The experience of bearing a child: implications on body boundaries and their link to preterm birth.

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth, which occurs when a baby is born before 37 weeks, has enormous implications for public health. It is the leading cause of infant death and mortality in children under the age of five. Unfortunately, the multifaceted causes of preterm birth are not fully understood. One construct that has received increasing attention in women's transition to motherhood is body boundaries, i.e., the metaphorical barriers that separate the self from the outer, surrounding "not self." This study aims to examine the role of well-defined and disturbed body boundaries in predicting preterm birth. METHODS: A sample of 655 Israeli pregnant women reported their sense of body boundaries (BBS, as measured by the Sense of Body Boundaries Survey) pre- and postnatally. We performed a General Linear Model (GLM) testing the effect of the BBS total score on the days women delivered before their due date and controlling for whether it was the women's first child. RESULTS: Our GLMs controlling for whether it was the women's first child showed that the BBS total mean exhibited a significant predictive effect on the number of days delivered before the due date (F(57,313) = 3.65, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate heterogeneity in women's sense of body boundaries during pregnancy and are the first to disentangle a link between disturbed body boundaries and preterm birth. Mediating mechanisms in this relation, e.g., psychosocial stress, as well as clinical implications are discussed in detail.

Peripartum dissociation, sense of control, postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder and emotional adjustment to motherhood in adult survivors of childhood maltreatment.

Survivors of childhood maltreatment (CM) may experience difficulties in the peripartum period and in adjustment to motherhood. In this study we examined a model wherein CM is associated with maternal self-efficacy and maternal bonding three months postpartum, through mediation of peripartum dissociation and reduced sense of control during childbirth and postpartum-posttraumatic-stress disorder (P-PTSD). Women were recruited in a maternity ward within 48 h of childbirth (T1, N = 440), and contacted three-months postpartum (T2, N = 295). Participants completed self-report questionnaires: peripartum dissociation, sense of control (T1), and CM, P-PTSD, postpartum-depression, maternal self-efficacy and bonding (T2). Obstetrical data were collected from medical files. Structural equation modeling was conducted to test the hypothesized model, controlling for mode of delivery and postpartum-depression. Reported CM included child emotional neglect (CEN; 23.5%), child emotional abuse (CEA; 16.3%), child sexual abuse (CSA; 12.9%) and child physical abuse (CPA; 7.1%). CM was positively associated with peripartum dissociation and P-PTSD (p < .001). Peripartum dissociation was positively associated with P-PTSD (p < .001). P-PTSD was negatively associated with maternal self-efficacy (p < .001) and maternal bonding (p < .001). Association between CM and maternal self-efficacy and bonding was serially mediated by peripartum dissociation and P-PTSD, but not by sense of control. Findings remained significant after controlling for mode of delivery and postpartum-depression. CM is a risk factor for adjustment to motherhood, owing to its effects on peripartum dissociation and P-PTSD. Implementation of a trauma-informed approach in obstetric care and recognition of peripartum dissociative reactions are warranted.

Maltreatment in Daycare Settings: A Review of Empirical Studies in the Field.

Daycare maltreatment refers to abusive and/or neglectful acts perpetrated by teachers, directors, non-professionals or volunteers, family members of staff, and peers in a daycare setting. Despite growing evidence of its occurrence, the prevalence and consequences of daycare maltreatment for the child, the parent(s), and their dyad are largely unknown. This qualitative systematic literature review was conducted to synthesize the existing literature referring to daycare maltreatment, using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. In order to be included in the analysis, the manuscripts needed to report empirical findings regarding maltreatment in daycare settings, be written in English, be published in a peer-reviewed journal or a dissertation, and be accessible by our research team. In all, 25 manuscripts met the above criteria and were included in the review. Our results indicate that reports of daycare maltreatment are characterized by early age of abused children, inferring mainly to sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. The majority of these manuscripts reported caregivers' and teachers' abuse, while peer victimization was reported much less. In addition, the findings demonstrated a higher representation of female perpetrators compared to abuse in other scenarios. Although some indications of long-term implications are reported in the manuscripts, a well-validated measure for assessment of daycare maltreatment seems to be lacking. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the complex experience and ramifications of daycare maltreatment, providing insight into its multi-faceted implications.

Supporting the transition to parenthood: a systematic review of empirical studies on emotional and psychological interventions for first-time parents.

