Early Adverse Experiences Research Articles

Sex-dependent associations of childhood neglect and bodyweight across the life span

Eating disorders and weight problems across the life span have been linked to adverse childhood experiences. Previous research often focused on child abuse and omitted investigating effects of child neglect. The present study evaluates effects of neglect on bodyweight across the life span and how emotional neglect and bodyweight are linked via mental distress. Within a large survey representative of the German population (N = 2,500), individuals completed measures of mental distress, childhood trauma, and height and weight. We conducted logistic regression analyses on bodyweight extremes and a moderated mediation analysis. In men, physical neglect aggravated the risk to be underweight. In women, emotional neglect was linked to severe obesity. In both sexes, emotional neglect was related to mental distress. We found an indirect effect of emotional neglect on bodyweight via mental distress, however, it was only present in women. Our results attest to long-term consequences of adverse early experiences. We showed a possible mechanism for women’s higher vulnerability towards eating disorders. In general, investigations of eating and weight disorders should also include men and employ sex-specific methods of analyses. Lastly, neglect should also receive more attention to prevent suffering and negative sequelae over the life span.

Evaluation of Serum Vitamin D Levels in Foster's Children Care Center

Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, is now recognized not only for its importance in promoting bone health in children and adults, but also for its other health benefits, including reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as autoimmune diseases, common cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. Ultraviolet radiation of the sun with wavelengths of 290-310 nm penetrates into the skin and converts 7-dehydrocholesterol to previtamin D3, which quickly transforms to vitamin D3. Vitamin D (D represents either D2 or D3) made in the skin or ingested through diet is biologically inert and requires two successive hydroxylations first in the liver on carbon 25 to form 25-hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D and then in the kidney for a hydroxylation on carbon 1 to form the biologically active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) 1, 2, 14, 19. The concentration of the produced 25-hydroxy vitamin D in blood circulation is 1,000 times more than 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D 4, and it is regarded as a standard indicator of vitamin D status in humans 3. 25-hydroxy vitamin D half-life is about 2-3 weeks and it is regulated by calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) to some extent. 25-hydroxy vitamin D content also reflects the amount of vitamin D produced in the skin after exposure to sunlight or received through food intake 5, 6. Guidelines for vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency defined by serum 25(OH)D concentrations have been published from many countries and regions all over the world 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Vitamin D deficiency is a pandemic problem. According to global estimations, more than one billion people around the world suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Among Iranian population, the incidence of vitamin D deficiency varies from 2.5 to 98.5% based on geographic area 12, 13. Various factors may give rise to vitamin D deficiency, including skin pigments, low levels of vitamin D in diet (insufficient fish oil and egg yolk intake), malnutrition, genetic factors, exclusive breast feeding, vitamin D deficiency of mother during pregnancy, prematurity, chronic use of drugs (e.g., anticonvulsants, aluminum-containing anti-acids, rifampcin, isoniazid, antifungal drugs, antiviral drugs, and glucocorticoids), winter and obesity 1, 13. Cultural habits, the need for full body coverage during outdoor activities and the lack of sunlight programs are the risk factors for low vitamin D levels in women 15, 16, 17. Children enter foster care due to early childhood adverse experiences such as poor prenatal and infant health care, food insecurity, chronic stress, and the effects of abuse and neglect. As a result, they are at higher risk for poor physical, psychological, neuroendocrine and neurocognitive outcomes compared to others. Foster children are at risk for growth and nutritional deficiencies due to their poor nutritional environment prior to placement in foster care. Insufficient caloric intake results in growth deficiencies. Evidence showed that the risk of stunting and underweight is high in this population 18. The risk of developing hypovitaminosis D was significantly higher in children living in foster homes. One reason is that they are at higher risk of child abuse, emotional deprivation and physical neglect than children living with their families. Moreover, these children most likely do not spend much time outdoors and they lack adequate sun exposure. Another reason is that as children grow up in institutional care, they shift from a diet of vitamin D–fortified formula milk to cooked food, which may not be fortified with vitamin D 1. Iranian government has made some efforts to apply efficient interventions to reduce the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, and the country’s healthcare system should be managed through accurate planning. Yet, in this country, studies on vitamin D deficiency in children living in foster homes are very limited, and given that timely diagnosis and treatment of this deficiency is vital, this research is conducted in Ali Asghar foster home in Mashhad, Iran.

