Correlates and Predictors of Emotion Language and Well-Being in Stressful and Traumatic Contexts.

In three studies, I examined associations between emotional expression (through language) and well-being as people reflected on stressful and life-changing situations. Previous research suggests that emotional expression is only helpful for some people, and the primary goal of the current research was to contribute to literature that examines when and under what circumstances expression of emotion is related to positive outcomes for individuals. The Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count Program (LIWC; Pennebaker, Booth, Boyd, & Francis, 2015) was used in each study to text analyze participants’ narratives about experiences of childhood sexual abuse (Study 1), bereavement (Study 2), and the transition to parenthood (Study 3). I focused on the two broad LIWC word categories associated with emotionality: positive emotion (e.g., happy, laugh) and negative emotion (e.g., sad, angry). Study 1 examined associations between indicators of mental health and positive and negative emotion words in the trauma narratives of 55 survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Participants who used more positive and negative emotion language had better psychological outcomes, especially when the abuse was more severe. Study 2 investigated expressions of positive emotion words in discussions between 39 parentally bereaved children and their surviving caregivers. Children’s use of positive emotion words in the discussion were unrelated to their own psychological outcomes; however, children were less likely to experience symptoms of anxiety, avoidant coping, and depression when their caregivers used more positive emotion words, especially after more time had passed since parental loss. Study 3 tested dyadic and longitudinal associations between emotional expression and psychological and relational well-being in a sample of 29 expectant couples across the transition to parenthood. Changes (increases) in emotional expression over time were more consistently associated with husbands’ and wives’ postpartum outcomes compared with average levels of emotional expression. Results from Study 3 also demonstrated that emotional expression and health are tied in meaningful ways between romantic partners. Overall, results from the current research point to individual and contextual factors that moderate the association between emotional expression and well-being. These findings have implications for tailored interventions that promote optimal outcomes when people discuss and reflect on emotional content.PhDPsychologyUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/133286/1/bwardeck_1.pd

Prospective and dyadic associations between expectant parents’ prenatal hormone changes and postpartum parenting outcomes

During the transition to parenthood, both men and women experience hormone changes that are thought to promote parental care. Yet very few studies have explicitly tested the hypothesis that prenatal hormone changes are associated with postpartum parenting behavior. In a longitudinal study of 27 first‐time expectant couples, we assessed whether prenatal hormone changes were moderated by self‐ and partner‐reported parenting outcomes at 3 months postpartum. Expectant fathers showed prenatal declines in testosterone and estradiol, and larger declines in these hormones were associated with greater contributions to household and infant care tasks postpartum. Women whose partners showed larger testosterone declines also reported receiving more support and more help with household tasks. Expectant mothers showed prenatal increases in testosterone and estradiol, and larger increases in these hormones were associated with lower partner‐rated support. Together, our findings provide some of the first evidence that prenatal hormone changes may indeed be functional and that the implications of these changes may be detectable by co‐parents.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135629/1/dev21469_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135629/2/dev21469.pd

Psychological and Environmental Correlates of HPA Axis Functioning in Parentally Bereaved Children: Preliminary Findings

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/97514/1/jts21788.pd

Out of the Mouths of Babes: Links Between Linguistic Structure of Loss Narratives and Psychosocial Functioning in Parentally Bereaved Children