OBJECTIVES: The transition to parenthood can evoke a range of concerns in parents, profoundly impacting their psychological well-being. The literature regarding the transition to parenthood focuses primarily on functional aspects of parenthood, generally overlooking the psychological well-being of parents. METHOD: This comprehensive review synthesized studies describing emotional and psychological interventions during the transition to parenthood among participants between 2013 and 2022. A rigorous screening process, conducted by three of the authors, resulted in 18 studies that met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: This report provides detailed descriptions of these studies, including their characteristics, demographics, types of interventions, and main outcomes. The majority of interventions focused on mothers and mother-infant dyads, with fewer interventions targeting couples, and none addressing fathers or father-infant dyads. CONCLUSIONS: The interventions examined were found to be effective in reducing symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and stress among mothers and had positive effects on infants' behaviors, mother-infant synchrony, and co-parenting. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: This review stresses the necessity of interventions targeting the transition to parenthood, especially among fathers and marginalized populations, as well as serves to identify barriers faced by vulnerable and minority populations.

Trauma symptom patterns in a large sample of military personnel outpatients: Differential relations to trauma exposure, depression, and anxiety symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) results from experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event and is the most common clinical syndrome seen in military personnel. However, each patient experiences the impact of trauma differently exhibiting individual patterns of trauma symptoms. The current study endeavors to investigate individual patterns of trauma symptoms in military personnel and specifically analyze potential linkage and/or relation between blast exposure, anxiety, and depression. METHOD: We employed a person-centered approach of latent class analysis (LCA) to stratify 594 military personnel outpatients based on their response patterns in the Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI). Then, we related the resulting clusters to the number of blasts to which they were exposed, as well as to depression (Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale) and anxiety symptom severity (Beck Anxiety Inventory) using one-way analyses of variance with Bonferroni pairwise comparisons. RESULTS: We found three distinct clusters of traumatic symptoms: (a) Atypical response with low overall symptom burden, (b) increased response level and arousal, and (c) severe trauma symptom burden with tension-reduction behaviors. Individuals in Cluster 2 were exposed to significantly more blasts than in Cluster 1. Moreover, individuals in Cluster 3 reported the highest depression and anxiety symptom severities, followed by Cluster 2, followed by Cluster 1. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest heterogeneity among military personnel suffering from trauma and reveal their distinct relations to clinical comorbidities-emphasizing the role of person-centered, tailored approaches in clinical practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The Role of Emotion Regulation, Affect, and Sleep in Individuals With Sleep Bruxism and Those Without: Protocol for a Remote Longitudinal Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Sleep bruxism (SB) is an oral behavior characterized by high levels of repetitive jaw muscle activity during sleep, leading to teeth grinding and clenching, and may develop into a disorder. Despite its prevalence and negative outcomes on oral health and quality of life, there is currently no cure for SB. The etiology of SB remains poorly understood, but recent research suggests a potential role of negative emotions and maladaptive emotion regulation (ER). OBJECTIVE: This study's primary aim investigates whether ER is impaired in individuals with SB, while controlling for affective and sleep disturbances. The secondary aim tests for the presence of cross-sectional and longitudinal mediation pathways in the bidirectional relationships among SB, ER, affect, and sleep. METHODS: The study used a nonrandomized repeated-measures observational design and was conducted remotely. Participants aged 18-49 years underwent a 14-day ambulatory assessment. Data collection was carried out using electronic platforms. We assessed trait and state SB and ER alongside affect and sleep variables. We measured SB using self-reported trait questionnaires, ecological momentary assessment (EMA) for real-time reports of SB behavior, and portable electromyography for multinight assessment of rhythmic masticatory muscle activity. We assessed ER through self-reported trait questionnaires, EMA for real-time reports of ER strategies, and heart rate variability derived from an electrocardiography wireless physiological sensor as an objective physiological measure. Participants' trait affect and real-time emotional experiences were obtained using self-reported trait questionnaires and EMA. Sleep patterns and quality were evaluated using self-reported trait questionnaires and sleep diaries, as well as actigraphy as a physiological measure. For the primary objective, analyses will test for maladaptive ER in terms of strategy use frequency and effectiveness as a function of SB using targeted contrasts in the general linear model. Control analyses will be conducted to examine the persistence of the SB-ER relationship after adjusting for affective and sleep measures, as well as demographic variables. For the secondary objective, cross-sectional and longitudinal mediation analyses will test various competing models of directional effects among self-reported and physiological measures of SB, ER, affect, and sleep. RESULTS: This research received funding in April 2017. Data collection took place from August 2020 to March 2022. In all, 237 participants were eligible and completed the study. Data analysis has not yet started. CONCLUSIONS: We hope that the effort to thoroughly measure SB and ER using gold standard methods and cutting-edge technology will advance the knowledge of SB. The findings of this study may contribute to a better understanding of the relationship among SB, ER, affect, and sleep disturbances. By identifying the role of ER in SB, the results may pave the way for the development of targeted interventions for SB management to alleviate the pain and distress of those affected. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/41719.

