Strength-based Video-feedback to improve maternal sensitivity in mother-infant dyads with maternal depressive symptoms: Study protocol for a randomized controlled feasibility trial. / Video-retroalimentación Focalizado en los Recursos para mejorar la sensibilidad en díadas madre-infante con síntomas depresivos: protocolo de un ensayo clínico aleatorizado piloto.

Introduction: Maternal sensitivity and mentalization are fundamental for children's mental health development. These skills have been negatively associated with maternal postpartum depressive symptomatology. Moreover, its prevalence increases in low socioeconomic and psychosocial risk contexts, where the access to treatment is scarce. Even though Attachment Based Interventios, such as Video-Feedback has been internationally recognized as an effective intervention. Its cost, as well as the need for language translation and cultural adaptation makes it difficult to implement in Latinamerican countries. Aim: The present study aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of an online Video-Feedback intervention informed n mentalization aimed at mother-infant dyads with depressive symptomatology who attend Chilean public health centers. Method: This is a pilot randomized clinical trial with two groups of 60 mother-infant dyads between 4 and 12 months of age. Participants will be randomly assigned to control and experimental groups in a 1:1 ratio. Even though both groups will receive usual treatment, the experimental group will also receive the present video-intervention. At the end of the study, feasibility will be assessed based on focus groups aimed at interveners and quantitative outcomes such as recruitment rate, questionnaire completion rate and intervention completeness. Acceptability will be assessed from in-depth interviews with participants. In addition, effect sizes of primary and secondary outcomes will be calculated. Expected results: Results are expected to generate parameters to design a larger-scale clinical trial and to preliminary assess the effect of the reported mentalization-informed intervention on maternal sensitivity. Additionally, it seeks to contribute with a mental health intervention for low-income mother-infant dyads, which can be implemented remotely, at a low cost, and that would be suitable for implementation at a mental health care system policy. The protocol of this trial's design was registered at Clinical Trials (NCT04748731).

Introducción: La sensibilidad y la mentalización materna constituyen competencias fundamentales para el desarrollo de la salud mental infantil. A su vez, dichas habilidades han sido negativamente asociadas con la presencia de sintomatología depresiva postparto, la cual aumenta su prevalencia en contextos de bajo nivel socioeconómico y riesgo psicosocial, en donde el acceso a tratamiento escasea. Paralelamente, si bien internacionalmente el video-retroalimentación constituye una herramienta efectiva en intervenciones basadas en el apego, el costo, idioma y necesidad de adaptación cultural dificultan su implementación en países latinoamericanos. Objetivo: Evaluar la factibilidad y aceptabilidad de una video-intervención informada por la mentalización, dirigida a díadas madre-bebé con sintomatología depresiva, atendidas en centros públicos de atención en salud mental en Chile. Métodos: Ensayo clínico aleatorio piloto con dos grupos de 60 díadas madre-bebé de entre 4 y 12 meses de edad, quienes serán asignados aleatoriamente a grupos control y experimental en una proporción de 1:1. Si bien ambos grupos recibirán el tratamiento habitual, el grupo experimental recibirá también la video-intervención. Al término del estudio se evaluará la factibilidad a partir de grupos focales dirigidos a interventores e indicadores de resultados cuantitativos tales como tasa de reclutamiento, de completación de cuestionarios y finalización de la intervención. La aceptabilidad se evaluará a partir de entrevistas en profundidad a las participantes. Adicionalmente se calculará tamaño del efecto de indicadores de resultados primarios y secundarios. Resultados esperados: Se espera que los resultados del estudio generen parámetros para diseñar un ensayo clínico de mayor escala y evaluar preliminarmente el efecto de la intervención informada en la mentalización en la sensibilidad materna. Se busca además contribuir con una intervención en salud mental basada en la teoría del apego dirigida a díadas madre-bebé de bajos ingresos, que pueda ser implementada de manera remota, a bajo costo y apta para ser escalada a los sistemas de atención en salud mental.

