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Grady MD, Yoder J. Attachment Theory and Sexual Offending: Making the Connection. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2024; 26:134-141. [PMID: 38319534 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-024-01488-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review is to discuss how attachment theory can be applied to explain sexual violence. Specifically, it discusses how the development of certain risk factors contributes to these behaviors and how attachment-based models can be used to address this issue through prevention and therapeutic interventions. RECENT FINDINGS Recent research demonstrates that individuals who commit sexual offenses have higher rates of insecure attachment styles and that these styles are associated with a number of criminogenic risk factors associated with sexual offending. Such risk factors include cognitive processing difficulties, affect dysregulation, and challenges in interpersonal relationships, among others. Fortunately, treatment interventions have been shown to foster more secure attachment styles and reduce these risk factors. Attachment theory is a viable theory to both understand and intervene with those who have committed sexual violence to reduce the risk factors associated with sexual violence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa D Grady
- Catholic University of America, 620 Michigan Ave, NE, Washington DC, 20064, USA.
| | - Jamie Yoder
- Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA
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2
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Hennefield L, Gilbert K, Donohue MR, Tillman R, McCoy A, Diggs G, Paul ZA, Kohl PL, Luby JL. Early Emotion Development Intervention Improves Mental Health Outcomes in Low-Income, High-Risk Community Children. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2024:10.1007/s10578-023-01639-1. [PMID: 38221601 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-023-01639-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Children living in poverty and facing related forms of adversity are at higher risk for experiencing concurrent and later psychopathology. Although negative psychological outcomes can be improved by enhancing sensitive and responsive caregiving early in development, interventions targeting the caregiver-child dyad are not readily accessible. The present study investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of delivering a shortened eight-session form of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy-Emotion Development (PCIT-ED) in-person or remotely as an early intervention for 3-6-year-old children (N = 62) at elevated risk for psychopathology who were growing up in low-income communities. Caregiver-child dyads were randomized to eight-sessions of PCIT-ED or online parenting education. Relative to parenting education, children receiving PCIT-ED exhibited lower externalizing symptoms and functional impairment and more positive peer relationships following the intervention. Findings support the effectiveness of this shortened form of PCIT-ED, delivered in-person or remotely, as an early intervention to improve symptoms of psychopathology and functioning in high-risk children living in poverty.Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov; NCT04399629.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Hennefield
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4444 Forest Park, Suite 2100, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Kirsten Gilbert
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Meghan Rose Donohue
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rebecca Tillman
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Art McCoy
- Saint Louis University, The Jennings School District, Jennings, MO, USA
| | - Gwendolyn Diggs
- Head Start/Early Head Start at the Urban League of Metropolitan, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Zori A Paul
- Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology, College of Education, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Patricia L Kohl
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
- The Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Joan L Luby
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
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3
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Zhou P, Li Y, Lau PWC, Yan L, Song H, Shi TL. Effectiveness of parent-based electronic health ( eHealth) intervention on physical activity, dietary behaviors, and sleep in preschoolers: A systematic review. J Exerc Sci Fit 2024; 22:1-13. [PMID: 38021206 PMCID: PMC10663681 DOI: 10.1016/j.jesf.2023.