Obstetric outcome and emotional reactions to childbirth in women with dyspareunia: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess obstetrical outcomes, perceptions of childbirth experience and emotional adjustment, in women with dyspareunia. STUDY DESIGN: In this cross-sectional study, 440 women were recruited within 48 h postpartum in the maternity ward of a large medical center, during the period of April 2018- August 2020. Self-report questionnaires were administered which addressed demographic and reproductive background, dyspareunia, perceptions of control during labor (Labor Agentry Scale), perceived professional support (Intrapartum Care Scale), and maternal adjustment, implicated in perinatal dissociation (Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire), acute stress disorder (ASD) symptoms (Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire), bonding (Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale), anticipated maternal self-efficacy (Maternal Self-Efficacy Scale) and well-being (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale). Obstetrical information was retrieved from clinical files and included pregnancy complications, week and mode of delivery, nature of labor onset, analgesia during delivery, birthweight, perineal tears. RESULTS: The dyspareunia group included 71 women (18.3%) and the comparison group 317 (81.7%). Demographic data were similar among groups. No difference was observed in nature of labor onset, type of analgesia, route of delivery, perineal tears. More participants with dyspareunia had premature delivery versus comparisons (14.1% vs 5.6%, p = 0.02). Women with dyspareunia reported lower levels of control (p = 0.01) and perceived support during childbirth (p < 0.001), higher levels of perinatal dissociation (p < 0.001) ASD symptoms (p < 0.001), depression (p = 0.02), negative affect (p < 0.001), and reported lower levels of maternal bonding (p < 0.001) and anticipated maternal self-efficacy (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Dyspareunia was associated with more premature deliveries, parameters of emotional distress during childbirth and poorer maternal adjustment following childbirth. Perinatal caregivers should be cognizant of such cognitive and emotional reactions in women with dyspareunia, so as to assess for a history of dyspareunia in pregnant women and provide adequate support during pregnancy and delivery.

Child maltreatment and alexithymia: A meta-analytic review.

Alexithymia refers to difficulties identifying and describing one's emotions. Growing evidence suggests that alexithymia is a key transdiagnostic risk factor. Despite its clinical importance, the etiology of alexithymia is largely unknown. The present study employs meta-analytic methods to summarize findings on the role of one hypothesized antecedent of adult alexithymia, namely child maltreatment. We obtained effect size estimates from 99 independent samples reported in 78 unique sources that reported both child maltreatment history and adult levels of alexithymia. These studies involved a total of 36,141 participants. Using correlation coefficients as our effect size index, we found that child maltreatment was positively related to overall adult alexithymia (r = .23 [.19, .27]). Notably, emotional abuse (r = .18 [.13, .23]), emotional neglect (r = .21 [.16, .26]), and physical neglect (r = .18 [.15, .22]) were the strongest predictors. Effects were moderated by gender, affiliation with clinical versus nonclinical samples, and publication status. Overall results were robust to publication bias and the presence of outliers. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the complex connection between different types of child maltreatment and alexithymia, providing greater insight into the early environmental influences on alexithymia. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Intensity of Chronic Low Back Pain and Activity Interference: A Daily Diary Study of the Moderating Role of Cognitive Pain Coping Strategies.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) has a significant negative impact on daily functioning, particularly for those with challenges coping adaptively with ongoing pain. However, the dynamics of pain coping in daily life remain understudied. Therefore, we examined the extent to which pain intensity interferes with daily activities, and assessed whether pain coping strategies (as assessed using daily diaries) moderated this link. METHOD: We analyzed diary data from a sample of 84 participants with CLBP who completed daily diaries for up to 30 days rating pain intensity, pain interference with daily activities, and their use of pain coping strategies, including pain rumination (i.e., repetitive thinking about the pain and its causes), reappraisal (i.e., evaluating one's pain less negatively or more positively), and distraction (i.e., diverting attention from the pain). We hypothesized that these coping strategies would moderate the associations between pain and pain interference with daily activities, although in different directions. RESULTS: Results suggest that pain rumination strengthens the association between pain intensity and pain interference both on the person and day level, while pain reappraisal and distraction weaken this association, at the day and person levels, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that those who are more preoccupied with their pain and those who are less likely to reappraise their pain have more pain interference with daily activities. These findings build on prior work on pain coping by using daily diaries and highlight two pain coping strategies that have particular relevance for reducing the impact of CLBP in daily life.

