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The Infant Mental Health Journal is committed to ending systemic racism and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in academic publishing. IMHJ unequivocally denounces all forms of racism and white supremacy, including systemic racism in academic publishing. We commit to investigating and working to terminate the ways in which systemic racism has become normalized in academic publishing, including examining our practices and processes at IMHJ. We invite you to join us in intentional, anti-racist work through your scholarship. As part of this effort, IMHJ has updated the author guidelines to include new information regarding how authors can express the ways in which they are engaging with intention in diverse, anti-racist research. These guidelines are available under the author guidelines section on the IMHJ website (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10970355). As a second immediate response relative to promoting diverse, equitable, and inclusive research, IMHJ is releasing the following Call to Action, focusing on centering Blackness in infant and early childhood mental health research. This call is designed as a first step in our efforts, and IMHJ looks forward to coming initiatives aimed at disrupting systemic racism in infant and early childhood mental health research for the many scholars studying and working with diverse populations marginalized by racism and systemic inequities.La Revista de Salud Mental Infantil está comprometida a terminar el racismo sistémico y promover la diversidad, la equidad y la inclusividad en las publicaciones académicas. La Revista IMHJ censura categóricamente toda forma de racismo y supremacía de la raza blanca, incluyendo el racismo sistémico en publicaciones académicas. Estamos comprometidos a investigar y trabajar para erradicar los medios por los cuales el racismo sistémico se ha convertido en la norma en las publicaciones académicas, incluyendo el examinar nuestras prácticas y procesos dentro de la Revista IMHJ. Les invitamos a que se nos unan en nuestro esfuerzo intencional, antirracista, por medio de sus investigaciones profesionales. Como parte de este esfuerzo, la Revista IMHJ ha actualizado los parámetros para los autores para incluir nueva información acerca de cómo los autores pueden expresar de qué maneras están trabajando con intención en investigaciones diversas, antirracistas. Estos parámetros se encuentran disponibles bajo la sección de parámetros de autor en la página electrónica de la Revista IMHJ (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10970355). Como una segunda respuesta inmediata en relación con el fomento de la investigación diversa, igualitaria e incluyente, la Revista IMHJ presenta esta Llamada a la Acción, la cual se enfoca en centralizar la Negritud en la investigación de salud mental en infantes y la temprana niñez. Esta llamada está diseñada como un primer paso en nuestros esfuerzos y la Revista IMHJ anticipa próximas iniciativas dedicadas a poner fin al racismo sistémico en la investigación sobre salud mental en infantes y la temprana niñez para los muchos investigadores profesionales que estudian y trabajan con grupos diversos de población marginalizados por el racismo y las desigualdades sistémicas.Le Infant Mental Health Journal s'engage à mettre fin au racisme endémique et à promouvoir la diversité, l’équité, et l'inclusion dans les publications académiques. L'IMHJ dénonce sans équivoque toutes les formes de racisme et de suprématie de la race blanche, y compris le racisme systémique dans les publications académiques. Nous nous engageons à déterminer comment le racisme systémique s'est normalisé dans les publications académiques et nous nous engageons à travailler à éradiquer cette normalisation ainsi qu’à examiner et à disséquer les pratiques et les processus de l'IMHJ. Nous vous invitons à nous rejoindre dans ce travail intentionnel, délibéré et anti-raciste à travers vos recherches. Dans cette optique l'IMHJ a mis à jour les directives pour les auteurs afin d'inclure plus d'informations sur la manière dont les auteurs peuvent exprimer les façons dont ils s'engagent délibérément dans des recherches diverses et anti-racistes. Ces directives sont disponibles dans la section « directives pour auteurs » dans le site de IMHJ (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10970355). De plus, en tant que deuxième réaction immédiate liée à la promotion de recherches diverses, équitables et inclusives, l'IMHJ rend publique l'Appel à l'Action suivant, mettant l'accent sur la nécessité de centrer la condition noire dans les recherches sur la santé mentale du nourrisson et de la petite enfance. Cet appel est le premier pas de nos efforts et l'IMHJ attend avec intérêt les initiatives à venir se donnant pour but de contrecarrer le racisme systémique dans les recherches sur la santé mentale du nourrisson et de la petite enfance pour les nombreux chercheurs étudiant et travaillant avec des populations diverses marginalisées par le racisme et les inéquités systémiques.Aufruf zum Handeln: Schwarzsein in den Mittelpunkt rücken und den strukturellen Rassismus in der Forschung zur psychischen Gesundheit von Kindern und in der akademischen Publizistik durchbrechen Das Infant Mental Health Journal setzt sich für das Ende von strukturellem Rassismus und für die Förderung von Vielfalt, Gleichberechtigung und Inklusion im akademischen Publikationswesen ein. Das IMHJ prangert unmissverständlich alle Formen von Rassismus und weißer Vorherrschaft an, einschließlich des strukturellen Rassismus im akademischen Verlagswesen. Wir verpflichten uns, die Art und Weise, in der struktureller Rassismus im akademischen Verlagswesen normalisiert wurde, zu untersuchen und daran zu arbeiten, ihn zu beenden. Dies schließt die Überprüfung unserer Praktiken und Prozesse beim IMHJ ein. Wir laden Sie ein, sich uns mit ihrer Forschung bei der bewussten, antirassistischen Arbeit anzuschließen. Als Teil dieser Bemühungen hat das IMHJ die Autor:innenrichtlinien aktualisiert. Es wurden neue Informationen darüber aufgenommen, wie Autor:innen zum Ausdruck bringen können, wie sie sich explizit für eine vielfältige, antirassistische Forschung einsetzen. Diese Richtlinien sind auf der IMHJ-Website unter dem Abschnitt Autor:innenrichtlinien zu finden (https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url = https%3A%2F%2Fonlinelibrary.wiley. com%2Fjournal%2F10970355data = 04%7C01%7C%7C04fcb2ce91b44348abfe08d9958a88dd%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637705244491301364%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000sdata = kPRKcHYbAwvFHz1JT4QOX4igY7VelpdZoRcynlhJI4w%3Dreserved = 0). Als zweite unmittelbare Reaktion bzgl. der Förderung einer vielfältigen, gerechten und inklusiven Forschung veröffentlicht das IMHJ den folgenden Aufruf zum Handeln, der Schwarzsein in den Mittelpunkt der Forschung zur psychischen Gesundheit von Säuglingen und Kleinkindern rücken will. Dieser Aufruf soll ein erster Schritt in unseren Bemühungen sein. Das IMHJ freut sich auf kommende Initiativen, die darauf abzielen, den strukturellen Rassismus in der Forschung zur psychischen Gesundheit von Säuglingen und Kleinkindern für die vielen Wissenschaftler:innen zu durchbrechen, die mit verschiedenen Bevölkerungsgruppen arbeiten, die durch Rassismus und strukturelle Ungleichheiten marginalisiert werden.行動喚起:乳幼児精神保健研究及び学術出版において、Blacknessを中心に置き、制度的人種差別を止める 乳幼児精神保健ジャーナル(IMHJ)は、学術出版において、制度的人種差別を終わりにし、多様性・公平性・包括性を促進することに全力を注ぐ。IMHJ は明確に、学術出版における制度的人種差別を含めた、あらゆる形態の人種差別と白人至上主義を非難する。我々は、IMHJでの実践と過程を調査することを含め、制度的人種差別が学術出版において常態となることを終結させるために、調査し取り組むことに全力を注ぐ。是非、あなた方も研究を通じて、意図的で反人種差別の取り組みに参加してほしい。この取り組みの一環として、IMHJは著者が意図をもって、多様性と反人種差別の研究に取り組んでいることを表現できる仕方に関する新しい情報を含めるために著者ガイドラインを更新した。これらのガイドラインは、IMHJのホームページ(https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10970355)**f__;44Gu6JGX6ICF44Ks44Kk44OJ44Op44Kk44Oz44Gu44K7!!HXCxUKc!ht5w9WS1VrQQFy9SI4HWUAtrMwPyYhW_DVUgwdRcA6WwVEqIKIONvSQ97ePUYa1R$ クションの下から入手できる。多様性、公平かつ包括的な研究の促進に関連する２番目の即時対応として、IMHJは、乳幼児精神保健の研究においてBlacknessを中心に置くことに焦点を当て、後述の行動喚起を公表している。この喚起は、我々の取り組みの第一歩としてデザインされている。そしてIMHJは、人種差別と制度的不平等によって阻害された多様な人々と共に研究し活動している多くの研究者にとって、乳幼児精神保健研究における制度的人種差別を止めることを目的とした新機軸となることを期待する。.摘 要:《婴儿心理健康杂志》致力于结束系统性种族主义, 促进学术出版的多样性、公平性和包容性。IMHJ明确谴责所有形式的种族主义和白人至上主义, 包括学术出版中的系统性种族主义。我们致力于调查并努力终止学术出版中系统性种族主义的常态化, 包括审查我们在IMHJ的做法和流程。我们邀请您通过学术研究加入我们有意识的反种族主义工作。作为这项工作的一部分, IMHJ更新了作者指南, 纳入了有关作者如何表达他们主动参与各种反种族主义研究的新信息。这些指南可在IMHJ网站的作者指南部分找到 (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10970355 )。作为促进多样性、公平性和包容性研究的第二个直接回应, IMHJ发布以下行动呼吁:重点关注婴幼儿心理健康研究中“以黑人为中心”的问题。这一呼吁是我们努力的第一步, 对于那些与因种族主义和系统性不平等而被边缘化的不同人群学习工作共事的学者来说, IMHJ期待着未来推出更多旨在消除婴幼儿心理健康研究中系统性种族主义的举措。.دعوة للعمل: تسليط الضوء على قضايا السود ووقفالعنصرية المنهجية في أبحاث الصحة النفسية للرضع والنشر الأكاديمي الملخص جريدة الصحة النفسية للأمهات والرضع ملتزمة بإنهاء العنصرية النظامية وتعزيز التنوع والمساواه والشمول في النشر الأكاديمي.وتدين الجريدة بشكل قاطع جميع أشكال العنصرية واستعلاء البيض ، بما في ذلك العنصرية الممنهجة في النشر الأكاديمي. نلتزم بالتحقيق والعمل على إنهاء الطرق التي أصبحت بها العنصرية الممنهجة من الأمور البديهية في النشر الأكاديمي ، بما في ذلك فحص ممارساتنا وعملياتنا في الجريدة. ندعوكم للانضمام إلينا في العمل الذي يستهدف مناهضة العنصرية من خلال أعمالكم البحثية. كجزء من هذا الجهد ، قامت الجريدة بتحديث إرشادات المؤلفين لتشمل معلومات جديدة تتعلق بكيفية تعبير المؤلفين عن الطرق التي يستطيعون بها أن يساهموا في بحث متنوع مناهض للعنصرية. تتوفر هذه الإرشادات ضمن قسم إرشادات المؤلف على موقع الجريدة على الانترنت. (https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10970355__;!!HXCxUKc!hyF7qF-DmF3dFfiOpsPozODIYhPA-gI6zgEstSsNmHtjzYL7TjBEIwLMRX6bxSGA$) وكاستجابة فورية ثانية فيما يتعلق بترويج البحوث المتنوعة والعادلة والشاملة ، تطلق جريدة الصحة النفسية للأطفال والرضع هذه الدعوة للعمل ، مع التوجه لتسليط الضوء على قضايا السود في أبحاث الصحة النفسية للرضع والأطفال في مرحلة الطفولة المبكرة. تم تصميم هذه الدعوة كخطوة أولى في جهودنا ، وتتطلع الجريدة إلى المبادرات القادمة التي تهدف إلى تعطيل العنصرية المنهجية في أبحاث الصحة النفسية للرضع والأطفال في مرحلة الطفولة المبكرة للعديد من الباحثين الذين يدرسون ويعملون مع مجموعات سكانية متنوعة مهمشة بسبب العنصرية وعدم المساواة المنهجية. more...

