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Mattera JA, Erickson NL, Barbosa-Leiker C, Gartstein MA. COVID-19 pandemic effects: Examining prenatal internalizing symptoms and infant temperament. INFANCY 2024; 29:386-411. [PMID: 38244202 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
For pregnant women, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented stressors, including uncertainty regarding prenatal care and the long-term consequences of perinatal infection. However, few studies have examined the role of this adverse event on maternal wellbeing and infant socioemotional development following the initial wave of the pandemic when less stringent public health restrictions were in place. The current study addressed these gaps in the literature by first comparing prenatal internalizing symptoms and infant temperament collected after the first wave of the pandemic to equivalent measures in a pre-pandemic sample. Second, associations between prenatal pandemic-related stress and infant temperament were examined. Women who were pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic endorsed higher pregnancy-specific anxiety relative to the pre-pandemic sample. They also reported greater infant negative emotionality and lower positive affectivity and regulatory capacity at 2 months postpartum. Prenatal infection stress directly predicted infant negative affect. Both prenatal infection and preparedness stress were indirectly related to infant negative emotionality through depression symptoms during pregnancy and at 2 months postpartum. These results have implications for prenatal mental health screening procedures during the pandemic and the development of early intervention programs for infants born to mothers during this adverse event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Mattera
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Nora L Erickson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Maria A Gartstein
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
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Jones-Mason K, Coccia M, Alkon A, Melanie Thomas KCP, Laraia B, Adler N, Epel ES, Bush NR. Parental sensitivity modifies the associations between maternal prenatal stress exposure, autonomic nervous system functioning and infant temperament in a diverse, low-income sample. Attach Hum Dev 2023; 25:487-523. [PMID: 37749913 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2023.2257669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that adversity experienced during fetal development may shape infant physiologic functioning and temperament. Parental sensitivity is associated with child stress regulation and may act as a buffer against risk for intergenerational health effects of pre- or postnatal adversity. Building upon prior evidence in a racially and ethnically diverse sample of infants (M infant age = 6.5 months) and women of low socioeconomic status, this study examined whether coded parenting sensitivity moderated the association between an objective measure of prenatal stress exposures (Stressful Life Events (SLE)) and infant parasympathetic (respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA) or sympathetic (pre-ejection period; PEP) nervous system functioning assessed during administration of the Still-Face-Paradigm (SFP) (n = 66), as well as maternal report of temperament (n = 154). Results showed that parental sensitivity moderated the associations between prenatal stress exposures and infant RSA reactivity, RSA recovery, PEP recovery, and temperamental negativity. Findings indicate that greater parental sensitivity is associated with lower infant autonomic nervous system reactivity and greater recovery from challenge. Results support the hypothesis that parental sensitivity buffers infants from the risk of prenatal stress exposure associations with offspring cross-system physiologic reactivity and regulation, potentially shaping trajectories of health and development and promoting resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Jones-Mason
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Michael Coccia
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Abbey Alkon
- School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | | | - Barbara Laraia
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - Nancy Adler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Elissa S Epel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Nicole R Bush
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, USA
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Merianos AL, Nabors LA, Odar Stough CC, Olaniyan AC, Smith ML, Mahabee-Gittens EM. Associations of household tobacco smoking status with childhood temperament among U.S. preschool-aged children. J Affect Disord 2023; 329:113-123. [PMID: 36841302 PMCID: PMC10042486 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.02.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study investigated the association between household tobacco smoking status and temperament among U.S. 3-5-year-olds. METHODS A secondary analysis of 2019-2020 National Survey of Children's Health data (N = 11,100) was conducted. Temperament dimensions of effortful control (characterized by attention focusing), negative affectivity (characterized by anger and soothability), and surgency (characterized by activity level and shyness) were assessed. Weighted ordinal regression models were conducted while adjusting for child and family covariates. RESULTS Approximately 13 % of children lived with smokers. Compared to children who did not live with smokers, children living with smokers displayed behaviors of poorer effortful control and were more likely to be easily distracted (AOR = 1.59, 95%CI = 1.24-2.04) and less likely to keep working on tasks until finished (AOR = 0.56, 95%CI = 0.44-0.71). Children living with smokers displayed behaviors of greater negative affectivity and were at increased odds of being angry or anxious when transitioning between activities (AOR = 1.50, 95%CI = 1.13-1.98) and losing their temper when things did not go their way (AOR = 1.53, 95%CI = 1.20-1.96), and were at decreased odds of calming down quickly when excited (AOR = 0.54, 95%CI = 0.42-0.70). Children living with smokers displayed behaviors of poorer surgency and were less likely to play well with others (AOR = 0.58, 95%CI = 0.45-0.76) and sit still compared to same-aged children (AOR = 0.56, 95%CI = 0.44-0.71). LIMITATIONS The NSCH uses a cross-sectional survey design; longitudinal associations and objective measures could not be assessed. However, the NSCH is nationally representative and results are generalizable to U.S. 3-5-year-olds. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest household tobacco smoking influences temperament in early childhood. Results signify the need to promote household tobacco cessation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley L Merianos
- School of Human Services, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Laura A Nabors
- School of Human Services, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | | | | | - Matthew Lee Smith
- Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - E Melinda Mahabee-Gittens
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Parkes A, Green M, Pearce A. Can centre-based childcare buffer against the negative effects of family adversity on child socio-emotional wellbeing? Eur J Public Health 2021; 31:474-481. [PMID: 33550396 PMCID: PMC7611253 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckab006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Different configurations of family adversity affect children’s socio-emotional development differently; however, we lack knowledge of moderators amenable to policy intervention. This study explored whether early childhood centre-based childcare moderated the impact of family adversity configurations on socio-emotional development. Methods Data were from the Growing Up in Scotland first birth cohort, born 2004–05. Latent class analysis of 19 early childhood family adversity indicators identified four classes: ‘Low Risk’ (68%), ‘Poor Maternal Health’ (16.5%), ‘Economic Hardship’ (10.0%) and ‘Multiple Adversities’ (5.5%). Latent growth models of externalizing and internalizing symptom trajectories (age 46–152 months, n = 3561) by family adversity controlled for confounding. Moderation by centre-based childcare use was examined through stratification. Results Compared to ‘Low Risk’, high-risk classes had more externalizing and internalizing symptoms and internalizing symptoms increased at a faster rate, with ‘Multiple Adversities’ faring worst. The effects of ‘Economic Hardship’ on change in externalizing symptoms over time varied by childcare (P = 0.035): relative to the Low Risk group, symptoms increased (+0.04 points/year) among those not using childcare, and decreased (–0.09 points/year) among those who did. The effect of ‘Multiple Adversities’ on internalizing symptoms also varied (P = 0.034): +0.12 without centre-based childcare; +0.33 with centre-based childcare (patterns were similar for externalizing symptoms but with wide confidence intervals). No moderation was found by ‘Poor Maternal Health’. Conclusions Centre-based childcare may alleviate disadvantages in socio-emotional wellbeing for children experiencing mainly economic hardship, but may exacerbate them for those experiencing multiple adversities. A better understanding of how early years’ services can support families with complex needs is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Parkes
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Michael Green
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Anna Pearce
- MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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Steinsbekk S, Bjørklund O, Llewellyn C, Wichstrøm L. Temperament as a predictor of eating behavior in middle childhood – A fixed effects approach. Appetite 2020; 150:104640. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2020.104640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Neumann AA, Desmarais EE, Iverson SL, Gartstein MA. Ecological contributions to maternal-infant functioning: Differences between rural and urban family contexts. JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 48:945-959. [PMID: 31970806 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
AIMS This study considered urban-rural differences in maternal-infant interactions (sensitivity/responsiveness and synchrony/reciprocity), infant temperament, and parenting stress, for samples similar in socioeconomic and racial composition. Higher sensitivity/responsiveness and synchrony/reciprocity were hypothesized for urban dyads, with more challenging temperament profiles predicted for rural infants. Rural mothers were expected to report more parenting-role stress. METHODS Urban (n = 68; San Francisco Bay) and rural (n = 120; inland Pacific Northwest) mothers of infants provided ratings of temperament and parenting stress. Parental sensitivity/responsiveness and synchrony/reciprocity were coded from mother-infant play observations. Groups were compared via analyses of covariance. RESULTS Urban mothers demonstrated significantly more sensitivity/responsiveness and synchrony/reciprocity compared to their rural counterparts. Rural mothers rated their infants significantly higher in negative affectivity and distress in response to limitations. CONCLUSION Although socioeconomic status is traditionally implicated in rural and urban population differences, our results suggest other factors (e.g., isolation, access to resources) warrant further exploration. Rural ecology appears to present risk that should be examined more closely in maternal-infant interactions and child social-emotional development. The variability of risk within urban and rural classifications (e.g., suburban, inner-city) also requires consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa A Neumann
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
| | - Eric E Desmarais
- School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
| | | | - Maria A Gartstein
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
