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Pregnancy represents a unique time during which women’s bodies undergo significant physical changes (e.g., expanding belly, larger breasts, weight gain) that can elicit increased objectification. Experiences of objectification set the stage for women to view themselves as sexual objects (i.e., self-objectification) and is associated with adverse mental health outcomes. Although women may experience heightened self-objectification and behavioral consequences (such as body surveillance) due to the objectification of pregnant bodies in Western cultures, there are remarkably few studies examining objectification theory among women during the perinatal period. The present study investigated the impact of body surveillance, a consequence of self-objectification, on maternal mental health, mother-infant bonding, and infant socioemotional outcomes in a sample of 159 women navigating pregnancy and postpartum. Utilizing a serial mediation model, we found that mothers who endorsed higher levels of body surveillance during pregnancy reported more depressive symptoms and body dissatisfaction, which were associated with greater impairments in mother-infant bonding following childbirth and more infant socioemotional dysfunction at 1-year postpartum. Maternal prenatal depressive symptoms emerged as a unique mechanism through which body surveillance predicted bonding impairments and subsequent infant outcomes. Results highlight the critical need for early intervention efforts that not only target general depression, but also promote body functionality and acceptance over the Western “thin ideal” of attractiveness among expecting mothers.

While the literature has shown that sexually objectifying women leads to negative outcomes for the target and perceiver, measures of objectification perpetration are often adaptations of measures designed to assess targets' self-objectification or reported experiences of objectifying behaviors. In the present article, we introduce the Objectification Perpetration Scale (OPS) that assesses not only men's perpetration of objectifying behaviors directed toward women but also their objectifying cognitions and beliefs. Data from 855 men were collected across two studies. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in the first sample revealed two distinct factors and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in the second, independent sample, supported the factor structure of the newly developed 16-item OPS, including: sex-based (10 items) and appearance-based (6 items) objectification perpetration. Supporting its construct validity, scores on the OPS and the subscales were positively associated with scores on other measures of objectification perpetration, measures of sexual violence perpetration, and sexual exchange and misogynistic ideologies. The OPS contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the objectification perpetration phenomenon, including objectification that reduces women to either their sexual appeal or appearance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

OBJECTIVE Posttraumatic stress symptoms related to sexual assault have been linked to greater suicidal ideation, yet little is known about protective factors that may weaken this link and reduce thoughts of suicide in the context of posttraumatic stress. Drawing on the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions and prior research, psychological strengths associated with resilience, such as optimism and gratitude, have the potential to be associated with attenuated suicidal ideation among sexual assault survivors. METHOD We tested this possibility in a sample of 425 undergraduate women who reported unwanted sexual experiences during adolescence or adulthood. RESULTS A linear regression analysis revealed that greater sexual assault-related posttraumatic stress symptoms in the past month were associated with greater concurrent suicidal ideation. However, moderation analyses revealed the link between assault-related posttraumatic stress and suicidal ideation was attenuated for individuals higher in optimism and gratitude. Further, at the highest levels of optimism and gratitude, there was no longer a significant association between posttraumatic stress and suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS Given optimism and gratitude are modifiable strengths that individuals can develop and grow over time, these results suggest boosting optimism and gratitude may be a valuable way to attenuate thoughts of suicide in interventions for college women who have experienced sexual assault. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the current study was to examine associations between daily subjective stress and relationship satisfaction as a function of two protective factors—partner support and connection (i.e., intimacy, passion, and commitment)—among couples during pregnancy. BACKGROUND: Stress brought into the intimate relationship by each partner is often associated with relational dissatisfaction and discord, referred to as stress spillover. Although much research has focused on risk for poor relational outcomes associated with partner stress, it is equally important to focus on resilience. METHOD: We examined this phenomenon among 154 couples navigating pregnancy. Couples attended an initial laboratory session and then completed daily diary measures from home across 14 days. RESULTS: Multilevel modeling techniques revealed that higher daily subjective stress than usual was negatively associated with relationship satisfaction that day for fathers and mothers, and partner support and connection attenuated this link to a significant degree. As these protective factors increased, the strength of the negative association between daily stress and relationship satisfaction decreased for both parents. Exploratory analyses showed no significant within-person associations between daily stress and next-day relationship satisfaction at any level of support or connection. CONCLUSION: These findings add innovative components to the investigation of the spillover process, including the examination of this process among couples during pregnancy, utilization of daily diary methods to study this phenomenon on a micro-level over time, and identification of protective factors mitigating daily stress spillover.

Although posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with negative family outcomes, including parenting challenges, little is known about the biological and emotional processes that might underlie this association. The present project addressed this gap by examining associations between maternal PTSD and parenting behaviors in a lab setting. We expected that PTSD would be associated with more ineffective parenting behaviors and that negative emotion and cortisol reactivity would mediate this relation. A total of 78 mothers and their toddler-aged children completed a task designed to elicit parental responses to typical instances of child misbehavior. Salivary cortisol was collected from mothers prior and subsequent to the lab paradigm and mothers provided ratings of their experienced emotion while viewing a video of the interaction. Contrary to hypotheses, cortisol reactivity did not mediate associations between PTSD and parenting. However, findings suggest that PTSD is associated with greater permissive parenting behaviors, and mothers with even subthreshold symptoms of PTSD may experience more negative emotion during challenging parent-child interactions that ultimately interferes with parenting. Mothers with PTSD may benefit from interventions that focus on modifying the intensity of their negative emotions in the context of child misbehavior to more effectively set limits in everyday discipline encounters. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Despite findings demonstrating the importance of parental present-centered awareness, factors undermining mindful parenting have received less attention. Increasingly, evidence points to parental psychopathology as a salient risk factor for parenting difficulties. Thus, the goal of the present study was to investigate specific dimensions of parental trauma-related distress and general negative affectivity during pregnancy as predictors of mindful parenting during toddler age. Parental psychopathology, parent–infant bonding, and mindful parenting were assessed in a sample of heterosexual couples (N = 159) across four waves of data collection spanning pregnancy to child age two. Data were analyzed using path analysis within a dyadic framework. Results demonstrated the unique impact of maternal trauma-related distress during pregnancy (e.g., intrusions and avoidance) on facets of mindful parenting more than two years later. Further, among both mothers and fathers, general negative affectivity common across internalizing disorders undermined mindful parenting through impaired parent–infant bonding. Findings highlight the need for early intervention efforts that incorporate mindfulness strategies to reduce subthreshold symptoms of prenatal psychopathology, promote healthy bonding, and improve parental awareness and self-regulation, thereby enhancing the overall parent–child relationship.

