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.
February 1, 2021
Child mental & behavioral health
Intervention effects
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) was revised in 2009 to align with dietary guidelines. This study shows that children of mothers who received the revised food package during pregnancy had improved developmental outcomes in the first 2 years of life. These findings highlight the value of WIC in improving early developmental outcomes among vulnerable children and support the need to implement and expand policies that support the health of marginalized groups.
November 30, 2020
Intervention effects
MAMAS/SEED Study
Maternal mental health
This study looked at the effects of participating in a wellness group called Mindful Moms Training during pregnancy on healthcare utilization for infants. The study found that for mothers with moderate depressive symptoms, those who participated in the wellness group had significantly fewer healthcare visits for their infants compared to those who did not participate in the group (15 average visits vs. 9 average visits).
October 1, 2019
Intervention effects
MAMAS/SEED Study
Maternal mental health
Stress during pregnancy
This study tested the effectiveness of Mindful Moms Training, a wellness group for pregnancy women, on perceived stress, eating behaviors, and gestational weight gain. The group intervention led to significant reductions in perceived stress and depressive symptoms, increased physical activity, and showed promise for preventing glucose intolerance. However, the study found that the majority of women gained excessive weight during pregnancy, regardless of the intervention.
June 1, 2018
Intervention effects
MAMAS/SEED Study
Maternal mental health
Stress during pregnancy
This study documents the development of a mindfulness-based intervention for pregnant women, Mindful Moms Training, which aimed to reduce excessive stress and weight gain during pregnancy. The intervention included group sessions where pregnant women learned mindfulness strategies for stress and non-hunger-based eating behaviors. The study found that the intervention was feasible and effective, with women reporting improvements in mindfulness, acceptance, and emotion regulation, which were correlated with reductions in stress, depression, and overeating.
February 28, 2018
Intervention effects
MAMAS/SEED Study
Maternal mental health
This study looked at whether a wellness group (Mindful Moms Training) for pregnant women could reduce depression symptoms after giving birth compared to treatment as usual. They found that the women who participated in the wellness group were less likely to have moderate depressive symptoms after giving birth compared to the women who received typical care. This suggests that wellness programs during pregnancy could be helpful in reducing depressive symptoms during the transition to parenthood.
December 5, 2017
Child mental & behavioral health
Childhood adversity
CTRP-Health Study
Interconnected maternal-child health
Intervention effects
Maternal mental health
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.