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Background: During the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people with disabilities living in home care facilities could not receive visitors. The use of virtual social contact has been recommended by health authorities. This systematic review examined the scientific evidence of the use and feasibility of information and communication technology (ICT) for social contact by people with intellectual disabilities living in care facilities, and potential effects on well-being. Methods: Five databases were searched using traditional systematic screening and machine-learning supported screening. Findings are presented in a narrative synthesis using thematic analysis. Results: Nine studies were included. We described three themes: means of ICT used for social contact; effects on well-being; and benefits, barriers, and preconditions. Conclusions: Engaging in virtual social contact may be feasible for people with severe to mild intellectual disabilities, but there is little concrete evidence that this can be used as an alternative for in-person contact.

Ongoing disturbances in parental psychological functioning are proposed as one of the mechanisms linking maternal PPD and adverse child development. We examined the effect of maternal PPD on mothers' and fathers' parenting stress and depressive symptoms at child age five. Depressive symptoms and parenting stress were assessed using self-report questionnaires at child age five in a sample of nonclinical mothers (n = 31) and mothers previously diagnosed with PPD (n = 12) and their partners. Maternal PPD diagnosis was associated with mothers' but not fathers' depressive symptoms at child age five. Maternal PPD diagnosis was associated with more parental distress in mothers and fathers, although, for mothers, this relationship was better explained by own concurrent depressive symptoms. Finally, maternal PPD diagnosis was associated with mothers reporting more difficult parent-child interactions. Overall, the study shows that maternal PPD diagnosis has long-term negative effects on both mothers' and fathers' parenting resources.

Introduction: Digital social contact is increasingly being used, which accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to determine the consensus among stakeholders regarding recommendations for the use and facilitation of digital social contact for people with intellectual disabilities living in sheltered care facility homes. Methods: This consensus statement was developed in three consecutive rounds of questionnaires (rapid online modified Delphi design). The expert-groups included people with disabilities (N = 6) and their families (N = 10), support professionals (N = 9), behavioural consultants (N = 7), managers of sheltered care facility homes (N = 10), scientists and industry experts (N = 15). Findings: Four main themes were identified: 1. Reasons for and types of digital social contact; 2. Support and training needs; 3. Materials and other requirements needed to enable digital social contact; and 4. Best practices and future developments. For each theme, several recommendations were formulated. Discussion and conclusion: This study resulted in a consensus statement aimed mainly at care professionals, families of people with intellectual disabilities and managers of sheltered care facility homes. Findings show that digital social contact can contribute to societal participation of people with disabilities. Additionally, tailored exploration of digital contact is recommended, as well as aiming for inclusive-by-design technology developments with developers and stakeholders working together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people with intellectual disabilities living in care facilities could not receive visitors. Health authorities suggested the use of digital social contact as an alternative for in-person visits. We examined how people with intellectual disabilities living in care facilities experienced the use of digital social contact with their informal social network throughout 2020. Residents, their relatives, volunteer visitors, direct support staff, and care facility managers (N = 283) completed an online questionnaire, of whom 35 participated in an interview. Video calling and in-person visits were among the most common forms of staying in touch. Experiences with digital social contact depended on residents' abilities and support needs, and on preconditions, such as staff availability. The first phases of the pandemic led to experiences of possibilities and benefits of using digital social contact as complementary to in-person contact for people with different levels of intellectual disability, also after the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental reflective functioning (PRF) is considered a key parental competence. Since most research on PRF has focused on infancy or the first years of life, there is a gap in our understanding of PRF among parents of older children. Therefore, we investigated PRF in mothers and fathers with preschool‐aged children, examining associations between PRF, parent's romantic attachment, and observed parenting behavior. The sample comprised 50 mothers, 40 fathers, and their 5‐year‐old children. PRF was assessed using the parental reflective functioning questionnaire (PRFQ), parental romantic attachment was assessed using the experiences in close relationships scale‐revised (ECR‐R), and parenting behavior was assessed during a parent–child free‐play interaction with the coding interactive behavior (CIB) coding system. Results showed that mothers scored higher on the interest and curiosity scale than fathers, indicating that mothers show a more active interest and curiosity in their child's mental states. Further, higher levels of attachment anxiety in fathers were associated with higher levels of pre‐mentalizing modes. In mothers, higher levels of attachment avoidance were associated with lower levels of interest and curiosity. Finally, and unexpectedly, higher levels of interest and curiosity in mothers were associated with less sensitivity during free play. In summary, the study found meaningful associations between mothers' and fathers' romantic attachment and their PRF indicating a spill‐over of their attachment strategies into their relationship with their child. Further, the study results suggest that very high levels of interest and curiosity in mothers reflect hypermentalizing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children without disabilities in out-of-home care have a higher risk of child sexual abuse [CSA (Euser et al. 2013)]. In this study, we examined the year prevalence of CSA in out-of-home care for children with a mild intellectual disability, and compared it with the prevalence in out-of-home care for non-disabled children and children in the general population. Materials and Methods: Professionals (N = 104) from out-of-home care facilities reported cases of CSA that occurred in 2010 for the children they worked with (N = 1,650). Results: In out-of-home care for children with a mild intellectual disability, 9.8 per 1,000 children were victims of CSA. This prevalence was significantly higher than in regular out-of-home care and in the general population. Conclusion: Children with a mild intellectual disability in out-of-home care have an increased risk of CSA. Adequate education and support for both children and caregivers is necessary to recognize and prevent further sexual abuse.