The present study aimed to characterize the immediate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on families with preschool age children and to identify pre-pandemic factors that explained unique family experiences. We leveraged an ongoing longitudinal study of relatively well-resourced community families who had reported on family functioning prior to the pandemic and completed surveys 6 months after pandemic onset. Both parents of dual parenting households endorsed significant hardships as a direct result of the pandemic (e.g., disrupted family routines, challenges at work); however, families also reported aspects of flourishing (i.e., experiencing positive outcomes in response to adversity) such as spending more time together as a family. Families were prone to greater hardships and fewer opportunities for growth to the extent that parents were lower in psychological resources (i.e., greater stress and internalizing symptoms, poor well-being) and were not on the same page as a couple (i.e., interparental discord, low quality coparenting) prior to pandemic onset. Finally, greater pandemic hardships predicted poorer parental mental health, greater family dysfunction, and elevated child psychopathology, controlling for pre-pandemic levels. Parents who reported more family flourishing from the pandemic had a stronger interparental relationship. Results are intended to inform theories of family stress and family interventions that can be tailored to promote resiliency (i.e., adaptation to challenging life events) and prevent dysfunction when families face rapid change and adjustment and high degrees of uncertainty and stress.

Trauma bij de moeder wordt vaak in verband gebracht met opvoedingsproblemen, zoals overmatige strengheid of juist overmatig permissief gedrag. Er is echter weinig bekend over de mechanismen die hierachter schuilgaan. In deze studie is onderzoek gedaan naar de mogelijke invloed van posttraumatische stressstoornis (PTSS) en emotieregulatie op disfunctioneel opvoedingsgedrag van moeders. De hypothese gaat uit van een mediatiemodel waarin PTSS en disfunctioneel ouderschap (zowel permissief als overreactief opvoedingsgedrag) indirect met elkaar in verband staan via een gebrekkige emotieregulatie (emotionele disregulatie) bij de moeder. De deelnemers aan het onderzoek, 78 moeders van kinderen tussen de 1,5 en 3 jaar, zijn getest op basis van de CAPS‑5 (Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5). Van deze moeders voldeden er 19 aan de criteria voor PTSS. Verder zijn er meetinstrumenten voor zelfrapportage gebruikt, waarin de moeders aangeven in hoeverre zij problemen ervaren in emotieregulatie, permissief gedrag en overreactief ouderschap. De resultaten wijzen uit dat het verband tussen PTSS en permissief gedrag (maar niet tussen PTSS en overreactief gedrag) volledig wordt gemedieerd door emotionele disregulatie. Vergeleken met de andere moeders blijken de moeders met PTSS indirect, via emotionele disregulatie, een grotere mate van permissief ouderschap te rapporteren. Mogelijk hebben moeders met PTSS moeite met assertief opvoeden wanneer de traumasymptomen hun vermogen tot emotieregulatie verstoren. Dit onderzoek benadrukt de noodzaak om interventies te ontwikkelen die getraumatiseerde moeders leren omgaan met hun negatieve gevoelens, zodat ze in staat zijn hun kinderen beter en effectiever op te voeden.

Purpose The negative impact of stress on the mental health of perinatal women is well-established. Prior research using data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) confirms three distinct stress domains: financial, relationship, and trauma. In 2013, an item assessing perceived racial discrimination was added to the Iowa PRAMS. Using the first phase of available data, we examine whether perceived racial discrimination represents an independent stress domain and assess its association with postpartum depressed mood. Methods A principal component analysis of the Iowa PRAMS data (2013–2015: N = 2,805) evaluated stress and perceived racial discrimination. Logistic regression examined the effect of racial discrimination on postpartum depressed mood. Results In Iowa, 4.4% of respondents perceived racial discrimination, with higher rates among non-Hispanic Black women and Hispanic women. The principal component analysis identified five stress domains: financial, relational, traumatic, emotional, and displacement. Perceived racial discrimination did not load onto any of these domains, suggesting that it represents an independent stress component. Logistic regression indicated that those who experienced perceived racial discrimination were twice as likely to have experienced depressed mood. Conclusions Racism, in the form of perceived racial discrimination among pregnant women, is a unique domain of stress that is significantly associated with an increased risk for depressed postpartum mood. Decreasing discrimination's effects on perinatal mental health could begin with ensuring respectful and compassionate health care during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Recent work indicates that a general factor, often referred to as the p-factor, underlies nearly all forms of psychopathology. Although the criterion validity and utility of this general factor has been well supported, questions remain about the substantive meaning of the p-factor. The purpose of the present longitudinal study was to empirically test the hypothesis that the p-factor reflects dysregulation arising from a combination of high dispositional negative emotionality and low executive control. The current study examined preschool executive control, measured using a battery of nine developmentally appropriate executive control tasks, as a moderator of the association between preschool negative emotionality and both concurrent and subsequent levels of general psychopathology in preschool and elementary school using a community sample (N= 497). Latent moderated structural equation models demonstrated that preschool executive control significantly moderated the associations between preschool negative emotionality and general psychopathology both in preschool and approximately five years later in elementary school. These results suggest that the general factor of psychopathology may reflect dysregulation arising from a tendency to experience high negative affect, without sufficient executive control to effectively down-regulate that affect. This work has important implications for identifying transdiagnostic targets for prevention and intervention efforts, as well as furthering understanding of the substantive meaning and construct validity of the general factor of psychopathology.

