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Exposure to harsh parenting during the preschool years can have far-reaching effects on the organization of communication throughout the brain. Subsequent exposure affects specific brain areas.
A new study from the University of Michigan published in JAMA Pediatrics explores how strict and warm parenting in early childhood, middle and late childhood influenced brain development in adolescence, and whether these changes may have implications for later mental health. It highlights how it was predicted.
Researchers are investigating whether there is a “sensitive period” in childhood, when the brain is particularly susceptible to external influences, and whether the experience of this sensitive period can lead to psychological changes during stressful times like the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a new statistical method to determine whether it predicts health. They also used advanced brain imaging techniques to investigate how information flows through the developing brain.
“Understanding these sensitive periods can inform more effective policy and intervention strategies,” said Luke Hyde, UM psychology professor and faculty assistant at the Institute for Social Research. .
“These findings demonstrate that early intervention can have widespread benefits for brain development,” said Kleandis Michael, a UM graduate student and lead author of the study.
Data are from a 21-year longitudinal birth cohort study of low-income youth and families in Detroit, Chicago, and Toledo, Ohio. The data comes from the Family Futures and Child Wellbeing Survey and was collected from February 1998 to June 2021. The current study sample included analysis of 173 youth.
Parents reported their harsh behavior, i.e., psychological and physical aggression, and observers recorded warm parenting (reactivity) toward their 3-, 5-, and 9-year-old children. A neuroimaging follow-up substudy was conducted in 15-year-olds. Participants reported symptoms of anxiety and depression due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
The results of this study showed that harsh parental parenting during childhood affects the overall organization of the brain during adolescence. However, harsh parenting in late childhood more specifically affects corticocortical circuits, specific parts of the brain including the amygdala and frontal lobes, involved in emotional processing and regulation.
Researchers also investigated the positive aspects of parenting and how warm parenting during middle childhood may influence the amygdala, a small part of the brain involved in processing emotions and threats, different from other parts of the brain. I discovered that it is related to whether there is a bond or not. Importantly, they predicted that parental warmth would reduce anxiety and depression through its effect on the amygdala during the COVID-19 pandemic 15 years later.
Hyde said this study shows that the effects of positive and negative experiences on the brain may differ depending on when in life those experiences occur.
“We are using a new method to test an old question in developmental psychology about whether children have sensitive periods of brain development,” he said.
Michael said: “These experiences appear to influence the risk of depression and anxiety later in life, so this study aims to address the vulnerable period and promote healthy long-term development.” “This highlights opportunities for treatment and policy. Parental interventions and policies that support parents may have an impact.” The effects are more severe earlier in life. ”
More information: Cleanthis Michael et al., “Developmental timing of the relationship between parenting, brain structure, and mental health,” JAMA Pediatrics (2024). DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.4376
Provided by University of Michigan
Citation: Study Finds Parenting Affects Children’s Brains Differently at Different Ages (October 29, 2024) https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-10-parenting-affects-kids-brains -Retrieved October 29, 2024 from Differencely.html
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