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The lifestyles of preschoolers have become physically inactive and sedentary, their eating habits unhealthy, and their sleep routines increasingly disturbed. Parental involvement appears crucial to combat the unhealthy lifestyle of preschoolers. Because of the recognized barriers to traditional face-to-face interventions, easy access and lower costs make electronic health (eHealth) interventions appealing. However, whether parent-based eHealth intervention may be harnessed to improve the aforementioned lifestyle behaviors of preschoolers is currently unclear, a gap that this systematic review intends to address. This study aims to systematically review the current literature concerning the effectiveness of parent-based eHealth intervention on the physical activity, dietary behaviors, and sleep of preschoolers. Method This systematic review conforms to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis statement. Six databases (EMBASE, PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and PsycINFO) were retrieved for the period from January 2000 to December 2022. Studies were eligible if 1 they were quantitative study design; 2 eHealth interventions in which parents were the change agents targeted children aged 3-6 years; 3 interventions examined the effectiveness of eHealth or incorporated eHealth as one of the intervention modalities; 4 at least one variable included in either primary or secondary outcome had to concentrate on the physical activity, diet, and sleep of preschoolers; 5 publication type was limited to the English language and peer-reviewed journal articles; 6 study settings were confined to family- or parent-based ones. The risk of bias was assessed, based upon Version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-tool for randomized trials (RoB2). Results Twelve studies were screened. No significant group-by-time improvement in physical activity was found in studies related to physical activity outcomes. Two studies reported a significant difference between groups concerning motor ability, with one study indicating improved object control with the other reporting improvement in both object control and locomotor skills. Of the studies related to dietary behavior outcomes, six studies reported a significant difference at the posttest compared to the control group, in terms of vegetable and fruit intake, sugar-sweetened drinks, reduced candy consumption, and improved non-core food. Three studies reported a significant difference between groups in sleep duration at the end of the posttest, with the result of one study limited to preference-only participants. None of the reviewed studies found a significant difference between groups for sleep problems. Conclusion Parent-based eHealth interventions were not significantly effective in improving physical activity and reducing sleep problems in preschoolers, but the majority of studies have found that this type of intervention significantly improves the dietary behaviors and sleep duration of preschoolers. High-quality, robustly designed studies to balance the intervention dosage and sequence are needed to investigate the effectiveness of parent-based eHealth intervention on physical activity, dietary behaviors, and sleep in preschoolers, particularly those raised in other cultural background, which may significantly impact their lifestyle. Trial registration International Prospective Register of Systematic Review (PROSPERO): CRD42023418861.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhou
- Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yin Li
- Department of Physical Education, Sun Yat-sen University, China
| | - Patrick WC. Lau
- Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Liang Yan
- Department of Physical Education, China Women's University, Beijing, China
| | - Huiqi Song
- Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tony Lei Shi
- Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, China
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Dinzinger A, Ismair S, Brisch KH, Sperl W, Deneault AA, Nolte T, Hitzl W, Priewasser B. Mentalizing in first-time fathers: reflective functioning as a mediator between attachment representation and sensitivity. Attach Hum Dev 2023; 25:544-565. [PMID: 37815537 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2023.2258354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Sensitivity in parent-child interaction is essential for child development. Since fathers are increasingly involved in childrearing, identifying factors leading to paternal sensitivity is crucial. We examined the relation between attachment representation and reflective functioning (RF) as factors influencing paternal sensitivity in a longitudinal study including N = 40 first-time fathers (Mage = 33) and their 6-month-old children. We used the Adult Attachment Interview during pregnancy to assess paternal attachment representation and general RF, the Parental Development Interview to assess fathers' parental RF, and the Emotional Availability Scale to measure sensitivity at child's age of 6 month. Data show that secure paternal attachment representation, high general and parental RF are associated with higher levels of paternal sensitivity. Further, parental RF mediates the association between attachment representation and paternal sensitivity. These findings contribute to the identification of a causal interplay in that they suggest an explanatory effect of RF on the association between fathers' attachment representation, and sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Dinzinger
- Institute for Early Life Care, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Selina Ismair
- Institute for Early Life Care, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Karl Heinz Brisch
- Institute for Early Life Care, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
- Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | - Wolfang Sperl
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | | | - Tobias Nolte
- Research Department for Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK
| | - Wolfgang Hitzl
- Research and Innovation Management, Biostatistics, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Beate Priewasser
- Institute for Early Life Care, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
