The contribution of prenatal and postnatal maternal anxiety and depression to child maladjustment

The adverse effect of both pre- and post-natal maternal anxiety and depression on the development of offspring is shown by a large body of research. No published studies, however, have simultaneously: (i) controlled for co-occurring prenatal risks that may influence maternal prenatal anxiety and depression; (ii) compared the relative contributions of prenatal and postnatal maternal anxiety and depression on child functioning; and (iii) assessed a full range of child psychopathology and functioning to determine the relative effects of prenatal and postnatal anxiety and depression in the mother.|Using 3,298 mother-offspring pairs, the authors examined these factors in a single-path analytic model. Measurements of maternal anxiety and depression were collected at two time points: 32 weeks prenatal and 1.5 years postnatal. Other prenatal risks were assessed between 8 and 32 weeks of gestation. Child outcomes included (a) ordered-categorical measures of DSM-IV externalizing and internalizing disorders, and (b) an assessment of verbal IQ.|In both the prenatal and postnatal periods, maternal depression had a wider impact on different types of child maladjustment than maternal anxiety, which appeared more specific to internalizing difficulties in the child. Of note, prenatal risks were prospectively associated with child externalizing difficulties and verbal IQ, beyond the effects of prenatal and postnatal maternal anxiety and depression.|The present results suggest that addressing both maternal anxiety and depression, in the prenatal and postnatal periods-as well as associated risk factors-may be the most effective approach to prevent adverse outcomes in the offspring

Does the Incredible Years reduce child externalizing problems through improved parenting?: The role of child negative affectivity and serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) genotype

In a randomized controlled trial, the Observational Randomized Controlled Trial of Childhood Differential Susceptibility (ORCHIDS study), we tested whether observed parental affect and observed and reported parenting behavior are mechanisms of change underlying the effects of the behavioral parent training program the Incredible Years (IY). Furthermore, we tested whether some children are more susceptible to these change mechanisms because of their temperamental negative affectivity and/or serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) genotype. Participants were 387 Dutch children between 4 and 8 years of age (M age = 6.31, SD = 1.33; 55.3% boys) and their parents. Results showed that although IY was successful in improving parenting behavior and increasing parental positive affect, these effects did not explain the significant decreases in child externalizing problems. We therefore found no evidence for changes in parenting behavior or parental affect being the putative mechanisms of IY effectiveness. Furthermore, intervention effects on child externalizing behavior were not moderated by child negative affectivity or 5-HTTLPR genotype. However, child 5-HTTLPR genotype did moderate intervention effects on negative parenting behavior. This suggests that in research on behavioral parent training programs, “what works for which parents” might also be an important question

What changes when? A reply to Beauchaine and Slep

In their commentary, Beauchaine and Slep (2018) raise important issues regarding research on behavioral parenting training (BPT). In this reply we highlight key points of agreement and respond to issues that we feel require clarification. BPT has been repeatedly proven effective in decreasing disruptive child behavior (also in the work of our research team). Yet, there is much to learn about for whom and how BPT is effective. Specifically, assessing the how (i.e., mediation) comes with many challenges. One of these challenges is taking into account the timeline of change, and being able to infer causal mechanisms of change. We argue that cross-lagged panel models (which we, and many other scholars, used) are a valid and valuable method for testing mediation. At the same time, our results raise important questions, specifically about the timing and form of expected changes in parenting and child behavior after BPT. For example, are these changes linear and gradual or do they happen more suddenly? To select the appropriate design, assessment tools, and statistical models to test mediation, we need to state detailed hypotheses on what changes when. An important next step might be to assess multiple putative mediators on different timescales, not only before and after, but specifically also during BP

Bank Real Estate Lending and the New England Capital Crunch

The stock of real estate loans held by New England banks has declined dramatically. Given the limited potential for real estate investments, weak demand for real estate loans is to be expected. However, supply as well as demand factors may account for some of the decline in bank real estate loans. This paper documents that bank lending for real estate may have been constrained by a capital crunch, whereby poorly capitalized banks shrank their assets, including real estate loans, to satisfy capital requirements. Because the loss of bank capital is so widespread in New England, bank-dependent borrowers may have difficulty obtaining real estate financing. Copyright American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association.

The effect of silica-containing binders on the titanium/face coat reaction

The interactions of CP-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V with investment molds containing alumina/silica and yttria/silica face coat systems were studied. Containerless melting in a vacuum was employed and small test samples were made by drop casting into the molds. The effects of the face coat material and mold preheat temperatures on the thickness of the alpha case on the castings were evaluated with microhardness and microprobe measurements. It was found that the thickness of the alpha case was the same, whether a yttria/silica or alumina/silica face coat was used, indicating that the silica binder reacted with the titanium. Hence, the use of expensive refractories, such as yttria, represents an unnecessary cost when combined with a silica binder. It was also found that the alloyed titanium castings had a thinner alpha case than those produced from CP-Ti, which suggests that the thickness of the alpha case depends on the crystal structure of the alloy during cooling from high temperatures. Furthermore, castings made in small yttria crucibles used as molds exhibited little or no alpha case