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Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
Published on: June 13, 2021
Correlation between maternal stress and children's stress
Kaj Björkqvist1, Susanna Aman-Back, Jenny Taxell
1Abo Akademi University, P.O.B. 311, FIN-65101 Vasa, Finland. kaj.bjorkqvist@abo.fi
Mothers (N = 168, M age = 37.0 yr., SD = 4.6) responded to a questionnaire of scales measuring sources of stress and symptoms of stress within themselves, and symptoms of stress in their 5-8-yr.-old children (61 girls, 98 boys; M age = 7.3 yr., SD = 1.0). Scores on all scales intercorrelated significantly, indicating a relationship between maternal stress and stress of the child. Both types of stress also correlated with the frequency of punishment of the child. Both maternal stress and frequency of punishment predicted stress symptoms in the children, maternal stress being a somewhat stronger predictor.
Mothers (N = 168, M age = 37.0 yr., SD = 4.6) responded to a questionnaire of scales measuring sources of stress and symptoms of stress within themselves, and symptoms of stress in their 5-8-yr.-old children (61 girls, 98 boys; M age = 7.3 yr., SD = 1.0). Scores on all scales intercorrelated significantly, indicating a relationship between maternal stress and stress of the child. Both types of stress also correlated with the frequency of punishment of the child. Both maternal stress and frequency of punishment predicted stress symptoms in the children, maternal stress being a somewhat stronger predictor.
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