Somatic symptom profiles are associated with pre-treatment depression and anxiety symptom severity but not inpatient therapy outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Although somatic symptoms are common among mental health patients, their association with symptom severity and inpatient treatment outcomes is not yet well understood. METHODS: Using a pre-post design and latent class analysis (LCA), 641 inpatients (63.4% female) were classified based on their self-reported somatic symptoms. We examined how the resulting somatic symptom classes related to depression and anxiety symptom severity pre-treatment (T1) and to symptom reduction post-treatment (T2). RESULTS: Our results suggest four somatic symptom classes, namely (1) unspecific/low somatic symptom burden, (2) sexual problems, (3) gastrointestinal symptoms with pain syndrome, and (4) cardiopulmonary symptoms. While class 1 indicated the lowest pre-treatment depression and anxiety symptom severity, class 2 reported high depressive symptoms coupled with low anxiety, class 3 reported moderate depressive and anxiety symptom severity, and class 4 reported the highest depressive and anxiety symptom burden. Somatic symptom classes, however, did not predict the degree of reduction in either depression or anxiety symptoms post-treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate somatic heterogeneity in mental health patients and reveal the relationship of somatic symptom patterns to affective symptom severity. Clinical implications are discussed.

Sibling Sexual Abuse: A Review of Empirical Studies in the Field.

Although sibling sexual abuse (SSA) is one of the most common forms of sexual abuse, it has been particularly neglected in previous research. Hence, characteristics of this form of abuse and its longer term implications are not well understood. The aims of the current review were to precisely characterize the phenomenon of SSA and to condense the implications known to date of SSA on survivors. We included 15 studies with a total sample size of 14,680 individuals. Our results indicate that SSA has some unequivocal features such as an early onset, an extended duration and frequency, and a particularly high intensity (i.e., involvement of coercion, force, superiority, and manipulation). Our findings also revealed that SSA is linked to later depression, anxiety, impaired self-esteem, and sexual functioning. The findings of the current review suggest that (1) SSA is common, (2) SSA has various negative effects on survivors' mental health, and that (3) SSA and its implications have been and to date are marginalized in research and practice. Results are discussed with a special focus on clinical implications.

Childhood Maltreatment and Borderline Personality Disorder: The Mediating Role of Difficulties with Emotion Regulation.

Exposure to childhood maltreatment (CM) increases the risk of developing borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, it remains unclear what mechanisms might mediate this link. One candidate of interest is difficulties with emotion regulation. This study aims to examine the pattern of relations among CM, difficulties with emotion regulation, and the risk of developing BPD. A total of 162 individuals diagnosed with current BPD and 162 matched healthy controls completed self-reported questionnaires assessing CM and difficulties with emotion regulation. The authors found high correlations between CM and BPD diagnosis (r = .73, p < .001). Difficulties with emotion regulation were found to mediate the link between CM and BPD diagnosis (p < .001). Results suggest that CM may play a key role in the etiology of BPD and that difficulties with emotion regulation might be a mediating component between CM and BPD.

Biochemical clusters predict mortality and reported inability to work 10 ​years later.

BACKGROUND: Chronic systemic inflammation has been linked to premature mortality and limited somatic as well as mental health with consequences for capability to work and everyday functioning. We recently identified three biochemical clusters of endocrine and immune parameters (C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), fibrinogen, cortisol and creatinine) in participants, age 35-81 years, of the open access Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS) dataset. These clusters have been validated in an independent cohort of Japanese mid-life adults. Among these clusters, the one characterized by high inflammation coupled with low cortisol and creatinine concentrations was associated with the highest disease burden, referred to as high-risk cluster in the following. The current study aims to further examine the nature of this cluster and specifically whether it predicts mortality and the reported inability to work the last 30 days 10 years after the biomarker assessment. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Longitudinally assessed health data from N â€‹= â€‹1234 individuals were analyzed in the current study. Logistic regression analyses were performed to predict mortality within one decade after first assessment (T0 â€‹= â€‹first assessment; T1 â€‹= â€‹second assessment). General linear models were used to predict the number of days study participants were unable to work due to health issues in the last 30 days (assessed at T1, analyses restricted to individuals <70 years of age). Biological sex, disease burden, and age at T0 were used as covariates in all analyses. Individuals in the previously identified high-risk cluster had a higher risk for mortality (22% of individuals deceased between T0 and T1 versus 10% respectively 9% in the two other clusters). Logistic regression models predicting mortality resulted in a significant difference between individuals from the high-risk cluster compared to those from an identified reference cluster (indicator method, p â€‹= â€‹.012), independently of age and disease burden. Furthermore, individuals in the high-risk cluster reported a higher number of disability days during the past 30 days (3.4 days in the high-risk cluster versus 1.5 respectively 1.0 days in the reference clusters) assessed at T1. All pairwise comparisons involving the high-risk cluster were significant (all ps â€‹< â€‹.001). CONCLUSIONS: Immune-endocrine profiles are predictive of mortality within the following decade over and above age and disease burden. The findings thus highlight the importance of biomarker-based risk profiling that may provide new targets for interventions in the context of preventive medicine in the transition from health to disease and disease-related mortality.

