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Developmental and Emotional Aspects of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Parenting: Current and Future Perspectives

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Children's Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 10405

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Elena Commodari

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Guest Editor

Department of Educational Science, University of Catania, Catania, 95100, Italy
Interests: Developmental and Educational Psychology; cognitive processes during the life span; attention; school readiness; scholastic learning;; stress; values; risk perception
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Valentina Lucia La Rosa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, 95100 Catania, Italy
Interests: developmental psychology; educational psychology; life cycle psychology; development in adolescence; attachment relationships; family; learning and quality of educational settings
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

All pregnancies, even healthy ones, may cause an existential and emotional crisis in a woman, which reinforces pre-existing internal conflicts. Indeed, pregnancy is a unique experience in a woman's life which is influenced by several factors, particularly biological, psychological, and psychosocial ones. For most women, pregnancy is a happy experience associated with positive expectations. In this regard, for example, a particular case is that of women who survive cancer, for whom the possibility of becoming a mother has a particular value. For these women, a child is a symbol of life that defeats death. However, pregnancy can also be the cause of particular emotional distress for women, with consequent development, in some cases, of psychopathological disorders such as maternity blues and postpartum depression. In some situations, unexpected medical complications, such as fetal anomalies, fetal death, or a serious health risk for the child or the mother, can significantly increase psychological distress.

In other cases, conceiving a child is difficult due to infertility problems or other hindrances, and the couple is forced to face the psychological impact of this event and choose to resort to assisted reproduction techniques or adoption. Finally, pregnancy may be unwanted, leading in some cases to the decision to abort.

In light of these considerations, the Special Issue “Developmental and Emotional Aspects of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Parenting: Current and Future Perspectives” aims to publish both original articles and comprehensive reviews about the psychological and social impact of several conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting, to better understand the factors that come into play in the complex process of the construction of parenting and the promotion of coping and resilience in this particular period of the life cycle.

Dr. Valentina Lucia La Rosa
Prof. Elena Commodari
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

abortion
adoption
assisted reproduction techniques
childbirth
coping
emotional adjustment
infertility
life span
maternity blues
oncofertility
parenting
postpartum depression
pregnancy

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1066 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Personality, Disability, and Family Functioning on Burnout among Mothers of Children with Autism: A Path Analysis

by Małgorzata Sekułowicz, Piotr Kwiatkowski, Iris Manor-Binyamini, Krystyna Boroń-Krupińska and Błażej Cieślik

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1187; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031187 - 21 Jan 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3357

Abstract

This path analysis of mothers of children with autism aimed to investigate the relationship between maternal burnout and the mother’s subjective reporting of difficulty in childcare, family function, and personality traits. A total of 410 mothers of children with autism (mean age 39.03, SD 7.42) completed four questionnaires: Parental Burnout Measure (PBM-12), International Personality Item Pool—Big Five Markers (IPIP-BFM-20), Flexibility and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES-IV), and a survey on childcare difficulties. Path analysis using two predetermined models was used to examine the interrelations. Both models fit the empirical data equally with a Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) index of 0.000 and a 90% confidence interval (model 1: 0.000–0.052; model 2: 0.000–0.059). Path analysis revealed similar fit indexes for both models: (a) burnout is a mediator between exogenous variables and family functioning, and (b) family functioning is an indirect mediator between exogenous variables and burnout. These findings suggest that increased maternal emotional instability (neuroticism) and conscientiousness can lead to increased family communication problems, which may further lead to a breakdown of the equilibrium in the family system, resulting in the mother’s dissatisfaction with family life and a consequent increased risk of maternal burnout. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Developmental and Emotional Aspects of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Parenting: Current and Future Perspectives)

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13 pages, 370 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Predictors of Depressive Symptoms in Caregivers of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A One-Year Follow-Up Study

by Wen-Jiun Chou, Ray C. Hsiao, Chih-Cheng Chang and Cheng-Fang Yen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(16), 8835; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168835 - 22 Aug 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2477

Abstract

This 1-year follow-up study examined the predictive values of the demographics, depressive symptoms, stress-coping orientations, and perceived family support of caregivers as well as the internalizing, externalizing and ADHD symptoms of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at baseline on the depressive symptoms of the caregivers after 1 year. A total of four hundred caregivers of children with ADHD were recruited. The baseline levels of the caregivers’ depressive symptoms, stress-coping orientations, and perceived family support and the internalizing and externalizing problems of the children were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced, Family Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection, Resolve Index, and the Child Behavior Checklist For Ages 6–18, respectively. Their predictions for the caregiver’s depressive symptoms 1 year after the baseline were examined using linear regression analysis. In total, 382 caregivers of children with ADHD underwent the follow-up assessment 1 year from the baseline. A marital status of being separated or divorced, less effective coping and depressive symptoms orientation, and children with internalizing problems and ADHD symptoms at baseline were positively associated with the caregivers’ depressive symptoms at follow-up, whereas the caregivers’ perceived family support and an emotion-focused coping orientation at baseline were negatively associated with depressive symptoms at follow-up. Multiple characteristics of the caregivers and children with ADHD at baseline predicted the caregivers’ depressive symptoms 1 year later. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Developmental and Emotional Aspects of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Parenting: Current and Future Perspectives)

Other

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15 pages, 681 KiB

Open AccessStudy Protocol

Efficacy of an Internet-Based Intervention to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle on the Reproductive Parameters of Overweight and Obese Women: Study Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial

by Gemma Biviá-Roig, Ruth Blasco-Sanz, Ana Boldó-Roda, M. Dolores Vara, Tamara Escrivá-Martínez, Rocío Herrero, Valentina Lucia La Rosa, Rosa M. Baños and Juan Francisco Lisón

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(22), 8312; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228312 - 10 Nov 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3221

Abstract

Background: Infertility is estimated to affect 15% of couples of reproductive age. Weight management problems (being obese or overweight) are among the problems that produce infertility, both in women seeking spontaneous pregnancy and in those undergoing assisted reproduction techniques. Over the last few decades, the prevalence of obesity has increased alarmingly in our society and is now considered one of the most important public health problems. The combination of diet and exercise to achieve weight loss are currently considered an effective intervention for the improvement of reproductive parameters in overweight or obese infertile women. In other population groups, it has been shown that Internet-based interventions are just as effective as traditional ones, and these cover a larger population with a good cost–benefit ratio. However, to the best of our knowledge, no studies so far have analysed any specific online interventions for this group of infertile women. Thus, the objective of this project will be to evaluate the effectiveness of an online program to promote a healthy lifestyle among women who are overweight or obese who also have a diagnosis of infertility and are on the waiting list for in vitro fertilisation treatment. Methods: This will be a randomised controlled clinical trial conducted in 94 women which will compare a self-administered Internet-based intervention promoting a healthy lifestyle in terms of diet and exercise (n = 47) to a control group that will receive standard medical care. The online program will comprise nine modules, will last for 3 months, and will be monitored every 3 months after the intervention until the final follow-up at 12 months. The main outcome will be the spontaneous pregnancy rate. Secondary outcomes will include changes in body composition, dietary and physical exercise habits, glycaemic profiles, lipid profiles, hormonal profiles, and patient quality of life related to their fertility problems. The data analysis will be done on an intention-to-treat basis. Discussion: The aim of this study is to increase our knowledge of the effectiveness of online interventions specifically adapted to infertile women who are overweight or obese in the promotion of healthy lifestyles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Developmental and Emotional Aspects of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Parenting: Current and Future Perspectives)

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