Maternal oxytocin is connected to aspects of parenting including sensitivity, warmth, positive affect, and affectionate touch. Oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) polymorphisms are associated with circulating oxytocin levels, altered brain activity, and parenting behaviors. This study aimed to replicate prior work on OXTR single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs1042778 and rs53576 in relation to maternal sensitivity, explore associations with other aspects of parenting (i.e., negative parenting), evaluate observational and self-report measures of parenting in relation to OXTR SNPs, and examine whether childhood trauma exposure moderates the relation between OXTR SNPs and parenting. Mothers (N = 100) were observed during 2 teaching interaction tasks with their 7-month-old infant, completed questionnaire and interview measures related to parenting and trauma history, and provided saliva specimens to derive OXTR genotypes. Mothers with OXTR rs1042778 TT genotypes demonstrated lower behavioral sensitivity, lower engagement, higher intrusiveness, and more frequent frightened/frightening behavior than mothers with TG or GG genotypes. Genotype interacted with childhood trauma history such that mothers who had experienced childhood trauma were more likely to demonstrate frightened/frightening behavior if they had the TT genotype on rs1042778 relative to the TG or GG genotype; however, small cell sizes for this interaction suggest replication is warranted. Contrary to expectations, mothers with the TT genotype on rs1042778 self-reported that they had less impaired bonding than mothers with TG or GG genotypes. Results are discussed with respect to prior work with oxytocin in lower versus higher risk samples, and the potential role of mothers' self-awareness in explaining discrepancies between results from observational versus self-report measures of parenting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved). more...

