This study examined physiological linkage (specifically, linkage in respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA) between parents and youth (aged 11-17) across conflict and fun activity discussion tasks. We also examined whether observed, momentary negative affect or parental depressive symptoms, would moderate patterns of RSA linkage across the interaction tasks. RSA linkage was assessed using a multilevel actor-partner interdependence model (APIM). Participants were 59 mother-adolescent dyads, including mothers with or without clinically significant depressive symptoms. Both mothers and teens evidenced stable RSA over time (actor effect), although the stability of maternal RSA was moderated by maternal depression, with maternal depressive symptoms related to slower RSA return to baseline. There was a significant partner influence on youth RSA, with maternal RSA positively related to subsequent youth RSA. However, this effect was moderated by maternal depression and maternal negative affect (NA), with low maternal depression/low maternal NA related to dyadic synchrony, whereas high depression or high NA led to attenuation of this relationship. Results demonstrate the importance of understanding the dynamic and complex nature of family interactions in the context of depression.

This study examines the impact of the Family Check-Up, a school-based prevention program, as delivered in public secondary schools on suicide risk across adolescence. Students were randomly assigned to a family-centered intervention (N = 998) in sixth grade, and offered a multilevel intervention that included (a) a universal classroom-based intervention, (b) the Family Check-Up (selected; Dishion, Stormshak, & Kavanagh, 2011), and (c) family management treatment (indicated). Engagement with the FCU predicted significant reductions in suicide risk across adolescence and early adulthood.

Pediatric chronic pain is a significant problem associated with substantial functional impairment. A variety of risk factors have been found to be associated with chronic pain in youth. The greatest amount of evidence appears to support that temperament, anxiety, depression, subjective experience of stress, passive coping strategies, sleep problems, other somatic-related problems, and parent and/or family factors are important variables. However, a great deal of this research focuses on a single risk factor or on multiple risk factors in isolation. Much of the literature utilizes older diagnostic criteria and would benefit from replication, larger sample sizes, and comparison across pain disorders. Problems also exist with disagreement across definitions, resulting in inconsistency or unclear use of terms. Furthermore, recent consideration has suggested that outcome measures should include functional disability in addition to pain. A second generation of research is needed to shed light on the complex interactions that likely play a role in the transition from acute to chronic pain. Building on recent calls for changes in research in this area, we propose the next steps for this research, which involve consideration of both biopsychosocial and developmental contexts.

Parenting is a complex activity driven, in part, by parental emotional and physiological responses. However, work examining the physiological underpinnings of parenting behavior is still in its infancy, and very few studies have examined such processes beyond early childhood. The current study examines associations between Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) indices of parents' physiological reactivity to positive and negative mood states and observed parental affect during a series of discussion tasks with their adolescent child. Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) was measured as an index of parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activation while viewing film clips designed to induce neutral, sad, and amused mood states. Parental positive affect, anger, and distress were observed during a series of parent-child discussion tasks, which included an ambiguous discussion regarding adolescent growth, a conflict discussion, and a fun-activity planning discussion. Results supported the association between aspects of parental physiological reactivity and observed affect during dyadic interactions. Further, RSA interacted with maternal depression to predict observed positive affect, anger, and distress, although differences across tasks and specific emotions were found regarding the nature of the interaction effects. Overall, results suggest that such neurobiological processes may be particularly important predictors of parental behavior, particularly in at-risk populations. (PsycINFO Database Record

Objective To determine the risk for BP-I disorder in first-degree relatives of children with DSM-IV bipolar-I disorder (BP-I) via meta-analysis and expanded controlled study. Data Sources and Extraction Meta-Analysis We searched the Pubmed database for scientific articles published in the world literature in the English language through 2011. The key words searched were: bipolar disorder, first-degree relatives, family study, control. All online abstracts were reviewed and relevant full manuscripts were collected and reviewed. Citations were also examined for other potential relevant articles. We included only controlled family studies that examined rates of bipolar-I disorder in all first-degree relatives (parents and siblings) of pediatric bipolar-I probands and included only studies that had age and sex matched controls. Family history studies were excluded. Also excluded were studies that were not in English, did not report the rates of all first-degree relatives, and reported only bipolar spectrum rates. We also excluded family studies that included only adult probands. We conducted a meta-analysis of the five controlled family studies of pediatric BP-I probands that met our search criteria using the random effects model of DerSimonian and Laird. Method Family Study We greatly expanded our previous sample of DSM-IV BP-I probands using structured diagnostic interviews. Our new study included 239 children satisfying full with DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for BP-I (n=726 first-degree relatives), 162 ADHD (without BP-I) probands (n=511 first-degree relatives), and 136 healthy control (without ADHD or BP-I) probands (n=411 first-degree relatives). We used the Kaplan-Meier cumulative failure function to calculate survival curves and cumulative, lifetime risk in relatives. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate the risk of BP-I in relatives. Results The pooled odds ratio for BP-I disorder in relatives was estimated to be 6.96 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 4.8 to 10.1). We also found first-degree relatives of BP-I probands to be significantly more likely than first-degree relatives of both ADHD (Hazards Ratio: 3.02; 95% CI: 1.85 to 4.93; p<0.001) and control probands (HR: 2.83; 1.65 to 4.84; p<0.001) to have bipolar-I disorder. Conclusion Our results document an increased familial risk for BP-I disorder in relatives of pediatric probands with DSM-IV BP-I.