Prospective associations of prenatal stress with child behavior: Moderation by the early childhood caregiving environment.

ABSTRACT: Fetal exposure to prenatal stress can increase risk for psychopathology but postnatal caregiving may offset risk. This study tests whether maternal sensitivity and the home environment during early childhood modify associations of prenatal stress with offspring behavior in a sample of 127 mother-child pairs (n = 127). Mothers reported on perceived stress during pregnancy. Maternal sensitivity was rated by coders during a parent-child free play task when children were 4 years old. One year later, mothers reported on the home environment, child internalizing and externalizing behaviors, and children completed an assessment of inhibitory control. As hypothesized, the early childhood caregiving environment modified associations of prenatal stress with child behavior. Specifically, prena

SUBMITTER: Rinne GR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11557737 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature