Unpredictability of maternal sensory signals: entropy as a novel metric of caregiving behavior

Emerging evidence suggests that exposure to unpredictable maternal sensory signals in caregiving behavior (characterized as entropy rate) during infancy affects child neurocognitive development. However, the research paradigm is new, and little is known regarding which parental characteristics are related to unpredictable sensory signals or how signal unpredictability is related to more traditional caregiving measurements. Moreover, the longitudinal effects of signal unpredictability on child development are understudied. The aims of our study were 1) to examine how maternal mental health and selfregulation are associated with unpredictability of maternal sensory signals in caregiving behavior (Study I); 2) to investigate how unpredictable maternal sensory signals associate with maternal sensitivity (Study II) and 3) to explore whether unpredictable sensory signals relate to child self-regulation at 5 years of age (Study III). The study sample comprised mother-child dyads from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study. The main findings showed that higher maternal anxiety symptoms during the pre- and postnatal period together with low self-regulation capacity were associated with greater signal unpredictability during infancy. During the period of infancy to toddlerhood, unpredictable sensory signals and sensitivity were modestly correlated with each other. Exposure to unpredictable sensory signals, especially at very high levels, was associated with children’s poorer self-regulation at 5 years of age. The findings suggest that the combination of high maternal anxiety symptoms and low self-regulation capacity seems to constitute a specific risk for higher unpredictability of maternal sensory signals in caregiving behavior. Results identify unpredictable sensory signals as a characteristic of parental care that is independent of quality measures, namely maternal sensitivity. Unpredictability of maternal sensory signals is a potentially important aspect of early caregiving behavior associated with the development of child self-regulation capacity. KEYWORDS: caregiving behavior, unpredictable sensory signals, sensitivity, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, self-regulationKasvava tutkimusnäyttö osoittaa, että altistuminen ennustamattomille aistiärsykkeille äidin hoivakäyttäytymisessä (entropia) vauvaiän aikana on yhteydessä lapsen neurokognitiiviseen kehitykseen. Tutkimussuuntaus on kuitenkin uusi ja toistaiseksi tiedetään vähän, mitkä vanhemman ominaisuudet ovat yhteydessä ennustamattomiin aistiärsykkeisiin tai miten signaalien ennustamattomuus on yhteydessä perinteisempiin hoivakäyttäytymistä arvioiviin mittareihin. Lisäksi aistiärsykkeiden ennustamattomuuden pitkäaikaisia vaikutuksia lapsen kehitykseen on tutkittu vielä vähän. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli 1) tutkia miten äidin raskausaikaiset ja synnytyksen jälkeiset ahdistus- masennusoireet ja itsesäätelykyky ovat yhteydessä ennustamattomiin aistiärsykkeisiin äidin hoivakäyttäytymisessä (Tutkimus I), 2) tutkia miten ennustamattomat aistiärsykkeet ovat yhteydessä äidin sensitiivisyyteen (Tutkimus II), ja 3) selvittää ovatko äidin ennustamattomat aistiärsykkeet yhteydessä lapsen itsesäätelyyn 5 vuoden iässä (Tutkimus III). Tutkimusotokset koostuivat FinnBrainsyntymäkohorttitutkimukseen osallistuvista äiti-lapsipareista. Keskeisten tulosten mukaan äidin korkeat ahdistusoireet raskausaikana ja synnytyksen jälkeen yhdessä heikon itsesäätelykyvyn kanssa olivat yhteydessä korkeampaan aistiärsykkeiden ennustamattomuuteen. Vauva- ja taaperoiässä aistiärsykkeiden ennustamattomuus ja sensitiivisyys olivat kohtalaisesti yhteydessä toisiinsa. Altistuminen ennustamattomille aistiärsykkeille, erityisesti hyvin korkealle tasolle, oli yhteydessä lapsen heikompaan itsesäätelyyn 5-vuoden iässä. Tulokset osoittavat, että korkeat ahdistusoireet yhdessä heikon itsesäätelykyvyn kanssa näyttävät olevan erityinen riskitekijä korkeammalle aistiärsykkeiden ennustamattomuudelle. Aistiärsykkeiden ennustamattomuus näyttää olevan erillinen osa-alue hoivan laatua arvioivista mittareista kuten äidin sensitiivisyydestä. Äidin ennustamattomat aistiärsykkeet ovat mahdollisesti tärkeä osa-alue hoivakäyttäytymisessä, joka on yhteydessä lapsen itsesäätelyn kehitykseen. ASIASANAT: hoivakäyttäytyminen, ennustamattomat aistiärsykkeet, sensitiivisyys, ahdistusoireet, masennusoireet, itsesäätel