Video-retroalimentación focalizado en los recursos para mejorar la sensibilidad en díadas madre-infante con síntomas depresivos: protocolo de un ensayo clínico aleatorizado piloto / Strength-based video-feedback to improve maternal sensitivity in mother-infant dyads with maternal depressive symptoms: study protocol for a randomized controlled feasibility trial

INTRODUCTION: Maternal sensitivity and mentalization are fundamental for children's mental health development. These skills have been negatively associated with maternal postpartum depressive symptomatology. Moreover, its prevalence increases in low socioeconomic and psychosocial risk contexts, where the access to treatment is scarce. Even though Attachment Based Interventios, such as Video-Feedback has been internationally recognized as an effective intervention. Its cost, as well as the need for language translation and cultural adaptation makes it difficult to implement in Latinamerican countries. AIM: The present study aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of an online Video-Feedback intervention informed n mentalization aimed at mother-infant dyads with depressive symptomatology who attend Chilean public health centers. METHOD: This is a pilot randomized clinical trial with two groups of 60 mother-infant dyads between 4 and 12 months of age. Participants will be randomly assigned to control and experimental groups in a 1:1 ratio. Even though both groups will receive usual treatment, the experimental group will also receive the present video-intervention. At the end of the study, feasibility will be assessed based on focus groups aimed at interveners and quantitative outcomes such as recruitment rate, questionnaire completion rate and intervention completeness. Acceptability will be assessed from in-depth interviews with participants. In addition, effect sizes of primary and secondary outcomes will be calculated. EXPECTED RESULTS: Results are expected to generate parameters to design a larger-scale clinical trial and to preliminary assess the effect of the reported mentalization-informed intervention on maternal sensitivity. Additionally, it seeks to contribute with a mental health intervention for low-income mother-infant dyads, which can be implemented remotely, at a low cost, and that would be suitable for implementation at a mental health care system policy. The protocol of this trial's design was registered at Clinical Trials (NCT04748731).

INTRODUCCIÓN: La sensibilidad y la mentalización materna constituyen competencias fundamentales para el desarrollo de la salud mental infantil. A su vez, dichas habilidades han sido negativamente asociadas con la presencia de sintomatología depresiva postparto, la cual aumenta su prevalencia en contextos de bajo nivel socioeconómico y riesgo psicosocial, en donde el acceso a tratamiento escasea. Paralelamente, si bien internacionalmente el video-retroalimentación constituye una herramienta efectiva en intervenciones basadas en el apego, el costo, idioma y necesidad de adaptación cultural dificultan su implementación en países latinoamericanos. OBJETIVO: Evaluar la factibilidad y aceptabilidad de una video-intervención informada por la mentalización, dirigida a díadas madre-bebé con sintomatología depresiva, atendidas en centros públicos de atención en salud mental en Chile. MÉTODOS: Ensayo clínico aleatorio piloto con dos grupos de 60 díadas madre-bebé de entre 4 y 12 meses de edad, quienes serán asignados aleatoriamente a grupos control y experimental en una proporción de 1:1. Si bien ambos grupos recibirán el tratamiento habitual, el grupo experimental recibirá también la video-intervención. Al término del estudio se evaluará la factibilidad a partir de grupos focales dirigidos a interventores e indicadores de resultados cuantitativos tales como tasa de reclutamiento, de completación de cuestionarios y finalización de la intervención. La aceptabilidad se evaluará a partir de entrevistas en profundidad a las participantes. Adicionalmente se calculará tamaño del efecto de indicadores de resultados primarios y secundarios. RESULTADOS ESPERADOS: Se espera que los resultados del estudio generen parámetros para diseñar un ensayo clínico de mayor escala y evaluar preliminarmente el efecto de la intervención informada en la mentalización en la sensibilidad materna. Se busca además contribuir con una intervención en salud mental basada en la teoría del apego dirigida a díadas madre-bebé de bajos ingresos, que pueda ser implementada de manera remota, a bajo costo y apta para ser escalada a los sistemas de atención en salud mental.

Mentalizing in mothers and children with type 1 diabetes.

Studies suggest that the relationship between psychosocial well-being and type 1 diabetes (T1D) is bidirectional, with T1D typically having a negative influence on psychological functioning, which in turn negatively affects the course of T1D. Here, we investigate the potential role of the capacity for mentalizing, or reflective functioning, in children and their mothers in diabetes control. We tested differences in mentalizing as assessed by the Reflective Functioning Scale in two groups of mother-son dyads with good (GDC) versus poor (PDC) diabetes control. Fifty-five boys (8-12 years old) and their mothers were recruited from the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation in Santiago, Chile. The mothers were interviewed with the Parental Development Interview and the children with the Child Attachment Interview, and both were scored for reflective functioning by using the Reflective Functioning Scale. Self-report measures of stress and diabetes outcomes were completed by the mothers and children, and levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were assessed as an index of diabetes control. The results showed that both maternal and child reflective functioning were higher in the GDC than the PDC group and were negatively correlated with HbA1c in the total sample. Our findings suggest an important role for mentalizing in diabetes outcomes, but further prospective research is needed.

