RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Increased adiposity during pregnancy may be related to offspring risk for mental health disorders, although the biological mechanisms are poorly understood. One promising hypothesis is that factors secreted from adipocytes such as leptin and adiponectin may explain this association. The current study examined whether pregnancy or umbilical cord blood concentrations of leptin and/or adiponectin a) predict elevated infant negative affect at 6 months (an early life marker of risk for psychopathology); and b) help explain the association between pregnancy adiposity and increased infant negative affect. METHODS: Data came from a prospective cohort (N = 305) of pregnant individuals and their offspring. Second trimester adiposity was assessed using air displacement plethysmography. Concentrations of leptin and adiponectin were measured in second trimester plasma and umbilical cord plasma. Infant negative affect was assessed by standardized observation at 6 months. Second trimester inflammation was assessed using a comprehensive panel of cytokines. RESULTS: Lower second trimester adiponectin was associated with elevated infant negative affect, and mediated the effect of pregnancy adiposity on infant negative affect. This association was independent of the effect of second trimester inflammation. Umbilical cord leptin also predicted higher infant negative affect and mediated the association between pregnancy adiposity and infant negative affect. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to link pregnancy adiponectin or cord blood leptin to infant markers of risk for psychopathology, and the first to demonstrate that these adipokines mediate the association between pregnancy adiposity and offspring behavioral outcomes, suggesting novel markers of risk and potential mechanisms of effect.
Asunto(s)
Adipoquinas , Adiponectina , Adiposidad , Afecto , Sangre Fetal , Leptina , Segundo Trimestre del Embarazo , Humanos , Femenino , Embarazo , Sangre Fetal/metabolismo , Leptina/sangre , Adulto , Adiponectina/sangre , Segundo Trimestre del Embarazo/sangre , Adipoquinas/sangre , Adipoquinas/metabolismo , Adiposidad/fisiología , Estudios Prospectivos , Afecto/fisiología , Lactante , Masculino , Recién Nacido , Biomarcadores/sangre , Inflamación/sangre , Inflamación/metabolismoRESUMEN
Our primary objective was to document COVID-19 induced changes to perinatal care across the USA and examine the implication of these changes for maternal mental health. We performed an observational cross-sectional study with convenience sampling using direct patient reports from 1918 postpartum and 3868 pregnant individuals collected between April 2020 and December 2020 from 10 states across the USA. We leverage a subgroup of these participants who gave birth prior to March 2020 to estimate the pre-pandemic prevalence of specific birthing practices as a comparison. Our primary analyses describe the prevalence and timing of perinatal care changes, compare perinatal care changes depending on when and where individuals gave birth, and assess the linkage between perinatal care alterations and maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms. Seventy-eight percent of pregnant participants and 63% of postpartum participants reported at least one change to their perinatal care between March and August 2020. However, the prevalence and nature of specific perinatal care changes occurred unevenly over time and across geographic locations. The separation of infants and mothers immediately after birth and the cancelation of prenatal visits were associated with worsened depression and anxiety symptoms in mothers after controlling for sociodemographic factors, mental health history, number of pregnancy complications, and general stress about the COVID-19 pandemic. Our analyses reveal widespread changes to perinatal care across the US that fluctuated depending on where and when individuals gave birth. Disruptions to perinatal care may also exacerbate mental health concerns, so focused treatments that can mitigate the negative psychiatric sequelae of interrupted care are warranted.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Ansiedad/epidemiología , Ansiedad/etiología , COVID-19/epidemiología , Niño , Estudios Transversales , Depresión/epidemiología , Depresión/etiología , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Recién Nacido , Salud Mental , Pandemias , Atención Perinatal , EmbarazoRESUMEN
Effortful control (EC) is a regulatory capacity that refers to children's ability to inhibit a dominant response to perform a subdominant response. Although attempts have been made to identify early predictors of children's EC, the confluence and interaction of child-, familial-, and community factors has not been pursued adequately. This study investigated how predictors from different aspects of children's rearing environment interacted to predict later EC. In a sample of 88 primiparous women with elevated depressive symptomotology and low household income, we examined how children's own psychobiology (baseline cortisol), familial relationship (mother-child attachment), and community resources (social support) at 17 months independently and jointly predicted EC at age 5. Our results showed that, controlling for maternal depressive symptomotology and household income, predictors from child-, familial-, and community-aspect function integratively, rather than independently, in predicting later EC. Specifically, within the context of a secure attachment relationship, baseline cortisol positively predicts later EC only for children of mothers who reported low social support. Whereas within the context of an insecure attachment relationship, baseline cortisol negatively predicts later EC, regardless of the perceived social support levels. Our results highlighted the importance of taking into consideration predictors from multiple aspects for intervention designs.
