Socialization of prosocial behavior: Gender differences in the mediating role of child brain volume

Rianne Kok; Peter Prinzie; Marian J. Bakermans-Kranenburg; Frank C. Verhulst; Tonya White; Henning Tiemeier; Marinus H. van IJzendoorn

doi:10.1080/09297049.2017.1338340

Socialization of prosocial behavior: Gender differences in the mediating role of child brain volume

Rianne Kok, Peter Prinzie, Marian J. Bakermans-Kranenburg, Frank C. Verhulst, Tonya White, Henning Tiemeier, Marinus H. van IJzendoorn^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Clinical Child and Family Studies

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Evidence has been accumulating for the impact of normal variation in caregiving quality on brain morphology in children, but the question remains whether differences in brain volume related to early caregiving translate to behavioral implications. In this longitudinal population-based study (N = 162), moderated mediation was tested for the relation between parental sensitivity and child prosocial behavior via brain volume, in boys and girls. Both maternal and paternal sensitivity were repeatedly observed between 1 and 4 years of age. Brain volume was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging measurements at age 8, and self-reported prosocial behavior of children was assessed at 9 years of age. Parental sensitivity was positively related to child brain volume, and to child prosocial behavior at trend level. Child brain volume was negatively related to child prosocial behavior. A significant gender-by-brain interaction was found, illustrating that daughters of sensitive parents were more prosocial and that less prosocial behavior was reported for girls with a larger total brain volume. Child gender significantly moderated the indirect effect of parental sensitivity on prosocial behavior via total brain volume. A significant indirect pathway was found only in girls. The results warrant replication but indicate the importance of considering gender when studying the behavioral implications of differences in brain volume related to early caregiving experiences.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	723-733
Number of pages	11
Journal	Child Neuropsychology
Volume	24
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/09297049.2017.1338340
Publication status	Published - 18 Aug 2018

Funding

This work was supported by the Erasmus Medical Center and Erasmus University Rotterdam; and the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw); and Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, under Grant 452-04-306 (VIDI) and under Grant 453-09-003 (VICI) to MJBK; and under Grant 017.106.370 (VIDI) to HT; and (ZonMW) TOP under Grant 91211021 to TW; and SPINOZA prize to MHvIJ. MJBK, HT and MHvIJ are member of the Consortium on Individual Development (CID) which is funded through the Gravitation program of the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science and Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO, under Grant 024.001.003). The Generation R Study is conducted by the Erasmus Medical Center in close collaboration with the Erasmus University Rotterdam, Faculty of Law and Faculty of Social Sciences, the Municipal Health Service Rotterdam area, Rotterdam, the Rotterdam Homecare Foundation, Rotterdam, and the Stichting Trombosedienst & Artsenlaboratorium Rijnmond (STAR), Rotterdam. We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of general practitioners, hospitals, midwives, and pharmacies in Rotterdam.

Funders	Funder number
Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science and Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research
Municipal Health Service Rotterdam
Rotterdam Homecare Foundation
Stichting Trombosedienst & Artsenlaboratorium Rijnmond
ZonMw
Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam
Erasmus Medisch Centrum
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek	453-09-003, 91211021, 024.001.003, 017.106.370, 452-04-306

Keywords

brain volume
MRI
parental sensitivity
Prosocial behavior
social neuroscience

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title = "Socialization of prosocial behavior: Gender differences in the mediating role of child brain volume",

abstract = "Evidence has been accumulating for the impact of normal variation in caregiving quality on brain morphology in children, but the question remains whether differences in brain volume related to early caregiving translate to behavioral implications. In this longitudinal population-based study (N = 162), moderated mediation was tested for the relation between parental sensitivity and child prosocial behavior via brain volume, in boys and girls. Both maternal and paternal sensitivity were repeatedly observed between 1 and 4 years of age. Brain volume was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging measurements at age 8, and self-reported prosocial behavior of children was assessed at 9 years of age. Parental sensitivity was positively related to child brain volume, and to child prosocial behavior at trend level. Child brain volume was negatively related to child prosocial behavior. A significant gender-by-brain interaction was found, illustrating that daughters of sensitive parents were more prosocial and that less prosocial behavior was reported for girls with a larger total brain volume. Child gender significantly moderated the indirect effect of parental sensitivity on prosocial behavior via total brain volume. A significant indirect pathway was found only in girls. The results warrant replication but indicate the importance of considering gender when studying the behavioral implications of differences in brain volume related to early caregiving experiences.",

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author = "Rianne Kok and Peter Prinzie and Bakermans-Kranenburg, {Marian J.} and Verhulst, {Frank C.} and Tonya White and Henning Tiemeier and {van IJzendoorn}, {Marinus H.}",

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Socialization of prosocial behavior: Gender differences in the mediating role of child brain volume

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