Mothering in the Face of Adversity: Prenatal depression and infant ACEs

• In Event: Poster Session 04
  In Poster Session: PS 04 Topic - Family Context & Processes

Abstract

Introduction: The 10 categories of adverse childhood experiences outlined in the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACEs) study represent stressors that are generally chronic and pervasive occurrences that have been strongly associated with poor physical and psychological health outcomes in adulthood (Danese et al., 2009; Nurius, Green, Logan-Greene, & Borja, 2015). Notably, ACEs have been shown to be a salient risk factor in the development of depressive symptoms across the lifespan (Anda et al., 2006), and recent research has demonstrated an association between ACEs and perinatal mental health, with greater ACEs exposure associated with greater risk for both prenatal and postpartum depression (Cooke et al., 2019; Mersky and Janczewski, 2018; Wajid et al., 2019). Importantly, prenatal depression has demonstrated long-lasting implications for both maternal and infant health and well-being (Brynes, 2018; O’Hara & McCabe, 2013) . Less is known regarding the relationship between prenatal depressive symptoms and the intergenerational continuity of adversity, or the transmission of negative effects on health and well-being in the subsequent generation (Letourneau et al., 2019; Schofield, Lee, & Merrick, 2013). Thus the purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between prenatal depression and infant ACEs, as well as the moderating role of maternal ACEs.

Methods: Data for the current study are from an ongoing clinic-based cohort study involving 177 pregnant women (ages 16-38) recruited from two university-affiliated perinatal clinics in a metropolitan area in a South-Central U.S. state. The sample for the current study was restricted to the 107 participants who responded to the first and third survey waves, conducted in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy. The Adverse Childhood Experiences-Short Form was used to assess both mother and infant exposure to adversity and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was conducted to assess prenatal depressive symptoms during her third trimester.

Results: Moderation analyses with bootstrapping procedures (Hayes, 2017; Preacher & Hayes, 2004, 2008) showed that maternal ACE score was a significant moderator in the association between prenatal depression and infant ACEs, with a statistically significant interaction term, [Infant ACEs X Maternal ACEs], β = .008, SE = .003, p < .05. The simple slopes were examined under low, moderate, and high levels of maternal ACEs, which represent the mean +/- 1 SD. Prenatal depressive symptoms were found to be a risk factor for infant ACEs at moderate and high levels of maternal ACEs.. See Figure 1.

Conclusion: Consistent with a life course and transgenerational theoretical approach, there is a need to consider how maternal ACEs may potentiate the role that depressive symptoms play in the transmission of adversity on the subsequent generation. The current findings suggest clinical implications such as the consideration of screening for maternal ACEs in relation to prevention of perinatal depression and negative infant outcomes.

Authors

• Samantha Addante, Oklahoma State University - Stillwater
  Presenting Author

• Stacy Tiemeyer, 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