The contribution of racism-related stress and adversity to disparities in birth outcomes: evidence and research recommendations

Liu, Sabrina R.; Glynn, Laura M.

doi:10.1016/j.xfre.2021.10.003

Cited by 13 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 97 publications

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“…Although it is established that preconception and prenatal stress impacts offspring mental health (Graignic-Philippe et al, 2014;Park et al, 2014;Van den Bergh et al, 2017), to date stressors emphasized by the Integrative Model as critical for understanding development in populations of color, including discrimination and acculturative stress (García Coll et al, 1996), have been understudied in this context. Further, questions remain unanswered about which maternal factors promote infant resilience to preconception and prenatal adversity exposure (Liu & Glynn, 2021). Results of the current study add empirical evidence to these existing research gaps.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 68%

“…Although there has been substantial growth in evidence supporting DOHaD and links between maternal stress and child development, there has been relatively little focus in this area on sociocultural stressors that disproportionately impact communities of color (Conradt et al, 2020;D'Anna-Hernandez et al, 2015;Liu & Glynn, 2021). In fact, there is a dearth of research that examines preconception or prenatal influences of offspring behavioral development among diverse and/or low-income populations, despite the greater risk of exposure to stress within these communities (Bush et al, 2017;Conradt et al, 2020;Demers et al, 2021).…”

Section: Sociocultural Stressorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Intergenerational risk and resilience pathways from discrimination and acculturative stress to infant mental health

et al. 2022

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Preconception and prenatal stress impact fetal and infant development, and women of color are disproportionately exposed to sociocultural stressors like discrimination and acculturative stress. However, few studies examine links between mothers’ exposure to these stressors and offspring mental health, or possible mitigating factors. Using linear regression, we tested associations between prenatally assessed maternal acculturative stress and discrimination on infant negative emotionality among 113 Latinx/Hispanic, Asian American, Black, and Multiethnic mothers and their children. Additionally, we tested interactions between stressors and potential pre- and postnatal resilience-promoting factors: community cohesion, social support, communalism, and parenting self-efficacy. Discrimination and acculturative stress were related to more infant negative emotionality at approximately 12 months old (M = 12.6, SD = .75). In contrast, maternal report of parenting self-efficacy when infants were 6 months old was related to lower levels of infant negative emotionality. Further, higher levels of parenting self-efficacy mitigated the relation between acculturative stress and negative emotionality. Preconception and prenatal exposure to sociocultural stress may be a risk factor for poor offspring mental health. Maternal and child health researchers, policymakers, and practitioners should prioritize further understanding these relations, reducing exposure to sociocultural stressors, and promoting resilience.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 68%

Section: Sociocultural Stressorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intergenerational risk and resilience pathways from discrimination and acculturative stress to infant mental health

et al. 2022

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“…Equally important to understanding intergenerational transmission of risk is research on intergenerational resilience (Liu & Glynn, 2022), and Study 1 and Study 2 found that social support protected against the impact of discrimination on birth outcomes. This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Identifying factors that promote resilience against stressors that challenge pregnant Latinx/Hispanic individuals is also critical for improving birth outcomes and racial/ethnic equity in this population (Alhusen et al, 2016; Armans et al, 2020; Christian, 2020; Dailey, 2009; Dunkel Schetter, 2011; Liu & Glynn, 2022). Previous research suggests that social support can buffer the negative health impacts conferred by experiences of racism (Neblett, 2019; Paradies, 2006).…”

Section: Current Investigationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Repeated activation of systems involved in stress response (neuroendocrine, autonomic nervous, and immune) leads to their dysfunction and stress-related disease (McEwen, 2002;Riggan et al, 2021;Selye, 1956), including health conditions implicated in adverse birth outcomes, such as infection and pregnancy-induced hypertension. Additionally, dysregulation of stress response systems can directly affect maternal physiology implicated in fetal development and timing of parturition (Christian et al, 2013;Liu & Glynn, 2022;Morgan et al, 2022;Riggan et al, 2021). Historical trauma theory proposes that populations traditionally subjected to state-sanctioned adversities and traumas (related to cultural dispossession, discrimination, displacement, economic destruction, segregation, violence) today face modern systemic barriers and discrimination.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Discrimination and adverse birth outcomes among Latina women: The protective role of social support.

