The association between marital satisfaction and coparenting quality: A meta-analysis.

Coparenting refers to the way parents or caregivers relate to each other as parents. Marital satisfaction (MS) is the subjective evaluation of the overall quality of one's relationship, including the extent to which needs, expectations, and desires are met. The coparenting relationship is distinct from, yet intimately connected to, the marital relationship. The objective of this study was to summarize and analyze current evidence regarding the association between MS and coparenting quality (CQ). Meta-analyses of 108 published and unpublished articles were conducted to evaluate the association between MS and CQ. In the meta-analysis of samples including both mothers and fathers, a medium association was found between MS and CQ, r = .41; 95% CI [.37, .44]; Q(88) = 1253.42. Separate meta-analyses of samples including only mothers and only fathers and an analog analysis of variance examining the moderating effect of parent gender found larger effects for mothers (r = .48) than fathers (r = .42). Maternal age, paternal education level, relationship length, and number of children were also significant moderators, with larger effects being found with families with more advanced maternal age, lower paternal education, longer relationships, and more children. The country, person reporting on CQ, and measure of CQ were also found to be statistically significant moderators. This research has implications that may inform the work of parent and family support services and contribute to positive family functioning. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Parenting stress and FASD: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that may arise following prenatal exposure to alcohol. Children with FASD tend to experience a diverse set of physical, social, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms. Caregivers of these children likely experience elevated levels of parenting stress; however, research in this area is still in its infancy. AIM: The present study sought to more fully understand the current state of the literature on parenting stress experienced by caregivers of children with FASD. METHOD: Databases including PsycInfo, Scopus, PsycArticles, and Google Scholar were searched for records meeting our inclusion criteria. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: 15 studies were deemed eligible for this review. This literature suggests that caregivers of children with FASD experience heightened levels of parenting stress. Child factors, especially child behavior and executive functioning difficulties are associated with Child Domain stress, while parent factors are associated with Parent Domain stress. Gaps were identified in child and caregiver mental health issues, as well as placement information.

Family Quality of Life Perceived by Mothers of Children with ASD and ADHD.

Existing research has compared Family Quality of Life (FQOL) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) populations and typically developing populations but has not yet explored differences in FQOL across ASD, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and comorbid ASD and ADHD populations (ASD + ADHD). In the present study, 117 North American mothers of 92 sons and 25 daughters (ages 6-11) with ASD, ADHD, or ASD + ADHD completed an online survey exploring FQOL. An ANOVA failed to show group differences in overall FQOL, however, mothers of children with ASD + ADHD reported significantly lower family Emotional Well-being than mothers of children with ASD only. The results of this study provide insight into FQOL in families of children with ASD and/or ADHD. Greater research is needed in this area to understand how mothers of children with ASD, ADHD, or ASD + ADHD experience FQOL. The COVID-19 pandemic, which ran concurrent with this study, potentially influenced results.

Cannabis use and social anxiety in young adulthood: A meta-analysis.

Young adulthood (ages 18 to 30 years old), a developmental age of exploration, is marked by new experiences and transitions. Cannabis use frequency is highest in young adulthood compared to other age periods. Social anxiety (characterized by fear, shyness, and inhibition in social situations where scrutiny and judgment is possible) is also prevalent during young adulthood. Social anxiety may be a complex predictor of cannabis use frequency and problems (e.g., any negative physical, emotional, or social outcome from use). Social anxiety may act as a risk factor as individuals may use cannabis frequently to manage their fear of negative evaluation and associated unpleasant affective states. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to quantify the magnitude of the associations between social anxiety and two cannabis variables (frequency of use and problems) in young adulthood. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify studies that included measures of social anxiety and at least one cannabis-related variable of interest among young adults. Eighteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results revealed a small, statistically significant positive association between social anxiety and cannabis problems (r = 0.197, k = 16, p = <0.001), and a nonsignificant association between social anxiety and cannabis use frequency (r = 0.002, k = 16, p = 0.929). The association between social anxiety and cannabis use frequency was moderated by the mean age such that samples with older mean ages exhibited a stronger correlation. Additionally, the association between social anxiety and cannabis problems was moderated by clinically significant levels of social anxiety, such that samples with fewer participants who met clinical levels of social anxiety exhibit a stronger correlation. This meta-analysis supports the idea that there is a complex relation between social anxiety and cannabis outcomes during young adulthood.

