Spat, Spite and Spit: Interparental Conflict, Child Adjustment and the Role of Children’s...
32
Spat, Spite and Spit: Interparental Conflict, Child Adjustment and the Role of Children’s Physiological Stress- System Activity Patricia Pendry Washington State University, Human Development
-
date post
19-Dec-2015 -
Category
Documents
-
view
218 -
download
0
Transcript of Spat, Spite and Spit: Interparental Conflict, Child Adjustment and the Role of Children’s...
Spat, Spite and Spit: Interparental Conflict, Child Adjustment and the Role of Children’s Physiological Stress-System Activity
Patricia PendryWashington State University, Human Development
Everything you have always wanted to know about spite and spit but were afraid to ask….
aka …
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2004
Introduction
BA Psychology Ph.D. Human Development and Social
PolicyInfancy and Early ChildhoodBiobehavioral Approach towards Family Life, Child Stress and Development
Research focus: Interparental Discord and Child Development
Background: What do we know?
ChildDevelopment
Interparental Conflict
Associations between Interparental Conflict and Child Adjustment across Developmental Domains (Buehler et.al., 1997; Grych & Fincham, 2001)
What don’t we know?
? ChildDevelopment
Interparental Conflict
Theoretical Perspective
HPA axis Activity
Child Development
Interparental Conflict
HPA - Axis: Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Adrenal
Marker of HPA axis activity: Cortisol
Cortisol is present in Saliva
Why do we care about cortisol?
HPA axis is sensitive to social stressors and supports
IPC is stressor Affects a wide variety of physiological systems Implications for short-term functioning and
long-term outcomes Measurable non-invasively and reliably in
naturalistic settings
Time 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Cortisol
Time 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Organization of the HPA-Axis: Circadian Release of Cortisol
HPA activity in response to stressor
Time 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Cortisol
Time 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Organization of the HPA-Axis: Momentary Reactivity to Stressor
Time 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Cortisol
Time 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Frequent/Chronic Activation: Dysregulation
Time 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Cortisol
Time 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
- Wake-up, Bedtime
- Slope
- AUC
Individual Differences in Basal Functioning
- CRT- CRTA
Child Cortisol
Marital Functioning
Pendry, P. & Adam, E.K. (2007). Associations between Parents’ Marital Functioning,Maternal Parenting Quality, Maternal Emotion and Child Cortisol Levels. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 31 (3), 218–231.
Prior work
Study 1 Results:
Do children living in homes with better marital functioning have lower average levels of cortisol than children living in homes with worse marital functioning?
Yes!
Parent Marital Functioning and Diurnal Cortisol Slopes of Kindergartners
-4
-3.5
-3
-2.5
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
Lower MF (-1SD) Higher MF (1SD)
wakeup bedtime
Log Child Corti-
sol (μg/dl)
Diurnal Slopes of Cortisol Production in
Kindergartners
ChildDevelopment
Physiological Stress-Activity
Interparental Conflict
Negative Emotionality
Current Study: Family Life and Stress Study
Participants and Procedures
2-parent families Child between 3-7 years In-Home by parents Part I:
Surveys from both parents 8 samples of child saliva
Part II, 18-24 months later: Surveys from both parents 8 samples of child saliva 75$ for Part, 75$ for Part II
Part III Labvisit
Method: Salivary Cortisol Sampling
Lick Dip Taste Swoosh
Spit in vial or cup
Close …. Tightly!
Great job … YOU get a sticker!
Sampling times
2 consecutive weekdays 8 samples in the home
Sampling times: Wake-up 30 minutes after 3.30 afternoon Bedtime
Measures
Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS-2; Straus & Hamby,
1996) Negotiation Psychological aggression
Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS; Spanier, 1976) Parental Involvement Depressive Symptomatology in last 2 weeks
(IDD) Child Behavior (CBCL) and Social Competence Child Temperament Questionnaire (CBQ)
Negative Emotionality (e.g., anger frustration, sadness)
Family Life and Stress Study: Research Question
Do children living in higher conflict homes have higher average levels of cortisol production than children living in lower conflict homes, and is this association moderated by children’s levels of negative emotionality?
Preliminary Results: Interparental Conflict and Children’s Average Cortisol Levels
-1SD 1SD0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
High NE
Average child
cortisol (μg/dl)
Interparental Conflict
Interparental Conflict on Diurnal Cortisol Slopes of High NE Children
-4
-3.5
-3
-2.5
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
Higher Discord (1SD)Lower Discord (-1SD)
wakeup bedtime
Log Child Corti-
sol (μg/dl)
Diurnal Slopes of Cortisol Production in
High NE children
-4
-3.5
-3
-2.5
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
Diurnal Slopes of Cortisol Production of
Low NE Children Higher Discord (1SD) Lower Discord (-1SD)
wakeup bedtime
Log Child
Cortisol (μg/dl)
Interparental Conflict and Diurnal Cortisol Slopes of Low NE Children
ChildDevelopment
Physiological Stress-Activity
Interparental Conflict
Negative Emotionality
Current Study: Family Life and Stress Study
Questions?
THANK YOU!
