1
|
Julian M, Somers JA, Dunkel Schetter C, Guardino CM. Resilience resources, life stressors, and postpartum depressive symptoms in a community sample of low and middle-income Black, Latina, and White mothers. Stress Health 2024; 40:e3275. [PMID: 37220227 PMCID: PMC10665547 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3275] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Resilience resources refer to factors that protect against the physical and mental health effects of stress exposure. This study used a cross-sectional design to test whether three individual-level resilience resources-mastery, self-esteem, and perceived social support-moderated associations between prenatal major life stressors and postpartum depressive symptoms at approximately 8 weeks postpartum. Participants were 2510 low- and middle-income women enrolled after the birth of a baby in a multi-site study of five communities in the United States. At approximately 8 weeks postpartum, participants were interviewed in their homes to assess the three resilience resources, symptoms of depression, and major life stressors that had occurred during the pregnancy. The results of path analyses revealed that mastery and self-esteem moderated the positive association between prenatal life stressors and postpartum depressive symptoms adjusting for race/ethnicity, partner status, years of education, and household income. Perceived social support was associated with fewer postpartum depressive symptoms but did not moderate the association between life stressors and depressive symptoms. Higher levels of two personal resilience resources, mastery and self-esteem, attenuated the association between prenatal life stressors and early postpartum depressive symptoms in a large, predominantly low-income multi-site community sample. These findings highlight the protective nature of individual-level resilience resources in the early postpartum period when maternal adjustment shapes parent and child health outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Julian
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, George Washington University
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Guardino CM, Whittaker F, Williams EA, Franchini M. Resilience resources, coping, and health outcomes in college students during the Covid-19 pandemic. J Am Coll Health 2023:1-11. [PMID: 37988057 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2023.2269446] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Background: Resilience resources are predispositions that promote individuals' abilities to cope with stress. Objective: The current cross-sectional study used path analysis with parallel multiple mediators to test whether coping behaviors mediated associations between resilience resources and somatic, depression, and anxiety symptoms during the Covid-19 pandemic. Method: Undergraduates at a small Northeastern college (n = 193) completed online surveys assessing resilience resources, coping, and symptoms. Results: Results support significant indirect effects from resilience resources to somatic symptoms through positive reinterpretation and growth, mental disengagement, and substance use. Total indirect effects for depressive symptoms were driven by mental disengagement and substance use, with a direct effect of resilience resources. The effect of resilience resources on anxiety symptoms was mediated by mental disengagement, and there was a direct effect of resilience resources. Conclusions: Findings demonstrate that some coping strategies link resilience resources to better outcomes, potentially informing interventions for adaptive coping during public health crises.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Freya Whittaker
- Department of Psychology, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Eleanor A Williams
- Department of Psychology, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Meredith Franchini
- Department of Psychology, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Rinne GR, Carroll JE, Guardino CM, Shalowitz MU, Ramey SL, Schetter CD. Parental preconception posttraumatic stress symptoms and maternal prenatal inflammation prospectively predict shorter telomere length in children. Psychosom Med 2023:00006842-990000000-00153. [PMID: 37594236 PMCID: PMC10879462 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001241] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Parental trauma exposure and trauma-related distress can increase risk for adverse health outcomes in offspring, but the pathways implicated in intergenerational transmission are not fully explicated. Accelerated biological aging may be one mechanism underlying less favorable health in trauma-exposed individuals and their offspring. This study examines associations of preconception maternal and paternal posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms with child telomere length, and maternal prenatal C-reactive protein (CRP) as a biological mechanism. METHODS Mothers (n = 127) and a subset of the fathers (n = 84) reported on PTSD symptoms before conception. Mothers provided blood spots in the second and third trimester that were assayed for CRP. At age 4, children provided buccal cells for measurement of telomere length. Models adjusted for parental age, socioeconomic status, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, child biological sex, and child age. RESULTS Mothers' PTSD symptoms were significantly associated with shorter child telomere length (β = -0.22, SE = 0.10, p = .023). Fathers' PTSD symptoms were also inversely associated with child telomere length (β = -0.21, SE = 0.11), though nonsignificant (p = .065). There was no significant indirect effect of mothers' PTSD symptoms on child telomere length through CRP in pregnancy, but higher second trimester CRP was significantly associated with shorter child telomere length (β = -0.35, SE = 0.18, p = .048). CONCLUSIONS Maternal symptoms of PTSD prior to conception and second trimester inflammation were associated with shorter telomere length in offspring in early childhood, independent of covariates. Findings indicate intergenerational transmission of parental trauma may occur in part through accelerated biological aging processes and provide further evidence that prenatal pro-inflammatory processes program child telomere length.Open Science Framework Pre-registration:https://osf.io/7c2d5/?view_only=cd0fb81f48db4b8f9c59fc8bb7b0ef97.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Judith E. Carroll
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, University of California, Los Angeles
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
| | | | | | - Sharon Landesman Ramey
