TY - JOUR
T1 - Maternal Psychological Problems During Pregnancy and Child Externalizing Problems
T2 - Moderated Mediation Model with Child Self-regulated Compliance and Polygenic Risk Scores for Aggression
AU - Luo, Mannan
AU - Pappa, Irene
AU - Cecil, Charlotte A M
AU - Jansen, Philip
AU - van IJzendoorn, Marinus H
AU - Kok, Rianne
PY - 2022/8
Y1 - 2022/8
N2 - A potential pathway underlying the association between prenatal exposure to maternal psychological problems and childhood externalizing problems is child self-regulation. This prospective study (N = 687) examined whether self-regulated compliance mediates the relation between maternal affective problems and hostility during pregnancy and childhood externalizing problems, and explored moderation by child polygenic risk scores for aggression and sex. Self-regulated compliance at age 3 was observed in mother-child interactions, and externalizing problems at age 6 were reported by mothers and teachers. Polygenic risk scores were calculated based on a genome-wide association study of aggressive behavior. Self-regulated compliance mediated the associations between maternal psychological problems and externalizing problems. Aggression PRS was associated with higher externalizing problems reported by mothers. No evidence was found of moderation by aggression PRS or sex. These findings support the hypothesis that maternal psychological problems during pregnancy might influence externalizing problems through early self-regulation, regardless of child genetic susceptibility or sex.
AB - A potential pathway underlying the association between prenatal exposure to maternal psychological problems and childhood externalizing problems is child self-regulation. This prospective study (N = 687) examined whether self-regulated compliance mediates the relation between maternal affective problems and hostility during pregnancy and childhood externalizing problems, and explored moderation by child polygenic risk scores for aggression and sex. Self-regulated compliance at age 3 was observed in mother-child interactions, and externalizing problems at age 6 were reported by mothers and teachers. Polygenic risk scores were calculated based on a genome-wide association study of aggressive behavior. Self-regulated compliance mediated the associations between maternal psychological problems and externalizing problems. Aggression PRS was associated with higher externalizing problems reported by mothers. No evidence was found of moderation by aggression PRS or sex. These findings support the hypothesis that maternal psychological problems during pregnancy might influence externalizing problems through early self-regulation, regardless of child genetic susceptibility or sex.
U2 - 10.1007/s10578-021-01154-1
DO - 10.1007/s10578-021-01154-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 33743096
SN - 0009-398X
VL - 53
SP - 654
EP - 666
JO - Child Psychiatry and Human Development
JF - Child Psychiatry and Human Development
IS - 4
ER -