ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT03434457MAVANUpdated May 27, 2020Results posted

Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment

An observational study in Mental Health Issue (E.G., Depression, Psychosis, Personality Disorder, Substance Abuse), Infant Development and Infant Behavior, sponsored by Douglas Mental Health University Institute. Completed at 1 site in Canada. Open to participants aged 3 Months to 6 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2020-05-27.

Sponsored by Douglas Mental Health University Institute · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
630
Ages
3 Months to 6 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Maternal Adversity Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment (MAVAN) project is a prospective community-based, pregnancy and birth cohort of Canadian mother-child dyads. The main objective of MAVAN project is to examine the pre- and postnatal influences, and their interaction, in determining individual differences in children development. The MAVAN project is designed to examine the consequences of fetal adversity as a function of the quality of the postnatal environment, focusing on mother-infant interactions.

Read the detailed description

In 2003 the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) funded an ambitious and internationally unique study on the development of individual differences in vulnerability for mental illness. Increasing evidence indicates that many forms of mental illness as well as diabetes and cardiovascular disease are best considered as developmental disorders where vulnerability emerges as a function of genetic and epigenetic events. Frank pathology then develops as a function of the continuous interaction between underlying vulnerability and prevailing environmental triggers. The critical question is that of understanding the mechanisms by which specific forms of gene x environment interactions in perinatal life define the level of vulnerability/resistance to illness.

Maternal adversity during fetal life including maternal stress (as well as depression), low social support, poor maternal nutrition, and tobacco/alcohol consumption predict both preterm labour and intrauterine growth restriction. These birth outcomes, in turn, represent major epidemiological risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, and depression in adulthood, and neurodevelopmental impairments in children. Postnatal maternal adversity compromises maternal care/behaviour and infant development, and predicts increased risk for obesity, heart disease, attentional deficit disorders (ADD), drug abuse, and depression. Despite the enormous potential for the interaction of prenatal and postnatal influences, research has largely been restricted to the effects of events occurring during only one developmental period which, among other things, ignores the potential importance of 'protective' factors operating at later stages in life. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms by which perinatal adversity might directly affect neurocognitive development have been very poorly studied.

The investigators proposed an innovative research program that focuses on child development using a longitudinal, within-subject design examining neural and cognitive/emotional outcomes as a function of genomic and epigenomic factors. These studies focus on 500 mother-infant dyads drawn from two human studies (Montreal \& Hamilton). Assessment of maternal wellbeing and infant development (cognition, socio-emotional development, temperament, and brain structure) trajectories are undertaken from mid-pregnancy until 10 years of age. Genomic and epigenomic approaches were used to assess genetic vulnerability in these populations using a GWAS approach. This represents the first longitudinal study linking neurocognitive/behavioural function with structural neurodevelopment through neuroimaging and genetic vulnerability in humans, in the presence or absence of maternal adversity. The ability to identify postnatal events that serve to reverse a condition of vulnerability has enormous implications for the development of prevention /intervention programs reducing the future rates of a broad spectrum of chronic illnesses.

02

Conditions studied

  • Mental Health Issue (E.G., Depression, Psychosis, Personality Disorder, Substance Abuse)
  • Infant Development
  • Infant Behavior

Keywords

  • Fetal growth retardation
  • Early adversity
  • Depressive Symptoms
03

In context

Depression

8,577 studies on the registry are indexed under Depression; 1,720 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 630 is above the median of 175 across 1,257 observational studies indexed under Depression.

Browse Depression studies →

Lead sponsor

Douglas Mental Health University Institute is the lead sponsor of 39 studies on the registry; 11 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
3 Months to 6 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Our community sample consisted of mothers recruited in Montréal (Québec) and Hamilton (Ontario), Canada, at 13 to 20 weeks' gestation. Participants were part of the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability, and Neurodevelopment (MAVAN) study, which examines the development of individual differences in phenotypes associated with multiple forms of psychopathology. Mothers were first assessed during their pregnancy (∼26 weeks) and then followed at multiple time points that included home visits and laboratory sessions.

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Pregnant women recruited when they attending antenatal care clinics at the time of routine ultrasound or through advertisements at hospitals (usually at 13 to 20 weeks' gestation). Women were included in the study if they were 18 years of age or older, and fluent in either English or French. Only babies born at 37 weeks or later and above 2000 g were included in the MAVAN cohort.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Exclusion criteria included serious obstetric complications during the pregnancy or delivery of the child, extremely low birth weight, prematurity (less than 37 weeks of gestation), or any congenital diseases.
05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
630 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Prenatal and 3 to 72 months
06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Child's Cognitive Development Measured Using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II.

    Assessment of child development was done using the cognitive, motor and mental scales of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II.

    Time frame: At 6, 12, 18 and 36 months

  2. Child Temperament Evaluated Using the Infant Behaviour Questionnaire.

    Child temperament was evaluated using the Infant Behaviour questionnaire (IBQ). The items represent 14 scales but factor analysis reveals three primary factors: a) impulsivity, b) negative affectivity and c) effortful control.

    Time frame: 3 and 6 months

  3. Changes in Child Temperament Evaluated Using the Early Childhood Behaviour Questionnaire.

    Assessment of child's temperament was done with the Early Childhood Behaviour questionnaire, the toddler version of the IBQ. It is comprised of 201 items grouped in 18 subscales and is based on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from "never" to "always". The questionnaire yields 18 sub-scores: activity level/energy, attentional focusing, attentional shifting, cuddliness, fear, frustration, high-intensity pleasure, impulsivity, inhibitory control, low-intensity pleasure, motor activation, perceptual sensitivity, positive anticipation, sadness, shyness, sociability, and soothability.