Women’s bodies are frequent sites of stigmatization. The internalization of negative attitudes toward the body can have negative implications for women’s sexual wellbeing. In the current study, we examined the relationships between young women’s internalization of body stigma—including body shape, genitals, and menstrual periods—and sexual satisfaction. Additionally, we tested two mechanisms that may mediate the relationship between body attitudes and sexual satisfaction: dehumanization (i.e., feelings of a loss of autonomy and subjectivity) and communication with a sexual partner (e.g., expressing needs and desires). We collected and analyzed survey data from 569 undergraduate women. We tested serial mediation models, such that more negative body attitudes would predict greater feelings of dehumanization, and more dehumanization would predict less comfort communicating with a sexual partner, and less comfort communicating would then predict decreased sexual satisfaction. We found support for serial mediation, which suggests that the links between body attitudes and sexual satisfaction may be partially explained by feelings of dehumanization and communication with a sexual partner. Our findings identify opportunities for intervention in practice and policy, and further clarify the ways that sociocultural stigma surrounding women’s bodies extends beyond the body—affecting women’s feelings of power, relationships, and sexual lives. Online slides for instructors who want to use this article for teaching are available on PWQ's website at http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/10.1177/0361684321994295

Objective: The present study examined the protective role of partner support in reducing daily experiential avoidance (EA) associated with trauma symptoms in a sample of 154 couples during pregnancy. Background: Although psychological distress during pregnancy may hinder the developing bond between parents and infants after birth, high quality intimate partner support has the potential to enhance psychological wellbeing during pregnancy, particularly in the context of trauma. Specifically, partner support might mitigate the impact of trauma symptoms on maladaptive coping strategies such as EA by enabling individuals to safely encounter their distress. Method: Participants completed a semi-structured clinical interview of support and a PTSD symptom inventory, followed by home surveys of EA over 14 days. We examined growth trajectories of EA over 14 days using latent trajectory modeling within a dyadic framework. Results: Trauma symptom severity was associated with higher levels of EA across the 2 weeks; however, among women, the impact of trauma symptoms on EA was no longer significant when support from a partner was above average quality or higher. Findings also revealed partner effects; to the extent that women reported higher levels of trauma symptoms, their partners had higher levels of EA. Conclusion: Findings highlight the protective role of high quality support from intimate partners and suggest that trauma-related interventions targeting partner support processes, especially those implemented during pregnancy, might enhance recovery and prevent further distress and dysfunction among pregnant women experiencing trauma symptoms.

Existing research suggests that childbirth may be a significant trigger of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). The current study examined whether subjective birthing experiences and objective childbirth characteristics mediated the association between predisposing psychosocial factors measured during pregnancy (e.g., fear of childbirth, history of trauma, and social support) and PTSS during the postpartum period. Women were recruited during pregnancy from a large Midwestern hospital. Symptoms of posttraumatic stress, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and depression, as well as PTSS-related risk factors, including social support, lifetime trauma exposure, fear of childbirth, subjective perceptions, and objective characteristics of childbirth, were measured during pregnancy and 4, 8, and 12 weeks postpartum. A path model revealed that subjective perceptions of childbirth mediated the association between fear of childbirth and PTSS at 4 weeks postpartum. Objective childbirth characteristics mediated the association between fear of childbirth and PTSS at 8 weeks postpartum, and there was a direct association between fear of childbirth and PTSS. Subjective perceptions of childbirth also mediated the effect of fear of childbirth on PTSS at 4 weeks postpartum when controlling for OCD symptoms. Further, the direct effect of fear of childbirth on PTSS at 8 weeks postpartum remained significant when controlling for OCD symptoms. The current study emphasizes the importance of fear of childbirth and subjective and objective birthing experiences in predicting postpartum psychopathology. Future research should examine these models in diverse and at-risk samples. Valid assessments and effective interventions for perinatal PTSS should be explored.

Victims of sexual assault often disclose their victimization experiences to friends and family members in the hope of gaining support. However, a number of factors may influence the manner in which these confidants respond to the disclosure (e.g., severity of the victim’s assault). The purpose of this study was to examine the role of two unique factors—the disclosure recipient’s sexual victimization history and endorsement of rape myths—in predicting responses to disclosure. Participants were 114 undergraduate students who indicated that a close friend or family member had previously disclosed a sexual victimization experience to them. The participants’ responses to that disclosure, personal sexual victimization history, and rape myth attitudes were assessed via a self-report. Results indicated that a history of victimization predicted increased emotionally supportive responses to disclosure. Lower rape myth acceptance predicted increased supportive responses (i.e., emotionally supporting the victim and aiding the victim) and decreased unsupportive responses (i.e., treating the victim differently after the abuse, distracting the victim from the abuse, and blaming the victim). These results have implications for prevention efforts and those working with sexual assault survivors.

Interpersonal objectification shapes women’s sense of self, increasing self-objectification. While objectification is theorized to occur with consequences for self-objectification in romantic relat...

Consistent with objectification theory, the primary goal of the present study was to investigate the role of perceived humanization from one’s intimate partner as a predictor of depression (i.e., symptom severity), eating disorders (i.e., body dissatisfaction), and sexual dysfunction (i.e., dissatisfaction with quality of the sexual relationship) during pregnancy through decreased self-objectification. We tested our hypotheses within a dyadic framework, considering the respective contributions of humanization perceived by each partner to self-objectification and well-being in 159 U.S. heterosexual couples. Results converged with research linking partner humanization to lower levels of self-objectification in women. Further, feeling humanized by one’s partner also decreased self-objectification in men. Subsequently, lower levels of self-objectification were associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms and body dissatisfaction for both men and women and higher levels of sexual satisfaction for women. Our study also revealed the complex role of self-objectification in couple relationships: Less self-objectification by women, related to humanization from one’s partner, was associated with fewer depressive symptoms reported by their partners, but less self-objectification by men was, paradoxically, associated with more depressive symptoms reported by their partners. Results have implications for practitioners implementing couple and family interventions with pregnant women and their partners.

