Relationship between Borderline Personality Disorder, Emotional Availability, and Cortisol Output in Mother-Child Dyads

Background: Mothers with borderline personality disorder (BPD) often show altered emotional availability toward their own child and heightened stress vulnerability. The aims of the present study were (1) to examine total cortisol output in saliva during mother-child interaction in mothers with BPD and their children and (2) to test whether maternal nonhostility as a subscale of emotional availability mediates the relationship between maternal BPD and child total cortisol output. Methods: We investigated 16 mothers with BPD and 30 healthy control mothers (HC) and 29 children of mothers with BPD and 33 children of HC mothers. Children were between 5 and 12 years old. Salivary cortisol was collected prior to and twice after an episode of a 21-min standardized play situation between mother and child. Nonhostility was rated using the emotional availability scales. Analyses of covariance were computed to test for group differences in total cortisol output (measured with area under the curve with respect to ground). Pearson's correlation was calculated to test the association between maternal and child total cortisol output. To test the second question, a mediation analysis according to Preacher and Hayes was conducted. Results: Mothers with BPD and their children had lower total cortisol output. Maternal and child total cortisol output was significantly correlated. Contrary to our hypothesis, maternal nonhostility did not mediate the relationship between BPD and child total cortisol output. Conclusion: Results imply that the hormonal stress activity of mothers with BPD and their children is altered, which may reflect modified stress regulation and stress vulnerability in mother and child and may impact on mother-child interaction. The finding of a positive association between mother's and child total cortisol output could indicate an intergenerational transmission of these alterations

Intergenerational transmission of literacy skills among Filipino families

We examined the joint role of parental word reading skills and conventional home literacy environment measures among 320 Filipino low- to- middle-income families in Cebu City, Philippines with children aged 5 to 8 years old. A ranking of parent-reported ratings of their frequency of engaging in home literacy activities and adult literacy practices revealed that book-related behaviors were less frequently practiced in this sample, and mean ratings on the home literacy resources scale suggested a relatively print-poor environment. Nevertheless, scale items about book reading and direct literacy instruction at home correlated with child’s literacy skills. Structural equation modeling showed that parent’s education and frequency of engaging in home literacy activities uniquely accounted for variance in child’s oral and print skills. In a second model, parent’s word reading skills were significantly related to child’s skills, but did not eliminate or attenuate influences from parent’s education and home literacy activities. Results are important in relation to theories on the intergenerational transmission of literacy skills and the generalizability of findings from developed countries to developing country contexts

Emergent literacy activities in the final preschool year in the German federal states of Bavaria and Hesse

Emergent literacy activities are considered to be important for promoting children’s emergent literacy skills. However, little research exists, especially in Germany, regarding how often such activities occur and in what context. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of emergent literacy activities occurring in the final preschool year, and their dependence on structural characteristics. Ninety-six children (mean age = 5.9) from 50 preschools in two German federal states were observed in their final preschool year. Results show that emergent literacy activities relating to print materials play a minor role, whereas activities involving oral language play a major role, compared with other activities in children’s preschool experience. Results also indicate a significant link between child-related, family and distal characteristics (i.e. geographic location and federal state affiliation) and the frequency of emergent literacy activities

Impact of early life maltreatment of women on the mother-child relationship

Early life maltreatment can have severe and long-lasting consequences for the directly affected individual as well as for the next generation. Data from our research including mother-child dyads from Heidelberg and Berlin show that early life maltreatment is associated with behavioral and neural changes including personality traits and attachment style of the affected mothers that negatively affect their relationship with their child. The children of these mothers affected by early life maltreatment have an elevated risk to be maltreated and to develop mental disorders. They also show a heightened cortisol concentration and a reduced inhibition control. It seems to be of importance whether the mother has experienced early life maltreatment but is resilient, meaning that she has not developed a mental disorder (up to the time of examination) or whether in addition to the early life maltreatment she has developed a mental disorder later in life. Children of mothers with early life maltreatment and a lifetime mental disorder seem to be especially exposed to stress and show the greatest impairments and risks. Based on the existing data from our research practical and clinical implications are discussed and one possible intervention in the form of a training of mentalization competencies for parents is presented

Einfluss früher Gewalterfahrungen von Frauen auf die Mutter-Kind-Beziehung

Early life maltreatment can have severe and long-lasting consequences for the directly affected individual as well as for the next generation. Data from our research including mother-child dyads from Heidelberg and Berlin show that early life maltreatment is associated with behavioral and neural changes including personality traits and attachment style of the affected mothers that negatively affect their relationship with their child. The children of these mothers affected by early life maltreatment have an elevated risk to be maltreated and to develop mental disorders. They also show a heightened cortisol concentration and a reduced inhibition control. It seems to be of importance whether the mother has experienced early life maltreatment but is resilient, meaning that she has not developed a mental disorder (up to the time of examination) or whether in addition to the early life maltreatment she has developed a mental disorder later in life. Children of mothers with early life maltreatment and a lifetime mental disorder seem to be especially exposed to stress and show the greatest impairments and risks. Based on the existing data from our research practical and clinical implications are discussed and one possible intervention in the form of a training of mentalization competencies for parents is presented

Educational frameworks of early child education and care settings—describing a pedagogical tool

Sowohl die Praxisliteratur zum Einrichtungsmanagement als auch der Gesetzgeber sehen pädagogische Konzeptionen als ein probates Mittel zur Steuerung der Qualität von Kindertageseinrichtungen. Die vorliegende Studie untersuchte 583 Kita-Konzeptionen von Einrichtungen aus ganz Deutschland mithilfe eines neu entwickelten Codierschemas und quantitativen Analysemethoden. Im Zentrum stehen zwei Fragen: erstens inwiefern Qualitätsmerkmale in den Dokumenten zu finden sind und zweitens, ob Rahmenbedingungen der Einrichtungen, die zu besserer Qualität in diesen führen sollten, mit ausgewählten Konzeptionsmerkmalen zusammenhängen. Die ausgewerteten Dimensionen umfassen Aspekte der Qualitätssicherung und -entwicklung, der Elternkooperation sowie Kooperationen im sozialen Nahraum. Die Konzeptionen stammen von Einrichtungen, in die Kinder der SOEP- und der TwinLife-Studien gingen. Die Dokumente erweisen sich sowohl hinsichtlich formaler als auch inhaltlicher Merkmale als sehr heterogen und können nur teilweise die in der öffentlichen und fachlichen Debatte formulierten Erwartungen erfüllen. Weniger formalisierte und einfache Formen der Qualitätssicherung und -entwicklung (z. B. Teamsitzungen) sowie der Kooperationen mit Eltern (z. B. Tür-und-Angel-Gespräche) sind häufiger dokumentiert als stärker formalisierte oder aufwändiger zu gestaltende Formen (z. B. externe Evaluationen). Bivariate Analysen nach Bundesland‑, Gemeinde- und Trägertypen zeigen, dass die Inhalte pädagogischer Konzeptionen sich nur teilweise systematisch nach diesen Kontextmerkmalen unterscheiden. Konzeptionen von Einrichtungen in kleineren Gemeinden sowie von freien und öffentlichen Trägern beschreiben eher Kooperationen mit Eltern und im sozialen Nahraum als die Konzeptionen von Einrichtungen in größeren Gemeinden und von anderen Trägern