These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Intergenerational Impacts of Maternal Stress on Early Childhood Atopy in Black Americans.
    Author: Engel ML, Pike MR, Cohen MF, Dunlop AL, Corwin EJ, Pearce BD, Brennan PA.
    Journal: J Pediatr Psychol; 2021 Aug 11; 46(7):891-901. PubMed ID: 34100948.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVE: Black children are disproportionately affected by atopic diseases (i.e., atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and food allergies), with health disparities present in early life. Studies in White samples suggest that maternal stress confers risk for offspring atopy, yet little is known about these relationships in Black populations. This study seeks to (a) examine the relationship between self-reported and physiological indicators of maternal stress and offspring atopy and (b) explore warm and responsive caregiving as a potential protective factor in Black Americans. METHODS: A sample of 179 Black mother-child dyads of varying socioeconomic status participated in a prospective longitudinal study. Mothers completed self-reports of childhood trauma, prenatal stress, postnatal stress, and physician diagnosis of offspring atopy; provided blood samples to assess physiological responses to chronic stress exposure; and participated in a behavioral task with their infant. RESULTS: Maternal self-reports of childhood trauma, prenatal stress, and postnatal stress were not associated with offspring diagnosis of atopy by 2-3 years of age. Mothers who produced a smaller inflammatory response during pregnancy were more likely to have an offspring with atopy by 2-3 years of age. Warm and responsive parenting demonstrated a protective effect; the positive association between maternal stress and offspring atopy was less apparent in cases of mother-child interactions characterized by high levels warm and responsive parenting. CONCLUSION: Failure to replicate previous findings suggests that the maternal stress-offspring atopy relationship is complex. Future studies must examine the unique stressors in Black Americans, as well as caregiving as a potential protective factor.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]