Raija-Leena Punamäki, Safwat Y Diab, Konstantinos Drosos, Samir R Quota
{"title":"The impact of mother's mental health, infant characteristics and war trauma on the acoustic features of infant-directed singing.","authors":"Raija-Leena Punamäki, Safwat Y Diab, Konstantinos Drosos, Samir R Quota","doi":"10.1002/imhj.70036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.70036","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Infant-directed singing (IDSi) is a natural means of dyadic communication that contributes to children's mental health by enhancing emotion expression, close relationships, exploration and learning. Therefore, it is important to learn about factors that impact the IDSi. This study modeled the mother- (mental health), infant- (emotional responses and health status) and environment (war trauma)-related factors influencing acoustic IDSi features, such as pitch (F0) variability, amplitude and vibration and the F0 contour of shapes and movements. The participants were 236 mothers and infants from Gaza, the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The mothers reported their mental health problems, infants' emotionality and regulation skills, and, along with pediatric checkups, illnesses and disorders, as well as traumatic war events that were also photo documented. The results showed that the mothers' mental health problems and infants' poor health status were associated with IDSi, characterized by narrow and lifeless amplitude and vibration, and poor health was also associated with the limited and rigid shapes and movements of F0 contours. Traumatic war events were associated with flat and narrow F0 variability and the monotonous and invariable resonance and rhythm of IDSi formants. The infants' emotional responses did not impact IDSi. The potential of protomusical singing to help war-affected dyads is discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":48026,"journal":{"name":"Infant Mental Health Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144776636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Muhammad Aledeh, Adewale Allen Sokan-Adeaga, Falilat Braimah, Robert Trevethan
{"title":"Assessing a new scale to measure parental functioning: Outcomes from mothers at child-health clinics of a university teaching hospital in Benin City, Nigeria.","authors":"Muhammad Aledeh, Adewale Allen Sokan-Adeaga, Falilat Braimah, Robert Trevethan","doi":"10.1002/imhj.70035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.70035","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study was conducted primarily to investigate the basic psychometric properties of a new instrument, the Parenting-an-Infant Competence Scale (PICS), with a sample of middle- and upper-income Nigerian mothers. A secondary aim was to produce a foundation for comparisons with other parents. Data were obtained from 184 mothers who attended child-health clinics at a university hospital in Benin City, Edo State. Most of the item-level attributes of the PICS were desirable, and exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) revealed four distinct factors: resilience, support and effectiveness, satisfaction as a mother, and mental and physical well-being. For the most part, the mothers reported positive functioning on all four factors. The results indicated that the PICS had more desirable psychometric attributes than a similar scale, the Barkin Index of Maternal Functioning (BIMF). The satisfactory performance of the PICS with a specific sample in Nigeria establishes the possibility that the scale could serve as a foundation for assessing and comparing other parents in Nigeria as well as parents in other countries-including countries that, unlike Nigeria, do not have a collectivist orientation.</p>","PeriodicalId":48026,"journal":{"name":"Infant Mental Health Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144643844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Misty D Krippel, Michaelene M Ostrosky, Catherine Corr, Kathyrn M Bailey
{"title":"Learning Landscapes, caregivers, and young children: Results from a multiple methods study.","authors":"Misty D Krippel, Michaelene M Ostrosky, Catherine Corr, Kathyrn M Bailey","doi":"10.1002/imhj.70034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.70034","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Learning Landscapes (LLs) are family-friendly structures that transform community spaces (e.g., parks and bus stops) into engaging activities. The community structures are designed to encourage children to explore their environment while fostering developmentally supportive interactions (DSI) and learning opportunities between caregivers and children, including children with disabilities. Playful learning provided through LLs could result in developmental gains for children from lower-income backgrounds. The purpose of this multiple methods study, conducted in the US, was to examine 10 caregivers' perceptions and play interactions with their children while at one outdoor LL. Observational data revealed high caregiver-child engagement, and interview data indicated that caregivers perceived improved positive interactions during LL activities. The LL also promoted caregivers' knowledge of child development and impacted some participants' perceptions of generalized strategy use. Taken together, environmental prompts, such as those within LLs, can promote DSI in everyday environments, offering opportunities to boost children's early development.</p>","PeriodicalId":48026,"journal":{"name":"Infant Mental Health Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144627417","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rachel J Herman, Diego I Barcala-Delgado, Christina A Rowley, Alexandrea L Craft, Marsha Kline Pruett, Nancy Byatt, Maureen Perry-Jenkins
