Poster #3 - Positive parenting moderates associations between childhood stress and corticolimbic structure

• In Event: Poster Session 04

Abstract

Stress exposure in childhood and adolescence can significantly compromise mental health and well-being (Cohen et al., 2019). Chronic stress is also related to alterations in key neural components of the stress response and changes in brain development, including in corticolimbic brain areas such as the amygdala and the hippocampus (Herzberg & Gunnar, 2020; Cohodes et al., 2021). Stressful life experiences, however, do not occur in isolation; resilience factors, including positive parenting (e.g., expressions of warmth and support), may be protective in the context of stress (Steinberg, 2001). Our study sought to determine whether positive parenting buffers against the negative impact of childhood stress on youth behavior and brain structure. We also aimed to center youth’s perspectives by investigating differences between youth-reported parenting and caregiver-reported parenting. Behavioral and neuroimaging data were collected from 482 youth (39% female, 61% male, ages 10-17) through The Healthy Brain Network research initiative. Both youth and caregivers completed self-report measures on negative life events, positive parenting behaviors, and demographics (see Table 1 for descriptive statistics). Youth also completed a scanning session at one of four neuroimaging sites.

We first examined if stress and parenting were related to youth behavioral problems. Regression models found that youth-reported positive parenting buffered against the association between negative life events and youth behavioral problems (𝛽 = -0.10, t = -2.07, p = 0.04) such that negative life events were associated with increased youth behavior problems only for youth who did not experience high levels of positive parenting. We next examined if stress was related to volumetric differences in the amygdala and hippocampus and if parenting moderated these relations. We were particularly interested in investigating differences between youth versus caregiver perceptions of positive parenting, predicting stronger interactive effects for youth reports of positive parenting compared to caregiver reports. Linear mixed-effects models (with a random effect of neuroimaging site) found that youth-reported positive parenting buffered against the association between negative life events and decreased hippocampal volumes (𝛽 = 0.07, t = 2.32, p = 0.02; see Figure 1). That is, youth who experienced high levels of childhood stress and who reported increased levels of positive parenting did not exhibit smaller hippocampal volumes. No significant interactions were found in models examining associations with caregiver-reported parenting or in relation to amygdala volumes.

Our work establishes positive parenting as a critical resilience factor buffering youth against the deleterious impact of stressful childhood experiences on problem behaviors and brain development. This study overcomes limitations of prior work through a) the large sample size (N = 482) and b) broadening the conceptualization of stress to include negative life events broadly (e.g., illnesses, injuries, death of loved ones, interpersonal problems). This lens is particularly relevant now more than ever given the many stressors caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. Our findings underscore the importance of centering youth perspectives of negative life stress and parenting practices to better understand neurobiology, mechanisms of resilience, and psychological well-being.

Authors

• Isabella Kahhale, University of Pittsburgh
  Presenting Author

• Kelly R Barry, University of Houston

• Jamie L Hanson, University of Pittsburgh