Why Childhood Toxic Experiences and Early Maladaptive Schemas Affect Negatively One's Psychological Capital?

Positive psychological capital, as a worthwhile resource for individuals as well as organizations, has drawn the attention of researchers in both psychology and management fields. This neglected construct recently named as one of the significant competitive advantages of organizations. It also plays an important role in individual success. Scholars reveal that early toxic experiences and relevant maladaptive schemas would influence negatively on an individual's psychological capital. Although quantitative research reported that psychological capital can be affected by childhood experiences, there appears no research on the mechanism of this relationship. Hence, this article aims to answer the question of why early adverse experiences can deplete one's psychological capital. Two theories, including Information Process Theory and Brain Development, were employed to justify the relationship this article aimed to find.

Interpersonal attachment insecurity and emotional attachment to possessions partly mediate the relationship between childhood trauma and hoarding symptoms in a non-clinical sample

Previous studies have indicated that childhood adversity and emotional attachment difficulties are common in hoarding disorder. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore whether current insecure attachment style, operationalized as insecure attachment to romantic partners, and emotional over-attachment to objects might be one mechanism linking the experience of early adversity to later hoarding tendencies. Data was gathered using an online survey from 463 adult participants; n = 216 scored in the clinical range for hoarding. The experience of two types of childhood trauma (emotional abuse and physical neglect) predicted higher levels of hoarding symptoms. Attachment anxiety and avoidance were positively correlated with hoarding symptoms and with emotional attachment to possessions. Current attachment insecurity and emotional attachment to objects partly mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and hoarding symptoms, after controlling for anxiety and depression. This study provides evidence for a novel way by which traumatic life events may influence hoarding symptomatology via attachment to significant others and object attachment. The findings are limited by the use of a cross-sectional design; however, they support the growing body of research which points to the importance of early adverse events and attachment difficulties in the aetiology of hoarding.

Developmental history and stress responsiveness are related to response inhibition, but not judgement bias, in a cohort of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris)

Judgement bias tasks are designed to provide markers of affective states. A recent study of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) demonstrated modest familial effects on judgement bias performance, and found that adverse early experience and developmental telomere attrition (an integrative marker of biological age) both affected judgement bias. Other research has shown that corticosterone levels affect judgement bias. Here, we investigated judgement bias using a modified Go/No Go task in a new cohort of starlings (n = 31) hand-reared under different early-life conditions. We also measured baseline corticosterone and the corticosterone response to acute stress in the same individuals. We found evidence for familial effects on judgement bias, of a similar magnitude to the previous study. We found no evidence that developmental treatments or developmental telomere attrition were related to judgement bias per se. We did, however, find that birds that experienced the most benign developmental conditions, and birds with the greatest developmental telomere attrition, were significantly faster to probe the learned unrewarded stimulus. We also found that the birds whose corticosterone levels were faster to return towards baseline after an acute stressor were slower to probe the learned unrewarded stimulus. Our results illustrate the potential complexities of relationships between early-life experience, stress and affectively mediated decision making. For judgement bias tasks, they demonstrate the importance of clearly distinguishing factors that affect patterns of responding to the learned stimuli (i.e. response inhibition in the case of the Go/No Go design) from factors that influence judgements under ambiguity.

Merit-based Claim Adjudication for Cancer Treatment Toxicities - Policy Trends that Lower Downstream Costs.

