Amy L Bird

Emotional Reminiscing and the Development of an Autobiographical Self

According to autobiographical memory theorists, past event conversations provide children with a framework for evaluating and connecting past events into a coherent autobiography (R. Fivush, 1994; K. Nelson, 1993; M. K. Welch-Ross, 1995). Two studies were conducted to empirically examine the association between past event conversation style and an independent measure of childrens self-concept consistency. In Study 1, 50 New Zealand mothers discussed everyday past events with their children at 51 and 65 months of age. In Study 2, 51 New Zealand parents discussed 1 positive and 3 negative past events with their 5- and 6-year-old children. The consistency of childrens self-views was assessed in both studies using the Childrens Self-View Questionnaire (R. Eder, 1990). Childrens self-concept consistency was moderately associated with greater explanation of the causes and consequences of childrens negative emotions, resolution through social contact, and evaluation of positive events but not with simple attributions of emotion. These findings implicate parent-child conversations as a medium through which children can begin to understand the personal meaning of past experiences.

Cohort Profile: Growing Up in New Zealand

Centre for Longitudinal Research – He Ara ki Mua, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand, Growing Up in New Zealand, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand, Starship Children’s Hospital, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand, Department of Public Health, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand, Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Māori), Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand, Bioinformatics Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand, Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, Auckland Office, Auckland, New Zealand, Department of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand, Roy McKenzie Centre for the Study of Families, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand, Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand and School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Parent–Child Talk About Past Emotional Events: Associations With Child Temperament and Goodness-of-Fit

The aim of this study was to examine associations between childrens temperament, parent–child goodness-of-fit, and the emotional content of parent–child conversations about past events. Fifty one New Zealand 5- and 6-year-old children and their parents discussed 4 emotional past events. Parents rated childrens temperament along 15 dimensions associated with effortful control, extroversion, and negative affect. Parents then rated their own expectations of childrens temperament, from which parent–child goodness-of-fit was assessed. Children rated as higher in effortful control were involved in more emotional past-event conversations. Children whose negative affect ratings corresponded more closely with parental expectations were also involved in more emotional conversations. Our findings provide preliminary support for an association between temperament and narrative content.

Maternal health in pregnancy and associations with adverse birth outcomes: Evidence from Growing Up in New Zealand

To examine prospectively multiple indicators of pregnancy health and associations with adverse birth outcomes within a large, diverse sample of contemporary women.

Green Space and Depression during Pregnancy: Results from the Growing Up in New Zealand Study

Background: Antenatal depression is an important contributor to poor maternal health experienced by some women. This study aimed to determine whether exposure to green space during pregnancy is associated with less depression, and whether this association is moderated by relevant factors, such as age, education, self-identified ethnicity, physical activity, residential rurality, and socioeconomic status. Methods: Health data were sourced from the cohort study “Growing Up in New Zealand” comprised of 6772 participants. Green space was estimated based on the proportion of green space within the Census Area Unit. Adjusted logistic mixed effect models were used to investigate the association between green space and antenatal depression after controlling for confounding variables. Results: Maternal exposure to green space were not associated with lower odds of antenatal depression. Indications of effect modifications due to relevant factors were not observed. Conclusions: This study did not determine an association between access to green space (measured based on the distance to the nearest green space) and antenatal depression. Therefore, a link between green space and antenatal depression was not established. For that reason, ensuring residential areas contain adequate green space may or may not be helpful in preventing antenatal depression and adverse health outcomes associated with this depression. More studies focusing on pregnant women in a range of social contexts, and considering both exposure and access to green space, are warranted to determine the relationships between green space and antenatal depression.

Green space and pregnancy outcomes: Evidence from Growing Up in New Zealand

Objectives To determine whether maternal exposure to green space during pregnancy is associated with birth weight and gestational age, and whether these associations are modified by demographic and residential factors. Methods Data describing 5091 mother‐newborn pairs with residential address during pregnancy linked to data describing their green space exposure. Independent associations determined using linear mixed effects models. Results Maternal exposure to green space during pregnancy was not associated with birth weight and gestational age for the entire cohort. For pregnant women who have not acquired secondary school education, increased exposure to green space was associated with increased gestational age. Conclusion The provision of green space might prove to be beneficial in terms of increasing gestational age for pregnant women who have not acquired secondary school education qualifications. HighlightsGreen space is not associated with birth weight and gestational age.Green space is associated with gestational age for women with a low level of education.Provision of green space could increase gestational age for specific population subgroups.

Green Space and Physical Activity in Pregnant Women: Evidence From the Growing Up in New Zealand Study

BACKGROUND Exposure to green space has been associated with increased physical activity. However, it is not clear whether this association is because active people preferentially live in greener areas. Relationships between exposure to green space and physical activity during pregnancy are not well defined. Our objective was to determine whether exposure to green space was associated with physical activity in pregnant women. METHODS The current study was completed within the Growing Up in New Zealand cohort study of 6772 pregnant women. The proportion of green space in each census area unit was determined and geocoded to residential address. The association between exposure to green space and physical activity was determined using logistic regression analyses after controlling for confounding variables. RESULTS Exposure to green space was not associated with participation in physical activity during first trimester and the remainder of pregnancy once preference for living in greener neighborhoods was taken into account. CONCLUSIONS The lack of association between green space and physical activity found in this study does not necessarily mean that living in green space will not translate into better pregnancy health. Preference for living in greener neighborhoods should be considered when investigating relationships between green space and physical activity.

Caring for our infants: parents’ antenatal childcare intentions and nine-month reality

Abstract Infants are increasingly cared for by adults other than their parents. Here we describe non-parental infant care within a diverse cohort; and investigate the relationship between parents’ antenatal intentions and actual infant care. 6822 New Zealand women were recruited during pregnancy and asked about their intentions for childcare. Non-parental care was assessed when infants were nine months old: 1717 (25%) of the 6853 cohort children were receiving more than 8 h per week of regular non-parental care. In comparison with infants of European mothers, infants of Asian or Pacific mothers were more likely to be cared for by extended family; and infants of Māori mothers were more likely to receive centre-based care. Infants from families with lower household incomes, living in more deprived areas were more likely to be cared for by family. When their infants were nine months old, mothers from low- to medium-income households were less likely to be using the type of non-parental care they had intended antenatally, and the same was true when their children were aged 2 years.