Matching Items (21)
Description
Family adaptation to child developmental disability is a dynamic transactional process that has yet to be tested in a longitudinal, rigorous fashion. In addition, although children with developmental delays frequently have behavior problems, not enough research has examined possible underlying mechanisms in the relation between child developmental delay, adaptation and behavior problems. In the current study, factor analysis examined how best to conceptualize the construct of family adaptation to developmental delay. Also, longitudinal growth curve modeling tested models in which child behavior problems mediated the relation between developmental risk and indices of family adaptation. Participants included 130 typically developing children and their families (Mental Development Index [MDI] > 85) and 104 children with developmental delays and their families (MDI < 85). Data were collected yearly between the ages of three and eight as part of a multi-site, longitudinal investigation examining the interrelations among children's developmental status, family processes, and the emergence of child psychopathology. Results of the current study indicated that adaptation is best conceptualized as a multi-index construct. Different aspects of adaptation changed in unique ways over time, with some facets of adaptation remaining stable while others fluctuated. Child internalizing and externalizing behavior problems were found to decrease over time for both children with developmental delays and typically developing children. Child behavior problems were also found to mediate the relation between developmental risk and family adaptation for over half of the mediation pathways. Significant mediation results indicated that children with developmental delays showed higher early levels of behavior problems, which in turn was associated with more maladaptive adaptation. These findings provide further evidence that families of children with developmental delays experience both positive and more challenging changes in their families over time. This study implies important next steps for research and clinical practice in the area of developmental disability.
ContributorsPedersen y Arbona, Anita (Author) / Crnic, Keith A (Thesis advisor) / Sandler, Irwin (Committee member) / Lemery, Kathryn (Committee member) / Enders, Craig (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
The purpose of the current study was to use structural equation modeling-based quantitative genetic models to characterize latent genetic and environmental influences on proneness to three discrete negative emotions in middle childhood, according to mother-report, father-report and in-home observation. One primary aim was to test the extent to which covariance among the three emotions could be accounted for by a single, common genetically- and environmentally-influenced negative emotionality factor. A second aim was to examine the extent to which different reporters appeared to be tapping into the same genetically- and environmentally-influenced aspects of each emotion. According to mother- and father-report, moderate to high genetic influences were evident for all emotions, with mother- and father-report of fear and father-report of anger showing the highest heritability. Significant common environmental influences were also found for mother-report of anger and sadness in both univariate and multivariate models. For observed emotion, anger was moderately heritable with no evidence for common environmental variance, but sadness, object fear and social fear all showed modest to moderate common environmental influences and no significant genetic variance. In addition, cholesky decompositions examining genetic and environmental influences across reporter suggested that despite considerable overlap between mother-report and father-report, there was also reporter-specific variance on anger, sadness, and fear. Specifically, there were significant common environmental influences on mother-report of anger- and sadness that were not shared with father-report, and genetic influences on father-report of sadness and fear that were not shared with mother-report. In-home observations were not highly correlated enough with parent-report to support multivariate analysis for any emotion. Finally, according to both mother- and father-report, a single set of genetic and environmental influences was sufficient to account for covariance among all three negative emotions. However, fear was primarily explained by genetic influences not shared with other emotions, and anger also showed considerable emotion-specific genetic variance. In both cases, findings support the value of a more emotion-specific approach to temperament, and highlight the need to consider distinctions as well as commonalities across emotions, reporters and situations.
ContributorsClifford, Sierra (Author) / Lemery, Kathryn (Thesis advisor) / Shiota, Michelle (Committee member) / Eisenberg, Nancy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
Using a sample of children from divorced homes, the current study assesses the effects of family relationship variables on romantic outcomes in young adulthood, through the influence of several individual-level variables. In particular, children's coping efficacy and peer competence are examined as mediators of the effects of parenting and interparental conflict on children's later romantic involvement and relationship quality. Assessments occurred during childhood, when children were between the ages of nine and 12, in adolescence, when children were ages 15 to 18, and in young adulthood, when children were ages 24 to 27, spanning a period of 15 years. Childhood and adolescent variables were measured using child- and mother-report data and young adult measures were completed by the young adults and their romantic partners. One model was tested using all participants in the sample, regardless of whether they were romantically involved in young adulthood, and revealed that maternal warmth in childhood was linked with children's coping efficacy six years later, which was marginally related to an increased likelihood of being romantically involved and to decreased romantic attachment at the 15-year follow-up. A model with only the participants who were romantically involved in young adulthood also revealed a link between childhood maternal warmth and coping efficacy in adolescence, which was then marginally related to increased romantic satisfaction and to confidence in the romantic relationship in young adulthood. Marginal mediation was also found for several of the proposed paths, and there was little evidence to support path differences between males and females. Implications of the present findings for research with children from divorced families and the development of preventive interventions are discussed. In particular, parenting, interparental conflict, peer competence, and coping efficacy are examined as modifiable targets for change and existing preventive interventions employing these targets are described.