Asunto(s)
Recursos Comunitarios , Madres , Preescolar , Femenino , Humanos , Apoyo SocialRESUMEN
Adversity early in life is associated with systemic inflammation by adolescence and beyond. At present, few studies have investigated the associations between different forms of adversity and inflammation during infancy, making it difficult to specify the origins of disease vulnerability. This study examined the association between multiple forms of early adversity - socioeconomic status disadvantage, familial stress, maternal depression, and security of attachment - and individual differences in a composite measure of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and the inflammatory protein C-reactive protein that were collected via saliva when (n = 49) children were 17 months old. In addition to gauging the direct effects of adversity, we also tested the hypothesis that infants' attachment relationship with their mother might buffer infants against the immunologic effects of early adversity. Results show that familial stress, maternal depression, and security of attachment were directly associated with infant salivary inflammation and that attachment status moderated the effect of maternal depression. The findings suggest that exposure to certain forms of adversity very early in life may engender a pro-inflammatory phenotype with possible life-long implications for health.
Asunto(s)
Citocinas/metabolismo , Mediadores de Inflamación/metabolismo , Relaciones Madre-Hijo/psicología , Apego a Objetos , Pobreza , Estrés Psicológico/psicología , Adulto , Proteína C-Reactiva/análisis , Depresión/psicología , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Madres/psicología , Fenotipo , Saliva/química , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
The foundations of emotion regulation are organized, in part, through repeated interactions with one's caregiver in infancy. Less is known about how stress physiology covaries between a mother and her infant within these interactions, leaving a gap in our understanding of how the biological basis of emotion regulation develops. This study investigated physiological attunement between mothers and their 5-month-old infants, as well as the influence of maternal depression and anxiety, during stress recovery. During the reengagement phase of the Still Face Paradigm, mother-infant dyads exhibited negative attunement, as measured by inverse covariation of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Increases in maternal RSA corresponded to decreases in infant RSA, underscoring dyadic adjustment during recovery. Moreover, infant regulation differed as a function of maternal anxiety, with more anxious mothers having infants with higher RSA during reengagement. Implications for the consolidation of regulatory capabilities within the context of the early caregiving relationship are discussed.
Asunto(s)
Ansiedad/fisiopatología , Desarrollo Infantil/fisiología , Depresión/fisiopatología , Emociones/fisiología , Relaciones Madre-Hijo , Madres/psicología , Arritmia Sinusal Respiratoria/fisiología , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , AutocontrolRESUMEN
Infant-caregiver attachment disorganization has been linked to many long-term negative psychosocial outcomes. While various prevention programs appear to be effective in preventing disorganized attachment, methods currently used to identify those at risk are unfortunately either overly general or impractical. The current investigation tested whether women's prenatal biases in identifying infant expressions of emotion--tendencies previously shown to relate to some of the maternal variables associated with infant attachment, including maternal traumatization, trauma symptoms, and maternal sensitivity--could predict infant attachment classification at 18 months postpartum. Logistic regression analyses revealed that together with women's adult history of high betrayal traumatization, response concordance with a normative reference sample in labeling infant expressions as negatively valenced, and the number of infant facial expressions that participants classified as "sad" and "angry" predicted subsequent infant attachment security versus disorganization. Implications for screening and prevention are discussed.
Asunto(s)
Expresión Facial , Apego a Objetos , Mujeres Embarazadas/psicología , Adolescente , Adulto , Cuidadores , Emociones , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Modelos Logísticos , Estudios Longitudinales , Conducta Materna , Relaciones Madre-Hijo , Embarazo , Pronóstico , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Do infants reared in poverty exhibit certain physiological traits that make them susceptible to the positive and negative features of their caregiving environment? Guided by theories of differential susceptibility and biological sensitivity to context, we evaluated whether high baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) operates as a susceptibility factor among infants reared in poverty (N = 73). Baseline RSA at 5 months, the quality of the attachment relationship at 17 months, and the interaction of these two factors were included in our models as predictors of problem behavior at 17 months. Consistent with theory, results showed no significant differences in problem behavior among infants with low baseline RSA; however, infants with high baseline RSA exhibited the lowest levels of problem behavior if reared in an environment that fostered security, and they exhibited the highest levels of problem behavior if reared in an environment that fostered disorganization. These results have important implications for the psychological health of infants living in poverty.