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Rinne GR, Hartstein J, Guardino CM, Dunkel Schetter C. Stress before conception and during pregnancy and maternal cortisol during pregnancy: A scoping review. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 153:106115. [PMID: 37119659 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106115] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress before conception and during pregnancy is associated with less favorable maternal and child health. Alterations in prenatal cortisol levels may serve as a central biological pathway linking stress to adverse maternal and child health. Research examining associations between maternal stress from childhood through pregnancy and prenatal cortisol has not been comprehensively reviewed. METHOD The current scoping review of 48 papers synthesizes studies reporting on associations between stress before conception and during pregnancy with maternal cortisol in pregnancy. Eligible studies measured childhood, the proximal preconception period, pregnancy, or lifetime stress based on stress exposures or appraisals and measured cortisol in saliva or hair during pregnancy. RESULTS Higher maternal childhood stress was associated with higher cortisol awakening responses and alterations in typical pregnancy-specific changes in diurnal cortisol patterns across studies. In contrast, most studies of preconception and prenatal stress reported null associations with cortisol and those reporting significant effects were inconsistent in direction. A few studies found that the associations between stress and cortisol during pregnancy varied as a function of several moderators including social support and environmental pollution. CONCLUSIONS Although many studies have evaluated effects of maternal stress on prenatal cortisol, this scoping review is the first to synthesize existing literature on this topic. The association between stress before conception and during pregnancy and prenatal cortisol may depend on the developmental timing of stress and several moderators. Maternal childhood stress was more consistently associated with prenatal cortisol than proximal preconception or pregnancy stress. We discuss methodological and analytic factors that may contribute to mixed findings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle R Rinne
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Jenna Hartstein
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hooker ED, Corona K, Guardino CM, Schetter CD, Campos B. What predicts interdependence with family? The relative contributions of ethnicity/race and social class. Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol 2023:2023-76849-001. [PMID: 37261795 PMCID: PMC10786435 DOI: 10.1037/cdp0000593] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Interdependence with family is considered a core element of collectivistic cultures, and it is routinely endorsed by people of ethnic/racial minority backgrounds in the United States. In contrast, a preference for independence from family is characteristic of individualistic cultures, and of European Americans, who are considered prototypical of cultural individualism. Scholars have also theorized that socioeconomic factors play a role in shaping these patterns. We hypothesized and tested the possibility of a more nuanced and interactive pattern. Drawing from long-standing research on U.S. ethnic-minority cultures and recent research on social class, we expected that lower income would be least associated with family interdependence in foreign-born Latino/a Americans and most strongly associated with higher family interdependence in European Americans. METHOD AND RESULTS In a prospective community study of a diverse sample of U.S. adults (N = 2,466), income interacted with ethnic/racial group to predict interdependence with family. In line with our predictions, income was not associated with family interdependence for foreign-born Latino/a Americans or African Americans, but lower income was significantly associated with higher interdependence with family in European Americans and, to a lesser extent, in U.S.-born Latino/a Americans. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide novel evidence for the relevance of both ethnicity/race and social class-two aspects of culture-for family interdependence. They highlight the centrality of interdependence with family among foreign-born Latino/a Americans while showing that European Americans, a group considered most representative of cultural individualism, can also highly value interdependence with family. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily D. Hooker
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Karina Corona
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California
| | | | | | - Belinda Campos
- Department of Chicano/Latino Studies and Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Rinne GR, Mahrer NE, Guardino CM, Shalowitz MU, Ramey SL, Dunkel Schetter C. Childhood family stress modifies the association between perinatal stressful life events and depressive symptoms. J Fam Psychol 2023; 37:432-442. [PMID: 36996242 PMCID: PMC10238650 DOI: 10.1037/fam0001076] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The childhood family environment can influence long-term well-being in part by modifying how individuals' respond to and cope with stress across the life span. Theoretical models propose that childhood stress will either exacerbate (stress sensitization) or attenuate (steeling effect) the effects of adult stress on mental health. This study tests whether childhood family stress modifies the association between stressful life events and depressive symptoms in pregnancy and consecutive postpartum periods. A sample of 127 women reported on depressive symptoms after one birth, during a subsequent pregnancy, and postpartum following that birth. Childhood family stress was assessed with the Risky Families Questionnaire. Stressful life events were measured at all three timepoints to capture the number of life events during both pregnancies and between pregnancies. Associations between stressful life events and depressive symptoms varied as a function of childhood family stress. At the between-persons level, more stressful life events were associated with greater depressive symptoms among women who reported infrequent exposure to childhood family stress in this sample, but not among women who reported more frequent exposure to childhood family stress. Results provide novel evidence that moderate exposure to childhood family stress may attenuate the association between stressful life events and depressive symptoms in the perinatal period, consistent with a steeling effect. That is, some degree of childhood family stress may promote resilience to perinatal stress. Findings underscore the utility of examining the interaction of risk factors across the life span in predicting perinatal mental health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle R. Rinne
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles. Los Angeles, CA
| | | | | | | | - Sharon L. Ramey
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Blacksburg, VA