This study examined links between the language bereaved children use to describe the death of their caregiver and children’s psychological/behavioral functioning and coping strategies. Participants included 44 children (54.5% male) aged 7 to 12 (M = 9.05) years who were bereaved by the death of a caregiver. Children were assessed via self‐ and caregiver‐report measures and an in‐person interview regarding the loss of their caregiver. Children’s loss narratives gathered through in‐person interviews were transcribed and subjected to textual analysis. Linguistic categories included pronouns and verb tense. Drawing from linguistic and self‐distancing theories, we hypothesized that children’s use of language reflecting self‐distancing (third‐person pronouns and past tense) or social connectedness (first‐person plural pronouns) would be negatively associated with psychological/behavioral distress and avoidant coping. Similarly, we expected that children’s use of self‐focused language (first‐person singular pronouns and present tense) would be positively associated with psychological/behavioral distress and avoidant coping. As hypothesized, preliminary findings suggest that children who employed more self‐distancing language and used more social connectedness words reported less avoidant coping, rs = .40–.42. Also as hypothesized, children who employed more self‐focused language had higher levels of self‐reported posttraumatic stress symptoms, r = .54, and avoidant coping, r = .54, and higher parent‐reported psychological/behavioral distress, r = .43. Implications for theory‐building, risk screening, and directions for future research with bereaved youth are discussed.ResumenSpanish Abstracts by the Asociación Chilena de Estrés Traumático (ACET)Fuera de la boca de los bebes: vínculos entre la estructura lingüística de las narrativas de pérdida y el funcionamiento psicosocial en los niños con duelo parentalNARRATIVAS DE PÉRDIDA Y FUNCIONAMIENTO EN NIÑOSEste estudio examinó los vínculos entre el lenguaje usado por los niños en duelo para describir la muerte de su cuidador y el funcionamiento psicológico / conductual y las estrategias de afrontamiento de los niños. Los participantes incluyeron 44 niños (54,5% hombres) de 7 a 12 años (M = 9,05) en duelo por la muerte de un cuidador. Los niños fueron evaluados a través de medidas de autoreporte y reporte del cuidador y una entrevista en persona con respecto a la pérdida de su cuidador. Las narrativas de pérdida de los niños recopiladas a través de entrevistas en persona fueron transcritas y se sometieron a un análisis textual. Las categorías lingüísticas incluyen pronombres y tiempo verbal. Partiendo de teorías lingüísticas y de autodistanciamiento, hipotetizamos que el uso de lenguaje por parte de los niños que refleje autodistanciamiento (pronombres en tercera persona y tiempo pasado) o conectividad social (pronombres en primera persona en plural) estaría negativamente asociado con angustia psicológica o conductual y el afrontamiento evitativo. De manera similar, esperábamos que el uso de lenguaje enfocado en sí mismo (pronombres en primera persona singular y tiempo presente) se asociara positivamente con la angustia psicológica / conductual y el afrontamiento evitativo. Como se hipotetizó, los hallazgos preliminares sugieren que los niños que emplearon más lenguaje autodistanciado y un mayor uso de palabras de conectividad social reportaron menos afrontamiento evitativo, rs = .40‐.42. También según la hipótesis, los niños que empleaban más lenguaje enfocado en sí mismos tenían niveles más altos de síntomas de estrés postraumático autoreportados, r = .54, afrontamiento evitativo, r = .54 y mayor angustia psicológica / conductual informada por los padres, r = . 43. Se discuten las implicaciones para el desarrollo de la teoría, el tamizaje de riesgos y direcciones para futuras investigaciones con jóvenes en duelo.抽象Traditional and Simplified Chinese Abstracts by AsianSTSSOut of the Mouths of Babes: Links between Linguistic Structure of Loss Narratives and Psychosocial Functioning in Parentally‐Bereaved ChildrenTraditional Chinese標題: 喪失監護人的兒童其喪親敘述的語言結構與心理社會運作的關連撮要: 本研究檢視喪親兒童用以描述監護人去世的語言、兒童的心理/行為運作及應對策略。樣本為44名經歷了監護人去世的兒童(54.5%男性), 年齡介乎7 至 12歲 (M = 9.05)。自評報告和監護人報告用以測量兒童的狀況, 並有親身面談評估監護人過身的經歷。我們從親身面談取得兒童對喪親的敘述記錄, 並進行文本分析, 檢視的語言學範疇包括代名詞和動詞時態。我們基於語言學和自我疏遠理論, 假設兒童反映自我疏遠(第三人稱代名詞及過去式)或社交連繫(第一人稱複數代名詞)的語言, 會跟心理/行為悲痛及迴避式的應對方法有負向關連;而反映專注於自我的語言(第一人稱單數代名詞及現在式), 會跟心理/行為悲痛及迴避式的應對方法有正向關連。初步結果反映, 一如假設, 用較多自我疏遠和社交連繫語言的兒童, 有較低水平的迴避式應對(rs = .40–.42);而用較多專注於自我語言的兒童, 有較高水平的自評創傷後壓力症狀(r = .54)、迴避式應對(r = .54), 及根據家長評核有較高水平的心理/行為悲痛(r = .43)。我們亦討論到是次有關喪親青少年的發現, 對建立理論和風險篩查的幫助, 及日後的研究方向。Simplified Chinese标题: 丧失监护人的儿童其丧亲叙述的语言结构与心理社会运作的关连撮要: 本研究检视丧亲儿童用以描述监护人去世的语言、儿童的心理/行为运作及应对策略。样本为44名经历了监护人去世的儿童(54.5%男性), 年龄介乎7 至 12岁 (M = 9.05)。自评报告和监护人报告用以测量儿童的状况, 并有亲身面谈评估监护人过身的经历。我们从亲身面谈取得儿童对丧亲的叙述记录, 并进行文本分析, 检视的语言学范畴包括代名词和动词时态。我们基于语言学和自我疏远理论, 假设儿童反映自我疏远(第三人称代名词及过去式)或社交连系(第一人称复数代名词)的语言, 会跟心理/行为悲痛及回避式的应对方法有负向关连;而反映专注于自我的语言(第一人称单数代名词及现在式), 会跟心理/行为悲痛及回避式的应对方法有正向关连。初步结果反映, 一如假设, 用较多自我疏远和社交连系语言的儿童, 有较低水平的回避式应对(rs = .40–.42);而用较多专注于自我语言的儿童, 有较高水平的自评创伤后压力症状(r = .54)、回避式应对(r = .54), 及根据家长评核有较高水平的心理/行为悲痛(r = .43)。我们亦讨论到是次有关丧亲青少年的发现, 对建立理论和风险筛查的帮助, 及日后的研究方向。Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/144623/1/jts22293.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/144623/2/jts22293_am.pd

