PROJECT SUMMARY
Internalizing problems represent a growing public health concern, particularly across the transition to formal
schooling, when children face new academic, social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. Despite the
prevalence of internalizing problems during childhood, factors underlying their development are not well
understood relative to externalizing problems. Thus, the overall objective of the present study is to investigate
developmental pathways originating during pregnancy and unfolding across early childhood that contribute to
school-age internalizing problems by leveraging an ongoing, large-scale, multi-method, longitudinal study of
families. Based on prior theory and empirical evidence, it is expected that specific dimensions of parental
trauma-related distress (TRD) spanning pregnancy to preschool will be associated with internalizing problems
at age 5. Further, it is hypothesized that observed and self-reported emotion-related socialization behaviors
(ERSBs) during preschool-age will mediate the link between parental TRD and school-age internalizing
problems. Lastly, it is expected that nonsupportive reactions to children’s negative emotions, specifically, will
demonstrate unique incremental prediction of internalizing problems beyond other forms of ERSBs, such as
poor emotion coaching and supportive responses. Study aims will be pursued in an established community
sample of 159 families (mothers, fathers, and children) who have completed self-report measures during
pregnancy, at 1- and 6-months postpartum, and at child ages 1 and 2. Mothers, fathers, and children were
invited to attend a laboratory appointment when the child turned 3.5, where parental ERSBs were assessed via
self-report and observational coding paradigms. As part of the proposed project, mothers and fathers will be
invited to complete a survey of child internalizing problems from home when the child is 5 years of age.
Findings are expected to improve prevention and early intervention efforts for school-age children with
internalizing problems by identifying malleable factors within the early family environment (e.g., parental
psychopathology and parenting behaviors) that ultimately impact the development of internalizing problems.
The goals of this study will be accomplished within the proposed research training program, which is aimed at
helping the fellow develop expertise in family systems, observational coding, and statistical analyses involving
multi-method, longitudinal data. The training plan includes completion of relevant courses, attendance in
targeted workshops, individual supervision and mentorship by experts in the field, and preparation for an
academic career in clinical psychology.
