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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
Association between psychological resilience during pregnancy and infants' neuropsychological development
Yifei Pei1, Xuan Zhang1, Cheng Yu1
1School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China.
Background:
Adverse childhood experiences can have adverse health consequences for both mothers and their children. However, the effects of maternal psychological resilience as a positive factor in offspring development are unclear. This study therefore aimed to determine the association between maternal psychological resilience during pregnancy and the neuropsychological development of infants.
Methods:
Among 346 mother-infant pairs, mothers were categorized into four groups based on ACE exposure and prenatal psychological distress. Linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the associations with infant outcomes.
Results:
Compared to the Resilient group, infants of mothers in the Non-resilient group and the group with psychological distress but no adversity had higher (less favorable) scores in Approach and Adaptability (β = 2.124-3.113, ps < 0.05). Infants of mothers in the Non-resilient group and those with psychological distress exhibited lower Gross and Fine motor skills scores (β = -0.23 to -2.41, ps < 0.05). No significant differences were observed between the Resilient group and the group with neither adversity nor psychological distress.
Conclusions:
This indicates that psychological resilience during pregnancy may buffer the negative effects of mothers' adverse childhood experiences on healthy developmental outcomes in offspring. These results can help guide the development of early intervention strategies aimed at breaking the intergenerational perpetuation of risk.
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