Fathers have a distinct and unique effect on child development, but little is known about fathering beyond White or majority White families. The current study includes African American/Black biological fathers (N = 88) and their two-year-old children. Fathers reported low incomes and high rates of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Parenting behaviors were observed in high-stress and low-stress triadic contexts. In the high-stress condition, we assessed paternal responses to children's bids after the family was reunited following a separation paradigm. In the low-stress condition, we assessed parenting behaviors during a teaching task. Fathers' social baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was obtained as an index of parasympathetic arousal. RSA moderated the association between PTSD and fathers' responsiveness (F = 6.90, p = .00, R2 = .30), with no association between PTSD and responsiveness demonstrated among fathers with the highest levels of RSA relative to the sample (effect = .04, p = .00; CI [0.02, 0.06]). RSA did not moderate the association between paternal depression and parenting behaviors (p > .05). Furthermore, responsiveness was only significantly associated with low-stress paternal teaching behaviors for fathers with lower RSA (F = 4.34, p = .01, R2 = .21; effect = -.19, p = .00; CI [0.06, 0.32]). Findings demonstrate significant relationships among RSA, PTSD, and parenting for African American/Black men in contexts of economic adversity. more...

Parenting differs in purpose and strategy according to cultural background (Brooks-Gunn & Markman, 2005; Iruka, LaForett, & Odom, 2012). The current study tests a unique latent factor score, Adaptive Parenting, that represents culturally-relevant, positive parenting behaviors: maternal coping with stress through reframing, maternal scaffolding of toddlers' learning during a low-stress task, and maternal commands during a high-stress task. Participants were Black mothers (N = 119; Mage = 27.78) and their 24- to 30-month-old toddlers. Families were part of a broader study examining family resilience among urban, low-income young children and their families. Results demonstrate that the proposed variables align on a single factor and positively predict toddlers' emotion regulation. Findings are discussed in the context of Black culturally-specific parenting processes. more...

The COVID-19 crisis can be defined as a collective trauma, which contributes to an upheaval of community connection and functioning. The current pandemic has also illuminated disparities in mental health supports. In this commentary, we highlight one community organization, located in metro Detroit, that has responded to the trauma by bolstering resources and supports for residents, many of whom are ethnoracial minorities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved). more...

Routines in the family are a potential source of resilience for at-risk children and support children's emerging emotion regulation. Meanwhile, inadequate sleep has been linked with deficits in cognitive processes to attend to environmental stimuli and with poor emotion regulation for children. The detrimental effects of poor sleep are potentially worse in low-income children. The aim of the current study was to examine the moderating role of sleep in the association between family routines and emotion regulation in toddlers in poverty. We analyzed data of 130 toddlers (24-31 months; 58% boys) from low-income, primarily African American families. Mothers completed questionnaires about child routines (Child Routines Questionnaire; CRQ; Wittig, 2005).To measure emotion regulation, toddlers completed an observed behavioral task meant to elicit frustration (Lab-TAB-Locomotor Version; Goldsmith & Rothbart, 1991). As hypothesized, adequate sleep (> 11 hr) fully moderated the association between routines and observed emotion regulation. There was no effect of routines on emotion regulation for toddlers with inadequate amounts of sleep. Analyses controlled for toddler respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) as well as maternal emotion dysregulation (the Emotional Dysregulation Scale; EDS; Westen, Muderrisoglu, Fowler, Shedler, & Koren, 1997). These results emphasize the importance of sufficient sleep in at-risk toddlers. Furthermore, the results suggest that the effectiveness of family interventions focusing on family health to increase toddler emotion regulation could be improved by incorporating sleep interventions/routines. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved). more...

Parent training programs promote positive parenting and benefit low-income children, but are rarely used. Internet-based delivery may help expand the reach of parent training programs, although feasibility among low-income populations is still unclear. We examined the feasibility of internet-based parent training, in terms of internet access/use and engagement, through two studies. In Study 1, 160 parents recruited from Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) centers completed a brief paper survey regarding internet access and use (all parents received government aid). We found high levels of access, openness, and comfort with the internet and internet-enabled devices. In Study 2, a pilot study, we assessed use of an online parenting program in a project with a sample of 89 predominately low-income parents (75% received government aid). Parents learned about a new, online parenting program (the "5-a-Day Parenting Program") and provided ratings of level of interest and program use 2-weeks and 4-weeks later. Local website traffic was also monitored. At baseline, parents were very interested in using the web-based program, and the majority of parents (69.6%) reported visiting the website at least once. However, in-depth use was rare (only 9% of parents reported frequent use of the online program). Results support the feasibility of internet-based parent training for low-income parents, as most parent were able to use the program and were interested in doing so. However, results also suggest the need to develop strategies to promote in-depth program use. more...

The current paper describes an urban university-anchored but community-based consortium of early childhood centers and community partners in a large Midwestern US city. The goal of the Consortium i... more...

This chapter addresses father presence/absence and related impacts on child developmental outcomes. The research literature has historically narrowly defined fathers’ presence in their children’s lives based on marital/residential status. However, family structure among diverse communities varies. Empirical literature indicates that fathers contribute in consistent and meaningful ways to their children’s development across residential patterns. The discussion will be contextualized within a family systems framework and derive conceptual meaning based on boundary clarity/ambiguity in families. Special consideration will be given to psychological/sociological issues impacting family separation including mental health problems, substance use, trauma, and incarceration. more...