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Swales DA, Davis EP, Mahrer NE, Guardino CM, Shalowitz MU, Ramey SL, Schetter CD. Preconception maternal posttraumatic stress and child negative affectivity: Prospectively evaluating the intergenerational impact of trauma. Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:619-629. [PMID: 35074031 PMCID: PMC9309186 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579421001760] [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: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The developmental origins of psychopathology begin before birth and perhaps even prior to conception. Understanding the intergenerational transmission of psychopathological risk is critical to identify sensitive windows for prevention and early intervention. Prior research demonstrates that maternal trauma history, typically assessed retrospectively, has adverse consequences for child socioemotional development. However, very few prospective studies of preconception trauma exist, and the role of preconception symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains unknown. The current study prospectively evaluates whether maternal preconception PTSD symptoms predict early childhood negative affectivity, a key dimension of temperament and predictor of later psychopathology. One hundred and eighteen women were recruited following a birth and prior to conception of the study child and were followed until the study child was 3-5 years old. Higher maternal PTSD symptoms prior to conception predicted greater child negative affectivity, adjusting for concurrent maternal depressive symptoms and sociodemographic covariates. In exploratory analyses, we found that neither maternal prenatal nor postpartum depressive symptoms or perceived stress mediated this association. These findings add to a limited prospective literature, highlighting the importance of assessing the mental health of women prior to conception and providing interventions that can disrupt the intergenerational sequelae of trauma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Elysia Poggi Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | | | | | - Madeleine U. Shalowitz
- Department of Pediatrics, NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute, Evanston, IL
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Guardino CM, Rahal D, Rinne GR, Mahrer NE, Davis EP, Adam EK, Shalowitz MU, Ramey SL, Schetter CD. Maternal stress and mental health before pregnancy and offspring diurnal cortisol in early childhood. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22314. [PMID: 36282760 PMCID: PMC10111814 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22314] [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] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The current study investigates whether prepregnancy maternal posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depressive symptoms, and stress predict children's cortisol diurnal slopes and cortisol awakening responses (CARs) adjusting for relevant variables. Mothers were enrolled after delivering a baby and followed through their subsequent pregnancy with 5 years of longitudinal data on their subsequent child. This prospective design allowed assessment of PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, and perceived stress prior to pregnancy. Children provided three saliva samples per day on three consecutive days at two timepoints in early childhood (M age = 3.7 years, SD = 0.38; M age = 5.04 years, SD = 0.43). Mothers' PTSD symptoms prior to pregnancy were significantly associated with flatter child diurnal cortisol slopes at 4 and 5 years, but not with child CAR. Findings at the age of 4 years, but not 5 years, remained statistically significant after adjustment for maternal socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, child age, and other covariates. In contrast, maternal prepregnancy depressive symptoms and perceived stress did not significantly predict cortisol slopes or CAR. Results suggest that maternal prepregnancy PTSD symptoms may contribute to variation in early childhood physiology. This study extends earlier work demonstrating risk of adverse outcomes among children whose mothers experienced trauma but associations cannot be disentangled from effects of prenatal mental health of mothers on children's early childhood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Danny Rahal
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Gabrielle R Rinne
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Nicole E Mahrer
- Psychology Department, University of La Verne, La Verne, California, USA
| | - Elysia Poggi Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Emma K Adam
- School of Education and Social Policy and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Madeleine U Shalowitz
- Department of Pediatrics, NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Sharon L Ramey
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Rinne GR, Davis EP, Mahrer NE, Guardino CM, Charalel JM, Shalowitz MU, Ramey SL, Dunkel Schetter C. Maternal depressive symptom trajectories from preconception through postpartum: Associations with offspring developmental outcomes in early childhood. J Affect Disord 2022; 309:105-114. [PMID: 35461817 PMCID: PMC10024939 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.04.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [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: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Two theoretical frameworks, the cumulative stress and match-mismatch model, propose that patterns of maternal depressive symptoms over early periods of offspring development predict outcomes in opposing ways. Studies have yet to test these theories across the preconception, prenatal, and early postnatal period. Study 1 identified trajectories of maternal depressive symptoms from preconception to postpartum. Study 2 examined associations of these trajectories with offspring developmental outcomes in early childhood. METHODS In Study 1, women (n = 362) enrolled in a longitudinal study were assessed prior to conception and through a subsequent pregnancy and postpartum. In Study 2, a subsample of 125 mother-child pairs completed home visits in early childhood. Mothers reported on child temperament at age 4. Children completed assessments of executive function at age 5. RESULTS Four trajectories of maternal depressive symptoms were identified: low-stable, increasing, decreasing, persistent. In controlled analyses, children of women with decreasing symptoms were lower in maternal ratings of effortful control at age four (β = -0.24, p = .003). Children of women with increasing symptoms scored lower on an inhibitory control task at age five (β = -0.35, p = .001). CONCLUSIONS Changes in maternal depressive symptoms, but not stable symptoms, were associated with lower maternal ratings of effortful control and poorer performance on an inhibitory control task. Results are consistent with the match-mismatch model. Assessment of preconception depressive symptoms in women and changes in symptoms may be beneficial for early intervention for women and children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle R Rinne
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America.