Childhood Maltreatment and Eating Disorders: A Prospective Investigation.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether childhood maltreatment is a risk factor for two eating disorders (anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa) using objective and subjective case definitions. METHODS: Using a prospective cohorts design, children with documented cases of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect (ages 0-11) from 1967 to 1971 in a Midwestern metropolitan county area were matched on age, race, sex, and approximate family socioeconomic status with non-maltreated children. Both groups were followed up. Retrospective self-reports about childhood maltreatment were collected at age 29. DSM-IV anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) disorders were assessed at age 41 (N = 807). Logistic and linear regression results are reported. RESULTS: Using documented cases, childhood maltreatment was not a significant risk factor for AN or BN diagnoses or symptoms in adulthood. However, adults who retrospectively reported any maltreatment and physical and sexual abuse reported significantly more symptoms of AN than those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: The prediction that childhood maltreatment is a risk factor for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa was partially supported in this longitudinal study. While misattribution of cases might have occurred, these results suggest that researchers and clinicians should use caution in drawing inferences about these relationships and designing interventions.

Identification With the Aggressor and Inward and Outward Aggression in Abuse Survivors.

Childhood abuse survivors may display both inward and outward aggression manifested in self-injurious behavior (SIB) and violent acts toward others. Scrutinizing the literature reveals that the relational dynamics between victims and their perpetrators might be involved in these phenomena. Yet, research on this subject matter has been sparse. Filling this gap, this study investigated the contribution of the singular bonds between victims and their perpetrators, known as identification with the aggressor, in explaining survivors' aggression. The study was conducted among 306 Israeli college/university students who reported a history of childhood abuse. Results revealed that levels of adopting the perpetrator's experience, identifying with the perpetrator's aggression, and replacing one's agency with that of the perpetrator were significantly associated with survivors' inward and outward aggression. Moreover, profile type-that is, having high versus low levels of identification with the aggressor-was implicated in participants' SIBs, urge to harm others, and violent acts toward others, above and beyond the effects of gender and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The present findings suggest that identification with the aggressor might make survivors prone to the re-enactment of past abusive dynamics, which, in turn, could eventuate in aggression toward themselves and others.

Sense of mastery among older adults and its relation to invalidating childhood experiences.

ObjectivesSense of mastery, a well-recognized resource for older adults, has been shown to be related to early life experiences, especially parent-child interactions. Yet while there are indications that a reduced sense of mastery is related to early experiences of child maltreatment, this association has not been studied among older adults. The aim of this study was to examine the relation between experiences of childhood parental invalidation and sense of mastery among older adults, through the mediation of self-objectification and perceived disrupted body boundaries.Methods: Three-hundred-and-sixteen older adults (Mean = 72.24; SD = 8.12 years; range: 60-94) filled out a battery of questionnaires assessing their levels of exposure to childhood parental invalidation experiences, sense of self-objectification, disrupted body boundaries, and sense of masteryResults: A structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis supported the hypothesized research model. More specifically, two significant indirect effects were observed, according to which the association between invalidating childhood experiences and sense of mastery was mediated by both self-objectification and by disrupted body boundaries.Conclusion: As these results suggest that early life experiences continue to affect individuals' sense of self in older age, they should be considered an important factor for evaluation and intervention.

Childhood Maltreatment and Narcissism: The Mediating Role of Dissociation.