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Kong KL, Anzman-Frasca S, Burgess B, Serwatka C, White HI, Holmbeck K. Systematic Review of General Parenting Intervention Impacts on Child Weight as a Secondary Outcome. Child Obes 2023; 19:293-308. [PMID: 35925814 PMCID: PMC10316528 DOI: 10.1089/chi.2022.0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
General parenting interventions have improved parent-child relationships and child behavior, with emerging evidence that they may also reduce prevalence of pediatric overweight/obesity. We conducted a systematic review on interventions that were designed to promote positive parenting and examined child weight post-hoc. We searched for studies published through January 2022 that promoted positive parenting among parents of children ages 0-18 years and reported effects on body weight as an ancillary outcome, with no intervention content focused on energy balance (e.g., feeding, physical activity). This search was carried out within ClinicalTrials.gov, ISRCTN Registry, PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Connected Papers. Studies were imported into EndNote X9 and assessed independently by two investigators. In total, 753 clinical trials and 723 publications were assessed, and six publications met inclusion criteria. All cohorts were low-income and interventions targeted expectant mothers up through parents of adolescents. Follow-ups occurred when participants were between 2 and 25 years. Significant improvements in weight-related outcomes were observed across all studies for the intervention arm as a whole or for certain subgroups, and reasons underlying these gains tended to differ by participants' age. The magnitude of effect sizes ranged from medium to large. Interventions focused on general positive parenting are efficacious at lowering risk of overweight/obesity without focusing on physical health. Promoting attachments among infants, restructuring a toddler's home environment, praising preschoolers, and communicating with adolescents may optimize weight outcomes in parenting interventions adapted for obesity prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Ling Kong
- Baby Health Behavior Lab, Division of Health Services and Outcomes Research, Children's Mercy Research Institute, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA
- Center for Children's Healthy Lifestyles and Nutrition, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Stephanie Anzman-Frasca
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Center for Ingestive Behavior Research, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Brenda Burgess
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Catherine Serwatka
- Baby Health Behavior Lab, Division of Health Services and Outcomes Research, Children's Mercy Research Institute, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Hope I White
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Katherine Holmbeck
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, USA
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Tobón AL, Condon E, Slade A, Holland ML, Mayes LC, Sadler LS. Participation in an Attachment-Based Home Visiting Program Is Associated with Lower Child Salivary C-Reactive Protein Levels at Follow-Up. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2023; 44:e292-e299. [PMID: 37126599 PMCID: PMC10353420 DOI: 10.1097/dbp.0000000000001180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Exposure to early childhood adversity is associated with an increased risk for physiological disruption, including increased inflammation. Early interventions that support the mother-child relationship have been shown to potentially buffer negative psychosocial outcomes related to early adversity, but it is unclear whether these interventions have long-term biological effects. We evaluated whether prior participation in Minding the Baby® (MTB), an attachment-based home visiting intervention for young mother-infant dyads living in underserved communities, is associated with lower child salivary inflammatory biomarkers compared with controls at follow-up. METHODS Ninety-seven maternal-child dyads (n = 43 intervention and n = 54 controls) enrolled in a follow-up study of the MTB randomized controlled trial, an average of 4.6 years after RCT completion. Children provided salivary specimens. We used adjusted linear regression to examine the relationship between MTB participation and child salivary inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein [CRP], interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α). RESULTS Children were on average 6.6 years old, 48% female, and identified as non-Hispanic/Latino Black/African American (34%) and Hispanic/Latino (63%). Participation in MTB was associated with lower salivary CRP levels (β = -0.31, SE = 0.28, p = 0.003) compared with controls. Participation in MTB was not associated with salivary cytokine levels. DISCUSSION Participation in an intensive two-generation home visiting intervention such as MTB may reduce salivary inflammatory biomarkers associated with early childhood adversity. Replication and further research are needed to improve the understanding of the potential for early childhood interventions to buffer the biological embedding of early adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalia Londoño Tobón
- MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Washington, DC
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT CT
| | - Eileen Condon
