Early Parenting Research Articles

Association between obesity and life courses in young adulthood. Results from the KiGGS cohort study

Abstract In the last decades, young adulthood has established as an independent phase of life with important biographical transitions impacting further life course and health. In turn, health in adolescence can also affect the transitions into young adulthood. So far, for Germany there are no analyses on the association between family-related and employment-related biographies and obesity in young adults. The analysis is based on data from the KiGGS cohort study on 3,100 participants aged 23-31 at second follow-up (t2). Using BMI measurements at t0 (2003-2006) and at t2 (2014-2017), obesity groups were formed (no obesity, incidence, remission, persistence). Sequence analysis was used to retrospectively determine family-related and education/employment-related individual trajectories. Differences in life courses between obesity groups were calculated using discrepancy tests. Young adults with incident obesity were more likely to have children or to be a single parent than young adults without obesity at t2. Young adults with obesity at t0 lived longer in the parental home than those without obesity. Young adults with incident or persistent obesity were less likely to attend university and had experienced longer periods of unemployment than those without obesity at t0 and t2. The employment sequences of those without obesity at t2 were not statistically different. Both family and employment biographies were associated with obesity trajectories in young people. However, based on the analysis, it cannot be clarified whether early parenthood led to obesity or early transitions into parenthood led to interruptions in education or employment and subsequently to obesity. The finding that young adults with obesity were less likely to attend university and more likely to be unemployed could be related to disadvantages or discrimination in school, education or work. Obesity in adolescence that did not persist into young adulthood had less adverse effects on education and employment. Key messages Young people’s obesity trajectories were linked to different family/employment biographies. The life courses of young adults with obesity were more often marked by early parenthood and unemployment.

Investigating Young Children's Social Interactions During Digital Play.

In digital play, social interactions have aroused much debate among early childhood stakeholders, particularly in the areas of young children’s social learning and their domains of development. The main concern of early childhood educators is the limits of children’s social interactions occurring in digital play. This study used a four-week semi-structured field observation of eighty 3–4-year-old children within three Australian childcare centres to investigate children’s social interaction whilst involved in digital play using iPads. Seven different forms of social interactions were identified during children’s digital play. Furthermore, it was found that although children showed high levels of engagement during digital play, only observing others does not always impact children’s engagement during digital play. Rather self-reflection influences how children engage and choose their own course of action within digital play. Early childhood educators and parents may find this paper useful in understanding various children’s social interactions during their digital play to program effective, appropriate and meaningful experiences for young children.

Maternal Executive Functioning, Emotional Availability and Psychological Distress During Toddlerhood: A FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study.

Executive functioning (EF) is one of the building blocks in parental caregiving behavior, and contextual variables have been reported to moderate the link between EF and caregiving behavior. Although psychological distress due to various factors is prevalent during early parenthood and is negatively associated with adult EF, it is not known whether psychological distress influences the maternal EF/caregiving link. This study explored the association between maternal EF and caregiving behavior (more specifically, Emotional Availability/EA), and whether single and cumulative maternal psychological distress domains moderated the EF/EA association in a general population sample of 137 Finnish birth cohort mothers with 2.5-year-old children. EF was measured with a composite of five computerized Cogstate tasks, EA with the Emotional Availability Scales, and three psychological distress domains with self-report questionnaires (depression: EPDS, anxiety: SCL-90, insomnia: AIS). Better EF was significantly associated with more positive, sensitive caregiving, but this association was no longer significant when controlling for education level. Neither individual nor cumulative distress domains moderated the EF/EA association significantly, although the observed moderation effects were in the expected direction. These findings suggest that EF should be recognized alongside socioemotional factors as variables that are associated with parental caregiving behavior during toddlerhood. Furthermore, if the non-significant moderation results are replicated, they indicate that mothers in community samples are not at great risk for psychological distress that would compromise their capacity to utilize their EF while caring for their child. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings, as well as to examine these associations among fathers and in samples that have higher levels of chronic stressors. Studies with more diverse samples in terms of distress levels and EF performance would provide further insight into early childhood parenting and its risk factors.