-Due largely to the lack of effective therapeutic options, between 1973-2013, chemoradiation toxic mucositis (CRTM) has remained an uncapped expenditure for 40 years, with incremental costs of $17,000-$40,000 per patient per episode. Costs in patient morbidity and mortality have continued as well. A recent therapeutic option associated with complete prevention and/or rapid sustained elimination (high potency polymerized cross-linked sucralfate, HPPCLS) delivers value by eliminating downstream costs CRTM experienced in the first 12 months. While many insurers carry the therapy as a specialty pharmacy support drug, few are familiar with the associated health economic benefits and the statutory requirements driving its coverage. -To present the rationale behind early policy trends that frame CRTM as an emergent/urgent medical condition mandated coverage as an essential health benefit. Rather than problematic for costs, this coverage trend appears to be value-based. -Discuss early adverse claim experience of HPPCLS. Present the costs, tenets and statutes driving policy trend toward obligatory coverage of CRTM. Review the ethical (fiduciary) and statutory requirements for CRTM coverage. -CRTM coverage is ethically responsible since it is a direct consequence of authorized cancer treatment. The symptom/signs complex of CRTM meets the 'prudent layperson' statutory definition of emergency medical condition. All previously uncapped downstream costs of CRTM can be reduced to the cost of therapy, saving $15-$30K per patient per CRTM episode. -Policy trend of CRTM coverage as an emergent/urgent medical condition is a value-based approach of toxicity management, conserving resources, cutting costs and eliminating patient morbidity and mortality.

Child maltreatment and mental disorders: the role of epigenetics

Introduction: Child maltreatment is associated with high risk for various physical and mental disorders and is associated with over 30% of adult psychopathology. Child maltreatment also relates with poor clinical outcomes, such as chronic disease, increased hospitalization, comorbidity and reduced response to treatment. Early adverse experiences can cause epigenetic changes, altering gene expression without changing DNA sequence. Epigenetic alterations in genes implicated in stress response and neurodevelopment might explain to some extent the impact of child maltreatment in mental health. Objectives: Review available literature concerning the impact of child maltreatment in human epigenome, focusing on mental health related outcomes. Development: DNA methylation induced by child maltreatment changes specific genes, in peripheral and brain tissues, producing major consequences in stress regulation, neural plasticity, and neurodevelopment. Methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene is one of the most studied epigenetic alterations that have been related to childhood maltreatment and seems to be responsible for an increased vulnerability to develop psychopathology. Epigenetic changes may not be permanent, and there are some interventions that seem to reduce DNA methylation. Therefore, in the future, DNA methylation may be used, not only in the diagnosis and prediction of treatment response, but also for therapeutic innovation. Conclusions: Epigenetic changes can potentially explain pathophysiological changes related to child maltreatment exposure, may serve as biomarkers in stress-related disorders and provide targets for the development of new therapeutic and preventive interventions for individuals that were exposed to child abuse.

Early Parenting Intervention and Adverse Family Environments Affect Neural Function in Middle Childhood

BackgroundGrowing work points to the negative impact of early adverse experiences on the developing brain. An outstanding question concerns the extent to which early intervention can normalize trajectories of brain development in at-risk children. We tested this within the context of a randomized clinical trial of an early parenting program, the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC), delivered to parents and infants monitored for maltreatment by Child Protective Services. MethodsFamilies participated in the randomized clinical trial when children were 2.5 years of age or younger. Parenting and home adversity was measured at baseline. Children were followed longitudinally, and resting brain activity was measured electrophysiologically (n = 106) when children reached 8 years of age. Spectral power was quantified and compared across children assigned to the experimental intervention (ABC), a control intervention, and a low-risk comparison group (n = 76) recruited at the follow-up assessment. ResultsHigher early home adversity was associated with electrophysiological profiles indicative of cortical delays/immaturity in middle childhood, based on relatively greater power in lower frequency bands (theta, 4–6 Hz, and low alpha, 6–9 Hz) and lower power in a higher frequency band (high alpha, 9–12 Hz). Children assigned to ABC showed relatively greater high-frequency power (beta, 12–20 Hz) than children assigned to the control intervention. Beta power in the ABC did not differ from that of the low-risk comparison group. ConclusionsMaltreatment risk and home adversity can affect indicators of middle childhood brain maturation. Early parenting programs can support more normative patterns of neural function during middle childhood.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Their Relation to Parenting Stress and Parenting Practices

The objective of this study was to understand the relationship between the early adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) of parents and their later parenting stress and practices. At the baseline visit of an 8-week course of cognitive behavioral therapy, parenting women completed the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF) and the Positive Parenting Practices (PPP) scale. Linear regression procedures were used to assess the relationship between a parent’s own early experience of ACEs and current parenting stress and practices, including if there was a dose–response relationship. For the PSI-SF, significant dose–response relationships were observed between ACEs and the PSI Total Stress score (p < 0.05) and the difficult child subscale (p < 0.05). Additionally, a relationship was suggested with the parental distress subscale (p < 0.10). No significant relationships were found between ACEs and the parent–child dysfunctional interaction subscale of the PSI-SF or the PPP scale. Given the association observed between ACEs and parenting stress, it is important that future psychosocial interventions and policy initiatives preventing ACEs are developed.

