scholarly journals Parenting stress and DNA methylation among African Americans in the InterGEN Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (6) ◽  
pp. 328-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle L. Wright ◽  
Yunfeng Huang ◽  
Qin Hui ◽  
Kevin Newhall ◽  
Cindy Crusto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Parenting Stress ◽  
Mixed Models ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Significant Variation ◽  
African Ancestry ◽  
Maternal Parenting ◽  
Maternal Parenting Stress ◽  
Methylation Patterns ◽  
The Relationship

IntroductionGeneral life stress has been associated with altered DNA methylation in individuals of African Ancestry, although the relationship between parenting stress and DNA methylation has not been described. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between maternal parenting stress and DNA methylation among African Ancestry mother-child dyads.MethodsWe evaluated epigenome-wide DNA methylation relative to parenting stress in 74 mother-child dyads using linear mixed models.ResultsSignificant variation in maternal DNA methylation at 95 CpG sites was associated with level of parenting stress. Notably, we identified a change in DNA methylation associated with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1, which plays a key role in stress signaling. We did not identify any significant variation in child DNA methylation related to maternal parenting stress.ConclusionsHowever, DNA methylation patterns observed in children mirrored patterns observed in their mothers. The results suggest that differential maternal DNA methylation is associated with higher levels of parenting stress.

Influences of Maternal Parenting Stress on Child Behavior Problems: Examining Harsh and Positive Parenting as Mediators

2021 ◽  
pp. 0192513X2110562
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Flannery ◽  
Samantha R. Awada ◽  
Elizabeth C. Shelleby
Keyword(s):  
Parenting Stress ◽  
Externalizing Problems ◽  
Child Behavior Problems ◽  
Positive Parenting ◽  
Fragile Families ◽  
Harsh Parenting ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing Problems ◽  
Maternal Parenting ◽  
Maternal Parenting Stress ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing

Extant research demonstrates associations between parenting stress and child internalizing and externalizing problems, with evidence that parenting behaviors may mediate these associations; however, few studies have been longitudinal. The current study tested whether harsh and positive parenting mediated associations between maternal parenting stress and child internalizing and externalizing problems. Data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study were utilized, with 2,606 families who completed the year nine wave included (37% less than high school; 60.2% married/cohabitating; 50% Black, non-Hispanic; 24% Hispanic; and 26% White, non-Hispanic). Analyses revealed parenting stress at age three was significantly associated with higher child internalizing and externalizing problems at age nine. Further, positive but not harsh parenting mediated the link between parenting stress and externalizing problems. Parenting did not mediate the association between parenting stress and internalizing problems. Findings suggest harsh and positive parenting differentially explains associations between parenting stress and child internalizing and externalizing problems.

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