Association between Second-Time Mother’s Prenatal Depression and Firstborn’s Behaviour Problems: The Mediation Role of Parenting Daily Hassles

Background: With the relaxation of birth control policy in China in recent years, second-time mothers’ mental health has raised concerns. However, the impact of firstborn children’s behaviour problems on second-time mothers’ prenatal depression in families transitioning to siblinghood has received little attention from family psychologists. Aims: This research aims to investigate whether firstborn children’s behaviour problems affect second-time mothers’ prenatal depression and the mediation role of daily parenting hassles, i.e., minor stressors associated with parenting, on this relationship. Methods: Data about second-time mothers’ prenatal depression, parenting daily hassles, and firstborn children’s behaviour problems were collected from 105 families transitioning to two children families using mother-reported questionnaires. Regressions were used to analyze the data. Results: About half of the mothers in the sample have depressive symptoms. Firstborns’ behaviour problems did not have a direct effect on the mother’s prenatal depression, but the problems did have an indirect effect via parenting daily hassles. The mothers’ age was significantly associated with prenatal depression. Conclusions: The mediation role of parenting daily hassles in the association with firstborn’s behaviour problems and mother’s prenatal depression suggests the need for support that reduce the levels of daily parenting hassles from firstborn children.

Foster parents' understanding of the foster child's perspective: Does it matter and can it be changed?

<p>Socio-emotional outcomes for children placed in care are more positive when foster parents have a secure state of mind regarding attachment and are able to think about the child’s unique psychological perspective (Dozier, Stovall, Albus & Bates, 2001; Schofield & Beek, 2005a). One aspect of parents’ thinking about the child has been conceptualised as mind-mindedness (Meins, 1998) and is measured by the proportion of mind-related comments made when a parent is asked to describe their child. The first study examines whether foster parent’s mind-mindedness and attachment perceptions, amongst other child and foster parent characteristics, are positively associated with the foster parent-child relationship and the child’s emotional and behavioural outcomes. The study found that foster parents with higher mind-mindedness had foster children with fewer behaviour problems and this relationship was enhanced by foster parents having positive attachment perceptions. Moreover, foster parent mind-mindedness was not related to the quality of the parent-child relationship, except when parents had positive attachment perceptions. Regarding the child’s placement characteristics, the number of previous placements the child had experienced predicted the child’s emotional and behaviour problems and the age at which the child was placed predicted the quality of the foster parent-child relationship. The best placement predictors of both outcome variables considered together were the age at which the child was placed and short term placements. Drawing on attachment theory, and guided by the findings of study one, the author developed a a training programme and a Relational Learning Framework (RLF) to assist foster parents and foster care practitioners to understand the child’s psychological perspective. The second study employed a multiple- baseline design to evaluate the effectiveness of the RLF guided training programme. Statistically significant improvements were found regarding parents’ reports of children’s behaviour problems, parents’ daily stress, the attachment relationship and children’s overall functioning at post-test. However, at follow-up, only the children’s overall functioning remained significantly improved, although increases in positive mind-mindedness became statistically significant, relative to post-test. Some foster parents showed decreases in wellbeing scores, relative to their scores at pre- and post-test. The third study used a pre- post-test design to evaluate the effectiveness of the training programme to assist foster care practitioners to apply the RLF in their clinical practice and to deliver the training programme to foster parents. At post-test, practitioners’ empathy and reflectiveness showed a statistically significant increase but no statistically significant increases were found in practitioners’ mind-mindedness. The training was rated highly by participants and a thematic analysis of diary entries showed that they used the RLF in their practice, were able to help foster parents understand the child’s perspective, and reported positive therapeutic gains from utilising these techniques. The research provides preliminary evidence that foster parent mind-mindedness, in conjunction with attachment perceptions, is associated with the child’s emotional and behaviour problems and the foster parent-child relationship. The results from the intervention study with foster parents showed initially promising gains, which were not maintained at follow-up, and the results from the foster care practitioners study indicated improvements in practitioners’ empathy and reflectiveness, as well as positive outcomes of using the training material.</p>

Foster parents' understanding of the foster child's perspective: Does it matter and can it be changed?

