Laura Murphy - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Laura Murphy

Air Pollution Exposures and Child Executive Function: A U.S. Multi-Cohort Study

Epidemiology, Jun 13, 2024

Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and executive functions at school age: Results from a combined cohort study

International journal of hygiene and environmental health, Jul 1, 2024

Executive functioning skills in early childhood children with autism, intellectual disability, and co-occurring autism and intellectual disability

Research in Developmental Disabilities, Mar 1, 2022

BACKGROUND Many children with autism and intellectual disability (ID) experience executive functi... more BACKGROUND Many children with autism and intellectual disability (ID) experience executive functioning (EF) difficulties. However, there is minimal research on EF skills in children with autism, ID, and co-occurring autism/ID in early childhood. AIMS To address this gap in the research, we evaluated EF profiles using the BRIEF-P among early childhood children (2-5 years of age) with autism, ID, and co-occurring autism/ID. METHOD AND PROCEDURES Participants in the current study were 87 children between the ages of 24 and 71 months (M = 46.8, SD = 12.7) diagnosed with autism (n = 24, 27.6 %), ID (n = 23, 26.4 %), or co-occurring autism/ID (n = 40, 46.0 %) that completed a comprehensive psychological evaluation at a university development center. We used a mixed Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and between- and within-subjects ANOVAs as follow-up analyses. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS Results suggested that early childhood children with autism, ID, and autism/ID may have unique EF skill profiles. Children with ID exhibited the most significant EF impairments and children with autism had the least. Working memory was the most impaired EF domain across all diagnostic groups. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Overall, our findings show that early childhood children with autism, ID, and autism/ID exhibit difficulties in EF skills. Children with ID exhibit the most significant EF impairments whereas children with autism show the least. However, regardless of diagnosis, working memory is the most impaired EF skill.

Child Maltreatment, Aug 1, 1997

Most research on parenting stress and abuse factors in parents of children with developmental dis... more Most research on parenting stress and abuse factors in parents of children with developmental disabilities has relied almost exclusively on Caucasian, middle-income, intact families. The current study investigated the generalizability of previous findings, examining the relations among parenting stress, abuse potential, and child's intellectual/adaptive functioning in a sample of low-income African American mothers of children with developmental delays. Thirty-three maternal caregivers completed the Child Abuse Potential Inventory and the Parenting Stress Index. Results indicated significant parenting stress, particularly aspects related to the child, as well as considerable physical abuse potential. Parenting stress was strongly correlated with abuse potential, particularly stress related to parental attributes. Neither parenting stress nor abuse potential were significantly correlated with the child's intellectual or adaptive functioning. Concerns regarding the appropriateness of these measures with this population and the need for controlled studies are discussed. As the mechanisms that contribute to child mal-treatment undergo increasing research scrutiny, specific at-risk populations have been targeted for study. Several literature reviews report an elevated incidence of abuse and neglect in children with disabilities (Ammerman, , although estimates vary widely, largely because of methodological differences. Minimal research with the disability population has examined potential for physical abuse in unidentified perpetrators, Reliance on imperfect reporting and investigatory procedures to detect abuse may lead to distorted estimates of the incidence of maltreatment in children with disabilities because of numerous biases in such procedures. The rationale for studying the potential for abuse in "normal" or "high-risk" parents stems from the belief that the potential to physically abuse children lies on a continuum, with such parents providing valuable insights that may apply to their peers further along the risk continuum. One study that did investigate the potential for physical maltreatment in mothers of children with disabilities found risk scores comparable to the normative sample (Kirkham, Schinke, Schilling, Meltzer, & Nerelius, 1986), leading some to question whether children with disabilities are indeed at risk for abuse. Children with disabilities are generally regarded as at risk for abuse and neglect theoretically because of such factors as early separation and disrupted attachment and disappointment, as well as increased care-taking demands and stress ). Characteristics of the child, such as increasing age, type of disability, unusual care-giving demands, and difficult behavior, may exacerbate stress . Some have suggested that the degree of disability may also influence parental response . Parental expectations and beliefs as well as contextual factors, such as social support networks, marital status, and income may also affect parental behavior toward a child with disabilities.

