The Cycle of Abuse: Emotional Availability in Resilient and Non-Resilient Mothers with Early Life Maltreatment

2020 ◽  
Vol 53 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 298-305
Author(s):  
Emilia Louisa Mielke ◽  
Corinne Neukel ◽  
Anna Fuchs ◽  
Karen Hillmann ◽  
Anna-Lena Zietlow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Maternal Sensitivity ◽  
Emotional Availability ◽  
Child Interaction ◽  
Mother Child Interaction ◽  
History Of ◽  
Interaction Task ◽  
And Control

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Early life maltreatment (ELM) has a high risk of transmission across generations, known as “the cycle of abuse.” ELM is also an important risk factor for developing mental disorders, and having a mental disorder increases the risk of child abuse. Both the abuse potential in mothers with ELM and in mothers with a history of mental disorders might be associated with a disturbed mother-child interaction. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> The current study examined differences in emotional availability between mothers with a history of ELM and previous or current mental disorders (non-resilient), mothers with ELM without mental disorders (resilient), and control mothers without ELM and without mental disorders. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Thirty-three non-resilient mothers, 18 resilient mothers, and 37 control mothers and their 5- to 12-year-old children participated in a standardized mother-child interaction task. Videotaped interactions were rated by three independent, trained raters based on the Emotional Availability Scales (EA Scales) and compared between the groups. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The non-resilient mothers and their children showed reduced maternal sensitivity, structuring, non-intrusiveness, non-hostility, responsiveness, and involvement compared to the resilient mothers and their children and the control mothers and their children (<i>p</i> = 0.006, η<sub>p</sub><sup>2</sup> = 0.12). No differences on any of the EA Scales were found between resilient mothers and control mothers. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> These deficits in mother-child interaction in non-resilient mothers might contribute to mechanisms that could explain the cycle of abuse. Interestingly, resilient mothers, who did not develop a mental disorder despite having experienced ELM, did not show these deficits. Thus, prevention programs promoting resilience might be a key to break the cycle of abuse.

EMOTIONAL AVAILABILITY IN MOTHER-CHILD INTERACTION: THE EFFECTS OF MATERNAL DEPRESSION IN REMISSION AND ADDITIONAL HISTORY OF CHILDHOOD ABUSE

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 648-657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothea Kluczniok ◽  
Katja Boedeker ◽  
Anna Fuchs ◽  
Catherine Hindi Attar ◽  
Thomas Fydrich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Depression ◽  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Emotional Availability ◽  
History Of Childhood ◽  
Child Interaction ◽  
Mother Child Interaction ◽  
History Of

scholarly journals Latent profiles of early developmental vulnerabilities in a New South Wales child population at age 5 years

2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 530-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa J Green ◽  
Stacy Tzoumakis ◽  
Kristin R Laurens ◽  
Kimberlie Dean ◽  
Maina Kariuki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Early Development ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
New South ◽  
Criminal Offending ◽  
Parental History ◽  
South Wales ◽  
History Of

Objective: Detecting the early emergence of childhood risk for adult mental disorders may lead to interventions for reducing subsequent burden of these disorders. We set out to determine classes of children who may be at risk for later mental disorder on the basis of early patterns of development in a population cohort, and associated exposures gleaned from linked administrative records obtained within the New South Wales Child Development Study. Methods: Intergenerational records from government departments of health, education, justice and child protection were linked with the Australian Early Development Census for a state population cohort of 67,353 children approximately 5 years of age. We used binary data from 16 subdomains of the Australian Early Development Census to determine classes of children with shared patterns of Australian Early Development Census–defined vulnerability using latent class analysis. Covariates, which included demographic features (sex, socioeconomic status) and exposure to child maltreatment, parental mental illness, parental criminal offending and perinatal adversities (i.e. birth complications, smoking during pregnancy, low birth weight), were examined hierarchically within latent class analysis models. Results: Four classes were identified, reflecting putative risk states for mental disorders: (1) disrespectful and aggressive/hyperactive behaviour, labelled ‘misconduct risk’ ( N = 4368; 6.5%); (2) ‘pervasive risk’ ( N = 2668; 4.0%); (3) ‘mild generalised risk’ ( N = 7822; 11.6%); and (4) ‘no risk’ ( N = 52,495; 77.9%). The odds of membership in putative risk groups (relative to the no risk group) were greater among children from backgrounds of child maltreatment, parental history of mental illness, parental history of criminal offending, socioeconomic disadvantage and perinatal adversities, with distinguishable patterns of association for some covariates. Conclusion: Patterns of early childhood developmental vulnerabilities may provide useful indicators for particular mental disorder outcomes in later life, although their predictive utility in this respect remains to be established in longitudinal follow-up of the cohort.