Copyright of Infant Mental Health Journal is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Childhood anxiety disorders (CAD) are a common childhood mental disorder and understanding early developmental pathways is key to prevention and early intervention. What is not understood is whether early life stress predictors of CAD might be both mediated by infant cortisol reactivity and moderated by infant attachment status. To address this question, this exploratory study draws on 190 women recruited in early pregnancy and followed together with their children until 4 years of age. Early life stress is operationalized as maternal depression measured using the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Parenting Stress Index, and antenatal maternal hair cortisol concentrations. Infant cortisol reactivity was measured at 12 months together with the Strange Situation Procedure and CAD assessed at 4 years of age using the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment. There was no direct association between attachment classification and CAD. Furthermore, infant cortisol reactivity neither mediated nor attachment moderated the association of early life stress predictors and CAD. However, only for infants with organized attachment classifications, higher maternal antenatal depression, and hair cortisol were associated with a higher risk of CAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Part of the appeal of attachment language is that it feels near to our everyday experience, as terms like 'attachment', 'security' or 'disorganisation' feel readily recognisable. Yet, not one of these terms is used by academic attachment researchers in line with ordinary language. This has hindered the evidence‐based use of attachment in practice, the feedback loop from practice to research and the dialogue between attachment researchers in developmental psychology and in social psychology. This paper pinpoints the difficulties arising from the existence of multiple versions of 'attachment theory' that use exactly the same terms, held by communities that assume that they are referring to the same thing and with little infrastructure to help them discover otherwise. When we talk past one another, the different communities with a stake in knowledge of attachment are obstructed from genuinely learning from one another, drawing on their respective strengths and pursuing collaborations. One factor contributing to this situation has been the use of attachment terminology with technical meanings, but often without setting out clear definitions. We here introduce a guide to attachment terminology used by the academic community, which has recently been published on the website of the Society for Emotion and AttachmentStudies. The guide is meant for researchers, clinicians and everyone concerned with attachment to increase understanding of the technical meaning of important terminology used by researchers, and support the quality of discussions between researchers, and between researchers and clinicians and other publics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Samenvatting: De gehechtheidstheorie heeft een grote invloed gehad op de manier waarop er zowel in de wetenschap als in de praktijk gedacht wordt over de sociale en emotionele ontwikkeling van kinderen. Kernbegrippen die te maken hebben met gehechtheid, zoals "veiligheid", "sensitiviteit" of "desorganisatie" zijn herkenbaar voor veel mensen. Binnen het gehechtheidsonderzoek wordt echter geen van deze begrippen op dezelfde manier gebruikt als in het dagelijkse taalgebruik. Dit artikel beschrijft de misverstanden die kunnen ontstaan door onduidelijkheden in de terminologie, waarbij onderzoekers uit bijv. de pedagogische wetenschappen en de sociale psychologie, en professionals uit bijv. de (ortho)pedagogiek, de klinische psychologie of de jeugdbescherming vergelijkbare begrippen gebruiken, maar hier niet dezelfde invulling of betekenis aan geven. Dit veroorzaakt misverstanden en staat een effectieve communicatie en samenwerking tussen wetenschap en praktijk in de weg. Om een betere communicatie te bevorderen, is het belangrijk om meer duidelijkheid te verschaffen over de technische betekenis van begrippen en termen die binnen het gehechtheidsonderzoek gebruikt worden. Om hier een begin mee te maken, is onlangs een Engelstalige begrippenlijst gepubliceerd op de website van de Society for Emotion and Attachment Studies (https://seasinternational.org). In deze paper introduceren wij deze begrippenlijst en de Nederlandse vertaling van deze begrippen. De begrippenlijst is bedoeld als het begin van een naslagwerk voor onderzoekers, clinici en professionals die werken met kennis over gehechtheid. De lijst is een eerste stap richting heldere definities van kernbegrippen met betrekking tot gehechtheid en meer overeenstemming over de betekenis hiervan. Het uiteindelijke doel is meer en betere uitwisseling tussen onderzoek en praktijk op het gebied van gehechtheid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Understanding the relationship between attachment and mental health has an important role in informing management of perinatal mental disorders and for infant mental health. It has been suggested that experiences of attachment are transmitted from one generation to the next. Maternal sensitivity has been proposed as a mediator, although findings have not been as strong as hypothesised. A meta-analysis suggested that this intergenerational transmission of attachment may vary across populations with lower concordance between parent and infant attachment classifications in clinical compared to community samples. However, no