Attachment and stress in children with type 1 Diabetes and their mothers. / Apego y estrés en niños con Diabetes tipo 1 y sus madres.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the relationship between attachment and diabetes and the role of stress mediators in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their mothers. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The following assessment instruments were applied as self-report measures: Attachment Scale (ECR- R), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Security Scale (SS), and the Stress in Children (SiC) questionnaire, which were completed by children and their mothers. We analyzed demographic variables, diabetes onset time, and the average of the last three glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) measurements as a parameter of metabolic control in the last year. RESULTS: Attachment strategies of both mother and child, as well as maternal stress, showed a significant association with the child's diabetes outcomes, although with important gender differences. CONCLUSIONS: Both mother and child attachment strate gies are relevant aspects of the T1D course.

Apego y estrés en niños con Diabetes tipo 1 y sus madres / Attachment and stress in children with type 1 Diabetes and their mothers

Resumen: Objetivo: Comprender la relación entre apego y diabetes y el rol mediador del estrés en niños con diabetes mellitus tipo 1 (DM1) y sus madres. Material y Método: Se aplicaron Instrumentos de evaluación correspondientes a Escalas de Apego (ECR-R), Estrés percibido (PSS), Seguridad (SS) y Estrés en niños (SiC), como medidas de autoreporte completadas por niños(as) y sus madres. Se analizaron variables demográficas, tiempo de inicio de diabetes, y el promedio de las ultimas 3 medi ciones de Hemoglobina glicosilada HbA1c como parámetro del control metabólico del último año. Resultados: Las estrategias de apego maternas e infantiles y el estrés materno mostraron una asocia ción significativa con los resultados de la diabetes del niño(a), aunque con importantes diferencias de género. Conclusiones: Las estrategias de apego, infantiles y maternas, son relevantes en el curso de la diabetes.

Abstract: Objective: To understand the relationship between attachment and diabetes and the role of stress mediators in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their mothers. Material and Method: The following assessment instruments were applied as self-report measures: Attachment Scale (ECR- R), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Security Scale (SS), and the Stress in Children (SiC) questionnaire, which were completed by children and their mothers. We analyzed demographic variables, diabetes onset time, and the average of the last three glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) measurements as a parameter of metabolic control in the last year. Results: Attachment strategies of both mother and child, as well as maternal stress, showed a significant association with the child's diabetes outcomes, although with important gender differences. Conclusions: Both mother and child attachment strate gies are relevant aspects of the T1D course.

When do peers matter? The moderating role of peer support in the relationship between environmental adversity, complex trauma, and adolescent psychopathology in socially disadvantaged adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: This study examined the longitudinal associations between environmental adversity (defined in terms of exposure to violence in the neighborhood, school, and media), complex trauma (operationalized as experiences of abuse and neglect), and adolescents' internalizing and externalizing symptoms. METHODS: Using a cross-lagged panel research design, we investigated the moderating role of peer support in these relationships in a sample of 644 adolescents from a severely disadvantaged district of Lima, Peru, who were followed up in a 1-year prospective study. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We found significant unidirectional dynamic relations, where both types of adversity were associated with higher levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Peer support significantly moderated this effect, but only for complex trauma, in that higher levels of peer support were associated with a decreased impact of complex trauma on internalizing and externalizing symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of social relations and the quality of peer relations in particular as factors that may mitigate the risk of early exposure to trauma.

Psychotherapy and Genetic Neuroscience: An Emerging Dialog.

Recent research in psychiatric genetics has led to a move away from simple diathesis-stress models to more complex models of psychopathology incorporating a focus on gene-environment interactions and epigenetics. Our increased understanding of the way biology encodes the impact of life events on organisms has also generated more sophisticated theoretical models concerning the molecular processes at the interface between "nature" and "nurture." There is also increasing consensus that psychotherapy entails a specific type of learning in the context of an emotional relationship (i.e., the therapeutic relationship) that may also lead to epigenetic modifications across different therapeutic treatment modalities. This paper provides a systematic review of this emerging body of research. It is concluded that, although the evidence is still limited at this stage, extant research does indeed suggest that psychotherapy may be associated with epigenetic changes. Furthermore, it is argued that epigenetic studies may play a key role in the identification of biomarkers implicated in vulnerability for psychopathology, and thus may improve diagnosis and open up future research opportunities regarding the mechanism of action of psychotropic drugs as well as psychotherapy. We review evidence suggesting there may be important individual differences in susceptibility to environmental input, including psychotherapy. In addition, given that there is increasing evidence for the transgenerational transmission of epigenetic modifications in animals and humans exposed to trauma and adversity, epigenetic changes produced by psychotherapy may also potentially be passed on to the next generation, which opens up new perspective for prevention science. We conclude this paper stressing the limitations of current research and by proposing a set of recommendations for future research in this area.