Developmental characteristics and accuracy of autism screening among two-year-old toddlers in the ECHO program

Pediatric research, Apr 15, 2024

Associations of Pre- and Postnatal Air Pollution Exposures with Child Behavioral Problems and Cognitive Performance: A U.S. Multi-Cohort Study

Environmental Health Perspectives, Jun 1, 2022

Early Adversity, Socioemotional Development, and Stress in Urban 1-Year-Old Children

The Journal of Pediatrics, 2013

To determine demographic, maternal, and child factors associated with socioemotional (SE) problem... more To determine demographic, maternal, and child factors associated with socioemotional (SE) problems and chronic stress in 1-year-old children. This was a prospective, longitudinal, community-based study, which followed mother-infant dyads (n = 1070; representative of race, education, and income status of Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee) from midgestation into early childhood. Child SE development was measured using the Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment in all 1097 1-year-olds. Chronic stress was assessed by hair cortisol in a subsample of 1-year-olds (n = 297). Multivariate regression models were developed to predict SE problems and hair cortisol levels. More black mothers than white mothers reported SE problems in their 1-year-olds (32.9% vs 10.2%; P < .001). In multivariate regression, SE problems in blacks were predicted by lower maternal education, greater parenting stress and maternal psychological distress, and higher cyclothymic personality score. In whites, predictors of SE problems were Medicaid insurance, higher maternal depression score at 1 year, greater parenting stress and maternal psychological distress, higher dysthymic personality score, and male sex. SE problem scores were associated with higher hair cortisol levels (P = .01). Blacks had higher hair cortisol levels than whites (P < .001). In the entire subsample, increased hair cortisol levels were associated with higher parenting stress (P = .001), lower maternal depression score (P = .01), lower birth length (P < .001), and greater length at 1 year of age (P = .003). Differences in maternal education, insurance, mental health, and early stress may disrupt SE development in children. Complex relationships between hair cortisol level in 1-year-olds and maternal parenting stress and depression symptoms suggest dysregulation of the…

Exploring the relation between toddler externalizing behavior and parenting stress

PsycEXTRA Dataset, 2014

Maternal childhood trauma and prenatal stressors are associated with child behavioral health

Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease

Maternal adversity and prenatal stress confer risk for child behavioral health problems. Few stud... more Maternal adversity and prenatal stress confer risk for child behavioral health problems. Few studies have examined this intergenerational process across multiple dimensions of stress; fewer have explored potential protective factors. Using a large, diverse sample of mother–child dyads, we examined associations between maternal childhood trauma, prenatal stressors, and offspring socioemotional-behavioral development, while also examining potential resilience-promoting factors. The Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning and Early Childhood (CANDLE) study prospectively followed 1503 mother–child dyads (65% Black, 32% White) from pregnancy. Exposures included maternal childhood trauma, socioeconomic risk, intimate partner violence, and geocode-linked neighborhood violent crime during pregnancy. Child socioemotional-behavioral functioning was measured via the Brief Infant Toddler Social Emotional Assessment (mean age = 1.1 years). Maternal social support and parenti...

British Journal of Haematology, Oct 20, 2022

The main goals of the study were to replicate and measure the test-retest reliability of a previo... more The main goals of the study were to replicate and measure the test-retest reliability of a previously used preschool working memory task, to analyze the relationship between working memory and school readiness above and beyond attention and an indicator of overall development, and to investigate these relationships for gender differences. Participants included 40 (20 girls and 20 boys) 3-and 4-year olds, and testing was broken into two sessions spaced 1 week apart. The test-retest reliability of preschool working memory was found to be r = .60. Further analyses demonstrated that while attention and working memory were significantly correlated with one another, working memory was a significant predictor of school readiness above and beyond the predictive ability of children's sustained attention. Specifically, for boys, working memory was a significant predictor of school readiness above and beyond both attention and developmental status, but this was not the case for girls. These findings highlight the utility of this preschool working memory methodology as well as the importance of working memory above and beyond other related constructs at this stage of child development. Additionally, and perhaps worthy of consideration in future research, these findings also suggest notable gender-based differences in working memory during the preschool period.