| | - Elysia Poggi Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States of America
| | - Nicole E Mahrer
- Psychology Department, University of La Verne, La Verne, CA, United States of America
| | - Christine M Guardino
- Department of Psychology, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA, United States of America
| | - Julia M Charalel
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Madeleine U Shalowitz
- Department of Pediatrics, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Sharon L Ramey
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Psychology, Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA, United States of America
| | - Christine Dunkel Schetter
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress in pregnancy predicts adverse birth outcomes. Stressors occurring prior to conception may also pose risk for the mother and child. The few published studies on preconception stress test a single stress measure and examine only linear associations with birth outcomes. PURPOSE Guided by findings in the prenatal stress literature, the current study aimed to (i) identify latent factors from a set of preconception stress measures and (ii) examine linear and curvilinear associations between these stress factors and length of gestation. METHODS Study 1 utilized a sample of 2,637 racially/ethnically diverse women to develop a measurement model of maternal stress from assessments of seven acute and chronic stress measures. Factor analysis revealed three latent factors representing stressors (life events, financial strain, interpersonal violence, discrimination), stress appraisals (perceived stress, parenting stress), and chronic relationship stress (family, partner stress). Study 2 examined the associations of these three latent preconception stress factors with the length of gestation of a subsequent pregnancy in the subset of 360 women who became pregnant within 4.5 years. RESULTS Controlling for prenatal medical risks, there was a significant linear effect of stress appraisals on the length of gestation such that more perceived stress was associated with shorter gestation. There was a curvilinear effect of stressors on the length of gestation with moderate levels associated with longer gestation. CONCLUSIONS These results have implications for research on intergenerational origins of developmental adversities and may guide preconception prevention efforts. Findings also inform approaches to the study of stress as a multidimensional construct.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N E Mahrer
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Psychology Department, University of La Verne, CA, USA
| | - C M Guardino
- Department of Psychology, Dickinson College, PA, USA
| | - C Hobel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai, CA, USA
| | - C Dunkel Schetter
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Morgan JE, Lee SS, Mahrer NE, Guardino CM, Davis EP, Shalowitz MU, Ramey SL, Schetter CD. Prenatal maternal C-reactive protein prospectively predicts child executive functioning at ages 4-6 years. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 62:1111-1123. [PMID: 32441781 PMCID: PMC7680271 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
This prospective longitudinal study evaluated multiple maternal biomarkers from the preconception and prenatal periods as time-sensitive predictors of child executive functioning (EF) in 100 mother-child dyads. Maternal glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C ), C-reactive protein (CRP), and blood pressure (BP) were assayed before pregnancy and during the second and third trimesters. Subsequently, children were followed from birth and assessed for EF (i.e. cognitive flexibility, response inhibition) at ages 4-6 years. Perinatal data were also extracted from neonatal records. Higher maternal CRP, but not maternal HbA1C or BP, uniquely predicted poorer child cognitive flexibility, even with control of maternal HbA1C and BP, relevant demographic factors, and multiple prenatal/perinatal covariates (i.e. preconception maternal body mass index, maternal depression, maternal age at birth, child birth weight, child birth order, child gestational age, and child birth/neonatal complications). Predictions from maternal CRP were specific to the third trimester, and third trimester maternal CRP robustly predicted child cognitive flexibility independently of preconception and second trimester CRP. Child response inhibition was unrelated to maternal biomarkers from all time points. These findings provide novel, prospective evidence that maternal inflammation uniquely predicts child cognitive flexibility deficits, and that these associations depend on the timing of exposure before or during pregnancy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia E. Morgan
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles,Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Steve S. Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | | | | | - Elysia Poggi Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver,Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine
| | - Madeleine U. Shalowitz
- Department of Pediatrics, NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute,Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Incollingo Rodriguez AC, Tomiyama AJ, Guardino CM, Dunkel Schetter C. Association of weight discrimination during pregnancy and postpartum with maternal postpartum health. Health Psychol 2019; 38:226-237. [DOI: 10.1037/hea0000711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
|
13
|
Ramos IF, Guardino CM, Mansolf M, Glynn LM, Sandman CA, Hobel CJ, Dunkel Schetter C. Pregnancy anxiety predicts shorter gestation in Latina and non-Latina white women: The role of placental corticotrophin-releasing hormone. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 99:166-173. [PMID: 30245329 PMCID: PMC6231951 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [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: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous research has shown that a woman's anxiety about her pregnancy predicts gestational length. Placental corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) is a stress-responsive peptide proposed as a mechanism. We examined placental CRH as a physiological mediator of the association between pregnancy anxiety and gestational length in Latina and non-Latina White women to replicate evidence of associations between pregnancy anxiety, placental CRH and gestational length; to test whether placental CRH levels or changes mediate effects of pregnancy anxiety on gestational length; to examine ethnic differences in pregnancy anxiety, placental CRH, and gestational length; and to explore whether the effects of pregnancy anxiety on gestational length as mediated by placental CRH vary by ethnicity. METHODS In a prospective study of 337 pregnant Latina and non-Latina White women, participants completed in-person interviews that included a 10-item measure of pregnancy anxiety and provided blood samples assayed using radioimmunoassay at three timepoints (19, 25, and 31 weeks gestation). RESULTS Pregnancy anxiety at 19 and 31 weeks and levels of placental CRH at 31 weeks predicted gestational length. Tests of indirect effects were consistent with mediation such that both pregnancy anxiety at 19 weeks and increases from 19 to 31 weeks predicted placental CRH at 31 weeks, which in turn predicted gestational length. Tests of moderated mediation by ethnicity showed that the mediated effect of placental CRH at 31 weeks was significant for Latinas only. CONCLUSIONS These findings add to growing evidence of the involvement of pregnancy anxiety in the timing of birth, address mechanisms, and suggest possible ethnic differences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Laura M Glynn
