, Volling BL. Individual variation in fathers' testosterone reactivity to infant distress predicts parenting behaviors with their 1-year-old infants. Dev Psychobiol 2015; 58:303-14. [PMID: 26497119 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Positive father involvement is associated with positive child outcomes. There is great variation in fathers' involvement and fathering behaviors, and men's testosterone (T) has been proposed as a potential biological contributor to paternal involvement. Previous studies investigating testosterone changes in response to father-infant interactions or exposure to infant cues were unclear as to whether individual variation in T is predictive of fathering behavior. We show that individual variation in fathers' T reactivity to their infants during a challenging laboratory paradigm (Strange Situation) uniquely predicted fathers' positive parenting behaviors during a subsequent father-infant interaction, in addition to other psychosocial determinants of paternal involvement, such as dispositional empathy and marital quality. The findings have implications for understanding fathering behaviors and how fathers can contribute to their children's socioemotional development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patty X Kuo
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109.
| | - Ekjyot K Saini
- Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
| | | | - Oliver C Schultheiss
- Department of Psychology and Sport Sciences, Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Richard Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109.,Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Brenda L Volling
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109.,Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
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Abstract
Patterns of marital change after the birth of a second child were explored in a sample of 229 married couples, starting in pregnancy, and at 1, 4, 8 and 12 months postpartum. Five trajectory patterns that reflected sudden, persistent decline (i.e., crisis), sudden, short-term decline (i.e., adjustment and adaptation), sudden, short-term gain (i.e., honeymoon effect), linear change, and no change were examined with dyadic, longitudinal data for husbands and wives. Six distinct latent classes emerged using growth mixture modeling: (a) wife decreasing positivity-husband honeymoon (44%), (b) wife increasing conflict-husband adjustment and adaptation (34.5%), (c) wife honeymoon-discrepant spouse positivity (7.4%), (d) wife adjustment and adaptation (6.9%), (e) couple honeymoon with discrepant positivity and negativity (5.2%) and (f) husband adjustment and adaptation (1.7%). Classes were distinguished by individual vulnerabilities (i.e., depression, personality), stresses associated with the transition (i.e., unplanned pregnancy), and adaptive processes (i.e., marital communication, social support). Marital communication, parental depression, and social support emerged as important targets for intervention that can assist parents planning to have additional children.
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Thomason E, Flynn HA, Himle JA, Volling BL. Are women's parenting-specific beliefs associated with depressive symptoms in the perinatal period? Development of the rigidity of maternal beliefs scale. Depress Anxiety 2015; 32:141-8. [PMID: 24890938 DOI: 10.1002/da.22280] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2013] [Revised: 03/04/2014] [Accepted: 04/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perinatal depression negatively impacts women, parenting, and children's development. However, not much is known about maternal specific beliefs that may be associated with perinatal depression. We created a new measure that examined the rigidity of perinatal women's beliefs in three major domains suggested to be closely related to mood and behavior: anticipated maternal self-efficacy, perceptions of child vulnerability, and perceptions of societal expectations of mothers (PSEM). METHODS A 26-item measure (the Rigidity of Maternal Beliefs Scale, RMBS) was developed and completed by women at two time points, pregnancy (n = 134) and postpartum (n = 113), along with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) examined the factor structure of the RMBS and validity and reliability were also tested. RESULTS The EFA suggested that a four-factor solution was most interpretable, with few items cross-loading, and there were common themes that unified the items in each factor, resulting in a 24-item final measure. Cronbach's alpha confirmed the internal consistency, whereas bivariate correlations revealed the measure had good test-retest reliability, discriminant validity, and convergent validity. Regression analyses established predictive validity of the RMBS for postpartum depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS The RMBS may be useful with clinical populations to identify maladaptive or rigid thoughts that could be a focus of intervention. This tool may also be used to guide conversation about motherhood expectations within any context where pregnant women present (e.g., prenatal care, social services), as well as potentially identifying women who are at risk for postpartum depression in clinical contexts.