Associations of Pre- and Postnatal Air Pollution Exposures with Child Behavioral Problems and Cognitive Performance: A U.S. Multi-Cohort Study

Environmental Health Perspectives

Executive functioning skills in early childhood children with autism, intellectual disability, and co-occurring autism and intellectual disability

Research in Developmental Disabilities

BACKGROUND Many children with autism and intellectual disability (ID) experience executive functi... more BACKGROUND Many children with autism and intellectual disability (ID) experience executive functioning (EF) difficulties. However, there is minimal research on EF skills in children with autism, ID, and co-occurring autism/ID in early childhood. AIMS To address this gap in the research, we evaluated EF profiles using the BRIEF-P among early childhood children (2-5 years of age) with autism, ID, and co-occurring autism/ID. METHOD AND PROCEDURES Participants in the current study were 87 children between the ages of 24 and 71 months (M = 46.8, SD = 12.7) diagnosed with autism (n = 24, 27.6 %), ID (n = 23, 26.4 %), or co-occurring autism/ID (n = 40, 46.0 %) that completed a comprehensive psychological evaluation at a university development center. We used a mixed Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and between- and within-subjects ANOVAs as follow-up analyses. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS Results suggested that early childhood children with autism, ID, and autism/ID may have unique EF skill profiles. Children with ID exhibited the most significant EF impairments and children with autism had the least. Working memory was the most impaired EF domain across all diagnostic groups. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Overall, our findings show that early childhood children with autism, ID, and autism/ID exhibit difficulties in EF skills. Children with ID exhibit the most significant EF impairments whereas children with autism show the least. However, regardless of diagnosis, working memory is the most impaired EF skill.

Relationship between Gestational 25-hydroxyvitamin D Status and Neurocognitive Development at Age 4

ISEE Conference Abstracts, 2020

Associations of Pre- and Postnatal Air Pollution Exposures with Child Cognitive Performance and Behavior: A Multi-cohort Study

ISEE Conference Abstracts

Article Gestational Vitamin 25(OH)D Status as a Risk Factor for Receptive Language Development: A 24-Month

Abstract: Emerging data suggest that vitamin D status during childhood and adolescence can affect... more Abstract: Emerging data suggest that vitamin D status during childhood and adolescence can affect neurocognitive development. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether gestational 25(OH)D status is associated with early childhood cognitive and receptive language development. The Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning in Early Childhood Study (CANDLE) study enrolled 1503 mother-child dyads during the second trimester of healthy singleton pregnancies from Shelby County TN. Among 1020 participants of the total CANDLE cohort for whom 25(OH)D levels were available, mean gestational 25(OH)D level during the second trimester was 22.3 ng/mL (range 5.9–68.4), with 41.7 % of values <20 ng/dL. Cognitive and language scaled

Most research on parenting stress and abuse factors in parents of children with developmental dis... more Most research on parenting stress and abuse factors in parents of children with developmental disabilities has relied almost exclusively on Caucasian, middle-income, intact families. The current study investigated the generalizability of previous findings, examining the relations among parenting stress, abuse potential, and child's intellectual/adaptive functioning in a sample of low-income African American mothers of children with developmental delays. Thirty-three maternal caregivers completed the Child Abuse Potential Inventory and the Parenting Stress Index. Results indicated significant parenting stress, particularly aspects related to the child, as well as considerable physical abuse potential. Parenting stress was strongly correlated with abuse potential, particularly stress related to parental attributes. Neither parenting stress nor abuse potential were significantly correlated with the child's intellectual or adaptive functioning. Concerns regarding the appropria...

Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ASD, ID, and ASD/ID: Social Adaptive Comparisons for African-American and European-American Preschoolers

Toddler Externalizing Behavior, Social Support, and Parenting Stress: Examining a Moderator Model

Family Relations, 2020

Applicability of Australian adaptations of intelligence tests in New Zealand with a Dunedin sample of children

New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 1998

The current study evaluated the applicability of the Australian adaptations of the Wechsler Intel... more The current study evaluated the applicability of the Australian adaptations of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children -- Third Edition and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale -- Fourth Edition for a Dunedin sample of children. Previous research with earlier versions of the measures suggested that New Zealanders obtain scores at or above those of the U.S. normative sample. Ninety children participated, 60 between ages 5 to 8 receiving the SB-FE and 60 between ages 7 to 10 receiving the WISC-III (thus, 7- and 8-year-olds received both tests). Contrary to previous research, the current Dunedin sample obtained means comparable to the American norms. Limitations due to sample characteristics and sample size are discussed. Historically, intelligence testing has been a polemic issue. Charges against intelligence testing are numerous and varied, including concerns regarding the biased, reductionistic, and limited predictive qualities of intelligence tests (Sattler, 1992). Doubts abo...

