Minor problem
Childhood Self-Regulation as a Mechanism Through Which Early Overcontrolling Parenting Is Associated With Adjustment in Preadolescence
Nicole Perry et al.
Developmental Psychology, forthcoming
Abstract:
We examined longitudinal associations across an 8-year time span between overcontrolling parenting during toddlerhood, self-regulation during early childhood, and social, emotional, and academic adjustment in preadolescence (N=422). Overcontrolling parenting, emotion regulation (ER), and inhibitory control (IC) were observed in the laboratory; preadolescent adjustment was teacher-reported and child self-reported. Results from path analysis indicated that overcontrolling parenting at age 2 was associated negatively with ER and IC at age 5, which, in turn, were associated with more child-reported emotional and school problems, fewer teacher-reported social skills, and less teacher-reported academic productivity at age 10. These effects held even when controlling for prior levels of adjustment at age 5, suggesting that ER and IC in early childhood may be associated with increases and decreases in social, emotional, and academic functioning from childhood to preadolescence. Finally, indirect effects from overcontrolling parenting at age 2 to preadolescent outcomes at age 10 were significant, both through IC and ER at age 5. These results support the notion that parenting during toddlerhood is associated with child adjustment into adolescence through its relation with early developing self-regulatory skills.
Cohort Differences in Mothers' Perceptions of Neighborhood Quality, Child Well‐being, and Parental Strain, 1976–2002
Kei Nomaguchi & Marshal Neal Fettro
Family Relations, forthcoming
Method: Data from 2 national samples of mothers with children between 6 and 12 years of age in the United States collected in 1976 and 2002 (N = 2,465) were analyzed using ordinary least squares regression models.
Results: Mothers in 2002 reported better neighborhood quality and better health of their children than mothers in 1976, even after sociodemographic advantages of mothers in 2002 relative to 1976 were taken into account. Despite these sociodemographic advantages of mothers in 2002, there was little difference in mothers' reports of their children's behavioral adjustments between the 2 cohorts. Furthermore, albeit among Whites only, mothers in 2002 reported more parental strain than did mothers in 1976. There was little variation in mothers' perceptions by socioeconomic status (as measured by a college degree).
Conclusion: Our results support the idea of a stressed‐moms phenomenon in the contemporary United States, particularly among Whites.
Examining the Association of Antidepressant Prescriptions With First Abortion and First Childbirth
Julia Steinberg et al.
JAMA Psychiatry, forthcoming
Design, Setting, and Participants: This study linked data and identified a cohort of women from Danish population registries who were born in Denmark between January 1, 1980, and December 30, 1994. Overall, 396 397 women were included in this study; of these women, 30 834 had a first-trimester first abortion and 85 592 had a first childbirth.
Results: Of 396 397 women whose data were analyzed, 17 294 (4.4%) had a record of at least 1 first-trimester abortion and no children, 72 052 (18.2%) had at least 1 childbirth and no abortions, 13 540 (3.4%) had at least 1 abortion and 1 childbirth, and 293 511 (74.1%) had neither an abortion nor a childbirth. A total of 59 465 (15.0%) had a record of first antidepressant use. In the basic and fully adjusted models, relative to women who had not had an abortion, women who had a first abortion had a higher risk of first-time antidepressant use. However, the fully adjusted IRRs that compared women who had an abortion with women who did not have an abortion were not statistically different in the year before the abortion (IRR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.38-1.54) and the year after the abortion (IRR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.45-1.62) (P = .10) and decreased as time from the abortion increased (1-5 years: IRR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.19-1.29; >5 years: IRR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.05-1.18). The fully adjusted IRRs that compared women who gave birth with women who did not give birth were lower in the year before childbirth (IRR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.43-0.50) compared with the year after childbirth (IRR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.88-0.98) (P < .001) and increased as time from the childbirth increased (1-5 years: IRR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.47-1.56; >5 years: IRR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.91-2.09). Across all women in the sample, the strongest risk factors associated with antidepressant use in the fully adjusted model were having a previous psychiatric contact (IRR, 3.70; 95% CI, 3.62-3.78), having previously obtained an antianxiety medication (IRR, 3.03; 95% CI, 2.99-3.10), and having previously obtained antipsychotic medication (IRR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.81-1.96).
Conclusions and Relevance: Women who have abortions are more likely to use antidepressants compared with women who do not have abortions. However, additional aforementioned findings from this study support the conclusion that increased use of antidepressants is not attributable to having had an abortion but to differences in risk factors for depression. Thus, policies based on the notion that abortion harms women's mental health may be misinformed.