PARENTAL ADHD AND THEIR OFFSPRING FROM THE PERINATAL PERIOD TO EARLY CHILDHOOD

ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that has been increasingly recognized as persisting into adulthood. ADHD has high heritability, and parental behaviors influence child ADHD symptoms and impairment. In fact, parent behavior training is the primary treatment modality for preschool-aged children with ADHD. Thus, examining offspring at familial risk for ADHD from infancy to preschool and the impact of parental ADHD on early parenting could elucidate potential intervention targets to decrease the prevalence of ADHD and/or reduce impairment for children born to parents with ADHD. Allison Baker, MD, will present the trajectory of ADHD symptoms across pregnancy. Heather Marie Joseph, DO, will describe findings regarding predictors of parental distress across the first year of parenthood for parents with ADHD and their co-parents. Mai Uchida, MD, will report on ADHD symptoms among preschool-aged offspring of parents with ADHD. Joyce Lui, PhD, will review thematic analyses from stakeholder meetings regarding identification and treatment of African American families, both parents and children, with ADHD in pediatric primary care. Pregnant women with ADHD had a significant increase in symptom scores across pregnancy, regardless of medication (p = 0.027), and women returning to work postpartum had an increase in total functional impairment score (p = 0.043). A cohort of mother-father-infant triads found that families with parent ADHD experienced greater parental distress (p < 0.05). Both parent sleep (p < 0.01) and infant temperament, surgency (p = 0.03) and effortful control (p < 0.01), were associated with parental distress. Among a sample of preschool-aged children, those born to parents with ADHD had significantly higher rates of attention problems compared to the children of control parents (OR = 2.37, p = 0.04). Stakeholders identified 6 themes of importance when approaching African American families in pediatric primary care settings regarding screening for parent ADHD and treatment of both the parent and child. The impact of parent ADHD on early parenting and offspring development has been underrecognized. These presentations provide new insights into potential intervention targets to reduce the familial transmissions of ADHD as well as early markers of risk for developing childhood ADHD.

Role of perceived social support in the relationship between parent temperament and distress tolerance

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate whether social support mediates the relationships between parent temperament and distress tolerance (DT) in mothers and fathers.BackgroundDistress tolerance is central to many of the factors identified as high‐risk for parents perpetrating child maltreatment. To create effective parenting programs aimed at reducing child maltreatment, it is essential to understand the risk and protective factors associated with parental DT. Additionally, examining these factors in both mothers and fathers is important for determining whether mechanisms of risk and protective factors function similarly.MethodUsing existing cross‐sectional data, self‐report assessments from 584 parents (67% female, Mage = 32.35 years) of children between the ages of 6 months and 10 years were analyzed using mediation analyses.ResultsPerceived social support partially mediated the relationship between negative affect and distress tolerance, in the overall sample and in mothers only, but not for fathers only. Perceived social support was not a mediator of the relationship between effortful control and distress tolerance in any of the samples.ConclusionResults suggest that negative affect and perception of social support play important roles in parents’ DT capabilities. Furthermore, the inconsistency across genders, suggests that risk and protective factors of DT may differ for mothers and fathers.ImplicationsInvestigating risk factors of low parental DT is important for advancing knowledge about parents who may ultimately engage in child maltreatment to inform the design of prevention and early intervention parenting programs.

Early adversity and positive parenting: Association with cognitive outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social communication and repetitive behaviors. Children with ASD are statistically more likely to experience early adversity; however, little is known about the types of early adversity that place these children at risk, the role of parenting as a protective factor, and how this early life stress impacts cognitive outcomes. We assessed early adversity in 302 children (ASD=98) aged 6-16 years old, using parent-based report. To identify protective factors, we assessed parenting styles using parent surveys. Executive functions were assessed in the children using the WISC-V. Children with ASD had an increased incidence of familial stressors compared to the typically developing (TD) group. Positive parenting was associated with a significant decrease in the incidence of familial adverse events for both children with ASD and TD children. Examining the relationship between adversity and cognitive outcomes, in young children (6-11 years) with ASD, environmental stressors were associated with cognitive impairments. Findings suggest children with ASD may be at higher risk for familial adversity than their TD peers. However, all children benefit from positive parenting styles, which may mitigate the adverse effects of family-based early life stress. LAY SUMMARY: Some key features of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) include difficulties with communication and social impairments. This means that children with ASD may be more likely to experience early adversity (stressful social interactions which take place during childhood) than children without ASD. Research in typically developing (TD) children has shown that experiencing more stressful events in childhood can cause changes in the brain, which can potentially impact the child's memory, reasoning, and decision-making skills later in life. However, there is evidence to suggest that having a nurturing relationship with a parent can offset some of the negative impacts of childhood adversity. In our study, we found that children with ASD are more likely to experience family-related stress compared to TD children. Having a positive relationship with a parent, however, was linked to experiencing this type of stress less often for all children, regardless of whether they were diagnosed with ASD. We also found that stressors related to environmental factors like financial instability were associated with lower cognitive abilities in children with ASD under 12 years of age. Understanding how these factors interact and differ in children with ASD can help to build stronger families and help children with ASD to thrive throughout their development.

