The Role of Personality on the Association Between Maternal ACES and Perceived Stress

• In Event: The impact of stress and coping on development: Measurement and mechanisms

Abstract

BACKGROUND Perceived stress during pregnancy has been shown to affect maternal psychosocial functioning and increase the likelihood for development of postpartum depressive symptoms (Leung et al., 2005; Corwin et al., 2005). There are many factors that can increase the risk for stress during pregnancy, including a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and even some personality factors. ACEs have been implicated as a potent risk factor for psychosocial stress (Manyema et al., 2018), and have been associated with pregnancy stress (Armans et al., in press). Likewise, the five dimensions of personality have also been shown to affect an individual’s assessment of everyday situations, including perceptions of stress (Ebstrup, 2011). Importantly, personality factors have been associated with a history of ACEs, such that exposure to childhood adversity increases the risk for emotional instability and high levels of neuroticism (Fletcher & Schurer, 2017; Hengartner et al., 2015). There is growing evidence to suggest that personality factors, particularly related to emotional stability, may be a mechanism through which ACEs disrupt psychosocial functioning (McDonald et al., 2019). The current study examined how these three constructs were related, exploring the personality trait of emotional stability as a mediator for the relationship between maternal ACEs and perceived stress during pregnancy.

METHODS Participants included 169 of pregnant women recruited in their first trimester who completed the Ten Item Personality Inventory which includes measures of extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness, and emotional stability (neuroticism) (TIPI; Gosling, Rentfrow, & Swann, 2003). Participants also completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS; Cohen, 1994), and the Adverse Childhood Experiences scale (ACES; Felitti et al., 1998).

RESULTS Preliminary analysis suggested positive correlations between perceived stress and ACEs, and negative correlations between perceived stress and emotional stability (see Table 1). Mediation analysis was conducted using PROCESS macro of SPSS (Hayes, 2013). Results indicate that higher ACEs score was associated with lower levels of emotional stability. Furthermore, lower emotional stability was associated with higher levels of perceived stress. There was a significant indirect association between ACEs and perceived stress through emotion stability (IE: b = .29; 95% CI = .11, .50).

CONCLUSION Findings suggest that interruptions in the development of emotion stability may be one consequence of early adverse experiences that subsequently interferes with psychosocial functioning, and in this case, increases the risk for perceived stress during pregnancy. Specifically, a lack of emotional stability may be an important predictor of how mothers with histories of ACEs will experience and cope with stress during pregnancy. These findings have implications for screening and intervention to identify and help mothers at risk for perinatal stress, as well as recognizing risk factors for maternal mental health issues that could be influential on the parent-child relationship and subsequent child development.

Authors

• Kristin Fields, Oklahoma State University - Stillwater
  Presenting Author

• Samantha Addante, Oklahoma State University - Stillwater
  Non-Presenting Author

• Gina Erato, Oklahoma State University - Stillwater
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ashley N Quigley, Oklahoma State University - Stillwater
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lucia Ciciolla, Oklahoma State University - Stillwater
  Non-Presenting Author

• Karina M. Shreffler, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
  Non-Presenting Author