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. 

 

 

September 21, 2023
Biomarkers
Caregiving behaviors
Childhood adversity
Intervention effects
Protective factors

Parenting practices may buffer the impact of adversity on epigenetic age acceleration among young children with developmental delays

This study looked at whether parenting improvements would lead to slower biological aging in children exposed to adversity. Results showed that, indeed, children exposed to more adversity displayed lower biological aging when parents increased positive and decreased negative parenting practices. These findings underscore the powerful role of parenting in children's resilience when facing adversity. It's a reminder that positive parenting practices (like praising), and using fewer negative practices, can act as a shield against effects of early-life hardships.
September 13, 2023
Intervention effects
Maternal mental health

Rates of preterm birth and low birth weight in an adolescent obstetric clinic: Achieving health equity through trauma-informed care

This study examined racial/ethnic disparities in preterm birth and low birth weight before and after implementation of a trauma-informed model of prenatal care for adolescents. Black adolescents in the care-as-usual group were more than twice as likely to deliver preterm or low birth weight infants compared with adolescents of other races/ethnicities. In the trauma-informed group, however, there were no differences in birth outcomes across racial/ethnic groups, indicating an elimination of disparities in both preterm birth and low birth weight. These findings provide evidence that a health system-level intervention, herein trauma-informed obstetric care for adolescents, can play a meaningful role in the reduction of racial disparities.