Contraception decision making by Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Australian youth: an exploratory study

ABSTRACT Context Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) youth may become early parents, with some aspiring to parenthood. Yet, the factors that influence CALD youths contraceptive decision-making are less well known, although important for designing appropriate contraception use support programmes for this population. This study aimed to explore the contraception decision-making patterns of CALD Australian youth, in-addition to investigating the factors that influence their use of contraception services. Methods We conducted focus groups with 27 CALD youth (ages 16-24) to explore their 1) their contraception use 1) decision-making, 2) information sources, and 3) priority services. For the data synthesis, we utilized thematic analysis to characterize the CALD youth contraception use orientation. Results Three themes emerged from the data: 1) the prevalent use of fail-safe contraception methods to minimize personal anxiety, 2) the reliance on online rather than in-person information sources, and 3) the importance to minimize risk for social stigma from use of contraception. Conclusions CALD Australian youth reported being competent in self-managing their contraception use decisions. Contraption decision support for CALD youth should address their anxieties about the risk of contraception failure and concerns regarding social stigmas. KEY POINTS What is already known: (1) Australian young females from racial and language minority background communities become parents at younger ages than those from the general Australian population. (2) Some look forward to becoming parents earlier rather than later in their lives. What this topic adds: (1) We unraveled decision making processes and tools the teenagers prefer to use outside conventional understandings. (2) Cultural psychology beliefs rooted in family social protections are an overriding decision influence in contraception choices. (3) Peers were less trusted partners in sexual decisions compared to use of online services.

Pembentukan Kepribadian Akhlakul Karimah Anak di Lingkungan Keluarga Nikah Dini di Kecamatan Lubuk Besar Kabupaten Bangka Tengah

This research aims to: to know, understand and expose the virtues of the formation of good behavioral personality and methods used in the formation of good behavior personality of children in early marriage family environment in Lubuk Besar Sub-District bangka tengah regency. As for finding solutions to the above problems researchers use the following methodology: in this study researchers used a qualitative approach to phenomenology is to observe social symptoms, and the role of each individual to educate children and families in each member of society. Because every education has a purpose to build a good behavior, there is a pattern of empathy and a role that contains and implements educational values or that every family has the right to educate and be responsible for educating children and their families. &#x0D; The main informants in this study are the key informants in this study are Islamic Religious Education teachers and landfill teachers and the informants in this study are families and children of early marriage perpetrators, then for the supporting informants are the sub-district staff of Lubuk Besar to look for data on the general picture of Lubuk Besar Sub-District. And the data collection techniques in this study are: observation techniques, interviews and documentation. Then the analysis techniques that researchers use are: data reduction, data presentation and data verivcation. The result of this study is that the first, the formation of personality akhlakul kaimah in the early marriage family environment does not go the maximum, because the family as the person shaper of the child does not have enough provision in building a household so that parents who are married early have not been able to apply everything that is the responsibility as a parent in educating and raising the child. Second, as a large number of children have poor adab and morals and some children born to early married parents have physical and psychological disabilities such as being born in un-normal circumstances. Third, among parents who are married early already married two to three times due to various domestic conflicts that occur in early marriage families caused by the economy, as well as other problems.&#x0D; Fourth, most parents who marry early are more entrusted to teachers whether school teachers or teachers where their children learn to pay in providing religious education to the Fifth child, the causative factor of early marriage in Lubuk Besar Subdistrict is mainly due to economic, educational, parental factors and free associations that are stuck with the wrong courtship style. Although in Islam there is no age limit when a person will marry, but early marriage is highly discouraged because it will be fatal in either the home life or the child of an early marriage perpetrator if not provided with sufficient knowledge in educating children and households. Sixth, the average observer is an early marriage and a housewife. Seventh, the adverse effects of early marriage in Lubuk Besar sub-district include depression (crazy), not being able to take care of children, family conflict, early divorce, economic pressures, family disharmony, risky pregnancies, the head of the family difficulty finding work due to the lack of experience before marriage. Thus it is highly discouraged for today's young people to perform underage marriages. Because it will not only affect him and his family but also on the children of early marriage abusers who will become the next generation of the nation.

