Maternal history of early adversity and child emotional development : investigating intervening factors

L’objectif de cette thèse était de contribuer à l’avancement des connaissances quant aux circonstances permettant une transmission intergénérationnelle du risque émanant de l’adversité maternelle et aux mécanismes sous-tendant cette transmission, dans quatre articles empiriques. Le premier visait à explorer la relation entre un historique d’adversité maternelle, la sécurité d’attachement mère-enfant et le tempérament de l’enfant. Les mères ont complété une entrevue semi-structurée portant sur leurs représentations d’attachement avec leurs parents, à 6 mois, et ont évalué le tempérament de leur enfant à 2 ans. La sécurité d’attachement fut également évaluée à 2 ans. Les résultats ont démontré que les enfants dont les mères rapportaient des niveaux supérieurs d’adversité présentaient de moins bons niveaux d’activité comportementale, uniquement lorsqu’ils avaient un attachement sécurisant avec leur mère. Ces résultats suggèrent une transmission intergénérationnelle des effets d’un historique d’adversité maternelle sur le tempérament des enfants. Le deuxième article visait à investiguer si le transporteur de sérotonine (5-HTTLPR) module la transmission de risque intergénérationnelle de l’adversité maternelle sur le tempérament des enfants. L’historique d’adversité maternelle fut évalué en combinant deux mesures auto-rapportées. Les mères ont également évalué le tempérament de leur enfant à 18 et à 36 mois. Le génotype des enfants fut extrait à 36 mois. Les résultats ont révélé un effet d’interaction entre l’adversité maternelle et le génotype de l’enfant sur le tempérament, suggérant une transmission intergénérationnelle des effets de l’adversité maternelle sur le fonctionnement émotionnel des enfants. Le troisième article visait à explorer la relation entre les difficultés d’adaptation psychosociale des mères, la sensibilité maternelle et les symptômes intériorisés de leurs enfants. Les mères ont complété plusieurs questionnaires desquels un score composite de difficultés d’adaptation psychosociale fut extrait. La sensibilité maternelle fut observée à 12 mois. Les symptômes intériorisés des enfants furent évalués par les deux parents à 2 et à 3 ans. Les résultats ont démontré qu’une augmentation des difficultés maternelles d’adaptation psychosociale étaient associée à davantage de symptômes intériorisés chez les enfants, mais seulement chez ceux dont les mères étaient moins sensibles. Ces résultats ont été observés par les mères à 2 ans et par les deux parents à 3 ans. Ces résultats suggèrent que les enfants peuvent être différemment affectés par l’adaptation émotionnelle de leur mère tout en mettant l’emphase sur le rôle protecteur de la sensibilité maternelle. Le quatrième article visait à investiguer les rôles médiateurs de la dépression et de la sensibilité maternelle dans la relation entre un historique d’adversité maternelle et le tempérament de l’enfant. L’historique d’adversité maternelle fut évalué en combinant deux mesures auto-rapportées. Les mères ont également rapporté leurs symptômes dépressifs à 6 mois. La sensibilité maternelle fut évaluée de façon concomitante. Les mères ont évalué le tempérament de leur enfant à 36 mois. Les résultats ont révélé une transmission intergénérationnelle des effets d’un historique d’adversité maternelle à la génération suivante suivant une médiation séquentielle passant d’abord par la dépression maternelle et ensuite par la sensibilité maternelle. Finalement, les résultats des quatre articles ont été intégrés dans la conclusion générale.The main goal of this dissertation was to document more extensively the circumstances under which intergenerational risk transmission of maternal adversity occurs and to identify underlying processes. The dissertation is comprised of four empirical articles. The first article examined the relation between maternal history of early adversity, mother-child attachment security, and child temperament. Mothers completed a semi-structured interview pertaining to their childhood attachment experiences with their parents at 6 months and rated their children’s temperament at 2 years. Mother-child attachment was also assessed at 2 years. Results showed that children whose mothers received higher scores of early life adversity displayed poorer temperamental activity level outcomes but only when they also showed high concomitant levels of attachment security, suggesting intergenerational effects of maternal early life experiences on child temperament. The second article examined the intergenerational effects of maternal childhood adversity on child temperament targeting the serotonin transporter polymorphism, 5-HTTLPR, as a potential moderator of those maternal influences. Maternal history of early adversity was assessed with an integrated measure derived from two self-report questionnaires. Mothers also rated their children’s temperament at 18 and 36 months. Child genotyping was performed at 36 months. Results yielded a significant interaction effect of maternal childhood adversity and child 5-HTTLPR genotype on child temperament, suggesting intergenerational effects of maternal history of adversity on child emotional function. The third article investigated the interactive effects of maternal psychosocial maladjustment and maternal sensitivity on child internalizing symptoms. Families took part in four assessments between ages 1 and 3 years. Mothers completed several questionnaires from which a composite score of maternal psychosocial maladjustment was derived. Maternal sensitivity was rated by an observer at 12 months. Child internalizing symptoms were assessed by both parents at 2 and 3 years. Results revealed that increased maternal psychosocial maladjustment was related to more internalizing symptoms in children, however only among children of less sensitive mothers whereas children of more sensitive mothers appeared to be protected. This was observed with maternal reports at 2 years, and both maternal and paternal reports at 3 years. These results suggest that young children may be differentially affected by their parents’ emotional adjustment, while highlighting the pivotal protective role of maternal sensitivity in this process. Finally, the fourth article examined the mediating roles of maternal depression and maternal sensitivity in the relation between maternal history of early adversity and child temperament. Maternal history of early adversity was assessed with an integrated measure derived from two self-report questionnaires. Mothers also reported on their depression symptoms at 6 months. Maternal sensitivity was rated concurrently. Mothers also completed a questionnaire on their children’s temperament at 36 months. Results suggested the intergenerational transmission of the effects of maternal childhood adversity to offspring occurs through a two-step, serial pathway, specifically through maternal depression, first, and, then, to maternal sensitivity. Finally, the results of the four articles were integrated into a general conclusion

