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. 

 

 

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. 
June 1, 2018
Intervention effects
MAMAS/SEED Study
Maternal mental health
Stress during pregnancy

The Mindful Moms training: Development of a mindfulness-based intervention to reduce stress and overeating 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

Effect of prenatal mindfulness training on depressive symptom severity through 18-months postpartum: A latent profile analysis

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

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. 

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