Early adolescents' parent–child communication and friendship quality: A cross-lagged analysis

This study explored the two-way relationship between parent–child communication and the friendship quality of early adolescents, as well as the stability of these constructs and of gender differences, using a cross-lagged analysis. We conducted a 10-month follow-up study with 842 adolescents using the Parent–Adolescent Communication Scale and the Friendship Quality Questionnaire. Results show that both father–child and mother–child communication at Time 1 significantly and positively predicted friendship quality in early adolescence as measured at Time 2; that is, the better was parent–child communication at Time 1, the higher was the friendship quality in early adolescence at Time 2. However, friendship quality at Time 1 did not significantly predict parent–child at Time 2. Additionally, parent–child communication and friendship quality were better among children in seventh compared to eighth grade. Girls' friendship quality was higher than that of boys, whereas boys' parent–child communication was better than that of girls.

Parents' Knowledge and Commitment To Stimulate Child Development

Parents of early childhood need to assert themselves as parents who are ready to oversee the development of their children. In this paper, we will present the results of our research on respondents as parents rather than early childhood, specifically regarding their knowledge and commitment to efforts to stimulate child development. Through the methods of observation, interviews, and filling out questionnaires, we formulated 7 research findings. The 7 findings in question are: 1) PAUD parents mostly live with parents/in-laws, 2) parents of early childhood mostly work as employees and spend most of their day working, 3) parents of early childhood women Small children who work as housewives spend most of the afternoon taking care of the house, 4) PAUD Parents Want Their Children to Develop Well, 5) Early Childhood Parents Want to Stimulate Early Childhood Development, 6) Parents Constraints Obstacles to Early Childhood Opportunities (Free Time) to Stimulate Development, and 7) Early Childhood Parents Limit Knowledge to Stimulate Development. Most of the PAUD parents we met said that they were ready and would try to provide the best education and stimulation for their children's development. However, when faced with difficulties, work, time, and finances, they also appear to be indecisive and think hard. As if true to them, no matter how they try to respond positively, parenting is a difficult and stressful matter.

Preferences for Parenting Programs in Head Start: Using Conjoint Analysis to Understand Engagement in Parenting Health Promotion Programs.

The impact of evidence-based parenting health promotion programs is threatened by limited enrollment and attendance. We used a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to examine how Early Head Start and Head Start parents prioritized key attributes of parenting programs when considering potential participation. Utility values and importance scores indicate that parents placed the highest priority on a program that optimized child academic outcomes, and after that, on a program that offered incentives and logistical supports, and maximized potential effects on friendship skills, behavioral skills, and the parent-child relationship. Next, we used simulations or forecasting tools to estimate parents' preferences for types of programs. Sixty-five percent of parents preferred Outcome-focused Programs that fostered parents' understanding and practice of skills, whereas 23% prioritized Enhanced Support Programs offering logistic support, such as incentives, followed by child outcomes. The remaining 12% of parents preferred Format-focused Programs that targeted positive outcomes via one 30-min meeting. Parents preferring Outcome-focused Programs reported higher child prosocial behaviors compared to parents preferring Enhanced Support and Format-focused Programs. Parents preferring Outcome-focused Programs were more likely to be those of 3- and 4-year-old children than of 2-year-olds. Findings challenge the one-size-fits-all approach to offering parenting programs and suggest ways to enhance accessibility and program reach.