- University of Connecticut School of Nursing, Storrs, CT
| | - Arietta Slade
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT CT
| | - Margaret L. Holland
- Department of Population Health & Leadership, University of New Haven, New Haven, CT
| | - Linda C. Mayes
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT CT
| | - Lois S. Sadler
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT CT
- Yale School of Nursing, New Haven, CT
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Zayde A, Derella OJ, Kilbride A. Safe haven in adolescence: Improving parental reflective functioning and youth attachment and mental health with the Connecting and Reflecting Experience. Infant Ment Health J 2023; 44:268-283. [PMID: 36862314 DOI: 10.1002/imhj.22042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Attachment security provides a well-documented protective developmental function for children exposed to individual- and community-level trauma, yet the effectiveness of prevention and intervention efforts targeting attachment during adolescence has been relatively underexplored. The Connecting and Reflecting Experience (CARE) program is a transdiagnostic, bi-generational, group-based, mentalizing-focused parenting intervention developed to dismantle the intergenerational transmission of trauma and support secure attachment relationships across the developmental spectrum within an under-resourced community. This exploratory study evaluated outcomes among caregiver-adolescent dyads (N = 32) in the CARE condition of a nonrandomized clinical trial at an outpatient mental health clinic within a diverse, urban U.S. community with disproportionate trauma exposure exacerbated by COVID-19. Caregivers predominantly identified as Black/African/African American (47%), Hispanic/Latina (38%), and/or White (19%). At pre- and post-intervention, caregivers completed questionnaires regarding parental mentalizing and their adolescents' psychosocial functioning. Adolescents completed scales regarding attachment and psychosocial functioning. Results showed a significant decrease in caregivers' prementalizing on the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire, improvement in adolescent psychosocial functioning on the Youth Outcomes Questionnaire, and an increase in adolescents' reports of attachment security on the Security Scale. These preliminary findings suggest that mentalizing-focused parenting interventions may be effective in fostering improved attachment security and psychosocial functioning during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Zayde
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Olivia J Derella
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Anna Kilbride
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
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Letourneau N, Anis L, Novick J, Pohl C, Ntanda H, Hart M. Impacts of the Attachment and Child Health (ATTACH TM) Parenting Program on Mothers and Their Children at Risk of Maltreatment: Phase 2 Results. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3078. [PMID: 36833770 PMCID: PMC9961631 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Early adversity (e.g., family violence, parental depression, low income) places children at risk for maltreatment and negatively impacts developmental outcomes. Optimal parental reflective function (RF), defined as the parent's ability to think about and identify thoughts, feelings, and mental states in themselves and in their children, is linked to secure attachment and may protect against suboptimal outcomes. We present the results of Phase 2 randomized control trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies (QES) of the Attachment and Child Health (ATTACHTM) parental RF intervention for families with children at risk for maltreatment. Phase 2 parents experiencing adversity, along with their children aged 0-5 years (n = 45), received the 10-12-week ATTACHTM intervention. Building on completed Phase 1 pilot data, Phase 2 examined outcomes of long-standing interest, including parental RF and child development, as well as new outcomes, including parental perceived social support and executive function, and children's behavior, sleep, and executive function. RCTs and QES revealed significant improvements in parents' RF, perception of social support, and executive function, children's development (i.e., communication, problem-solving, personal-social, and fine motor skills), and a decrease in children's sleep and behavioral problems (i.e., anxiety/depression, attention problems, aggressive behavior, and externalizing problems), post-intervention. ATTACH™ positively impacts parental RF to prevent negative impacts on children at risk of maltreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Letourneau
- Owerko Centre for Children’s Neurodevelopment and Mental Health, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Faculty of Nursing, and Cumming School of Medicine, Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Lubna Anis
- Owerko Centre for Children’s Neurodevelopment and Mental Health, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Jason Novick
- Owerko Centre for Children’s Neurodevelopment and Mental Health, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Carrie Pohl
- Owerko Centre for Children’s Neurodevelopment and Mental Health, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Henry Ntanda
- Owerko Centre for Children’s Neurodevelopment and Mental Health, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Martha Hart