Maternal psychosocial maladjustment and child internalizing symptoms: Investigating the modulating role of maternal sensitivity

In light of evidence suggesting that maternal adaptation may impact early child emotional development, this study investigated the interactive effects of maternal psychosocial maladjustment and maternal sensitivity on child internalizing symptoms, with the aim of investigating the potentially protective function of maternal sensitivity. Families (N = 71 to 106 across measures, with gender spread almost evenly: number of boys = 31 to 51 across measures) took part in four assessments between child ages 1 and 3 years. Mothers completed measures of parental stress, psychological distress, and marital satisfaction when their children were between 12 and 15 months. A composite score of maternal psychosocial maladjustment was derived from these measures. Maternal sensitivity was rated by trained observers at 12 months following a home visit. Child internalizing symptoms were assessed by both parents when the child was 2 and 3 years old. Hierarchical regressions revealed that increased maternal psychosocial maladjustment was related to more internalizing symptoms in children, however only among children of less sensitive mothers. In contrast, children of more sensitive mothers appeared to be protected. This was observed with maternal reports at 2 years, and both maternal and paternal reports at 3 years. These results suggest that young children may be differentially affected by their parents' emotional adjustment, while highlighting the pivotal protective role of maternal sensitivity in this process

Deconstructing maternal sensitivity: Predictive relations to mother-child attachment in home and laboratory settings

Despite the well-documented importance of parental sensitivity for child development, there is a lack of consensus regarding how best to assess it. We investigated the factor structure of maternal caregiving behavior as assessed at 12 months by the Maternal Behavior Q-Sort (Pederson, Moran, & Bento, 1999) with 274 mother-infant dyads. Subsequently, we examined associations between these empirically-derived dimensions and child attachment, assessed in the home and laboratory (final N = 157). Three dimensions of maternal behavior were identified, corresponding fairly closely to Ainsworth’s original scales. They were labeled Cooperation/Attunement, Positivity, and Accessibility/Availability. Only Cooperation/Attunement consistently predicted home-based attachment at 15 months and 2 years, and at comparable strength to the overall sensitivity score, suggesting that this construct may be central to sensitivity. At 18 months, compared to their primarily secure counterparts, different types of laboratory-assessed insecure attachment were associated with different patterns of maternal behavior. Mothers in avoidant relationships (n = 18) were low on Cooperation/Attunement and Accessibility/Availability, but fairly high on Positivity. Mothers of disorganized infants (n = 11) were Cooperative/Attuned but somewhat less Positive toward, and less Accessible/Available to, their infants. A multi-dimensional approach to parental behavior may facilitate the identification of parenting precursors of insecure parent-child relationships

Maternal history of early adversity: transgenerational risk transmission to offspring, temperament development

