Poster #95 - Maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences, Pregnancy Conditions, and Infant Behavior at 12 Months Postpartum

• In Event: 3-106 - Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: PS 11 Section - Family Context & Processes

Integrative Statement

Adverse childhood experiences (ACES) are associated with physical and mental health problems across the lifespan. Yet few studies have examined the effects of ACES on maternal health in pregnancy. Likewise, there is very little research focused on the intergenerational effects of maternal ACES on offspring behavioral health outcomes. Recent research suggests that maternal ACES are associated with infant developmental progress (Mcdonnell et al., 2016). We extend this prior research to focus on infant internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, and focus on maternal health and psychosocial conditions in pregnancy as potential mediating mechanisms. Two hundred and ninety-five mother-infant dyads recruited from Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clinics participated in this study. Mothers ranged in age from 18-44 years (Mean = 26 years) and were racially and ethnically diverse (40% Hispanic; 42% white, 19% black, 7% biracial, 32% other races). Sixty-one percent of mothers had less than or equal to a high school degree, 66% of the mothers were unemployed in pregnancy, and 44% were first time mothers. Fifty-four percent of infants were female. Mothers completed interviews and questionnaires to assess their adverse childhood experiences (ACES), depressive symptoms, domestic violence, and stress and health in pregnancy at the time of a prenatal enrollment assessment. At 12 months postpartum, mothers completed the Brief Infant Toddler Social Emotional Assessment (Briggs-Gowan et al., 2004) to assess infant internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Multiple regression and bootstrapping procedures (Hayes, 2017) were used to examine direct and indirect effects of maternal ACES on infant behavior problems. Results demonstrated that a) maternal ACES were positively associated with infant externalizing behavior problems (p < .01); b) maternal ACES were positively associated with maternal stress in pregnancy, maternal depressive symptoms in pregnancy, maternal physical health problems in pregnancy, and domestic violence in pregnancy (all p’s < .01); c) maternal depressive symptoms and physical health problems in pregnancy were positively associated with infant internalizing and externalizing behavior problems (p’s < .01); d) maternal depressive symptoms in pregnancy were positively associated with infant internalizing behavior problems (p < .001); e) maternal ACES exerted a significant indirect effect on infant internalizing problems through prenatal depressive symptoms (B =.03, SE = .02, CI = .0062 - .0837; Figure 1); and f) maternal ACES exerted a significant indirect effect on infant externalizing behaviors through maternal physical health problems in pregnancy (B = .06, SE = .04, CI: .0044 - .1515; Figure 2). Taken together, these results support the view that maternal ACES are relevant to maternal-child health, and that maternal experiences in pregnancy play an important role in the intergenerational effects of ACES. Supporting mothers with a trauma history during pregnancy, through promotion of maternal physical and mental health, may be advantageous for both mothers and infants. Applied implications and directions for future research will be discussed.

Authors

• Jadira Rodriguez, Bradley Hospital
  Presenting Author

• Laura Frank, Bradley/Hasbro Research Center
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ronald Seifer, Brown University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Stephanie H. Parade, Bradley Research Center/Brown University
  Non-Presenting Author