Cognitively-Based Compassion Training for parents reduces cortisol in infants and young children.

This study tests a group-based secular contemplative practice intervention, Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT), with parents of young children. We report on a randomized controlled preliminary efficacy study. Certified teachers administered CBCT for 20 hr across 8 to 10 weeks in two cohorts of parents with infants and young children. The intervention group was compared to a waitlist control group. Thirty-nine parents and their children, who ranged in age from 4 months to 5 years, were evaluated at pre- and postintervention (n = 25 intervention, n = 14 waitlist control) on hair cortisol concentration. Parents also completed self-administered questionnaires at both time points regarding demographics, physical symptoms of stress, parenting stress, self-compassion, and mindfulness. Children of parents in the CBCT group experienced significant decreases in cortisol at the postintervention assessment, as compared with the control group. However, parent cortisol and self-report measures did not significantly change other than a small effect on clinical levels of parenting stress. CBCT may be a positive new way to intervene with parents to lower infants' and young children's cumulative physiological stress.

Este estudio puso a prueba una práctica de intervención contemplativa secular con base en un grupo, el Entrenamiento Compasivo con Base Cognitiva (CBCT), con padres de niños pequeños. Nosotros reportamos sobre un estudio de efectividad preliminar controlado al azar. Maestros titulados administraron el CBCT por 20 horas a lo largo de 8-10 semanas en dos grupos de padres con infantes y niños pequeños. El grupo de intervención fue comparado con un grupo de control en lista de espera. Treinta y nueve padres y sus niños, que oscilaban en edad de 4 meses a 5 años, fueron evaluados antes y después de la intervención (n=25 grupo de intervención, n=14 grupo de control en lista de espera) en cuanto a la concentración de cortisol en el cabello. Los padres también completaron cuestionarios auto-administrados en ambos momentos temporales con respecto a información demográfica, síntomas físicos de estrés, estrés de crianza, auto-compasión, así como plena conciencia. Los niños de padres en el grupo CBCT experimentaron una significativa disminución de cortisol al momento de la evaluación posterior a la intervención, tal como se les comparó con el grupo de control. Sin embargo, el cortisol de los padres y las medidas de auto-reporte no cambiaron significativamente. El CBCT pudiera ser una nueva manera positiva de intervenir con padres para reducir el estrés fisiológico cumulativo de infantes y niños pequeños.

Cette étude a testé une intervention de pratique contemplative séculaire et basée sur un groupe, la Formation de Compassion Cognitive (abrégé ici selon l'anglais CBCT), avec des parents de jeunes enfants. Cet article porte sur une étude d'efficacité préliminaire randomisée et contrôlée. Des formateurs certifiés ont procédé à une CBCT de 20 heures réparties sur 8-10 semaines chez deux cohortes de parents avec des nourrissons et des jeunes enfants. Le groupe d'intervention a été comparé à un groupe de contrôle en liste d'attente. Trente-neuf parents et leurs enfants, allant de 4 mois à 5 ans d'âge, ont été évalués avant et après l'intervention (n=25 intervention, n=14 contrôle de liste d'attente) sur la concentration de cortisol capillaire. Les parents ont également rempli des questionnaires auto-administrés aux deux temps d'évaluation, concernant des données démographiques, les symptômes physiques de stress, le stress de parentage, l'auto-compassion et la pleine conscience. Les enfants de parents du groupe CBCT ont fait preuve de baisses de niveau de cortisol importantes à l'évaluation post-intervention en comparaison au groupe de contrôle. Cependant le cortisol parental et les mesures auto-rapportées n'ont pas changé de manière importante. La CBCT peut être une nouvelle manière positive d'intervenir avec les parents afin de faire baisser le stress physiologique cumulatif des nourrissons et des jeunes enfants.

Attachment in young children with incarcerated fathers.

The present study examined young children's attachment behaviors during paternal incarceration and reported on initial validity of a new measure used to rate children's attachment-related behaviors and emotions during visits in a corrections setting. Seventy-seven children, age 2 to 6 years, and their jailed fathers and current caregivers participated in the home visit portion of the study, whereas 28 of these children participated in the jail visit. The results indicated that 27% of children witnessed the father's crime and 22% of children witnessed the father's arrest, with most children who witnessed these events exhibiting extreme distress; children who witnessed these events were more likely to have insecure attachments to their caregivers. Consistent with attachment theory and research, caregivers who exhibited more sensitivity and responsivity during interactions with children and those who provided more stimulating, responsive, learning-oriented home environments had children who were more likely to have secure attachments (measured with the Attachment Q-Sort). We also found preliminary evidence for the validity of our new measure, the Jail Prison Observation Checklist, in that children's attachment-related behaviors and emotions during the jail visit correlated with their attachment security observed in the home. Our observations indicate that, in certain contexts, noncontact visits with incarcerated parents can be stressful for children and that children's caregivers may play a significant role during these visits.

Early parenting, represented family relationships, and externalizing behavior problems in children born preterm.

Through assessment of 173 preterm infants and their mothers at hospital discharge and at 9, 16, 24, 36, and 72 months, the study examined early parenting, attachment security, effortful control, and children's representations of family relationships in relation to subsequent externalizing behavior problems. Less intrusive early parenting predicted more secure attachment, better effortful control skills, and fewer early behavior problems, although it did not directly relate to the structural or content characteristics of children's represented family relationships. Children with higher effortful control scores at 24 months had more coherent family representations at 36 months. Moreover, children who exhibited less avoidance in their family representations at 36 months had fewer mother-reported externalizing behavior problems at 72 months. The study suggests that early parenting quality and avoidance in children's represented relationships are important for the development of externalizing behavior problems in children born preterm.