previous study has examined major depression and adult attachment in pregnancy as predictors of infant–parent attachment classification at 12 months postpartum. Methods: Data were obtained on 52 first-time mothers recruited in early pregnancy, which included 22 women who met diagnostic criteria for current major depression using the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The Adult Attachment Interview was also administered before 20 weeks of pregnancy. A history of early trauma was measured using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and maternal sensitivity was measured at 6 months postpartum using the observational measure of the Emotional Availability Scales. Infant–parent attachment was measured using the Strange Situation Procedure at 12 months. Results: Overall, we found no significant association between the Adult Attachment Interview and the Strange Situation Procedure classifications. However, a combination of maternal non-autonomous attachment on the Adult Attachment Interview and major depression was a significant predictor of insecure attachment on the Strange Situation Procedure. We did not find that maternal sensitivity mediated parental and infant attachment security in this sample. Conclusion: While previous meta-analyses identified lower concordance in clinical samples, our findings suggest women with major depression and non-autonomous attachment have a greater concordance with insecure attachment on the Strange Situation Procedure. These findings can guide future research and suggest a focus on depression in pregnancy may be important for subsequent infant attachment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental Embodied Mentalizing (PEM) captures the parent's capacity to extrapolate the child's mental states from movement and respond on a nonverbal level. Little is known about PEM's relation to other established measures of parent-child interactive behavior, such as maternal sensitivity and attachment. This is investigated in a sample of four months old infants and mothers with (n = 27) and without a diagnosis of postpartum depression (n = 44). Video-recorded infant-mother interactions were coded independently using PEM and Coding Interactive Behavior. Attachment was assessed at 13 months using the Strange Situation Procedure. Sensitivity and PEM was positively associated, but only sensitivity predicted attachment security and only the nonclinical group. This indicates that PEM and sensitivity are moderately related as well as capturing different aspects of infant-mother interactions. The study confirms previous findings of sensitivity predicting attachment in nonclinical groups. More research is required to further understand predictors of attachment in clinical samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirical evidence links sensitive parenting behavior to positive developmental trajectories in children, whereas parental intrusiveness, in contrast, has been found to increase the risk of socio‐emotional problems in children of various ages. However, most studies investigating the effect of parenting behavior have been conducted with mothers. Thus, little is yet known about fathers' role in child development and if mothers' and fathers' parenting behaviors are linked to child socio‐emotional outcomes in similar or different ways. To date, findings are ambiguous, and this is why more studies are needed. The present study examined associations between mothers' and fathers' observed sensitivity and intrusiveness and children's internalizing and externalizing problems as reported by parents and by children themselves. The sample compromised 52 mothers, 41 fathers and their preschool children. Results from hierarchical regression analyses showed a negative association between fathers' intrusiveness, at low levels, and children's internalizing problems. This result was unexpected. However, in line with this finding, a number of recent studies suggest that when fathers challenge and push their children's limits, it buffers against emotional problems such as anxiety. The present study highlights the importance of a continuous investigation into fathers' potentially unique contribution to children's socio‐emotional development. No other associations were identified between mothers' and fathers' parenting behaviors and children's internalizing and externalizing problems. Most likely, because this study was conducted with a low‐risk sample, where children were in general well‐functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postpartum depression is related to inadequately sensitive caregiving, putting infants at risk for insecure attachment. Therefore, promoting sensitive maternal caregiving and secure child attachment is particularly important in postpartum depressed mothers and their infants. In this randomized-controlled-trial, we evaluated the efficacy of the Circle of Security-Intensive (COS-I)-intervention in supporting maternal sensitivity and mother-infant-attachment compared to treatment-as-usual (TAU) with unresolved-maternal attachment as a moderator of treatment effect. Eligible mothers with infants (N=72) 4-9 months-old were randomly assigned to treatment (n=36 dyads). Infant attachment was rated at follow-up (child age 16-18 months) (Strange-Situation-procedure). Maternal sensitivity was measured at baseline and follow-up (Mini-Maternal-Behavior-Q-sort). Maternal-unresolved-attachment was assessed at baseline (Adult-Attachment-Interview). We found no significant differences between treatments in infant attachment nor changes in mothers' sensitivity. However, in COS-I, unresolved-mothers