@article{ref1,
title="Maternal history of adverse experiences and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms impact toddlers' early socioemotional wellbeing: the benefits of infant mental health-home visiting",
journal="Frontiers in psychology",
year="2021",
author="Ribaudo, Julie and Lawler, Jamie M. and Jester, Jennifer M. and Riggs, Jessica and Erickson, Nora L. and Stacks, Ann M. and Brophy-Herb, Holly and Muzik, Maria and Rosenblum, Katherine L.",
volume="12",
number="",
pages="e792989-e792989",
abstract="BACKGROUND: The present study examined the efficacy of the Michigan Model of Infant Mental Health-Home Visiting (IMH-HV) infant mental health treatment to promote the socioemotional wellbeing of infants and young children. Science illuminates the role of parental &quot;co-regulation&quot; of infant emotion as a pathway to young children's capacity for self-regulation. The synchrony of parent-infant interaction begins to shape the infant's own nascent regulatory capacities. Parents with a history of childhood adversity, such as maltreatment or witnessing family violence, and who struggle with symptoms of post-traumatic stress may have greater challenges in co-regulating their infant, thus increasing the risk of their children exhibiting social and emotional problems such as anxiety, aggression, and depression. Early intervention that targets the infant-parent relationship may help buffer the effect of parental risk on child outcomes. <br><br>METHODS: Participants were 58 mother-infant/toddler dyads enrolled in a longitudinal randomized control trial testing the efficacy of the relationship-based IMH-HV treatment model. Families were eligible based on child age (<24 months at enrollment) and endorsement of at least two of four socio-demographic factors commonly endorsed in community mental health settings: elevated depression symptoms, three or more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) parenting stress, and/or child behavior or development concerns. This study included dyads whose children were born at the time of study enrollment and completed 12-month post-baseline follow-up visits. Parents reported on their own history of ACEs and current posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, as well as their toddler's socioemotional development (e.g., empathy, prosocial skills, aggression, anxiety, prolonged tantrums). <br><br>RESULTS: Maternal ACEs predicted more toddler emotional problems through their effect on maternal PTSD symptoms. Parents who received IMH-HV treatment reported more positive toddler socioemotional wellbeing at follow-up relative to the control condition. The most positive socioemotional outcomes were for toddlers of mothers with low to moderate PTSD symptoms who received IMH-HV treatment. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Results indicate the efficacy of IMH-HV services in promoting more optimal child socioemotional wellbeing even when mothers reported mild to moderate PTSD symptoms. <br><br>RESULTS also highlight the need to assess parental trauma when infants and young children present with socioemotional difficulties.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1664-1078",
doi="10.3389/fpsyg.2021.792989",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.792989"
}