Testing an Attachment-Based Parenting Intervention-VIPP-FC/A in Adoptive Families with Post-institutionalized Children: Do Maternal Sensitivity and Genetic Markers Count?

This study investigated the effectiveness of a newly integrated version of an intervention targeting adoptive mothers' positive parenting for promoting children's emotional availability, by testing the moderating role of both two maternal genetic polymorphisms (i.e., 5HTTLPR and DRD4-VNTR) and emotional availability-EA on intervention outcomes. Mothers with their children (N = 80; Mage = 42.73 years, SD = 3.79; Mage = 33.18 months, SD = 16.83 months) participated in a RCT testing the Video-Feedback Intervention to Promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline-VIPP-FC/A effectiveness. Mixed effects regression models showed a significant improvement in mother-child EA for the VIPP-intervention vs. the dummy intervention condition, with a moderating role of maternal EA on children's outcomes. No significant moderating effect was found for the two genetic polymorphisms inquired. Children's and mother's outcomes obtained are discussed

Testing an Attachment-Based Parenting Intervention-VIPP-FC/A in Adoptive Families with Post-institutionalized Children: Do Maternal Sensitivity and Genetic Markers Count?

This study investigated the effectiveness of a newly integrated version of an intervention targeting adoptive mothers' positive parenting for promoting children's emotional availability, by testing the moderating role of both two maternal genetic polymorphisms (i.e., 5HTTLPR and DRD4-VNTR) and emotional availability-EA on intervention outcomes. Mothers with their children (N = 80; Mage = 42.73 years, SD = 3.79; Mage = 33.18 months, SD = 16.83 months) participated in a RCT testing the Video-Feedback Intervention to Promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline-VIPP-FC/A effectiveness. Mixed effects regression models showed a significant improvement in mother-child EA for the VIPP-intervention vs. the dummy intervention condition, with a moderating role of maternal EA on children's outcomes. No significant moderating effect was found for the two genetic polymorphisms inquired. Children's and mother's outcomes obtained are discussed

The development of parental monitoring during adolescence : A meta-analysis

As adolescents grow up, one of the important developmental tasks is to individuate themselves and to become more autonomous from parents. This requires a realignment of the parent-adolescent communication. The current meta-analytic study aims at identifying developmental changes in parent-adolescent communication, conceptualized within the parental monitoring framework, as entailing parental solicitation, control and knowledge, and adolescent’s disclosure and secrecy. Thirty-one longitudinal studies published between 2000 and 2015 were identified and included in the current meta-analysis. Informants, age at assessment and study duration were tested as moderators. Results showed a low to medium normative decline in parental control (Cohen’s d = −.395, 95% CI [−.541, −.249]), knowledge (d = −.245,95% CI [−.331, −.160] and adolescence disclosure (d = −.147, 95% CI [−.204, −.090]), and an increase in adolescent’s secrecy (d = .194, CI [031, .356]). Parental solicitation decreased based on parents’ (d = −.242, 95% CI[−.376, −.109]) but not on adolescents’ reports (d = .038, 95% CI[−.099, .175]). Another significant moderator was the duration of the study, with studies longer than 2 years being able to detect a more pronounced change in parental control than studies lasting less than 2 years (≤2 years, d = −.139 vs. duration > 2 years, d = −.581). Limitations of the current knowledge and new directions of studies are discussed.Peer reviewe

Behavioural Problems in Children with Headache and Maternal Stress: Is Children’s Attachment Security a Protective Factor?

