Parental history of positive development and child behavior in next generation offspring: A two-cohort prospective intergenerational study

Primrose Letcher; Christopher J Greenwood; Helena McAnally; Jay Belsky; Jacqui A Macdonald; Elizabeth A Spry; Kimberly C Thomson; Meredith O'Connor; Judith Sligo; George Youssef; Jennifer E McIntosh; Ella Iosua; Delyse Hutchinson; Joyce Cleary; Ann V Sanson; George C Patton; Robert J Hancox; Craig A Olsson

doi:10.1111/cdev.13839

Parental history of positive development and child behavior in next generation offspring: A two-cohort prospective intergenerational study

Child Dev. 2023 Jan;94(1):60-73. doi: 10.1111/cdev.13839. Epub 2022 Aug 11.

Authors

Primrose Letcher^{1

2

3}, Christopher J Greenwood^{1

2

3}, Helena McAnally⁴, Jay Belsky⁵, Jacqui A Macdonald^{1

2

3}, Elizabeth A Spry^{1

2

3}, Kimberly C Thomson^{1

6}, Meredith O'Connor^{2

3

7}, Judith Sligo⁴, George Youssef^{1

2}, Jennifer E McIntosh^{1

2

3

8}, Ella Iosua⁹, Delyse Hutchinson^{1

2

3

10}, Joyce Cleary^{1

2}, Ann V Sanson³, George C Patton^{2

3}, Robert J Hancox⁴, Craig A Olsson^{1

2

3

7}

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Health, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
² Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Centre for Adolescent Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
³ Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The Royal Children's Hospital Campus, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
⁴ Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
⁵ Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis, California, USA.
⁶ Human Early Learning Partnership, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
⁷ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, LifeCourse, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
⁸ The Bouverie Centre, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.
⁹ Biostatistics Centre, Division of Health Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
¹⁰ National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

PMID: 35950885
DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13839

Abstract

This study examined whether positive development (PD) in adolescence and young adulthood predicts offspring behavior in two Australasian intergenerational cohorts. The Australian Temperament Project Generation 3 Study assessed PD at age 19-28 (years 2002-2010) and behavior in 1165 infants (12-18 months; 608 girls) of 694 Australian-born parents (age 29-35; 2012-2019; 399 mothers). The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Parenting Study assessed PD at age 15-18 (years 1987-1991) and behavior in 695 preschoolers (3-5 years; 349 girls) and their New Zealand born parents (age 21-46; 1994-2018; 363 mothers; 89% European ethnicity). In both cohorts, PD before parenthood predicted more positive offspring behavior (β_range = .11-.16) and fewer behavior problems (β_range = -.09 to -.11). Promoting strengths may secure a healthy start to life.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Australia
Child
Child Behavior
Female
Humans
Infant
Intergenerational Relations
Middle Aged
Parenting*
Parents*
Prospective Studies
Young Adult

Grants and funding

5 RO1 HD32948/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development