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Psychological and Physiological Health in Prenatal Parenting and Parent-Child Interaction

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Children's Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 11365

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Alessandra Simonelli

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Guest Editor

Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Interests: parenting; parent-child interaction; parental brain; developmental psychopathology; infant mental health

Dr. Chiara Sacchi

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Guest Editor

Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Interests: fetal stress; prenatal maternal stress; women’s mental health; prenatal parenting; parent-infant interactions; infant mental health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce this Special Issue entitled “Psychological and Physiological Health in Prenatal Parenting and Parent–child Interaction.”

Parenting begins before birth, and both parents are engaged in prenatal physiological and psychological exchanges with their children. As largely demonstrated by animal and human studies, trajectories of emotional, behavioral, physical, and mental health emerge from cascading developmental processes in which the parent–child biopsychological relationship in pregnancy represents an influential node for immediate and programming effects on the health of the adult, child, and their relationship.

Within this framework, we welcome manuscripts from diverse research perspectives that address novel theoretical or methodological insights and clinically relevant questions about biological (e.g., genetic/neurobiological, immune), psychological (e.g., stress, mental health, adverse childhood experiences), and social (e.g., poverty, isolation, stigma) aspects that may interact in influencing parenting and the construction of the parent–child relationship, beginning with pregnancy.

We welcome studies on the multifaceted changes that describe the parent–child interaction in pregnancy (e.g., parental and fetal brain, mother–fetus attachment, prenatal caregiving), as well as pregnancy-related life events (e.g., high-risk pregnancies, infertility, miscarriage) that may impact parenting from this sensitive time forward.

In addition, less investigated is the role of "angels in the nursery"; we therefore encourage studies on psychobiological and social protective factors in pregnancy that can be leveraged within effective interventions, as well as evidence from parenting support programs that show avenues for large-scale preventive policies in perinatal health.

Finally, we strongly encourage proposals from diverse contexts, particularly studies with minority, at-risk and clinical groups, to achieve an articulated picture of the multiple experiences describing prenatal parenting and parent–child interactions.

Prof. Dr. Alessandra Simonelli
Dr. Chiara Sacchi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

parenting
parent–child interaction
perinatal health
prenatal stress
pregnancy
postpartum
infant mental health
women’s health
father’s heath
parenting interventions.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 635 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Psychological Impact and Women’s Evaluation of the First-Trimester Pre-Eclampsia Screening and Prevention: ASPRE Trial

by Ana V. Nikčević, Chiara Sacchi, Claudia Marino, Neil O’Gorman, Liona C. Poon and Kypros H. Nicolaides

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(7), 5418; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20075418 - 06 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1506

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to extend the understanding of the psychological impact of the first-trimester pre-eclampsia (PE) screening on women identified as high risk for preterm PE. We examined the differences between low- vs. high-risk women throughout pregnancy in: symptoms of distress (anxiety, depression, physical and mental health, and worry), health behaviour changes, the experience of pregnancy, and attitudes towards PE screening. Methods: This study was nested within the ASPRE trial. Pregnant women were screened for preterm-PE risk status in the first trimester; the assessments were carried out before the screening, in the second and in the third trimester (n = 155 low-risk women and N = 82 high-risk women in the second trimester). Results: The high-risk-for-PE women exhibited more depressive symptoms compared to the low-risk women in the second but not in the third trimester. No differences were observed between the two groups in other distress symptoms or in the women’s evaluation of their experience of pregnancy. The high-risk group reported greater health behaviour changes compared to the low-risk group, but this was moderated by depression levels. Conclusions: Overall, pregnant women reported positive attitudes towards first-trimester PE screening, despite transient depressive symptoms. This study offers supportive evidence concerning the appropriateness of PE screening in ethical terms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological and Physiological Health in Prenatal Parenting and Parent-Child Interaction)

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14 pages, 536 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Maternal Trauma Exposure Contributed to Children’s Depressive Symptoms following the Wenchuan Earthquake: A Multiple Mediation Model Study

by Yiming Liang, Yiming Zhao, Yueyue Zhou and Zhengkui Liu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(24), 16881; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416881 - 15 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1330

Abstract

Although well-established literature has indicated the burden of mental health among victims after the Wenchuan earthquake, no research has focused on the mental health of mothers and their children who experienced the earthquake and were pregnant during or shortly after it. This study investigates the relationship between maternal trauma exposure (TE) and children’s depressive symptoms after the Wenchuan earthquake and explores the risk and protective factors underlying this relationship. A sample of 547 mother-child dyads, in which the mother experienced the Wenchuan earthquake, was used to assess maternal depressive symptoms, maternal TE, children’s depressive symptoms, children’s perceived impact of the earthquake and maternal posttraumatic growth (PTG). The results showed that maternal TE had two significant one-step indirect associations with children’s depressive symptoms (through children’s perceived impact of the earthquake and maternal PTG) and one two-step indirect association with children’s depressive symptoms (through maternal depressive symptoms via children’s perceived impact of the earthquake). The results indicated that maternal depressive symptoms, children’s perceived impact of the earthquake and maternal PTG mediated the association between maternal TE and children’s depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of mothers in supporting the mental health of these children. Maternal depressive symptoms and PTG, two posttraumatic outcomes, played positive and negative roles in the intergenerational transmission of trauma. Thus, post-disaster interventions should reduce the maternal transmission of trauma-related information and improve maternal PTG to support children’s mental health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological and Physiological Health in Prenatal Parenting and Parent-Child Interaction)

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10 pages, 570 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How to Improve the Care of Women after Childbirth in the Rooming-in Unit: A Prospective Observational Study

by Anna Prokopowicz, Bartłomiej Stańczykiewicz, Izabella Uchmanowicz and Mariusz Zimmer