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Coe JL, Micalizzi L, Josefson B, Parade SH, Seifer R, Tyrka AR. Sex Differences in Associations between Early Adversity, Child Temperament, and Behavior Problems. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT 2020; 44:490-504. [PMID: 33707801 DOI: 10.1177/0165025420912012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Early adversity is associated with both internalizing and externalizing problems among children, and effects of adversity on dimensions of child temperament may underlie these links. However, very little is known about the role of child sex in these processes. The current study examined if there are indirect effects of early adversity on behavior problems through dimensions of child temperament and if these indirect effects vary across child sex. Participants in this multimethod (parent-report survey, semi-structured interview, child protection records) study included 274 preschool-aged children (M age = 50.86 months; 52% with documented case of moderate-severe maltreatment) and their primary caregivers assessed at two time-points spaced 6 months apart. Results of multi-group path analyses revealed that while anger mediated associations between lifetime stress and behavior problems for the full sample, inhibitory control and appropriate attentional allocation were significant intermediary mechanisms of lifetime stress for boys, but not for girls. Inhibitory control mediated associations between maltreatment and behavior problems for the full sample, but appropriate attentional allocation mediated these associations for boys only. Results suggest that early adversity influences child behavior problems through child temperament, particularly for boys. This work supports the perspective that temperament is influenced by characteristics of the early rearing environment, and the indirect effects of adversity on behavior problems through temperament vary across sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse L Coe
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
| | - Lauren Micalizzi
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Brittney Josefson
- Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
| | - Stephanie H Parade
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
| | - Ronald Seifer
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center, E.P. Bradley Hospital, East Providence, RI, USA
| | - Audrey R Tyrka
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
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Cao L, Liu Y, Liang X, Zheng Y, Li W, Yan J, Huang G. Association between dietary patterns during the third trimester and the risk of postpartum depression in China. J Affect Disord 2020; 264:370-375. [PMID: 31744735 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.11.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Postpartum depression, which has affected one in six women after giving birth, can exert detrimental effects on maternal, children and family well-being. This study investigated the association between dietary patterns and postpartum depression among Chinese women. METHODS A total of 1659 participants were recruited and collected between July 2015 and June 2017 in Tianjin, China. The Chinese version of the Self-Rating Depression Scale was used to assess depressive symptoms at 6-12 weeks postpartum. Information about diet was obtained using an 81-item food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression models were used to assess relationships between dietary patterns and the risk of postpartum depression. RESULTS Six dietary patterns were identified by principal component analysis, including beverage, vegetable, cereal-meat, nut-fruit, egg and seafood patterns. The highest tertile (T3) of the nut-fruit pattern was significantly associated with a decreased risk of postpartum depression (OR: 0.740, 95% CI: 0.573-0.955, p = =0.020). Moreover, T3 of the seafood pattern was associated with a lower risk of postpartum depression than the lowest tertile (T1) of this pattern (OR: 0.753, 95% CI: 0.580-0.978, p = =0.033). No other associations were found. LIMITATIONS A retrospective study. CONCLUSIONS The nut-fruit pattern and seafood pattern were associated with a decreased risk of postpartum depression in Chinese women. The present findings reinforce the importance of an adequate diet of fruit, nuts, and seafood for postpartum women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lujia Cao
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuyan Liu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin, China
| | - Xuan Liang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin, China; Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuzhi Zheng
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin, China
| | - Wen Li
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin, China
| | - Jing Yan
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin, China; Department of Social Medicine and Health Administration, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
| | - Guowei Huang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environment, Nutrition and Public Health, Tianjin, China.
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Shapiro AF, Jolley SN, Hildebrandt U, Spieker SJ. The Effects of Early Postpartum Depression on Infant Temperament. EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND CARE 2018; 190:1918-1930. [PMID: 33716380 PMCID: PMC7951142 DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2018.1552947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Research linking postpartum depression (PPD) with negative child outcomes has predominantly examined PPD at six weeks postpartum or later, and has not controlled for depression during pregnancy. The present study examined associations between PPD at three weeks postpartum and temperament in 6-month-old infants in a sample of women who were not depressed during pregnancy. Depression was assessed at three weeks and six months postpartum using the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS). Observed and maternal report of infant temperament was assessed when infants were 6-months-old. PPD symptoms significantly predicted observed temperament behaviour and marginally explained maternal report of infant temperament. Symptoms of PPD at three weeks postpartum were a stronger predictor than at six months. Findings suggest that early depressive symptoms may be particularly problematic, and have implications for early assessment and treatment of PPD even in women who were not depressed during pregnancy or are otherwise considered low risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyson F. Shapiro
- Department of Child and Family Development, San Diego State University, San Diego, U.S.A
| | - Sandra N. Jolley
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, U.S.A
| | - Ursula Hildebrandt
- Barnard Centre for Infant Mental Health, University of Washington, Seattle, U.S.A
| | - Susan J. Spieker
- Department of Family and Child Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, U.S.A
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