Parental separation: a risk for the psychomotor development of children aged 28 to 32 months? A cross-sectional study

The mediating pathways between parental separation in childhood and offspring hypertension at midlife

Social life course determinants of adult hypertension are relatively unknown. This paper examines how parental separation before age 10 relates to hypertension at age 46. Adjusting for parental confounders and considering the role of adult mediators, we aim to quantify unexplored mediating pathways in childhood using prospectively collected data. Data from the 1970 British Birth Cohort Study are utilised. Hypertension is measured by health care professionals at age 46. Potential mediating pathways in childhood include body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, illness, disability, family socioeconomic status (SES) and cognitive and developmental indicators at age 10. Additionally, we explore to what extent childhood mediators operate through adult mediators, including health behaviours, family SES, BMI and mental wellbeing. We also test for effect modification of the relationship between parental separation and hypertension by gender. Nested logistic regression models test the significance of potential mediating variables. Formal mediation analysis utilising Karlson Holm and Breen (KHB) method quantify the direct and indirect effect of parental separation on offspring hypertension at midlife. There was an association between parental separation and hypertension in mid-life in women but not men. For women, family SES and cognitive and behavioural development indicators at age 10 partly mediate the relationship between parental separation and hypertension at age 46. When adult mediators including, health behaviours, family SES, BMI and mental wellbeing are included, the associations between the childhood predictors and adult hypertension are attenuated, suggesting that these childhood mediators in turn may work through adult mediators to affect the risk of hypertension in midlife. We found family SES in childhood, cognitive and behaviour development indicators at age 10, including disruptive behaviour, coordination and locus of control in childhood, to be important mediators of the relationship between parental separation and midlife hypertension suggesting that intervening in childhood may modify adult hypertension risk.

Developmental outcomes of young deaf children and the self-perceived parental role of their hearing mothers

BACKGROUND

There is little research into the relationship between a deaf child's developmental outcomes and their mother's self-perceived parental role. The aim of this study was to find out whether the different levels of global psychomotor development in young deaf children who had a cochlear implant (CI), or were candidates for a CI, were related to particular family factors: the self-perceived parental role and the family quality of life (FQoL) as gauged by their hearing mothers, as well as the child's sociodemographic and deafness-related factors and the sociodemographic characteristics of the mothers.

METHODS

The study was conducted on a group of 64 children with bilateral severe or profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) who were CI users (36 children) or qualified for cochlear implantation (28 children) and their hearing mothers. The age of the children ranged from 6.5 to 47 months (M = 23.6; SD = 10.1), among whom 55% were girls (n = 35). The mothers of the children were aged 24-48 years (M = 32.7; SD = 5.3). Information was collected via the Children Development Scale (CDS), the Self-Perception of Parental Role (S-PPR), the Family Quality of Life Survey (FQOLS-2006), and an additional information questionnaire which included questions about sociodemographic variables of the child and the mother, as well as questions related to deafness, the CI, and the child's rehabilitation.

RESULTS

Based on results of the CDS, the deaf children were divided into two groups: those who had a low level of global psychomotor development (Low global psychomotor development subgroup - LGPD) and others with medium or high scores (Medium/high global psychomotor development subgroup - MHGPD). The mothers of deaf children in the LGPD group assessed their investment in motherhood lower than did mothers from the MHGPD group. The mothers of the LGPD group rated their satisfaction with the child's rehabilitation lower than did mothers from the MHGPD group. The two subgroups did not differ in FQOLS-2006 domains except for community interactions, which were significantly higher in the MHGPD families.

CONCLUSIONS

Among the determinants of the global psychomotor development of a young deaf child, the most important ones relate to the use of a CI, but maternal investment in parenting is also important. Community interactions of the family with a deaf child are also crucial, as they create a framework for social network and support for the deaf child's optimal development. Any psychological diagnosis should include, apart from psychomotor development of the deaf child, an assessment of how the mother is coping with their parenting. Mothers of deaf children, especially those with LPGD, need additional support in parenting.

Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Infection During Late Pregnancy on Early Childhood Development: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background: There is little direct or indirect evidence of the effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during pregnancy on early childhood development. Methods: We conducted a prospective, observational cohort study in China from May 1 to October 31, 2020, that enrolled 135 mother-infant dyads: 57 dyads in the infection cohort and 78 in the non-infection cohort. Among all infants, 14.0% were preterm birth in the infection cohort and 6.4% in the non-infection cohort. Participants were followed by telephone interviews to collect demographic characteristics, medical records of coronavirus disease 2019, breastfeeding data, and early childhood development was assessed by the Age and Stage Questionnaire (ASQ-3) and Age and Stage Questionnaire Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE-2) Chinese versions at 3 months after childbirth. We used multivariable Poisson regression models to estimate the relative risk (RR) of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Multivariable linear regression models and a mediation model were used to test the direct and indirect associations between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the ASQ-3 score. This study was approved by the Peking University Third Hospital Medical Science Research Ethics Committee (No. IRB00006761-M2020127). Results: In the infection cohort, 13.6% of the children showed social-emotional developmental delay, and 13.5% showed overall developmental delay. The corresponding rates in the non-infection cohort were 23.4 and 8.1%. Compared with the non-infection cohort, SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy did not increase the risk of social-emotional (RR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.51-1.49) or overall (RR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.60-1.73) developmental delay. The mediation model showed that SARS-CoV-2 infection indirectly affected the ASQ-3 score by increasing the length of mother-infant separation. Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 during late pregnancy did not increase the risk of developmental delay of the offspring 3 months after delivery. However, SARS-CoV-2 may have indirect effects on early childhood development by increasing mother-infant separation.

Parental stress and depressive symptoms increase the risk of separation among parents with children less than 11 years of age in Sweden

AIMS

Parental separations have become more frequent in recent decades. In Western countries, about 25% of children experience parental separation. There is a need to explore the risk factors for separation to give children an optimal childhood. The objective of the present study was to examine parental stress and depressive symptoms during early parenthood and their association with parental separation.

METHODS

Four hundred and seven couples completed questionnaires on depressive symptoms for 3 months and parental stress for 18 months after childbirth. Total parental stress and five sub-areas were investigated. To study the separation rate, parents' addresses were recorded 9 to 11 years after childbirth.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine percent of the parents were separated 9 to 11 years after childbirth. Separation was associated with depressive symptoms at 3 months (mothers p = .002, fathers p = .025) and total parental stress at 18 months after childbirth (mothers p = .010, fathers p = .005). The sub-areas of parental stress, Spouse relationship problems (mothers p = <.001, fathers p = .001) and fathers' Social isolation ( p = .005), were associated with separation. In multivariable regression analyses of the parents' separation rate 9 to 11 years after childbirth, the only significant predictor was mothers' Spouse relationship problems ( p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The knowledge that parental stress and depressive symptoms are risk factors for separation may simplify professional support for parents in early parenting. Courses for new and expectant parents can use this knowledge to increase parents' awareness.