<p>Socio-emotional outcomes for children placed in care are more positive when foster parents have a secure state of mind regarding attachment and are able to think about the child’s unique psychological perspective (Dozier, Stovall, Albus & Bates, 2001; Schofield & Beek, 2005a). One aspect of parents’ thinking about the child has been conceptualised as mind-mindedness (Meins, 1998) and is measured by the proportion of mind-related comments made when a parent is asked to describe their child. The first study examines whether foster parent’s mind-mindedness and attachment perceptions, amongst other child and foster parent characteristics, are positively associated with the foster parent-child relationship and the child’s emotional and behavioural outcomes. The study found that foster parents with higher mind-mindedness had foster children with fewer behaviour problems and this relationship was enhanced by foster parents having positive attachment perceptions. Moreover, foster parent mind-mindedness was not related to the quality of the parent-child relationship, except when parents had positive attachment perceptions. Regarding the child’s placement characteristics, the number of previous placements the child had experienced predicted the child’s emotional and behaviour problems and the age at which the child was placed predicted the quality of the foster parent-child relationship. The best placement predictors of both outcome variables considered together were the age at which the child was placed and short term placements. Drawing on attachment theory, and guided by the findings of study one, the author developed a a training programme and a Relational Learning Framework (RLF) to assist foster parents and foster care practitioners to understand the child’s psychological perspective. The second study employed a multiple- baseline design to evaluate the effectiveness of the RLF guided training programme. Statistically significant improvements were found regarding parents’ reports of children’s behaviour problems, parents’ daily stress, the attachment relationship and children’s overall functioning at post-test. However, at follow-up, only the children’s overall functioning remained significantly improved, although increases in positive mind-mindedness became statistically significant, relative to post-test. Some foster parents showed decreases in wellbeing scores, relative to their scores at pre- and post-test. The third study used a pre- post-test design to evaluate the effectiveness of the training programme to assist foster care practitioners to apply the RLF in their clinical practice and to deliver the training programme to foster parents. At post-test, practitioners’ empathy and reflectiveness showed a statistically significant increase but no statistically significant increases were found in practitioners’ mind-mindedness. The training was rated highly by participants and a thematic analysis of diary entries showed that they used the RLF in their practice, were able to help foster parents understand the child’s perspective, and reported positive therapeutic gains from utilising these techniques. The research provides preliminary evidence that foster parent mind-mindedness, in conjunction with attachment perceptions, is associated with the child’s emotional and behaviour problems and the foster parent-child relationship. The results from the intervention study with foster parents showed initially promising gains, which were not maintained at follow-up, and the results from the foster care practitioners study indicated improvements in practitioners’ empathy and reflectiveness, as well as positive outcomes of using the training material.</p>

Reducing Dog Relinquishment to Rescue Centres Due to Behaviour Problems: Identifying Cases to Target with an Advice Intervention at the Point of Relinquishment Request

Behaviour problems are a leading reason for dogs being relinquished to rescue centres across the world every year. The aim of this study was to investigate whether free behavioural advice would be accepted at the point of an owner requesting to relinquish their dog for behavioural reasons. The call records of 1131 relinquishment requests were reviewed and analysed to establish if the offer of free behaviour advice was accepted. The results showed that advice was accepted in 24.4% of relinquishment requests and behavioural problem was a significant predictor of whether advice was accepted (p < 0.001). The odds of advice being accepted were 5.755 times (95% CI: 2.835–11.681; p < 0.001) greater for a relinquishment request due to problems with general management behaviours compared to aggression between dogs in the home, representing 4.2% and 20.2% of overall relinquishment requests. These data suggest that owners are prepared to accept behaviour advice at the point of relinquishment request, so advice interventions could have potential to impact the levels of dog relinquishment to rescue centres. The impact of an intervention offering behaviour advice may be limited by overall levels of advice acceptance by owners and therefore complimentary proactive solutions to reduce behavioural relinquishments should also be considered.