• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.386-392
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Changes in nutritional status during gestation and lactation have detrimental effects on offspring metabolism. Several animal studies have shown that maternal high-fat diet (HFD) can predispose the offspring to development of obesity and metabolic diseases, however the mechanisms underlying these transgenerational effects are poorly understood. Therefore, we examined the effect of maternal HFD consumption on metabolic phenotype and hepatic expression of involved genes in dams to determine whether any of these parameters were associated with the metabolic outcomes in the offspring. MATERIALS/METHODS: Female C57BL/6 mice were fed a low-fat diet (LFD: 10% calories from fat) or a high-fat diet (HFD: 45% calories from fat) for three weeks before mating, and during pregnancy and lactation. Dams and their male offspring were studied at weaning. RESULTS: Dams fed an HFD had significantly higher body and adipose tissue weights and higher serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels than dams fed an LFD. Hepatic lipid levels and mRNA levels of genes involved in lipid metabolism, including $LXR{\alpha}$, SREBP-2, FXR, LDLR, and ABCG8 were significantly changed by maternal HFD intake. Significantly lower total liver DNA and protein contents were observed in dams fed an HFD, implicating the disturbed liver adaptation in the pregnancy-related metabolic demand. HFD feeding also induced significant oxidative stress in serum and liver of dams. Offspring of dams fed an HFD had significantly higher serum cholesterol levels, which were negatively correlated with liver weights of dams and positively correlated with hepatic lipid peroxide levels in dams. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal HFD consumption induced metabolic dysfunction, including altered liver growth and oxidative stress in dams, which may contribute to the disturbed cholesterol homeostasis in the early life of male mice offspring.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.95-107
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• 2011

Recent intervention studies document that mother-child dyads with higher levels of Emotional Availability (EA) report fewer child behavior problems than dyads with lower EA. This study examines possible mechanisms that lead to this result by looking at the parent-child micro-system as a whole, with multi-dimensional relationships that include individual differences in the child's cognitive level, parental stress and parent-child interaction. A total 67 children ($1{\frac{1}{2}}$ to $5\;{\frac{1}{2}}$ years of age) and their mothers were videotaped during 30-min play interactions. Interactions were coded using the Emotional Availability (EA) Scales (Biringen, Robinson, & Emde, 1998). Mothers completed Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, Child Behavior Checklist/$1\;{\frac{1}{2}}$ - 5, and the Ages Stages Questionnaire. The findings showed that mothers with higher levels of parenting stress were more likely to be intrusive, hostile, insensitive, and had a tendency to do less structuring in play. The children of stressed and depressed mothers demonstrated less involvement and responsiveness towards their mothers. Children who have higher dyadic EA scores experienced fewer externalizing and internalizing problems. SEM analyses results showed a mediation effect of EA on the association between maternal psychological well-being and child behavior problems. Fewer deficits in child communication skills and problem solving skills that were related with lower parenting stress and depression were associated with higher maternal non-intrusiveness. Higher non-intrusiveness was related to less internalizing and externalizing problems that indicated the indirect effect of child cognitive competence. Possible interpretations and implications of the study findings are discussed.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was done to determine whether a parenting education program using responsive teaching strategies is effective for parenting stress, maternal interactional behavior and behavioral problems in children at risk for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Methods: Participants in this study were 17 elementary school children and their parents. The ADHD risk group was determined by scores on the Korean-ADHD Rating Scale. The parenting education program was developed based on Dr. Mahoney's responsive teaching curriculum. Mothers participated in the program once a week for 8 sessions. Treatment outcome was evaluated using the Korean version of the Child Behavior CheckList (K-CBCL), parenting stress, maternal interactional behavior, and child pivotal developmental behavior. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed rank test, Mann-Whitney test, and regression analysis. Results: After the parenting education program, no significant difference in parenting stress (Z=-1.00, p=.320) was found, but there was a significant decrease in the child's internal behavior problems (Z=-2.05, p=.040), and also a significant improvement in maternal interactional behavior and a significant difference in child pivotal developmental behavior (Z=-2.67, p=.008). Conclusion: The results indicate that parenting education programs based on responsive teaching strategies are effective and that application of a program is recommended to prevent behavioral problems and improve maternal child interaction for children at risk for ADHD.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.77-92