Maternal Executive Functioning, Emotional Availability and Psychological Distress During Toddlerhood: A FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study

Executive functioning (EF) is one of the building blocks in parental caregiving behavior, and contextual variables have been reported to moderate the link between EF and caregiving behavior. Although psychological distress due to various factors is prevalent during early parenthood and is negatively associated with adult EF, it is not known whether psychological distress influences the maternal EF/caregiving link. This study explored the association between maternal EF and caregiving behavior (more specifically, Emotional Availability/EA), and whether single and cumulative maternal psychological distress domains moderated the EF/EA association in a general population sample of 137 Finnish birth cohort mothers with 2.5-year-old children. EF was measured with a composite of five computerized Cogstate tasks, EA with the Emotional Availability Scales, and three psychological distress domains with self-report questionnaires (depression: EPDS, anxiety: SCL-90, insomnia: AIS). Better EF was significantly associated with more positive, sensitive caregiving, but this association was no longer significant when controlling for education level. Neither individual nor cumulative distress domains moderated the EF/EA association significantly, although the observed moderation effects were in the expected direction. These findings suggest that EF should be recognized alongside socioemotional factors as variables that are associated with parental caregiving behavior during toddlerhood. Furthermore, if the non-significant moderation results are replicated, they indicate that mothers in community samples are not at great risk for psychological distress that would compromise their capacity to utilize their EF while caring for their child. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings, as well as to examine these associations among fathers and in samples that have higher levels of chronic stressors. Studies with more diverse samples in terms of distress levels and EF performance would provide further insight into early childhood parenting and its risk factors

Maternal Executive Functioning, Emotional Availability and Psychological Distress During Toddlerhood: A FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study

Executive functioning (EF) is one of the building blocks in parental caregiving behavior, and contextual variables have been reported to moderate the link between EF and caregiving behavior. Although psychological distress due to various factors is prevalent during early parenthood and is negatively associated with adult EF, it is not known whether psychological distress influences the maternal EF/caregiving link. This study explored the association between maternal EF and caregiving behavior (more specifically, Emotional Availability/EA), and whether single and cumulative maternal psychological distress domains moderated the EF/EA association in a general population sample of 137 Finnish birth cohort mothers with 2.5-year-old children. EF was measured with a composite of five computerized Cogstate tasks, EA with the Emotional Availability Scales, and three psychological distress domains with self-report questionnaires (depression: EPDS, anxiety: SCL-90, insomnia: AIS). Better EF was significantly associated with more positive, sensitive caregiving, but this association was no longer significant when controlling for education level. Neither individual nor cumulative distress domains moderated the EF/EA association significantly, although the observed moderation effects were in the expected direction. These findings suggest that EF should be recognized alongside socioemotional factors as variables that are associated with parental caregiving behavior during toddlerhood. Furthermore, if the non-significant moderation results are replicated, they indicate that mothers in community samples are not at great risk for psychological distress that would compromise their capacity to utilize their EF while caring for their child. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings, as well as to examine these associations among fathers and in samples that have higher levels of chronic stressors. Studies with more diverse samples in terms of distress levels and EF performance would provide further insight into early childhood parenting and its risk factors.</p

The Connection and Development of Unpredictability and Sensitivity in Maternal Care Across Early Childhood

Both patterns of maternal sensory signals and sensitive care have shown to be crucial elements shaping child development. However, research concerning these aspects of maternal care has focused mainly on maternal sensitivity with fewer studies evaluating the impact of patterns of maternal behaviors and changes in these indices across infancy and childhood. The aims of this study were to explore how maternal unpredictability of sensory signals and sensitivity develop and associate with each other from infancy to toddlerhood and whether elevated maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms relate to maternal unpredictable signals and sensitivity in toddlerhood. The study population consisted of 356 mother–child dyads assessed at 30 months; a subset of 103 mother–child dyads additionally participated in 8 months assessment. Maternal unpredictability and sensitivity were assessed from video-recorded free-play episodes at 8 and 30 months. Maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed with questionnaires at gestational weeks 14, 24, 34 and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. Mean level of mothers’ unpredictability decreased on average whereas sensitivity did not change between infancy and toddlerhood. Both maternal unpredictability and sensitivity showed moderate level of individual stability from infancy to toddlerhood and these two measures were modestly correlated within each age. Elevated maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms were not related to unpredictability but related to lower maternal sensitivity in toddlerhood. These results identify unpredictable sensory signals as a characteristic of parental care that is independent of standard quality measures and suggest that it may be less influenced by maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms.</p

