The Maternal Sensitivity Program

Abstract From a conditional adaptation vantage point, early life caregiving adversity likely enhances aspects of cognition needed to manage interpersonal threats. Yet, research examining early life care and offspring cognition predominantly relies upon experiments including affectively neutral stimuli, with findings generally interpreted as “early-life caregiving adversity is, de facto, ‘bad’ for cognitive performance.” Here, in a Southeast Asian sample, we examined observed maternal sensitivity in infancy and cognitive performance 3 years later as preschoolers took part in three tasks, each involving both a socioemotional (SE) and non-socioemotional (NSE) version: relational memory (n = 236), cognitive flexibility (n = 203), and inhibitory control (n = 255). Results indicate the relation between early life caregiving adversity and memory performance significantly differs (Wald test = 7.67, (1), P = 0.006) depending on the SE versus NSE context, with maternal sensitivity in infancy highly predictive of worse memory for SE stimuli, and amongst girls, also predictive of better memory when NSE stimuli are used. Results concerning inhibitory control, as well as cognitive flexibility in girls, also tentatively suggest the importance of considering the SE nature of stimuli when assessing relations between the caregiving environment and cognitive performance. As not all approaches to missing data yielded similar results, implications for statistical approaches are elaborated. We conclude by considering how an adaptation-to-context framework approach may aid in designing pedagogical strategies and well-being interventions that harness pre-existing cognitive strengths.

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Epigenome-wide associations between observed maternal sensitivity and offspring DNA methylation: a population-based prospective study in children

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291720004353 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Lorenza Dall’ Aglio ◽

Jolien Rijlaarsdam ◽

Rosa H. Mulder ◽

Alexander Neumann ◽

Janine F. Felix ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Methylation ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Association Studies ◽

Maternal Sensitivity ◽

Population Based ◽

Epigenetic Mechanism ◽

Developmental Problems ◽

Maternal Caregiving ◽

Typical Variation

Abstract Background Experimental work in animals has shown that DNA methylation (DNAm), an epigenetic mechanism regulating gene expression, is influenced by typical variation in maternal care. While emerging research in humans supports a similar association, studies to date have been limited to candidate gene and cross-sectional approaches, with a focus on extreme deviations in the caregiving environment. Methods Here, we explored the prospective association between typical variation in maternal sensitivity and offspring epigenome-wide DNAm, in a population-based cohort of children (N = 235). Maternal sensitivity was observed when children were 3- and 4-years-old. DNAm, quantified with the Infinium 450 K array, was extracted at age 6 (whole blood). The influence of methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTLs), DNAm at birth (cord blood), and confounders (socioeconomic status, maternal psychopathology) was considered in follow-up analyses. Results Genome-wide significant associations between maternal sensitivity and offspring DNAm were observed at 13 regions (p < 1.06 × 10−07), but not at single sites. Follow-up analyses indicated that associations at these regions were in part related to genetic factors, confounders, and baseline DNAm levels at birth, as evidenced by the presence of mQTLs at five regions and estimate attenuations. Robust associations with maternal sensitivity were found at four regions, annotated to ZBTB22, TAPBP, ZBTB12, and DOCK4. Conclusions These findings provide novel leads into the relationship between typical variation in maternal caregiving and offspring DNAm in humans, highlighting robust regions of associations, previously implicated in psychological and developmental problems, immune functioning, and stress responses.

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Processing of infant emotion in mothers with mood disorders and implications for infant development

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291721000891 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Anne J. Bjertrup ◽

Mala Moszkowicz ◽

Ida Egmose ◽

Anette Kjærbye-Thygesen ◽

René E. Nielsen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mood Disorders ◽

Partial Remission ◽

Infant Development ◽

Maternal Sensitivity ◽

Unipolar Depression ◽

Cognitive Responses ◽

Emotional Stimuli ◽

Birth Mothers ◽

Psychophysiological Response ◽

Galvanic Skin Responses

Abstract Background Atypical neurocognitive responses to emotional stimuli are core features of unipolar depression (UD) and bipolar disorder (BD). For mothers with these mood disorders, this may influence interactions with their infants and consequently infant development. The study aimed to investigate psychophysiological and cognitive responses to infant emotional stimuli, and their relation to mother–infant interaction and infant development, in mothers with BD or UD in full or partial remission. Methods Four months after birth, mothers' cognitive responses to emotional infant stimuli were assessed with computerized tasks, while their facial expressions, galvanic skin responses (GSR), gazes, and fixations were recorded. Infant development and mother–infant interactions were also assessed. Results We included 76 mothers: 27 with BD, 13 with UD, and 36 without known psychiatric disorders, and their infants. Mothers with BD and UD were in full or partial remission and showed blunted GSR and spent less time looking at infant stimuli (unadjusted p values < 0.03). Mothers with BD showed subtle positive neurocognitive biases (unadjusted p values<0.04) and mothers with UD showed negative biases (unadjusted p values < 0.02). Across all mothers, some measures of atypical infant emotion processing correlated with some measures of delays in infant development and suboptimal mother–infant interaction (unadjusted p values<0.04). Conclusions Mothers with mood disorders in full or partial remission showed atypical cognitive and psychophysiological response to emotional infant stimuli, which could be associated with mother–infant interactions and infant development. The study is explorative, hypothesis generating, and should be replicated in a larger sample. Investigation of the long-term implications of reduced maternal sensitivity is warranted.