- Owerko Centre for Children’s Neurodevelopment and Mental Health, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
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Scott J, Silva S, Gonzalez-Guarda RM, Bennett GG, Merwin E, Simmons LA. Adverse Childhood Experiences and Cardiovascular Health: An Exploration of Protective Social Determinants Among Young Adult Black Women. ANS Adv Nurs Sci 2022; Publish Ahead of Print:00012272-990000000-00042. [PMID: 36729910 PMCID: PMC10244488 DOI: 10.1097/ans.0000000000000468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
This study sought to advance the literature on Black women's cardiovascular health (CVH) by examining maternal relationship, religion and spirituality, and social connections as potential protective social determinants that buffer the stress of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The outcome was the American Heart Association's ideal CVH score. Neither maternal relationship nor religion/spirituality was able to buffer the stress of ACEs on ideal CVH. Findings are discussed in terms of cultural aspects of potential protective factors that are critical for future research. Identifying protective factors that may buffer the influence of ACEs on CVH remains a priority to promote health equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jewel Scott
- University of South Carolina, Columbia (Dr Scott); Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, North Carolina (Drs Silva and Gonzalez-Guarda); Duke Global Digital Health Science Center, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina (Dr Bennett); College of Nursing and Health Innovation, University of Texas, Arlington (Dr Merwin); and Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis (Dr Simmons)
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Komanchuk J, Dewey D, Giesbrecht GF, Hart M, Anis L, Ntanda H, Cameron JL, Letourneau N. Association between maternal reflective function and preschool children’s cognitive abilities. Front Psychol 2022; 13:995426. [DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.995426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Children’s cognitive abilities (e.g., working memory) are associated with mental health, adaptive behaviors, and academic achievement, and may be enhanced by parental reflective function (i.e., capacity to reflect on mental states, feelings, thoughts, and intentions in one’s child and oneself). We evaluated associations between maternal reflective function and children’s cognitive abilities alone and while controlling for parent-child attachment and interaction quality, and psychosocial (i.e., maternal depressive symptoms, adverse childhood experiences) and sociodemographic (e.g., socioeconomic status) factors. Our sample, recruited in Canada, was primarily white and included 73 mothers and their 4–5 year old preschool children. Maternal reflective function was measured with the Reflective Functioning Scale applied to the Parent Development Interview and the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses revealed that maternal reflective function was associated with children’s cognitive abilities. The Parent Development Interview rated child-reflective function was associated with children’s higher verbal comprehension alone and while adjusting for covariates (e.g., parent-child interaction quality, socioeconomic status), and the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire Interest and Curiosity with higher verbal comprehension while adjusting for parent-child interactions and attachment pattern. The Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire Certainty in Mental States was associated with higher working memory scores for children while adjusting for covariates. Full Scale IQ and Visual Spatial Index were not significantly associated with maternal reflective function. Associations were found between secure and disorganized attachment with higher verbal comprehension and lower working memory, respectively. These findings highlight the importance of high maternal reflective function to cognitive abilities in early childhood.
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Condon EM, Tobon AL, Holland ML, Slade A, Mayes L, Sadler LS. Examining Mothers' Childhood Maltreatment History, Parental Reflective Functioning, and the Long-Term Effects of the Minding the Baby® Home Visiting Intervention. CHILD MALTREATMENT 2022; 27:378-388. [PMID: 33678048 DOI: 10.1177/1077559521999097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Research is needed to better understand how childhood maltreatment history affects parental reflective capacities, and whether early childhood interventions help mitigate these effects. We examined associations between childhood maltreatment and current parenting (parental reflective functioning, parenting behaviors) among mothers who participated in a follow-up study (N = 97) of the Minding the Baby® (MTB) randomized control trial. MTB is a home visiting program that aims to help mothers understand their child's mental states (feelings, intentions, needs) by promoting parental reflective functioning. Mothers retrospectively reported childhood maltreatment using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Endorsing a higher number of childhood maltreatment subtypes was associated with less supportive/engaged parenting and higher pre-mentalizing modes, or difficulty with appropriately reflecting on the child's mental states. These relationships were not moderated by participation in the MTB intervention. However, exploratory analyses of individual maltreatment subtypes revealed that participation in MTB may mitigate the harmful effects of childhood emotional abuse on pre-mentalizing modes, specifically. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms through which early childhood interventions may prevent intergenerational cycles of maltreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amalia Londono Tobon
