Association between maltreatment, hair cortisol concentration, positive parent –child interaction, and psychosocial outcomes in Chinese preschool children

This study aims to investigate whether positive parent –child interactions moderate the association between maltreatment (as a severe form of ELS) and hair cortisol concentration (HCC), as well as between HCC and psychosocial outcomes in young children. Participants were 6-year-old Chinese children (N = 257,Mage = 6.2, 121 were male) selected by stratified cluster random sampling from a Shanghai population representative cohort. Proximal 3 cm hair strands were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry for HCC. Children’s psychosocial outcome was evaluated using the p arental report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Parents also reported the frequency of positive parent–child interactions using the Chinese Parent–Child Interaction Scale (CPCIS) as well as the history of maltreatment. Multi-level logistic regression models adjusting for individua l, kindergarten, and district confounders were used to evaluate the associations between maltreatment, HCC, and psychosocial outcomes. Interactions terms tested whether more frequent positive parent–child interactions moderates the association between maltreatment and HCC, as well as between HCC a nd psychosocial outcomes. Maltreated children exhibited higher levels of HCC (B = 1.20, 95% CI: 0.38,2.02;p = 0.004), and children with higher HCC exhibited poorer psychosocial outcomes (B = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.18,0.51;p <  0.001). Positive parent–child interac...
Source: European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research