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Protocol for iGrow (Infant Growth and Development Study): biopsychosocial predictors of childhood obesity risk at 2 years

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-020-10003-0 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Esther M. Leerkes ◽

Cheryl Buehler ◽

Susan D. Calkins ◽

Lenka H. Shriver ◽

Laurie Wideman

Keyword(s):

Weight Gain ◽

Childhood Obesity ◽

Growth And Development ◽

Maternal Sensitivity ◽

Feeding Practices ◽

Infant Growth ◽

Obesity Risk ◽

Development Study ◽

Early Weight Gain ◽

Infant Weight Gain

Abstract Background Childhood obesity remains a significant public health problem. To date, most research on the causes and correlates of obesity has focused on a small number of direct predictors of obesity rather than testing complex models that address the multifactorial nature of the origins of obesity in early development. We describe the rationale and methods of iGrow (Infant Growth and Development Study) which will test multiple pathways by which (a) prenatal maternal psychobiological risk predicts infant weight gain over the first 6 months of life, and (b) this early weight gain confers risk for obesity at age 2. Infant hormonal and psychobiological risk are proposed mediators from prenatal risk to early weight gain, though these are moderated by early maternal sensitivity and obesogenic feeding practices. In addition, higher maternal sensitivity and lower obesogenic feeding practices are proposed predictors of adaptive child self-regulation in the second year of life, and all three are proposed to buffer/reduce the association between high early infant weight gain and obesity risk at age 2. Methods iGrow is a prospective, longitudinal community-based study of 300 diverse mothers and infants to be followed across 5 data waves from pregnancy until children are age 2. Key measures include (a) maternal reports of demographics, stress, well-being, feeding practices and child characteristics and health; (b) direct observation of maternal and infant behavior during feeding, play, and distress-eliciting tasks during which infant heart rate is recorded to derive measures of vagal withdrawal; (c) anthropometric measures of mothers and infants; and (d) assays of maternal prenatal blood and infant saliva and urine. A host of demographic and other potential confounds will be considered as potential covariates in structural equation models that include tests of mediation and moderation. Efforts to mitigate the deleterious effects of COVID-19 on study success are detailed. Discussion This study has the potential to inform (1) basic science about early life processes casually related to childhood obesity and (2) development of targeted intervention and prevention approaches that consider mother, infant, and family risks and resources.

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Differential Effects of Maternal Sensitivity to Infant Distress and Nondistress on Social-Emotional Functioning

Child Development ◽

10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01296.x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 80 (3) ◽

pp. 762-775 ◽

Cited By ~ 202

Author(s):

Esther M. Leerkes ◽

A. Nayena Blankson ◽

Marion O’Brien

Keyword(s):

Emotional Functioning ◽

Maternal Sensitivity ◽

Social Emotional ◽

Differential Effects ◽

Infant Distress ◽

Social Emotional Functioning

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Mothers’ Personal and Interpersonal Function as Potential Mediators Between Maternal Maltreatment History and Child Behavior Problems

Child Maltreatment ◽

10.1177/1077559517734937 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 147-156 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jessica Pereira ◽

Jaclyn A. Ludmer ◽

Andrea Gonzalez ◽

Leslie Atkinson

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Child Behavior ◽

Adult Attachment ◽

Childhood Maltreatment ◽

Community Sample ◽

Maternal Sensitivity ◽

Behavioral Observation ◽

Maternal Depressive Symptoms ◽

Avoidant Attachment

This study examined maternal depressive symptoms, social support, parenting, and adult attachment as mediators explaining the relation between maternal childhood maltreatment and child behavior in offspring. We assessed a community sample of 96 mother–child dyads. At child age 16 months, mothers self-reported maltreatment history, adult attachment, depressive symptoms, and social support, and maternal sensitivity was assessed via 2 hr of direct behavioral observation. Maternal reports of child behavior were collected at 5 years. Single and parallel mediation models were constructed. Only maternal depressive symptoms mediated the relation between maternal maltreatment history and children’s internalizing problems. Maternal sensitivity emerged as a suppressor variable. With respect to the relation between maternal maltreatment history and children’s externalizing problems, when entered singly, maternal depressive symptoms, social support, and avoidant attachment emerged as mediators. When examined in parallel, only maternal depressive symptoms and avoidant attachment accounted for unique mediating variance. Findings have implications with respect to important maternal factors that might be targeted to reduce the probability of maladaptive child behavior.

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