{"title":"Partner-inclusive prenatal intervention to promote parenting readiness: Results from a pilot trial.","authors":"Rachel J Herman, Diego I Barcala-Delgado, Christina A Rowley, Alexandrea L Craft, Marsha Kline Pruett, Nancy Byatt, Maureen Perry-Jenkins","doi":"10.1002/imhj.70033","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.70033","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Structural inequities in the United States limit access to prenatal parenting education and supports for many pregnant people and their partners. This pilot trial aimed to evaluate the impact of a novel partner-inclusive intervention on new parents' knowledge of developmentally appropriate early parenting practices. Forty-two participants were assigned to the 6-week group intervention and 38 participants were assigned to a usual care comparison group. The sample was racially and ethnically diverse and participants were required to meet study income restrictions. Participants were interviewed at three time points: Time 1 (pre-intervention; 12-18 weeks gestation), Time 2 (post-intervention;18-24 weeks gestation), and Time 3 (6 weeks postnatal) to assess knowledge regarding infant development and parenting practices, parenting self-competence, parenting stress, and the coparenting relationship. Dyadic Hierarchical Linear Models were used to test whether the intervention was associated with changes and levels in parenting readiness. Results revealed that parent dyads reported increased knowledge of infant development, increased parenting self-competence, and less parenting stress following the intervention relative to comparison group participants. No significant intervention effects were observed for the coparenting relationship. The accessible nature of the PREParing for Parenthood program makes it a promising intervention to promote parenting readiness among pregnant people and their partners.</p>","PeriodicalId":48026,"journal":{"name":"Infant Mental Health Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144512613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sophie Barriault, Mary Motz, Lamia Firasta, Hannah McDowell, Patrick R Labelle, Nancy Poole, Nicole Racine
{"title":"Effects of integrated programs for substance-involved mothers on infant and child development outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Sophie Barriault, Mary Motz, Lamia Firasta, Hannah McDowell, Patrick R Labelle, Nancy Poole, Nicole Racine","doi":"10.1002/imhj.70029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.70029","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Maternal substance use is a pressing public health issue that confers risk for maternal health, the parent-infant relationship, and child development. Integrated interventions that jointly address maternal substance use and child development have shown promise for enhancing child outcomes. No research to date has focused exclusively on the outcomes of young children or examined potential moderators of the effect sizes of integrated programs. This review evaluates the pooled effect of integrated interventions for substance-involved mothers on the developmental outcomes of their children. A comprehensive search strategy was conducted in seven databases (APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL, Embase, MEDLINE, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science) from January 2011 and May 2023. Studies were included if they reported on an intervention with at least one substance use treatment and one parenting or child treatment service for substance-involved mothers of children under 6 years of age. A total of 21 studies met inclusion criteria, and 14 nonoverlapping studies reported on effect sizes with a pooled effect size of SMD = .470 (95% CI = .35, .59). There was a trend toward treatment duration being a significant moderator (p = .08). Additional high-quality studies are needed to demonstrate the long-term impact of these interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":48026,"journal":{"name":"Infant Mental Health Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144512612","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Angela Sillars, Ahava Vogelstein, Pamela J Oatis, Annie Davis Schoch, Anna Cole, Pamala Trivedi, Maya Coleman
{"title":"Building a culture of connection in early childhood education: The Hand in Hand Foundations Course.","authors":"Angela Sillars, Ahava Vogelstein, Pamela J Oatis, Annie Davis Schoch, Anna Cole, Pamala Trivedi, Maya Coleman","doi":"10.1002/imhj.70030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.70030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Healthy early childhood development unfolds in the context of relationships with important caregivers, including early educators. Grounded in the evidence on early relational health, the 8-week Hand in Hand Foundations Course for Early Childhood Educators teaches a novel connection-based approach to understanding and responding to young children's emotions. Educators learn five tools for bolstering connection during emotional experiences (Staylistening), increasing positive and playful interactions with children (Special Time, Playlistening), responding to challenging behavior (Setting Limits), and creating sustainable, peer-supported reflective practice groups (Listening Partnerships). The goal is to foster stronger educator-child relationships, improve well-being for educators and children, and build a culture of connection and reflection in ECE. This mixed-methods pilot study of the Foundations Course in the United States investigated educators' experiences with the course, soliciting input on the feasibility of using the tools in the classroom and areas for improving the course. Educators reported that the theories resonated with them, they incorporated many of the tools, and they saw benefits for children and the ECE community. They also expressed a need for ongoing learning opportunities, implementation scaffolding, and organizational support. These findings have implications for supporting educator and child social-emotional health and potential future revisions for the course.</p>","PeriodicalId":48026,"journal":{"name":"Infant Mental Health Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144477290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"What makes mothers happy and unhappy during pregnancy and postpartum? A qualitative investigation of beliefs from Gamo mothers in Southern Ethiopia.","authors":"Lauren R Bader, Courtney Helfrecht, Eyob Defersha","doi":"10.1002/imhj.70032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.70032","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Depression during pregnancy and postpartum has implications for the health and well-being of mothers and infants, yet investigations have largely been limited to high-income countries. In this study, we explore Gamo mothers' perceptions of happiness, unhappiness, and emotional well-being during pregnancy and after birth. We interviewed 42 Gamo mothers of infants living in a rural highland community in Southern Ethiopia. We analyzed interviews to determine shared themes from mothers' descriptions of what brings happiness and unhappiness, and descriptions of what types of help can be provided to mothers experiencing emotional unwellness. Gamo mothers consistently said that resources and maternal/child health contributed to what makes mothers happy and unhappy during pregnancy and postpartum. During pregnancy, mothers' access to specific foods was largely associated with happiness, while limited access to these was associated with unhappiness, as were health issues of the infant and mother. Postpartum happiness was situated around a healthy, uncomplicated delivery and a healthy baby, whereas unhappiness was associated with a lack of resources. This study gives context to mothers' mental health and demonstrates underlying concerns mothers have in resource-limited, high-risk environments. Public health campaigns and local health officials should understand the context of mothers' concerns to address peripartum mental health.</p>","PeriodicalId":48026,"journal":{"name":"Infant Mental Health Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144477291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elijah T Olivas, Soim Park, Abid Malik, Ahmed Zaidi, Najia Atif, Atif Rahman, Pamela J Surkan