Background The postpartum period represents a major transition in the lives of many women, a time when women are at increased risk for the emergence of psychopathology including depression and PTSD. The current study aimed to better understand the unique contributions of clinically significant postpartum depression, PTSD, and comorbid PTSD/depression on mother–infant bonding and observed maternal parenting behaviors (i.e., behavioral sensitivity, negative affect, positive affect) at 6 months postpartum. Methods Mothers ( n =164; oversampled for history of childhood maltreatment given parent study's focus on perinatal mental health in women with trauma histories) and infants participated in 6-month home visit during which dyads engaged in interactional tasks varying in level of difficulties. Mothers also reported on their childhood abuse histories, current depression/PTSD symptoms, and bonding with the infant using standardized and validated instruments. Results Mothers with clinically significant depression had the most parenting impairment (self-report and observed). Mothers with clinically significant PTSD alone (due to interpersonal trauma that occurred predominately in childhood) showed similar interactive behaviors to those who were healthy controls or trauma-exposed but resilient (i.e., no postpartum psychopathology). Childhood maltreatment in the absence of postpartum psychopathology did not infer parenting risk. Limitations Findings are limited by (1) small cell sizes per clinical group, limiting power, (2) sample size and sample demographics prohibited examination of third variables that might also impact parenting (e.g., income, education), (3) self-report of symptoms rather than use of psychiatric interviews. Conclusions Findings show that in the context of child abuse history and/or current PTSD, clinically significant maternal depression was the most salient factor during infancy that was associated with parenting impairment at this level of analysis. more...

Caregivers play an integral role in promoting children’s emotion regulation, while children’s individual physiology affects how they respond to the caregiving environment. Relatively little is known about how fathering influences toddler emotion regulation, particularly within African American and low-income communities, where risk related to the development of emotion regulation is higher. This study investigated relations among fathering, toddler parasympathetic regulation, and toddler emotion regulation in a sample of 92 families. Fathering was assessed during two interactions: engagement following a stressor during a triadic task and a dyadic play task. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (resting and reactivity) was obtained as an index of toddler parasympathetic arousal. Findings demonstrated an association between fathers’ engagement post-stressor and toddler emotion regulation. Toddler RSA moderated this association: toddlers with elevated levels of resting RSA benefitted from parenting engagement following a stressor. Fathering during play did not relate to toddler emotion regulation. The importance of fathering and physiologic contexts in early regulatory development is discussed. more...

Infant Mental Health based interventions aim to promote the healthy development of infants and toddlers through promoting healthy family functioning to foster supportive relationships between the young child and his or her important caregivers. This study examined impacts of an Infant Mental Health home-based Early Head Start (IMH-HB EHS) program on family functioning. The sample includes 152 low-income families in the Midwestern United States, expectant or parenting a child younger than 1 year of age, who were randomly assigned to receive IMH-HB EHS services (n = 75) or to a comparison condition (n = 77). Mothers who received IMH-HB EHS services reported healthier psychological and family functioning, outcomes that are consistent with the IMH focus, when their children were between the ages of 3 and 7 years of age. Specifically, mothers in the IMH-HB EHS group reported healthier family functioning and relationships, better coping skills needed to advocate for their families, and less stress in the parenting role versus those in the comparison condition. The study also examined support seeking coping, some of which changed differently over time based on program group assignment. Overall, findings suggest that the gains families achieve from participating in IMH-HB EHS services are maintained after services cease. more...

Late toddlerhood is a time of tremendous growth during which toddlers both contribute to and learn from important relationships, such as those with parents, siblings, and caregivers. Developmental growth in self-awareness and identity; the expression of emotion, language, and communication skills; emerging self-regulation skills; and budding social interests serve as the undergirding for toddlers’ burgeoning abilities to engage with and learn from the world around them. These emerging social-emotional competencies are supported by parents’ and caregivers’ practices in the context of secure relationships within family and early childcare environments. The behaviors that promote young children’s social-emotional competencies are called “emotion socialization practices.” In recent years, our understanding of how adults’ capacities to engage in emotion socialization with toddlers and young children and the effects of these practices on young children’s development have widely expanded, providing important information about how to support toddlers’ competencies. The purposes of this chapter are to outline key developmental milestones unique to social-emotional development in late toddlerhood and to examine the ways in which family and early childcare contexts and adults’ emotion socialization practices promote toddlers’ social-emotional competencies. We also examine characteristics associated with adults’ emotion socialization practices, including methods for assessing adults’ practices in the context of adult-child relationships, in order to develop effective interventions and support programs for parents, caregivers, and the toddlers for whom they care. more...

This study characterized the longitudinal evolution of HPA axis functioning from 7 to 16 months of age and identified individual and environmental factors that shape changes in HPA axis functioning over time. Participants were 167 mother–infant dyads drawn from a larger longitudinal study, recruited based on maternal history of being maltreated during childhood. Salivary cortisol levels were assessed before and after age-appropriate psychosocial stressors when infants were 7 and 16 months old. Maternal observed parenting and maternal reports of infant and environmental characteristics were obtained at 7 months and evaluated as predictors of changes in infant baseline cortisol and reactivity from 7 to 16 months. Results revealed that infants did not show a cortisol response at 7 months, but reactivity to psychosocial stress emerged by 16 months. Individual differences in cortisol baseline and reactivity levels over time were related to infant sex and maternal overcontrolling behaviors, underscoring the malleable and socially informed nature of early HPA axis functioning. Findings can inform prevention and intervention efforts to promote healthy stress regulation during infancy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 57: 356–364, 2015. more...

Research suggests that young childhood is a dynamic developmental phase during which risks to attachment figures as well as traumatic events may be particularly important. The loss and disruption associated with Hurricane Katrina highlighted the vulnerabilities and special needs of young children exposed to natural disaster. The current study explored ways in which multiple stressors associated with Hurricane Katrina contributed to adverse outcomes. We hypothesize overall decreases in trauma symptoms over time. We further hypothesize that increased attachment and hurricane related risk factors will negatively influence longitudinal symptom patterns. Data was collected from families of preschool-aged children (ages 3–5) during the school year following Hurricane Katrina (2005–2006) and each subsequent school year (2006–2007, 2007–2008, and 2008–2009). Latent growth curve modeling was used to assess trauma symptoms overtime and the effect of risk indices on these trauma symptoms. Results suggest an overall decrease in trauma distress symptoms over time and further indicate that attachment and trauma related risks of caregiver disruption, other non-human losses, trauma prior to and subsequent to the storm, as well as Katrina exposure are significant predictors of symptoms over time. Given the rapid physical, cognitive, and emotional development that occurs in early childhood, these findings support the importance of providing intervention with preschool age children post-disaster. Further, the findings also suggest that a relationship based treatment including both caregiver and child is most likely to be effective. more...