exhibited significantly more change in sensitivity than non-unresolved-mothers, whereas in TAU, the opposite was true. These findings may help to optimize clinical use of COS-I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Infant Mental Health Journal is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This commentary argues for the need to revisit the foundations of attachment theory and its tradition of formulating testable mechanistic models of relationship development and change. Modeling and simulation may be useful to test novel theoretical propositions, such as the one stating that pleasure in parenting may be a determinant of secure father-infant attachment relationships (Brown & Cox, this issue). We discuss this proposition's plausibility, by relating parenting pleasure to the temporal patterning of parenting, a neglected property in parent-child interaction. Simulation work may not only offer first test runs of novel hypotheses, but may also guide empirical researchers to the most likely time-scale on which such hypotheses should be tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parenting behavior is a key factor in children’s socio-emotional development. However, little is known about similarities and differences in maternal and paternal parenting behavior, as most studies have focused on mothers. The present study investigated similarities and differences in mothers’ and fathers’ parenting behavior during observed free play with their preschool children, in a Danish well-resourced sample. We examined differences in mean scores and associations between mothers’ and fathers’ sensitivity, intrusiveness and limit-setting assessed with the Coding Interactive Behavior instrument. Additionally, we conducted confirmatory factor analysis to test the model-fit between the measurement model and parental data. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to investigate if maternal and paternal factor structures replicated the three parenting constructs, and to explore if certain parenting behaviors seemed specifically related to either mothering or fathering. Participants included 52 mothers, 41 fathers and their 5-year old children. Similar mean scores were found for mothers and fathers on all parenting constructs. Maternal and paternal parenting behavior were not correlated. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a poor model-fit. For both mothers and fathers, latent factors related to sensitivity, intrusiveness and limit-setting emerged, which indicated that the Coding Interactive Behavior instrument was suitable for assessment of both maternal and paternal sensitivity, intrusiveness and limit-setting. However, item loadings suggested that the instrument assessed maternal sensitivity more accurately than paternal sensitivity in our sample. Two additional factors were retrieved for fathers, i.e. paternal performance and challenging behavior, and paternal teaching behavior. This finding may suggest that additional parenting constructs need to be developed for researchers to be able to thoroughly investigate similarities and differences in mothers’ and fathers’ parenting behavior. Despite difference in factor structure, we did not identify behaviors solely related to mothering or to fathering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Paternal depression and anxiety are important risk factors for a problematic parent–child relationship and subsequent child development. We explored the association between paternal history of depression and anxiety disorder and infant–father attachment security, taking into account the possible mediating roles of sensitivity and perceived family stress. In a sample of 94 infant–father dyads, a structured diagnostic interview and a questionnaire on family stress were administered during pregnancy. Paternal sensitivity was observed using the Ainsworth coding scales, and infant–father attachment was observed in the strange situation procedure during a lab visit at 14 months. Linear regression models were used to examine the association of father's lifetime depression or anxiety with the continuous scales for infant–father attachment security and disorganization. Father's history of depression or anxiety disorder was not significantly related to infant–father attachment security in the total sample. Interestingly, daughters of fathers with a history of depression or anxiety had higher scores on attachment security than daughters of fathers without this diagnosis. Perceived family stress and paternal sensitivity were not significant mediators. We discuss these unexpected findings, suggesting alternative mechanisms for how paternal vulnerability to depression or anxiety may be associated with the infant–father attachment relationship. Highlights: We examine the association between paternal history of depression and anxiety disorder and infant‐father attachment security. In 94 infant‐father dyads, a structured diagnostic interview was administered and infant‐father attachment was observed in the Strange Situation Procedure. Daughters of fathers with a psychiatric history had higher scores on attachment security. Mechanisms of paternal vulnerability are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined early and long-term effects of maternal postpartum depression on cognitive, language, and motor development in infants of clinically depressed mothers. Participants were 83 mothers and their full-term born children from the urban region of Copenhagen, Denmark. Of this group, 28 mothers were diagnosed with postnatal depression three to four months postpartum in a diagnostic interview. Cognitive, language, and