Maternal Distress Linked to Children's Effortful Control and Early Maladjustment

AbstractEmotional distress experienced by mothers increases young children's risk of externalizing problems through suboptimal parenting and child self-regulation. An integrative structural equation model tested hypotheses that mothers’ parenting (i.e., low levels of inductive discipline and maternal warmth) would mediate adverse effects of early maternal distress on child effortful control, which in turn would mediate effects of maternal parenting on child externalizing behavior. This longitudinal study spanning ages 3, 6, and 10 included 241 children, mothers, and a subset of teachers. The hypothesized model was partially supported. Elevated maternal distress was associated with less inductive discipline and maternal warmth, which in turn were associated with less effortful control at age 3 but not at age 6. Inductive discipline and maternal warmth mediated adverse effects of maternal distress on children's effortful control. Less effortful control at ages 3 and 6 predicted smaller relative decreases in externalizing behavior at 6 and 10, respectively. Effortful control mediated effects of inductive discipline, but not maternal warmth, on externalizing behavior. Findings suggest elevated maternal distress increases children's risk of externalizing problems by compromising early parenting and child self-regulation.

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3206 Associations between prenatal maternal stress due to a natural disaster and effortful control in early childhood

Journal of Clinical and Translational Science ◽

10.1017/cts.2019.316 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (s1) ◽

pp. 140-140

Author(s):

Nayra del Carmen Rodriguez-Soto ◽

Karen G Martinez

Keyword(s):

Early Childhood ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Adverse Effects ◽

Natural Disaster ◽

Effortful Control ◽

Child Outcomes ◽

Maternal Distress ◽

Prenatal Maternal Stress ◽

Study Population ◽

Timing Of Exposure

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: For this reason, our overall objectives are to determine (i) whether natural disaster-related PNMS alters infants’ EC at two years of age, and (ii) if the timing of exposure moderates its effects on toddlers EC. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We propose a longitudinal study with 50 mother-toddler dyads. Natural disaster-related PNMS would be measured at 12-18 and 24-30 months of age and will include: objective exposure and maternal distress. EC will be measured with a questionnaire and a Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery at two years of age. To accomplish our objectives, we will conduct regression and moderation analyses. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We anticipate that children exposed to Hurricane-related PNMS would present low EC levels compared to those with low prenatal exposure. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: These results are expected to provide evidence for further promoting early intervention and ameliorating adverse effects of PNMS on child outcomes.

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3288 Prenatal maternal exposure to disaster-related stress and effortful control in early childhood

Journal of Clinical and Translational Science ◽

10.1017/cts.2019.348 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (s1) ◽

pp. 152-152

Author(s):

Nayra del Carmen Rodriguez-Soto ◽

Karen G Martinez

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Natural Disaster ◽

Effortful Control ◽

Child Outcomes ◽

Maternal Distress ◽

Prenatal Maternal Stress ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Study Population ◽

Related Stress ◽

Timing Of Exposure

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Our overall objectives are to determine (i) whether natural disaster-related prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) alters infants’ effortful control (EC) at two years of age, and (ii) if the timing of exposure moderates its effects on toddlers EC. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We propose a longitudinal study with 50 mother-toddler dyads. Natural disaster-related PNMS would be measured at 12-15 and 18-24 months of age and will include: objective exposure and maternal distress. EC will be measured with a questionnaire and a Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery at two years of age. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We anticipate that children exposed to Hurricane-related PNMS would present low EC levels compared to those with low prenatal exposure. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: These results are expected to provide evidence for further promoting early intervention and ameliorating negative effects of PNMS on child outcomes.

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Parenting Behaviors and Anxiety in Young Adults

Journal of Individual Differences ◽

10.1027/1614-0001/a000169 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 36 (3) ◽

pp. 170-176 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Erin N. Stevens ◽

Joseph R. Bardeen ◽

Kyle W. Murdock

Keyword(s):

Effortful Control ◽

Parenting Behaviors ◽

Protective Role ◽

Anxiety Symptoms ◽

Interactive Effects ◽

Parental Overprotection ◽

High Control ◽

Development Of Anxiety ◽

The Relationship

Parenting behaviors – specifically behaviors characterized by high control, intrusiveness, rejection, and overprotection – and effortful control have each been implicated in the development of anxiety pathology. However, little research has examined the protective role of effortful control in the relation between parenting and anxiety symptoms, specifically among adults. Thus, we sought to explore the unique and interactive effects of parenting and effortful control on anxiety among adults (N = 162). Results suggest that effortful control uniquely contributes to anxiety symptoms above and beyond that of any parenting behavior. Furthermore, effortful control acted as a moderator of the relationship between parental overprotection and anxiety, such that overprotection is associated with anxiety only in individuals with lower levels of effortful control. Implications for potential prevention and intervention efforts which specifically target effortful control are discussed. These findings underscore the importance of considering individual differences in self-regulatory abilities when examining associations between putative early-life risk factors, such as parenting, and anxiety symptoms.

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