Predictors in ASD: The Importance of Parents' Perception.

Several predictors may influence children's developmental trajectories with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and parents' concerns may play an important role. This study aimed to investigate developmental trajectories of two groups of children with ASD to understand predictive factors, including parental perception. We examined the clinical features of a sample of 55 children with ASD at 3 and 6 years of age in two moments of evaluation to understand this process. We used the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, (ADOS) in both moments. We selected two groups based on ADOS results at moment two: one group with a worse outcome (ADOS results above 8) and one group with a better outcome (ADOS results below 8 in the second moment). We also selected questions from a questionnaire (elaborated by the authors and used in clinical practice) applied to parents to understand if early parents' concerns may help to predict ASD prognosis. We found a significant association between imitation and playability and the child's prognostic. Also, Interactive Gestures, Beginning of Joint Attention, Reciprocity, and Pleasure in Interaction might help identify positive case evolution. Our findings are significant in early intervention program development, not only with direct intervention with the child but also including the parents' involvement in the intervention.

Inflammatory burden in adolescents with prolonged parent-child separation

BackgroundProlonged parent–child separation is associated with a broad array of poor developmental outcomes. A potential pathway may be through changes in inflammatory processes. However, relatively little is known about the relationship between parent–child separation pattern (timing and duration) and inflammatory burden. The aim of this study was to investigate whether parent–child separation since birth is associated with inflammatory burden in adolescents. MethodsA total of 574 adolescents (mean age 12.07 years, SD: 0.62) were enrolled from rural areas of Chizhou, Anhui Province, China. Parent-child separation was reported mainly by primary caregivers, and other adverse childhood adversities (ACEs) were derived from adolescents semi-structured interview or questionnaire. Blood samples were collected from venepuncture for C-reactive protein (CRP) as well as soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR). ResultsNearly 40% (232/574) participants experienced parent–child separation, among which more than 1 of 4 persistently separated from both parents since birth. Both CRP and suPAR levels were significantly higher among adolescents persistently separated from both parents, compared with those who did not separate from both parents (CRP: 1.75 vs. 1.36 mg/L, P < 0.001; suPAR: 2.85 ng/mL vs. 2.55 ng/mL, P < 0.001). After adjusted for demographic covariates, body mass index, ACEs as well as parental characteristics, persistent parent–child separation was associated with elevated suPAR (B = 0.30; 95% CI, 0.12–0.48) and CRP (B = 1.34; 95% CI, 1.02–1.75). No similar associations were observed between inflammatory burden with current or early childhood parent–child separation groups. Adolescents who exposed to persistent parent–child separation were more likely to have elevated suPAR levels even if they did not have elevated CRP levels (aOR, 4.26, 95% CI, 1.23–14.80; P = 0.022). ConclusionElevated inflammatory burden observed in persistent parent–child separation adolescents highlights the need to support children and adolescents undergoing separation from both parents in order to minimize the long-term impact on disease vulnerability.

Parental Policy in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Programs Is Necessary but Not Available: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residents' Attitudes Toward Parental Leave

Guidelines regarding parental leave in oral and maxillofacial surgery do not exist. This inconsistency may contribute to gender disparities and an increase in resident burnout. The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions and attitudes of oral and maxillofacial surgery residents toward parental leave. This was a cross-sectional study in which an anonymous 26-item questionnaire was electronically mailed to all current oral and maxillofacial surgery residents in the United States during August 2020. The survey consisted of 5 sections: 1) resident information, 2) residency program information, 3) parental policy information, 4) attitudes regarding parental leave, and 5) attitudes regarding early parenthood. Surveys were sent to 860 oral and maxillofacial surgery residents; 220 completed the questionnaire (25.6%). Majority of respondents were male between the ages of 26 and 30. Half of the respondents did not know whether their oral and maxillofacial surgery program had a formal parental leave policy. Almost a third of residents reported that their program did not have a policy regarding parental leave. Only some programs had a policy regarding parental leave. Most programs allotted 2 days to 2 weeks for parental leave. Parenthood did not prevent pursuit of fellowship training. The majority of co-residents indicated that parenthood had a neutral impact on the performance of their colleagues. Lactation facilities and/or childcare services were not present in all programs. Most oral and maxillofacial surgery residents support parental leave despite the lack of a formal policy in their residency program. Residents who had a child during residency received up to 2 weeks as parental leave. Residents felt that their programs were supportive of parental leave. Parenthood did not prevent the pursuit of fellowship training.

