The impact of parent training on at-risk children's biomarkers of aging

项目总结 许多在逆境中成长的儿童经历了当前和未来的负面心理(例如，心理上的 疾病)和身体健康(如慢性病和早期死亡)的结果。研究表明现有的 干预措施可能有助于防止这些结果，减轻其巨大的社会成本。此外，还有几个 在儿童中可观察到的生物标记物预期与负面健康结果相关。因此， 这一博士前奖学金支持了PI的研究培训，为他的职业生涯做准备 研究逆境、健康状况不佳(即加速衰老)的生物标志物与 父母养育方式可以被用来破坏高危儿童之间的这种关系。该研究项目旨在 显著促进了对高累积风险(即， 当一个家庭/孩子必须应对多重、附加的压力时)。此外，这项研究还将测试 改善父母教养方式与生物标志物的改善有关，这些生物标志物可预测不良的健康结果 使用两个加速衰老的生物标记物(即端粒长度和表观遗传时钟)。该项目旨在 在150个样本中测试一个全面的概念模型(请参阅研究策略部分的图1) 患有发育迟缓的儿童，他们正在参加一项测试行为养育效果的试验 干预。这一模型假设，使用循证干预来改善育儿方式将扰乱 加速衰老的累积风险和生物标记物之间的途径。与生态系统相一致 强调照顾者在儿童早期发展中的中心作用的理论，建议 概念模型假设：(A)较高水平的累积风险将与加速的生物风险有关 老龄化和(B)育儿方式的改善将改善这种关系，这样，更高质量的育儿方式将 扰乱累积风险和加速生物老化之间的途径。为了提供可靠的测试 对于概念模型，本研究将利用现有的随机对照试验设计，并使用 多信息者和方法框架。拟议的概念模型将提供必要的证据 今后在幼儿家庭干预方面审查身体健康的工作，以及 早期干预是否可以防止未来身体健康状况不佳的风险。这项研究将为 为其他纵向测试奠定基础(即，更长的时间范围，后续继续在生命的后期进行 以及行为干预是否也会影响生物标记物 作为有风险的、服务不足的家庭的健康结果。

PROJECT SUMMARY Many children growing up in adversity experience current and future negative psychological (e.g., mental illness) and physical health (e.g., chronic disease and early mortality) outcomes. Research indicates existing interventions may aid in preventing these outcomes, mitigating their substantial societal cost. Further, several biomarkers observable in children are prospectively associated with negative health outcomes. Accordingly, this predoctoral fellowship award supports the PI’s research training in preparation for a career focused on studying the relationship between adversity, biomarkers of poor health (i.e., accelerated aging), and whether parenting can be leveraged to disrupt this relationship among at-risk children. The research project aims to significantly advance understanding of parenting behavior in the context of high levels of cumulative risk (i.e., when a family/child must cope with multiple, additive stressors). Additionally, this study will test whether improving parenting is related to improvements in biomarkers that forecast poor health outcomes, measured using two biomarkers of accelerated aging (i.e., telomere length and the epigenetic clock). This project aims to test a comprehensive conceptual model (refer to Figure 1 in the Research Strategy section) in a sample of 150 children with developmental delay who are participating in a trial testing the efficacy of a behavioral parenting intervention. This model posits that the use of an evidence-based intervention to improve parenting will disrupt the pathway between cumulative risk and biomarkers of accelerated aging. Consistent with Ecological Systems Theory, which underscores the central role of the caregiver in early childhood development, the proposed conceptual model posits that (a) higher levels of cumulative risk will be associated with accelerated biological aging and (b) improvements in parenting will ameliorate this relationship, such that higher quality parenting will disrupt the pathway between cumulative risk and accelerated biological aging. In order to provide a robust test of the conceptual model, this study will leverage an existing randomized controlled trial design as well as use a multi-informant and method framework. The proposed conceptual model will provide the necessary evidence for future work examining physical health in the context of family-based interventions in young children, and whether intervening early in development can prevent future risk of poor physical health. This study will lay the groundwork for additional longitudinal tests (i.e., longer time-frame, follow-ups later continuing later in the life span) of biological outcomes of adversity, and whether behavioral interventions influence biomarkers as well as health outcomes among at-risk, underserved families.