Resilience

2025

1. MAVAN Cohort

   

   Predictors of youth psychopathology and resilience during the pandemic
   [oral]

   C. Voyer

   92e Congrès de l’Acfas [accepted]
   May 5–9, 2025

   Abs Bib

   Contexte : La présente étude visait à examiner le rôle du stress périnatal sur les résultats psychopathologiques et les indicateurs de résilience psychologique chez les jeunes, en reconnaissant la nécessité de comprendre les facteurs de protection face aux défis posés par la pandémie. Méthodes : Les données issues de la cohorte de naissance longitudinale multisites collectées avant et pendant la pandémie COVID-19 auprès de plusieurs informateurs, ont servi de base à notre étude. L’étude a impliqué 115 dyades mère-enfant (58 garçons, 57 filles), avec des jeunes âgés de 9 à 18 ans. Une modélisation de facteurs latents, incluant l’humeur maternelle périnatale, l’adversité socio-environnementale, la résilience familiale et des jeunes liée à la pandémie, ainsi que la psychopathologie des jeunes, a été utilisée pour analyser les relations entre ces différents facteurs. Résultats : Les résultats ont révélé une augmentation de la psychopathologie générale chez les jeunes liée à la pandémie. Une interaction significative et plusieurs effets principaux de la résilience (modèles d’organisation familiale et soutien des aidants) ont été observés sur les niveaux de psychopathologie des jeunes pendant la pandémie. Conclusion : Nos résultats suggèrent la nécessité d’interventions préventives adaptées aux personnes présentant un risque accru, en mettant l’accent sur le rôle du soutien des aidants et des modèles d’organisation familiale comme facteurs de protection potentiels.

   @presentation{voyerPredicteursSanteMentale2025,
     title = {Predictors of youth psychopathology and resilience during the pandemic},
     trans_title = {Prédicteurs de la santé mentale et résilience chez les jeunes en pandémie},
     author = {Voyer, Chloé},
     year = {2025},
     month = may,
     day = {5-9},
     conference = {92e Congrès de l'Acfas [accepted]},
     location = {Montreal, QC Canada},
     editora = {Freddy-Ateba, François and Wang, Xinni and Wang, Yifan and Wazana, Ashley D. and Laplante, David P.},
     editoratype = {collaborator},
     type = {oral},
   }

2024

1. Resilience

   

   Predicting mental health problems and resilience in youth with early life adversity and pandemic-related stressors

   C. Voyer, X. Wang, F. Freddy-Ateba, ^†A. Wazana, and ^†D. P. Laplante

   May 5–9, 2024

   Abs

   Objectives: In efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19, the imposed mitigation measures (e.g., school closures, remote learning, social distancing, curfew) were particularly disruptive to the lives of adolescents. While many studies have emphasized the risks to youth mental health brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated mitigation measures, little attention has been given towards identifying markers of resilience. The present study aimed to examine the role of prenatal stress on general psychopathology outcomes and indicators of resilience in youth, recognizing the need to understand protective factors amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic. Methods: Data from the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment (MAVAN) longitudinal birth cohort collected pre- and during the COVID-19 formed the basis of our examination. The study involved 144 mother-infant dyads. Maternal prenatal adversity was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Pregnancy-Specific Anxiety Scale, and measures of socio-demographic adversity. Family and youth resilience was assessed using the Family Resilience Assessment Scale, Child and Youth Resilience Measure-Revised, and Responses to Stress Questionnaire. Youth psychopathology was assessed using the Youth Self-Report, Child Behavior Checklist, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the Conners’ Rating Scales. Latent factor modeling, including prenatal maternal adversity, pandemic-related family and youth resilience, and youth psychopathology, was employed to analyze the relationships between various factors. Results: Findings revealed an increase in COVID-related youth general psychopathology. While the maternal adversity × resilience interactions were not significant, resilience main effects (family organization patterns and caregiver support) were observed for COVID-related youth psychopathology and changes in youth psychopathology levels from pre-COVID-19 levels. Conclusion: This study underscored the importance of addressing the mental health implications of pandemic-related stress on the different trajectories in child development. Our results suggested the need for preventive interventions tailored to those at greater risk, emphasizing the role of caregiver support and family organization patterns as potential protective factors. Understanding these dynamics can inform targeted strategies to mitigate the detrimental effects of stress during these challenging times.

2. Youth Psychopathology

   

   COVID-related daily life changes and personal threats moderates the relationship between prenatal maternal adversity and youth mental health: The MAVAN longitudinal study

   X. Wang, C. Voyer, F. Freddy-Ateba, ^†A. Wazana, and ^†D. P. Laplante

   May 5–9, 2024

   Abs

   The COVID-19 pandemic directly, and indirectly as a result of the mitigation measures, resulted in daily life disruptions. The present study examined whether youth-reported COVID-related daily life changes and personal threats experiences moderated the relationship between maternal prenatal adversity and youth psychopathology during the pandemic. The sample consisted of 91 mothers and 124 youths from the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability, and Neurodevelopment cohort assessed between February and July 2021. Maternal prenatal adversity, youth daily life changes and personal threats, and youth psychopathology were constructed into latent variables and then included in interactive models. Results showed that youth with low or moderate levels of maternal adversity exposure in utero experienced higher levels of pandemic-related general psychopathology and specific internalizing symptoms (but not externalizing symptoms), and greater changes in these psychopathology levels compared to pre-pandemic levels when they experienced higher levels of daily life changes and/or personal threats. The greatest impact on youth psychopathology was seen in youth who experienced higher levels of mitigation disruptions to their daily lives and/or threats to their person and who experienced lower levels of exposure to maternal adversity in utero. This study also demonstrates the need to use youth-reported measures of pandemic experience, rather than relying on maternal reports as proxy measures for youth experiences.

