母性应激对母性行为和心理功能的影响

成为母亲对女性而言是人生经历的特殊阶段, 她们在这个阶段发生的生理和心理的适应性改变对其自身和子代健康具有重要意义。母性应激是阻碍母亲适应性改变顺利进行的重要因素。母性应激会破坏人类母亲和雌性哺乳动物的母性行为、认知功能和情绪调节, 这种影响与糖皮质激素、催产素、催乳素等内分泌系统的调节失常; 母性环路、边缘系统及前额叶皮质等神经环路对刺激的神经反应改变以及神经发生、树突和突触重塑的可塑性变化有关。     

Determinants of Joint Attention in Young Siblings' Play

The nature of joint attention (JA) engagement of 32 sibling pairs (M age older sibling = 55.21 months; M age younger sibling = 19.60 months) was assessed in a free play context. Relations among JA engagement states, both siblings' age, temperament, and language, and older sibling theory of mind were explored. The frequency of coordinated JA was related to features of temperament of both the younger siblings (emotionality) and the older siblings (activity level and sociability). Younger siblings' age was significantly related to siblings' engagement in coordinated JA, whereas the older siblings' age and theory of mind correlated with the frequency of passive JA engagement. Implications regarding the role of partner characteristics in young sibling JA interactions will be discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Can We Identify Emotion Over‐regulation in Infancy? Associations with Avoidant Attachment,Dyadic Emotional Interaction and Temperament

Emotion over‐regulation in infancy has seldom been the focus of empirical research. This study analysed the specificities of over‐regulation when compared with under‐regulation (maladaptive) and adaptive regulation by testing its association with attachment, dyadic emotional interaction, and temperament. The sample consisted of 52 low‐risk mother–infant dyads. During a home visit, dyadic emotional interaction was assessed in the daily routines and free play of 10‐month‐old infants. The infant's emotion regulation was assessed using the Shape Sorter Task, and a temperament questionnaire was completed by the mother. Attachment was assessed at 12 or 16 months using the Strange Situation. As hypothesized, (i) emotion over‐regulation (versus adaptive regulation) was predicted by a lower quality of dyadic emotional interaction and marginally by avoidant attachment; (ii) over‐regulation (versus under‐regulation) was predicted by avoidant attachment; and (iii) the predictive role of avoidant attachment was substantiated after controlling for another measure of mother–infant interaction. Contrary to expectations, temperament did not distinguish between emotion regulation styles. The link between over‐regulation and lower quality of mother–infant emotional interaction and avoidant attachment was demonstrated. There is empirical support to the claim that it is possible to identify emotion over‐regulation in infancy and that it is a maladaptive style of emotion regulation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stressful Events and Temperament Change during Early and Middle Adolescence: The TRAILS Study

This project investigates how stressful events are related to deviations from normative temperament development during adolescence. Temperament traits were assessed at ages 11 and 16 years. Life‐event data was captured using an interview (total n = 1197). Normative changes were found in all traits. A linear trend was found between the experience of stressful events and temperament development. Adolescents exposed to stressful events showed smaller decreases in fear and shyness, stronger decreases in effortful control and affiliation and smaller increases in high intensity pleasure. Exposure to stressful events was related to increases in frustration instead of decreases. Our results show that whereas normative development is mostly in the direction of maturation, adolescents who experienced stressful events showed less maturation of their temperament. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

母亲敏感性与婴儿气质、注意对学步儿执行功能影响的交互作用：一项两年的追踪研究

为同时探究外部因素与内部因素对学步儿执行功能的影响, 对163对母婴进行追踪测量。婴儿6个月时根据母婴自由互动录像编码母亲敏感性; 使用最长注视时长范式测量婴儿注意特征; 使用母亲报告的《婴儿行为问卷—修订短版》测量婴儿气质; 24个月时使用多位置寻找任务、形状Stroop任务、逆转分类任务、延迟满足任务测量学步儿执行功能。结果发现：(1)婴儿6个月最长注视时长能够显著正向预测24个月的多位置寻找与延迟满足任务得分。(2)母亲敏感性能够正向预测气质外向性低的婴儿24个月时的逆转分类任务表现, 对气质外向性高的婴儿24个月时的逆转分类任务表现的预测不显著。(3)母亲敏感性能够正向预测最长注视时长更长的婴儿24个月时的形状Stroop任务得分; 负向预测最长注视时长更短的婴儿24个月时的形状Stroop任务得分。研究发现了针对不同特征的婴儿, 母亲的养育敏感性对学步儿执行功能影响的差异, 这对早期教育应该如何“因材施教”有所启示。     

Paternal influences on infant temperament: Effects of father internalizing problems,parenting-related stress,and temperament

Temperament ratings were obtained from 98 fathers when their infants were 4 and 6 months of age to examine effects of paternal characteristics on infant temperament. Parental stress, internalizing symptoms, and father's temperament were considered as factors possibly contributing to differences in their child's temperament.     

