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Exploring a Risk Phenotype for Maternal Distress Characterized by Regulatory Focus

Award Number: F31NR019928
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NURSING RESEARCH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/13/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/12/2024

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Exploring a Risk Phenotype for Maternal Distress Characterized by Regulatory Focus - PROJECT SUMMARY Both high incidence (i.e., 15%) and low remission rate (i.e., 30-50%) of postpartum distress symptoms indicate a need for more research on the underlying mechanisms associated with elevated maternal distress and caregiving deficits. Severe symptoms of maternal distress will continue to inflict significant morbidity and elicit poor child health outcomes unless we initiate a system-wide change in how nurses and other healthcare professionals understand and recognize indicators of maternal distress. Prior research has determined that mothers with elevated distress symptoms (e.g., irritability and anhedonia) display suppressed neurological reward responsivity. However, few studies have examined the role of reward responsivity to loss and caregiving behaviors. Even fewer studies have asked women to describe their experience with goal pursuit during the postpartum period and perceived functional ability as a mother. To address this research gap, the proposed study will apply the Regulatory Focus Theory to link both aberrant reward responses and disruptive caregiving behaviors to specific distress symptom sets assessed with the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (IDAS) self-report measure. Aim 1 will use a retrospective, secondary analysis to correlate fMRI imaging data with IDAS scores to determine distinct symptom sets that are associated with suppressed reward responsivity. Aim 2 will use prospective, mixed-methods analyses to correlate maternal caregiving behaviors with IDAS scores and qualitative interviews from a subset of 12 mothers. Exploratory Aim 3 will interpretively synthesize findings from Aims 1 and 2 to propose an initial risk phenotype for maternal distress. This initial step toward developing a risk phenotype will guide future research to improve early detection of women most vulnerable to developing debilitating symptoms of distress during the postpartum period. The proposed study and associated research training provide a comprehensive foundation for an innovative program of nursing research focused on the bidirectional nature of the caregiver-child relationship as it relates to Regulatory Focus Theory, specifically whether enhancing maternal self-regulation can prevent child development disorders.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = -$21,139 )
2025	2024	UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL	104 AIRPORT DR STE 2200	CHAPEL HILL	NC	27599	ORANGE	USA	Nursing Research	001	3	3/25/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$12,655
2025	2023	UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL	104 AIRPORT DR STE 2200	CHAPEL HILL	NC	27599	ORANGE	USA	Nursing Research	000	2	3/25/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$8,484
														Subtotal = -$21,139

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $12,655 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL	104 AIRPORT DR STE 2200	CHAPEL HILL	NC	27599	ORANGE	USA	Nursing Research	001	3	5/2/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$426
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL	104 AIRPORT DR STE 2200	CHAPEL HILL	NC	27599	ORANGE	USA	Nursing Research	000	3	12/12/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$12,229
														Subtotal = $12,655

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $37,764 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL	104 AIRPORT DR STE 2200	CHAPEL HILL	NC	27599	ORANGE	USA	Nursing Research	000	2	12/30/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$36,822
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL	104 AIRPORT DR STE 2200	CHAPEL HILL	NC	27599	ORANGE	USA	Nursing Research	001	2	2/7/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$942
														Subtotal = $37,764

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $36,822 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL	104 AIRPORT DR STE 2200	CHAPEL HILL	NC	27599	ORANGE	USA	Nursing Research	001	1	1/13/2022	NEW	$0
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL	104 AIRPORT DR STE 2200	CHAPEL HILL	NC	27599	ORANGE	USA	Nursing Research	003	1	5/24/2022	NEW	-$1
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL	104 AIRPORT DR STE 2200	CHAPEL HILL	NC	27599	ORANGE	USA	Nursing Research	000	1	1/13/2022	NEW	$36,106
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL	104 AIRPORT DR STE 2200	CHAPEL HILL	NC	27599	ORANGE	USA	Nursing Research	002	1	4/25/2022	NEW	$717
														Subtotal = $36,822

Grand Total All Awards = $66,102

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Exploring a Risk Phenotype for Maternal Distress Characterized by Regulatory Focus

Award Number: F31NR019928

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NURSING RESEARCH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/13/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/12/2024

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