The current study examined the role of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal reactivity (a physiological indicator of stress) in early infancy as a mediator of the relationship between maternal postpartum depression and toddler behavior problems. Participants were 137 at-risk mothers and their children participating in a longitudinal study of intergenerational transmission of risk. Mothers' depression was measured five times during the infants' first 18 months. Infant cortisol was collected during a social stressor (the still-face paradigm) when infants were 6 months old, and mothers reported on toddlers' internalizing and externalizing symptoms at 18 months. Among this sample of high-risk mother-infant dyads, early postpartum depression predicted atypical infant cortisol reactivity at 6 months, which mediated the effect of maternal depression on increased toddler behavior problems. Clinical implications are discussed. more...

As part of a curriculum-development project, focus groups were implemented with Early Head Start staff and with parents of infants and toddlers enrolled in Early Head Start. Focus groups were designed to identify staff and parent beliefs about early emotional development. Three major themes were identified that crossed the staff and parent focus groups: (a) Infants' and toddlers' abilities to have emotions and to be aware of others' emotions; (b) roles of parents as advocates, teachers, and disciplinarians; and (c) parental reflectivity about their own experiences as influences on their parenting. The findings suggest that parents participating in Early Head Start have some knowledge about basic emotions and the developmental nature of emotions, but may easily misinterpret emotional displays only as attempts at manipulation rather than as valid expressions of feelings; expectations for gender-appropriate emotional expressiveness begin early; more empowered parents may view themselves as role models and teachers for their children; and more reflective parents are better prepared to engage in the sensitive interactions needed to guide young children's growing awareness of their own and others' emotions. Implications for parenting education and program planning utilizing an infant mental health perspective are discussed. more...

Le but de cette etude etait d'examiner la maniere dont le soutien parental et le sexe des enfants sont lies a la regulation de l'emotion des jeunes enfants au fil du temps chez les meres noires americaines de milieu defavorise et leurs enfants (n = 803). Les donnees pour cette etude ont ete recueillies dans le contexte d'un projet de recherche et d'evaluation du programme americain Early Head Start (le projet est appele EHSRE), un programme destine a aider les enfants americains de milieu defavorise. A partir d'un modele de courbe de croissance latente les resultats ont indique que le soutien parental predisait les capacites des jeunes enfants a reguler l'emotion, en moyenne (interceptions), et les taux de croissance du soutien parental a predit les taux de croissance dans la regulation de l'emotion au fil du temps (pente), au dela des effets du statut de risque parental initial, du sexe de l'enfant, des effets des traitements du Early Head Start, et de l'emotionalite du nourrisson. Cependant, le soutien parental au fil du temps n'a pas predit de maniere differentielle la regulation des jeunes enfants au fil du temps pour les garcons, compare aux filles. Les resultats suggerent que le soutien parental peut representer une forme subtile de socialisation de l'emotion en offrant un contexte dans lequel les jeunes enfants peuvent mieux utiliser leurs meres comme resource efficace pour la gestion des emotions. Les professionnels devraient, avec les parents, mettre l'accent sur le role des interactions parent-enfant en tant que contexte pour le developpement. Le manque de differences selon le sexe suggere que le parentage differentiel envers les garcons et les filles, evident dans les recherches avec des enfants plus âges, n'est pas encore present dans la toute jeune enfance. Le fait de reconnaitre tres tot des similarites dans le parentage quelque soit le groupe racial et d'etre sensible aux differences qui peuvent emerger plus tard permettra aux professionnels d'offrir un contexte culturellement respecteux. more...

Early childhood behavior problems may indicate risk for subsequent psychopathology (Shaw, Gilliom, Ingoldsby, & Nagin, Developmental Psychology, 39, 2003, 189). There is some evidence to suggest that boys and girls may be differentially susceptible to postpartum risk factors that predict problem behaviors in early childhood (Kochanska, Coy, & Murray, Child Development, 72, 2001, 1091; Martel, Klump, Nigg, Breedlove, & Sisk, Hormones and Behavior , 55, 2009, 465). The main aim of this study is to examine whether child sex moderates the effect of infant and maternal predictors of toddler problem behaviors in a unique sample of high-risk mother–child dyads. Analyses were based on data collected for 198 mother–child dyads (52% male offspring) followed longitudinally from birth to 18 months. Maternal and infant variables, including maternal PTSD and depression symptoms, maternal maltreatment history, observed maternal parenting quality, demographic risk, and infant negative emotionality and night waking, were used to predict toddler behavior problems. Although boys and girls displayed similar levels of total problem behaviors at 18 months overall, the specific set of infant and maternal variables that predicted toddler problems varied by child sex. The significant predictor for boys was maternal PTSD symptoms, whereas significant predictors for girls were infant negative emotionality and sleep problems. Results suggest that sex-differentiated transmission of risk can be identified as early as 18 months postpartum. These differences suggest a gender-specific biological sensitivity to maternal psychopathology, or alternatively, a gender-specific reporting bias among mothers with childhood maltreatment histories. more...

Research on fathering and the father-child relationship has made substantial progress in the most recent 15 years since the last special issue of the Infant Mental Health Journal on fathers and young children. This special issue on fathers and young children contains a series of papers exemplifying this progress, including advances in methodology-more direct assessment and more observational measures-in addition to the increasing dynamic complexity of the conceptual models used to study fathers, the diversity of fathers studied, and the growth of programs to support early father involvement. In assessing the current state of the field, special attention is given to contributions made by the papers contained in this special issue, and two critical areas for continued progress are addressed: (1) methodological and measurement development that specifically address fathers and fathering relationships and (2) cross-cultural and ecologically valid research examining the diversity of models of fathering. more...