Sexual objectification is a subtle manifestation of sexist discrimination and violence against women that involves seeing and treating women as sex objects of male sexual desire. The primary aim of this research was to connect sexual objectification experiences with heterosexual intimate partner violence. This set of studies examined the impact of sexual objectification on intimate partner violence for both the female victim (Study 1) and the male perpetrator (Study 2). Female (Study 1) and male (Study 2) participants were asked to rate the extent they are victims or perpetrators of sexual objectification experiences and intimate partner violence. Moreover, women’s self-silencing and men’s ascriptions of humanity and empathy (through empathic concern and perspective taking) toward their partner was assessed. The results of the first study (including 154 heterosexual women) showed that general sexual objectification victimization indirectly leads to higher psychological and physical violence through the internalization of self-silence schemas. The second study (including 165 heterosexual men) demonstrated a link between general sexual objectification perpetration and psychological and physical intimate partner violence. Moreover, the relation between men’s perpetration of objectification and intimate partner violence was mediated by ascriptions of humanity and empathic concern toward their female partner (but not through perspective taking toward her). Results of both studies demonstrate the effect of sexual objectification (as target or perpetrator) on global intimate partner violence and explain the different psychological mechanisms through which it takes place depending on the gendered perspective. Theoretical implications and practical considerations for interventions on intimate partner violence are discussed.

Emerging research suggests that trait neuroticism is associated with enhanced attention to and perception of negative emotional stimuli, increasing the risk for multiple forms of psychopathology including depression and anxiety. However, modifiable factors such as certain forms of emotion regulation have the potential to weaken this association. In a large sample (N = 1252), we investigated the link between neuroticism and valence bias in response to stimuli that have the potential for both positive and negative interpretations and examined the moderating role of interpersonal emotion regulation. Primary tests of hypotheses demonstrated that increased neuroticism was associated with a more negative valence bias in response to ambiguity, but only for individuals who are less likely to rely on interpersonal resources to regulate negative affect. Supplemental analyses suggest that this moderation effect of interpersonal emotion regulation might depend on the nature of the stimuli, and that regulation of positive emotions—not just negative affect—can also contribute to a less negative valence bias. Taken together, results suggest that individuals who are high in neuroticism, but consistently rely on interpersonal relationships to regulate their emotions, are better able to override the bias toward negativity that can occur when appraising ambiguity.

Sexual objectification (i.e., reducing a person to their appearance, body, or sex appeal and functions) is a significant risk factor for negative health outcomes. In the present investigation, we examined multiple manifestations of objectification (i.e., objectification of others, objectification of self, and objectification by others) in an interpersonal context. We merged objectification theory with attachment theory, one of the most prominent theories of close relationships, and propose that sexual objectification can shed light on attachment processes (and vice versa). To bolster this conceptual overlap, we tested this novel, integrated framework across two independent samples of women and men including (a) a sample of 813 undergraduate students—both partnered and single—who completed self-report questionnaires of attachment security and multiple forms of objectification and (b) a sample of 159 committed couples navigating pregnancy who were observed during naturalistic interactions to assess attachment security and completed self-report questionnaires of attachment security and objectification (including partner objectification). Results from both studies demonstrate the utility of our proposed conceptual framework linking attachment insecurity to increased risk for both enacting and experiencing objectification. The most compelling evidence emerged for (a) a link between attachment anxiety and self-objectification with moderate effect sizes across both samples, and (b) an association between a less secure base within the couple relationship during pregnancy and feeling more objectified by one's partner as well as less humanized (i.e., feeling that your partner values you more for your physical attributes and less for your non-physical attributes). Additional online materials for this article are available on PWQ's website at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/10.1177/03616843231165476 .

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) has serious consequences, particularly during high-risk periods such as pregnancy, which poses a significant risk to maternal mental health. However, it is unclear whether IPV presents a broad risk for psychopathology or is specific to distinct diagnoses or symptom dimensions (e.g., panic, social anxiety). Further, the relative impact of physical versus psychological aggression remains unclear. Methods: One hundred and fifty-nine pregnant couples completed surveys assessing psychological and physical intimate partner aggression unfolding in the couple relationship, as well as a range of internalizing symptoms. Results: Psychological and physical aggression were each associated with broad negative affectivity, which underlies mood and anxiety disorders; however, only psychological aggression demonstrated a unique association. Further, for pregnant women, aggression was uniquely associated with several symptom dimensions characteristic of PTSD. In contrast, men demonstrated a relatively heterogeneous symptom presentation in relation to aggression. Conclusion: The present study identifies unique symptom manifestations associated with IPV for couples navigating pregnancy and suggests psychological aggression can be more detrimental to mental health than physical aggression. To promote maternal perinatal mental health, clinicians should screen for covert forms of psychological aggression during pregnancy (e.g., raised voices, insults), trauma-related distress, and symptom elevations in women and their partners.

The primary goal of the present study was to systematically investigate the role of intimate partner support in alcohol use and to examine whether partner support serves a maladaptive function among individuals with a history of alcohol dependence. This goal was pursued in a sample of low-income outpatients because of increased risk for chronic stress and alcohol use disorders among this population. We implemented a comprehensive, multi-method assessment of partner support and ecological momentary assessments of alcohol use over 14 consecutive days. Results demonstrate the potential “dark side” of helping behaviors that has been proposed in recent literature. Specifically, in a sample of low-income outpatients, we found that receiving more frequent and higher quality support from one’s partner put individuals meeting criteria for alcohol dependence at greater risk for consuming alcohol. Findings converge with research suggesting that helping behaviors might function to enable maladaptive coping mechanisms in the context of alcohol use disorders.