Asunto(s)
Arritmia Sinusal/psicología , Trastornos de la Conducta Infantil/psicología , Crianza del Niño/psicología , Susceptibilidad a Enfermedades/psicología , Pobreza/psicología , Arritmia Sinusal/etiología , Arritmia Sinusal/fisiopatología , Trastornos de la Conducta Infantil/etiología , Trastornos de la Conducta Infantil/fisiopatología , Susceptibilidad a Enfermedades/etiología , Susceptibilidad a Enfermedades/fisiopatología , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Estudios ProspectivosRESUMEN
Associations among 53 primiparous women's Adult Attachment Interview classifications (secure-autonomous vs. insecure-dismissing) and physiological and self-reported responses to infant crying were explored. Heart rate, skin conductance levels, and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were recorded continuously. In response to the cry, secure-autonomous women demonstrated RSA declines, consistent with approach-oriented responses. Insecure-dismissing women displayed RSA and electrodermal increases, consistent with behavioral inhibition. Furthermore, insecure-dismissing women rated the cries as more aversive than secure-autonomous women. Nine months postpartum, secure-autonomous women, who prenatally manifested an approach-oriented response to the unfamiliar cry stimulus, were observed as more sensitive when responding to their own distressed infant, whereas women classified prenatally as insecure-dismissing were observed as less sensitive with their own infants.
Asunto(s)
Llanto/psicología , Relaciones Madre-Hijo/psicología , Apego a Objetos , Mujeres Embarazadas/psicología , Estimulación Acústica , Adulto , Análisis de Varianza , Señales (Psicología) , Femenino , Respuesta Galvánica de la Piel/fisiología , Frecuencia Cardíaca/fisiología , Humanos , Lactante , Recién Nacido , Conducta Materna/fisiología , Conducta Materna/psicología , Embarazo , Respiración , Estrés Psicológico/psicología , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
Adult caregivers' idealization of their parents as assessed by the Adult Attachment Interview is a risk factor for the intergenerational transmission of the insecure-avoidant attachment style. This study evaluated a briefer screening approach for identifying parental idealization, testing the utility of prenatal maternal self-report measures of recalled betrayal trauma and parental care in childhood to predict observationally assessed infant attachment avoidance with 58 mother-infant dyads 18 months postpartum. In a logistic regression that controlled for maternal demographics, prenatal psychopathology, and postnatal sensitivity, the interaction between women's self-reported childhood high betrayal trauma and the level of care provided to them by their parents was the only significant predictor of 18-month infant security versus avoidance. Results suggest that betrayal trauma and recalled parental care in childhood can provide a means of identifying caregivers whose infant children are at risk for avoidant attachment, potentially providing an efficient means for scientific studies and clinical intervention aimed at preventing the intergenerational transmission of attachment problems.
Asunto(s)
Maltrato a los Niños/psicología , Conducta Materna/psicología , Relaciones Madre-Hijo/psicología , Apego a Objetos , Adolescente , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Relaciones Intergeneracionales , Estudios Longitudinales , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
Previous research has established that maternal depression is a risk factor for a variety of negative developmental outcomes among infants and children. Although low levels of maternal sensitivity have been hypothesized to explain this risk, the biological mechanisms underlying the association between maternal depressive symptoms and low levels of maternal sensitivity have been largely underexplored. This study examined the roles of postnatal depressive symptoms and parasympathetic nervous system functioning as predictors of low levels of maternal sensitivity, during a stressful mother-infant interaction-the reunion phase of the Still-Face Paradigm. Depressive symptoms and traitlike predispositions toward parasympathetic dysregulation, as indexed by low resting levels of respiratory sinus arrhythmia, were associated independently with less sensitive parenting. Discussion considers that during stressful mother-infant interactions, both mothers with depressive symptoms and mothers predisposed to parasympathetic dysregulation may have fewer emotional, physiological, and psychological resources with which to respond sensitively to their infants' cues.