Three-way interaction effects of early life stress, positive parenting and FKBP5 in the development of depressive symptoms in a general population

FKBP5 gene–environment interaction (cG × E) studies have shown diverse results, some indicating significant interaction effects between the gene and environmental stressors on depression, while others lack such results. Moreover, FKBP5 has a potential role in the diathesis stress and differential susceptibility theorem. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether a cG × E interaction effect of FKBP5 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or haplotype and early life stress (ELS) on depressive symptoms among young adults was moderated by a positive parenting style (PASCQpos), through the frameworks of the diathesis stress and differential susceptibility theorem. Data were obtained from the Survey of Adolescent Life in Västmanland Cohort Study, including 1006 participants and their guardians. Data were collected during 2012, when the participants were 13 and 15 years old (Wave I: DNA), 2015, when participants were 16 and 18 years old (Wave II: PASCQpos, depressive symptomology and ELS) and 2018, when participants were 19 and 21 years old (Wave III: depressive symptomology). Significant three-way interactions were found for the FKBP5 SNPs rs1360780, rs4713916, rs7748266 and rs9394309, moderated by ELS and PASCQpos, on depressive symptoms among young adults. Diathesis stress patterns of interaction were observed for the FKBP5 SNPs rs1360780, rs4713916 and rs9394309, and differential susceptibility patterns of interaction were observed for the FKBP5 SNP rs7748266. Findings emphasize the possible role of FKBP5 in the development of depressive symptoms among young adults and contribute to the understanding of possible differential susceptibility effects of FKBP5.

Early material parenting and adolescents’ materialism: the mediating role of overt narcissism

Early material parenting and adolescents’ materialism: the mediating role of overt narcissism

Adapting an Evidence-Based Home Visiting Intervention for Mothers With Opioid Dependence: Modified Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up.

Infants born to mothers who are dependent on opioids often have difficulty regulating behavior and physiology at birth. Without sensitive maternal care, these infants are at risk for ongoing problems with self-regulation. Mothers who are dependent on opioids may experience challenges related to their substance use (e.g., unsupportive and/or risky environment, impulse control and reward system problems) that increase the likelihood of insensitive parenting in the absence of effective intervention. In this paper, we describe a home-visiting intervention we have adapted to enhance sensitive, responsive caregiving tailored to the specific needs of mothers with opioid dependence. The original intervention, Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC), was designed for mothers of infants aged 6–24 months who were exposed to early adversity. ABC has been shown to enhance sensitive parenting as well as children's behavioral and biological functioning, with positive outcomes extending into at least middle childhood. Mothers who are opioid dependent need earlier support than provided by ABC because opioid-exposed infants are often vulnerable at birth. The adapted intervention (modified ABC or mABC) includes one prenatal session and one early postnatal session, followed by 10 sessions every 2–3 weeks. In the initial two sessions in particular, mothers are helped to anticipate the challenges of caring for a baby who may be difficult to soothe while nonetheless providing sensitive care. mABC is intended to help mothers see the importance of responding sensitively so as to help infants overcome the developmental risks associated with opioid exposure. Additionally, mABC is structured to support mothers with the challenges of early parenting, especially if the mother herself was not parented sensitively. Throughout, the focus is on helping the mother nurture the distressed infant, attend to the infant's signals, and avoid behaving in overstimulating or intrusive ways. Case examples are presented that highlight both the challenges of working with this population as well as the gains made by mothers.

Depressed and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Mothers' Progression Into a Randomized Controlled Mobile Mental Health and Parenting Intervention: A Descriptive Examination Prior to and During COVID-19.

