Developmental cascades from maternal preconception stress to child behavior problems: Testing multilevel preconception, prenatal, and postnatal influences.

Although maternal stress during pregnancy and even before conception shapes offspring risk for mental health problems, relatively little is known about the mechanisms through which these associations operate. In theory, preconception and prenatal stress may affect offspring mental health by influencing child responses to postnatal caregiving. To address this knowledge gap, this study had two aims.

Childhood Irritability: Predictive Validity and Mediators of Adolescent Psychopathology.

Despite its transdiagnostic significance, there is modest evidence with respect to the predictive validity of childhood irritability, especially across developmental periods; similarly, little is known about explanatory factors underlying these predictions. This study had two goals: (1) to test the predictive validity of childhood irritability with respect to adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems, controlling for baseline ADHD and related psychopathology and (2) to test theoretically-derived family (i.e.

How Do Positive Psychological Constructs Affect Physical Activity Engagement Among Individuals at High Risk for Chronic Health Conditions? A Qualitative Study.

Background: Positive psychological constructs (eg, optimism, positive affect) may help people engage in physical activity, though the details of these relationships and their directionality have not been studied in depth in people with cardiovascular risk factors. The objectives of this study were to use qualitative research to explore the relationships of positive psychological constructs with physical activity among people with metabolic syndrome.

Methods: Participants with metabolic syndrome and low physical activity from an academic medical center completed semistructured phone interviews about associations between physical activity and positive psychological constructs, and perceptions about benefits, motivation, and barriers to physical activity.

Improving women's knowledge about prenatal screening in the era of non-invasive prenatal testing for Down syndrome - development and acceptability of a low literacy decision aid.

Background: Access to information about prenatal screening is important particularly in light of new techniques such as non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). This study aimed to develop and examine the acceptability of a low literacy decision aid (DA) about Down syndrome screening among pregnant women with varying education levels and GPs.

Methods: We developed a DA booklet providing information about first-trimester combined testing, maternal serum screening, and NIPT.

Positive Psychological Constructs and Health Outcomes in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Patients: A Systematic Review.

Positive psychological constructs (eg, optimism, positive affect) have been independently associated with superior health outcomes across many medical populations. However, there has been little synthesis of the literature examining these associations among patients with hematologic malignancies receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). To address this gap we completed a systematic review, using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, of studies examining relationships between positive psychological constructs and health-related outcomes (eg, psychiatric symptoms, function, health-related quality of life [HRQoL], or treatment compliance) after HSCT.

Associations of Observed Performance Monitoring During Preschool With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Anterior Cingulate Cortex Volume Over 12 Years.

Importance: Monitoring one's performance is necessary for learning and adaptive behavior; however, heightened performance monitoring is a purported endophenotype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a brain region implicated in the pathogenesis of OCD, is associated with performance monitoring. Whether performance monitoring early in development is an identifiable risk factor for OCD and whether early childhood performance monitoring is associated with later alterations in ACC volume are unknown.

Metformin for the management of gestational diabetes mellitus.

Introduction: Glycaemic control in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has typically been achieved with diet, exercise and insulin therapy. Controversy exists in the literature about a potential role for metformin.

Methods: A literature review was completed aiming to compare the glycaemic control, maternal and fetal out comes of metformin therapy with insulin.