The current study, utilizing data from the National Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project (Love et al., 2005) explored the relationship between biological father presence and emotion regulation over toddlerhood among children from low-income families. Conceptualizing biological father presence as a proxy for family role development, results are interpreted from a role development theoretical perspective. The latent growth curve model was compared based on child ethnoracial status (African American, Caucasian, Hispanic) and child gender. Consistent biological father presence was associated with toddlers’ regulatory development across toddlerhood, and this relationship was most robust among Caucasian toddlers as compared to African American toddlers. Findings for Hispanic toddlers were not significantly different from those of Caucasian or African American families. Results bolster the literature on father presence and child outcomes. Analyses address consistency in father presence as a proxy for coherent role development and define a link between consistent father presence and children's regulatory development, demonstrating ethnoracial differences which are likely attributed to the social construction of family roles. RESUMEN El presente estudio, utilizando informacion del Estudio de Investigacion y Evaluacion Nacional de “Early Head Start,” exploro las relaciones entre la presencia del padre biologico y la regulacion emotiva en cuanto a la primera infancia entre ninos de familias de bajos recursos. Al conceptualizar la presencia del padre biologico como poder en el desarrollo del rol familiar, los resultados se interpretan desde una perspectiva teorica de desarrollo del rol. Se comparo el modelo de la curva latente de crecimiento con base en la condicion etnico-racial y el genero sexual del nino(a) (blanco, afroamericano, blanco, hispano). Se asocio la consistente presencia del padre biologico con el desarrollo regulatorio del infante a traves de la primera infancia, y esta relacion fue mas fuerte entre los infantes blancos tal como se les comparo con los infantes afroamericanos. Los resultados en el caso de infantes hispanos no fueron significativamente diferentes de los resultados de familias blancas o afroamericanas. Los resultados apoyan la literatura existente sobre la presencia del padre y los resultados en el nino. Los analisis se refieren a la consistencia en cuanto a la presencia del padre como un poder para el coherente desarrollo del rol y definen una conexion entre la consistente presencia del padre y el desarrollo regulatorio del nino, demostrando diferencias raciales y etnicas que probablemente se atribuyen a la construccion de los roles familiares. RESUME Cette etude, utilisant des donnees du programme americain de l'Etude d'Evaluation et de Recherche du Programme National de Head Start (National Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Study, Head Start est un programme federal americain du Departement de la Sante et de l'Education de soutien aux enfants et familles de milieux defavorises), a explore la relation entre la presence du pere biologique et la regulation de l'emotion durant la petite enfance chez les enfants issus de familles a faibles revenus. Conceptualisant de la presence du pere biologique en tant que procuration pour le developpement du role familial, les resultats sont interpretes dans la perspective theorique du developpement de role. Le modele latent de la courbe de croissance a ete compare au status ethnoracial de l'enfant (blanc, noir americain, hispanique) et au sexe de l'enfant. La presence constante du pere biologique a ete liee au developpement regulateur des jeunes enfants au fil de la petite enfance et cette relation etait la plus robuste chez les enfants blancs compares aux enfants noirs. Les resultats pour les jeunes enfants hispaniques n’etaient pas tres differents des resultats pour les familles blanches ou noires. Les resultats soutiennent les recherches sur la presence du pere et les consequences pour l'enfant. Les analyses s’attardent sur la constance dans la presence du pere en tant que procuration du developpement d'un role coherent et definissent un lien entre la presence constante du pere et le developpement regulateur des enfants, demontrant ainsi qu’il existe des differences raciales et ethniques qui sont surement attribuees a la construction sociales des roles familiaux. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Die aktuelle Studie, die Daten aus der Studie “National Early Head Start Research and Evaluation” nutzt, untersucht bei Kindern aus Familien mit geringem Einkommen die Assoziation zwischen der Prasenz des biologischen Vaters und der Emotionsregulation uber das Kleinkindalter hinweg. Die Prasenz des biologischen Vaters wird als Proxy fur die Entwicklung von Familienrollen konzeptualisiert, die Ergebnisse werden aus einer entwicklungstheoretischen Rollenperspektive interpretiert. Das latente Wachstumskurvenmodell wurde auf Basis des ethnischen Status (Kaukasier, Afroamerikaner, Hispanoamerikaner) und des Geschlechts des Kindes verglichen. Eine konsistente Prasenz des biologischen Vaters war mit einer regulatorischen Entwicklung im Kleinkindalter assoziiert. Diese Assoziation war bei kaukasischen Kleinkindern im Vergleich zu afroamerikanischen Kleinkindern besonders robust. Die Ergebnisse fur hispanische Kleinkinder unterschieden sich nicht signifikant von denen der kaukasischen oder afroamerikanischen Familien. Die Ergebnisse starken die Literatur zur Prasenz von Vatern und damit einhergehenden Resultaten auf Seiten des Kindes. Die Analysen thematisieren die Bestandigkeit der vaterlichen Prasenz als Vertreter fur koharente Rollenentwicklung und definieren eine Verbindung zwischen konsistenter vaterlicher Prasenz und regulatorischer Entwicklung der Kinder, indem sie auf ethnische Unterschiede verweisen, die wahrscheinlich der sozialen Konstruktion von Familienrollen zugeschrieben werden konnen. ABSTRACT 抄録：この研究は、全米早期ヘッドスタート調査評価研究 the National Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Study のデータを利用して、低所得家庭の子どもたちのあいだで、生物学的な父親がいることと幼児期 toddlerhood の情緒調整 emotion regulation の関係性を調査した。生物学的な父親がいることを家族役割発達の代理 proxy として概念化し、結果は役割発達理論の視点から解釈される。潜在成長曲線モデルが、子どもの民族人種の立場（白人、アフリカ系アメリカ人、白人、ヒスパニック）と子どもの性別に基づいて比較された。生物学的父親が一貫して存在することは、幼児期にわたる幼児の調節発達に関連した。そしてこの関係性はアフリカ系アメリカ人の幼児と比較して白人の幼児に最も強かった。ヒスパニックの幼児の所見は、白人あるいはアフリカ系アメリカ人の家庭の所見と有意な違いはなかった。結果は父親の存在と子どもの発達結果についての文献を支持する。分析は、父親の存在の一貫性をまとまりのある役割発達の代理として注目し、一貫した父親の存在と子どもの調整発達との間に関連を定義し、人種－民族の違いを示した。これは家族役割の社会構造に起因するだろう。 more...

Maternal supportiveness and children’s emotion regulation are considered crucial for the development of school readiness, and enhancing both is particularly important for children from low-income families who are at higher risk for reduced school readiness. This study uses latent growth curve analysis to examine longitudinal connections between maternal supportiveness and toddler emotion regulation as predictors of children’s cognitive school readiness at age 5 and as mediators of the relation between family demographic risk and cognitive school readiness. The sample includes 1,258 mother–child dyads enrolled in the Early Head Start Research Evaluation project. Results support the hypothesized connections between initial and subsequent growth in maternal supportiveness and children’s emotion regulation with later cognitive school readiness. Children’s initial emotion regulation and growth in emotion regulation partially mediate the relation between initial maternal supportiveness and school readiness. Mat... more...

