Article
Clinical Neurology
Solvej Mathiasen, Christine E. Parsons, Riccardo Fusaroli, E. Juulia Paavonen, Hasse Karlsson, Linnea Karlsson
Summary: Maternal symptoms of depression and anxiety during the perinatal period can affect infant sleep, with postnatal depression symptoms having a stronger impact compared to prenatal symptoms.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Alejandra Lemus, Sarah C. Vogel, Ashley N. Greaves, Natalie H. Brito
Summary: This study suggests a positive association between maternal anxiety symptoms and behavioral synchrony in the early postnatal period, but only for mothers reporting moderate levels of perceived stress.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Genevieve Le Bas, George Youssef, Jacqui A. Macdonald, Samantha Teague, Richard Mattick, Ingrid Honan, Jennifer E. McIntosh, Sarah Khor, Larissa Rossen, Elizabeth J. Elliott, Steve Allsop, Lucinda Burns, Craig A. Olsson, Delyse Hutchinson
Summary: This study examined the impact of mother-to-infant bonding on infant development in a multi-wave longitudinal pregnancy cohort study. The results showed that a mother's perceived emotional connection with her child played a role in predicting social-affective outcomes, but had only small effects on cognitive, language, and motor development.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yujung Michelle Lee, Andre Mu, Martina Wallace, Jivani M. Gengatharan, Annalee J. Furst, Lars Bode, Christian M. Metallo, Janelle S. Ayres
Summary: Maternal behavior is crucial for the optimal development and growth of offspring, while the intestinal microbiota plays a key role in regulating growth and development. Certain strains of Escherichia coli were found to be pathogenic to the maternal-offspring system, leading to growth stunting by interfering with maternal behavior rather than directly affecting the infants. This study provides new insights into how microbiota regulates postnatal growth and highlights an additional variable to consider when studying the regulation of maternal behavior.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Sherryl H. Goodman, Maria Muzik, Diana I. Simeonova, Sharon A. Kidd, Margaret Tresch Owen, Bruce Cooper, Christine Y. Kim, Katherine L. Rosenblum, Sandra J. Weiss
Summary: Research shows a link between mothers' postpartum depression and negative interactions with their infants. This study examined the interactions between mothers and their 6- and 12-month-old infants among women at elevated risk for depression. The results showed that these depression-vulnerable mothers exhibited high levels of sensitivity and positive regard, and low levels of intrusiveness, detachment, and negative regard with their infants. Factor analysis identified two main factors-positive engagement and negative intrusiveness-that remained consistent from 6 to 12 months of infant age. The study highlights the importance of further research into predictors and moderators of women's interactions with their infant in postpartum depression.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Chaoyu Liu, Eivind Ystrom, Tom A. Mcadams
Summary: The results of this large prospective cohort study suggest that postnatal SSRI treatment was associated with a reduced risk of postnatal depression-associated maternal mental health problems and child externalizing behaviors across early childhood years.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Sian M. Davies, Sergio A. Silverio, Paul Christiansen, Victoria Fallon
Summary: The study identified associations between maternal mental health (anxiety and depression), maternal-infant bonding, and infant temperament, with anxiety being the only mediator of the relationship between bonding and temperament. Healthcare professionals should take into account maternal anxiety when dealing with mother-infant relational issues.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Diane L. Putnick, Erin M. Bell, Akhgar Ghassabian, Pauline Mendola, Rajeshwari Sundaram, Edwina H. Yeung
Summary: This study explores the potential mechanisms of how maternal antenatal depression affects children's developmental delays. It suggests that continued depressive symptoms postnatally and interrupted breastfeeding practices may contribute to the increased risk of developmental delays in children.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Hanna Ahrnberg, Riikka Korja, Noora M. Scheinin, Saara Nolvi, Eeva-Leena Kataja, Jani Kajanoja, Hetti Hakanen, Linnea Karlsson, Hasse Karlsson, Max Karukivi
Summary: The study found a negative correlation between maternal alexithymic traits and the quality of maternal caregiving behavior, indicating that higher maternal alexithymic traits were associated with lower sensitivity and more hostile maternal caregiving behavior. Further research is needed to explore the implications of these findings on child development.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Marlene Karl, Vanessa Huth, Sarah Schaelicke, Corinna Mueller-Stark, Victoria Weise, Judith T. Mack, Clemens Kirschbaum, Kerstin Weidner, Susan Garthus-Niegel, Susann Steudte-Schmiedgen
Summary: This study found an association between maternal prenatal symptoms of depression and infants' neonatal hair cortisol levels. However, no association was observed between maternal postnatal symptoms of depression and infants' postnatal hair GCs. The results suggest that prenatal depression may contribute to dysregulated cortisol levels in infants, increasing their susceptibility to later diseases.