Unpredictable maternal sensory signals in caregiving behavior are associated with child effortful control

Emerging evidence suggests that exposure to unpredictable patterns of maternal sensory signals during infancy is associated with child neurodevelopment, including poorer effortful control. However, longitudinal effects on child development and possible sex differences are understudied. The aims of the present study were to explore whether exposure to unpredictable maternal sensory signals during infancy is related to child effortful control at 5 years of age and whether child sex moderates these associations. In addition, we examined how exposure to very high vs. low/moderate unpredictability using categorical cut-offs is related to child effortful control. Participants (133 mother–child pairs, all Caucasian) were drawn from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study in Finland. Maternal sensory signals (auditory, visual, tactile) were coded from the 10-min free-play episode on a moment-on-moment basis using Observer XT 11 (Noldus), and the unpredictability of maternal sensory signals was characterized as the entropy rate when the infant was 8 months of age. Child effortful control was assessed via mother reports using the Child Behavior Questionnaire very short form (CBQ-VSF) when the child was 5 years old. Correlational analyses showed that higher unpredictability of maternal sensory signals had a modest association with children’s poorer effortful control at 5 years of age. Notably, the linear regression model showed that child sex moderated these associations, as higher exposure to unpredictable maternal sensory signals was related to poorer effortful control among males, but not among females. Moreover, the general linear model showed that exposure to very high unpredictability was associated with poorer child effortful control at 5 years of age and remained significant when adjusted for possible confounding factors. These results are in line with previous findings and suggest that the unpredictability of maternal sensory signals is potentially an important aspect of early caregiving behavior associated with the development of child effortful control.</p

Maternal Anxiety Symptoms and Self-Regulation Capacity Are Associated With the Unpredictability of Maternal Sensory Signals in Caregiving Behavior

The unpredictability of maternal sensory signals in caregiving behavior has been recently found to be linked with infant neurodevelopment. The research area is new, and very little is yet known, how maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms and specific parental characteristics relate to the unpredictable maternal care. The aims of the current study were to explore how pre- and postnatal maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms and self-regulation capacity associate with the unpredictability of maternal sensory signals. The study population consisted of 177 mother-infant dyads. The unpredictability of the maternal sensory signals was explored from the video-recorded mother-infant free play situation when the infant was 8 months of age. Pre- and postnatal anxiety and depressive symptoms were measured by questionnaires prenatally at gwks 14, 24, 34, and 3 and 6 months postpartum. Maternal self-regulation capacity, a trait considered to be stable in adulthood, was assessed using adult temperament questionnaire when the infant was 12 months of age. We found that elevated prenatal maternal anxiety symptoms associated with higher unpredictability in the maternal care while depressive symptoms were unrelated to the unpredictability of maternal care. Moreover, the association was moderated by maternal self-regulation capacity, as higher anxiety symptoms during pre-and postnatal period were associated more unpredictability among the mothers with low self-regulation capacity. The combination of higher amount of maternal anxiety symptoms and lower self-regulation capacity seems to constitute specific risk for the unpredictable maternal care

Järjestötoimijat ja syöpään sairastuneen psykososiaalinen tuki ja kuntoutus: Vastuut ja rajat erikoissairaanhoidossa

