Parental Transmission Research Articles

Teaching Norms: Direct Evidence of Parental Transmission

Abstract We examine the educative role played by parents in social norm transmission. Using a field experiment, we study whether parents enforce and comply more with norms when their children are present compared to when they are not. We compare similar parents when or after they drop off or pick up their children at school. We find that parents accompanying children, in contrast to parents alone, are more likely to punish norm violators and to provide help to strangers when there is no violation. They also tend to substitute more direct punishment with withholding help as a means of indirect punishment.

Post-treatment symptomatic improvement of the eastern Indian ADHD probands is influenced by CYP2D6 genetic variations.

Symptomatic remediation from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-associated traits is achieved by treatment with methylphenidate (MPH)/atomoxetine (ATX). We have analyzed the association of functional CYP2D6 variations, rs1065852, rs3892097, rs1135840, and rs1058164, with ADHD in the Indian subjects. Subjects were recruited following the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders. Trait scores were obtained from the Conner's Parents Rating Scale-Revised. After obtaining informed consent, blood was collected for DNA isolation, and genotyping was performed by PCR or TaqMan-based methods. Probands were treated with MPH or ATX based on age, symptoms, and drug availability. Treatment outcome was assessed using a structured questionnaire. Data obtained was analyzed to identify the association of CYP2D6 variations and the SLC6A3 rs28363170 with the treatment outcome. The frequency of rs1135840 "G" and rs1065852 "G" was higher in the male ADHD probands. Bias in parental transmission (p=0.007) and association with higher trait scores were observed for rs1065852 "A". Independent influence of rs1065852 on ADHD was also observed. Probands carrying rs1065852 'GG', rs1135840 'CG', and rs28363170 10R exhibited significant symptomatic improvement with MPH, while probands with rs1135840 'CC' and rs28363170 9R showed improvement after ATX treatment. ADHD probands having specific CYP2D6 genetic variations respond differentially to pharmaceutical intervention.

Teaching Norms: Direct Evidence of Parental Transmission - Replication package

Teaching Norms: Direct Evidence of Parental Transmission - Replication package

Mothers' and fathers' attachment styles and power-assertive control: Indirect associations through parental representations.

Research on adults' self-reported attachment styles, investigated mostly in social and personality psychology, has rarely been bridged with research on parenting, studied mostly in developmental psychology. We proposed that parents' attachment insecurity (avoidance and anxiety) has an indirect association with their power-assertive control, mediated through their negative representations, or internal working models (IWM) of the child. In 200 community families from a Midwestern state (mothers, fathers, and children), we collected multimethod, parallel data for mother-child and father-child relationships. When children were infants, parents completed self-reports of their own attachment styles. When children were toddlers, we assessed parents' IWMs of the child in an interview and observed parental power-assertive control in structured, naturalistic discipline contexts in the laboratory. Mothers' avoidance showed a unique association with their IWM of their child. Consequently, there was an indirect association from the mother's avoidance to negative IWM to power-assertive control. Mothers' anxiety was associated directly with more power-assertive control. Fathers' avoidance and anxiety were also associated with their IWMs, but there were no unique associations, and the impact on parenting was limited. Forging a rapprochement between social and personality research on adults' attachment and developmental research on parenting, this work elucidates a potential mechanism of the intergenerational transmission of adaptive and maladaptive parenting in families. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

On the transmission of democratic values

We study whether democratic values that govern the preferences over social choice rules are subject to intergenerational transmission. We focus on five social choice rules, namely, Plurality, Plurality with Runoff, the Majoritarian Compromise, Borda Rule and Social Compromise, that represent very diverse values about how to extract public will out of individual opinions. In our experiment, students and their parents are confronted with hypothetical preference profiles and are asked to decide which alternative should be chosen for the society. The design of the hypothetical preference profiles allows us to interpret a subject’s choice of an alternative as her revealed preference for one of the focused social choice rules. We find significant differences between the rules most often chosen by the parents (Majoritarian Compromise and Plurality) and those by the students (Social Compromise). Analyzing the relation between the preferences over social choice rules for each parent-offspring pair, we find support for the hypothesis of parental transmission of preferences.

