In this study, we utilized a novel fMRI paradigm to examine the behavioral and neural correlates ... more In this study, we utilized a novel fMRI paradigm to examine the behavioral and neural correlates of parenting self-evaluation in a sample of mothers with at least one child under the age of 4 (N = 37). Prior self-report, behavioral and observational research document the implications of parenting self-evaluations for parent well-being and caregiving behavior; however, relatively little is known about the neural circuitry underlying these self-referential processes and to what extent they are influenced by caregiving experience. Although neuroimaging paradigms indexing other aspects of parental function exist, this is the first to use functional neuroimaging to study parenting self-evaluation in a controlled laboratory setting. We found parenting self-evaluations elicited significantly greater activity across most cortical midline structures, including the medial prefrontal cortex compared to control evaluations; these findings converge with previous work on the neural underpinning o...
Early adverse experiences are well understood to affect development and well-being, placing indiv... more Early adverse experiences are well understood to affect development and well-being, placing individuals at risk for negative physical and mental health outcomes. A growing literature documents the effects of adversity on developing neurobiological systems. Fewer studies have examined stress neurobiology to understand how to mitigate the effects of early adversity. This review summarizes the research on three neurobiological systems relevant to interventions for populations experiencing high levels of early adversity: the hypothalamic-adrenal-pituitary axis, the prefrontal cortex regions involved in executive functioning, and the system involved in threat detection and response, particularly the amygdala. Also discussed is the emerging field of epigenetics and related interventions to mitigate early adversity. Further emphasized is the need for intervention research to integrate knowledge about the neurobiological effects of prenatal stressors (e.g., drug use, alcohol exposure) and e...
Emerging adults of Color are at increased risk for interpersonal trauma, including physical, sexu... more Emerging adults of Color are at increased risk for interpersonal trauma, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse (Porter & Williams, 2011). Understanding victims’ awareness of the existence and impact of their own trauma history is important for research and clinical work. However, because of trauma awareness processes (e.g., underreporting), it is challenging to accurately measure awareness of trauma. Based on betrayal trauma theory (Freyd, 1996), the concept of rotating betrayal blindness theorizes that awareness of past trauma may shift across contexts and time (Noll & Gómez, 2013). The purpose of the current study is to provide an initial validation of the Betrayal Blindness Questionnaires (BBQs) among a sample of emerging adults of Color with trauma histories using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). With its three questionnaires assessing past memory (PM-BBQ), current memory (CM-BBQ), and rotating betrayal blindness (R-BBQ), the BBQs measure the past and present impact ...
Infant faces are highly salient social stimuli that appear to elicit intuitive parenting behavior... more Infant faces are highly salient social stimuli that appear to elicit intuitive parenting behaviors in healthy adult women. Behavioral and observational studies indicate that this effect may be modulated by experiences of reproduction, caregiving, and psychiatric symptomatology that affect normative attention and reward processing of infant cues. However, relatively little is known about the neural correlates of these effects. Using the event-related potential (ERP) technique, this study investigated the impact of parental status (mother, non-mother) and depression symptoms on early visual processing of infant faces in a community sample of adult women. Specifically, the P1 and N170 ERP components elicited in response to infant face stimuli were examined. While characteristics of the N170 were not modulated by parental status, a statistically significant positive correlation was observed between depression symptom severity and N170 amplitude. This relationship was not observed for the P1. These results suggest that depression symptoms may modulate early neurophysiological responsiveness to infant cues, even at sub-clinical levels.
In this study, we utilized a novel fMRI paradigm to examine the behavioral and neural correlates ... more In this study, we utilized a novel fMRI paradigm to examine the behavioral and neural correlates of parenting self-evaluation in a sample of mothers with at least one child under the age of 4 (N = 37). Prior self-report, behavioral and observational research document the implications of parenting self-evaluations for parent well-being and caregiving behavior; however, relatively little is known about the neural circuitry underlying these self-referential processes and to what extent they are influenced by caregiving experience. Although neuroimaging paradigms indexing other aspects of parental function exist, this is the first to use functional neuroimaging to study parenting self-evaluation in a controlled laboratory setting. We found parenting self-evaluations elicited significantly greater activity across most cortical midline structures, including the medial prefrontal cortex compared to control evaluations; these findings converge with previous work on the neural underpinning o...
Early adverse experiences are well understood to affect development and well-being, placing indiv... more Early adverse experiences are well understood to affect development and well-being, placing individuals at risk for negative physical and mental health outcomes. A growing literature documents the effects of adversity on developing neurobiological systems. Fewer studies have examined stress neurobiology to understand how to mitigate the effects of early adversity. This review summarizes the research on three neurobiological systems relevant to interventions for populations experiencing high levels of early adversity: the hypothalamic-adrenal-pituitary axis, the prefrontal cortex regions involved in executive functioning, and the system involved in threat detection and response, particularly the amygdala. Also discussed is the emerging field of epigenetics and related interventions to mitigate early adversity. Further emphasized is the need for intervention research to integrate knowledge about the neurobiological effects of prenatal stressors (e.g., drug use, alcohol exposure) and e...
Emerging adults of Color are at increased risk for interpersonal trauma, including physical, sexu... more Emerging adults of Color are at increased risk for interpersonal trauma, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse (Porter & Williams, 2011). Understanding victims’ awareness of the existence and impact of their own trauma history is important for research and clinical work. However, because of trauma awareness processes (e.g., underreporting), it is challenging to accurately measure awareness of trauma. Based on betrayal trauma theory (Freyd, 1996), the concept of rotating betrayal blindness theorizes that awareness of past trauma may shift across contexts and time (Noll & Gómez, 2013). The purpose of the current study is to provide an initial validation of the Betrayal Blindness Questionnaires (BBQs) among a sample of emerging adults of Color with trauma histories using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). With its three questionnaires assessing past memory (PM-BBQ), current memory (CM-BBQ), and rotating betrayal blindness (R-BBQ), the BBQs measure the past and present impact ...
Infant faces are highly salient social stimuli that appear to elicit intuitive parenting behavior... more Infant faces are highly salient social stimuli that appear to elicit intuitive parenting behaviors in healthy adult women. Behavioral and observational studies indicate that this effect may be modulated by experiences of reproduction, caregiving, and psychiatric symptomatology that affect normative attention and reward processing of infant cues. However, relatively little is known about the neural correlates of these effects. Using the event-related potential (ERP) technique, this study investigated the impact of parental status (mother, non-mother) and depression symptoms on early visual processing of infant faces in a community sample of adult women. Specifically, the P1 and N170 ERP components elicited in response to infant face stimuli were examined. While characteristics of the N170 were not modulated by parental status, a statistically significant positive correlation was observed between depression symptom severity and N170 amplitude. This relationship was not observed for the P1. These results suggest that depression symptoms may modulate early neurophysiological responsiveness to infant cues, even at sub-clinical levels.
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