scholarly journals Predictors of Sensitivity in Mothers of 8-Month-Old Infants

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (56) ◽  
pp. 311-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Alvarenga ◽  
Maria Virginia Machado Dazzani ◽  
Eulina da Rocha Lordelo ◽  
Cristiane Ajnamei dos Santos Alfaya ◽  
Cesar Augusto Piccinini
Keyword(s):  
Postpartum Depression ◽  
Maternal Mental Health ◽  
Maternal Sensitivity ◽  
Multiple Regression Model ◽  
Third Trimester ◽  
Child Interaction ◽  
Mother Child Interaction ◽  
Maternal Fetal Attachment ◽  
Fetal Attachment ◽  
The Impact

This longitudinal study investigated the impact of maternal mental health, including postpartum depression, and of maternal-fetal attachment, on maternal sensitivity when babies were eight months old. The study included 38 mother-infant dyads. The women answered the SRQ-20 and the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale in the third trimester of pregnancy, and the BDI, for evaluation of postpartum depression in the first month following birth. Maternal sensitivity was examined through an observation of mother-child interaction when babies were eight months old. The multiple regression model considering the three factors explained 18.6% of the variance in sensitivity, and only maternal-fetal attachment was a significant predictor. The results indicate the importance of interventions to promote the bond of pregnant women with their babies, which may even minimize possible harmful effects of postpartum depression on mother-child interaction.

The Relation of Chronic Sepsis to the So-called Functional Mental Disorders

1923 ◽  
Vol 69 (287) ◽  
pp. 434-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry A. Cotton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
History Of ◽  
Care And Treatment

It is extremely befitting that this Association should be interested in the relation of chronic sepsis to mental disorders, principally for the reason that this idea had its origin in England. As early as 1875, Savage, the English alienist, reported the recovery of cases of mental disorder following the extraction of infected teeth. The full significance of this report, of course, was not realised at the time, for if it had been recognised, an entirely different history of the care and treatment of mental disorders during the last century would have been written.

Impact of Maternal Early Life Maltreatment and Maternal History of Depression on Child Psychopathology: Mediating Role of Maternal Sensitivity?

2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 278-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katja Bödeker ◽  
Anna Fuchs ◽  
Daniel Führer ◽  
Dorothea Kluczniok ◽  
Katja Dittrich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Child Psychopathology ◽  
Maternal Sensitivity ◽  
Maternal History ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
History Of ◽  
History Of Depression

scholarly journals Efficacy of Parent-Infant-Psychotherapy with mothers with postpartum mental disorder: study protocol of the randomized controlled trial as part of the SKKIPPI project.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janna Mattheß ◽  
Melanie Eckert ◽  
Katharina Richter ◽  
Gabriele Koch ◽  
Thomas Reinhold ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Maternal Sensitivity ◽  
Reflective Functioning ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Psychotherapeutic Interventions ◽  
German Health

Abstract Background: After the birth of a child, many mothers and fathers experience postpartum mental disorders like depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, stress or other illnesses. This endangers the establishment of a secure attachment between the children and their primary caregivers. Early problems in parent-child interaction can have adverse long-term effects on the family and the child’s well-being. In order to prevent a transgenerational transmission of mental disorders, it is necessary to evaluate psychotherapeutic interventions that target psychologically burdened parents of infants or toddlers. The aim of this trial is to investigate the efficacy of Parent-Infant-Psychotherapy (PIP) for mothers with postpartum mental disorder and their infants (0-12 month).Methods: In this open randomized controlled intervention trial 180 mother-infant dyads will be included and randomly allocated to 12 sessions of PIP or care as usual. The interventions take place either in inpatient adult psychiatric departments or in outpatient settings with home visits. The primary outcome is the change in maternal sensitivity assessed by the Sensitivity subscale of the Emotional Availability Scale (EAS) through videotaped dyadic play-interactions after 6 weeks. Secondary outcomes are maternal psychopathology, stress, parental reflective functioning, infant development and attachment after 6 weeks and 12 months. In addition, maternal attachment (AAI) and reflective functioning (AAI) will be analyzed as potential moderators, and resource usage in the German health system as well as associated costs will be evaluated. Discussion: There is increasing demand for well-controlled studies on psychotherapeutic interventions in the postpartum period that do not only focus on particular risk groups. This RCT represents one of the first studies to investigate the efficacy of PIP in inpatient psychiatric departments and outpatient care centres in Germany. The results will fill knowledge gaps on the factors contributing to symptom reduction in postpartum mental disorders and improvements in mother-child relationships and help developing preventive and therapeutic strategies for the fragmented German health care system.Trial registration: German Register for Clinical Trials: DRKS00016353.