PURPOSE: Maternal trauma has been linked with problematic parenting, including both harsh and permissive behaviors. However, little is known about mechanisms accounting for this association. The current study examined the potential impact of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and emotion regulation on dysfunctional parenting behaviors in a sample of community mothers. We hypothesized a mediation model wherein PTSD would be associated with dysfunctional parenting (i.e., lax and overreactive behaviors) indirectly through deficits in maternal emotion regulation. METHOD: Seventy-eight community mothers of 18- to 36-month-old children were administered the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) and 19 mothers met criteria for PTSD. Mothers also completed self-report measures of difficulties with emotion regulation and maternal laxness and overreactivity in parenting. RESULTS: Results revealed that emotion dysregulation fully mediated relations between PTSD status and lax (but not overreactive) parenting behaviors. Compared to mothers without PTSD, those with PTSD reported greater lax parenting behaviors indirectly through greater emotion dysregulation. CONCLUSIONS: Mothers with PTSD may struggle to parent assertively when trauma symptoms interfere with emotion regulation abilities. The current study highlights the need to design interventions focused on helping trauma-exposed mothers manage distress, ultimately aiming to enhance parenting effectiveness and improve child outcomes.

Feminist scholars have called for gender researchers to consider gene-environment interactions for gender-imbalanced disorders (Salk and Hyde Psychology of Women Quarterly, 36, 395–411, 2012). Responding to these calls, the present study integrates objectification theory (Fredrickson and Roberts Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21, 173–206, 1997) and genetic research. In the tested model, objectification experiences are associated with disordered eating through body surveillance and body shame, and serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) genotypes (5-HTTLPR and rs25531), serotonin 2A receptor SNP genotypes (HTR2A rs6311), and the epistatic interaction between those genotypes function as moderators. U.S. undergraduate women (n = 526) completed self-reports of objectification, body surveillance, body shame, and disordered eating and donated buccal cells for genetic analyses. The association between objectification and disordered eating was mediated by body shame, but not body surveillance. The paths from objectification to both body surveillance and body shame were moderated by genotypes. The indirect effect of objectification on disordered eating through body shame was only present for SLC6A4 L′ and rs6311 G homozygotes. Our results are consistent with previous evidence that serotonin system genetic variation is associated with disordered eating risk. They provide evidence of a non-deterministic genetic effect that is context-dependent and subtle. These findings also reinforce efforts to develop personalized prevention and treatment approaches for eating disorders.

Millions of couples navigate the transition from pregnancy to postpartum in a given year, and this period of change and adjustment in the family is associated with elevated risk for intimate relationship dysfunction. Self-compassion has the potential to promote skills that are essential for healthy adaptation (e.g., emotion regulation, greater openness and flexibility, and more awareness of the needs of oneself and one's partner). The overarching goal of the present study was to investigate the role of self-compassion in intimate relationship quality during pregnancy. A sample of 159 couples completed semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. Parents engaging in more compassionate self-responding during pregnancy have higher-quality intimate relationships as measured across multiple facets-the degree of emotional intimacy and closeness in the relationship, adaptive conflict management and resolution, high-quality support in response to stress, and a high degree of respect and acceptance directed toward each other. Furthermore, compassionate self-responding emerged as a mediator of the link between attachment security and intimate relationship quality. Specifically, mothers who were higher in attachment anxiety reported lower levels of compassionate self-responding, which in turn undermined multiple dimensions of the intimate relationship. Furthermore, fathers who were higher in attachment avoidance practiced less self-compassion, which have deleterious consequences for the couple. These results provide implications that can inform conceptual frameworks of intimate relationship quality and clinical implications for interventions targeting the transition into parenthood.Millones de parejas pasan por la transición del embarazo al posparto cada año, y este periodo de cambio y adaptación en la familia está asociado con un riesgo elevado de disfunción en las relaciones amorosas. La autocompasión puede promover habilidades que son fundamentales para una adaptación saludable (p. ej.: regulación emocional, mayor apertura y flexibilidad, mejor conocimiento de las necesidades propias y de las del otro integrante de la pareja). El objetivo general del presente estudio fue investigar el papel que desempeña la autocompasión en la calidad de las relaciones amorosas durante el embarazo. Una muestra de 159 parejas contestó entrevistas y cuestionarios semiestructurados. Los padres con más autorrespuestas compasivas durante el embarazo tuvieron relaciones amorosas de mejor calidad según la evaluación de diferentes aspectos: el grado de intimidad emocional y cercanía en la relación, la gestión adaptativa de conflictos y la resolución de los mismos, el apoyo de alta calidad en respuesta al estrés y un alto grado de respeto y aceptación mutuos. Además, la autorrespuesta compasiva surgió como mediadora del vínculo entre la seguridad del apego y la calidad de las relaciones amorosas. Específicamente, las madres que tuvieron una mayor ansiedad en el apego informaron niveles más bajos de autorrespuesta compasiva, lo cual, a su vez, debilitó varios aspectos de la relación amorosa. Además, los padres que tuvieron una mayor evitación en el apego practicaron menos autocompasión, lo cual tuvo consecuencias perjudiciales para la pareja. Estos resultados tienen implicancias que pueden orientar los marcos conceptuales de la calidad de las relaciones amorosas y consecuencias clínicas para las intervenciones dirigidas a la transición a la paternidad.数百万对夫妇在特定的一年里, 从怀孕过渡到产后, 这一时期家庭的变化和调整与亲密关系功能障碍的风险升高有关。自我同情有潜力促进健康适应所必需的技能(例如, 情绪调节、更开放和更灵活、更了解自己和伴侣的需求)。本研究的总体目标是探讨自我同情在怀孕期间亲密关系质量中的作用。159对夫妇完成了半结构化访谈和问卷调查。在怀孕期间有更多同情心的自我反应的父母有更高质量的亲密关系, 这是从多个方面衡量的--情感亲密和亲密的程度在关系中, 适应性冲突管理和解决, 高质量的支持应对压力, 以及对彼此高度的尊重和接纳。此外, 富有同情心的自我反应成为依恋安全性和亲密关系质量之间关系的中介。具体来说, 依恋焦虑程度较高的母亲报告了同情心自我反应水平较低, 这反过来又破坏了亲密关系的多个维度。此外, 逃避依恋程度较高的父亲, 较少进行自我同情, 这对伴侣有不利的影响。这些结果为亲密关系质量的概念框架和针对向父母身份过渡的干预措施的临床意义提供了依据。.