Epidemiological data and the perinatal programming hypothesis suggest that the effects of a maternal history of early adverse experiences may affect the next generation. Such effects are likely to occur interactively with offspring factors, such as genotype. The serotonin transporter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) is a plausible candidate for the early emergence of individual differences in temperament, especially negative emotionality, in combination with prenatal adversity. The focus in this study was on the 5-HTTLPR gene in the child and the interactive effects of this polymorphism and early childhood experience of the mother on the negative emotionality/behavioural regulation of the offspring. Offspring negative emotionality/behavioural regulation was not affected by this gene x environment interaction and only maternal postnatal depression was predictive of offspring negative emotionality/behavioural regulation. Although depression is known to influence mother-reports of infant temperament, offspring negative emotionality/behavioural regulation ratings remained stable between 18 and 36 months. Negative emotionality/behavioural regulation was also predictive of psychosocial impairments at 60 months, as assessed by both mothers and fathers, thereby confirming the impact of maternal depression on offspring temperament, over and above any bias reflected in the parental reports.Les études épidémiologiques suggèrent que les événements négatifs survenus chez la mère lors de son enfance et/ou de sa grossesse sont associés à des difficultés autant au niveau comportemental qu'émotionnel plus tard dans la vie de l'enfant. Les impacts de ces événements négatifs sont également influencés par le génotype des enfants. Il est fort probable que les polymorphismes du transporteur de sérotonine (5-HTTLPR) influencent, de concert avec l'historique d'événements négatifs vécus par les mères, l'émergence des premières différences individuelles au niveau du tempérament des enfants, en particulier l'émotivité négative. Cette étude visait à déterminer les impacts du gène 5-HTTLPR chez les enfants, combinés aux impacts des expériences négatives vécues par les mères antérieurement à la grossesse, sur l'émotivité négative/régulation du comportement des enfants. L'émotivité négative/régulation du comportement des enfants ne fut pas affectée par cette interaction gène x environnement et seule la dépression maternelle postnatale fut associée à l'émotivité négative/régulation du comportement des enfants. Même s'il a été établi que la dépression affecte l'exactitude de l'évaluation que les mères font du tempérament de leurs enfants, l'émotivité négative/régulation du comportement demeura stable entre 18 et 36 mois. De même, l'émotivité négative prédit les troubles psychosociaux des enfants à l'âge de 60 mois, tel qu'évalués tant par les mères que par les pères, confirmant, dès lors, que la dépression maternelle affecte bel et bien le tempérament des enfants

The joint contribution of maternal history of early adversity and adulthood depression to socioeconomic status and potential relevance for offspring development

Background: We examined the interactive effects of maternal childhood adversity and later adulthood depression on subsequent socioeconomic status (SES).Methods: Our community sample ranged from 230 to 243 mothers (across measures) drawn from a prospective, longitudinal cohort study. Maternal childhood adversity scores were derived using an integrated measure derived from the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Parental Bonding Index (PBI). Maternal depression was measured in the prenatal period with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). SES measures included maternal highest level of education and family income as obtained prenatally.Results: The analyses yielded significant interaction effects between maternal childhood adversity and prenatal depression that predicted income, prenatally. Women who reported higher levels of childhood adversity combined with higher levels of self-reported depressive symptoms were significantly more likely to live in low SES environments. Results also showed that level of education was predicted by childhood adversity independent of maternal symptoms of depression.Conclusion: The results suggest that SES is influenced by a life course pathway that begins in childhood and includes adversity-related mental health outcomes. Since child health and development is influenced by both maternal mental health and SES, this pathway may also contribute to the intergenerational transmission of the risk for psychopathology in the offspring. The results also emphasize the importance of studying potential precursors of low SES, a well-documented environmental risk factor for poor developmental outcomes in the offspring.publishe

Maternal symptoms of depression and sensitivity mediate the relation between maternal history of early adversity and her child temperament : the inheritance of circumstance

We examined maternal depression and maternal sensitivity as mediators of the association between maternal childhood adversity and her child's temperament in 239 mother-child dyads from a longitudinal, birth cohort study. We used an integrated measure of maternal childhood adversity that included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Parental Bonding Index. Maternal depression was assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at 6 months postpartum. Maternal sensitivity was assessed with the Ainsworth maternal sensitivity scales at 6 months. A measure of "negative emotionality/behavioral dysregulation" was derived from the Early Childhood Behaviour Questionnaire administered at 36 months. Bootstrapping-based mediation analyses revealed that maternal depression mediated the effect of maternal childhood adversity on offspring negative emotionality/behavioral dysregulation (95% confidence interval [0.026, 0.144]). We also found a serial, indirect effect of maternal childhood adversity on child negative emotionality/behavioral mediated first by maternal depression and then by maternal sensitivity (95% confidence interval [0.031, 0.156]). Results suggest the intergenerational transmission of the effects of maternal childhood adversity to the offspring occurs through a two-step, serial pathway, involving maternal depression and maternal sensitivity.publishe

Dissecting maternal care : Patterns of maternal parenting in a prospective cohort study

