A Laboratory-Based Investigation of Links between Maternal Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Adolescent Offspring Anxiety

SYNOPSIS

Objective. Maternal symptoms of posttraumatic stress are linked to problematic offspring outcomes, including internalizing problems, general behavioral problems, and altered psychobiological functioning. Maternal posttraumatic stress symptoms among trauma-exposed mothers as they relate to offspring functioning has not been evaluated, and laboratory-based affect elicitation procedures have not been used in this context. Design. Self-report of trauma-relevant symptoms in 40 mothers and their adolescents’ self-report indices of adolescent anxiety symptoms were obtained. Adolescents were also administered a laboratory-based induction of socially relevant anxious arousal, and maternal and adolescent anxiety in response to the task were recorded. Results. Maternal posttraumatic avoidance symptoms were associated with questionnaire- and laboratory-based indicators of adolescent anxiety. Conclusions. Maternal posttraumatic avoidance symptoms are associated with offspring anxiety; therefore, providers working with mothers with posttraumatic avoidance should consider screening adolescent offspring for anxiety symptoms.

ARTICLE INFORMATION

Conflict of Interest Disclosures

Each author signed a form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. No authors reported any financial or other conflicts of interest in relation to the work described.

Data sharing plan

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [SB], upon reasonable request.

Ethical Principles

The authors affirm having followed professional ethical guidelines in preparing this work. These guidelines include obtaining informed consent from human participants, maintaining ethical treatment and respect for the rights of human or animal participants, and ensuring the privacy of participants and their data, such as ensuring that individual participants cannot be identified in reported results or from publicly available original or archival data.

Role of Funder/Sponsor

The funder of this research had any role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; or decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the lab members of the ArKIDS lab at the University of Arkansas for their hard work on this project.

Supplementary Material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by a Student Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education; Arkansas Department of Higher Education.

Notes on contributors

Sarah Bilsky

Sarah Bilsky is an Assistant Professor at the University of Mississippi. Her research is focused on understanding familial processes that increase risk for parent and adolescent anxiety and commonly co-occurring problems (e.g., substance misuse). Her research program spans several stages of development (i.e., childhood, adolescence, and adulthood) although the primary focus of her work is the development and maintenance of these issues among adolescents and their parents.

Laura Dickerson

Laura Dickerson (MS, Auburn University) formerly researched meta-emotion philosophy and parent and teacher training programs. Her research focused on improving adult interactions with children to improve child-related outcomes. She currently works in the financial industry.

Emily Mischel

Emily Mischel is completing her PhD in Counseling Psychology at the University of Minnesota. Her research aims to further our understanding of how coping and emotion regulation relates to well-being following stress and trauma. She has special research interests in the use of innovative methodological techniques (e.g., experimental paradigms, longitudinal designs) and the stages of adolescent and young adult development.

Rebecca Mahan

Rebecca Mahan earned her PhD from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and is currently working in private practice in Arkansas. She has conducted research in areas of parenting, parental psychopathology, and adolescent functioning.

Ellen Leen-Feldner

Ellen Leen-Feldner is a professor of psychology at the University of Arkansas. The major aim of her research program is to identify developmentally-relevant factors associated with increased vulnerability for anxiety psychopathology among adolescents (ages 8 to 16 years). To accomplish this aim, she uses a diverse array of methods including affect elicitation.