Direct and indirect effects of bereaved caregivers’ self-compassion on their complicated grief and their child’s mental health

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Na Zhang ◽  
Irwin Sandler ◽  
Jenn-Yun Tein ◽  
Sharlene Wolchik ◽  
Erin Donohue
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Externalizing Problems ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Complicated Grief ◽  
Parental Warmth ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing Problems ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Bereaved Children ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing

Self-compassion, which involves mindfulness, self-kindness, and common humanity, has been found to be related to individuals’ mental health. Few studies have examined caregivers’ self-compassion in relation to parenting behaviors or child adjustment in addition to its relation their own mental health. Objectives: In the current study we examined caregivers’ self-compassion as a protective factor related to parentally bereaved children’s internalizing and externalizing problems. We further tested whether the relations were mediated by caregivers’ parenting practices or complicated grief (i.e., persistent severe grief reactions that impair normal functioning). Methods: The sample consists of caregivers who participated in an intervention study for bereaved families and reported high levels of complicated grief. At T1 (baseline) and T2 (20 weeks later), caregivers completed surveys on demographic information, self-compassion, complicated grief, parental warmth and consistent discipline, as well as child internalizing and externalizing problems. Results: Findings supported that caregivers’ self-compassion was prospectively related to decreased internalizing and externalizing problems in bereaved children. The effect of self-compassion on externalizing problems was mediated by parental warmth and consistent discipline. Self-compassion was also prospectively associated with decreased complicated grief and psychological distress, although complicated grief and psychological distress were not related to child outcomes. Conclusions: These findings add to the knowledge on the psychological benefits of self-compassion for both bereaved children and their caregivers.

scholarly journals Charting the trajectories of adopted children's emotional and behavioral problems: The impact of early adversity and postadoptive parental warmth

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy L. Paine ◽  
Oliver Perra ◽  
Rebecca Anthony ◽  
Katherine H. Shelton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Behavioral Problems ◽  
Externalizing Problems ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Emotional And Behavioral Problems ◽  
Parental Warmth ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing Problems ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing

Abstract Children who are adopted from care are more likely to experience enduring emotional and behavioral problems across development; however, adoptees’ trajectories of mental health problems and factors that impact their trajectories are poorly understood. Therefore, we used multilevel growth analyses to chart adoptees’ internalizing and externalizing problems across childhood, and examined the associations between preadoptive risk and postadoptive protective factors on their trajectories. This was investigated in a prospective longitudinal study of case file records (N = 374) and questionnaire-based follow-ups (N = 96) at approximately 5, 21, and 36 months postadoptive placement. Preadoptive adversity (indexed by age at placement, days in care, and number of adverse childhood experiences) was associated with higher internalizing and externalizing scores; the decrease in internalizing scores over childhood was accelerated for those exposed to lower levels of preadoptive risk. Warm adoptive parenting was associated with a marked reduction in children's internalizing and externalizing problems over time. Although potentially limited by shared methods variance and lack of variability in parental warmth scores, these findings demonstrate the deleterious impact of preadoptive risk and the positive role of exceptionally warm adoptive parenting on children's trajectories of mental health problems and have relevance for prevention and intervention strategies.

The Self and Mental Health: Self-Salience and the Emergence of Internalizing and Externalizing Problems

2005 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 323-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Rosenfield ◽  
Mary Clare Lennon ◽  
Helene Raskin White
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Externalizing Problems ◽  
Internalizing Symptoms ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Externalizing Behaviors ◽  
The Self ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing Problems ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing

How do schemas about self-salience—the importance of the self versus the collective in social relations—affect mental health? We propose that self-salience shapes the likelihood of experiencing internalizing or externalizing problems. Schemas that privilege others over the self increase the risk of internalizing symptoms, including depressive symptoms and anxiety, whereas those that privilege the self over others predispose individuals to externalizing behaviors of antisocial behavior and substance abuse. Furthermore, we propose that these schemas contribute to the gender differences that exist in these problems. We test these predictions with data from adolescents, the stage at which these problems and the gender differences in them arise. Results show that self-salience underlies both internalizing and externalizing problems. In addition, schemas about self-salience help explain the gender differences found in mental health problems.

scholarly journals Polygenic Risks for Joint Developmental Trajectories of Internalizing and Externalizing Problems: Findings from the ALSPAC Cohort

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia Gabriela Speyer ◽  
Samuel Neaves ◽  
Hildigunnur Anna Hall ◽  
Gibran Hemani ◽  
MIchael Lombardo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Externalizing Problems ◽  
Maternal Mental Health ◽  
Developmental Trajectories ◽  
Externalizing Symptoms ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing Problems ◽  
Shared Risk ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing Symptoms