motor development was assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development third edition, when the infants were 4 and 13 months of age. We found that maternal postpartum depression was associated with poorer cognitive development at infant age four months, the effect size being large (Cohen's d = 0.8) and with similar effects for boys and girls. At 13 months of age infants of clinical mothers did not differ from infants of non-clinical mothers. At this time most (79%) of the clinical mothers were no longer, or not again, depressed. These results may indicate that maternal depression can have an acute, concurrent effect on infant cognitive development as early as at four months postpartum. At the same time, in the absence of other risk factors, this effect may not be enduring. The main weaknesses of the study include the relatively small sample size and that depression scores were only available for 35 of the non-clinical mothers at 13 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined fathers’ capabilities to reflect on their children’s mental states (mind-mindedness) and their use of mental state language when interacting with their preschool child and how this related to fathers’ perceptions of caregiving in their childhood. Participants were 39 European (UK and Danish) fathers and their 3-5 year-old children. We assessed paternal mind-mindedness (offline) based on mentalistic descriptions of the child, and fathers’ use of mental state language (online) with a shared picture book task. The Danish Father Attachment Interview was used to assess fathers’ childhood caregiving perceptions of both their mother and their father. Length of paternity leave (LPL) was included as an indirect measure of paternal involvement. We found that greater paternal mind-mindedness was related to higher use of mental state language in the picture book task. Also, fathers’ positive model of caregiving of their mother (MCM) and LPL were related to paternal mind-mindedness: fathers with an MCM characterized by closeness, compassion and understanding were more mind-minded than fathers who lacked such a positive caregiving model. Longer paternity leave as an index of paternal involvement was related to greater mind-mindedness. Trimmed path models from multiple regression analyses showed that fathers’ positive MCM and LPL were directly related to mind-mindedness. There was also an indirect pathway from fathers’ positive MCM through mind-mindedness to the use of mental state language. Findings suggest that both past caregiving experiences and fathers’ involvement with the child play a role in fathers mentalizing capabilities and behaviour when interacting with their child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective This cohort study describes the prevalence of picky eating and examines prognostic factors for picky eating trajectories during childhood. Methods 4,018 participants of a population-based cohort with measurements from pregnancy onwards were included. Picky eating was assessed by maternal report when children were 1.5, 3, and 6 years old. The associations of child and family characteristics with trajectories of picky eating were examined using logistic regression. Never picky eaters were used as the reference group. Results Prevalence of picky eating was 26.5% at 1.5 years of age, 27.6% at the age of 3 and declined to 13.2% at 6 years. Four main picky eating trajectories were defined: (1) never picky eating at all three assessments (55% of children), (2) remitting (0-4 years, 32%), (3) late-onset (6 years only, 4%), and (4) persistent (all ages, 4%). This implies that almost two thirds of the early picky eaters remitted within 3 years. Male sex, lower birth weight, non-Western maternal ethnicity, and low parental income predicted persistent picky eating. More often late-onset picky eaters were children of parents with low income and non-Western ethnicity. Discussion We found that nearly half (46%) of children were picky eaters at some point during early childhood. Remittance was very high. This suggests that picky eating is usually a transient behavior and part of normal development in preschool children. However, a substantial group of persistent picky eaters, often from a socially disadvantaged background, continues to have problems beyond the preschool age. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2015; 48:570-579) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gaze is one of the main means of communication in young infants, and it has been shown to be important for subsequent socio-emotional and cognitive development. Maternal depression is a well-known risk factor for disrupting mother-infant interactions, but findings regarding gaze behavior in infants of depressed versus nondepressed mothers have been ambiguous. In this study, we examined gaze duration and activity in a sample of 27 infants of mothers with postpartum depression ( PPD) and 49 infants of nondepressed mothers. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and diagnoses were confirmed in clinical interview. Infant gaze was assessed during 4-month face-to-face interactions using continuous timed-event coding with high temporal resolution. Although we found no differences in gaze duration, infants of PPD mothers had both significantly less Gaze On and also less Gaze Off events. Findings suggest that PPD is related to reduced gaze activity during mother-infant interaction in 4-month-olds. This reduced activity may have long-term negative consequences for child development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High protein intake in early childhood is associated with obesity, suggesting possible adverse effects on other cardiometabolic outcomes. However, studies in adults have suggested beneficial effects of protein intake on blood pressure (BP) and lipid profile. Whether dietary protein intake is associated with cardiovascular and metabolic health in children is unclear. Therefore, we aimed to systematically review the evidence on the associations of protein intake with BP, insulin sensitivity and blood lipids in children. We searched the databases Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central and PubMed for interventional and observational studies in healthy children up to the age of 18 years, in which associations of total, animal and/or vegetable protein intake with one or more of the following outcomes were reported: BP; measures of insulin sensitivity; cholesterol levels; or TAG levels. In the search, we identified 6636 abstracts, of which fifty-six studies met all selection criteria. In general, the quality of the included studies was low. Most studies were cross-sectional, and many did not control for potential confounders. No overall associations were observed between protein intake and insulin sensitivity or blood lipids. A few studies suggested an inverse association between dietary protein intake and BP, but evidence was inconclusive. Only four studies examined the effects of vegetable or animal protein intake, but with inconsistent results. In conclusion, the literature, to date provides insufficient evidence for effects of protein intake on BP, insulin sensitivity or blood lipids in children. Future studies could be improved by adequately adjusting for key confounders such as energy intake and obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Infant Mental Health Journal is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Disorganized/Disoriented (D) attachment has seen widespread interest from policy makers, practitioners, and clinicians in recent years. However, some of this interest seems to have been based on some false assumptions that (1) attachment measures can be used as definitive assessments of the individual in forensic/child protection settings and that disorganized attachment (2) reliably indicates child maltreatment, (3) is a strong predictor of pathology, and (4) represents a fixed or static “trait” of the child, impervious to development or help. This paper summarizes the evidence showing that these four assumptions are false and misleading. The paper reviews what is known about disorganized infant attachment and clarifies the implications of the classification for clinical and welfare practice with children. In particular, the difference between disorganized attachment and attachment disorder is examined, and a strong case is made for the value of attachment theory for supportive work with families and for the development and evaluation of evidence-based caregiving interventions., Version of Record

Background Definitions and assessment methods of fussy/picky eating are heterogeneous and remain unclear. We aimed to identify an eating behavior profile reflecting fussy/picky eating in children and to describe characteristics of fussy eaters. Methods Eating behavior was assessed with the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) in 4914 4-year olds in a population-based birth cohort study. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was used to identify eating behavior profiles based on CEBQ subscales. Results and discussion We found a "fussy" eating behavior profile (5.6% of children) characterized by high food fussiness, slowness in eating, and satiety responsiveness in combination with low enjoyment of food and food responsiveness. Fussy eaters were more often from families with low household income than non-fussy eaters (42% vs. 31.8% respectively; X² (1) = 9.97, p < .01). When they were 14 months old, fussy eaters had a lower intake of vegetables (t [3008] = 2.42, p < .05) and fish (t [169.77] = 2.40,p < .05) but higher intake of savory snacks (t [153.69] = -2.03, p < .05) and sweets (t [3008] = -2.30, p < .05) compared to non-fussy eaters. Also, fussy eaters were more likely to be underweight at 4 years of age (19.3%) than non-fussy eaters (12.3%; X² (1) = 7.71, p < .01). Conclusions A distinct fussy eating behavior profile was identified by LPA, which was related to family and child characteristics, food intake, and BMI. This behavior profile might be used in future research and the development of interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the 2010 year prevalence of child sexual abuse (CSA) in residential and foster care and compared it with prevalence rates in the general population. We used two approaches to estimate the prevalence of CSA. First, 264 professionals working in residential or foster care (sentinels) reported CSA for the children they worked with (N = 6,281). Second, 329 adolescents staying in residential or foster care reported on their own experiences with CSA. Sentinels and adolescents were randomly selected from 82 Dutch out-of-home care facilities. We found that 3.5 per 1,000 children had been victims of CSA based on sentinel reports. In addition, 58 per 1,000 adolescents reported having experienced CSA. Results based on both sentinel report and self-report revealed higher prevalence rates in out-of-home care than in the general population, with the highest prevalence in residential care. Prevalence rates in foster care did not differ from the general population. According to our findings, children and adolescents in residential care are at increased risk of CSA compared to children in foster care. Unfortunately, foster care does not fully protect children against sexual abuse either, and thus its quality needs to be further improved. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We examined associations of disorganized attachment and maternal depressive symptoms with infant autonomic functioning in 450 infant-mother dyads enrolled in the Generation R study. Maternal depressive symptoms were measured 2 months postpartum with the Brief Symptom Inventory. At 14 months, we assessed infant attachment with a slightly shortened Strange Situation and measured infant resting heart rate. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia ( RSA) was calculated using spectral analysis. Higher levels of maternal postnatal depressive symptoms predicted lower resting RSA in disorganized infants ( B = −0.31, SE = 0.15, p = .04, R2 = .05) but not in nondisorganized infants ( B = 0.05, SE = 0.06, p = .36). This effect was buffered in disorganized infants with a secondary secure attachment classification. Disorganized infants were more vulnerable to the effect of maternal postnatal depressive symptoms on the physiological stress systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To examine the role of infant attachment classification and parenting stress for toddler emotional and behavior problems. Design. Participants were 606 infant–mother dyads who took part in a population-based cohort study in the Netherlands. Infant–mother attachment classification was assessed using the Strange Situation Procedure when the children were 14 months old. At 18 months, parenting stress was measured with the Dutch version of the Parenting Stress Index. When the children were 3 years old, both mothers and fathers completed the Child Behavior Checklist. Results. Infant attachment moderated the effect of parenting stress on child emotional and behavior problems. Parenting stress was related to more aggression and attention problem behaviors in insecurely attached children, but not in securely attached children. Moreover, higher parenting stress was associated with more withdrawal problem behaviors in insecurely attached children, in particular in insecure-resistant and in disorganized children. Conclusion. In the presence of an insecure attachment relationship, more parenting stress is related to more (internalizing) withdrawal problem behavior and to more (externalizing) aggression and attention problems. Attachment security in infancy buffers the influence of parenting stress on child emotional and behavior problems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We examined the effects of maternal history of depressive disorder and the effects of depressive symptoms during pregnancy and the early postpartum period on attachment insecurity and disorganization. A total of 627 mother–infant dyads from the Generation R Study participated in a population-based cohort from fetal life onwards. Maternal history of depression was assessed by diagnostic interviews during pregnancy; maternal peri- and postnatal depressive symptoms were assessed with questionnaires in 506 of these women at 20 weeks pregnancy and two months postpartum; and infant–mother attachment security was observed when infants were aged 14 months. A history of maternal depressive disorder, regardless of severity or psychiatric comorbidity, was not associated with an increased risk of infant attachment insecurity or disorganization. Likewise, maternal peri- and postnatal depressive symptoms were not related to attachment insecurity or disorganization at 14 months. These results are important because mothers from otherwise low risk backgrounds often have previously been depressed or are struggling with non-clinical depressive symptoms during pregnancy and after giving birth. Our findings are discussed in terms of protective factors that may limit the potentially negative effects of maternal depressive symptoms on the infant–mother attachment relationship in the general population. The role of selective attrition and lack of information about the mothers' attachment status for the current null-findings are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Attachment disorganization in infancy is a risk factor for behavior problems and other psychopathology. Traditionally the role of parental behavior for qualitative differences in early attachment relationships has been emphasized. However, disrupted infant–parent interactions only partly explain attachment disorganization. A complementary focus on child factors such as early differences in the underlying neurobiological systems is needed. We examined whether early structural differences in the gangliothalamic ovoid, comprising the basal ganglia and the thalamus, are involved in the etiology of infant attachment disorganization. Gangliothalamic ovoid diameter was measured by ultrasound in 6-week-old participants of a prospective population-based cohort study. Attachment classification of 629 of these infants was assessed with the strange situation at 14 months of age. Neurobiological differences within the normal range were prospectively associated with attachment disorganization. Infants with a larger gangliothalamic ovoid at 6 weeks had a lower risk of attachment disorganization at 14 months (OR = 0.73 per SD increase in diameter, 95% CI 0.57–0.93, p < .05). Volume of the lateral ventricles as an index of general brain development was not associated with attachment disorganization. These findings provide new insight into the etiology of infant attachment disorganization that may in part be neurodevelopmentally determined. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]