Cognitive functioning before and after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS): A quantitative meta-analysis in healthy adults.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is thought to modulate brain function through methods of electromagnetic induction. Over the last few decades, a large body of studies have investigated the clinical applications of rTMS in a variety of patient populations for a diverse range of symptoms from depressive symptomology to post-stroke motor functioning. There is still no clear consensus, however, on how rTMS influences cognitive functioning in the healthy brain. We conducted a quantitative meta-analysis in order to evaluate whether offline rTMS (the delivery of rTMS when not actively engaged in a cognitive task) influences cognition in healthy adults. More specifically, we examined studies that applied rTMS to the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLFPC) and that tracked cognitive outcomes both before and after a prescribed period of rTMS. Fifteen studies met our inclusion criteria. Cognitive performance was pooled and examined across studies for four cognitive domains (working memory, executive functioning, episodic memory, and visual perception) and under two types of stimulation conditions (excitatory and inhibitory rTMS). Whereas excitatory rTMS was associated with statistically reliable effects for improving executive functioning, inhibitory rTMS was associated with statistically reliable effects for improving episodic memory and visual perception. However, the magnitude of these effects was small and no other significant effects were observed. Though future studies are still needed, our findings suggest that offline forms of rTMS may have limited utility in affecting cognitive functioning when applied to the DLPFC in healthy adults, irrespective of cognitive domain or stimulation type.

Maternal depression and infant attachment security: A meta-analysis.

The purpose of this study is to clarify the magnitude of the association between maternal depression and infant attachment nonsecurity, and to identify possible moderators of this relationship. An extensive literature search was conducted using multiple databases of both published and unpublished studies. A meta-analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between maternal depression and infant attachment security and to establish the effect size. The main findings from this meta-analysis, which included 42 studies, indicate that there is a small, yet significant, relationship between maternal depression and infant attachment nonsecurity. The rate of nonsecurity in infants of mothers with depression was approximately 20% higher than expected rates in a nonclinical population, and the association between depressive symptoms and nonsecurity was small, but significant. Infants of mothers with depression were nearly twice as likely to have a nonsecure attachment than were infants of healthy mothers. Depression measure and maternal sample source were identified as significant moderators of the odds ratio effect size. Results of this study demonstrate that there is a significant relationship between maternal depression and infant attachment nonsecurity, and suggest that interventions that focus on both maternal mental health and the attachment relationship are warranted.

Propósito: Clarificar la magnitud de las asociaciones entre la depresión materna y la falta de seguridad en la afectividad del infante, así como identificar posibles moderadores de esta relación. Métodos: Se llevó a cabo una extensa búsqueda de la literatura existente usando múltiples bancos de información tanto de estudios publicados como de los no publicados. Se realizó un meta-análisis para determinar la relación entre la depresión materna y la seguridad de la afectividad del infante y establecer la dimensión del efecto. Resultados: Los principales resultados de este meta-análisis, el cual incluyó 42 estudios, indicaron que existe una pequeña pero significativa relación entre la depresión materna y la falta de seguridad en la afectividad del infante. La tasa de falta de seguridad en infantes de madres con depresión fue aproximadamente 20% más alta que la tasa esperada en una población no clínica, y la asociación entre los síntomas depresivos y la falta de seguridad fue pequeña pero significativa. Los infantes de madres con depresión estuvieron casi dos veces más propensos a tener una afectividad no segura que los infantes de madres saludables. Se identificó la medida de depresión y la fuente del grupo muestra materno como moderadores significativos de la dimensión del efecto en las posibilidades promedio. Conclusiones: Los resultados de este estudio demuestran que existe una significativa relación entre la depresión materna y la falta de seguridad en la afectividad del infante, y sugieren que las intervenciones que se enfocan tanto en la salud mental materna como en la relación de afectividad están garantizadas.