- Chapman University, United States; University of California, Irvine, United States
| | | | - Calvin J Hobel
- University of California, Los Angeles, United States; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, United States
| | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Guardino CM, Hobel CJ, Shalowitz MU, Ramey SL, Dunkel Schetter C. Psychosocial and demographic predictors of postpartum physical activity. J Behav Med 2018; 41:668-679. [PMID: 29740746 PMCID: PMC6814308 DOI: 10.1007/s10865-018-9931-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Physical activity promotes better health outcomes across the lifespan, and provides physical and mental health benefits for women who have recently given birth. However, research has not adequately characterized physical activity levels or risk factors for inadequate physical activity during the postpartum period. The objective of the present study was to describe levels and correlates of physical activity at 6 months postpartum in mothers of diverse race/ethnicity (55% African American, 23% White, 22% Hispanic/Latina), with the majority living in or near poverty. We analyzed data collected by the five-site Community Child Health Network study. Women (n = 1581) were recruited shortly after the birth of a child. Multinomial logistic regression models tested associations of demographic factors and self-reported stress in several life domains with total physical activity levels at 6-9 months postpartum, including activities done at work, at home, for transportation, and leisure. Thirty-five percent of participants in this sample reported low levels of physical activity. African American race, Latina ethnicity, and living in a rural area were associated with low levels of physical activity, whereas working outside the home was associated with high physical activity. Contrary to hypotheses, chronic stress was not associated with physical activity with the exception of financial stress, which predicted greater likelihood of being highly physically active. These findings suggest that optimal postpartum care should integrate physical activity promotion, and that African American, Latina, and rural-dwelling women may benefit most from efforts to promote activity following birth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine M Guardino
- Department of Psychology, Dickinson College, P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, PA, 17013-2896, USA.
| | - Calvin J Hobel
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Burns and Allen Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Madeleine U Shalowitz
- North Shore University Health System Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Sharon L Ramey
- Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Saxbe DE, Schetter CD, Guardino CM, Ramey SL, Shalowitz MU, Thorp J, Vance M. Sleep Quality Predicts Persistence of Parental Postpartum Depressive Symptoms and Transmission of Depressive Symptoms from Mothers to Fathers. Ann Behav Med 2017; 50:862-875. [PMID: 27492636 DOI: 10.1007/s12160-016-9815-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [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: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early parenthood is a time of chronic sleep disturbance and also of heightened depression risk. Poor sleep quality has been identified both as a predictor of postpartum depressive symptoms and as a consequence. PURPOSE This study sought to clarify causal pathways linking sleep and postpartum depression via longitudinal path modeling. Sleep quality at 6 months postpartum was hypothesized to exacerbate depressive symptoms from 1 month through 1 year postpartum in both mothers and fathers. Within-couple associations between sleep and depression were also tested. METHODS Data were drawn from a low-income, racially and ethnically diverse sample of 711 couples recruited after the birth of a child. Depressive symptoms were assessed at 1, 6, and 12 months postpartum, and sleep was assessed at 6 months postpartum. RESULTS For both partnered mothers and fathers and for single mothers, depressive symptoms at 1 month postpartum predicted sleep quality at 6 months, which in turn predicted depressive symptoms at both 6 and 12 months. Results held when infant birth weight, breastfeeding status, and parents' race/ethnicity, poverty, education, and immigration status were controlled. Mothers' and fathers' sleep quality and depressive symptoms were correlated, and maternal sleep quality predicted paternal depressive symptoms both at 6 and at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS Postpartum sleep difficulties may contribute to a vicious cycle between sleep and the persistence of depression after the birth of a child. Sleep problems may also contribute to the transmission of depression within a couple. Psychoeducation and behavioral treatments to improve sleep may benefit new parents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Darby E Saxbe
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
| | | | - Christine M Guardino
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Sharon L Ramey
- Virginia Tech Carillion Research Institute, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, USA
| | - Madeleine U Shalowitz
- NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - John Thorp
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Maxine Vance
