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Mechanisms of change: Testing how preventative interventions impact psychological and physiological stress functioning in mothers in neglectful families

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 November 2015

Sheree L. Toth ,
Melissa L. Sturge-Apple ,
Fred A. Rogosch  and
Dante Cicchetti
Sheree L. Toth*
Affiliation:
University of Rochester Mt. Hope Family Center
Melissa L. Sturge-Apple
Affiliation:
University of Rochester Mt. Hope Family Center
Fred A. Rogosch
Affiliation:
University of Rochester Mt. Hope Family Center
Dante Cicchetti
Affiliation:
University of Rochester Mt. Hope Family Center University of Minnesota Institute of Child Development
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Sheree L. Toth, Mt. Hope Family Center, University of Rochester, 187 Edinburgh Street, Rochester, NY 14608; E-mail: sheree.toth@.rochester.edu.
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Abstract

The present study applies a multilevel approach to an examination of the effect of two randomized preventive interventions with mothers in neglectful families who are also contending with elevated levels of impoverishment and ecological risk. Specifically, we examined how participation in either child–parent psychotherapy (CPP) or psychoeducational parenting intervention (PPI) was associated with reductions in maternal psychological parenting stress and in turn physiological stress system functioning when compared to mothers involved in standard community services as well as a demographic comparison group of nonmaltreating mothers. The resulting group sizes in the current investigation were 44 for CPP, 34 for PPI, 27 for community services, and 52 for nonmaltreating mothers. Mothers and their 13-month-old infants were randomly assigned to intervention group at baseline. Mothers completed assessments on stress within the parenting role at baseline and postintervention. Basal cortisol was sampled at postintervention and 1-year follow-up. Latent difference score analyses examined change in these constructs over time. Results suggested that mothers within the CPP intervention experienced significant declines in child-related parenting stress, while mothers in the PPI intervention reported declines in parent-related parenting stress. In turn, significant decreases in stress within the CPP mothers were further associated with adaptive basal cortisol functioning at 1-year postintervention. The results highlight the value of delineating how participation in preventive interventions aimed at ameliorating child maltreatment in neglectful families within the context of poverty may operate through improvements in psychological and physiological stress functioning. Findings are discussed with respect to the importance of multilevel assessments of intervention process and outcome.

Type
Regular Articles
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 27 , Special Issue 4pt2: Multilevel Developmental Perspectives on Child Maltreatment , November 2015 , pp. 1661 - 1674
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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