RESUMEN
The impact of COVID-19-related stress on perinatal women is of heightened public health concern given the established intergenerational impact of maternal stress-exposure on infants and fetuses. There is urgent need to characterize the coping styles associated with adverse psychosocial outcomes in perinatal women during the COVID-19 pandemic to help mitigate the potential for lasting sequelae on both mothers and infants. This study uses a data-driven approach to identify the patterns of behavioral coping strategies that associate with maternal psychosocial distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large multicenter sample of pregnant women (N = 2876) and postpartum women (N = 1536). Data was collected from 9 states across the United States from March to October 2020. Women reported behaviors they were engaging in to manage pandemic-related stress, symptoms of depression, anxiety and global psychological distress, as well as changes in energy levels, sleep quality and stress levels. Using latent profile analysis, we identified four behavioral phenotypes of coping strategies. Critically, phenotypes with high levels of passive coping strategies (increased screen time, social media, and intake of comfort foods) were associated with elevated symptoms of depression, anxiety, and global psychological distress, as well as worsening stress and energy levels, relative to other coping phenotypes. In contrast, phenotypes with high levels of active coping strategies (social support, and self-care) were associated with greater resiliency relative to other phenotypes. The identification of these widespread coping phenotypes reveals novel behavioral patterns associated with risk and resiliency to pandemic-related stress in perinatal women. These findings may contribute to early identification of women at risk for poor long-term outcomes and indicate malleable targets for interventions aimed at mitigating lasting sequelae on women and children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Asunto(s)
Ansiedad , COVID-19 , Pandemias , Periodo Posparto/psicología , Complicaciones del Embarazo , Distrés Psicológico , SARS-CoV-2 , Adaptación Psicológica , Adulto , Ansiedad/epidemiología , Ansiedad/psicología , COVID-19/epidemiología , COVID-19/psicología , Femenino , Humanos , Embarazo , Complicaciones del Embarazo/epidemiología , Complicaciones del Embarazo/psicologíaRESUMEN
We investigated the effects of timing and the course of maternal perinatal depressive symptoms on mother-infant hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) response profiles during an attachment stressor, as well as on within-dyad synchrony of stress profiles: coordination of HPA and sympathetic nervous system and infant-mother HPA attunement. Mothers (n = 86) completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale during pregnancy (Time 1 [T1]) and at 5 months (T2) and 18 months (T3) postnatal. At T3 mother-infant dyads completed the Strange Situation, and four saliva samples collected from both mothers and infants were assayed for cortisol and α-amylase. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to predict mother-infant cortisol response trajectories and within-dyad synchronies by main and interactive effects of T1-T3 Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale scores. Main effects of earlier (T1, T2) depressive symptoms predicted mothers' cortisol trajectories and coordination, and interactions of T1 with postnatal (T2 and T3) symptoms predicted infants' cortisol trajectories, coordination, and attunement. Decomposition of interactions revealed more marked effects on infant cortisol trajectories when the mother shifted from higher to lower depressive symptoms (or vice versa) across the perinatal period. Shifts from lower to higher symptoms also predicted inverse coordination of cortisol with salivary α-amylase and greater attunement of infant with mother cortisol. Implications for the development and transmission of stress dysregulation are discussed.
Asunto(s)
Hijo de Padres Discapacitados/psicología , Depresión/fisiopatología , Sistema Hipotálamo-Hipofisario/fisiopatología , Madres/psicología , Sistema Hipófiso-Suprarrenal/fisiopatología , Estrés Psicológico/fisiopatología , Adulto , Depresión/psicología , Femenino , Humanos , Hidrocortisona/análisis , Lactante , Masculino , Relaciones Madre-Hijo , Periodo Posparto , Embarazo , Factores de Riesgo , Saliva/química , alfa-Amilasas Salivales/análisis , Estrés Psicológico/psicologíaRESUMEN
Young children's (n = 96) perceptions and appraisals of their parents' marital conflict were evaluated at age 5 and again at age 6. Concurrent reports of marital conflict by each parent and teachers' reports of children's classroom adjustment served as criteria against which to evaluate the validity of young children's perceptions. Children's perceptions of their parents' marital relationship were significantly correlated with spouses' reports at ages 5 and 6, as well as correlated with teacher reports of internalizing and externalizing problems. Consistent with the cognitive-contextual theory, children's tendency to blame themselves for their parents' conflict partially mediated the link between marital conflict and children's internalizing symptoms. In contrast, children's reports that they become involved in their parents' conflict partially mediated the effect of marital conflict on externalizing problems.