Division of Baby Care in Heterosexual and Lesbian Parents: Expectations Versus Reality

ObjectiveWe examined the extent to which prenatal expectations matched postpartum reality, and the implications of expectancy violation for relationship quality at postpartum, among heterosexual and lesbian couples transitioning to parenthood.BackgroundDuring the transition to parenthood, soon‐to‐be parents form expectations about how their lives will change after their baby is born; however, these expectations may not match reality.MethodWe longitudinally examined (a) expectancy violation in division of baby care among 47 heterosexual and lesbian couples transitioning to first‐time parenthood (total N = 94 participants) and (b) the associations between expectancy violation and relationship quality at 3 and 10‐months postpartum.ResultsWe found that expectations matched reality for lesbian couples, but not for heterosexual couples: Heterosexual mothers did more baby care than they expected, and fathers did less. Heterosexual birth mothers were less satisfied when they did more baby care than they expected, whereas fathers were both less satisfied and less invested in their relationship when they did more baby care than they expected. In contrast, for lesbian birth mothers and nonbirth mothers, doing more baby care than anticipated was not associated with postpartum relationship quality. These results remained even after controlling for prenatal relationship quality and timing of postpartum assessments.ConclusionThe extent to which prenatal expectations match postpartum reality, and the outcomes of expectancy violation, may be different for heterosexual and lesbian couples.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/167038/1/jomf12729.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/167038/2/jomf12729_am.pd

Emotion Language in Trauma Narratives Is Associated With Better Psychological Adjustment Among Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Traumatized individuals are often encouraged to confront their experiences by talking or writing about them. However, survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) might find it especially difficult to process abuse experiences, particularly when the abuse is more severe, which could put them at greater risk for mental health problems. The current study examined whether CSA survivors who use emotion language when describing their abuse experiences exhibit better mental health. We analyzed the trauma narratives of 55 adults who, as children, were part of a larger study of the long-term emotional effects of criminal prosecutions on CSA survivors. Abuse narratives were analyzed using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) program. We examined whether positive and negative emotion language in participants' abuse narratives were associated with self- and caregiver-reported mental health symptoms and whether these associations differed according to the severity of the abuse. As hypothesized, participants who used more positive and negative emotion language had better psychological outcomes, especially when the abuse was severe. Our findings suggest that survivors of more severe abuse might benefit from including emotion language, whether positive or negative in valence, when describing the abuse

Prenatal Hormones in First-Time Expectant Parents: Longitudinal Changes and Within-Couple Correlations

Objectives Expectant mothers experience marked hormone changes throughout the transition to parenthood. Although similar neuroendocrine pathways are thought to support maternal and paternal behavior, much less is known about prenatal hormone changes in expectant fathers, especially in humans. Methods We examined longitudinal changes in salivary testosterone, cortisol, estradiol, and progesterone in 29 first‐time expectant couples (N = 58). Couples were assessed up to four times throughout the prenatal period, at approximately weeks 12, 20, 28, and 36 of pregnancy. We also examined within‐couple correlations in hormones. Data were analyzed using dyadic growth curve modeling. Results As expected, women showed large prenatal increases in all four hormones. Men showed significant prenatal declines in testosterone and estradiol, but there were no detectable changes in men\u27s cortisol or progesterone. Average levels of cortisol and progesterone were significantly positively correlated within couples. Conclusions The current study represents one of the most extensive investigations to date of prenatal hormones in expectant couples. It is also the first study to demonstrate prenatal testosterone changes in expectant fathers and within‐couple correlations in progesterone. We discuss implications of these findings for parental behavior and adjustment