Stress has typically been associated with a multitude of adverse outcomes for children and adults. Specifically, daily hassles associated with childrearing have been hypothesized to have a cumulative effect over time on family interactions. Much of the research on parenting stress is based on mothers only, however, differences between mothers and fathers in parenting roles suggest that parenting stress may differ between mothers and fathers. Although previous studies have not found significant differences between parents, differential predictors and effects of parenting stress have been found. Within the context of child risk, the relations between parenting stress and child development have been minimally explored. The proposed study will address the longitudinal relations between family stress and child development across the preschool years, identify differences between mothers and fathers in parenting stress, and determine how these relations are affected within a context of risk, having a child with a developmental delay. Data will be drawn from multi-site of an ongoing longitudinal, study development psychopathology in typically developing children and children with developmental delay. Results of the proposed study will inform interventions designed to improve parenting in stressful contexts by identifying the predictors and effects of parenting stress for mothers and fathers, particularly within a condition of risk. ? ?
Chen, Beth L; Hall, David H; Chklovskii, Dmitri B (2006) Wiring optimization can relate neuronal structure and function. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 103:4723-8 |