3. Psychological Distress

   

   Interactive effect of prenatal adversity and COVID-19 hardship on youth psychological distress: Longitudinal study

   Y. Wang, C. Voyer, X. Wang, F. Freddy-Ateba, A. Brunet, and 2 more authors

   May 5–9, 2024
4. MAVAN Cohort

   

   Impact of prenatal stress on youth mental health and resilience amidst the COVID-19 pandemic
   In D. P. Laplante (chair), Identifying pathways from prenatal exposure to adult mental health: MAVAN/MAVAN-R cohort
   [symposium]

   C. Voyer

   34th Life History Research Society Conference (LHRS)
   May 29–31, 2024

   Abs Bib

   Objective: In efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19, the imposed mitigation measures (e.g., school closures, remote learning, social distancing, curfew) were particularly disruptive to the lives of adolescents. While many studies have emphasized the risks to youth mental health brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated mitigation measures, little attention has been given towards identifying markers of resilience. The present study aimed to examine the role of prenatal stress on general psychopathology outcomes and indicators of resilience in youth, recognizing the need to understand protective factors amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic. Methods: Data from the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment longitudinal birth cohort, collected pre and during the COVID-19 formed the basis of our examination. The study involved 144 mother-infant dyads. Maternal prenatal adversity was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Pregnancy-Specific Anxiety scale, and measures of socio-demographic adversity. Family and youth resilience was assessed using the Family Resilience Assessment Scale, Child and Youth Resilience Measure-Revised, and Responses to Stress Questionnaire. Youth psychopathology was assessed using the Youth Self-Report, Child Behavior Checklist, Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the Conners rating Scales. Latent factor modeling including prenatal maternal adversity, pandemic-related family and youth resilience, and youth psychopathology was employed to analyze the relationships between various factors. Results: Findings revealed an increase in COVID-related youth general psychopathology. While the maternal adversity × resilience interactions were not significant, resilience main effects (family organization patterns and caregiver support) were observed for COVID-related youth psychopathology and changes in youth psychopathology levels from pre-COVID-19 levels. Conclusion: This study underscored the importance of addressing the mental health implications of pandemic-related stress on the different trajectories in child development. Our results suggested the need for preventive interventions tailored to those at greater risk, emphasizing the role of caregiver support and family organization patterns as potential protective factors. Understanding these dynamics can inform targeted strategies to mitigate the detrimental effects of stress during these challenging times.

   @presentation{voyerImpactPrenatalStress2024,
     title = {Impact of prenatal stress on youth mental health and resilience amidst the COVID-19 pandemic},
     author = {Voyer, Chloé},
     year = {2024},
     month = may,
     day = {29-31},
     location = {Montreal, QC Canada},
     type = {symposium},
     conference = {34th Life History Research Society Conference (LHRS)},
     symposium = {Identifying pathways from prenatal exposure to adult mental health: MAVAN/MAVAN-R cohort},
     chair = {D. P. Laplante},
     editora = {Wang, Xinni and Freddy-Ateba, François and Wazana, †Ashley and Laplante, †David P.},
     editoratype = {collaborator},
   }

5. MAVAN Cohort

   

   COVID-related daily life changes and personal threats moderate the relationship between prenatal maternal adversity and youth mental health: The MAVAN longitudinal study
   [poster]

   X. Wang, C. Voyer, F. Freddy-Ateba, ^†A. Wazana, and ^†D. P. Laplante

   34th Life History Research Society Conference (LHRS)
   May 29–31, 2024

   Abs Bib

   Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic mitigation measures resulted in daily life disruptions which were believed to have negatively impacted the mental health of youth. However, not all youth reacted negatively in the face of these measures. The present study examined whether youth-reported and mother-reported COVID-related daily life changes and personal threats experiences moderated the relationship between maternal prenatal adversity and youth psychopathology during the pandemic.

   @presentation{laplanteCOVIDrelatedDailyLife2024,
     title = {COVID-related daily life changes and personal threats moderate the relationship between prenatal maternal adversity and youth mental health: The MAVAN longitudinal study},
     author = {Wang, Xinni and Voyer, Chloé and Freddy-Ateba, François and Wazana, Ashley and Laplante, David P.},
     year = {2024},
     month = may,
     day = {29-31},
     location = {Montreal, QC Canada},
     type = {poster},
     conference = {34th Life History Research Society Conference (LHRS)},
     editora = {Wang, Xinni and Freddy-Ateba, François and Wazana, †Ashley and Laplante, †David P.},
     editoratype = {collaborator},
   }