Headache is a potentially disabling condition involving enduring pain that negatively influences the quality of family life. Behav- The aim of this study was to evaluate the extent to which children’s behavioural problems were associated with maternal stress and how the child’s perception of security in the maternal attachment relationship moderates this association. Seventy-one school-aged children with headache (headache group (HG), age M=9.8 years old, SD = 1.3) and 71 children from a low-risk normative population (control group (CG), age M = 9.2 years old, SD = 1) and their mothers were involved in the study. Mothers’ reports of children’s behav- ioural problems were associated with higher maternal stress in the caring task both in the HG and in the CG. Results also showed hat the HG was more at risk for behavioural problems, whereas no difference between groups was detected for parenting stress and for attachment insecurity. In children with headache, perception of attachment security decreased the strength of the association be- tween maternal stress and externalizing behavioural problems. Secure attachment may provide children with headache and their parents with support in managing the negative emotions that arise in the context of significant health issues. Implications for practice are discussed

The Pregnancy Anxiety Questionnaire Revised-2

Pregnancy-related anxiety is an important risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes and postnatal parental well-being, to a greater extent than general anxiety, calling for a reliable and validated measure for its assessment. The current paper aimed to validate the Pregnancy Anxiety Questionnaire \u2013 Revised-2 (PRAQ-R2; Huizink et al., 2016) in a sample of Italian women, by testing its psychometric properties, and checking for Italian\u2013Finnish measurement invariance. Additionally, the association with general anxiety and depression was examined. Participants included 348 Italian pregnant women and 348 Finnish pregnant women. Results showed that the Italian version of PRAQ-R2 presents satisfying psychometric proprieties. Data supported a three-factor solution including fear of giving birth, worries about bearing a handicapped child, and concern about own appearance. Invariance across countries was confirmed. The primiparous condition was associated with a higher level of pregnancy anxiety only for fear of giving birth. A moderate correlation was found between pregnancy anxiety and general anxiety and depression, providing evidence for concurrent validity, as well as for the existence of a specific pregnancy anxiety dimension

The pregnancy anxiety questionnaire revised-2 a contribution to its validation

Pregnancy-related anxiety is an important risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes and postnatal parental well-being, to a greater extent than general anxiety, calling for a reliable and validated measure for its assessment. The current paper aimed to validate the Pregnancy Anxiety Questionnaire - Revised-2 (PRAQ-R2; Huizink et al., 2016) in a sample of Italian women, by testing its psychometric properties, and checking for Italian-Finnish measurement invariance. Additionally, the association with general anxiety and depression was examined. Participants included 348 Italian pregnant women and 348 Finnish pregnant women. Results showed that the Italian version of PRAQ-R2 presents satisfying psychometric proprieties. Data supported a three-factor solution including fear of giving birth, worries about bearing a handicapped child, and concern about own appearance. Invariance across countries was confirmed. The primiparous condition was associated with a higher level of pregnancy anxiety only for fear of giving birth. A moderate correlation was found between pregnancy anxiety and general anxiety and depression, providing evidence for concurrent validity, as well as for the existence of a specific pregnancy anxiety dimension

The development of parental monitoring during adolescence: A meta-analysis

As adolescents grow up, one of the important developmental tasks is to individuate themselves and to become more autonomous from parents. This requires a realignment of the parent-adolescent communication. The current meta-analytic study aims at identifying developmental changes in parent-adolescent communication, conceptualized within the parental monitoring framework, as entailing parental solicitation, control and knowledge, and adolescent’s disclosure and secrecy. Thirty-one longitudinal studies published between 2000 and 2015 were identified and included in the current meta-analysis. Informants, age at assessment and study duration were tested as moderators. Results showed a low to medium normative decline in parental control (Cohen’s d = −.395, 95% CI [−.541, −.249]), knowledge (d = −.245,95% CI [−.331, −.160] and adolescence disclosure (d = −.147, 95% CI [−.204, −.090]), and an increase in adolescent’s secrecy (d = .194, CI [031,.356]). Parental solicitation decreased based on parents’ (d = −.242, 95% CI[−.376, −.109]) but not on adolescents’ reports (d = .038, 95% CI[−.099,.175]). Another significant moderator was the duration of the study, with studies longer than 2 years being able to detect a more pronounced change in parental control than studies lasting less than 2 years (≤2 years, d = −.139 vs. duration > 2 years, d = −.581). Limitations of the current knowledge and new directions of studies are discussed