Liu,

D'Anna-Hernandez,

Sandman

et al. 2023

Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology

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Objective: Interpersonal discrimination has been associated with adverse birth outcomes among Black populations, but few studies have examined the impact of discrimination among Latinx/Hispanic populations in the United States, especially in conjunction with resources that could be protective. The present study examined (a) if exposure to discrimination is associated with adverse birth outcomes for Latina/Hispanic women and (b) if prenatal social support buffers these links. Method: In two independent prospective studies of Latina/Hispanic women in Southern California (N = 84 and N = 102), the relation between maternal experience of discrimination and birth outcomes (length of gestation and birth weight) was examined. Additionally, social support was tested as a moderator of these relations. Results: In both Studies 1 and 2, exposures to discrimination predicted adverse birth outcomes. Specifically, lifetime experiences of major discrimination predicted lower birth weight. Additionally, in Study 2, chronic experiences of everyday discrimination were linked to lower birth weight. In Study 1, major discrimination also predicted shorter gestational length. Importantly, in both studies, the presence of prenatal social support buffered associations between discrimination and poorer birth outcomes. Conclusions: Findings implicate discrimination as an important risk factor for adverse birth outcomes among women of Latina/Hispanic descent. Further policies, practice, and research on reducing discrimination and enhancing factors that promote resilience such as social support are needed to facilitate healthy births among Latina/Hispanic women, mitigate intergenerational harm of discrimination-related stress, and advance health equity at birth and across the lifespan. Public Significance StatementPerinatal health among Hispanic/Latinx populations in the United States is an important public health priority, as they are one of the nation's fastest growing racial/ethnic groups. However, predictors of adverse birth outcomes and associated protective factors in this population have been understudied. This investigation provides evidence from two independent samples that experiences of discrimination are linked to poorer birth outcomes (lower birth weight and shorter gestational length) among Hispanic/ Latina women, but that social support is a protective mechanism against these associations.

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Experience of discrimination reported during pregnancy and infant's emerging effortful control

Rivera,

D'Anna‐Hernandez,

Hankin

et al. 2024

Developmental Psychobiology

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Discrimination reported during pregnancy is associated with poorer offspring emotional outcomes. Links with effortful control have yet to be examined. This study investigated whether pregnant individuals’ reports of lifetime racial/ethnic discrimination and everyday discrimination (including but not specific to race/ethnicity) reported during pregnancy were associated with offspring emerging effortful control at 6 months of age. Pregnant individuals (N = 174) and their offspring (93 female infants) participated. During pregnancy, participants completed two discrimination measures: (1) lifetime experience of racial/ethnic discrimination, and (2) everyday discrimination (not specific to race/ethnicity). Parents completed the Infant Behavior Questionnaire—Revised when infants were 6 months old to assess orienting/regulation, a measure of emerging effortful control. Analyses were conducted in a subsample with racially/ethnically marginalized participants and then everyday discrimination analyses were repeated in the full sample. For racially/ethnically marginalized participants, greater everyday discrimination (β = −.27, p = .01) but not greater lifetime experience of racial/ethnic discrimination (β = −.21, p = .06) was associated with poorer infant emerging effortful control. In the full sample, greater everyday discrimination was associated with poorer infant emerging effortful control (β = −.24, p = .002). Greater perceived stress, but not depressive symptoms, at 2 months postnatal mediated the association between everyday discrimination and emerging effortful control. Further research should examine additional biological and behavioral mechanisms by which discrimination reported during pregnancy may affect offspring emerging effortful control.

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The contribution of racism-related stress and adversity to disparities in birth outcomes: evidence and research recommendations

Cited by 13 publications

References 97 publications

Intergenerational risk and resilience pathways from discrimination and acculturative stress to infant mental health

Intergenerational risk and resilience pathways from discrimination and acculturative stress to infant mental health

Discrimination and adverse birth outcomes among Latina women: The protective role of social support.

Experience of discrimination reported during pregnancy and infant's emerging effortful control

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