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Elena Capelli, Giorgia Anceresi, Serena Grumi, Livio Provenzi
Summary: Maternal bonding is crucial for infant development and well-being. This study examines the impact of maternal mental health and infant temperament on postnatal bonding, as well as the stability and factors influencing changes in bonding from 3 to 6 months of age. The findings highlight the importance of both maternal mental health and infant temperament in maternal postnatal bonding and provide valuable information for early childhood prevention and care.
INFANT BEHAVIOR & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Elizabeth M. A. Henderson, David Tappin, David Young, Donata Favretto, Helen Mactier
Summary: This population-based study investigates the relationship between alcohol biomarkers in meconium (FAEEs and EtG) and maternal/newborn demographics, as well as their correlation with self-reported alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The results show that FAEEs and EtG have low sensitivity and specificity for detecting alcohol use after 20 weeks' gestation in an unselected Scottish population.
ARCHIVES OF DISEASE IN CHILDHOOD
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Tessel Annejo Kolk, Selina Nath, Louise Michele Howard, Susan Pawlby, Georgia Lockwood-Estrin, Kylee Trevillion
Summary: The study found no evidence for a link between maternal lifetime trauma experiences and self-reported bonding difficulties, but an association was found between antenatal depressive symptoms and perceived post-partum bonding impairment.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Niamh O'Leary, Chaitra Jairaj, Elizabeth Nixon, Jean Quigley, Veronica O'Keane
Summary: The study found that antenatal depression indirectly influenced maternal syntactic complexity at two and twelve months postpartum through concurrent maternal depression scores. However, no significant group differences were observed at two, six or twelve months. The limitations of the study include the small sample size and the predominantly well-resourced sample, which limit the generalizability of the findings to wider or less advantaged populations.
INFANT BEHAVIOR & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Nursing
Zuzana Skodova, Simona Kelcikova, Erika Maskalova, Lucia Mazuchova
Summary: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between infant temperament, sleep characteristics, and postpartum depressive symptoms. The results showed significant differences in postpartum depression scores based on perceived sleeping problems of the infant and duration of infant night sleep. Both night sleep and day sleep duration were significant predictors of postpartum depression symptoms at the 6-8 weeks follow-up. However, infant temperament characteristics were not found to be significant predictors of postpartum depression symptoms.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Timothy M. Piatkowski, Patricia L. Obst, Katherine M. White, Leanne Hides
Summary: This research examines the pathways through which social influences contribute to a high drive for muscularity in young men. The results show that social media and peer pressure are directly associated with muscularity pursuits, while self-esteem and perception of body by others have both direct and indirect associations with muscularity driven by social influences.
AUSTRALIAN PSYCHOLOGIST
(2022)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Karen Thorpe, Sandy Houen, Peter Rankin, Cassandra Pattinson, Sally Staton
Summary: This article discusses the standard observational measures of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and the problems related to their validity and reliability. Using the case of the CLASS in the Australian E4Kids study, the authors find that a measurement problem, particularly a floor effect, explains the uniformly low instructional scores among Australian ECEC educators. They suggest a rescaling strategy to address this issue and call for a critical approach in interpreting standard measures of ECEC quality in international policy and practice.
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCHER
(2023)
Article
Substance Abuse
Timothy M. Piatkowski, Leanne M. Hides, Katherine M. White, Patricia L. Obst, Matthew Dunn
Summary: This study explored harm reduction frameworks for PIED consumers in Australia, revealing a demand for PIED education among HCPs, perceived as a therapeutic barrier by consumers, and a safe space dynamic among peer-consumers. Enhancing harm reduction frameworks requires strengthening peer-led education programs.
PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT & HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Patricia Obst, Thomas Juillerat, Katherine White
Summary: Male body hair removal has implications for men's mental health, such as anxiety about body image. Social pressure is associated with young men's decisions to remove body hair, pointing to potential intervention sources.
JOURNAL OF HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Mythreyi Velmurugan, Jason Watson, Patricia Obst, Chun Ouyang
Summary: This study aims to understand the effects that role-diverse online communities have on informal carers, particularly in providing support. The results suggest that both the attributes of individual carers and the collective attributes of the network contribute to the network's ability to support carers. Support is not limited by roles, but different goals and expectations often hinder collaboration between roles. The outcomes of support provision impact not only individuals but also the entire network. However, current community spaces lack organizational support and resources are limited.
HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY
(2022)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Victoria Sullivan, Laetitia Coles, Yuwei Xu, Karen Thorpe
Summary: Retention rates for men in early childhood education and care are low, partly due to the experience of feeling 'other'. The support and mentorship from female and male colleagues are crucial for men's retention in the early stages of their career, and the establishment of a distinct male contribution is fundamental for long-term career engagement. However, the presence of more men may also lead to tensions and potentially overshadow the contribution of female colleagues.
