Relations between bedtime parenting behaviors and temperament across 14 cultures

ObjectivesThe present study examined parental sleep-supporting practices during toddlerhood in relation to temperament across 14 cultures. We hypothesized that passive sleep-supporting techniques (e.g., talking, cuddling), but not active techniques (e.g., walking, doing an activity together), would be associated with less challenging temperament profiles: higher Surgency (SUR) and Effortful Control (EC) and lower Negative Emotionality (NE), with fine-grained dimensions exhibiting relationships consistent with their overarching factors (e.g., parallel passive sleep-supporting approach effects for dimensions of NE). MethodsCaregivers (N = 841) across 14 cultures (M = 61 families per site) reported toddler (between 17 and 40 months of age; 52% male) temperament and sleep-supporting activities. Utilizing linear multilevel regression models and group-mean centering procedures, we assessed the role of between- and within-cultural variance in sleep-supporting practices in relation to temperament. ResultsBoth within-and between-culture differences in passive sleep-supporting techniques were associated with temperament attributes, (e.g., lower NE at the between-culture level; higher within-culture EC). For active techniques only within-culture effects were significant (e.g., demonstrating a positive association with NE). Adding sleep-supporting behaviors to the regression models accounted for significantly more between-culture temperament variance than child age and gender alone. ConclusionHypotheses were largely supported. Findings suggest parental sleep practices could be potential targets for interventions to mitigate risk posed by challenging temperament profiles (e.g., reducing active techniques that are associated with greater distress proneness and NE).Peer reviewe

Links between television exposure and toddler dysregulation : Does culture matter?

Television exposure in early childhood has increased, with concerns raised regarding adverse effects on social-emotional development, and emerging self-regulation in particular. The present study addressed television exposure (i.e., amount of time watching TV) and its associations with toddler behavioral/emotional dysregulation, examining potential differences across 14 cultures. The sample consisted of an average of 60 toddlers from each of the 14 countries from the Joint Effort Toddler Temperament Consortium (JETTC; Gartstein & Putnam, 2018). Analyses were conducted relying on the multi-level modeling framework (MLM), accounting for between- and within-culture variability, and examining the extent to which TV exposure contributions were universal vs. variable across sites. Effects of time watching TV were evaluated in relation to temperament reactivity and regulation, as well as measures of emotional reactivity, attention difficulties, and aggression. Results indicated that more time spent watching TV was associated with higher ratings on Negative Emotionality, emotional reactivity, aggression, and attention problems, as well as lower levels of soothability. However, links between TV exposure and both attention problems and soothability varied significantly between cultures. Taken together, results demonstrate that increased time spent watching television was generally associated with dysregulation, although effects were not consistently uniform, but rather varied as a function of culturally-dependent contextual factors.acceptedVersionPeer reviewe

The genetic architecture of the human cerebral cortex

The cerebral cortex underlies our complex cognitive capabilities, yet little is known about the specific genetic loci that influence human cortical structure. To identify genetic variants that affect cortical structure, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 51,665 individuals. We analyzed the surface area and average thickness of the whole cortex and 34 regions with known functional specializations. We identified 199 significant loci and found significant enrichment for loci influencing total surface area within regulatory elements that are active during prenatal cortical development, supporting the radial unit hypothesis. Loci that affect regional surface area cluster near genes in Wnt signaling pathways, which influence progenitor expansion and areal identity. Variation in cortical structure is genetically correlated with cognitive function, Parkinson's disease, insomnia, depression, neuroticism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Transactional relationships between parental personality and child temperament in infancy and toddlerhood