- Baltimore Healthy Start, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Bamishigbin ON, Schetter CD, Guardino CM, Stanton AL, Schafer P, Shalowitz M, Lanzi RG, Thorp J, Raju T. Risk, resilience, and depressive symptoms in low-income African American fathers. Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol 2017; 23:70-80. [PMID: 27244219 PMCID: PMC6644062 DOI: 10.1037/cdp0000088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Parental depression influences family health but research on low-income African American fathers is limited. The primary goal of the present study was to examine the role of paternal risk factors and resilience resources in predicting depressive symptoms in the year after birth of a child in a sample of African American fathers. We hypothesized that paternal risk factors (low socioeconomic status [SES], perceived stress, negative life events, racism, avoidant coping style) and resources (social support, self-esteem, collective efficacy, approach-oriented coping style) would predict depressive symptoms in fathers at 1 year postbirth controlling for depressive symptoms at 1 month postbirth. METHOD African American fathers (n = 296) of predominantly low SES from 5 U.S. regions were interviewed at 1 and 12 months after birth of a child regarding potential risk factors, resilience resources, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS Depressive symptoms were low on average. However, hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed that avoidant coping style and experiences of racism predicted more depressive symptoms in fathers nearly a year after the birth of a child controlling for symptoms at 1 month. CONCLUSIONS How fathers cope with stress and common everyday experiences of racism contributed to depressive symptoms in the year following birth of a child. Interventions that target race-related stressors and decrease avoidant coping may promote better outcomes in this important and understudied population. (PsycINFO Database Record
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - John Thorp
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Tonse Raju
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child and Health Development
| | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
O'Campo P, Schetter CD, Guardino CM, Vance MR, Hobel CJ, Ramey SL, Shalowitz MU. Explaining racial and ethnic inequalities in postpartum allostatic load: Results from a multisite study of low to middle income woment. SSM Popul Health 2016; 2:850-858. [PMID: 29082305 PMCID: PMC5659269 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2016.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Racial and ethnic inequalities in women's health are widely documented, but not for the postpartum period, and few studies examine whether neighborhood, psychosocial, and biological factors explain these gaps in women's health. METHODS Using prospective longitudinal data collected from 1766 low to middle income women between 2008 and 2012 by the Community Child Health Network (CCHN), we tested the extent to which adjustment for neighborhood, economic, psychological, and medical conditions following a birth explained differences between African American, Latina, and White women in an indicator of physiological dysregulation allostatic load (AL), at one year postpartum as measured by 10 biomarkers: Body Mass Index, Waist Hip Ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, Hemoglobin A1c, high-density lipoprotein and cholesterol ratio, and diurnal cortisol. RESULTS Mean postpartum AL scores were 4.65 for African American, 4.57 for Latina and 3.86 for White women. Unadjusted regression estimates for high AL for African American women (with White as the reference) were 0.80 (SD = 0.11) and 0.53 (SD = 0.15) for Latina women. Adjustment for household poverty, neighborhood, stress, and resilience variables resulted in a reduction of 36% of the excess risk in high AL for African Americans versus Whites and 42% of the excess risk for Latinas compared to Whites. CONCLUSIONS Racial and ethnic inequalities in AL were accounted for largely by household poverty with additional contributions by psychological, economic, neighbourhood and medical variables. There remained a significant inequality between African American, and Latina women as compared to Whites even after adjustment for this set of variables. Future research into health inequalities among women should include a fuller consideration of the social determinants of health including employment, housing and prepregnancy medical conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia O'Campo
- Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada.,Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Christine M Guardino
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Calvin J Hobel
- UCLA and Cedar Sinai Health System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sharon Landesman Ramey
- Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Virginia Tech, 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA 24016, USA
| | - Madeleine U Shalowitz
- NorthShore University Health System and University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Evanston, IL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Heldreth CM, Guardino CM, Wong LH, Schetter CD, Shapiro JR, Schafer P, Shalowitz M, Lanzi RG, Thorp J, Raju T. Childhood Racism Experiences and Postpartum Depressive Symptoms in African American Mothers. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology 2016. [DOI: 10.1521/jscp.2016.35.10.840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
19
|
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnancy anxiety is associated with risk of preterm birth and an array of other birth, infant, and childhood outcomes. However, previous research has not helped identify those pregnant women at greatest risk of experiencing this specific, contextually-based affective condition. METHODS We examined associations between demographic, medical, and psychosocial factors and pregnancy anxiety at 24-26 weeks of gestation in a prospective, multicentre cohort study of 5271 pregnant women in Montreal, Canada. RESULTS Multivariate analyses indicated that higher pregnancy anxiety was independently related to having an unintended pregnancy, first birth, higher medical risk, and higher perceived risk of complications. Among psychosocial variables, higher pregnancy anxiety was associated with lower perceived control of pregnancy, lower commitment to the pregnancy, more stressful life events, higher perceived stress, presence of job stress, lower self-esteem and more social support. Pregnancy anxiety was also higher in women who had experienced early income adversity and those who did not speak French as their primary language. Psychosocial variables explained a significant amount of the variance in pregnancy anxiety independently of demographic and medical variables. CONCLUSIONS Women with pregnancy-related risk factors, stress of various kinds, and other psychosocial factors experienced higher pregnancy anxiety in this large Canadian sample. Some of the unique predictors of pregnancy anxiety match those of earlier US studies, while others point in new directions. Screening for high pregnancy anxiety may be warranted, particularly among women giving birth for the first time and those with high-risk pregnancies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea N Niles