Tässä artikkelissa keskitymme yhteen syöpäkuntoutuksen keskeiseen osa-alueeseen, sairastuneille tarjottavaan psykososiaaliseen tukeen, jota toteuttavat sekä erikoissairaanhoidon että syöpäjärjestöjen toimijat. Artikkelin tavoitteena on lisätä ymmärrystä järjestö- ja erikoissairaanhoidon toimijoiden välisestä yhteistyöstä osana syöpään sairastuneiden psykososiaalista tukea ja kuntoutusta. Tarkastelemme erityisesti järjestötoimijoiden näkökulmaa kysymällä, millaisia vastuuneuvotteluja järjestötoimijat käyvät erikoissairaanhoidossa psykososiaalisen tuen toteuttamisesta. Artikkelin teoreettinen tausta avaa psykososiaalisen tuen sekä rajatyön&nbsp;käsitteitä, ja metodisesti kiinnitymme diskursiiviseen lähestymistapaan. Artikkelin aineisto koostuu neljän suomalaisen syöpä- ja potilasjärjestön hoito- tai johtotehtävissä työskentelevien asiantuntijoiden (n = 12) haastatteluista. Järjestötoimijoiden erikoissairaanhoidossa käymät vastuuneuvottelut psykososiaalisen tuen toteuttamisesta jakautuvat tuloksissa rajanvetoneuvotteluihin ja reviirineuvotteluihin. Rajanvetoneuvottelujen avulla järjestötoimijat jäsentävät vastuitaan psykososiaalisen tuen sisällöstä, läsnäoloaan erikoissairaanhoidon tiloissa sekä toimintansa eettisyyttä. Reviirineuvottelujen avulla jäsennetään vastuita järjestötoimintaa koskevan tiedon, psykososiaalisen tuen tiedotusmateriaalien sekä toimijoiden välisen kilpailuasetelman merkityksistä. Järjestö- ja erikoissairaanhoidon toimijoiden välistä yhteistyötä on mahdollista edistää ja syöpäkuntoutusta kehittää vahvistamalla erikoissairaanhoidon toimijoiden järjestötuntemusta sekä selkiyttämällä järjestötoimijoiden asemaa sairaalaympäristöissä. Abstract Third sector actors and psychosocial support for people with cancer - responsibilities and boundaries in specialist healthcare In this article, we concentrate on a central aspect of cancer rehabilitation – psychosocial support – which is produced by both specialist healthcare as well as cancer and patient organisations. We focus specifically on the perspective of organisational actors. Our aim is to increase understanding regarding collaboration in the rehabilitation process by asking: what kind of responsibility negotiations organisational actors engage in specialist healthcare regarding the provision of psychosocial support? On a theoretical level we examine the concepts of psychosocial support and boundary work. Methodologically we take a discursive approach in our analysis of the data, which consist of expert interviews (n=12) with nursing and managerial staff of four different cancer or patient organisations. The results show how organisational actors engage in demarcation negotiations and territory negotiations. Through the former negotiations, organisational actors attempt to define content of psychosocial support, their presence in specialist healthcare settings and the ethical boundaries of their work. Through the latter, they aim to negotiate responsibilities concerning the dissemination of information regarding the organisations and attempt to dissolve the competitive stance between organisations and healthcare. Collaboration can be enhanced by improving the organisational knowledge of professionals working in specialist healthcare. Additionally, the position of organisational actors within hospital settings requires clarification. Key words: boundary work, people with cancer, psychosocial support, responsibility negotiations&nbsp

Unpredictable maternal sensory signals in caregiving behavior are associated with child effortful control.

Emerging evidence suggests that exposure to unpredictable patterns of maternal sensory signals during infancy is associated with child neurodevelopment, including poorer effortful control. However, longitudinal effects on child development and possible sex differences are understudied. The aims of the present study were to explore whether exposure to unpredictable maternal sensory signals during infancy is related to child effortful control at 5 years of age and whether child sex moderates these associations. In addition, we examined how exposure to very high vs. low/moderate unpredictability using categorical cut-offs is related to child effortful control. Participants (133 mother-child pairs, all Caucasian) were drawn from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study in Finland. Maternal sensory signals (auditory, visual, tactile) were coded from the 10-min free-play episode on a moment-on-moment basis using Observer XT 11 (Noldus), and the unpredictability of maternal sensory signals was characterized as the entropy rate when the infant was 8 months of age. Child effortful control was assessed via mother reports using the Child Behavior Questionnaire very short form (CBQ-VSF) when the child was 5 years old. Correlational analyses showed that higher unpredictability of maternal sensory signals had a modest association with children's poorer effortful control at 5 years of age. Notably, the linear regression model showed that child sex moderated these associations, as higher exposure to unpredictable maternal sensory signals was related to poorer effortful control among males, but not among females. Moreover, the general linear model showed that exposure to very high unpredictability was associated with poorer child effortful control at 5 years of age and remained significant when adjusted for possible confounding factors. These results are in line with previous findings and suggest that the unpredictability of maternal sensory signals is potentially an important aspect of early caregiving behavior associated with the development of child effortful control

The general linear model for child effortful control (using categorical cut-offs).

The general linear model for child effortful control (using categorical cut-offs).</p