Making Sense of Adopted Children's Internal Reality Using Narrative Story Stem Techniques: A Mixed-Methods Synthesis.

Background: Extant research on adopted children has consistently shown that early adverse experiences confer vulnerability to myriad developmental problems, which may be mitigated by the “natural intervention” of adoption itself and/or by treatment efforts. Narrative Story Stems Techniques (NSSTs) have been used in research and clinical practice to assess adopted children's developmental profiles in middle childhood. However, no study to date has systematically reviewed this body of literature.Objectives: This paper presents a systematic review of research using NSSTs to make sense of adopted children's internal reality (i.e., perceptions, experiences, and representations), in terms of exploring theoretical perspectives as well as critically synthesizing findings and discussing implications.Methods: State-of-the-art PRISMA guidelines were followed throughout, resulting in the identification of 18 records, comprising six qualitative, 10 quantitative, and two mixed-methods primary papers, reporting on seven unique studies. All records were assessed with regard to methodological quality. Data were extracted and synthesized narratively using an integrated design for mixed-methods synthesis.Results: The findings suggest that, although NSST research with adopted children is still in its infancy, there is relatively robust evidence supporting the use of these techniques to assess and track developmental change in adopted children's attachment representations. In this regard, the non-verbal (aside from the verbal) approach to children's complex internal reality, as well as a more fine-grained (aside from a categorical or dimensional) perspective on children's NSST responses, are highlighted as particularly valuable in tailoring treatment to a particular child's needs and vulnerabilities. Moreover, several promising avenues for future research and clinical application of NSSTs, including the extension to affect-regulatory and mentalizing perspectives, may further our knowledge and understanding of, and thus treatment efforts toward, these often vulnerable children. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution, due to the limited number of studies characterized by considerable methodological heterogeneity.Conclusions: In light of the findings of the present review, we strongly advocate future studies using NSSTs in theoretically and empirically consistent ways, in order to gain a better understanding of adopted children's internal reality in terms of attachment representations, affect-regulatory strategies, and mentalizing processes, and to track changes therein.

Psychodynamic Approaches to Behavioral Change

Psychodynamic Approaches to Behavioral Change

Childhood trauma, pubertal timing, and cardiovascular risk in adulthood.

An association between childhood trauma and adult health outcomes has been widely reported, but little is known about the developmental pathways through which childhood trauma influences adult cardiovascular disease (CVD). Hypotheses were tested with a sample of 405 African Americans from the Family and Community Health Study (FACHS). Path modeling was used to test our theoretical model. Replicating prior research, exposure to childhood trauma was associated positively with increases in symptoms of CVD risk across young adulthood even after controlling for a variety of health-related and health behavior covariates. Further, the association of childhood trauma with CVD risk was mediated by early pubertal maturation. There were no gender differences in the magnitude of this effect. Our findings support an evolutionary-development perspective (Belsky & Shalev, 2016) suggesting that early adverse life experiences lead to early biologically embedded changes reflected in early physical maturation and that these early changes predict later negative adult health outcomes. The results imply that early pubertal maturation is a precursor to vulnerability to long term health problems. From an intervention standpoint, identifying such developmental pathways may help inform future health-promoting interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record

Are Resilient Factors Increasing the Risk for Childhood Psychological Victimization?