The Effect of Pharmacist Refusal Clauses on Contraception, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Birthrates
Justine Mallatt
Purdue University Working Paper, May 2018
Abstract:
Emergency contraceptive drugs like Plan B are controversial, and there have been cases within at least 25 states of pharmacists refusing to provide the drug to patients. In response to pressure from activist groups on both sides of the debate, some states passed “Expand” laws which expand access to emergency contraception and protect patients’ rights to receive prescribed drugs regardless of pharmacists’ personal beliefs. Other states passed “Restrict” laws that restrict access to emergency contraception and favor pharmacists’ rights of refusal. This paper emphasizes substitution behavior among contraception spurred by the policies, and is the first study to examine the effects of so-called “pharmacist refusal clauses” on contraceptive outcomes, rates of sexually transmitted infections, and birthrates. I find that the laws cause a 12-26% increase in the prescribing rate of regular birth control pills purchased through Medicaid, and cause decreases in purchases of condoms as well as over-the-counter Plan B. There is no evidence that the policies have effects on rates of sexually transmitted diseases, however the states that pass the Restrict policy (favoring pharmacists’ rights of refusal) realize a statistically significant and robust 1.16% decrease in the birthrate among black mothers. While I am not able to measure the effect of the policies on actual rates of pharmacist refusal, my findings suggest that thousands of cautious women change their behavior in response to the policies by adopting the birth control pill.
Social Disadvantage and Instability in Older Adults' Ties to Their Adult Children
Alyssa Goldman & Benjamin Cornwell
Journal of Marriage and Family, forthcoming
Methods: The authors use two waves of data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (N = 1,456), a nationally representative, longitudinal study of older Americans. Through a series of multivariate regression models, the authors examine how race and education are associated with how frequently older adults reported being in contact with child network members, and how likely older adults were to stop naming their children as network members over time.
Results: African American and less educated individuals reported significantly more frequent contact with their adult child network members than did Whites and more educated individuals. Nevertheless, African American and less educated older adults were also more likely to stop naming their children as network confidants over time.
Reductions of intimate partner violence resulting from supplementing children with omega‐3 fatty acids: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, stratified, parallel‐group trial
Jill Portnoy et al.
Aggressive Behavior, forthcoming
Abstract:
Omega‐3 supplementation has been found to reduce externalizing behavior in children. Reciprocal models of parent‐child behavior suggest that improving child behavior could lead to improvements in parent behavior, however no study has examined whether omega‐3 supplementation in children could reduce intimate partner violence or child maltreatment by their adult caregivers. In this randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, stratified, parallel group trial, a community sample of children were randomized to receive either a fruit drink containing 1 gm of omega‐3 fats (Smartfish Recharge; Omega‐3 group, n = 100) or the same fruit drink without omega‐3's (Placebo group, n = 100). Child participants, adult caregivers, and research staff were blinded to group assignment. Adult caregivers reported inter‐partner and child‐directed physical assault and psychological aggression at baseline, 6 months (end of treatment) and 12 months (6 months post‐treatment) using the Conflicts Tactics Scale. Caregivers of children in the omega‐3 group reported long‐term reductions in psychological aggression in a group × time interaction. Improvements in adult psychological aggression were correlated with improvements in child externalizing behavior scores. No differences were reported for child maltreatment. This study is the first to show that omega‐3 supplementation in children can reduce inter‐partner psychological aggression among adult caregivers not receiving supplements. Findings suggest that improving child behavior through omega‐3 supplementation could have long‐term benefits to the family system as a whole.
Access to Medication Abortion Among California's Public University Students
Ushma Upadhyay, Alice Cartwright & Nicole Johns
Journal of Adolescent Health, forthcoming
Purpose: A proposed California law will require student health centers at public universities to provide medication abortion. To understand its potential impact, we sought to describe current travel time, costs, and wait times to access care at the nearest abortion facilities.
Methods: We projected total medication abortion use based on campus enrollment figures and age- and state-adjusted abortion rates. We calculated distance and public transit time from campuses to the nearest abortion facility. We contacted existing abortion-providing facilities to determine costs, insurance acceptance, and wait times.
Results: We estimate 322 to 519 California public university students seek medication abortions each month. As many as 62% of students at these universities were more than 30 minutes from the closest abortion facility via public transportation. Average cost of medication abortion was $604, and average wait time to the first available appointment was one week.