Objective: Women who have experienced trauma report high rates of heavy episodic drinking (HED) and sleep problems. Prior work suggests that poor sleep exacerbates heavy alcohol use; however, potential mechanisms for this association are unclear. Consistent with the self-medication model, one possibility may be that women with a history of trauma are drinking at increased rates in order to cope with the affective consequences of poor sleep. To examine this possibility, the current study tested the role of drinking to cope motives as a mediator of prospective associations between sleep problems and HED among women who have experienced trauma. Method: Community women reporting a history of trauma (N = 414, Mage = 21.8, 59.9% White, 36.2% Black) completed self-report measures at baseline and 4 month and 8 month follow-ups. Measures of trauma exposure (Life Events Checklist [LEC]) and sleep problems (Cohen-Hoberman Inventory of Physical Symptoms-Revised [CHIPS-R]) were taken from baseline, drinking motives (Revised Drinking Motives Questionnaire) at 4 months, and HED at 8 months. Results: Findings supported an indirect association between sleep problems and later HED through increased drinking to cope motives (b = .05, 95% CI [.018, .108], β = .05). Conclusion: As hypothesized, drinking to cope accounted for associations between sleep problems and later HED. Findings underscore the potential value in addressing drinking to cope motives as a means of reducing HED, particularly among women with a history of trauma who are sleeping poorly. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Sleep is a critical health behavior with important implications for child development. This chapter discusses the effects of sleep problems on early child executive functioning (EF), with an emphasis on individual differences that might moderate this relationship. Specifically, we (1) provide a brief background on sleep and EF in early childhood; (2) review literature on the association between sleep and EF; (3) review literature on individual differences in the effects of sleep problems on EF; (4) offer recommendations for future research on moderators of the sleep-EF association, and (5) briefly describe an ongoing study examining the moderators of the sleep-EF association within a longitudinal study from pregnancy to preschool.

Sleep is a critical health behavior with important implications for child development. This chapter discusses the effects of sleep problems on early child executive functioning (EF), with an emphasis on individual differences that might moderate this relationship. Specifically, we (1) provide a brief background on sleep and EF in early childhood; (2) review literature on the association between sleep and EF; (3) review literature on individual differences in the effects of sleep problems on EF; (4) offer recommendations for future research on moderators of the sleep-EF association, and (5) briefly describe an ongoing study examining the moderators of the sleep-EF association within a longitudinal study from pregnancy to preschool.

Background Home visitation is a popular mechanism for supporting parents and their young children. Breastfeeding is often promoted by home visitors due to its health benefits. However, maternal depression may interfere with breastfeeding. Thus, home visitors may be attempting to encourage health-promoting behaviors like breastfeeding, but maternal depression may interfere with engagement in those behaviors. Method The data for this study were provided by the Des Moines Healthy Start and the Empowerment Family Support Project (DMHSP). We analyzed the relation between depression and breastfeeding for 364 women. Results First, rates of elevated depression scores in this sample of women (8.7%-21.4% of women) were lower than rates of elevated depression scores reported in other studies of women enrolled in home visitation (30%–50% of women). Second, rates of breastfeeding at 3 months postpartum in this sample (56% of women) were higher than rates of breastfeeding reported in the general population (51% of women). Third, Non-Hispanic White women were significantly less likely to breastfeed compared to other racial groups. Fourth, average Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores during the first 3 months postpartum, but not during pregnancy, were predictive of likelihood to breastfeed at 3 months postpartum, even after accounting for demographic characteristics. Conclusion Addressing maternal depression during the early postpartum period may increase the likelihood of engaging in breastfeeding.

To evaluate how sexual pain influences changes in sexual frequency from the pregnancy to postpartum transition, and to examine how couple’s sexual communication interacts with sexual pain during pregnancy. We explored data following 159 mixed-sex couples across the transition from pregnancy to 6 months postpartum. Couples completed the Relationship Quality Interview and the Marital Satisfaction Inventory-Revised, which assessed their sexual communication, pain and other sexual problems during pregnancy, and frequency of intercourse at pregnancy and postpartum. Overall, couples reported a decline in sexual activity from pregnancy to postpartum. Women’s sexual pain during pregnancy influenced changes in sexual frequency only among couples who reported poorer communication about sex. Among couples reporting sexual pain and good communication, pain did not impact changes in sexual frequency (i.e. they experienced significant declines in sexual activity into the postpartum period, as expected). In contrast, among couples with poor communication, sexual frequency did not significantly decline. Our findings suggest that sexual communication alters the effects of sexual pain on postpartum sexual activity. Future research should examine if sexual communication training during pregnancy improves postpartum sexual wellbeing.