Asunto(s)
Adaptación Psicológica , Actitud , Carácter , Conflicto Familiar/psicología , Control Interno-Externo , Afecto , Niño , Preescolar , Conducta Cooperativa , Cultura , Femenino , Humanos , Estudios Longitudinales , Masculino , Modelos Psicológicos , Determinación de la Personalidad , Solución de ProblemasRESUMEN
This erratum reports an error in Musser, E. D., Backs, R. W., Schmitt, C. F., Ablow, J. C., Measelle, J. R., & Nigg, J. T. (2011). Emotion regulation via the autonomic nervous system in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
RESUMEN
Early life adversity is associated with adult elevations of inflammatory markers such as circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). Few studies have examined inflammation levels during infancy nor the associations between sources of adversity and concurrent inflammation early in life. Existing evidence suggests that early adversity in the form of compromised caregiving relationships can embed itself into young children's biology with implications for lifelong development. This study examined the association between infants' histories of attachment with their mothers and salivary concentrations of CRP, all of which were assessed when infants were 17 months of age. Results show that infants with disorganized attachments histories and those exhibiting disorganized and avoidant regulatory behaviors when faced with an attachment stressor were all associated with significantly elevated levels of salivary CRP. These results suggest that exposure to significant interpersonal adversity very early in life may engender a proinflamotry phenotype with life-long implications for health.
Asunto(s)
Proteína C-Reactiva/metabolismo , Conducta del Lactante/fisiología , Inflamación/metabolismo , Relaciones Madre-Hijo , Apego a Objetos , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Saliva , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate how a mother's experience of neglect in her own childhood is associated with her neural response to her infant's distress cues. During scanning, 22 high-risk primiparous mothers were exposed to both their own 18-month-old infant's cry sound and a control sound. Mothers' continuous Neglect subscale scores from the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire were examined as a predictor of their neural response to own infant cry > control sound. Mothers who reported high levels of neglect from childhood showed regions of hyperactivation to their infant's cry (relative to control sound) in the anterior and posterior cingulate cortices and insula as well as specific prefrontal (precentral gyrus) and parietal (posterior supramarginal gyrus) areas. These results may suggest how important early life experiences are for future parenting responses and behaviors.
Asunto(s)
Adultos Sobrevivientes del Maltrato a los Niños , Encéfalo/fisiopatología , Llanto , Relaciones Madre-Hijo , Madres , Adolescente , Adulto , Adultos Sobrevivientes del Maltrato a los Niños/psicología , Llanto/psicología , Femenino , Neuroimagen Funcional , Humanos , Lactante , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Relaciones Madre-Hijo/psicología , Madres/psicología , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
The purpose of the current study was to predict concurrent levels of problem behaviors from young children's baseline cortisol and attachment classification, a proxy for the quality of caregiving experienced. In a sample of 58 children living at or below the federal poverty threshold, children's baseline cortisol levels, attachment classification, and problem behaviors were assessed at 17 months of age. We hypothesized that an interaction between baseline cortisol and attachment classification would predict problem behaviors above and beyond any main effects of baseline cortisol and attachment. However, based on limited prior research, we did not predict whether or not this interaction would be more consistent with diathesis-stress or differential susceptibility models. Consistent with diathesis-stress theory, the results indicated no significant differences in problem behavior levels among children with high baseline cortisol. In contrast, children with low baseline cortisol had the highest level of problem behaviors in the context of a disorganized attachment relationship. However, in the context of a secure attachment relationship, children with low baseline cortisol looked no different, with respect to problem behavior levels, then children with high cortisol levels. These findings have substantive implications for the socioemotional development of children reared in poverty.