A Systematic Literature Review of the Contribution Accumulation Makes to Psychological and Physical Trauma Sustained through Childhood Maltreatment

The pervasive effects of cumulative harm resulting from adverse childhood experiences influence all aspects of an individual’s life course. Research highlights a relationship between accumulation and trauma symptomology across all domains of harm and risk. A systematic literature review was conducted to explore and synthesize the current evidence base for the contribution accumulation makes to psychological and physical injury of childhood trauma. A search was conducted relevant to two areas of interest: (a) “cumulative harm” or “cumulative trauma” and (b) “consequences and outcomes”. Database searches and further manual searches yielded a total of 1199 articles, and 12 studies satisfied all the inclusion criteria. Only studies that were peer-reviewed and published between January 2011 and January 2022 were included. The evidence from the review indicated that multiplicity and polyvictimization, parental history and intergenerational transmission of trauma, systemic cumulative harm, and developmental lifespan outcomes were associated with the likelihood and impact of the accumulation of physical and psychological injury. The findings of this review contribute valuable knowledge to allow for a better understanding of the physical and psychological impact of accumulated and chronic childhood trauma. This knowledge will improve intervention, prevention, and management strategies for helping professionals working with traumatized or vulnerable children and adults.

Parental Transmission Effects of the PAX7 Polymorphisms among Non-Syndromic Cleft Lip Palate

Background: Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are the most common congenital deformities in the human face, with a prevalence of around 1:800 to 1:1000 among the Indian population. Aim: To assess the Paired box 7 (PAX7) gene polymorphisms in the etiology of non-syndromic cleft lip and cleft palate (NSCL/P) in the Indian population using a case-parent trio design and to contemplate parent-of-origin effects. Materials and Methods: The study comprised forty case-parent trios of NSCL/P from the Indian population. Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was isolated from the cases and their parents. The polymorphisms rs6659735, rs553934, rs624761, rs609959, and rs4075768 of the PAX7 gene were genotyped using Agena Bio MassARRAY analysis. The transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) was performed using the PLINK software and the pairwise linkage disequilibrium analysis by the Haploview software. Results: The genotyping of the polymorphisms rs6659735, rs553934, rs624761, rs609959, and rs4075768 was done. We found a significant association of the rs6659735 (P-value = 0.03, Odds ratio = 4.5) with NSCL/P in the allelic frequencies of the Indian case-parent trios. In addition, the parent-of-origin effects were observed as the allelic TDT analysis showed a significant paternal transmission of the rs6659735 (P-value = 0.04), whereas the rs553934 (P-value = 0.04) showed an excess maternal transmission. Conclusions: The parent-of-origin effects were observed as the two polymorphisms demonstrated a significant parental transmission. The rs6659735 showed a significant paternal transmission, whereas the rs553934 showed an excess maternal transmission, suggesting that the PAX7 gene may influence the risk of NSCL/P in the Indian population.

Family, material and worldview values and the process of intergenerational transmission

The aim of the research was to analyze the relationships between family and material values and the worldview of parents and their adult children. 68 parents (34 women and 34 men) and their 51 adult children (33 women and 18 men) participated in the study. Parents were in middle and late adulthood (41-67 years), while their children were in early adulthood (18-30 years). The following psychological questionnaires were used: the Material Values Scale (MVS_PL) in the Polish adaptation of Górnik-Durose (2016), the Scale of World Assumptions Scale in the Polish adaptation of Załuski and Gajdosz (2012), the Familism Scale in the Polish study by Walęcka-Matyja (2020) and a questionnaire. The obtained research results indicate a significant stabilization in the parental transmission of family values and beliefs about the world. Intergenerational differentiation was observed in terms of materialistic values.

Parenting under pressure: Parental transmission and buffering of child fear during the COVID‐19 pandemic

The current study investigated the impacts of parental behaviors (threat communication and comforting) on children's COVID-19 fears and whether effects differed by age. Caregivers of 283 children (5.5-17 years, M=10.17, SD=3.25) from 186 families completed online measures assessing children's and parents' COVID-19-related fears, children's sources of COVID-19 threat information, and parents' engagement in behaviors to reduce child distress (i.e., comfort behaviors). Higher COVID-19 fear in parents was associated with greater communication of COVID-19 threat information, which was associated with higher COVID-19 fear in younger, but not older, children. Over and above parental fear and threat communication, greater exposure to COVID-19 threat information from community sources (e.g., media, school, friends) was associated with greater COVID-19 fear in children, regardless of age. Greater engagement of parental comfort behaviors buffered the association between community sources of COVID-19 threat information and COVID-19 fears in older, but not younger, children. These findings suggest that younger children might be more vulnerable to developing heightened COVID-19 fears as a result of increasing sources of COVID-19 threat information in their lives. This study highlights the importance of supporting the socioemotional well-being of children and families through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

The Intergenerational Transmission of Maladaptive Parenting and its Impact on Child Mental Health: Examining Cross-Cultural Mediating Pathways and Moderating Protective Factors.

Using a sample of 1338 families from 12 cultural groups in 9 nations, we examined whether retrospectively remembered Generation 1 (G1) parent rejecting behaviors were passed to Generation 2 (G2 parents), whether such intergenerational transmission led to higher Generation 3 (G3 child) externalizing and internalizing behavior at age 13, and whether such intergenerational transmission could be interrupted by parent participation in parenting programs or family income increases of>5%. Utilizing structural equation modeling, we found that the intergenerational transmission of parent rejection that is linked with higher child externalizing and internalizing problems occurs across cultural contexts. However, the magnitude of transmission is greater in cultures with higher normative levels of parent rejection. Parenting program participation broke this intergenerational cycle in fathers from cultures high in normative parent rejection. Income increases appear to break this intergenerational cycle in mothers from most cultures, regardless of normative levels of parent rejection. These results tentatively suggest that bolstering protective factors such as parenting program participation, income supplementation, and (in cultures high in normative parent rejection) legislative changes and other population-wide positive parenting information campaigns aimed at changing cultural parenting norms may be effective in breaking intergenerational cycles of maladaptive parenting and improving child mental health across multiple generations.

Penetrance estimation of PRRT2 variants in paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia and infantile convulsions.

Proline-rich transmembrane protein 2 (PRRT2) is the leading cause of paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD), benign familial infantile epilepsy (BFIE), and infantile convulsions with choreoathetosis (ICCA). Reduced penetrance of PRRT2 has been observed in previous studies, whereas the exact penetrance has not been evaluated well. The objective of this study was to estimate the penetrance of PRRT2 and determine its influencing factors. We screened 222 PKD index patients and their available relatives, identified 39 families with pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP) PRRT2 variants via Sanger sequencing, and obtained 184 PKD/BFIE/ICCA families with P/LP PRRT2 variants from the literature. Penetrance was estimated as the proportion of affected variant carriers. PRRT2 penetrance estimate was 77.6% (95% confidence interval (CI) 74.5%-80.7%) in relatives and 74.5% (95% CI 70.2%-78.8%) in obligate carriers. In addition, we first observed that penetrance was higher in truncated than in non-truncated variants (75.8% versus 50.0%, P = 0.01), higher in Asian than in Caucasian carriers (81.5% versus 68.5%, P = 0.004), and exhibited no difference in gender or parental transmission. Our results are meaningful for genetic counseling, implying that approximately three-quarters of PRRT2 variant carriers will develop PRRT2-related disorders, with patients from Asia or carrying truncated variants at a higher risk.