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, 12321Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | | | | | - Linda Mayes
- 12228Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lois S Sadler
- 16230Yale School of Nursing, Orange, CT, USA
- 12228Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT, USA
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Pontoppidan M, Thorsager M, Friis-Hansen M, Slade A, Sadler LS. Minding the Baby versus usual care: study protocol for a quasi-cluster-randomized controlled study in Denmark of an early interdisciplinary home-visiting intervention for families at increased risk for adversity. Trials 2022; 23:529. [PMID: 35751089 PMCID: PMC9229526 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-022-06434-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inequality in health can have profound effects on a child's opportunities later in life. To prevent these downstream effects in families at increased risk of adversity, programs are needed to provide support and improve well-being across several domains. The present trial is aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the Minding the Baby® (MTB) home visiting intervention in improving the mother-child relationship, parental reflective functioning, well-being, and mental health, as well as child development and well-being in families at known risk of adverse health, relational, and developmental outcomes. METHODS The study is a pragmatic, prospective, quasi-cluster-randomized controlled trial in which seven Danish municipalities were randomized to MTB training in either 2018 or 2019. A total of 250 pregnant women at increased risk of adversity will be recruited (75 care as usual families and 175 intervention families). Care as usual families will be recruited before and after the MTB training. The MTB intervention is an attachment-based, interdisciplinary home visiting intervention offered from the third trimester of pregnancy until the child is 2 years old. The participants are assessed at baseline, and when the infant is 3, 12, and 24 months old. The primary outcome is maternal sensitivity measured by the Coding Interactive Behavior scale applied to video recordings of mother-infant interactions. Secondary outcomes include parent-child interaction, parental reflective functioning, parental mental health, maternal satisfaction, parental stress, and child development and well-being. The treatment effect is estimated as a fixed effect using a binary indicator of MTB treatment, and cluster-robust standard errors based on wild bootstrap are used for inference. DISCUSSION This is the first trial of MTB in a Scandinavian context and will include the largest sample yet in a trial of MTB. The trial is expected to contribute to knowledge about the effect of early support for pregnant women, their infants, and their families at increased risk of adversity. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03495895 . The study was registered on April 12, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maiken Pontoppidan
- VIVE - The Danish Centre for Social Science Research, Herluf Trolles Gade 11, 1052, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Mette Thorsager
- VIVE - The Danish Centre for Social Science Research, Herluf Trolles Gade 11, 1052, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mette Friis-Hansen
- VIVE - The Danish Centre for Social Science Research, Herluf Trolles Gade 11, 1052, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Arietta Slade
- Yale Child Study Center, 230 S Frontage Rd, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lois S Sadler
- Yale Child Study Center, 230 S Frontage Rd, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale University School of Nursing, 400 West Campus Drive, Orange, CT, USA
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Pontoppidan M, Nygaard L, Thorsager M, Friis-Hansen M, Davis D, Nohr EA. The FACAM study: protocol for a randomized controlled study of an early interdisciplinary intervention to support women in vulnerable positions through pregnancy and the first 5 years of motherhood. Trials 2022; 23:73. [PMID: 35073975 PMCID: PMC8785506 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-022-06022-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inequality in health can have profound short- and long-term effects on a child's life. Infants develop in a responsive environment, and the relationship between mother and infant begins to develop during pregnancy. The mother's ability to bond with the fetus and newborn child may be challenged by mental health issues which can cause impaired functioning and poorer health outcomes. Families with complex problems need interdisciplinary interventions starting in early pregnancy to be prepared for motherhood and to ensure healthy child development. This study aims to examine the effects of an early and coordinated intervention (the Family Clinic and Municipality (FACAM) intervention) offered to vulnerable pregnant women during pregnancy and the child's first year of life on the mother-child relationship, maternal social