Research demonstrates the central role of mother-child relationships in child socioemotional development; however, families are complex systems and the unique roles of multiple family subsystems in early infant development have received less attention. In the present study, we investigated the role of multiple family relationships (interparental, mother-infant, father-infant), during pregnancy and the first month after childbirth, in infant socioemotional functioning at 6 months. We administered semi-structured interviews during pregnancy to assess multiple qualities of the interparental relationship. At 1 month postpartum, parents completed reports about their feelings and attitudes toward their infant to assess impaired bonding. At 6 months, parents provided reports of child socioemotional functioning. Both mother-infant and father-infant impaired bonding were uniquely associated with infant socioemotional impairment, controlling for prenatal interparental relationship quality. Additionally, multiple dimensions of the interparental relationship (i.e., poor-quality conflict management, inadequate support for fathers, and low levels of respect toward mothers) were associated with infant socioemotional impairment controlling for parent-infant bonding. Results also demonstrated an indirect pathway, such that poor sexual quality during pregnancy was associated with fathers (but not mothers) reporting more impaired bonding with their infants, which was linked to greater infant socioemotional impairment. Results highlight the importance of understanding the broad family environment, prior to and immediately following the birth of the child, to identify at-risk children at the earliest possible stages of intervention.Las investigaciones demuestran el papel fundamental que desempeñan las relaciones entre madre e hijo en el desarrollo socioemocional del niño; sin embargo, las familias son sistemas complejos, y los papeles únicos que desempeñan los múltiples subsistemas familiares en el desarrollo temprano del bebé han recibido menos atención. En el presente estudio, investigamos el papel que desempeñan varias relaciones familiares (interparentales, mamá-bebé, papá-bebé) durante el embarazo y el primer mes después del parto en el funcionamiento socioemocional a los 6 meses. Administramos entrevistas semiestructuradas durante el embarazo para evaluar varias cualidades de la relación interparental. Un mes después del parto, los padres realizaron informes acerca de sus sentimientos y actitudes hacia su bebé para evaluar deficiencias en el vínculo. A los 6 meses, los padres proporcionaron informes del funcionamiento socioemocional del niño. Los vínculos deficientes tanto entre la madre y el bebé como entre el padre y el bebé estuvieron asociados exclusivamente con una deficiencia socioemocional del bebé, teniendo en cuenta la calidad de la relación interparental prenatal. Además, varias dimensiones de la relación interparental (p. ej.: la mala calidad de la gestión de conflictos, el apoyo inadecuado para los papás y los niveles bajos de respeto hacia las mamás) estuvieron asociadas con una deficiencia socioemocional del bebé teniendo en cuenta el vínculo entre los padres y los bebés. Los resultados también demostraron una vía indirecta, por ejemplo, que la mala calidad de vida sexual durante el embarazo estuvo asociada con el informe de los padres (pero no de las madres) de un vínculo más deficiente con sus bebés, el cual estuvo ligado a una mayor deficiencia socioemocional del bebé. Los resultados destacan la importancia de comprender el entorno familiar amplio antes e inmediatamente después del nacimiento del niño a fin de identificar niños en riesgo lo antes posible en las etapas de la intervención.研究证明了母子关系在儿童社会情感发展中的中心作用; 然而，家庭是一个复杂的系统，多个家庭子系统在幼儿早期发育中的独特作用却没有得到足够的重视。在本研究中，我们调查了多种家庭关系(父母间、母亲-婴儿、父亲-婴儿)在怀孕期间和分娩后的第一个月，以及在婴儿6个月的社会情感功能中的作用。我们对父母在怀孕期间进行半结构化访谈，以评估父母间关系的多重品质。在产后1个月，父母完成关于他们对婴儿的感觉和态度的报告，以评估受损的关系。在6个月大时，父母提供关于孩子社会情感功能的报告。在控制产前父母关系质量的前提下，母子关系和父婴关系受损与婴儿社会情感受损有着独特的联系。此外，父母间关系的多个维度(即如冲突管理质量差、对父亲的支持不足、对母亲的尊重程度低)与婴儿社会情感障碍有关，控制了亲子关系。研究结果还显示了一种间接的途径，例如，婴儿更大的社会情感障碍和父母性生活质量有关，怀孕期间不良的性生活质量与父亲(而不是母亲)报告的与婴儿的关系更糟糕有关。结果强调了在孩子出生之前和之后立即了解核心家庭所在的大家庭网路环境的重要性，以便在尽可能早的干预阶段识别出有高危风险的儿童。.

Sexual objectification is one of most the common manifestations of discrimination against women in Western societies; however, few studies have examined objectification in the context of romantic relationships. The primary aim of the present research was to bring the study of objectification phenomena into the setting of heterosexual romantic relationships. The present set of studies examined the relation between sexual objectification and relationship satisfaction for both the sexual objectification recipient (Study 1) and the sexual objectification perpetrator (Study 2). The results of the first study with 206 U.S. undergraduate female students in committed romantic relationships replicated a previously identified negative association between feeling dehumanized by one’s partner and intimate relationship satisfaction. Moreover, this link was mediated by greater body dissatisfaction and decreased sexual satisfaction. The second study with 94 U.S. undergraduate male students in committed romantic relationships demonstrated a negative association between sexual objectification perpetration and relationship satisfaction. Furthermore, this negative relation was mediated by greater partner objectification and lower sexual satisfaction. Results of both studies demonstrated the effect of sexual objectification (as recipient or perpetrator) on global intimate relationship health. Additionally, the results highlight poor sexual satisfaction as a key dyadic mechanism linking objectification processes to intimate relationship outcomes.

Mutually responsive orientation (MRO) reflects a system of reciprocity between members of a dyad (Kochanska, 2002), and MRO observed in parent-child relationships is a robust predictor of child development (Kim, Boldt, & Kochanska, 2015; Kim & Kochanska, 2012; Kochanska, Aksan, & Joy, 2007; Kochanska, Forman, Aksan, & Dunbar, 2005). The goal of the present study was to adapt an observational coding system previously validated in parent-child dyads to assess MRO in intimate relationships and test the reliability and validity of scores from this adapted coding system. One hundred and fifty-nine couples were observed engaging in a series of standardized, naturalistic, interactive contexts. A team of trained behavioral coders rated MRO across several paradigms. Participants also completed semistructured interviews and self-report questionnaires assessing numerous dimensions of intimate relationship quality to assess convergent and divergent validity and individual and relationship health outcomes to assess criterion and incremental validity. Interrater reliability estimates established that multiple coders could reliably rate MRO across multiple contexts. As anticipated, MRO had small to moderate correlations with other relationship processes (e.g., conflict management, support), demonstrating that MRO is a unique but related dimension of intimate relationship quality. MRO scores were also associated with numerous outcomes including global relationship satisfaction, relationship security, partner mental health, and parent-infant bonding, even when controlling for neuroticism. The assessment of MRO in intimate relationships holds promise for tapping into a unique dimension of intimate relationship quality with implications for explaining a range of outcomes of interest to couples researchers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Growing research has documented distinct developmental sequelae in insecure and secure parent–child relationships, supporting a model of early attachment as moderating future developmental processes rather than, or in addition to, a source of direct effects. We explored maladaptive developmental implications of infants’ anger proneness in 102 community families. Anger was assessed in infancy through observations in the Car Seat episode and parents’ ratings. Children's security with parents was assessed in the Strange Situation paradigm at 15 months. At preschool age, child negativity (defiance and negative affect) was observed in interactions with the parent, and at early school age, oppositionality was rated by parents and teachers. Security was unrelated to infant anger; however, it moderated associations between infant anger and future maladaptive outcomes, such that highly angry infants embarked on a negative trajectory in insecure, but not in secure, parent–child dyads. For insecure, but not secure, mother–child dyads, infants’ mother-rated anger predicted negativity at preschool age. For insecure, but not secure, father–child dyads, infants’ anger in the Car Seat predicted father- and teacher-rated oppositional behavior at early school age. Results highlight the developmentally complex nature of the impact of attachment, depending on the relationship with mother versus father, type of measure, and timing of effects.