GENDER AND EDUCATION
(2023)
Review
Social Issues
Laetitia Coles, Melissa Johnstone, Cassandra Pattinson, Karen Thorpe, Olivia Van Halen, Zhaoxi Zheng, Olivia Bayliss, Nicole Lakeman, Mark Western, Jenny Povey, Sally Staton
Summary: This study aimed to identify the factors for poorer educational outcomes that may be exacerbated by COVID-19 among disadvantaged school students. A systematic review of 69 Australian, peer-reviewed articles revealed key risk factors and emphasized the critical importance of ongoing research to guide policy and practice support for these at-risk groups.
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL ISSUES
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Karen Thorpe, Narayan Panthi, Sandra Houen, Marcus Horwood, Sally Staton
Summary: In response to a workforce crisis, Australia released the early childhood education and care workforce strategy, Shaping our Future, in September 2021. Through a 'top-down' process, the strategy was developed with open consultation on pre-defined strategies as the final stage. Taking a 'bottom-up' approach, we analyzed data from frontline workers and mapped workforce challenges to the strategy's focus areas. We identified areas of importance and areas that were not addressed.
AUSTRALIAN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCHER
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Bonnie Searle, Sally Staton, Robyn Littlewood, Karen Thorpe
Summary: In developed economies, Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services offer potential to influence children's eating behaviors and food preferences. However, there are barriers in ECEC services serving disadvantaged communities that limit optimal nutrition. This study found that feeding practices differ between ECEC services providing food and those requiring family food provision, with concerns focusing on food variety and nutrition quantity and quality.
CHILD CARE HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Susan Irvine, Jo Lunn, Jennifer Sumsion, Elena Jansen, Victoria Sullivan, Karen Thorpe
Summary: This study explored educators' perceptions of their professional status and professionalism in their work in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) field in Australia. The findings indicated that educators generally considered their work as a profession. However, there were discrepancies between current policies and educators' views and practices.
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Olivia J. Fisher, Julie-Anne Carroll, Ian M. Shochet, Wendell D. Cockshaw, Xiang-Yu Hou
Summary: The objective of this research was to compare the determinants of depression and anxiety symptoms and mental wellbeing using the two-continua model of mental health and illness in two age groups. The study found that accomplishment was the strongest predictor of mental wellbeing for both groups, and the strongest predictors of mental illness symptoms differed between the two groups, with belonging being important for the younger group and accomplishment for the older group.
JOURNAL OF ADULT DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Health Policy & Services
Emma Cooke, Laetitia Coles, Sally Staton, Karen Thorpe, Jasneek Chawla
Summary: Families of children with Down syndrome have complex lives and needs, but there is a lack of easily accessible research for healthcare professionals. This study uses a creative approach, DRAW, to present data poetry and case studies based on interviews with parents and siblings. The interdisciplinary team emphasizes the importance of emotional understanding and impact in translating knowledge to healthcare professionals and these families.
HEALTH SOCIOLOGY REVIEW
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Emma Cooke, Zhaoxi Zheng, Sandy Houen, Karen Thorpe, Andrew Clarke, Candice Oakes, Sally Staton
Summary: This article examines the discourse surrounding children's relaxation in early childhood education and care, and highlights the Australian policy's construction of children as passive and incompetent. Some educators reproduce policy tensions by vacillating between investment-outcomes and children's rights discourse, while others deviate from policy constructions and adopt children's rights discourse.
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
(2023)
Article
Communication
Daniel Johnson, Jessica Formosa, Ryan Perry, Daniel Lalande, Selen Turkay, Patricia Obst, Regan Mandryk
Summary: The study examined the relationship between need satisfaction from videogames and passion, as well as the impact of passion on well-being outcomes. Findings showed that need satisfaction from videogames predicted both obsessive and harmonious passion, with low satisfaction from general life predicting obsessive passion for videogames. Limited support was found for obsessive passion predicting psychological distress and addiction.
PSYCHOLOGY OF POPULAR MEDIA
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Patricia Obst, Kate Murray, Sarah Walbank, Rachel Kelly, Danielle Brazel
Summary: This research examines the positive and negative aspects of caregiving, including the experience of abuse, among Australian family carers. The study found that over 40% of respondents reported experiencing abuse from the person they cared for, with verbal and physical abuse being the most common. The experience of abuse was linked to poorer mental health and quality of life, while financial stress, lack of support, and negative impacts of caregiving also had significant associations with mental health and well-being outcomes.
HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY
(2022)