Air Pollution Exposures and Child Executive Function: A U.S. Multi-Cohort Study

Epidemiology, Jun 13, 2024

Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and executive functions at school age: Results from a combined cohort study

International journal of hygiene and environmental health, Jul 1, 2024

Executive functioning skills in early childhood children with autism, intellectual disability, and co-occurring autism and intellectual disability

Research in Developmental Disabilities, Mar 1, 2022

BACKGROUND Many children with autism and intellectual disability (ID) experience executive functi... more BACKGROUND Many children with autism and intellectual disability (ID) experience executive functioning (EF) difficulties. However, there is minimal research on EF skills in children with autism, ID, and co-occurring autism/ID in early childhood. AIMS To address this gap in the research, we evaluated EF profiles using the BRIEF-P among early childhood children (2-5 years of age) with autism, ID, and co-occurring autism/ID. METHOD AND PROCEDURES Participants in the current study were 87 children between the ages of 24 and 71 months (M = 46.8, SD = 12.7) diagnosed with autism (n = 24, 27.6 %), ID (n = 23, 26.4 %), or co-occurring autism/ID (n = 40, 46.0 %) that completed a comprehensive psychological evaluation at a university development center. We used a mixed Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and between- and within-subjects ANOVAs as follow-up analyses. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS Results suggested that early childhood children with autism, ID, and autism/ID may have unique EF skill profiles. Children with ID exhibited the most significant EF impairments and children with autism had the least. Working memory was the most impaired EF domain across all diagnostic groups. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Overall, our findings show that early childhood children with autism, ID, and autism/ID exhibit difficulties in EF skills. Children with ID exhibit the most significant EF impairments whereas children with autism show the least. However, regardless of diagnosis, working memory is the most impaired EF skill.

Child Maltreatment, Aug 1, 1997

Most research on parenting stress and abuse factors in parents of children with developmental dis... more Most research on parenting stress and abuse factors in parents of children with developmental disabilities has relied almost exclusively on Caucasian, middle-income, intact families. The current study investigated the generalizability of previous findings, examining the relations among parenting stress, abuse potential, and child's intellectual/adaptive functioning in a sample of low-income African American mothers of children with developmental delays. Thirty-three maternal caregivers completed the Child Abuse Potential Inventory and the Parenting Stress Index. Results indicated significant parenting stress, particularly aspects related to the child, as well as considerable physical abuse potential. Parenting stress was strongly correlated with abuse potential, particularly stress related to parental attributes. Neither parenting stress nor abuse potential were significantly correlated with the child's intellectual or adaptive functioning. Concerns regarding the appropriateness of these measures with this population and the need for controlled studies are discussed. As the mechanisms that contribute to child mal-treatment undergo increasing research scrutiny, specific at-risk populations have been targeted for study. Several literature reviews report an elevated incidence of abuse and neglect in children with disabilities (Ammerman, , although estimates vary widely, largely because of methodological differences. Minimal research with the disability population has examined potential for physical abuse in unidentified perpetrators, Reliance on imperfect reporting and investigatory procedures to detect abuse may lead to distorted estimates of the incidence of maltreatment in children with disabilities because of numerous biases in such procedures. The rationale for studying the potential for abuse in "normal" or "high-risk" parents stems from the belief that the potential to physically abuse children lies on a continuum, with such parents providing valuable insights that may apply to their peers further along the risk continuum. One study that did investigate the potential for physical maltreatment in mothers of children with disabilities found risk scores comparable to the normative sample (Kirkham, Schinke, Schilling, Meltzer, & Nerelius, 1986), leading some to question whether children with disabilities are indeed at risk for abuse. Children with disabilities are generally regarded as at risk for abuse and neglect theoretically because of such factors as early separation and disrupted attachment and disappointment, as well as increased care-taking demands and stress ). Characteristics of the child, such as increasing age, type of disability, unusual care-giving demands, and difficult behavior, may exacerbate stress . Some have suggested that the degree of disability may also influence parental response . Parental expectations and beliefs as well as contextual factors, such as social support networks, marital status, and income may also affect parental behavior toward a child with disabilities.

