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. 
February 4, 2019
Child mental & behavioral health
Child physical health
Protective factors

Power of the positive: Childhood assets and future cardiometabolic health

This commentary discusses a study by Qureshi & colleagues (2018) that focuses on the relationship between positive psychological assets in childhood and cardiometabolic health, which is a largely unexplored area of research. The four domains examined in the study showed potential for investment, including early childhood executive function, prosocial behaviors, positive relationships, and neighborhood opportunities. The authors highlight the need to both document associations and to rigorously study methods to enhance these positive psychological assets. The article concludes by discussing the implications of the study for researchers and clinical practitioners, emphasizing the need for a life course approach to cardiometabolic health with particular emphasis on the pediatric period.
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. 
November 22, 2017
Biomarkers
Child mental & behavioral health
MAMAS/SEED Study
SEED Study
Stress during pregnancy

Effects of pre- and postnatal maternal stress on infant temperament and autonomic nervous system reactivity and regulation in a diverse, low-income population

This study found that higher levels of stress experienced by mothers during pregnancy were linked to lower levels of self-regulation and activity in their infants. Additionally, experiencing more stressful life events during pregnancy was linked to greater stress reactivity and weaker recovery in infants, but only if mothers reported high levels of perceived stress. These findings suggest that both objective and subjective measures of maternal stress can have a unique impact on infants' stress reactivity and regulation.

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