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to employ the Latent Growth Curve Model to investigate the developmental trajectories of maternal depressive symptoms and to identify predictors that might have an effect on change and the level of developmental trajectories. The results of this study indicated that the maternal depressive levels of a high risk group had increased significantly over the past 5 years. The predictors for these developmental trajectories of maternal depressive symptoms were as follows; birth order, maternal prenatal depressive levels, self-esteem, marital satisfaction, parenting stress and the level of family crisis experienced by the high risk group.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.173-182
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• 2011

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a stress-related mental disorder induced by severe external stressors such as assault, disaster or severe accident. We investigated the effects of treadmill exercise on short-term memory in relation to apoptosis and cell proliferation in the hippocampus following PTSD. Stress to the pregnant rats was induced by exposure of maternal rats to the hunting dog in an enclosed room. Exposure time was 10 min, repeated three times per day, with 1 hour interval. Exposure of maternal rats to the hunting dog was continued 7 days after pregnancy until delivery. The pregnant rats in the exercise groups were forced to run on a treadmill for 30 min once a day for the same duration of stress exposure. Step-down avoidance task for short-term memory, western blot for Bcl-2, Bax, and immunohistochemistry for caspase-3, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU), and Ki-67 were conducted. Maternal rats exposed to stress during pregnancy showed short-term memory impairment. Expressions of Bax, Bcl-2, ratio of Bax to Bcl-2, and caspase-3 in the hippocampus were increased in the PTSD rats. Cell proliferation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus was decreased in the PTSD rats. Treadmill exercise alleviated short-term memory impairment and suppressed expressions of Bax, the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2, and caspase-3. Treadmill exercise also increased cell proliferation. The present results indicate that treadmill exercise alleviated PTSD-induced short-term memory impairment by suppressing apoptotic cell death and enhancing cell proliferation in the hippocampus.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to establish the relative influences of individual variables (sex, age, temperament) and mother's psychosocial variables (maternal attitude, parenting stress, marriage satisfaction) on daily stress levels and maladjustment of young children attending at daycare centers. Subjects were 224 pairs of children and their mothers, and 18 teachers from 5 child-care centers in Gwangju City. Children were tested individually using 22-item daily stress inventory with illustrations which described certain stressful situations. Questionnaires were also administered to mothers and teachers. Collected data were subjected to Cronbach's $\alpha$, correlation and multiple regression analysis using SPSS (WIN 14.0) program. The major findings were as follows; Overall average score of children's daily stress was equivalent with the median. 'Blame and attack situation' and 'anxiety and frustrated situation' were perceived as more stressful for children than 'lose self-respect situation'. Overall average score of children's maladjustment was lower than the median. 'Overactivity' was highest among subscores of maladjustment. Age was the only significant influential factor on children's daily stress level. Sex was the most influential factor on 'overactivity', 'aggression', and 'regression' of young children. Activity and maternal stress were the second most influential factor on 'overactivity' and 'aggression', respectively.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.476-490
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• 1992

This study was designed to develop and test a structural model for maternal adaptation and family stress in families with mentally handicapped children. A hypothetical model was constructed on the basis of the family stress theory developed by McCubbin etc. The model included 6 theoretical concepts and 11 paths. For the purpose of the model testing, empirical data were collected from May to August, 1992. The subjects of the study constituted 190 mothers of children in five special schools and one private institute in Seoul and Choong Nam. An SPSS PC＋ and PC－LISREL 7.13 computer programs were used for descriptive and covariance structure analysis. The results of the study were as follows. (1) The hypothetical model showed itself a good fit to the empirical data ［Chi - square＝18.35(df＝7, P＝0.005), Goodness of Fit Index＝0.991, Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index＝0.959, Root Mean Square Residual＝0.042), Non Normed Fit Index＝0.90, Normed Fit Index＝0.96］. (2) The results of Hypothesis testing indicated : 1) Social support(${\gamma}$$_{11}$＝.238, T＝2.352), Family functioning(${\gamma}$$_{12}$＝.729, T＝5.957) and Family life event stress(${\gamma}$$_{13}$＝.125) had direct effects on situational definition. 