ContributorsSigal, Amanda (Author) / Sandler, Irwin N. (Thesis advisor) / Millsap, Roger (Committee member) / Crnic, Keith (Committee member) / Lemery, Kathryn (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
We used sex, observed parenting quality at 18 months, and three variants of the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene (Val[superscript 158]Met [rs4680], intron1 [rs737865], and 3′-untranslated region [rs165599]) to predict mothers' reports of inhibitory and attentional control (assessed at 42, 54, 72, and 84 months) and internalizing symptoms (assessed at 24, 30, 42, 48, and 54 months) in a sample of 146 children (79 male). Although the pattern for all three variants was very similar, Val[superscript 158]Met explained more variance in both outcomes than did intron1, the 3′-untranslated region, or a haplotype that combined all three catechol-O-methyltransferase variants. In separate models, there were significant three-way interactions among each of the variants, parenting, and sex, predicting the intercepts of inhibitory control and internalizing symptoms. Results suggested that Val[superscript 158]Met indexes plasticity, although this effect was moderated by sex. Parenting was positively associated with inhibitory control for methionine–methionine boys and for valine–valine/valine–methionine girls, and was negatively associated with internalizing symptoms for methionine–methionine boys. Using the “regions of significance” technique, genetic differences in inhibitory control were found for children exposed to high-quality parenting, whereas genetic differences in internalizing were found for children exposed to low-quality parenting. These findings provide evidence in support of testing for differential susceptibility across multiple outcomes.
ContributorsSulik, Michael (Author) / Eisenberg, Nancy (Author) / Spinrad, Tracy (Author) / Lemery, Kathryn (Author) / Swann, Gregory (Author) / Silva, Kassondra (Author) / Reiser, Mark (Author) / Stover, Daryn (Author) / Verrelli, Brian (Author) / College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor)
Created2015-08-01
Description
Studies have demonstrated that telomere length is influenced by a person’s perception of stressors and other studies suggest that interparental conflict is a stressor for children. The current study sought to determine if child perception of interparental conflict is a better predictor of telomere length than parent perception of interparental conflict. This study also sought to determine whether behavior problems are the medium for how child perception of conflict influences telomere length. Using multiple regression analyses between reports of interparental conflict, reports of child behavior problems, and child telomere length ratios, it was determined that child report of conflict was a better predictor of behavior problems and telomere length. Child report of behavior problems was the medium whereby child report of conflict predicted telomere length. While these results were not significant, it does provide the first evidence that child perception of interparental conflict influences telomere length more than parental report of interparental conflict. This suggests that intervention programs designed to reduce conflict between parents should include a method for helping children process their feelings about of interparental conflict to preserve telomere length.
ContributorsFuller, Austin David (Author) / Lindstrom-Johnson, Sarah (Thesis director) / Elam, Kit (Committee member) / Ruof, Ariana (Committee member) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Children's chronic pain has many contributing factors, including family environment, genetics, and parenting. Still, pediatric chronic pain remains understudied, and little research has been conducted on predictors of child pain onset. This study aims to elucidate some of these factors by examining the role of parenting style and parental pain in children's chronic pain experience. The study answered the following questions: 1) Is child chronic pain heritable?; 2) Do parenting styles and/or parental pain predict child pain?; and 3) Is parenting style the mediating variable in the relation between parent pain and child pain? A twin study design was employed to account for both genetic and environmental influences in pain. Primary and secondary caregivers completed pain questionnaires regarding their own and their children's pain. The caregivers also completed questionnaires regarding their own parenting styles. Observer ratings were used as additional measures of primary caregiver parenting. Results indicated that child pain is heritable and that parental pain was significantly related to child pain. However, parenting style did not predict child pain and was not a mediator in the relationship between parental pain and child pain. Further research on other parenting factors or predictors of pain may lead to prevention of pediatric chronic pain or more effective management of child pain symptoms.
ContributorsPatel, Maya (Author) / Davis, Mary (Thesis director) / Lemery, Kathryn (Thesis director) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Adolescent mental health problems are predicative of future problems such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, compulsive disorder, and substance use. Previous studies show that in emerging adulthood, the high prevalence and associated burdens of psychopathology increase vulnerability to disorders. These diagnoses are less common but are more severe and chronic (Tanner et al., 2009). The causes of these disorders are still being explored with recent studies showing that these mental health problems are genetically influenced. This makes understanding which gene that corresponds to what biological system is important in determining mental health. From recent studies, genes that code for calcium channels are good candidates for mental health problems. These voltage-gated channels are important mediators for physiological functions in the central nervous system and their activation provides unique responses within the brain. In a previous study, it supports the association of polymorphisms in calcium and potassium channels with the genetic risk for bipolar disorders and other mental illness (Imbrici et al., 2013). The purpose of the study was to examine if calcium channel genes influence childhood psychiatric symptoms. The first goal of this study was to form a polygenic risk score representing genetic influence on calcium channels. The second goal was to use this risk score in genetic association analyses to understand genetic risk for childhood psychopathology. Overall, the study did accomplish the goal as a polygenic risk score was created and was used to examine genetic association with child psychopathology. Based on the results, the polygenic risk score was not correlated with either parent or child- reported symptoms; however, results did show that disorders were related to each other and differed by race.