Maternal socialization and child temperament as predictors of emotion regulation in Turkish preschoolers

This study investigated the role of maternal socialization and temperament in Turkish preschool children's emotion regulation. Participants consisted of 145 preschoolers (79 boys, 69 girls; M_age= 62 months), their mothers, and daycare teachers from middle‐high socioeconomic suburbs of Istanbul. Maternal child‐rearing practices and emotion socialization behaviours were examined together as interconnected constituents of parenting in relation to emotion regulation skills in young children. Mothers completed a set of questionnaires that measured their child's emotion regulation and temperament as well as their own emotion socialization and child‐rearing behaviours. Teachers also completed a scale that measured the child's ability to regulate emotions. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that child's reactivity negatively and persistence positively predicted emotion regulation. The interaction of maternal responsiveness and child approach–withdrawal also significantly predicted emotion regulation. Simple slope tests were conducted slicing the data in both directions. In the first instance, for children low in Approach, the simple slope of Responsiveness on emotion regulation score was significantly positive. In contrast, for children high in Approach, the simple slope of Responsiveness on emotion regulation score was not significant. In the second instance, for mothers average in Responsiveness, the simple slope of Approach on emotion regulation score was significantly positive. In contrast, for mothers high in Responsiveness, the simple slope of Approach on emotion regulation was not significant. These findings were considered within an interactional model in which positive parenting and inhibited temperament are significant predictors of emotion regulation in Turkish preschoolers. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Individual differences in preschool children: temperament or personality?

Individual differences among adults have generally been conceptualized in terms of personality theory and traits. In contrast, individual differences among very young children (birth to kindergarten) have generally been conceptualized in terms of temperament theory and traits. The present study compares and contrasts measures of temperament and personality in a sample of preschool children. Temperament traits were assessed with a well‐established measure (the Rothbart CBQ), and a new preschool rating instrument was used to assess personality traits from the five‐factor framework (M5‐PS). Indeed, a key purpose of this study was to further the development of the M5‐PS. Data were gathered on 122 preschool children who were rated by their teachers. Significant correlations were found between the temperament trait Surgency and the personality trait Extraversion, between the temperament trait Negative Affect and the personality trait Neuroticism, and between the temperament trait Effortful Control and the personality trait Conscientiousness. The overall pattern of correlational data suggests that individual differences in preschool children can be adequately described using the five‐factor theory, and that this framework may effectively subsume traditional theories of temperament. Preliminary support for the reliability and validity of the M5‐PS is offered. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Maternal Behavior and Children's Early Emotion Regulation Skills Differentially Predict Development of Children's Reactive Control and Later Effortful Control

The role of maternal behavior and children's early emotion regulation skills in the development of children's reactive control, specifically behavioral impulsivity, and later effortful control was examined in a sample of 435 children. HLM analyses indicated significant growth in reactive control across the toddlerhood to early childhood period. Emotion regulation at age-2 positively predicted initial levels of children's reactive control abilities while maternal overcontrol/intrusiveness predicted lower levels of reactive control growth. Maternal behaviors at age-2 predicted children's effortful control abilities at age-5.5. Emotion regulation did not predict effortful control abilities. Maternal behavior and children's early emotion regulation skills may differentially facilitate the development of reactive and effortful control abilities.     

Relationship complexities among women with obstetric fistula in Zimbabwe: an exploratory study

This study sought to determine how obstetric fistula affects women's intimate partner relationships or other social ties. A purposive sampling of eleven women (age range 17 to 31) with obstetric fistula admitted to two hospitals in Zimbabwe was done. In-depth interviews using unstructured interview guides were used to collect data on how the women`s condition impacted the way they related to other people and vice versa. Data were grouped into themes and analysed using content analysis and languishing and flourishing experiences were reported by the participants. Most of the study participants indicated that the condition strained their relationship with their husbands since they could not fulfil their conjugal rights. Participants also reported stigma from their close associates in the community, including extended family. Other participants reported to experience spiritual growth and strength from living with obstetric fistula. Support networks are important for women with obstetric fistula in a in a low resourced country like Zimbabwe.