Research

IDHP Research Summaries

Guide to Navigating this Research Archive

Here you will find research articles published by IDHP researchers that are related to our primary scientific foci: the interconnected mental health of children and their caregivers, the intergenerational impact of stressful experiences on mental and physical health, and interventions and other buffers that support family wellness. 

 

In the right sidebar, you can search this archive by research topic, as well as by research study (you can read about each study on the Current Projects page). Each archive entry has a simple summary, the full scientific abstract, and a link to the full article. Most of the articles in this research archive are available open access (i.e., you can access it without a subscription). If you are trying to access an article and aren't able to see the full version, please email us at [email protected], and we would be happy to assist. 

 

 

March 14, 2024
Child mental & behavioral health
Child physical health
Interconnected maternal-child health
Intervention effects
Protective factors
Stress during pregnancy

Programming the next generation of prenatal programming of stress research: A review and suggestions for the future of the field

This article summarizes the science of how stress during pregnancy affects child mental and physical health. It discusses lessons learned from conducting this work and offers suggestions for future research poised to further the field in important areas, including: leveraging pregnancy interventions, identifying resilience promotion factors, and enhancing policy relevance. 
December 27, 2023
Caregiving behaviors
Child mental & behavioral health
Interconnected maternal-child health
Intervention effects
Maternal mental health

Integrating treatment for maternal depression and young children’s behavior problems

This paper discusses the value of a two generation-intervention approach, specifically the combination an evidence-based parenting intervention with depression treatment to improve both maternal and child mental health outcomes. The authors also describe the development of a new study testing the impact of such an intergenerational, holistic program. 
August 27, 2019
Child mental & behavioral health
Interconnected maternal-child health
MAMAS/SEED Study
Maternal mental health
SEED Study

Transactions between maternal and child depressive symptoms emerge early in life

This study suggests that while maternal depression can be a risk factor for children's internalizing (anxiety and depression) symptoms, the relationship between mood disorders and their transmission to children is complex and not unidirectional. In fact, the study found that children's internalizing symptoms at 18 months were positively associated with maternal depressive symptoms at 4 years, as well as maternal symptoms at 18 months positively associating with child symptoms at age 4 years. These findings highlight the importance of inclusive, family-focused interventions that can support both mothers and children in the treatment of early emotional problems. 
December 5, 2017
Child mental & behavioral health
Childhood adversity
CTRP-Health Study
Interconnected maternal-child health
Intervention effects
Maternal mental health

Parent and Child Trauma Symptoms During Child–Parent Psychotherapy: A Prospective Cohort Study of Dyadic Change

This study focused on Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and its effects on trauma symptoms in both parents and children. The researchers examined a group of 199 parent-child pairs who participated in an open treatment study of CPP. They found that both parents and children showed significant decreases in posttraumatic stress symptomatology (PTSS) during treatment and, further, that improvements in parent mental health symptoms were related to improvements in child mental health symptoms. The study also explored various factors that influenced the improvement, such as parental lifetime stressors, treatment duration, child's gender, and clinician expertise.