Developmental characteristics and accuracy of autism screening among two-year-old toddlers in the ECHO program

Pediatric research, Apr 15, 2024

Associations of Pre- and Postnatal Air Pollution Exposures with Child Behavioral Problems and Cognitive Performance: A U.S. Multi-Cohort Study

Environmental Health Perspectives, Jun 1, 2022

Early Adversity, Socioemotional Development, and Stress in Urban 1-Year-Old Children

The Journal of Pediatrics, 2013

To determine demographic, maternal, and child factors associated with socioemotional (SE) problem... more To determine demographic, maternal, and child factors associated with socioemotional (SE) problems and chronic stress in 1-year-old children. This was a prospective, longitudinal, community-based study, which followed mother-infant dyads (n = 1070; representative of race, education, and income status of Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee) from midgestation into early childhood. Child SE development was measured using the Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment in all 1097 1-year-olds. Chronic stress was assessed by hair cortisol in a subsample of 1-year-olds (n = 297). Multivariate regression models were developed to predict SE problems and hair cortisol levels. More black mothers than white mothers reported SE problems in their 1-year-olds (32.9% vs 10.2%; P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .001). In multivariate regression, SE problems in blacks were predicted by lower maternal education, greater parenting stress and maternal psychological distress, and higher cyclothymic personality score. In whites, predictors of SE problems were Medicaid insurance, higher maternal depression score at 1 year, greater parenting stress and maternal psychological distress, higher dysthymic personality score, and male sex. SE problem scores were associated with higher hair cortisol levels (P = .01). Blacks had higher hair cortisol levels than whites (P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .001). In the entire subsample, increased hair cortisol levels were associated with higher parenting stress (P = .001), lower maternal depression score (P = .01), lower birth length (P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .001), and greater length at 1 year of age (P = .003). Differences in maternal education, insurance, mental health, and early stress may disrupt SE development in children. Complex relationships between hair cortisol level in 1-year-olds and maternal parenting stress and depression symptoms suggest dysregulation of the…

Exploring the relation between toddler externalizing behavior and parenting stress

PsycEXTRA Dataset, 2014

Maternal childhood trauma and prenatal stressors are associated with child behavioral health

Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease

Maternal adversity and prenatal stress confer risk for child behavioral health problems. Few stud... more Maternal adversity and prenatal stress confer risk for child behavioral health problems. Few studies have examined this intergenerational process across multiple dimensions of stress; fewer have explored potential protective factors. Using a large, diverse sample of mother–child dyads, we examined associations between maternal childhood trauma, prenatal stressors, and offspring socioemotional-behavioral development, while also examining potential resilience-promoting factors. The Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning and Early Childhood (CANDLE) study prospectively followed 1503 mother–child dyads (65% Black, 32% White) from pregnancy. Exposures included maternal childhood trauma, socioeconomic risk, intimate partner violence, and geocode-linked neighborhood violent crime during pregnancy. Child socioemotional-behavioral functioning was measured via the Brief Infant Toddler Social Emotional Assessment (mean age = 1.1 years). Maternal social support and parenti...

British Journal of Haematology, Oct 20, 2022

The main goals of the study were to replicate and measure the test-retest reliability of a previo... more The main goals of the study were to replicate and measure the test-retest reliability of a previously used preschool working memory task, to analyze the relationship between working memory and school readiness above and beyond attention and an indicator of overall development, and to investigate these relationships for gender differences. Participants included 40 (20 girls and 20 boys) 3-and 4-year olds, and testing was broken into two sessions spaced 1 week apart. The test-retest reliability of preschool working memory was found to be r = .60. Further analyses demonstrated that while attention and working memory were significantly correlated with one another, working memory was a significant predictor of school readiness above and beyond the predictive ability of children's sustained attention. Specifically, for boys, working memory was a significant predictor of school readiness above and beyond both attention and developmental status, but this was not the case for girls. These findings highlight the utility of this preschool working memory methodology as well as the importance of working memory above and beyond other related constructs at this stage of child development. Additionally, and perhaps worthy of consideration in future research, these findings also suggest notable gender-based differences in working memory during the preschool period.

