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 14, 2024
Biomarkers
Caregiving behaviors
Childhood adversity
CTRP-Health Study
Intervention effects
Protective factors
SEED Study
This study explored whether a psychosocial treatment to promote safe and responsive parenting in trauma-affected families could reduce epigenetic age acceleration, a health-risk biomarker. Before the treatment, both the intervention and community comparison groups had similar age acceleration levels. After the treatment, the intervention group showed lower age acceleration, suggesting that interventions designed to promote better parent-child relationships may reduce children's biological stress and improve future health.
October 9, 2023
Biomarkers
Caregiving behaviors
Child mental & behavioral health
MAMAS/SEED Study
Protective factors
SEED Study
Stress during pregnancy
This study found that average or higher levels of sensitive parenting behaviors buffered the effects of prenatal stress exposures on child cardiometabolic functioning and temperament, at 6 months of age. Findings also showed that sensitive parenting behaviors were related with lower cardiometabolic reactivity and greater recovery when infants were exposed to stress. Together, these results suggest that parental sensitivity (and interventions that promote it) may shape healthy child development and stress resilience.
December 7, 2021
Biomarkers
Child mental & behavioral health
Childhood adversity
MAMAS/SEED Study
SEED Study
This study looked at how early life experiences can affect a child's mental and behavioral health. The researchers found that children who experienced adversity in the first 18 months of life were more likely to have heightened physiological response when faced with a challenge at age 3. Children with this heightened physiological response profile also had lower scores in executive functioning compared to those who had adaptive patterns across all systems.
March 12, 2021
Biomarkers
Child mental & behavioral health
Childhood adversity
MAMAS/SEED Study
SEED Study
This study explored how different physiological systems work together to predict mental health in young children. Researchers identified different profiles of autonomic nervous system (ANS) and hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis functioning at 18 and 36 months of age. One profile which involved persistent heightened baseline ANS and HPA axis activity was associated with child internalizing (anxiety and depression) problems at age 3.
November 17, 2020
Biomarkers
Child physical health
MAMAS/SEED Study
SEED Study
This study investigated the relationship between early weight gain in infants and the development of their autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulation. The results showed that greater than average weight-for-length gain during the first 6 months of life was associated with ANS dysregulation at 6 months. These findings suggest that early adiposity gain is a risk factor for ANS dysregulation, which can inform early intervention programs for obesity prevention and promoting self-regulation in infancy.
August 19, 2020
Child physical health
MAMAS/SEED Study
SEED Study
Stress during pregnancy
This study looked at how stress during pregnancy affects the health of infants in their first year of life. The researchers found that when mothers experienced more stress during pregnancy, their babies were more likely to get sick. This means that it is important to try and reduce stress during pregnancy in order to keep both the mother and the baby healthy.
May 14, 2020
Child physical health
MAMAS/SEED Study
SEED Study
Stress during pregnancy
This study looked at how stress during pregnancy can affect a baby's weight gain. Authors found that moms who experienced more stressful events during pregnancy were more likely to have babies who gained weight too quickly in the first six months of life. These findings suggest that supporting pregnant people around stress may help prevent rapid weight gain in babies.
August 27, 2019
Child mental & behavioral health
Interconnected maternal-child health
MAMAS/SEED Study
Maternal mental health
SEED Study
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.
November 22, 2017
Biomarkers
Child mental & behavioral health
MAMAS/SEED Study
SEED Study
Stress during pregnancy
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.