Analysis of association between components of the folate metabolic pathway and autism spectrum disorder in eastern Indian subjects.

Folate has a pivotal role in maintaining different cellular processes including DNA integrity and neurotransmitter levels. Further, folate deficiency was reported in subjects with neuropsychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We recruited ASD probands following the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder-IV/-5. Severity was assessed by the Childhood Autism Rating Scale2-Standard Test (CARS2-ST). Functional SNPs in reduced folate carrier1 (rs1051266), methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (rs2236225), methylenetetrahydrofolate methyltransferase (rs1805087), methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (rs1801133 and rs1801131), cystathionine-beta- synthase (rs5742905), and serine hydroxymethyltransferase (rs1979277) genes were analyzed in the ASD probands (N = 203), their parents and controls (N = 250) by PCR/TaqMan based methods. Plasma homocysteine and vitamin B12 levels were examined by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay. Statistical analysis revealed higher frequencies of rs1051266 and rs1805087 "A" alleles (P = 8.233e-005 and P = 0.010 respectively) and rs1051266 "AA" genotype (P = 0.02) in the ASD probands. Gender based stratified analysis revealed higher frequency of rs1051266 "AA" in the male probands (P = 0.001) while frequencies of rs1805087 "A" (P = 0.001) and "AA" (P < 0.05), and rs2236225 "CC" (P = 0.03) were higher in the females. The case-control analysis also exhibited a significant difference in the occurrence of biallelic and triallelic haplotypes. rs1051266 "A", rs1979277 "T" and rs5742905 "C" alleles showed biased parental transmission (P = 0.02). CARS2-ST scores were higher in the presence of rs5742905 "T" while scores were lower in the presence of rs1979277 "T" and rs1051266 "A". ASD probands showed vitamin B12 deficiency. Based on these observations, we infer that components needed for proper folate metabolism may influence ASD severity in this population.

Emotional Availability as a Moderator of Stress for Young Children and Parents in Two Diverse Early Head Start Samples.

Positive parent-child relationship quality is critical for buffering children from the effects of stress on development. It is thus vital to develop interventions that target parent-child relationship quality for families experiencing stress. We examined the moderating role of parent-child relationship quality (as measured by parental emotional availability [EA]) in the intergenerational association between parental adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their young children's hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs)-a physiological marker of cumulative hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA)-axis activity. Using data from 127 parent-child dyads collected by two of six ACF-funded Buffering Toxic Stress consortium sites, we tested interaction effects of parental ACEs with parental EA on young children's (Mage = 18.38, SDage = 7.10) HCC. Results revealed curvilinear main effects such that higher parental ACEs were significantly associated with greater HCC and stronger associations occurred at higher levels of parental ACEs. However, this association was moderated by parental EA. Thus, among children with higher parental history of ACEs, children of parents with higher EA had lower HCC compared to children of parents with lower EA. These findings provide support for the risk-buffering and risk-exacerbating role of parent-child relationship quality (e.g., EA) for the transmission of parents' early life adversity on their children's HPA-axis activity, documented here in a racially and ethnically diverse sample of children and parents served by Early Head Start. Findings suggest that intervention and prevention efforts targeting stress response in children of mothers with childhood adversity should also support parents in building an emotionally available relationship with their children.

Cultural transmission with incomplete information

This paper introduces incomplete information into the standard cultural transmission framework (Bisin and Verdier, 2001). We consider parents having incomplete information about population shares and about the efficiency of their transmission technology. We show that conjectures about population shares are the key determinants of long-run population configurations. Namely, if these conjectures are positively or mildly negatively biased, there is always long-run cultural heterogeneity. If, instead, they are strongly negatively biased, long-run cultural homogeneity is displayed. We also find that, depending on the properties of conjectures about efficiency of parental transmission technology, standard cultural substitution may not hold. Notably, differently from the literature, cultural substitution, when displayed, does not guarantee long-run cultural heterogeneity. Then, considering parents who, before socializing children, experiment to acquire information, we show that they may not be able to disentangle the impact of the efficiency of their transmission technology from that of population share. Thus, parents generally fail to learn about the unknowns. We conclude the paper with a brief discussion about how cultural leaders may negatively bias conjectures about population shares and foster cultural homogeneity.