Our goal was to examine the trajectory of bonding impairment across the first 6 months postpartum in the context of maternal risk, including maternal history of childhood abuse and neglect and postpartum psychopathology, and to test the association between self-reported bonding impairment and observed positive parenting behaviors. In a sample of women with childhood abuse and neglect histories (CA+, n = 97) and a healthy control comparison group (CA−, n = 53), participants completed questionnaires related to bonding with their infants at 6 weeks, 4 months, and 6 months postpartum and psychopathology at 6 months postpartum. In addition, during a 6-month postpartum home visit, mothers and infants participated in a dyadic play interaction subsequently coded for positive parenting behaviors by blinded coders. We found that all women, independent of risk status, increased in bonding with their infant over the first 6 months postpartum; however, women with postpartum psychopathology (depression and posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]) showed consistently greater bonding impairment scores at all timepoints. Moreover, we found that, at the 6-month assessment, bonding impairment and observed parenting behaviors were significantly associated. These results highlight the adverse effects of maternal postpartum depression and PTSD on mother–infant bonding in early postpartum in women with child abuse and neglect histories. These findings also shed light on the critical need for early detection and effective treatment of postpartum mental illness in order to prevent problematic parenting and the development of disturbed mother–infant relationships. Results support the use of the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire as a tool to assess parenting quality by its demonstrated association with observed parenting behaviors. more...

This study tested the validity of an emotion-related parenting construct, indicated by six key emotion-related socialization behaviors (ERSBs) occurring in daily, developmentally salient parenting in a low-income sample of mothers ( N = 123) of toddlers, and examined the relationship between the ERSB construct and toddlers’ self-regulation. Structural equation modeling confirmed a latent emotion-related parenting construct, indicated by observed maternal warmth and supportiveness, observed emotional responsivity in the home, maternal report of mealtime socialization practices, observed maternal use of mental state language and emotion talk, and maternal report of positive self-expressivity in the family. Emotion-related parenting significantly related to toddlers’ effective coping and delay of gratification (medium effect sizes). Maternal demographic risk was negatively related to emotion-related parenting (large effect size) but positively related to toddlers’ effective coping (medium effect size); toddler age and gender were not significantly related to ERSBs. Results suggest that maternal ERSBs are cohesive in a low-income population, reflecting emotion-related parenting, and play a role in economically at-risk toddlers’ self-regulation. Implications for parenting and family support programs as well as implications for future research are discussed. more...

Early social-emotional development occurs in the context of parenting, particularly via processes such as maternal emotion socialization and parent–child interactions. Results from structural equation modeling indicated that maternal contingent responsiveness partially mediated the relationship between maternal emotion socialization of toddlers (N = 119, ages 12–36 months) and toddlers' social-emotional competence. Effect size was strongest for the direct path between maternal emotion socialization and toddler social–emotional competence. Toddler age and maternal demographic risk status (covariates) predicted toddler competence. Study results extend the previous literature on early competencies by focusing on toddlers rather than preschool-aged children and by employing a contextual model in which both low-income mothers' emotion socialization and their contingent responsiveness predicted toddlers' competencies. more...

Variation in perceptions of resources and in coping strategies among low-income parents likely influences parenting. The purposes of this study were to identify differences in parental profiles, as indicated by receipt of public assistance, perceptions of adequacy of resources, and coping strategies, and to examine these profiles relative to parenting. Results showed that perceptions of resource adequacy and coping strategies best differentiated parental profiles, whereas use of constructive coping strategies predicted cognitive stimulating parenting. Key Words: coping, low-income, parenting, perceptions of resources, public assistance, toddlers. One in six children in the United States is currently living with a family whose income falls below the Federal poverty guidelines (DeNavas-Walt, Proctor, & Mills, 2006; Gershoff, Aber, Raver, & Lennon, 2007). Living with constant financial difficulties is highly stressful for parents and, indirectly, for their children as well (Ennis, Hobfoll, & Schroder, 2000). Parents and children in low-income families often suffer from a lack of adequate material resources, including food, residential stability, and medical insurance (Gershoff et al., 2007). Lack of material resources influences children's outcomes indirectly by placing a significant toll on family functioning, thereby presenting barriers to effective parenting (McLoyd, 1998; Mistry, Lowe, Benner, & Chien, 2008). Specifically, economic disadvantage has been linked to children's poor school achievement through less than optimal early parent-child interactions (McLoyd). Outcomes within low-income groups, however, differ greatly, with some parents in poverty demonstrating very effective parenting skills and their children exhibiting positive outcomes (Amato & Fowler, 2002). Research efforts since the 1990s have focused increasingly on identifying within-group differences among low-income parents relative to parental functioning and parenting behaviors (McGroder, 2000). These efforts play an important role in understanding the contexts in which low-income parents demonstrate resilience (Chase-Lansdale, Brooks-Gunn, & Zamsky, 1994) despite the stresses associated with poverty (Bradley & Corwyn, 2002; McLoyd, 1998). The current study focused on (a) identifying profiles of low-income parents according to variations in parents' perceptions of adequacy of resources and use of coping strategies, and (b) examining the relationship between parental profiles and parents' provision of cognitive stimulating parenting. Resilience As scholars have moved toward using strengthbased models within family systems in lieu of deficit-based models (Hawley & DeHann, 1996), characteristics associated with resilience in parents have been identified. For example, within low-income populations, material and psychological resources likely buffer the impacts of poverty on parenting and child outcomes (Amato & Fowler, 2002). Relative to the known risks associated with poverty, less is known about strengths identified within low-income samples and how certain characteristics may influence optimal parenting. Under the umbrella of resilience, Belsky 's ( 1 984) model of parenting and Pearlin and colleagues' (Pearlin, Lieberman, Menaghan, & Mullen, 1981) transactional stress model both guided the current study. These models have been applied previously in examining within-group differences among impoverished parents (Milburn & D'Ercole, 1991 ; Torquati, 2002) and provide a framework for better understanding variations in parents' perceptions of their resources and their coping strategies. Belsky's model emphasizes the role of personal and psychological resources that buffer against Stressors and contribute to more optimal parenting. Pearlin and colleagues suggest that perceptions of what constitutes Stressors, and available resources to reduce Stressors, are key influences in interactional processes between the individual and the environment that predict children's developmental outcomes. … more...

The Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) field has discussed how to emphasize broader sociological contexts in family therapy practices (Hardy, 2001; Johnson, 2001; Sluzki, 2001) and education (McDowell & Shelton, 2002). As a way to bridge perceived fragmentation between MFT education and intensive clinical practice within larger sociological contexts, this article describes our experiences as five MFT therapist-interns and one clinical faculty (practicing as both therapist and supervisor) facilitating the Families in Transition (FIT) program, a community-based family reunification program offered through an accredited MFT training clinic. Qualitative action research methods (Greenwood & Levin, 2005) synthesizing feminist autoethnography (Allen & Piercy, 2005; Holman-Jones, 2005; Richardson & St. Pierre, 2005) were used to present an illustration of our struggle of knowing how to act as MFTs in the real-world context of child welfare. more...