But: Clarifier la magnitude du lien entre la dépression maternelle et l'insécurité de l'attachement du nourrisson, et identifier des facteurs de modération possibles de cette relation. Méthodes: Une importante recherche sur les recherches a été faite en utilisant plusieurs bases de données comprenant à la fois des études publiées et des études non publiées. Une méta-analyse a été faite afin de déterminer la relation entre la dépression maternelle et la sécurité de l'attachement du nourrisson et afin d'établir la taille de l'effet. Résultats: Les principaux résultats de cette méta-analyse, qui a porté sur 42 études, ont indiqué qu'il existe une relation petite et cependant importante entre la dépression maternelle et l'insécurité de l'attachement du nourrisson. Le taux d'insécurité chez les nourrissons de mère avec une dépression était lié à des taux environ 20% plus élevés que les taux attendus chez une population non-clinique, et le lien entre les symptômes dépressifs et la non-sécurité était limité mais important. Les nourrissons de mères avec une dépression étaient presque deux fois plus à même d'avoir un attachement insécure que les nourrissons de mères en bonne santé. La mesure de dépression et la source de l'échantillon maternel ont été identifiées comme étant des facteurs de modération importants de l'ampleur des effets des rapports de cote. Conclusions: Les résultats de cette étude démontrent qu'il existe une relation importante entre la dépression maternelle et l'insécurité de l'attachement du nourrisson, et suggèrent que les interventions qui mettent l'accent à la fois sur la santé mentale maternelle et la relation d'attachement sont justifiées.

Exploring the Relationships Between Problem Gambling and ADHD: A Meta-Analysis.

Objective: At present, there are inconsistencies in the literature pertaining to the association between ADHD and problem gambling. This study utilized meta-analytic techniques to clarify the association between symptoms of problem gambling and symptoms of ADHD. Method: Several meta-analyses were conducted using a random effects model. PsycINFO, PubMed, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant studies. Results: The weighted mean correlation between ADHD symptomology and gambling severity was r = .17, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [0.12, 0.22], p < .001. Mean age of the sample was the only moderator to approach significance, with greater age being linked to a stronger relationship between symptoms of ADHD and gambling severity. Conclusion: Clinicians needs to be cognizant of the greater risk of ADHD symptoms when working with problem gamblers and vice versa.

Paternal depression and child externalizing behaviors: A meta-analysis.

Although there is a consensus that maternal depression is strongly related to child externalizing behaviors, research on the association between paternal depression and child externalizing behaviors is mixed. Some research shows that paternal depressive symptoms are positively associated with symptoms of externalizing behaviors, including oppositional-defiant behavior, conduct problems, and overall externalizing behavior, while other studies failed to find an association, or demonstrated a weak or negative association. Given that the most recent meta-analysis on paternal depression and child externalizing behaviors is outdated, an updated meta-analysis is necessary. The present meta-analysis consisted of 52 published and unpublished articles that included a quantitative comparison between paternal depression and child externalizing behaviors. There was a small relationship between symptoms of paternal depression and symptoms of child externalizing behaviors (r = .15; 95% confident interval [.13, .18]; k = 49). Child gender was the only statistically significant moderator, with studies with a larger proportion of boys showing a larger effect (Q = 4.30, p = .038, k = 40); however, one of the articles was identified as an outlier. This moderator was no longer significant after the outlier was removed. Overall, the results suggest that clinicians working with families of fathers with depression should be cognizant of possible co-occurring child externalizing behaviors in the family. Directions for future research and other clinical implications are provided based on the findings of the current study. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).