BACKGROUND:Understanding the resilient factors and why some children do well despite early adverse experiences is crucial, because it can inform more effective policies and programs that help more children reach their full potential.AIM:The main objective of the study is to describe the associations between psychological abuse in childhood and resilient risk factors on individual, relational, contextual level among adolescents in the country and see the probability of resiliency to predict psychological victimisation.MATERIAL AND METHOD:Cross-sectional study on two-stage quota sample of 622 university students was applied in the study, including adolescents at first and second year at the main public Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, from the 12 faculties in the country. Adverse Childhood Experiences Study International Questionnaires was used for collecting information on psychological abuse, while the individual, relational and contextual resilient factors were measured using the Child and Youth Resilience Measure - Youth version. The study was conducted from March to September 2017. Statistical significance was set up at P < 0.05.RESULTS:The results from the study have shown statistically significant negative correlation between exposure to psychological abuse in childhood and individual (rpb = -0.159), relational (rpb = -0.263), contextual factors (rpb = -0.147), and resilience in total (rpb = -0.232). The regressive model presents that 5.2% of the variance of the variable experienced psychological abuse is explained with resilience (F(1, 527) = 28.909; P < 0.001), showing that resilience is negatively significant predictor for being psychologically abused in childhood (β = -0.228; t = -5.377; P < 0.001). The regressive model explains the individual contribution of the predictor variables for the psychological abuse, presenting that only caregiver resiliency is a significant predictor for psychological abuse (β = -0.282; t = -4.986; P < 0.001).CONCLUSION:Supporting children through prevention means foster competence and prevent problems. Preventive programmes represent developing protective factors in childhood, increasing competence and skills for the growth of resilience and decreasing the likelihood of developing psychopathology in adolescence and adulthood. It is of common interest of society for implementation of evidence-based interventions with fostering settings and in the long run enabling positive childhood basis for future generations.

Young adult mice exposed to postnatal neglect display downregulation of transcription factors in visceral white adipose tissue

Exposure to early life stress or adverse childhood experiences is associated with a greater BMI and cardio‐metabolic disease risk. We have previously shown that maternal separation and early weaning (MSEW), a model of early life stress and neglect, exacerbates adipose tissue expansion and metabolic dysfunction during obesity‐induced hypertension in adult female MSEW mice compared with males. Thus, the goal of this study was to determine whether there are sex‐specific changes in fat mass and glucose homeostasis in juvenile and young adult male and female mice exposed to MSEW. We also investigated the status of adipose tissue transcription factors. MSEW was performed by separating the pups from the mother for periods of 4 to 8 hour during postnatal days 2–16. Mice were weaned at postnatal day 17 (P17). Control mice remained undisturbed in the home cage at all times and were weaned at P21. We used 4 control and 4 MSEW li‐‐‐‐tters. All observations were averaged within litters by sex, and analysis was performed with litters as experimental units. Body weight (BW) and fat mass measured by EcoMRI were similar between control and MSEW mice at P17, P21 and P56 when fed a regular chow in both sexes. At P60, one subset of littermates was placed on a low fat diet (LF, 10% kcal from fat) for one week. LF‐fed MSEW and control mice showed similar BW and fat mass; however, the number of pre‐adipocytes isolated from Gonadal white adipose tissue (gWAT) stromal vascular fraction were increased significantly in MSEW mice (p&lt;0.05). The other subset of littermates was placed one week on a high fat diet (HF, 60% kcal from fat). MSEW increased BW and fat mass in HF‐fed mice. Six‐hour fasting glucose was higher in mice exposed to MSEW regardless sex or diet, although the oral glucose tolerance test was not different between groups. Further, gWAT was isolated in mice after one week of LF or HF, and mRNA was isolated for nanoString analysis of transcription factors (nanoString Technologies, Inc, Seattle, WA). We found that one week of HF significantly downregulated: Foxo1 (−1.24±0.07 fold), Sirt1 (−1.51±0.24 fold), Stat5a (−1.53±0.16 fold), Foxp2 (−3.02±0.96 fold), and IL‐6 (−2.74±0.55 fold) compared with controls (p&lt;0.05). Overall, the effect of MSEW on fat mass and glucose metabolism is independent of sex and diet in weanlings and young adults. Downregulation of transcription factors such as Sirt1 could promote lipogenesis by reducing lipolysis. Our study suggests that a chronic HF feeding is required for greater fat expansion and cardio‐metabolic dysfunction in adult female mice.Support or Funding InformationThis study was supported by funds from the NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to A.S.L (R00 HL111354), start‐up funds from the University of Kentucky to A.S.L, and the pilot project from the University of Kentucky Center of Research in Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease COBRE P20 GM103527‐06 to A.S.L.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Childhood Adversities and Thriving Skills: Sample Case of Older Swiss Former Indentured Child Laborers