scholarly journals Differential susceptibility effects of maternal sensitivity in childhood on small for gestational age adults’ wealth

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 197-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobey Nichols ◽  
Julia Jaekel ◽  
Peter Bartmann ◽  
Dieter Wolke
Keyword(s):  
Gestational Age ◽  
Small For Gestational Age ◽  
Maternal Sensitivity ◽  
Differential Susceptibility ◽  
Sensitive Parenting ◽  
Child Interaction ◽  
At Risk Children ◽  
Susceptibility Effects ◽  
Appropriate For Gestational Age ◽  
Interaction Task

AbstractBeing born small for gestational age (SGA) is considered a developmental vulnerability. Alternatively, SGA may be viewed as a marker for individual susceptibility to environmental experiences. The aim was to test if individuals born SGA are more susceptible to both negative and positive environmental experiences assessed by sensitive parenting in childhood compared with those born appropriate for gestational age (AGA). The target outcome was wealth in young adulthood. A total of 438 participants (SGA, n = 109; AGA, n = 329) were studied as part of the prospective Bavarian Longitudinal Study of neonatal at-risk children. Maternal sensitivity was observed during a standardized mother-child interaction task, and IQ was assessed with the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children at age 6 years. At age 26, participants’ wealth was assessed with a comprehensive composite score. Individuals born SGA were found to be more susceptible to the effects of sensitive parenting after controlling for gestational age and IQ at age 6 years. When maternal sensitivity was lower than average, SGA adults did worse than AGA adults, but when exposed to above-average maternal sensitivity in childhood, they obtained significantly higher wealth than their AGA peers by 26 years of age.

Observational Context of Mother-Child Interaction: Impact of a stress Context on Emotional Availability

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1583-1591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katja Dittrich ◽  
Anna Fuchs ◽  
Daniel Führer ◽  
Felix Bermpohl ◽  
Dorothea Kluczniok ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Availability ◽  
Child Interaction ◽  
Mother Child Interaction

Elevated infant cortisol is necessary but not sufficient for transmission of environmental risk to infant social development: Cross-species evidence of mother–infant physiological social transmission

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 1696-1714
Author(s):  
Rosemarie E. Perry ◽  
Stephen H. Braren ◽  
Maya Opendak ◽  
Annie Brandes-Aitken ◽  
Divija Chopra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Behavior ◽  
Social Development ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Developmental Outcomes ◽  
Social Transmission ◽  
Stress Physiology ◽  
Infant Behavior ◽  
Child Interaction ◽  
Interaction Task

AbstractEnvironmental adversity increases child susceptibility to disrupted developmental outcomes, but the mechanisms by which adversity can shape development remain unclear. A translational cross-species approach was used to examine stress-mediated pathways by which poverty-related adversity can influence infant social development. Findings from a longitudinal sample of low-income mother–infant dyads indicated that infant cortisol (CORT) on its own did not mediate relations between early-life scarcity-adversity exposure and later infant behavior in a mother-child interaction task. However, maternal CORT through infant CORT served as a mediating pathway, even when controlling for parenting behavior. Findings using a rodent “scarcity-adversity” model indicated that pharmacologically blocking pup corticosterone (CORT, rodent equivalent to cortisol) in the presence of a stressed mother causally prevented social transmission of scarcity-adversity effects on pup social behavior. Furthermore, pharmacologically increasing pup CORT without the mother present was not sufficient to disrupt pup social behavior. Integration of our cross-species results suggests that elevated infant CORT may be necessary, but without elevated caregiver CORT, may not be sufficient in mediating the effects of environmental adversity on development. These findings underscore the importance of considering infant stress physiology in relation to the broader social context, including caregiver stress physiology, in research and interventional efforts.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document