Parental care has a strong impact on neurodevelopment and mental health in the offspring. While a multitude of animal studies has revealed that the parental brain is a highly complex system involving many brain structures and neuroendocrine systems, human maternal parenting as a multi-dimensional construct with cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components has not been characterized comprehensively.This unique multi-method analysis aimed to examine patterns of self-reported and observed parenting from 6 to 60 months postpartum in a cohort of 496 mothers (maternal age: M = 32 years). Self-report questionnaires assessed motivational components of mothering, parenting stress, parenting-related mood, maternal investment, maternal parenting style, mother-child relationship satisfaction, and mother-child bonding at multiple time points. Observed parenting variables included the Ainsworth Sensitivity Scales at 6 and 18 months, the Behavioral Evaluation Strategies Taxonomies (BEST) at 6 months, an Etch-A-Sketch cooperation task (EAS) at 48 months and the Parent-Child Early Relationship Assessment (PCERA) at 60 months. To examine whether different latent constructs underlie these measures of maternal parenting, we conducted an exploratory factor analysis.Self-report measures of parenting correlated only weakly with behavioral observations. Factor analysis on a subsample (n = 197) revealed four latent factors that each explained 7 to 11% of the variance in the data (32% total variance explained). Based on the loadings of the instruments, the factors were interpreted as follows: Supportive Parenting, Self-Enjoyment Parenting, Overwhelmed Parenting, and Affectionate Parenting. These factor scores showed specific associations with maternal education and depressive symptoms, and with child outcomes, including maternally reported internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems, school readiness, and child-reported symptoms of mental health.These findings parallel the complexity of the parental brain, suggesting that maternal parenting consists of multiple components, each of which is associated with different maternal characteristics and child outcomes.publishe

Once and Again : History of Rearing Experiences and Psychosocial Parenting Resources at Six Months in Primiparous Mothers

Animal and human studies suggest that parenting style is transmitted from one generation to the next. The hypotheses of this study were that (1) a mother's rearing experiences (G1) would predict her own parenting resources (G2) and (2) current maternal mood, motivation to care for her offspring, and relationship with her parents would underlie this association. In a subsample of 201 first-time mothers participating in the longitudinal Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment project, we assessed a mother's own childhood maltreatment and rearing experiences (G1) using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Parental Bonding Instrument. At 6 months postpartum, mothers completed questionnaires on parenting stress (G2), symptoms of depression, maternal motivation, and current relationship with their own parents. The sample consisted of mostly high socioeconomic status mothers recruited from Montréal (n = 135) or Hamilton (n = 66), Canada, with an age range from 18 to 43 years (M = 29.41, SD = 4.85 years). More severe maltreatment and less supportive rearing by the mother's parents (G1) predicted increased parenting stress at 6 months (G2). These associations were mediated through distinct psychosocial pathways: maltreatment (G1) on parenting stress (G2) through symptoms of depression (Z = 2.297; p = .022); maternal rearing (G1) on parenting stress (G2) through maternal motivation (Z = -2.155; p = .031) and symptoms of depression (Z = -1.842; p = .065); and paternal rearing (G1) on parenting stress (G2) through current relationship with the father (Z = -2.617; p = .009). Maternal rearing experiences predict a mother's own parenting resources though distinct psychosocial pathways, including depressed mood, maternal motivation, and social support.publishe

Genetic and environmental factors predict multivariate trajectories of maternal distress after birth

Background: Maternal distress influences her own wellbeing and shapes her offspring’s psychosocial adjustment and neurodevelopment across childhood. The aim of this study was to analyze multivariate trajectories of maternal postpartum distress using a latent class modeling approach and to find genetic and psychosocial factors that predict membership within a given group (latent class). Methods: Maternal self-reports of depressive symptoms, parenting stress, general stress, and marital stress were measured at regular intervals during the first six years postpartum in 261 mothers participating in the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment Study. Genetic risk was determined by calculating a polygenic risk score for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD-PRS). Additionally, we assessed maternal history of early life adversity (mELA), educational level, and prenatal symptoms of depression as psychosocial risk factors. Using Latent Gold® Software, we identified latent classes of mothers based on their 1) average levels of distress and 2) change in distress over time. Results: We identified four latent classes based on average levels of distress and found that class membership probability was influenced by an interaction between MDD-PRS and prenatal depressive symptoms (WaldInteraction(3)=13.19, p=0.004; WaldMDD-PRS(3)=6.02, p=0.11; WaldDepression(3)=41.96; p<0.001), mELA (Wald(3)=8.64, p=0.035), and educational level (Wald(3)=11.61, p=0.009). Furthermore, we found five classes of mothers with distinct across- time trajectories, which were associated with mELA (Wald(3)=12.67, p=0.013). Conclusions: Our findings might become relevant in the clinical setting, e.g. for identifying pregnant women at risk for distress in the postpartum based on her prenatal symptoms of depression and genetic risk, mELA, and educational level