- Department of Psychology, Univeristy of California, Los Angeles, CA
| | | | - Mona Khaled
- Department of Psychology, Univeristy of California, Los Angeles, CA
| | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Guardino CM, Schetter CD, Saxbe DE, Adam EK, Ramey SL, Shalowitz MU. Diurnal salivary cortisol patterns prior to pregnancy predict infant birth weight. Health Psychol 2016; 35:625-33. [PMID: 26844584 DOI: 10.1037/hea0000313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Elevated maternal psychosocial stress during pregnancy and accompanying changes in stress hormones may contribute to risk of adverse birth outcomes such as low birth weight and preterm birth. Relatedly, research on fetal programming demonstrates intriguing associations between maternal stress processes during pregnancy and outcomes in offspring that extend into adulthood. The purpose of this study was to test whether hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) patterns in mothers during the period between 2 pregnancies (i.e., the interpregnancy interval) and during the subsequent pregnancy predict infant birth weight, a key birth outcome. METHOD This study sampled salivary cortisol before and during pregnancy in a diverse community sample of 142 women enrolled in the Community Child Health Network study. RESULTS Using multilevel modeling, we found that flatter diurnal cortisol slopes in mothers during the interval between one birth and a subsequent pregnancy predicted lower infant birth weight of the subsequent child. This interpregnancy cortisol pattern in mothers also correlated with significantly shorter interpregnancy intervals, such that women with flatter cortisol slopes had more closely spaced pregnancies. After adding demographic covariates of household income, cohabitation with partner, and maternal race to the model, these results were unchanged. For participants who provided both interpregnancy and pregnancy cortisol data (n = 73), we found that interpregnancy cortisol slopes predicted infant birth weight independent of pregnancy cortisol slopes. CONCLUSIONS These novel findings on interpregnancy HPA axis function and subsequent pregnancy outcomes strongly support life course health approaches and underscore the importance of maternal stress physiology between pregnancies. (PsycINFO Database Record
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Darby E Saxbe
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California
| | - Emma K Adam
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Yim IS, Tanner Stapleton LR, Guardino CM, Hahn-Holbrook J, Dunkel Schetter C. Biological and psychosocial predictors of postpartum depression: systematic review and call for integration. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 2016; 11:99-137. [PMID: 25822344 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-101414-020426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 358] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.8] [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: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Postpartum depression (PPD) adversely affects the health and well being of many new mothers, their infants, and their families. A comprehensive understanding of biopsychosocial precursors to PPD is needed to solidify the current evidence base for best practices in translation. We conducted a systematic review of research published from 2000 through 2013 on biological and psychosocial factors associated with PPD and postpartum depressive symptoms. Two hundred fourteen publications based on 199 investigations of 151,651 women in the first postpartum year met inclusion criteria. The biological and psychosocial literatures are largely distinct, and few studies provide integrative analyses. The strongest PPD risk predictors among biological processes are hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal dysregulation, inflammatory processes, and genetic vulnerabilities. Among psychosocial factors, the strongest predictors are severe life events, some forms of chronic strain, relationship quality, and support from partner and mother. Fully integrated biopsychosocial investigations with large samples are needed to advance our knowledge of PPD etiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilona S Yim
- Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, California 92697;
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Saxbe DE, Adam EK, Dunkel Schetter C, Guardino CM, Simon C, McKinney CO, Shalowitz MU, Shriver EK. Cortisol covariation within parents of young children: Moderation by relationship aggression. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015; 62:121-8. [PMID: 26298691 PMCID: PMC4549795 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Revised: 07/06/2015] [Accepted: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Covariation in diurnal cortisol has been observed in several studies of cohabiting couples. In two such studies (Liu et al., 2013; Saxbe and Repetti, 2010), relationship distress was associated with stronger within-couple correlations, suggesting that couples' physiological linkage with each other may indicate problematic dyadic functioning. Although intimate partner aggression has been associated with dysregulation in women's diurnal cortisol, it has not yet been tested as a moderator of within-couple covariation. This study reports on a diverse sample of 122 parents who sampled salivary cortisol on matched days for two years following the birth of an infant. Partners showed strong positive cortisol covariation. In couples with higher levels of partner-perpetrated aggression reported by women at one year postpartum, both women and men had a flatter diurnal decrease in cortisol and stronger correlations with partners' cortisol sampled at the same timepoints. In other words, relationship aggression was linked both with indices of suboptimal cortisol rhythms in both members of the couples and with stronger within-couple covariation coefficients. These results persisted when relationship satisfaction and demographic covariates were included in the model. During some of the sampling days, some women were pregnant with a subsequent child, but pregnancy did not significantly moderate cortisol levels or within-couple covariation. The findings suggest that couples experiencing relationship aggression have both suboptimal neuroendocrine profiles and stronger covariation. Cortisol covariation is an understudied phenomenon with potential implications for couples' relationship functioning and physical health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Darby E. Saxbe
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California; Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Emma K. Adam
- School of Education and Social Policy and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University; Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | | | | | - Clarissa Simon
- NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Chelsea O. McKinney
- NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Madeleine U. Shalowitz
- NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA,University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Tanner Stapleton LR, Dunkel Schetter C, Dooley LN, Guardino CM, Huynh J, Paek C, Clark-Kauffman E, Schafer P, Woolard R, Lanzi RG. The Community Child Health Network Life Stress Interview: a brief chronic stress measure for community health research. Anxiety Stress Coping 2015; 29:352-66. [PMID: 26079068 DOI: 10.1080/10615806.2015.1058368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Chronic stress is implicated in many theories as a contributor to a wide range of physical and mental health problems. The current study describes the development of a chronic stress measure that was based on the UCLA Life Stress Interview (LSI) and adapted in collaboration with community partners for use in a large community health study of low-income, ethnically diverse parents of infants in the USA (Community Child Health Network [CCHN]). We describe the instrument, its purpose and adaptations, implementation, and results of a reliability study in a subsample of the larger study cohort. DESIGN AND METHODS Interviews with 272 mothers were included in the present study. Chronic stress was assessed using the CCHN LSI, an instrument designed for administration by trained community interviewers to assess four domains of chronic stress, each rated by interviewers. RESULTS Significant correlations ranging from small to moderate in size between chronic stress scores on this measure, other measures of stress, biomarkers of allostatic load, and mental health provide initial evidence of construct and concurrent validity. Reliability data for interviewer ratings are also provided. CONCLUSIONS This relatively brief interview (15 minutes) is available for use and may be a valuable tool for researchers seeking to measure chronic stress reliably and validly in future studies with time constraints.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lynlee R Tanner Stapleton
- a Department of Psychology , University of California , 1285A Franz Hall, Los Angeles , CA 90095-1563 , USA
| | - Christine Dunkel Schetter
- a Department of Psychology , University of California , 1285A Franz Hall, Los Angeles , CA 90095-1563 , USA
| | - Larissa N Dooley
- a Department of Psychology , University of California , 1285A Franz Hall, Los Angeles , CA 90095-1563 , USA
| | - Christine M Guardino
- a Department of Psychology , University of California , 1285A Franz Hall, Los Angeles , CA 90095-1563 , USA
| | - Jan Huynh
- a Department of Psychology , University of California , 1285A Franz Hall, Los Angeles , CA 90095-1563 , USA
| | - Cynthia Paek
- a Department of Psychology , University of California , 1285A Franz Hall, Los Angeles , CA 90095-1563 , USA
| | | | - Peter Schafer
- c New York Academy of Science , 1216 5th Avenue, New York , NY 10029 , USA
| | - Richard Woolard
- d Baby Love Plus Consortium , 1929 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1929 , USA
| | - Robin Gaines Lanzi
- e School of Public Health , University of Alabama at Birmingham , 1665 University Blvd., 227 RPHB, Birmingham , AL 35294 , USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Incollingo Rodriguez AC, Finch LE, Buss J, Guardino CM, Tomiyama AJ. An experimental field study of weight salience and food choice. Appetite 2015; 89:215-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2015.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Revised: 02/06/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
25
|
Abstract
Extensive evidence documents that prenatal maternal stress predicts a variety of adverse physical and psychological health outcomes for the mother and baby. However, the importance of the ways that women cope with stress during pregnancy is less clear. We conducted a systematic review of the English-language literature on coping behaviours and coping styles in pregnancy using PsycInfo and PubMed to identify 45 cross-sectional and longitudinal studies involving 16,060 participants published between January 1990 and June 2012. Although results were often inconsistent across studies, the literature provides some evidence that avoidant coping behaviours or styles and poor coping skills in general are associated with postpartum depression, preterm birth and infant development. Variability in study methods including differences in sample characteristics, timing of assessments, outcome variables and measures of coping styles or behaviours may explain the lack of consistent associations. To advance the scientific study of coping in pregnancy, we call attention to the need for a priori hypotheses and greater use of pregnancy-specific, daily process, and skills-based approaches. There is promise in continuing this area of research, particularly in the possible translation of consistent findings to effective interventions, but only if the conceptual basis and methodological quality of research improve.
Collapse
|
26
|
Guardino CM, Dunkel Schetter C, Bower JE, Lu MC, Smalley SL. Randomised controlled pilot trial of mindfulness training for stress reduction during pregnancy. Psychol Health 2013; 29:334-49. [PMID: 24180264 DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2013.852670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
This randomised controlled pilot trial tested a six-week mindfulness-based intervention in a sample of pregnant women experiencing high levels of perceived stress and pregnancy anxiety. Forty-seven women enrolled between 10 and 25 weeks gestation were randomly assigned to either a series of weekly Mindful Awareness Practices classes (n = 24) with home practice or to a reading control condition (n = 23). Hierarchical linear models of between-group differences in change over time demonstrated that participants in the mindfulness intervention experienced larger decreases from pre-to post-intervention in pregnancy-specific anxiety and pregnancy-related anxiety (PRA) than participants in the reading control condition. However, these effects were not sustained through follow-up at six weeks post-intervention. Participants in both groups experienced increased mindfulness, as well as decreased perceived stress and state anxiety over the course of the intervention and follow-up periods. This study is one of the first randomised controlled pilot trials of a mindfulness meditation intervention during pregnancy and provides some evidence that mindfulness training during pregnancy may effectively reduce PRA and worry. We discuss some of the dilemmas in pursuing this translational strategy and offer suggestions for researchers interested in conducting mind-body interventions during pregnancy.
Collapse
|