Current Search:   Cunningham, Annelise (x)

View All Items

  • CSV Spreadsheet
(1 - 2 of 2)
Childhood Trauma, Reflective Functioning and Attributions, Self-Efficacy, and Perceived Parenting Competence: What Happens When the Traumatized Child Grows Up and Becomes a Mother?
Title
Childhood Trauma, Reflective Functioning and Attributions, Self-Efficacy, and Perceived Parenting Competence: What Happens When the Traumatized Child Grows Up and Becomes a Mother?.
Creator
Cunningham, Annelise, Renk, Kimberly, Paulson, Daniel, Sims, Valerie, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Previous research documented the relationship between self-efficacy and perceived parenting competence. Further, previous evidence supported the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral consequences of early exposure to trauma. To build on these previously noted relationships, the present study examined the relationships among reflective functioning and attributions, self-efficacy, and perceived parenting competence, with self-efficacy serving as a mediating variable. Specifically, this study...
Show morePrevious research documented the relationship between self-efficacy and perceived parenting competence. Further, previous evidence supported the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral consequences of early exposure to trauma. To build on these previously noted relationships, the present study examined the relationships among reflective functioning and attributions, self-efficacy, and perceived parenting competence, with self-efficacy serving as a mediating variable. Specifically, this study sought to focus on the cognitive variables associated with mothers' perceived self-efficacy and parenting competence and how those variables interact differently when early exposure to trauma is present. As part of this study, a national community sample of 126 culturally diverse mothers of young children who were between the ages of 1(&)#189;- to 5-years rated their own reflective functioning, attributions, self-efficacy, and perceived parenting competence as well as their young children's emotional and behavioral functioning. Correlational analyses showed significant relationships among the variables of interest. Further, mediation analyses indicated that, for the overall sample, mothers' self-efficacy mediated the relationship between both mothers' reflective functioning and attributions and perceived parenting competence. Interestingly, a varying relationship among reflective functioning was found among mothers with a trauma history in comparison to the total sample. Additionally, hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that, for both samples, mothers' reflective functioning, attributions, self-efficacy, and perceived parenting competence collectively predicted young children's emotional and behavioral functioning. Lastly, through an auxiliary hypothesis, a curvilinear relationship was identified between mothers' perceived self-efficacy and parenting competence. Overall, this study contributed information regarding the importance of self-efficacy as a mechanism through which reflective functioning and attributions may potentially be related to perceived parenting competence. Accordingly, these findings suggested that mothers' perceptions about their own abilities may be a potentially important point of intervention.
Show less
Date Issued
2016
Identifier
CFE0006092, ucf:51191
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006092
How is she managing? Examination of a woman's emotion regulation strategy in the relationship between anxiety, depression, and prenatal attachment
Title
How is she managing? Examination of a woman's emotion regulation strategy in the relationship between anxiety, depression, and prenatal attachment.
Creator
Cunningham, Annelise, Alexander, Kristi, Neer, Sandra, Sims, Valerie, James, Shari-Ann, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Pregnancy is often perceived as a time of positivity, joy, and happiness in anticipation of the birth of a child (La Marca-Ghaemmaghami (&) Ehlert, 2015). At the same time, pregnancy requires adaptation to physiological, social, psychological, and socioeconomic changes (La Marca-Ghaemmaghami (&) Ehlert, 2015). Such adjustments can evoke emotional distress for expectant women (Guardino (&) Schetter, 2014). Despite the stressful nature, pregnancy at the same time calls for the expectant mother...
Show morePregnancy is often perceived as a time of positivity, joy, and happiness in anticipation of the birth of a child (La Marca-Ghaemmaghami (&) Ehlert, 2015). At the same time, pregnancy requires adaptation to physiological, social, psychological, and socioeconomic changes (La Marca-Ghaemmaghami (&) Ehlert, 2015). Such adjustments can evoke emotional distress for expectant women (Guardino (&) Schetter, 2014). Despite the stressful nature, pregnancy at the same time calls for the expectant mother to be cognizant of her thoughts, feelings, and behaviors for the well-being of the fetus (Lindgren, 2001). Prenatal attachment is a construct based on women's cognitive representations of their fetus that manifests in behaviors that reflect care and commitment (Salisbury, Law, (&) LaGasse, 2003). How a woman regulates her emotions during pregnancy is largely understudied, further how she regulates in order to engage in behaviors beneficial to her unborn baby are unknown. Some individuals attempt to alter their emotional experience by suppressing their expression, while others reappraise the context to alter their experienced emotion (Gross, 1998. 2003, 2015). Considering the potential impact emotional regulation strategies can have on resulting physiological, behavioral, and experiential systems, the present study sought to evaluate the role of a woman's emotion regulation strategy (cognitive reappraisal, expressive suppression) on the relationship between symptoms of anxiety and depression, and prenatal attachment. It was expected that reported anxiety and depression would be correlated significantly and negatively with prenatal attachment, maternal emotion regulation strategies would be correlated significantly with prenatal attachment, and women's emotion regulation strategy would moderate the relationships among anxiety, depression, and prenatal attachment. Participants consisted of expectant women in their second-third trimester. Bivariate correlations showed no significant correlations among women's anxiety, depression, and prenatal attachment. Further, no significant correlations were found among women's emotion regulation strategies and prenatal attachment. Significant correlations were found among women's anxiety, depression, and expressive suppression scores. The finding suggests assessment of the use of suppression as a regulation strategy during pregnancy may be of clinical usefulness.
Show less
Date Issued
2019
Identifier
CFE0007796, ucf:52356
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007796