How Heritable are Parental Sensitivity and Limit‐Setting? A Longitudinal Child‐Based Twin Study on Observed Parenting

Euser, Saskia; Bosdriesz, Jizzo R.; Vrijhof, Claudia I.; Bulk, Bianca G. van den; Hees, Debby van; Vet, Sanne M. de; IJzendoorn, Marinus H. van; Bakermans‐Kranenburg, Marian J.

doi:10.1111/cdev.13365

Cited by 11 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 64 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Our findings converge with several previous non-intervention studies indicating that the majority of the variance in observed parenting behaviors can be explained by shared environmental factors, with only small or non-significant child genetic effects [ 4 – 8 ]. For example, Euser et al [ 5 ] reported a behavioral genetics analysis of parental sensitivity and limit-setting on the pretest data of the current study (Wave 1 and Wave 2), showing little child-based genetic influences on parenting. The VIPP-SD intervention impacted parental sensitive limit setting of both children in the family in a similar way.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

“…For parental sensitivity, within-twin correlations ranged between r = .59 and r = .62 for the different waves and correlations across time ranged between r = .40 and r = .60 for the two children and different waves. Within-twin correlations were comparable for parental sensitive limit-setting, ranging between r = .56 and r = .60 for the different waves, but across-time correlations were somewhat lower, ranging between r = .19 and r = .47 for the two children and different waves (see Euser et al [ 5 ] for a behavioral genetics analysis).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some strengths and limitations of the present study should be mentioned. The intervention was pre-registered, conducted in a rather large sample, with state-of-the-art observational outcome measures of parenting [ 5 ], and included two pre-tests that allowed for stable base-line assessments against which the effects of the intervention could be evaluated. Because of the availability of pretests, we also could detect significant differences between experimental and control groups before the intervention was administered, despite careful randomization.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Video-feedback promotes sensitive limit-setting in parents of twin preschoolers: a randomized controlled trial

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Primary aim of the current randomized controlled trial was to test the effectiveness of the parenting intervention ‘Video-feedback to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline’ (VIPP-SD) in a sample of parents of preschool-aged twins, as well as differential susceptibility to intervention efforts, that is, whether more temperamentally reactive parents would profit more from the VIPP-SD than parents with lower reactivity. Methods The sample consisted of 202 families with same-sex twins [N = 404 children, mean age 45 months (SD = 6.81)]. Randomization was done at the family level in a 2:3 ratio, with 83 families (41%) randomized to the VIPP-SD group, and 119 families (59%) to the control group. After two pre-tests in year 1 and year 2 of the study, the VIPP-SD was implemented in the third year, with a post-test assessment 1 month after the five intervention sessions. Parental sensitivity was observed during structured play in which parent and child copied a drawing together in a computerized Etch-A-Sketch paradigm. Parental limit-setting was observed in a ‘don’t touch’ task in which the parent required from the child to abstain from playing with attractive toys. Parents interacted with each of their twins in separate sessions. Results The VIPP-SD intervention had a positive impact on the level of parents’ positive limit-setting in interaction with their preschool twins, and this positive effect was most pronounced when the parents completed at least five intervention sessions. However, the intervention did not enhance parental sensitivity during structured play. Parents with higher reactivity were not more open to the impact of the intervention, thus for this temperamental marker differential susceptibility in adults was not supported. Conclusions The current study is unique in targeting families with twin preschoolers, providing proof of principle that coaching parents with video-feedback promotes parental sensitive limit-setting to both children. It remains to be seen whether this finding can be replicated in families with non-twin siblings, or other parental susceptibility markers. Trial registration Trial NL5172 (NTR5312), 2015-07-20.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Video-feedback promotes sensitive limit-setting in parents of twin preschoolers: a randomized controlled trial

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Parents who have healthy communication with their children can be considered empathetic [ 31 ], and healthy communication plays a protective role in children’s engagement in risky behaviors [ 32 ]. Limit setting is considered a parenting discipline technique for establishing appropriate behaviors in children [ 33 ]. Children with parents who do not establish limits for them may feel insecure and are more likely to exhibit problematic behaviors [ 34 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mediating effect of the parent-child relationship on the association between parenting stress and children’s eating behaviors