We describe a sample of school-age children of incarcerated parents enrolled in a federally funded mentoring program. A mixed methods approach was applied to discern key themes related to caregiver incarceration. Results demonstrated a high prevalence of posttraumatic stress as well as high rates of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Descriptions of children’s stress and coping behaviors in response to the ambiguous loss associated with parental incarceration are presented. Further, implications for similar mentoring programs are discussed. more...

This article describes the results of two exploratory studies conducted in New York City that used reports of child fatality investigations conducted by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. It describes the characteristics of children who died as a result of maltreatment and the quality of the child fatality investigations, risk and safety assessments, and protective services responses. Three groups are the focus: children who died while living with families not previously referred to the public child welfare agency; children who died while living with families previously referred to the public child welfare agency; and all children in foster care. The studies found that safety and risk assessments often were not conducted appropriately when children were initially reported to child protective services and when the safety of surviving siblings was at issue; there often was insufficient attention to the elevation of risk as a result of the presence of multiple risk factors in families; and foster parents often did not receive adequate information about health conditions that posed significant risks for children in their care. This article advances practice and policy recommendations for strengthening responses to families who are at high risk and identifies future research directions. more...

OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that toddlers at highest risk for behavioral problems from the most economically vulnerable families will benefit most from maternal talk about emotions. METHODS This study included 89 toddlers and mothers from low-income families. Behavioral problems were rated at 2 time points by masters-level trained Early Head Start home visiting specialists. Maternal emotion talk was coded from a wordless book-sharing task. Coding focused on mothers' emotion bridging, which included labeling emotions, explaining the context of emotions, noting the behavioral cues of emotions, and linking emotions to toddlers' own experiences. Maternal demographic risk reflected a composite score of 5 risk factors. RESULTS A significant 3-way interaction between Time 1 toddler behavior problems, maternal emotion talk, and maternal demographic risk (p = .001) and examination of slope difference tests revealed that when maternal demographic risk was greater, more maternal emotion talk buffered associations between earlier and later behavior problems. Greater demographic risk and lower maternal emotion talk intensified Time 1 behavior problems as a predictor of Time 2 behavior problems. The model explained 54% of the variance in toddlers' Time 2 behavior problems. Analyses controlled for maternal warmth to better examine the unique contributions of emotion bridging to toddlers' behaviors. CONCLUSION Toddlers at highest risk, those with more early behavioral problems from higher demographic-risk families, benefit the most from mothers' emotion talk. Informing parents about the use of emotion talk may be a cost-effective, simple strategy to support at-risk toddlers' social-emotional development and reduce behavioral problems. more...

Our aim was to examine the rates and predictors of father attendance at nurse home visits in replication sites of the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP). Early childhood programs can facilitate father involvement in the lives of their children, but program improvements require an understanding of factors that predict father involvement. The sample consisted of 29,109 low-income, first-time mothers who received services from 694 nurses from 80 sites. We conducted mixed-model multiple regression analyses to identify population, implementation, site, and nurse influences on father attendance. Predictors of father attendance included a count of maternal visits (B = 0.12, SE = 0.01, F = 3101.77), frequent contact between parents (B = 0.61, SE = 0.02, F = 708.02), cohabitation (B = 1.41, SE = 0.07, F = 631.51), White maternal race (B = 0.77, SE = 0.06, F = 190.12), and marriage (B = 0.42, SE = 0.08, F = 30.08). Random effects for sites and nurses predicted father-visit participation (2.7 & 6.7% of the variance, respectively), even after controlling for population sociodemographic characteristics. These findings suggest that factors operating at the levels of sites and nurses influence father attendance at home visits, even after controlling for differences in populations served. Further inquiry about these influences on father visit attendance is likely to inform program-improvement efforts. more...

This study characterized the longitudinal evolution of HPA axis functioning from 7 to 16 months of age and identified individual and environmental factors that shape changes in HPA axis functioning over time. Participants were 167 mother–infant dyads drawn from a larger longitudinal study, recruited based on maternal history of being maltreated during childhood. Salivary cortisol levels were assessed before and after age-appropriate psychosocial stressors when infants were 7 and 16 months old. Maternal observed parenting and maternal reports of infant and environmental characteristics were obtained at 7 months and evaluated as predictors of changes in infant baseline cortisol and reactivity from 7 to 16 months. Results revealed that infants did not show a cortisol response at 7 months, but reactivity to psychosocial stress emerged by 16 months. Individual differences in cortisol baseline and reactivity levels over time were related to infant sex and maternal overcontrolling behaviors, underscoring the malleable and socially informed nature of early HPA axis functioning. Findings can inform prevention and intervention efforts to promote healthy stress regulation during infancy. more...

In recent years, a literature has emerged describing contributions fathers make to the development of very young children. Scholars suggest that active play may be a specific area of parenting in which fathers are primary and, further, that this type of play helps children experience intense emotions and learn to regulate them. However, this hypothesis remains largely theoretical. The current study ( N = 415) addresses this gap in fatherhood research by using a secondary analysis of data collected in the national Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project (EHSREP) Fathering Substudy (Boller et al., 2006; Love et al., 2005) to examine relations between fathers’ active play (measured at children’s 36-month birthday-related assessment) and developmental outcomes (cognitive–social and emotion regulation) at the entry to kindergarten. Findings demonstrate that regular active physical play between fathers and young children is associated with improved developmental outcomes. However, findings support a curvilinear relationship such that moderate amounts of active play are associated with better outcomes for children, but too little or too much active play is associated with worse outcomes, especially for children with more reactive temperamental qualities. Importantly, these findings are not replicated in relation to other types of parenting activities in which fathers engage, such as reading to children or engaging at mealtime, suggesting there is a special relationship between this type of play and children’s development. Furthermore, findings demonstrate that children with high emotional reactivity may benefit the most from active playtime with their fathers. These results are discussed in the context of the influence of fathering processes on child and family outcomes in low-income families. more...

The current study tests a novel latent construct reflecting psychological absence and examines its relations with maternal depression, mother–toddler interactions, and toddlers’ social-emotional outcomes in a low-income sample (N = 2,632). Structural equation modeling confirmed a psychological absence construct and revealed that psychological absence, measured at the child’s 36-month birthday-related assessment, is a significant predictor of children’s social-emotional development at 36 months, mediated by mother– child interaction. Results are interpreted within a boundary ambiguity framework. more...