Asunto(s)
Hidrocortisona/metabolismo , Conducta del Lactante/fisiología , Conducta del Lactante/psicología , Apego a Objetos , Problema de Conducta/psicología , Adolescente , Adulto , Biomarcadores/análisis , Biomarcadores/química , Biomarcadores/metabolismo , Susceptibilidad a Enfermedades/metabolismo , Susceptibilidad a Enfermedades/psicología , Femenino , Humanos , Hidrocortisona/análisis , Lactante , Estudios Longitudinales , Masculino , Pobreza/psicología , Estudios Prospectivos , Saliva/química , Saliva/metabolismo , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Research on early childhood personality has been scarce. Self-reports of Big Five personality traits were measured longitudinally with the Berkeley Puppet Interview when children were 5, 6, and 7 years of age. For comparative purposes, Big Five self-reports were collected in a sample of college students. The children's self-reports showed levels of consistency and differentiation that approached those of the college age sample. Children's personality self-reports demonstrated significant correlations across the 1- and 2-year longitudinal intervals. Substantial and increasing convergence was found between children's self-reports of Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness and conceptually relevant behavior ratings provided by mothers, fathers, and teachers. Children's self-reports of Neuroticism were unrelated to adults' reports but did predict sadness and anxious behavior observed in the laboratory. The results provide the beginnings of an account of how the Big Five dimensions begin to be salient and emerge as coherent, stable, and valid self-perceptions in childhood.
Asunto(s)
Determinación de la Personalidad , Desarrollo de la Personalidad , Psicología Infantil , Autoimagen , Factores de Edad , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Niño , Preescolar , Análisis Factorial , Humanos , Estudios Longitudinales , Psicometría , Reproducibilidad de los ResultadosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: When there exists no single source of information (informant) to validly measure a characteristic, it is typically recommended that data from multiple informants be used. In psychiatric assessment and research, however, multiple informants often provide discordant data, which further confuse the measurement. Strategies such as arbitrarily choosing one informant or using the data from all informants separately generate further problems. This report proposes a theory to explain observed patterns of interinformant discordance and suggests a new approach to using data from multiple informants to measure characteristics of interest. METHOD: Using the example of assessment of developmental psychopathology in children, the authors propose a model in which the choice of informants is based on conceptualizing the contexts and perspectives that influence expression of the characteristic of interest and then identifying informants who represent those contexts and perspectives in such a way as to have the weaknesses of one informant canceled by the strengths of another. RESULTS: Applications of this approach to several datasets indicate that when these principles are followed, a more reliable and valid consensus measure is obtained, and failure to obtain a reliable, valid measure is indicative of some deviation from the principles. CONCLUSIONS: In obtaining a consensus measure, the issue is not determining how many informants are needed but choosing the right set of informants.
Asunto(s)
Recolección de Datos/métodos , Trastornos Mentales/diagnóstico , Psicometría/métodos , Proyectos de Investigación , Adulto , Niño , Discapacidades del Desarrollo/diagnóstico , Discapacidades del Desarrollo/psicología , Femenino , Humanos , Entrevistas como Asunto/métodos , Masculino , Trastornos Mentales/psicología , Modelos Teóricos , Escalas de Valoración Psiquiátrica/estadística & datos numéricos , Reproducibilidad de los ResultadosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To present the conceptual and methodological backgrounds for development of the MacArthur Assessment Battery for Middle Childhood and one of its constituent instruments, the MacArthur Health and Behavior Questionnaire (HBQ). METHOD: As a component of HBQ development, research addressing "developmental psychopathology" as a nosological category of human disorder was reviewed. Such research bears, as its conceptual legacy, the strengths and frailties of the nosology from which the category was derived. RESULTS: Defining developmental psychopathology has done much to foster psychiatric and medical awareness of the particular dilemmas and problems intrinsic to childhood psychopathology. On the other hand, its delineation has obscured the tendency for psychiatric morbidities to emerge gradually along trajectories of development, to involve interactions among organismic and contextual factors, and to represent "confluences" of childhood difficulties suggesting common, less distinctive origins among psychiatric and biomedical disorders. The recognizable psychopathology of adolescence is most often preceded by protean manifestations of early difficulties resulting from the conjoint operation of child-specific vulnerabilities and context-derived risk factors. Co-occurrences of mental, physical, social, and academic difficulties in children's lives are more frequently the rule than the exception, and isolated, singular psychopathology is less common in childhood than the prevailing diagnostic nosology may imply. CONCLUSIONS: The MacArthur Assessment Battery represents an effort to assemble, in a single set of instruments, measures of child, context, and health risk factors for the prevalent morbidities of middle childhood. The HBQ, a component of the Battery, is a parent- and teacher-report instrument that assesses mental health, physical health, social, and school adaptation in 4- to 8-year-old children.