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Emerging evidence suggests that parenting stress plays a significant role in children’s eating behavior. However, the nature of the relationship between parenting stress and children’s health behaviors is still not well understood, possibly because there is limited understanding of the mediating factors. The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effect of the parent–child relationship on the association between parenting stress and children’s eating behaviors in families with young children. Methods Using a cross-sectional study design, we recruited mothers of families with children aged four to six years in the United States. We asked the mothers select one child if she has more than one eligible child. Mothers answered well-validated questionnaires regarding parenting stress, the parent–child relationship, and children’s eating behaviors. We utilized a structural equation model to analyze the mediating factors. Results A total of 172 mothers of children participated in this study. The children’s mean age was 4.92 (SD 0.89) years; 50% of children were female and 71.2% were non-Hispanic Whites. Parenting stress was associated with subcategories of the parent–child relationship (satisfaction with parenting [b* = − 0.69, p < .01], communication [b* = 0.45, p < 0.01], and limit setting [b* = − 0.82, p < .01]). The subcategories of communication and limit setting were negatively associated with food responsiveness in children (b* = − 0.24, p < .01; b* = − 0.46, p < .01, respectively). Limit setting was negatively associated with emotional overeating in children (b* = − 0.49, p < .01). Communication mediated the association between parenting stress and food responsiveness in children (b* = − 0.11, p < .01). The mediating role of limit setting was established in the association between parenting stress and food responsiveness as well as in the association between parenting stress and emotional overeating (b* = 0.38, p < .01; b* = 0.40, p < .01, respectively). Conclusions The parent–child relationship is an important component in improving children’s eating behaviors in families that have parents with higher parenting stress levels.

show abstract

“…Nevertheless, it seems a plausible but potentially disturbing hypothesis that heritability might play a role in parenting (Euser et al, in press) and more specifically in intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment (Pittner et al, ). Heritability can be misunderstood to imply that children are to blame for their own maltreatment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Annual Research Review: Umbrella synthesis of meta‐analyses on child maltreatment antecedents and interventions: differential susceptibility perspective on risk and resilience

IJzendoorn

Bakermans‐Kranenburg

Coughlan

et al. 2019

Child Psychology Psychiatry

Self Cite

164

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Child maltreatment in the family context is a prevalent and pervasive phenomenon in many modern societies. The global perpetration of child abuse and neglect stands in stark contrast to its almost universal condemnation as exemplified in the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child. Much work has been devoted to the task of prevention, yet a grand synthesis of the literature is missing. Focusing on two core elements of prevention, that is, antecedents for maltreatment and the effectiveness of (preventative) interventions, we performed an umbrella review of meta‐analyses published between January 1, 2014, and December 17, 2018. Meta‐analyses were systematically collected, assessed, and integrated following a uniform approach to allow their comparison across domains. From this analysis of thousands of studies including almost 1.5 million participants, the following risk factors were derived: parental experience of maltreatment in his or her own childhood (d = .47), low socioeconomic status of the family (d = .34), dependent and aggressive parental personality (d = .45), intimate partner violence (d = .41), and higher baseline autonomic nervous system activity (d = .24). The effect size for autonomic stress reactivity was not significant (d = −.10). The umbrella review of interventions to prevent or reduce child maltreatment showed modest intervention effectiveness (d = .23 for interventions targeting child abuse potential or families with self‐reported maltreatment and d = .27 for officially reported child maltreatment cases). Despite numerous studies on child maltreatment, some large gaps in our knowledge of antecedents exist. Neurobiological antecedents should receive more research investment. Differential susceptibility theory may shed more light on questions aimed at breaking the intergenerational transmission of maltreatment and on the modest (preventive) intervention effects. In combination with family‐based interaction‐focused interventions, large‐scale socioeconomic experiments such as cash transfer trials and experiments with vouchers to move to a lower‐poverty area might be tested to prevent or reduce child maltreatment. Prevalence, antecedents, and preventive interventions of prenatal maltreatment deserve continuing scientific, clinical, and policy attention.

show abstract

How Heritable are Parental Sensitivity and Limit‐Setting? A Longitudinal Child‐Based Twin Study on Observed Parenting

Cited by 11 publications

References 64 publications

Video-feedback promotes sensitive limit-setting in parents of twin preschoolers: a randomized controlled trial

Video-feedback promotes sensitive limit-setting in parents of twin preschoolers: a randomized controlled trial

Mediating effect of the parent-child relationship on the association between parenting stress and children’s eating behaviors

Annual Research Review: Umbrella synthesis of meta‐analyses on child maltreatment antecedents and interventions: differential susceptibility perspective on risk and resilience

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About