Contribution of Maternal and Paternal Transmission to Bacterial Colonization in Nematostella vectensis.

Microbial communities confer multiple beneficial effects to their multicellular hosts. To evaluate the evolutionary and ecological implications of the animal-microbe interactions, it is essential to understand how bacterial colonization is secured and maintained during the transition from one generation to the next. However, the mechanisms of symbiont transmission are poorly studied for many species, especially in marine environments, where the surrounding water constitutes an additional source of microbes. Nematostella vectensis, an estuarine cnidarian, has recently emerged as model organism for studies on host-microbes interactions. Here, we use this model organism to study the transmission of bacterial colonizers, evaluating the contribution of parental and environmental transmission to the establishment of bacterial communities of the offspring. We induced spawning in adult male and female polyps of N. vectensis and used their gametes for five individual fertilization experiments. While embryos developed into primary polyps, we sampled each developmental stage and its corresponding medium samples. By analyzing the microbial community compositions of all samples through 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we showed that all host tissues harbor microbiota significantly different from the surrounding medium. Interestingly, oocytes and sperms are associated with distinct bacterial communities, indicating the specific vertical transmission of bacterial colonizers by the gametes. These differences were consistent among all the five families analyzed. By overlapping the identified bacterial ASVs associated with gametes, offspring and parents, we identified specific bacterial ASVs that are well supported candidates for vertical transmission via mothers and fathers. This is the first study investigating bacteria transmission in N. vectensis, and among few on marine spawners that do not brood larvae. Our results shed light on the consistent yet distinct maternal and paternal transfer of bacterial symbionts along the different life stages and generations of an aquatic invertebrate.

'No, you should not beat our child because he will become aggressive:' Applying a multi-method approach to explore intergenerational transmission of parenting practices.

BackgroundExploring the cultural context of intergenerational continuity of warm and harsh parenting informs parents motivations to adopt specific parenting behaviours.ObjectiveParents’ perceptions of being parented in the past and their current parenting as well as adolescents’ perceptions of current parenting were explored applying a multi-method approach.MethodsFollowing written informed consent, a total of 24 interviews with 10 families (dyads of 14 parents and ten adolescents) from Udupi taluk in southern India was conducted. In the first stage, in-depth interviews were conducted with parent participants (Generation 1 (G1)) and in the second stage, adolescents (Generation 2 (G2)) participated in the photovoice component. Multiple forms of data including photographs, journals and interviews facilitated using the SHOWeD model were collected and were analysed thematically using ATLAS.ti(v.8).ResultsSubtle changes in reinforcing culture-specific gender norms between generations were elicited. Differences in communication, granting autonomy to female adolescents, and in disciplining methods between G1 and G2 were observed. Warm parenting was transmitted between generations while harsh parenting in G1 in the presence of external social support was discarded in favor of warm parenting in G2.ConclusionWe provide evidence for perceptions of parenting and adolescent behaviors across two generations. Transmission of warm parenting and interruption in the cycle of harsh parenting in the presence of external social support were significant findings. Related theoretical and methodological applications are discussed.

Effects of cultural transmission of surnaming decisions on the sex ratio at birth

The patriarchal tradition of surnaming a child after its father in Han Chinese families may contribute to their preference for sons, a major cause of the abnormally high SRB (sex ratio at birth) in China. This high SRB can subsequently contribute to the marriage squeeze on males of marriageable age. Encouraging matrilineal surnaming has been proposed as a strategy that could potentially reduce son preference and help to adjust the imbalance in SRB. Here, we model factors that are likely to influence surnaming decisions, including cultural transmission of parents’ surnaming decisions, the cultural value of a daughter, reward given to matrilineal surnaming, and awareness of current imbalance in SRB. Mathematical and computational analyses suggest that offering a significant reward and raising public awareness of the problems inherent in an excess of marriage-age males may overcome the son preference and reduce the male-biased SRB.