{"title":"An intervention to address prenatal anxiety improves maternal-infant bonding, with effects mediated by maternal-infant responsiveness, maternal self-efficacy, and postpartum depression.","authors":"Elijah T Olivas, Soim Park, Abid Malik, Ahmed Zaidi, Najia Atif, Atif Rahman, Pamela J Surkan","doi":"10.1002/imhj.70022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.70022","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Prenatal anxiety is associated with poor postpartum infant-child relationships. Thus strategies that improve prenatal anxiety could also affect this relationship. We investigated the effects of an intervention to address prenatal anxiety on maternal-infant bonding and examined the potential mediating roles of maternal self-efficacy, maternal-infant responsiveness, and postpartum depression. Data were collected between 2019 and 2022 as part of a randomized controlled trial to treat prenatal anxiety using cognitive behavioral therapy. Participants included 701 pregnant women aged 18 or older with symptoms of anxiety, but not depression, attending a tertiary hospital in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Women randomized to the intervention arm demonstrated significantly lower scores on the postpartum bonding questionnaire (B = -3.05, 95% CI: -4.98, -1.12), indicating stronger bonding. Responsiveness, self-efficacy, and postpartum depression significantly mediated 38%, 66%, and 95% of the association between the intervention and bonding, respectively. These mediators may be useful targets to improve maternal-infant bonding among women with prenatal anxiety.</p>","PeriodicalId":48026,"journal":{"name":"Infant Mental Health Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144303320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sara Cibralic, Mary Xu, Nancy Wallace, Susan Morgan, Angelique Roth, Hannah Chau, Jane Kohlhoff
{"title":"The role of child language ability and parental mentalization in early child dysregulation.","authors":"Sara Cibralic, Mary Xu, Nancy Wallace, Susan Morgan, Angelique Roth, Hannah Chau, Jane Kohlhoff","doi":"10.1002/imhj.70028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.70028","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dysregulation in early childhood is associated with increased vulnerability to psychopathology and poor psychosocial outcomes. While there is evidence that both child language ability and parental mentalization are associated with dysregulation in early childhood, there is little understanding of the relationships between these variables, and minimal research has been conducted in clinical samples. This study tested the association between child language ability (using the Mullens Scale of Early Learning) and child dysregulation (using the Child Behavior Checklist Dysregulation Profile), and examined whether parental mentalization (operationalized as Parental Reflective Functioning and Mind-Mindedness, assessed using Diamond Maternal Reflective Functioning Scale and interactional 20-min play sessions, respectively) mediated this relationship, in a clinical sample of 90 mother-child dyads (child M age = 19.48 months, SD = 3.15) referred to a specialized community-based child behavior treatment clinic located in Sydney, Australia. Results showed that greater child receptive language and better parental reflective functioning were associated with lower rates of child dysregulation. Contrary to expectation, however, parental mentalization did not mediate the relationship between child language and dysregulation.These findings suggest that clinically, children with dysregulation may benefit from interventions targeting receptive language and parental reflective functioning; however, further research in this area is required.</p>","PeriodicalId":48026,"journal":{"name":"Infant Mental Health Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144286860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jazzmin Demy, Marc Jambon, Mark Wade, Amy Muise, Heather Prime
{"title":"Secondary benefits of a brief couples intervention on coparenting through relationship quality and partner conflict.","authors":"Jazzmin Demy, Marc Jambon, Mark Wade, Amy Muise, Heather Prime","doi":"10.1002/imhj.70027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.70027","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In two-parent households, the interparental relationship and coparenting alliance are central to the well-being of family relationships and young children. The current study examines whether participation in a brief, online, couple-focused relationship intervention has collateral benefits to coparenting indirectly through improvements in couple relationship quality and conflict frequency, respectively. A community sample of couples with young children in Canada (N = 140 couples; 280 participants; 91.4% heterosexual; 61.1% White; 49.3% women) participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). The intervention group was taught conflict reappraisal strategies, whereas the control group received an inactive control task. Both members of the couple reported on perceived relationship quality and conflict frequency (at baseline and post-intervention), and coparenting (at baseline, 1-month, and 3-month follow-up). Controlling for baseline levels, a longitudinal, parallel mediation analysis including relationship quality and conflict frequency as mediators indicated that the indirect effect of random assignment to the intervention to coparenting via relationship quality was significant, but not through conflict frequency. There are positive cascading effects of a couple-focused intervention onto the relationship between parents, which in turn enhances their ability to work together to raise their child. Findings help to bridge intervention research across relationship, family, and developmental science.</p>","PeriodicalId":48026,"journal":{"name":"Infant Mental Health Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144259126","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}