Substantial research supports bidirectional links between intimate relationship discord and individual psychopathology, including depressive symptoms. However, few studies have utilized daily diary methods to capture the micro-level processes underlying the association between couple discord and depression, particularly among populations that are at elevated risk for both interpersonal and individual dysfunction. To address this gap, we examined whether daily changes in satisfaction with relationship functioning were associated with daily changes in negative affect and positive affect over the span of 2 weeks among mental health outpatients of low socioeconomic status. Participants were 53 low-income outpatients from community mental health clinics who completed a semi-structured interview about the quality of their intimate relationships followed by 14 daily reports of positive and negative mood and satisfaction with relationship functioning across several domains. Growth curve analytic techniques revealed the hypothesized bidirectional relations. Decline in satisfaction with relationship functioning predicted escalation in negative affect and deterioration in positive affect over 2 weeks, and deterioration of mood predicted declining satisfaction with relationship functioning. This study extends existing knowledge about couple dysfunction and individual psychopathology by highlighting the immediate nature of this dynamic process as it unfolds over time.Gran cantidad de investigaciones respaldan las conexiones bidreccionales entre los desacuerdos en las relaciones afectivas y la psicopatología individual, incluidos los síntomas depresivos. Sin embargo, pocos estudios han utilizado los métodos de registro diario para captar los procesos a pequeñísima escala que subyacen a la asociación entre el desacuerdo entre las parejas y la depresión, particularmente entre poblaciones que tienen un riesgo elevado de disfunción interpersonal e individual. Para abordar esta brecha, analizamos si los cambios diarios en la satisfacción con el funcionamiento de la relación estuvieron asociados con los cambios diarios en el afecto negativo y el afecto positivo durante el periodo de dos semanas entre los pacientes ambulatorios de salud mental de bajo nivel socioeconómico. Los participantes fueron 53 pacientes ambulatorios de bajos ingresos de clínicas comunitarias de salud mental que se sometieron a una entrevista semiestructurada acerca de la calidad de sus relaciones afectivas seguida de 14 informes diarios de estado de ánimo positivo y negativo y de satisfacción con el funcionamiento de la relación en varias áreas. Las técnicas analíticas de la curva de crecimiento revelaron las relaciones bidireccionales planteadas como hipótesis. La disminución de la satisfacción con el funcionamiento de la relación predijo un aumento del afecto negativo y un deterioro del afecto positivo durante dos semanas, y el deterioro del estado de ánimo predijo una disminución de la satisfacción con el funcionamiento de la relación. Conclusiones: Este estudio amplía el conocimiento existente sobre la disfunción en la pareja y la psicopatología individual destacando la índole inmediata de este proceso dinámico a medida que se desarrolla poco a poco con el tiempo.大量研究支持亲密关系不和谐以及个人精神病理学之间的双向关联,包括抑郁症状。然而,很少有研究使用每日日记方法来捕捉伴侣不和谐以及抑郁症之间联系的潜在微观过程,特别是在人际和个人功能紊乱高危人群中间。为了填补这一空白,我们在为期两周的时间里考察了低社会经济地位的精神健康门诊患者中关系功能满意度每日变化是否和积极和消极情感每日变化相关。参与者是53位来自社区精神健康门诊的低收入门诊患者。这些患者完成了一项关于亲密关系质量的办结构化采访,并后续完成了14份关于各方面积极和消极情绪以及亲密关系满意度的每日报告。成长曲线分析技术显示了假设的双向关系。在为期两周内,关系功能满意度的降低预测消极情绪升级以及积极情绪恶化,而情绪恶化预期关系功能满意度的降低。结论是:该研究通过强调该动态过程随时间发展的即时性扩展了关于伴侣功能紊乱以及个人精神病理学的已有知识。.

This vignette study examined perceptions of 237 male and female undergraduate students regarding two severity levels (low and high) of other specified (OSFED) and unspecified feeding and eating disorders (UFED) in their male and female peers. Multilevel modeling showed that female characters received stronger endorsements of eating pathology than male characters for similar symptom presentations. College men were more likely than college women to rate female characters as having eating disorders. Gender bias about eating disorders affected men and women differently in this study. Implications for gender-inclusive as well as gender-sensitive eating disorder outreach and prevention are discussed.

The present study demonstrates the interplay between interparental relationship satisfaction and child plasticity in the origins of internalizing problems in 99 community mothers, fathers, and children. Our cumulative measure of plasticity integrated genetics (5-HTTLPR polymorphism), psychophysiology (skin conductance level), and observed behavior (inhibition, sadness, joy). The interaction between plasticity and interparental relationship satisfaction reflected differential susceptibility. Compared with low-plasticity peers, high-plasticity children had more internalizing problems from 5.5 to 12 years when the interparental relationship at 4.5 years was acrimonious, but fewer problems when it was harmonious. Further, almost half of the children in this sample were "differentially affected" by the interaction such that greater plasticity was associated with fewer internalizing problems when their parents had a harmonious relationship, a key feature of differential susceptibility. (PsycINFO Database Record