Background: Joint developmental trajectories of internalizing and externalizing problems show considerable heterogeneity; however, this can be parsed into a small number of meaningful subgroups. Doing so offered insights into risk factors that lead to different patterns of internalizing/externalizing trajectories. However, despite both domains of problems showing strong heritability, no study has yet considered genetic risks as predictors of joint internalizing/externalizing problem trajectories. Methods: Using parallel process latent class growth analysis, we estimated joint developmental trajectories of internalizing and externalizing difficulties assessed across ages 4 to 16 using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate a range of demographic, perinatal, maternal mental health, and child and maternal polygenic predictors of group membership. Participants included 11049 children taking part in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Polygenic data was available for 7127 children and 6836 mothers.Results: Five distinct classes were identified: Unaffected, Moderate Externalizing Symptoms, High Externalizing Symptoms, Moderate Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms and High Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms. Male sex, lower maternal age, maternal mental health problems, maternal smoking during pregnancy, higher child polygenic risk scores for ADHD as well as lower polygenic scores for IQ distinguished affected classes from the unaffected class.Conclusions: While affected classes could be relatively well separated from the unaffected class, phenotypic and polygenic predictors were limited in their ability to distinguish between different affected classes. Thus, results add to existing evidence that internalizing and externalizing problems have mostly shared risk factors.

Mother, Father, and Grandparent Involvement

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 776-797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wade Profe ◽  
Lauren G. Wild
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Prosocial Behavior ◽  
Father Involvement ◽  
Externalizing Problems ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing Problems ◽  
Negatively Associated ◽  
Hierarchical Logistic Regression ◽  
Grandparent Involvement ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing

The objective of this study was to examine whether mother, father, and closest grandparent involvement are associated with South African adolescents’ mental health (internalizing and externalizing problems and prosocial behavior) and substance use. A sample of 512 Grade 8 and Grade 9 learners in Cape Town ( M age = 14 years) completed a structured survey. Of the participants, 57% were female, and 85% identified themselves as “colored” (mixed race). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses, controlling for age, sex, and socioeconomic status, indicated that mother and father involvement were negatively associated with adolescents’ internalizing and externalizing problems, whereas mother and closest grandparent involvement were positively associated with prosocial behavior. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses revealed that parent involvement was negatively associated with past-month cigarette use, but not with past-month alcohol or past-year marijuana use. The findings suggest the importance of considering parents and grandparents in interventions to promote adolescent mental health.

scholarly journals Bullying Victimization and Problem Video Gaming: The Mediating Role of Externalizing and Internalizing Problems

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1930
Author(s):  
Jérémie Richard ◽  
Loredana Marchica ◽  
William Ivoska ◽  
Jeffrey Derevensky
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Internalizing Problems ◽  
Externalizing Problems ◽  
Video Gaming ◽  
Bullying Victimization ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing Problems ◽  
Externalizing And Internalizing Problems ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Problem Video Gaming ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing

Background: Adolescent victims of bullying are more likely to experience a range of mental health problems. Although research has investigated the relationship between bullying victimization and various addictive behaviors, the impact of bullying on problem video gaming (PVG) remains largely unexplored. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between bullying victimization and PVG as mediated by the presence of internalizing and externalizing problems. Methods: Survey responses were collected from 6353 high-school students aged 12 to 18. Measures include bullying victimization (physical, verbal, cyber and indirect), internalizing (e.g., anxious and depressive symptoms) and externalizing (e.g., aggressive and delinquent problems) problems, and PVG (measured by the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale–Short Form). Results: Mediation analyses indicated that the relationship between verbal bullying and PVG was completely mediated by the presence of internalizing and externalizing problems. The relationship between physical bullying and PVG was completely mediated by externalizing problems and the relationship between cyberbullying and PVG was completely mediated by internalizing problems. Lastly, the relationship between indirect bullying and PVG was partially mediated by externalizing and internalizing problems. Conclusions: Results suggest that different types of bullying victimization are differentially associated with PVG, with mental health symptoms significantly mediating this relationship.

scholarly journals Parental Mental Health and Hostility Are Associated With Longitudinal Increases in Child Internalizing and Externalizing Problems During COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer E. Khoury ◽  
Hargun Kaur ◽  
Andrea Gonzalez
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Externalizing Problems ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Parenting Behavior ◽  
Child Gender ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing Problems ◽  
Parent Mental Health ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing

Children are at high risk for negative COVID-19 related outcomes. The present longitudinal study assessed (1) changes in child internalizing and externalizing problems from before to during the pandemic and (2) whether parent mental health (depression, anxiety, stress) or parenting behavior during COVID-19 were associated with changes in child mental health problems. Sixty eight mother-child dyads participated in this study. Children were approximately five years-old at the time of enrollment and were between the ages of 7–9 years old at the time of the follow-up survey. Parenting behavior, parental depression, anxiety, perceived stress and child internalizing and externalizing problems were measured using validated questionnaires. Children experienced greater internalizing (t = 6.46, p < 0.001) and externalizing (t = 6.13, p < 0.001) problems during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic. After taking into account child gender and COVID-related stressors, parental hostility was uniquely associated with greater changes in externalizing problems (β = 0.355, SE = 0.178, p < 0.05), while maternal anxiety was associated with greater increases in internalizing problems (β = 0.513, SE = 0.208, p < 0.05). Findings highlight the need for mental health supports for families to limit the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child and parent mental health.

scholarly journals Preschoolers’ emotion reactivity and regulation: Links with maternal psychological distress and child behavior problems

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Stella Tsotsi ◽  
Jessica L. Borelli ◽  
Mumtaz Backer ◽  
Noraini Veragoo ◽  
Nurshuhadah Abdulla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Externalizing Problems ◽  
Depressive Mood ◽  
Emotion Reactivity ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing Problems ◽  
Maternal Psychological Distress ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing

Abstract Maladaptive offspring emotion regulation has been identified as one pathway linking maternal and child psychological well-being in school-aged children. Whether such a pathway is present earlier in life still remains unclear. The present study investigated the role of preschoolers’ emotion reactivity and regulation in the association between maternal psychological distress and child internalizing and externalizing problems. Children’s emotion reactivity and regulation were assessed through both observed behavior and physiology. At 42 months of age, children (n = 251; 128 girls) completed a fear induction task during which their heart-rate variability was assessed and their behavior was monitored, and maternal self-reports on depressive mood and anxiety were collected. At 48 months mothers and fathers reported on their children’s internalizing and externalizing problems. Higher maternal depressive mood was associated with lower child fear-related reactivity and regulation, as indexed by heart-rate variability. The latter mediated the association between higher maternal depressive mood and higher preschoolers’ externalizing problems. Overall, our findings support the role of preschoolers’ emotion reactivity and regulation in the relationship between maternal psychological distress and children’s socio-emotional difficulties. This role may also depend on the discrete emotion to which children react or seek to regulate as, here, we only assessed fear-related reactivity and regulation.

Child Self-report to Identify Internalizing and Externalizing Problems and the Influence of Maternal Mental Health

2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 1605-1614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rowella C. W. M. Kuijpers ◽  
Marloes Kleinjan ◽  
Rutger C. M. E. Engels ◽  
Lisanne L. Stone ◽  
Roy Otten
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Externalizing Problems ◽  
Maternal Mental Health ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing Problems ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing

scholarly journals Association of cigarette and electronic nicotine delivery systems use with internalizing and externalizing problems among US adults: Findings from wave 3 (2015–2016) of the PATH study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0253061
Author(s):  
Bekir Kaplan ◽  
Johannes Thrul ◽  
Joanna E. Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Externalizing Problems ◽  
Tobacco Product ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Response Options ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing Problems ◽  
The Past ◽  
Nicotine Delivery ◽  
Internalizing And Externalizing

Aims Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) use is increasing among US adults. While existing research has demonstrated higher cigarette smoking rates among people with mental health conditions, there is sparse information on the association between ENDS use and mental health such as internalizing and externalizing problems. The aim of this study was to evaluate associations between internalizing and externalizing problems for cigarette only, ENDS only, and dual users, as well as changes in mental health among those groups. Method We used the U.S. Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study Wave 3 adult data. Internalizing and externalizing problems were self-reported and assessed via the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs-Short Screener; response options were dichotomized to reflect past 12 months and any lifetime problems. Self-reported changes in mental health over the past 12 months were also assessed. Participants’ tobacco use status was categorized as ENDS only use (n = 618), cigarette only use (n = 6,779), dual use (cigarettes and ENDS) (n = 681), and non-current use (n = 16,515). Results Lifetime and past 12 month internalizing problems were reported by 63.8% (n = 18,706) and 50.4% (n = 15,326), respectively, while lifetime and past 12 months externalizing problems were reported by 63.3% (n = 18,835) and 52.7% (n = 16,005), respectively. Six percent of participants reported worse mental health over the past 12 months. Compared to non-current use of any tobacco product, and adjusting for age, sex, race, education, and household income, those reporting ENDS use only had higher odds of ever (aOR = 1.52; 95%CI: 1.22–1.89) and past 12 months (aOR = 1.49; 95%CI: 1.22–1.84) internalizing, and externalizing problems (aOR = 1.32; 95%CI: 1.04–1.66 and aOR = 1.34; 95%CI: 1.07–1.67, respectively), and higher odds of reporting worse mental health over the past 12 months (aOR = 1.50; 95%CI: 1.05–2.12). Conclusion Health care providers should be aware that internalizing and externalizing problems, and worsening mental health, are more common among adults who use ENDS, cigarettes, or both of these tobacco products.

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