How Early Childhood Stress Relates to Parents' Involvement in Children's Daily Lives: A Longitudinal Study
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| Title: | How Early Childhood Stress Relates to Parents' Involvement in Children's Daily Lives: A Longitudinal Study |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Nahide Gungordu (ORCID |
| Source: | Early Child Development and Care. 2025 195(4):329-341. |
| Availability: | Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 13 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Parent Participation, Infants, Toddlers, Physiology, Pregnancy, Stress Variables, Gender Differences, Family Environment, Parent Child Relationship, Preschool Children |
| DOI: | 10.1080/03004430.2025.2484215 |
| ISSN: | 0300-4430 1476-8275 |
| Abstract: | This longitudinal study examined links between parental involvement in infancy and toddlerhood and children's stress hormone levels in the preschool years. The relationships between pregnancy stress, parental involvement, and children's gender were also investigated. Sixty-five (29 girls and 36 boys) healthy and typically developing children participated, providing developmental and salivary cortisol data every 6 months for four consecutive years starting when the children were about 8 months of age. At the start of the study, mothers reported whether their pregnancy was stressed. They also answered questions every 6 months about daily family activities contributing to a composite score on parental involvement. Results indicated that higher parental involvement during their child's infancy and toddlerhood positively related to children's higher stress, during the preschool years, indexed as higher salivary cortisol. Mothers who reported being stressed during pregnancy reported greater parental involvement with boys than with girls during infancy and toddlerhood. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1495844 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This longitudinal study examined links between parental involvement in infancy and toddlerhood and children's stress hormone levels in the preschool years. The relationships between pregnancy stress, parental involvement, and children's gender were also investigated. Sixty-five (29 girls and 36 boys) healthy and typically developing children participated, providing developmental and salivary cortisol data every 6 months for four consecutive years starting when the children were about 8 months of age. At the start of the study, mothers reported whether their pregnancy was stressed. They also answered questions every 6 months about daily family activities contributing to a composite score on parental involvement. Results indicated that higher parental involvement during their child's infancy and toddlerhood positively related to children's higher stress, during the preschool years, indexed as higher salivary cortisol. Mothers who reported being stressed during pregnancy reported greater parental involvement with boys than with girls during infancy and toddlerhood. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0300-4430 1476-8275 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/03004430.2025.2484215 |
