Baptiste Barbot

Childhood adversity and DNA methylation of genes involved in the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis and immune system: Whole-genome and candidate-gene associations

In recent years, translational research involving humans and animals has uncovered biological and physiological pathways that explain associations between early adverse circumstances and long-term mental and physical health outcomes. In this article, we summarize the human and animal literature demonstrating that epigenetic alterations in key biological systems, the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and immune system, may underlie such disparities. We review evidence suggesting that changes in DNA methylation profiles of the genome may be responsible for the alterations in hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and immune system trajectories. Using some preliminary data, we demonstrate how explorations of genome-wide and candidate-gene DNA methylation profiles may inform hypotheses and guide future research efforts in these areas. We conclude our article by discussing the many important future directions, merging perspectives from developmental psychology, molecular genetics, neuroendocrinology, and immunology, that are essential for furthering our understanding of how early adverse circumstances may shape developmental trajectories, particularly in the areas of stress reactivity and physical or mental health.

Assessing Creativity in the Classroom

This article provides a historical presentation of creativity assessment from a psychological perspective (since Guilford), from traditional divergent thinking tasks, to current theoretical models of creativity assessment which allow creativity to be assessed in different domains, capturing the multidimensionality of creative potential (e.g. EPoC). These techniques and alternative assessment tools are contextualized by addressing their interest for educational programs which take into account childrens needs (as suggested by their creative profile). Finally, we discuss the importance of assessing creativity reliably in the classroom, to study the efficiency of these educational intervention programs aiming to promote student creativity.

Epigenetic Patterns Modulate the Connection Between Developmental Dynamics of Parenting and Offspring Psychosocial Adjustment

This study attempted to establish and quantify the connections between parenting, offspring psychosocial adjustment, and the epigenome. The participants, 35 African American young adults (19 females and 16 males; age = 17-29.5 years), represented a subsample of a 3-wave longitudinal 15-year study on the developmental trajectories of low-income urban mother-offspring dyads. Mothers were assessed on their perceptions of maternal stress at each wave. Offspring were assessed on their perceptions of maternal parenting at each wave and on their adaptive and maladaptive behavior at the last wave. Genome-wide DNA methylation in peripheral T lymphocytes at the third wave was assayed using Methyl Binding Domain(MBD) sequencing. Statistically significant associations were identified between the change in offsprings perception of parenting from middle childhood to adulthood and the DNA methylation in offsprings adult genomes. Specifically, the slope of perceived parental rejection across the 3 time points was related to an increase in methylation, or a potential downregulation, of 565 genes thought to be involved in the control of a broad spectrum of biological functions generally related to cellular signaling. A subset of these epigenetic marks, clustered in 23 genes, some of which participate in the development and functioning of the CNS, were in turn associated with psychosocial adjustment as captured by interpersonal relationships and emotional self-evaluation. This appears to be one of the first investigations of the modulating role of the methylome in associations between developmental dynamics of parenting throughout the formative years of child and adolescent development and psychosocial adjustment in adulthood.

Where is the “g” in creativity? A specialization–differentiation hypothesis

Unlike the construct of intelligence operationalized by the g-factor, there is limited evidence suggesting that creativity is a domain-general (i.e., as opposed to domain-specific) and a generalized (i.e., unitary) construct. However, there is a common and implicit g-factor view of creativity that potentially stems from the assumption that creativity represents an ability normally distributed in the human population (i.e., following a Gaussian distribution), ranging from everyday manifestations to eminent accomplishments. Indeed, individual differences exist in the outcome of human creative potential (i.e., particular combination of resources coming into play in creative work, including aspects of motivation, cognition, personality), but this does not suggest that creativity represents a generalized entity per se. This nuance is critical since many psychological and neuropsychological studies of creativity have made inferences about creativity as a generalized construct while relying on a set of highly specific tasks within highly specific domains, although there is limited support for the domain-generality of creativity. In fact, rare eminent individuals are those associated with exceptional creative achievement in multiple domains, and across multiple subdomains within a given field (Gray, 1966; Baer, 1998). The domain-specificity of creative behaviors and achievements is also repeatedly identified within general population samples (e.g., Carson et al., 2005; Silvia et al., 2009). In this article, we propose an alternative to the g-factor view of creativity: an organizing principle of the creative potential that involves its specialization through the formation of commitments and interests within a limited set of creative outlets. We outline evidence that such specialization arises during adolescence, a time during which biological maturational processes take place.

Creative Potential in Educational Settings: Its Nature, Measure, and Nurture.

Although creativity is considered one of the key ‘twenty-first-century skills’, this ability is still often misunderstood. Persistent conceptual and methodological barriers have limited educational implications. This article reviews and discusses the three critical issues of ‘nature’, ‘measure’, and ‘nurture’ of creative potential in educational settings. A current perspective on the nature of creative potential is presented. In contrast to a classic, but inaccurate ‘g-factor view’ of creativity, this perspective emphasises a multidimensional and partly domain-specific view, upon which new assessment tools can be developed. Based on a more comprehensive evaluation of a childs creative potential, educational programmes tailored to a childs strengths and weaknesses can be offered. These perspectives are discussed in light of current findings in the field.