ContributorsTang, Derek (Author) / Lemery, Kathryn (Thesis director) / Gipson-Reichardt, Cassandra (Committee member) / Elam, Kit (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Effortful Control (EC) is a person's ability to self-regulate when presented with an environmental stimulus (Rothbart, et al., 2003). It has been well-established that high levels of EC are associated with multiple positive social and academic outcomes in adolescence (Spinrad et al., 2009). Research suggests that parents have a strong impact on numerous child outcomes, such as EC, through both genetic and environmental pathways. Past research has also examined how parents diagnosed with psychopathology contribute to maladaptive outcomes in their children, including poor regulation, through both genetic and environmental processes (Ellis, et al., 1997). However, less is known about the longitudinal effects of parent dysfunction on the child's environment and regulatory abilities and potential mediators of those effects. The current study tested the hypotheses that parent Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) would specifically predict early adversity, biological mother conscientiousness, and child EC longitudinally and that early adversity and biological mother conscientiousness would predict child EC. Participants were from a longitudinal study of familial alcoholism (N = 195). Regression analyses indicated that parent AUD was not specifically associated with child EC or with biological mother conscientiousness. However, parent AUD was related to higher levels of early adversity. Additionally, biological mother conscientiousness was associated with higher levels of child EC and early adversity was associated with lower levels of child EC when controlling for earlier EC. Given these findings, future research should test mediation models in which parent AUD predicts child EC indirectly through early adversity.
ContributorsRuof, Ariana Kelsey (Author) / Chassin, Laurie (Thesis director) / Elam, Kit (Committee member) / Davis, Mary (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
Pediatric chronic pain is common and predicts risk for psychological and pain problems into adulthood. Biopsychosocial risk factors for the development of chronic pediatric pain have been examined, but the key health behavior of caloric consumption has not been explored. Adult and animal data suggest that caloric intake is positively related to chronic pain, and that adiposity and stress-related biological factors may serve as potential mediators. This study predicted that among children: 1) adiposity, flattened diurnal cortisol slopes, and caloric consumption are related to chronic pain, and 2) the caloric consumption—pain relation is mediated by elevated adiposity and/or flattened diurnal cortisol slopes. Methods: Twin children (N = 733) were drawn from the Arizona Twin Project sample. Measures included caregiver-reported caloric intake via five daily food diaries (Age-8); adiposity (composite of waist circumference, body mass index, body fat percentage) and diurnal cortisol slopes via three days of salivary cortisol sampling (Age-9); and caregiver-reported monthly chronic pain (Age-10). Results: Multilevel models (accounting for clustering within families) with sex, age, socioeconomic status, puberty, race/ethnicity as covariates, showed that caloric intake predicted greater waist circumference, which in turn predicted elevated chronic pain. However, adiposity, waist circumference, and diurnal cortisol slopes did not mediate the caloric intake-chronic pain relation. Discussion: Consistent with the literature, caloric intake predicted adiposity, and adiposity predicted pain in a diverse sample of children. More comprehensive assessment of behavioral (sleep, diet quality) and biopsychosocial factors (e.g. inflammation, cortisol; injury; catastrophizing) may aid efforts to prevent pediatric chronic pain.
ContributorsFishbach, Jaclyn (Author) / Davis, Mary (Thesis director) / Doane, Leah (Committee member) / Lemery, Kathryn (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2022-12
Description
The current study examined the unique influence of emotional childhood abuse on positive and negative aspects of different types of social relationships (e.g., family, spouse/partner, and friends) in midlife and whether genetic variations of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) moderated these associations. Genetic variations in OXTR are measured by single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which have been the most substantially studied prospects for explaining individual differences in socio-behavioral phenotypes. Specifically, an SNP, rs53576, involving a guanine (G) to adenine (A) substitution located in the third intron of the OXTR has been associated with fundamental aspects of social processes and behaviors. Compared to A carriers, individuals homozygous for the G allele have enhanced social competencies and tend to elicit more positive responses from social partners, consequently increasing the overall quality of social relationships across the lifespan. However, the G allele of the OXTR has also been associated with greater social sensitivity. In the current study, conducted among a sample of 614 adults in midlife, it was shown that emotional childhood abuse was significantly associated with having less supportive and more strained relationships in midlife. Regarding supportive family relationships, the effect of emotional childhood abuse was moderated by the OXTR rs53576 polymorphism. Specifically, under conditions of more emotional abuse in childhood, individuals homozygous for the G allele had more supportive family relationships in midlife compared to A carriers. Overall, the findings suggest that genetic variations of OXTR rs53576 may be an important candidate in understanding the development of social relationship functioning within the context of negative early life experiences.
ContributorsEbbert, Ashley Marie (Author) / Infurna, Frank (Thesis advisor) / Corbin, William (Committee member) / Lemery, Kathryn (Committee member) / Luthar, Suniya (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018