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Abstract
This study examined how coparenting and firstborn children's temperament predicted children's cooperative behavior in response to maternal requests for assistance in the care of a 1-month-old infant sibling. Children's cooperative responding was observed during a diaper change session for 216 firstborns (ages 13 to 70 months; M = 32). Parents also completed questionnaires assessing coparenting and children's temperament. Results suggested that coparenting quality moderated the association between children's temperament (i.e., soothability) and children's cooperation as revealed in a Temperament × Cooperative Coparenting × Undermining Coparenting interaction. Specifically, low soothability predicted low levels of children's cooperation in families with high undermining and low cooperative coparenting, over and above the effects of child age, gender, and mothers' education. Findings further our understanding of how temperamental characteristics and coparenting quality conjointly predict individual differences in firstborn children's positive adjustment across the transition to siblinghood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju-Hyun Song
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan
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Oh W, Volling BL, Gonzalez R. Trajectories of children's social interactions with their infant sibling in the first year: a multidimensional approach. J Fam Psychol 2015; 29:119-129. [PMID: 25664367 PMCID: PMC4410802 DOI: 10.1037/fam0000051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Individual differences in longitudinal trajectories of children's social behaviors toward their infant sibling were examined simultaneously across multiple social dimensions: Positive engagement (moving toward), antagonism (moving against), and avoidance (moving away). Three distinct social patterns were identified: (C1) positively-engaged (n = 107, 50%); (C2) escalating-antagonism (n = 90, 42%); and (C3) early-onset antagonism (n = 16, 8%). Children in the positively-engaged class had high levels of positive engagement with their infant siblings, coupled with low levels of antagonism and avoidance. The escalating-antagonism class was positively-engaged in sibling interaction with a steep escalation in antagonistic behavior and avoidance from 4 to 12 months. Children in the early-onset antagonism class displayed the highest level of antagonistic behavior starting as early as 4 months, and became increasingly avoidant over time. A path model, guided by a Process × Person × Context × Time model, revealed that low parental self-efficacy heightened by parenting stress and children's dysregulated temperament was directly related to the escalating-antagonism pattern. Punitive parenting in response to children's antagonistic behavior increased the likelihood of being in the early-onset antagonism class. Together, the results highlighted heterogeneity in the earliest emergence of sibling interaction patterns and the interplay of child and parent factors in predicting distinct sibling interaction trajectory patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonjung Oh
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Texas Tech University
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Volling BL, Yu T, Gonzalez R, Kennedy DE, Rosenberg L, Oh W. Children's responses to mother-infant and father-infant interaction with a baby sibling: jealousy or joy? J Fam Psychol 2014; 28:634-44. [PMID: 25150371 PMCID: PMC4196720 DOI: 10.1037/a0037811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Firstborn children's reactions to mother-infant and father-infant interaction after a sibling's birth were examined in an investigation of 224 families. Triadic observations of parent-infant-sibling interaction were conducted at 1 month after the birth. Parents reported on children's problem behaviors at 1 and 4 months after the birth and completed the Attachment Q-sort before the birth. Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified 4 latent classes (behavioral profiles) for mother-infant and father-infant interactions: regulated-exploration, disruptive-dysregulated, approach-avoidant, and anxious-clingy. A fifth class, attention-seeking, was found with fathers. The regulated-exploration class was the normative pattern (60%), with few children in the disruptive class (2.7%). Approach-avoidant children had more behavior problems at 4 months than any other class, with the exception of the disruptive children, who were higher on aggression and attention problems. Before the birth, anxious-clingy children had less secure attachments to their fathers than approach avoidant children but more secure attachments to their mothers. Results underscore individual differences in firstborns' behavioral responses to parent-infant interaction and the importance of a person-centered approach for understanding children's jealousy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tianyi Yu
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia
| | | | - Denise E Kennedy
- Department of Education and Human Development, University of La Verne
| | | | - Wonjung Oh
- Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan
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