Men’s emotional support networks shrink by 50% from ages 30 to 90, with early parental warmth predicting larger networks. Marriage consolidates support to spouses, while retirement has no effect, highlighting aging's impact on socioemotional connections.
Pregnancy causes temporary gray matter reductions in brain areas linked to social cognition, followed by partial recovery postpartum. These changes, driven by hormonal shifts, are linked to improved maternal attachment and mental well-being during motherhood.
A recent study suggests that humor strengthens parent-child bonds, helps manage conflicts, and promotes positive interactions. Most participants viewed humor as a valuable parenting tool, linking it to better relationships and expressing interest in humor-focused parenting courses.
Mothers with postpartum depression provide fewer supportive responses to their infants’ positive emotions, which increases toddlers’ depressive symptoms, highlighting maternal socialization as a key mechanism in intergenerational depression transmission.
American parents see spanking as a form of hitting but less severe, with 30% finding it acceptable for children, compared to 17% for pets. One-third reconsidered spanking after comparing it to other family violence.
Parents who use food to manage their child’s emotions or behavior may harm their child’s ability to regulate emotions, leading to emotional overeating.
A recent study emphasizes the importance of mental health before fatherhood, revealing that men with better pre-conception wellbeing are less likely to experience postnatal depression.
Positive sibling relationships in childhood and frequent contact with siblings in adulthood are linked to better cognitive health in old age, according to new research.
Some children’s challenging behaviors may stem from sensory processing issues, where their brains struggle to manage sensory input. Understanding these difficulties can improve daily life through tailored support and guidance from occupational therapists.
Infant negative emotionality is associated with childhood maltreatment at ages 5 and 9 and ADHD symptoms at 5. ADHD symptoms at 5 increase maltreatment risk at 9, while maltreatment at 9 correlates with more severe ADHD symptoms at the same...
A recent study found that fussy eating is highly heritable (60–84%), stable from toddlerhood to adolescence, and influenced by shared environments only in early life.
A new study examines how Italian families use face-to-face, phone, and digital contact after parental separation, uncovering a persistent gender gap. Mothers maintain much closer relationships with their children than fathers, particularly with daughters.
New mothers and fathers experience increased appearance insecurity, lower sexual satisfaction, and often underestimate their partner’s attraction to them during early parenthood, highlighting shared challenges in self-perception and relationship dynamics.
Higher cortisol levels in new mothers are associated with reduced brain activity when hearing their babies cry and more intrusive caregiving behaviors, highlighting potential links between stress and parenting responses during the postpartum period.
Children's difficult temperaments have only a minor effect on forming insecure attachment relationships with parents, refuting the idea that temperament largely determines attachment quality. Secure bonds can still develop despite challenging temperaments.