functioning, mental health, reflective functioning, well-being, parental stress, and the development and well-being of the child. METHODS The study is a prospective randomized controlled trial where we will randomize 320 pregnant women enrolled to receive antenatal care at the family clinic at Odense University Hospital, to either FACAM intervention or usual care. The FACAM intervention consists of extra support by a health nurse or family therapist during pregnancy and until the child starts school. The intervention is most intensive in the first 12 months and also includes attachment-based support provided either individually or in groups. The participants are assessed at baseline, and when the infant is 3 and 12 months old. The primary outcome is maternal sensitivity measured by the Coding Interactive Behavior (CIB) instrument. Secondary outcomes include prenatal parental reflective functioning, mental well-being, depressive symptoms, breastfeeding duration, maternal satisfaction, child development, parent competence, parental stress, and activities with the child. DISCUSSION The trial is expected to contribute knowledge about the effect of early coordinated support in antenatal and postnatal care for vulnerable pregnant women and their families. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03659721 . Registered on September 6, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maiken Pontoppidan
- VIVE - The Danish Centre for Social Science Research, Herluf Trolles Gade 11, 1052, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Lene Nygaard
- University of Canberra and ACT Health, Bruce, Australia
- Research Unit for Gynecology and Obstetrics, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Mette Thorsager
- VIVE - The Danish Centre for Social Science Research, Herluf Trolles Gade 11, 1052, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mette Friis-Hansen
- VIVE - The Danish Centre for Social Science Research, Herluf Trolles Gade 11, 1052, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Deborah Davis
- University of Canberra and ACT Health, Bruce, Australia
| | - Ellen Aagaard Nohr
- Research Unit for Gynecology and Obstetrics, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
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Condon EM, Londono Tobon A, Jackson B, Holland ML, Slade A, Mayes L, Sadler LS. Maternal Experiences of Racial Discrimination, Child Indicators of Toxic Stress, and the Minding the Baby Early Home Visiting Intervention. Nurs Res 2021; 70:S43-S52. [PMID: 34173377 PMCID: PMC8405547 DOI: 10.1097/nnr.0000000000000529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Racism is a significant source of toxic stress and a root cause of health inequities. Emerging evidence suggests that exposure to vicarious racism (i.e., racism experienced by a caregiver) is associated with poor child health and development, but associations with biological indicators of toxic stress have not been well studied. It is also unknown whether two-generation interventions, such as early home visiting programs, may help to mitigate the harmful effects of vicarious racism. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine associations between maternal experiences of racial discrimination and child indicators of toxic stress and to test whether relationships are moderated by prior participation in Minding the Baby (MTB), an attachment-based early home visiting intervention. METHODS Ninety-seven maternal-child dyads (n = 43 intervention dyads, n = 54 control dyads) enrolled in the MTB Early School Age follow-up study. Mothers reported on racial discrimination using the Experiences of Discrimination Scale. Child indicators of toxic stress included salivary biomarkers of inflammation (e.g., C-reactive protein, panel of pro-inflammatory cytokines), body mass index, and maternally reported child behavioral problems. We used linear regression to examine associations between maternal experiences of racial discrimination and child indicators of toxic stress and included an interaction term between experiences of discrimination and MTB group assignment (intervention vs. control) to test moderating effects of the MTB intervention. RESULTS Mothers identified as Black/African American (33%) and Hispanic/Latina (64%). In adjusted models, maternal experiences of racial discrimination were associated with elevated salivary interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α levels in children, but not child body mass index or behavior. Prior participation in the MTB intervention moderated the relationship between maternal experiences of discrimination and child interleukin-6 levels. DISCUSSION Results of this study suggest that racism may contribute to the biological embedding of early adversity through influences on inflammation, but additional research with serum markers is needed to better understand this relationship. Improved understanding of the relationships among vicarious racism, protective factors, and childhood toxic stress is necessary to inform family and systemic-level intervention.
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Tobon AL, Condon E, Sadler LS, Holland ML, Mayes LC, Slade A. School age effects of Minding the Baby-An attachment-based home-visiting intervention-On parenting and child behaviors - ERRATUM. Dev Psychopathol 2021; 33:376. [PMID: 33616032 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579420001923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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