The study of life-long consequences of severe childhood adversities or trauma has recently received much attention. However, little is known about the subjective coping success and development of positively evaluated resources that may originate within these adverse experiences and may be conceptualized as thriving. This study set out to examine the relationship between thriving in response to early adversity and successful aging with a sample of former indentured child laborers in Switzerland (Verdingkinder). Participants were screened according to subjective and objective health-related attributes, and those who were evaluated to be "successful agers" were included. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 former Verdingkinder (mean age: 71 years) that lasted 60-120 minutes. The interviews were analyzed using the paradigm model of the Grounded Theory. In the interviews adverse experiences and negative consequences were reported. However, where thriving was triggered in response to these experiences, the factors identified as "lightheartedness," "social purpose," and "self-enhancement" were associated with successful aging. Factors including motivation, reflection, personality traits, social support, individual coping strategies, turning points, and processing were reported as central to thriving. The identified factors show similarities with established predictors of health and well-being. Thus, under certain circumstances early and prolonged adverse experiences can also provide the opportunity to develop positive resources for successful aging.

Early life trauma: An exploratory study of effects on OXTR and NR3C1 gene expression and nurturing self-efficacy in mothers of infants.

In animals, adverse early experience alters oxytocinergic and glucocorticoid activity and maternal behavior in adulthood. This preliminary study explored associations among childhood trauma (loss of a parent or sexual abuse in childhood), maternal self-efficacy, and leukocyte gene expression (mRNA) of oxytocin and glucocorticoid receptors (OXTR and NR3C1) in mothers of infants. 62 mothers (20 with early life trauma) with healthy 3-month old infants reported maternal self-efficacy, depression, infant temperament, and overall social support; the effects of early trauma on these measures were assessed. Of these, 35 mothers (14 with early trauma) underwent blood draws after 2 infant feeding times; their OXTR and NR3C1 mRNA was compared to a control group of 25 no-infant women without early trauma, and also was examined for associations with self-efficacy. OXTR mRNA was increased in mothers of infants versus no-infant controls (p < 0.0003), and mothers with greatest prior maternal experience had higher OXTR than those with less experience (0-2 vs. 3+ older children, p < 0.033). Mothers with early trauma and less maternal experience had lower OXTR mRNA than no-trauma mothers (p < 0.029) and lower NR3C1 mRNA than controls (p < 0.004). Mothers with depression also had lower NR3C1 than other mothers (p < 0.003) but did not differ in OXTR. Mothers with early trauma also reported their support network to be less helpful and more upsetting and unpredictable than other mothers (p < 0.035-p < 0.005). Regarding maternal behavior, in mothers with early trauma, helpful support networks increased self-reported nurturing self-efficacy when babies were not fussy but decreased it with fussy babies (p < 0.05). Support was unrelated to self-efficacy in no-trauma mothers. Similarly, among mothers with low OXTR or NR3C1 (-1SD, most having early trauma and lower maternal experience), greater support was associated with lower self-efficacy (p < 0.05), while mothers with high OXTR or NR3C1 (+1SD) tended to have higher self-efficacy with greater support. These preliminary findings need confirmation in a larger sample but suggest that childhood trauma influences maternal behavior and both OXTR and NR3C1 pathways in mothers of infants, and that both depression and prior maternal experience may be other important factors. Effects on maternal behavior appear to require more complex modeling.

Family profiles of maltreated children in Singapore: A latent class analysis

Children who enter the child protection system often have complex family problems and have experienced early adverse experiences. Using latent class analysis, this study aimed to identify family classes of child protection cases in Singapore, to ascertain the prevalence of these family classes, and to test the association of family class membership to subsequent recurrence of harm. A sample of 440 cases who entered the Child Protective Service in Singapore was analyzed based on eight familial factors on the household and caregiver levels. A four-class solution was found to demonstrate the best fit: (a) the large household group was intergenerational and majority lived with extended family members, (b) the harsh parenting group showed high levels of parenting problems and the caregiver justifying his abuse/neglect, (c) the high criminality group had high levels of caregiver substance abuse and caregiver arrest and incarceration history, and (d) the low disadvantage group rated low on all the familial factors. A Cox Regression revealed that in comparison to the low disadvantage group, the harsh parenting group was twice as likely to have recurrence of harm. There were also differences across family classes with regard to age at entry into child protection, gender composition and abuse types. The findings and practice implications are discussed.