Associations of Pre- and Postnatal Air Pollution Exposures with Child Behavioral Problems and Cognitive Performance: A U.S. Multi-Cohort Study

Environmental Health Perspectives

Executive functioning skills in early childhood children with autism, intellectual disability, and co-occurring autism and intellectual disability

Research in Developmental Disabilities

BACKGROUND Many children with autism and intellectual disability (ID) experience executive functi... more BACKGROUND Many children with autism and intellectual disability (ID) experience executive functioning (EF) difficulties. However, there is minimal research on EF skills in children with autism, ID, and co-occurring autism/ID in early childhood. AIMS To address this gap in the research, we evaluated EF profiles using the BRIEF-P among early childhood children (2-5 years of age) with autism, ID, and co-occurring autism/ID. METHOD AND PROCEDURES Participants in the current study were 87 children between the ages of 24 and 71 months (M = 46.8, SD = 12.7) diagnosed with autism (n = 24, 27.6 %), ID (n = 23, 26.4 %), or co-occurring autism/ID (n = 40, 46.0 %) that completed a comprehensive psychological evaluation at a university development center. We used a mixed Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and between- and within-subjects ANOVAs as follow-up analyses. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS Results suggested that early childhood children with autism, ID, and autism/ID may have unique EF skill profiles. Children with ID exhibited the most significant EF impairments and children with autism had the least. Working memory was the most impaired EF domain across all diagnostic groups. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Overall, our findings show that early childhood children with autism, ID, and autism/ID exhibit difficulties in EF skills. Children with ID exhibit the most significant EF impairments whereas children with autism show the least. However, regardless of diagnosis, working memory is the most impaired EF skill.

Relationship between Gestational 25-hydroxyvitamin D Status and Neurocognitive Development at Age 4

ISEE Conference Abstracts, 2020

Associations of Pre- and Postnatal Air Pollution Exposures with Child Cognitive Performance and Behavior: A Multi-cohort Study

ISEE Conference Abstracts

Article Gestational Vitamin 25(OH)D Status as a Risk Factor for Receptive Language Development: A 24-Month

Abstract: Emerging data suggest that vitamin D status during childhood and adolescence can affect... more Abstract: Emerging data suggest that vitamin D status during childhood and adolescence can affect neurocognitive development. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether gestational 25(OH)D status is associated with early childhood cognitive and receptive language development. The Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning in Early Childhood Study (CANDLE) study enrolled 1503 mother-child dyads during the second trimester of healthy singleton pregnancies from Shelby County TN. Among 1020 participants of the total CANDLE cohort for whom 25(OH)D levels were available, mean gestational 25(OH)D level during the second trimester was 22.3 ng/mL (range 5.9–68.4), with 41.7 % of values <20 ng/dL. Cognitive and language scaled

Most research on parenting stress and abuse factors in parents of children with developmental dis... more Most research on parenting stress and abuse factors in parents of children with developmental disabilities has relied almost exclusively on Caucasian, middle-income, intact families. The current study investigated the generalizability of previous findings, examining the relations among parenting stress, abuse potential, and child's intellectual/adaptive functioning in a sample of low-income African American mothers of children with developmental delays. Thirty-three maternal caregivers completed the Child Abuse Potential Inventory and the Parenting Stress Index. Results indicated significant parenting stress, particularly aspects related to the child, as well as considerable physical abuse potential. Parenting stress was strongly correlated with abuse potential, particularly stress related to parental attributes. Neither parenting stress nor abuse potential were significantly correlated with the child's intellectual or adaptive functioning. Concerns regarding the appropria...

Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ASD, ID, and ASD/ID: Social Adaptive Comparisons for African-American and European-American Preschoolers

Toddler Externalizing Behavior, Social Support, and Parenting Stress: Examining a Moderator Model

Family Relations, 2020

Applicability of Australian adaptations of intelligence tests in New Zealand with a Dunedin sample of children

New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 1998

The current study evaluated the applicability of the Australian adaptations of the Wechsler Intel... more The current study evaluated the applicability of the Australian adaptations of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children -- Third Edition and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale -- Fourth Edition for a Dunedin sample of children. Previous research with earlier versions of the measures suggested that New Zealanders obtain scores at or above those of the U.S. normative sample. Ninety children participated, 60 between ages 5 to 8 receiving the SB-FE and 60 between ages 7 to 10 receiving the WISC-III (thus, 7- and 8-year-olds received both tests). Contrary to previous research, the current Dunedin sample obtained means comparable to the American norms. Limitations due to sample characteristics and sample size are discussed. Historically, intelligence testing has been a polemic issue. Charges against intelligence testing are numerous and varied, including concerns regarding the biased, reductionistic, and limited predictive qualities of intelligence tests (Sattler, 1992). Doubts abo...