Vulnerability or Sensitivity to the Environment? Methodological Issues, Trends, and Recommendations in Gene-Environment Interactions Research in Human Behavior.

Research on the potential role of gene-environment interactions (GxE) in explaining vulnerability to psychopathology in humans has witnessed a shift from a diathesis-stress perspective to differential susceptibility approaches. This paper critically reviews methodological issues and trends in this body of research. Databases were screened for studies of GxE in the prediction of personality traits, behavior, and mental health disorders in humans published between January 2002 and January 2015. In total, 315 papers were included. Results showed that 34 candidate genes have been included in GxE studies. Independent of the type of environment studied (early or recent life events, positive or negative environments), about 67-83% of studies have reported significant GxE interactions, which is consistent with a social susceptibility model. The percentage of positive results does not seem to differ depending on the gene studied, although publication bias might be involved. However, the number of positive findings differs depending on the population studied (i.e., young adults vs. older adults). Methodological considerations limit the ability to draw strong conclusions, particularly as almost 90% (n = 283/315) of published papers are based on samples from North America and Europe, and about 70% of published studies (219/315) are based on samples that were also used in other reports. At the same time, there are clear indications of methodological improvements over time, as is shown by a significant increase in longitudinal and experimental studies as well as in improved minimum genotyping. Recommendations for future research, such as minimum quality assessment of genes and environmental factors, specifying theoretical models guiding the study, and taking into account of cultural, ethnic, and lifetime perspectives, are formulated.

Changing Communities and Increases in the Prevalence of Depression: is there a Relationship? / Cambios en las comunidades y el aumento en la prevalencia de la depresión: ¿hay una relación?

The article analyses the impact of individualization processes on community-level determinants of health in postmodern societies, taking depression as an example. The analysis shows how the evolution of the broader social context towards forms of organization focused on the individual and on competition in a market economy implies the vanishing of traditional communities and there -fore of their health-supportive functions, thus endangering their ability to fulfill the needs of belonging, mutual support, and identity. The analysis also relates this evolution to cultural phenomena and to recent studies about culture -gene coevolution, implying that the effects of community decline are expected to be even greater in collectivist societies. Through its multidimensional conceptual analysis, this paper aims to contribute to further uncovering the interactions of psychological, psychosocial, and biological factors in mental health.

El artículo analiza el impacto que los procesos de individualización en las sociedades postmodernas tienen sobre los determinantes de salud de nivel comunitario, tomando como ejemplo la depresión. El análisis muestra cómo la evolución del contexto social más amplio hacia formas de organización enfocadas en el individuo y en la competencia de las economías de mercado, implican el desvanecimiento de las comunidades tradicionales y por lo tanto de sus funciones de apoyo a la salud. Es así que ponen en peligro su capacidad para satisfacer las necesidades de pertenencia, apoyo mutuo e identidad. El artículo también relaciona esta evolución con fenómenos culturales y con estudios recientes sobre la coevolución cultura-gen, implicando que los efectos de declinación de la comunidad deberían ser aún mayores en las sociedades colectivistas. A través de su análisis conceptual multidimensional, el artículo busca contribuir a profundizar sobre las interacciones de factores psicológicos, psicosociales y biológicos en salud mental.

Factor structure of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised in two different Peruvian samples.

BACKGROUND: This article studied the factor structure of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) in two samples in Peru, i.e., a sample of survivors of a fire (N=174) and a university student sample (N=562). METHODS: First, confirmatory factor analysis was used to compare nine different models of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms as evaluated by the IES-R in both of the samples separately. The model with the best fit in both samples had four correlated factors, i.e., Intrusion, Avoidance, Hyperarousal and Sleep Disturbance. Second, the degree of factorial invariance of the IES-R was compared in both the samples using multiple group confirmatory factor analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results showed almost no differences between both samples. Finally, the results supported the internal consistency, as well as the concurrent and convergent validity of the IES-R in Peru.