Adherence to multidose Hepatitis B vaccination in a Tertiary Care Centre: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: Globally out of 200 crore population who are getting exposed to the hepatitis B virus (HBV),about 350 million are chronically carrying it resulting in 0.5 to 1.2 million deaths each year . These mortalitiesare due to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Horizontal transmission in earlychildhood and parental transmission at any age are the important routes of transmission. This study wasconducted with following objectives.(a) To assess the prevalence of adherence to Hepatitis vaccination.(b) To associate this adherence with demographic factors.Methodology: After receiving approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee a record based retrospectivecohort study was conducted at Gastroenterology and Hepatology OPD of IMS and SUM Hospital,Bhubaneswar. Data regarding all the patients who have received First dose of Hepatitis Vaccine from January2019 to December 2019 were followed up till June 2020 to find out how many of them have revisited toobtain second dose as well as third dose of vaccine. Their demographic characteristics collected from theimmunisation register. Data was entered and analysed using SPSS vs 21 using appropriate statistics.Results and conclusion: Total 1134 subjects have received the first dose of Hepatitis B vaccine. Meanage of the participants is 36±15yrs. First dose taken by 453(39.9%) people, 324(28.6%) had completed theschedule by taking the final dose of vaccine. Hardly one third of the patients adheres to the schedule andcompletes it. Inadequate vaccination makes the patients vulnerable to risks of Hepatitis B and its morbidities.

A Pancreas-Specific Ptf1a-Driven Cre Mouse Line Causes Paternally Transmitted Germline Recombination

Since its discovery,1 the Cre-loxP system has been highly used in mouse models, providing precision for both cell type and temporal selection of genetic manipulation. Although generally the method is powerful, a number of reports suggest limitations such as parental transmission of germline recombination with certain promoters used for initiation of Cre-expression.2

Parental Transmission Plays the Major Role in High Aggregation of Type 2 Diabetes in Iranian Families: Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study

BackgroundThis study is the first to evaluate familial aggregation, heritability and inheritance mode of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Tehran Lipid Glucose Study (TLGS) participants as a representative sample of the Iranian population. MethodsFrom the ongoing family-based TLGS cohort, 13,741 individuals at least 20 years of age (mean ± standard deviation, 39.71±16.56) were assessed. After correcting family structures using genomic information from the Tehran Cardiometabolic Genetic Study, 2,594 constituent pedigrees were constructed. Familial aggregation was assessed based on genealogic index testing, familial intraclass correlation and positive family history. Family-based heritability was checked with 2 linear mixed models, including 2 different random components: the kinship matrix and the genomic relationship matrix. The mode of inheritance of T2D was investigated by complex segregation analysis (CSA). ResultsFamilial aggregation of T2D was significant (p<0.05), and family-based heritability showed a high degree of genetic variation in T2D between individuals at 65% (standard error, 0.034). Within first-degree relatives (parent/offspring and siblings), the likelihood of a parental affect was higher than in siblings (odds ratio, 4.11 vs 1.65). Family history of T2D among first-degree relatives was more noteworthy than for second-degree relatives (odds ratio, 3.84 vs 0.59). CSA revealed that the polygenic model is best to illustrate the mode of inheritance of T2D for TLGS participants. ConclusionsOur findings demonstrate that the heritability of T2D with polygenic mode in the Iranian population is higher than the global average. We also found that T2D is transmitted equally into siblings, with parental affect the leading risk factor. These data suggest that policymakers should change individual-level to family-level prevention.