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16117; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316117 - 02 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1291

Abstract

Rooming-in is the WHO-recommended care system for mothers in the puerperium and their babies. This system allows the newborn to stay with the mother in the same room, 24 h a day. We aimed to investigate the need to entrust a newborn (NEN) in the care of maternity rooming-in staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its relationship to pain, anxiety, and blood loss after delivery. A prospective study of 200 adult women in the maternity ward operating in the rooming-in system focussed on NEN in the care of maternity rooming-in staff on the first (T1) and the second day of puerperium (T2). Women who declared having NEN were compared with women without NEN for anxiety, pain, and a drop in haemoglobin in the blood after delivery. In T1, 34% and in T2, 27% of women felt NEN in the care of maternity rooming-in staff. The NEN of women after a cesarean section was higher on both days than the NEN of women after vaginal delivery. Women with NEN had higher levels of pain, state anxiety, and higher levels of postpartum anxiety than women without NEN. Further research should be warranted to investigate whether women who give birth in hospitals that satisfy the NEN in the care of maternity rooming-in staff in their rooming-in units experience less pain and anxiety in comparison to those who give birth in hospital units without such a possibility and whether this factor is an important element in reducing anxiety and pain during puerperium. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological and Physiological Health in Prenatal Parenting and Parent-Child Interaction)

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15 pages, 2834 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Negative/Positive Emotions, Perceived Self-Efficacy and Transition to Motherhood during Pregnancy: A Monitoring Study

by Luna Carpinelli and Giulia Savarese

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15818; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315818 - 28 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1489

Abstract

Background: Several studies have investigated the topic of emotion regulation and self-perception in women during pregnancy, which turns out to be a critical event for the woman approaching psycho-physical changes. The objectives of the study were the evaluation and monitoring, during pregnancy, of emotional states and levels of self-efficacy and the analysis of the representations of self and the child. Methods: Twenty women (M = 34.60; SD = 4.60) in the 28-week gestation period participated in the research. We performed three administrations (T0-1-2) of an ad hoc questionnaire containing: personal data; Maternal Representations in Pregnancy Interview—IRMAG; Multidimensional Emotion Questionnaire—MEQ; Perceived Self-Efficacy in Complex Situations Scale. Results: Both qualitative and quantitative analyses show that the future mother’s strategies and functional resources focus on perceiving herself as effective in the acquired role, despite the pregnancy itself being a highly stressful critical event. Positive emotions tend to increase, just as the frequency, intensity, persistence and regulation of emotion undergo a linear and constant increase with respect to the first and second administration. Conclusions: Qualitative research has produced significant results with regard to the representations of mothers-to-be as they attempt to cope with states of change during pregnancy with their own personal adaptive resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological and Physiological Health in Prenatal Parenting and Parent-Child Interaction)

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Review

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13 pages, 1047 KiB

Open AccessReview

Possible Stress–Neuroendocrine System–Psychological Symptoms Relationship in Pregnant Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Giulia Gizzi, Claudia Mazzeschi, Elisa Delvecchio, Tommaso Beccari and Elisabetta Albi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11497; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811497 - 13 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1751

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic induced long-term damages that weigh on the national health systems of various countries in terms of support and care. This review aimed to highlight the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in pregnant women. We first report data on the immune system physiopathology and the main viral infections in pregnancy, including COVID-19. Then, the attention is focused on the main factors that affect the mental health of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as (1) the fear of being infected and transmitting the infection to the fetus, (2) the cancellation of checkups and pre-child courses, and (3) confinement and the inability to have close friends or a partner at the time of delivery or in the first days after delivery, as well as family tensions. Because of all this, pregnant women find themselves in a stressful condition independent of the pregnancy, and thus experience anxiety, depression, insomnia, hostility, delirium, and an alteration of the mother–baby relationship. Several studies have shown an involvement of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid axis in response to the pandemic. We propose a possible involvement of the neuroendocrine system as a mediator of the psychological symptoms of pregnant women induced by COVID-19-related stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological and Physiological Health in Prenatal Parenting and Parent-Child Interaction)

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Other

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19 pages, 867 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

The Association between Coparenting Behavior and Internalizing/Externalizing Problems of Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis

by Fengqing Zhao, Haomeng Wu, Yixuan Li, Huifang Zhang and Jie Hou

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 10346; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191610346 - 19 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2443

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the association between coparenting behavior and children’s externalizing and internalizing problems and possible factors that may moderate their associations. A meta-analysis of 93 studies involving 41,207 participants found that coparenting behavior was slightly and significantly related to externalizing problems, r = −0.17, 95% CI [−0.194, −0.15], and internalizing problems, r = −0.16, 95% CI [−0.18, −0.14]. In addition, coparenting integrity, cooperation, conflict, competitiveness, and triangulation were significantly related to externalizing and internalizing problems. Moderation analyses revealed the following findings: (a) data reporter moderated the association between coparenting and internalizing problems, with children-report coparenting showing a significantly stronger relation with internalizing symptom than father-report coparenting; (b) developmental stage was found to moderate the association between coparenting behavior and externalizing problems, with stronger association found in childhood than in toddlerhood; (c) female percentage, individualism–collectivism culture, research methods, and publication year were not found to moderate the association between coparenting behavior and externalizing or internalizing problems. These findings help summarize the previous studies and provide an empirical basis for the relation between coparenting and child externalizing/internalizing problems, and benefits targeted interventions towards coparenting behaviors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological and Physiological Health in Prenatal Parenting and Parent-Child Interaction)

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