2) Life event stress(${\gamma}$$_{23}$＝.319, T＝3.872) had direct effects on the effect of the handicapped child on the family. Family functioning(${\gamma}$$_{22}$＝-.245) and situational definition($\beta$$_{21}$＝-.335, T＝3.227) had direct effects on the effect of the handicapped child on the family. 3) Situational definition($\beta$$_{31}$＝-.273, T＝3.493), family life event stress (${\gamma}$$_{33}$＝.124, T＝2.169) and the effect of the handicapped child on the family($\beta$$_{32}$＝.264, T＝-3.227) showed the direct effect on the maternal adaptation. The model was supported by the empirical data. Thus it was suggested that the model could be applied to family nursing care with the families with the mentally handicapped. The construction and testing of the comprehensive model seem to be the first trial in Korea.a.a.a.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.252-261
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an empowerment program on maternal stress, anxiety, depression and parenting confidence. Methods: A total of 44 mothers of preterm infants were assigned into an experimental or a control group (n=22 each). The experimental group received the usual nursing care and 7 sessions of an empowerment program. The control group only received the usual care. The program was implemented from June to December, 2016 in the neonatal intensive care unit of K university-affiliated hospital in Daegu, Korea. The outcome variables measured were parental stress (PSS: NICU), anxiety (STAI), depression (CES-D) and parenting confidence. Data were analyzed using t-test or repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Scores for both parental stress (t=3.07 p=.004) and depression (F=3.76, p=.26) were significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group. However, there were no significant differences in anxiety between the groups (F=0.79, p=.505). Parenting confidence scores (F=9.05, p=.001) were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group. Conclusion: A maternal empowerment program can be an effective means of reducing parental stress and depression as well as enhancing parenting confidence, for mothers of preterm infants.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.503-514
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare levels of postpartum fatigue, depression, childcare stress, and maternal identity according to postpartum period between primiparas who used Sanhujori facilities and those who did not. Methods: The research design was a longitudinal descriptive study using self-report questionnaires. Participants were 55 healthy primiparas who delivered at one of 3 hospitals in Chungnam, 21 using Sanhujori facilities and 34 not using these facilities during the first three weeks after childbirth. Data were collected from October 2008 to April 2009 at three measurement points, 2-4 days after childbirth (T1), 4-6 weeks (T2), and 12-14 weeks (T3). Data were analyzed using the SPSS 17.0 WIN program. Results: There was a significant difference in childcare stress between the two groups at 4-6 weeks after childbirth. Postpartum depression and childcare stress at 4-6 weeks were significantly higher than those of the other postpartum periods, while maternal identity was significantly lower. Conclusion: Child care stress is the most important issue among women who use Sanhujori facilities and the 4-6 week period after childbirth is very difficult to primiparas. These results indicate that nursing interventions for primiparas in Sanhujori facilities should focus on reducing childcare stress. Furthermore proper follow-up programs at 4-6 weeks are needed to decrease the difficulties in adjustment by new mothers.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.139-161
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships of mothers' parenting stress and young children's adjustment to the child care centers they attend. The subjects for this study comprised 401 young children from 1 to 4 years of age from 11 child care centers in C-si, Chungnam, and their mothers. The results of this study were as follows : First, there were no significant differences in the parenting stress of mothers related to whether they were working or not, the age of the children nor their gender Second, there were no significant differences in the adjustment of young children to their child care center related to their mothers' work status nor age of the children themselves. However, there was a significant difference in relation to the gender of the young children in that girls were better in their adjustment to the child care center than boys. Third, a negative correlation appeared between mothers' parenting stress and their young children's adjustment to the child care center in that the higher maternal parenting stress was, the greater the difficulties for their young children in their adjustment to the child care center. There were significant negatively correlations between most sub-factors of maternal parenting stress and the adjustment of those children to the child care center.