Long-term early life adverse experience impairs responsiveness to exteroceptive stimuli in adult rats

It has been shown that early life traumatic events strongly alter the physiology and behavior in adult rats. In the present study, the effect of postnatal stressor on the spontaneous behavior of adult male rats was evaluated. A method of positive habituation based on a detailed analysis of behavioral patterns and attention of animals to a stimulus object was used. Twenty-four dams and twenty-four of their male progeny were used. Pups were divided into three groups (n = 8): controls (C); maternal social stressor (S); maternal social and physical stressors (SW). Animals (postnatal day 70–80) were individually placed in the open field arena in two habituation sessions with a 24-h delay between them (Test day 1 and Test day 2). Before the start of third session (Test day 3) a solid object was fixed in the center of the arena. Each test lasted 10 min. Our results showed the habituation effect in both stressed-groups. Although there were no significant differences in the number of investigations of the novel object among all tested groups, stress-exposed rats spent less time investigating the object. In conclusion, our findings indicate that long-term neonatal stress may impair an animal’s ability to sustain attention to stimuli.

Pain exposure associates with telomere length erosion in very preterm infants

Very preterm (VPT) infants (gestational age < 32 weeks) require long-lasting hospitalization in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), even in absence of severe morbidities. During NICU stay, life-saving interventions occur and include invasive and painful skin-breaking procedures (NICU-related stress), which constitute a major early adverse experience for VPT infants. Telomeres are repeat-sequence at the end of chromosomes, which shorten with age and are highly susceptible to life adversities: the exposure to early adverse experiences is associated with shorter telomere length (TL). Nonetheless, previous research did not assess longitudinally the association between NICU-related stress and TL in VPT infants. In the present study, leukocyte TL was assessed from cord blood at birth in 46 VPT infants and in a group of 31 full-term (FT) infants, as well as at NICU discharge in VPTs only. NICU-related stress was measured as the number of skin-breaking procedures occurring throughout the NICU stay. A significant difference emerged for TL between VPT infants and FT counterparts at birth. TL decreased from birth to discharge in VPT infants, although the change was not significant in the group as a whole. The amount of NICU-related stress emerged as the primary predictor of TL erosion in VPT infants, even controlling for neonatal and clinical confounders. Furthermore, VPT infants exposed to high NICU-related stress exhibited a marked and significant decrease in TL, whereas VPT exposed to low NICU-related stress exhibited a non-significant increase. The present study confirms previous evidence of longer telomeres in VPT infants at birth compared to FT controls. Moreover, NICU-related stress emerged as a key regulator of TL erosion from birth to discharge in VPT infants. Future research is warranted to further explore TL erosion in VPT infants and the factors associated with individual differences in NICU-related stress susceptibility at the epigenetic level.

Parenting predicts Strange Situation cortisol reactivity among children adopted internationally

The functioning of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis can be altered by adverse early experiences. Recent studies indicate that children who were adopted internationally after experiencing early institutional rearing and unstable caregiving exhibit blunted HPA reactivity to stressful situations. The present study examined whether caregiving experiences post-adoption further modulate children’s HPA responses to stress. Parental sensitivity during naturalistic parent-child play interactions was assessed for 66 children (M age = 17.3 months, SD = 4.6) within a year of being adopted internationally. Approximately 8 months later, children’s salivary cortisol levels were measured immediately before as well as 15 and 30 min after a series of brief separations from the mother in an unfamiliar laboratory setting. Latent growth curve modeling indicated that experiencing more parental sensitivity predicted increased cortisol reactivity to the stressor. Although half the families received an intervention designed to improve parental sensitivity, the intervention did not significantly alter children’s cortisol outcomes. These findings suggest that post-adoption parental sensitivity may help normalize the HPA response to stress among children adopted internationally.