Developmental Changes in Adolescence and Risks for Delinquency

Adolescence is a critical developmental period considering the quantity and intensity of related changes (e.g., biological and psychosocial), which may represent, in themselves, risks for present and future delinquency. It is indeed well established that the age–crime curve peaks during adolescence (e.g., Landsheer and van Dijkum 2005) and that the rate and severity of offences occurring during this period are strong predictors of later offences (e.g., Overbeek et al. 2001). Furthermore, the number of juvenile offences is extremely high in the USA, with 2.11 million juveniles arrested in 2008, a rate of about 2.4% of 10- to 17-year olds. Among these, 96,000 juveniles were arrested for violent crimes, including 1,280 murders (Sickmund 2010; Puzzanchera et al. 2010). Despite the frequency of juvenile delinquency, young offenders are rarely taken into consideration in the literature on normative adolescent development, and it would be consequently incorrect to assume that delinquency precludes youth from experiencing processes that are typical during this developmental period (e.g., Knight et al. 2009). Accordingly, the ways in which the justice system responds to juvenile offending should be informed by the lessons of developmental science (Steinberg 2009).

The paradox of phone attachment

Accurate evaluation of peoples attachment to phones is crucial to understanding the impact of phone use in everyday life. The Young Adult Attachment to Phone Scale (YAPS) is a concise instrument, representing the first multi-dimensional measure of phone attachment. After item development involving focus groups with young adults and content validity analysis from attachment experts, a preliminary version of the YAPS was administered to 955 participants ages 1829. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a 2-dimension structure: Refuge, characterized by feeling safe with the phone and uncomfortable upon separation; and Burden, characterized by relief upon separation from the phone and the perception that it diminishes enjoyment of a given moment. Findings reflect the strong psychometric properties of the YAPS, including reliability, factorial validity and criterion validity with relevant constructs. The YAPS appears promising for future research aimed at understanding the nature of attachment to phones in human behavior. Paradoxical attachment to phones might manifest as attachment anxiety and avoidance.Attachment to Phone Scale (APS) is proposed as a short, concise instrument.Refuge factor corresponds to attachment anxiety, Burden to attachment avoidance.Refuge involves feeling safe with the phone and uncomfortable upon separation.Burden involves feeling pressured by phone and relief upon separation from it.

Perceived Parental Reactions to Adolescent Distress: development and validation of a brief measure

Although adolescence is a time of individuation with increased reliance on peers, research indicates that, despite a deliberate distancing from parents, adolescents continue to seek the support and console of parental attachment figures in times of distress. The Perceived Parental Reactions to Adolescent Distress (PRAD) is a brief self-report measure developed to examine adolescents’ perception of parental response under conditions of distress as measured by four conceptually and empirically distinct parental reactions to distress: Comfort, Self-Focus, Avoidance and Harshness. Across two studies involving a total of 738 high school students, we developed the PRAD and substantiated its robust psychometric properties, including evidence for reliability as well as internal and criterion validity. Sources of individual differences in the test-scores were also explored. Empirical as well as practical importance of assessing parental reactions to adolescent distress is discussed with regard to both the attachment and adolescent development literature.

Using cluster analysis to provide new insights into development of very low birthweight (VLBW) premature infants

BACKGROUND Very low birthweight (VLBW) premature infant follow-up studies report on single developmental outcome variables but do not assess profiles of development. AIMS To identify developmental profiles of VLBW premature infants based on cognitive and language development and their association with demographic, perinatal, and behavior variables. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective chart review. SUBJECTS 117 children<1250 g BW seen at 18 months post-term on the Bayley Scales-III and Child Behavior Checklist 1 ½-5 (CBCL 1 ½-5), a behavior problem questionnaire. Demographic and perinatal variables were obtained from medical records. OUTCOME MEASURES Bayley Cognitive, Expressive Language, and Receptive Language scores were used to cluster the subjects into developmental profiles. Demographic, perinatal, and CBCL variables were analyzed as they related to clusters. RESULTS Children were clustered into 4 groups based on their Bayley Cognitive, Expressive Language, and Receptive Language scores: Consistently High, Consistently Average, Average with Delayed Expressive Language, and Consistently Low. Socioeconomic status, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, Grades III-IV intraventricular hemorrhage, and summary Behavior Problems and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity (ADHD) Problems scores were significantly related to clusters. CONCLUSION Cluster analysis defined distinct outcome groups in VLBW premature children and provides an informative means of identifying factors related to developmental outcome. This approach may be useful in predicting later outcome and determining which groups of children will require early intervention.

Challenges of adolescent psychology in the European identity context.

In Europe, the question of identity and youth civic engagement constitutes a challenge both for the European Union (EU) and for research on adolescent psychology. In this article, we discuss the European historical context and the current initiatives from the EU that aim to encourage civic engagement among young people. Then, we suggest some research directions in youth civic engagement and identity formation, which could contribute to the facilitation of the initiative drawn by the EU. These directions include (a) understanding the role and the dynamics of the sense of belonging to the different levels of social communities into sociocultural contexts (such as continental, national), and (b) the development of civic engagement during adolescence integrating the various components of civic engagement and identity formation processes. Finally, (c) the specificities of sociocultural contexts and the diversity of multifaceted identity with regard to cultural, social, and ethnic groups should be taken into account.