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is thought to be linked to adult narcissistic traits. However, it remains unclear how CM is associated with each type of narcissism, vulnerable and grandiose, and what mechanism mediates these links. One potential candidate is dissociation. This study examines the relations among CM, dissociation, vulnerable narcissism, and grandiose narcissism. A total of 322 women completed self-reported questionnaires assessing CM, dissociation, vulnerable narcissism, and grandiose narcissism. To examine the relations among CM, dissociation, and each type of narcissism, we performed Pearson's correlations and mediation analyses. In secondary analyses, we conducted latent class analyses to classify different types of CM and to assess their relations with the study variables. We found small to moderate correlations between CM and vulnerable narcissism, (r = .35, p < .001) and CM and grandiose narcissism (r = .2, p < .001), with the former association being greater than the latter (z = -3.25, p < .001). Dissociation was found to mediate the link between CM and each type of narcissism (p < .001). Results suggest that CM may play a role in the etiology of vulnerable and grandiose narcissism, and that dissociation links CM to each type of narcissism. Findings highlight that CM may lead to different responses in terms of narcissism-through the same mediation process.

Emotion regulation during the COVID-19 pandemic: risk and resilience factors for parental burnout (IIPB).

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted families' lives around the world. The measures used to contain transmission have led to increased stress and put parents at increased risk for parental burnout (PB). The aim of the current study was to examine the association between COVID-related parental stress and PB, and to test whether emotion regulation (ER) moderated this association. We hypothesised that rumination, which is a generally maladaptive ER strategy, would act as a risk factor. In comparison, we hypothesised that reappraisal, which is a generally adaptive ER strategy, would act as a resilience factor. We assessed 8225 parents from 22 countries using an on-line survey, and focused on general stress and parenting stress. These stressors were associated with greater PB. Importantly, parental ER moderated these associations; rumination strengthened the link between stress-related variables and PB, whereas reappraisal weakened it. This study emphasises the negative effect COVID-19 has on parents and highlights key ER risk and resilience factors.

Childhood Maltreatment and Mid-Life Adult Sexuality: A 10-Year Longitudinal Study.

One important long-term outcome of childhood maltreatment is thought to be impairments in intimate relationships. However, the specific nature of these impairments is not well understood. To address this gap, we examined the long-term relation of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse/neglect to four key aspects of sexuality in women and men: importance of sex, intimacy in sex, pain during sex, and pleasure during sex. As part of the U.S. longitudinal National Survey of Midlife Development, 807 participants in their mid-life (410 women, 397 men) completed measures of recollected childhood maltreatment and current aspects of adult sexuality. These measures were obtained at baseline (at which time the mean age was 53.28 years (SD = 10.97) and again 10 years later. For women at baseline, emotional abuse was positively associated with pleasure, emotional neglect was negatively associated with intimacy and with pleasure, physical abuse was positively associated with pain, and physical neglect was associated with importance of sex. For men, no significant associations were found. Prospectively, for women, sexual abuse predicted increases in pleasure during sex, and physical abuse significantly predicted increases in pain during sex. For men, physical neglect significantly predicted increases in pain. We discuss these sex differences and the role these results may play in the detrimental long-term effects of childhood maltreatment.

How biomarker patterns can be utilized to identify individuals with a high disease burden: a bioinformatics approach towards predictive, preventive, and personalized (3P) medicine.

Prevalences of non-communicable diseases such as depression and a range of somatic diseases are continuously increasing requiring simple and inexpensive ways to identify high-risk individuals to target with predictive and preventive approaches. Using k-mean cluster analytics, in study 1, we identified biochemical clusters (based on C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, fibrinogen, cortisol, and creatinine) and examined their link to diseases. Analyses were conducted in a US American sample (from the Midlife in the US study, N = 1234) and validated in a Japanese sample (from the Midlife in Japan study, N = 378). In study 2, we investigated the link of the biochemical clusters from study 1 to childhood maltreatment (CM). The three identified biochemical clusters included one cluster (with high inflammatory signaling and low cortisol and creatinine concentrations) indicating the highest disease burden. This high-risk cluster also reported the highest CM exposure. The current study demonstrates how biomarkers can be utilized to identify individuals with a high disease burden and thus, may help to target these high-risk individuals with tailored prevention/intervention, towards personalized medicine. Furthermore, our findings raise the question whether the found biochemical clusters have predictive character, as a tool to identify high-risk individuals enabling targeted prevention. The finding that CM was mostly prevalent in the high-risk cluster provides first hints that the clusters could indeed have predictive character and highlight CM as a central disease susceptibility factor and possibly as a leverage point for disease prevention/intervention. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13167-021-00255-0.