Recent research highlights the influence of both parent and child features on the child s development. While previous research in this area mainly focused on linear theoretical models, recently bidirectionality between parent and child has been emphasized. In addition, existing studies in this area suffer from important shortcomings, such as an overreliance on mother-reported temperament only. Recent studies investigating the mechanisms explaining these parent-child transactions demonstrate the influence of parental personality and parenting stress on the development of child temperament and on the quality of parent-child relationship. Yet, there is a dearth of research in this area. Hence, the aim of the present study is to address these limitations and integrate state-of-the-art theories and methods in the investigation of early developing temperament, parental personality and parenting. More specifically, a number of key assumptions in this area were examined from a transactional or dynamic interactionism perspective, using multi-informant (fathers, mothers) data from two one-year prospective longitudinal studies of parents and their biological child (from infancy to toddlerhood). In the first study (N = 121) we adopt a variable-centered approach (Chapters 2-5), whereas the second study focuses on a person-oriented perspective (N = 105) (Chapter 6). In Chapter 1 the main theoretical frameworks informing this study are outlined. These include Rothbart s temperament theory which proposes three temperamental factors, namely Surgency/Extraversion, Negative Affectivity and Effortful Control, and Blatt s two polarities model, in which both Self-criticism and Dependency are considered as central dimensions in normal and disrupted personality development. These theories are discussed within broader theoretical frameworks emphasizing the importance of transactional processes and relationship quality, i.e., emotional availability and goodness of fit between child and parent. Chapter 2 examines whether temperament can be assessed in the earliest developmental phases, i.e., in infancy and toddlerhood. Confirmatory Factor Analyses replicated the three factor structure of temperament that has been identified in older children and adults. Moreover, we found evidence for factorial invariance for mother and father report, as well as evidence for the stability of these factors from infancy to toddlerhood, but also considerable changes in temperament over this one-year interval. Chapter 3 and 4 focus on transactional relationships among parental self-criticism and dependency, parenting stress, and the development of child negative affectivity (Chapter 3) and effortful control (Chapter 4), respectively. Using a cross-lagged, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach, in both chapters, support for a stress-generation model was found, i.e., relationships among parental personality and child temperament were in part explained by parenting stress. Moreover, we found a number of parent-to-child effects, but, against expectations, failed to find child-to-parent effects. Chapter 5 investigates another potential mechanism involved in transactional relationships among parental personality and child temperament that may interact with parenting stress, namely emotional availability. Results showed a direct negative effect of parental personality on emotional availability, which was fully mediated by parenting stress. Moreover, we found evidence for moderated mediation, i.e., child extravert and regulating temperamental features attenuated the strength of these relationships. In this study, we also found a reciprocal effect, i.e. higher levels of emotional availability in the dyad resulted in lower personality-related vulnerability in the parent. In Chapter 6, a person-oriented approach is adopted. We showed that the three temperamental prototypes that have been identified in older children and adults can in part be replicated in infancy and toddlerhood. Specifically, a resilient, high negativity and low reactivity temperament cluster were identified. These temperamental prototypes showed high continuity and low longitudinal stability and were in theoretically expected ways differentially related to child development. In Chapter 7, we provide a summary of findings, discuss limitations and clinical implications, and situate the main findings of this PhD study in the light of contemporary issues in both empirical research and clinical practice with regard to early development. Taken together, findings reported in this study highlight the importance of considering dynamic interactions between both parent and child characteristics in assessing development change in the earliest years of life.<w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true"  <w:lsdexception="" locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false"  status: publishe

The role of infant temperament, maternal personality and mentalization in the socio-emotional development of children

status: publishe

Kinderen van depressieve moeders. Het integratieve model van Goodman en Gotlib

03status: publishe

De baby en zijn omgeving in beeld. Instrumenten die kunnen helpen bij de klinische diagnostiek van vroege ontwikkeling binnen primaire relaties

status: publishe

Parental personality, relationship stress, and child development: A stress generation perspective

© 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This study aimed to investigate associations among the parental personality dimensions of self-criticism and dependency, parental relationship stress, and child development from a stress generation perspective. Data from 79 first-time parents and their children aged 8-13months, who were followed up in a two-wave, 1-year longitudinal study, were analysed within a multilevel structural equation modelling framework in order to account for within-couple interdependence. Results revealed that, as hypothesised, both parental self-criticism and dependency were associated with increased levels of relationship stress, which in turn were negatively related to child development. Hence, parental personality features in combination with relationship stress may be an important target in couple and family-based interventions. Implications for further research on family dynamics and interventions are discussed.status: publishe

Meaning in life: an important factor for the psychological well-being of chronically ill patients?

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate 2 dimensions of meaning in life--Presence of Meaning (i.e., the perception of your life as significant, purposeful, and valuable) and Search for Meaning (i.e., the strength, intensity, and activity of people\u27s efforts to establish or increase their understanding of the meaning in their lives)--and their role for the well-being of chronically ill patients. RESEARCH DESIGN: A sample of 481 chronically ill patients (M = 50 years, SD = 7.26) completed measures on meaning in life, life satisfaction, optimism, and acceptance. We hypothesized that Presence of Meaning and Search for Meaning will have specific relations with all 3 aspects of well-being. RESULTS: Cluster analysis was used to examine meaning in life profiles. Results supported 4 distinguishable profiles (High Presence High Search, Low Presence High Search, High Presence Low Search, and Low Presence Low Search) with specific patterns in relation to well-being and acceptance. Specifically, the 2 profiles in which meaning is present showed higher levels of well-being and acceptance, whereas the profiles in which meaning is absent are characterized by lower levels. Furthermore, the results provided some clarification on the nature of the Search for Meaning process by distinguishing between adaptive (the High Presence High Search cluster) and maladaptive (the Low Presence High Search cluster) searching for meaning in life. CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides an initial glimpse in how meaning in life may be related to the well-being of chronically ill patients and the acceptance of their condition. Clinical implications are discussed