Infants of low-income and depressed mothers are at high risk for poor developmental outcomes. Early parenting mediates infant experiences from birth, and early intervention can support sensitive and responsive parent practices that optimize infant outcomes via promoting developmental competencies. However, low-income and depressed mothers experience substantial challenges to participating in early intervention. They also have extremely limited access to interventions targeting depression. Interventions targeting maternal depression and parent practices can improve maternal and infant outcomes. Mobile internet-based interventions overcome numerous barriers that low-resource mothers face in accessing home-based interventions. Pandemic-related stressors likely reduce family resources and exacerbate distress of already heavily-burdened mother-infant dyads. During crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, evidence-based remote coaching interventions are paramount. This article reports on a mobile intervention for improving maternal mood and increasing parent practices that promote infant development. An ongoing randomized controlled trial study provided a unique opportunity to monitor progression from referral to intervention initiation between two groups of depressed mothers: those prior to the pandemic and during the pandemic. The study also examines mother and infant characteristics at baseline. The sample consisted primarily of Black mothers experiencing extreme poverty who self-referred to the study in a large southern city, which is one of the most income disparate in the United States. Prior to the pandemic, 97% of study participants successfully progressed from consent to intervention, as compared to significantly fewer–86%–during the pandemic. Mother-infant dyads during COVID-19, as compared to those prior to COVID-19, displayed similar pre-intervention demographic characteristics and intrapersonal characteristics.

Where Is the Village? Care Leaver Early Parenting, Social Isolation and Surveillance Bias

Young people transitioning from out-of-home care (termed care leavers) are known to be a relatively vulnerable group. One example is their over-representation in early pregnancy and parenting. This paper presents findings from a study of care leaver early parenting in the Australian state of Victoria. Sixteen service provider staff working with care leavers who had become young parents were asked, via focus groups and interviews, for their perspectives on the factors that influence the high prevalence of early parenting amongst care leavers, and the key support services that are available and necessary to assist both care leavers and their children. Service providers raised multiple issues common to the existing leaving care literature concerning the lack of support provided to young people being exited from state care as potentially leading to both early parenting and parenting challenges. Service providers also expressed concern about what many studies of care leaver early parenting have termed ‘surveillance bias’. There was a clear consensus that young people transitioning from care face unique challenges and social isolation due to their difficult experiences pre-care, in-care and post-care. Those experiences place them at risk of disadvantages that impede their ability to demonstrate the practical, physical and financial means to safely raise children. At the same time, they are under greater scrutiny than other parents by being known to child protection already. Service providers argued in favour of greater support for young care leaver parents to prevent their children’s engagement with child protection systems.

Preparing for Future Adversities: Lessons From the COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia for Promoting Relational Resilience in Families.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed considerable pressure on families, testing the quality of relationships and the strength of social support within and beyond the family network. However, little is known about the pre-pandemic factors that predict family relational resilience and social functioning during times of natural disaster or global crisis. Here we use data from one of Australia's longest running studies of social and emotional development to examine the nature and timing of possible relational and social support intervention aimed at preparing families for future adversities.Methods: Data were from the Australian Temperament Project Generation 3 (ATPG3) Study, a population representative three generation cohort study of families established in 1983. A subset of Generation 2 parents completed a COVID-19 specific survey in May-September 2020 (502 parents of 871 children; 60% mothers; 37–38 years). These participants had completed the Quality of Relationships Inventory to assess social support during young adulthood, at 23–24 years (2006) and 27–28 years (2010), before next generation conception. Participants had also completed the Maternity Social Support Scale 1 year postpartum for each child born across the ATPG3 assessment period (2012–2019). In 2020, during the height of the Australian lockdowns, participants rated the quality of their relationships with their partners, children and broader family and friends, in addition to social support within and extended beyond their family.Results: Pre-pandemic partner support was associated with partner relationship quality during the pandemic (β = 0.22). Pre-pandemic support from friends was associated with relationship quality with other family and friends during the pandemic (β = 0.12 – 0.18). Pre-pandemic support (from partner, family and friends) was consistently associated with social support within families during the pandemic (β = 0.11 – 0.21). Pre-pandemic support from friends was also associated with family support extended to others within their local community during the pandemic (β = 0.12 – 0.13).Conclusions: Strengthening supportive relationships during major life transitions, prior to the start of family life and in early parenthood, may have long-term and intergenerational benefits years into the future for both families and communities. This may promote resilience during future crises and other more normative stressful life events.