Prenatal exposure to disaster-related traumatic stress and developmental trajectories of temperament in early childhood: Superstorm Sandy pregnancy study

Abstract

Background Little is known about the impact of prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) on the developmental trajectory of temperament and few studies have been able to incorporate a natural disaster as a quasi-experimental stressor. The current study investigated PNMS related to Superstorm Sandy (‘Sandy’), a hurricane that struck the New York metropolitan area in October 2012, in terms of objective exposure during pregnancy, subjective stress reaction as assessed by maternal symptoms of post-traumatic stress, and their impact on the developmental changes in temperament during early childhood. Method A subsample of 318 mother-child dyads was drawn from the Stress in Pregnancy Study. Temperament was measured at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of age. Results Objective exposure was associated with greater High-Intensity Pleasure, Approach, Perceptual Sensitivity and Fearfulness, but lower Cuddliness and Duration of Orientation at 6 months. Objective exposure and its interaction with subjective stress reaction predicted developmental changes in temperament. In particular, objective exposure was linked to greater increases in Activity Level but decreases in High-Intensity Pleasure, Approach, and Fearfulness. The combination of objective exposure and subjective stress reaction was also associated with greater increases in Activity Level. Limitations Temperament was measured solely via maternal report. Trimester-specific effects of Sandy on temperament were not examined. Conclusion This is the first study to examine the effects of prenatal maternal exposure to a natural disaster on trajectories of early childhood temperament. Findings suggest that both objective stress exposure and subjective stress reaction in-utero predict developmental trajectories of temperament in early childhood.

First-Time Mothers’ and Fathers’ Developmental Changes in the Perception of Their Daughters’ and Sons’ Temperament: Its Association With Parents’ Mental Health

“…In our group, most of the perceived temperamental characteristics showed developmental change for both mothers and fathers, as reported by other scholars ( Planalp et al, 2013 ; Laceulle et al, 2014 ; Zhang et al, 2018 ). Also, in our sample, the global factors of Positive Affectivity/Surgency and Negative Affectivity increased.…”

Toddler Temperament Mediates the Effect of Prenatal Maternal Stress on Childhood Anxiety Symptomatology: The QF2011 Queensland Flood Study

“…Findings from prospective longitudinal cohorts show the unique effects of disaster-related PNMS on both infant and toddler temperament, as well as on anxiety symptomatology [26,27,28,29]. Natural disaster PNMS studies allow for a thorough examination of the unique effects of various aspects of the stressful experience (including subjective post-traumatic stress-like symptoms, objective hardship due to the stressor, and cognitive appraisal of the impact of the event) on child development.…”

“…At 4 years, QF2011 children whose mothers experienced greater flood-related objective hardship in early gestation experienced more severe anxiety symptoms and internalizing behaviors [28]. Infants exposed in-utero to Hurricane Sandy (‘Superstorm Sandy’) were more fearful and showed poorer attentional control at 6 months than un-exposed infants, yet fearfulness decreased from 6 to 24 months [29]. When investigated, PNMS effects on temperament or anxiety symptomatology were not dependent upon gestational timing of disaster exposure in any of these cohorts.…”

COVID-19 threatens maternal mental health and infant development: possible paths from stress and isolation to adverse outcomes and a call for research and practice

“…Much of this research posits that isolation increases maternal stress which has broad, toxic effects. Indeed, there are long term adverse outcomes for children when mothers are exposed to even a temporary stressor like an ice storm [ 7 ] or another natural disaster [ 8 ]. These studies reveal increased risk for adverse developmental outcomes in cognitive, behavioral, motor, and physical domains [ 9 ].…”

“…Though extant research has linked reduced social support and increased stress to adverse outcomes for mothers and children, these variables are confounded with others like a mother's temperament or psychopathology, financial resources, and marital satisfaction. In contrast, the COVID-19 pandemic provides a natural experiment in which pregnant women, regardless of random variation in the aforementioned confounds and other unknowns, have been forced into a period of stress and social isolation, allowing the effects of stress and isolation to be measured and disentangled from other contextual risk factors, as has been done in the aftermath of natural disasters before [ 8 , 9 ]. Several specific areas for future research are recommended: Assess infant developmental and maternal mental health outcomes during COVID-19 and in the aftermath.…”