Maternal psychological distress and child decision-making
Eirini Flouri1, Sofia Ioakeimidi1, Emily Midouhas1
1Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, UK.
Journal of Affective Disorders
|May 2, 2017
Summary
Maternal psychological distress in childhood is linked to increased risk-taking in daughters. Chronically high maternal distress was associated with poorer decision-making in girls, highlighting a potential vulnerability.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Maternal psychological distress is a known risk factor for adverse child outcomes.
- Limited research has explored the link between maternal distress and children's decision-making processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between maternal psychological distress trajectories and affective decision-making in children.
- To examine potential sex differences in this association.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal data from 12,080 families in the Millennium Cohort Study were analyzed.
- Maternal psychological distress trajectories (3-11 years) were identified using latent class analysis.
- Child affective decision-making was assessed at age 11 using a gambling task.
Main Results:
- Four distinct trajectories of maternal psychological distress were identified.
- Maternal distress typology significantly predicted decision-making in girls, but not boys.
- Girls exposed to chronically high maternal distress exhibited increased risk-taking and poorer risk-adjustment compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Chronically high maternal psychological distress is associated with more reckless decision-making in adolescent daughters.
- While some effects were mediated by internalizing/externalizing problems, the link to risk-taking persisted.
- Findings suggest a specific vulnerability in daughters of distressed mothers regarding affective decision-making.
More Related Videos
07:56Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
10.9K
08:09Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
12.3K
Related Concept Videos
01:20Decision Making
1.1K
Decision-making is a fundamental cognitive process that involves evaluating alternatives and selecting among them. This process can range from simple choices, such as deciding what to wear, to complex decisions, like choosing a major in college or a career path. The complexity of the decision often dictates the approach we use, which can be broadly categorized into two types: automatic and controlled decision-making.
Automatic decision-making is fast, intuitive, and relies on gut feelings...
Automatic decision-making is fast, intuitive, and relies on gut feelings...
1.1K
01:30Socioemotional Development during Infancy
976
Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Primary Temperament Types
976
01:20Psychological Responses to Stress
788
Psychological responses to stress encompass the various cognitive and emotional reactions individuals experience when faced with challenging or threatening situations, such as a job loss. Prolonged exposure to stressors can disturb emotional balance, increasing negative emotions (e.g., anxiety and sadness) and diminishing positive emotions (e.g., joy and satisfaction). These persistent emotional shifts are associated with an increased risk of both physical illness and mental health issues, such...
788
01:27Parenting Styles
778
Diana Baumrind's four parenting styles — authoritarian, authoritative, neglectful, and permissive — each influence children's socio-emotional development differently.
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative...
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative...
778
01:29Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
717
Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...
717
01:29Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
371
Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...
371