Predictability of parent interaction positively influences child's development
August 15, 2019
Science Daily/University of Turku
Scientists have investigated the impact of the predictability of parent interaction on a child's development. The study showed that a higher predictability of the parent's interaction signals in infancy was associated with the child's ability to better control and regulate their own actions and emotions.
It has been recognised for a long time that a child's attachment and ability to regulate emotions are built on a reasonably good interaction with their parents. The importance of the quality of interaction is emphasised during the first few years, when the child's brain is still particularly sensitive to the effects of the environment. Sufficient predictability of the environment and interaction is thought to be an important factor in an infant's brain development.
The newly published joint study of the University of Turku, Finland, and the University of California-Irvine, US, used a novel method for analysing interaction between a parent and child. Professor Elysia Poggi Davis from the University of Denver, Professor Tallie Z. Baram from the University of California-Irvine, and their research groups have developed a completely new tool for studying the predictability of parents' interaction signals on a micro level called Estimation of Behavioral Entropy Rate.
"The method is used to objectively calculate how predictable interaction patterns are formed from a parent's single interaction signals. Its development was based on animal studies which showed that the predictability of interaction signals are connected to the development of the offspring's brain," says Professor Poggi Davis.
Predictable interaction has a positive effect on child's self-regulation
The study showed that a higher predictability of the parent's interaction signals in infancy was associated with the child's ability to better control and regulate their own actions and emotions.
"In other words, poorly predictable or intermittent interactions were associated with a poorer self-regulation in the child. The same result was found in both Finnish and Californian data, despite their socio-economic and cultural differences," explains Associate Professor Riikka Korja from the University of Turku.
The study supports the idea that it is important to have peaceful and uninterrupted moments of interaction with infants every day.
"Parents of young children should be provided with all the support they need to reduce stress. The parent's own self-regulation and ability of settling into their infant's early months is tied to their situation in life," adds Korja.
At present, it is especially important to study the unpredictability of the environment and its significance as interaction between the parent and infant is threatened by surprising interruptions, such as pressure of being online all the time and stress factors related to a hectic lifestyle.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190815113732.htm
Preterm children have similar temperament to children who were institutionally deprived
November 12, 2019
Science Daily/University of Warwick
A child's temperament is affected by the early stages of their life, research suggests. Researchers from the University of Warwick, the University of Tennessee, University of Southampton and Kings College London have found children who were born very preterm (under 32 weeks gestation) or very low birthweight (under 1500g) had similar temperamental difficulties in controlling their impulses, to children who experienced institutional deprivation.
The paper 'A Comparison of the Effects of Preterm Birth and Institutional Deprivation on Child Temperament', published today, 12 November in the journal Development and Psychopathology, highlights how different adverse experiences such as preterm birth and institutional deprivation affect children's temperament in similar ways, resulting in greater risk for lower self-control.
The team of researchers, from the University of Warwick, University of Tennessee, University of Southampton and King's College London looked at children who were born very preterm, or very low birth weight from the Bavarian Longitudinal study, and children who experienced at least six months of institutional deprivation -- a lack of adequate, loving caregivers -- in Romanian institutions from the English and Romanian Adoptees study, who were then compared to 311 healthy term born children and 52 non-deprived adoptees, respectively.
The researchers found that both groups of children had lower effortful control at 6 years.
This is the first study that directly compares the effects of severe preterm birth and extended institutional deprivation, and suggests that self-control interventions early in life may promote the development of children after both risk experiences.
Prof Dieter Wolke from the Department of Psychology at the University of Warwick comments: "Both, early care either in an incubator or deprivation and neglect in an orphanage lead to poor effortful control. We need to further determine how this early deprivation alters the brain."
Lucia Miranda Reyes, from the Department of Child and Family Studies at the University of Tennessee comments: "These findings suggest that children's poor effortful control may underlie long-term social problems associated with early adverse experiences; thus, improving their self-control may also help prevent these later problems."
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/11/191112110211.htm
Preterm babies are less likely to form romantic relationships in adulthood
July 12, 2019
Science Daily/University of Warwick
Adults who were born pre-term (under 37 weeks gestation) are less likely to have a romantic relationship, a sexual partner and experience parenthood than those born full term. The meta-analysis by researchers at the University of Warwick with data from up to 4.4 million adult participants showed that those born preterm are 28% less likely to ever be in a romantic relationship.
A meta-analysis conducted by researchers from the Department of Psychology at the University of Warwick has published 'Association of Preterm Birth/Low Birth Weight with Romantic Partnership, Sexual Intercourse and Parenthood in Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis' in JAMA Network Open today, 12th of July. They have found that adults who were born pre-term are less likely to form romantic relationships than full-term peers.
In the analysis 4.4 million adult participants those born preterm were 28% less likely to form romantic relationships and 22% less likely to become parents, when compared to those born full term.
Those studies that looked at sexual relations of pre-term children found that they were 2.3 times less likely to ever have a sexual partner when compared to full terms.
Those adults who were born very (<32 weeks gestation) or extremely preterm <28 weeks gestation) had even lower chances of experiencing sexual relationships, finding a romantic partner or having children at the same age as those born full term, with the extremely pre-term born adults being 3.2 times less likely to ever having sexual relations.
Close and intimate relationships have been shown to increase happiness and well-being both physically and mentally. However, studies also show that forming those relationships is harder for pre-term born adults, as they are usually timid, socially withdrawn and low in risk-taking and fun seeking.
Despite having fewer close relationships, this meta-analysis also revealed that when preterm born adults had friends or a partner, the quality of these relationships was at least as good in preterms compared to full term born adults.
First author of the paper, Dr Marina Goulart de Mendonça from the Department of Psychology at the University of Warwick comments:
"The finding that adults who were born pre-term are less likely to have a partner, to have sex and become parents does not appear to be explained by a higher rate of disability. Rather preterm born children have been previously found to have poorer social interactions in childhood that make it harder for them to master social transitions such as finding a partner, which in turn is proven to boost your wellbeing."
The senior author, Professor Dieter Wolke, from the Department of Psychology at the University of Warwick adds:
"Those caring for preterm children including parent's health professionals and teachers should be more aware of the important role of social development and social integration for pre-term children. As preterm children tend to be more timid and shy, supporting them making friends and be integrated in their peer group will help them to find romantic partners, have sexual relationships and to become parents. All of which enhances wellbeing."
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/07/190712120217.htm