    Time frame: 18 and 36 months

  4. Changes in Socio-emotional Development Measured Using the Infant Toddler Socio-emotional Assessment Questionnaire.

    Socio-emotional development was measured using the Infant Toddler Socio-emotional Assessment questionnaire (ITSEA). It consists of 140 items to evaluate four independent behavioral domains: 1) externalizing, (e.g., high-activity, aggression, defiance, and negative emotional reactivity); 2) internalizing, (e.g., mood regulation problems, social withdrawal and extreme inhibition/shyness); 3) dysregulation (e.g., sleep and eating problems, mood regulation); and 4) maladaptation (e.g., repetitive and stereotypic behaviors). Items are rated on a 3-point scale.

    Time frame: 18 and 24 months

  5. Changes in Child's Behaviour Problems Measured With the Child Behaviour Checklist.

    Child's behaviour was evaluated using the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL). The CBCL is a well-validated screen for childhood psychopathology. This parent-rated questionnaire contains 100 items divided in 2 broad scales : Internalizing problems includes : Withdrawn, Somatic Complaints, and Anxious/Depressed subscales. Externalizing problems : including Rule-Breaking Behavior and Aggressive subscales. Total problems score : is the sum of the scores of all the problem items.

    Time frame: 48 and 60 months

  6. Changes in Child's School Readiness Measured With the School Readiness Test Battery.

    School and academic readiness were assessed using the School readiness test battery, including the Lollipop test, Number knowledge and Peabody Picture Vocabulary test. The NKT measures the development of number concepts. This test measures the mastery of a series of concepts required for learning math and comprises 5 levels. The Lollipop includes 52 questions, divided in 4 knowledge subtests: (1) colours and forms, (2) spatial relationships, (3) numbers and (4) letters. It is a good predictor of reading and math achievement up to 4th grade. The PPVT is a receptive vocabulary test that measures the extent of vocabulary a child can understand. A child is asked to identify a spoken word on an array of four pictures, only one of which is correct.

    Time frame: 48 and 60 months

  7. Evaluation or Child's Cognitive Development Using the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment.

    Child's cognitive development was assessed using the sensory-motor and visuo-spatial processing subscales of the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment (NEPSY).

    Time frame: 48 months

  8. Evaluation of Child's Cognitive Development Using the Weschler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence.

    Child's cognitive development was assessed using the vocabulary and the bloc design subscales of the Weschler Preschool Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI).

    Time frame: 48 months

  9. Changes in Child's Hyperactivity Problems Measured With the Conner's.

    The Conner's was designed to be completed by parents and teachers to assist in evaluating children for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The parents' short version contains 27 items and the teachers' short version has 28. The teacher version is similar but lacks the psychosomatic scale contained on the parent version. The Conner's is validated and the standard for informant-administered ADHD assessment both in clinical and research settings. Oppositional, cognitive problems/inattention, hyperactivity subscales.

    Time frame: 60 and 72 months

  10. Child's Fears Assessed With the Koala Fear Questionnaire.

    The Koala Fear Questionnaire (KFQ) is a standardized self-report scale for assessing fears and fearfulness in children aged between 4 and 12 years. This scale consists of 31 potentially fear-provoking stimuli and situations that are all illustrated with pictures. Children rate the intensity of their fear of these stimuli by using a visual scale depicting Koala bears expressing various degrees of fear ( no fear, some fear, a lot of fear ).

    Time frame: 60 months

  11. Changes in Child's Emotional and Behaviour Problems Measured With the Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire.

    The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief screening for child emotional and behavioural problems. It is based on 25 items on psychological attributes. 1. emotional symptoms (5 items) 2. conduct problems (5 items) 3. hyperactivity/inattention (5 items) 4. peer relationship problems (5 items) 5. prosocial behaviour (5 items) Number 1) to 4) added together to generate a total difficulties score.

    Time frame: 60 and 72 months

  12. Child's Behavioural Inhibition and Behavioural Activation Were Measured Using the Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS) and the Behavioural Approach System (BAS)

    The BIS/BAS was designed to assess dispositional sensitivity to the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and the behavioral activation or behavioral approach system (BAS). Questions 20 items using 4 point scales (1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree). 2 subscales: Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) 7 items about anticipation of punishment Behavioral Action System (BAS), which has 3 subscales of its own: Reward Responsiveness (RR) 5 items about anticipation or occurrence of reward Drive (D) 4 items about pursuit of desired goals. Fun Seeking (FS) 4 items about desire for new rewards and impulsive approach to potential rewards.

    Time frame: 60 months

  13. Child's Mental Health Was Evaluated Using the Dominic Questionnaire.

    The Dominic questionnaire is a structured pictorial instrument assessing mental disorders in 6- to 11-year-old children. The Dominic assesses a child's perception of her/his own symptoms, which is critical to balance parents' and school professionals' perception. Ninety-nine drawings represent situations corresponding to DSM-III-R based. ADHD, Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Specific Phobia.

    Time frame: 72 months

  14. The Child's Attributional Style Was Evaluated With the Child Attributional Style Interview.

    The Child Attributional Style Interview (CASI) is a measure of attributional style in children aged five years old and older. The interactive interview consists of sixteen events, which are presented to the child as illustrations, in a storybook format. The events are equally divided on two domains: valence (positive and negative theme), and interpersonal (parents and peers) and achievement. This creates the possibility of four sub-categories for analysis (i.e. positive-achievement, negative-interpersonal etc.). After the presentation of each event, the child is asked three questions for their level of internal, stable and global attributions for each event.

    Time frame: 72 months

  15. Changes in Child's Feeding Behaviour Was Measured With the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire.

    The Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ) was designed to assess children's eating scale styles. It is a parent-report measure comprised of 35 items, each rated on a five-point likert scale that ranges from never to always. The instrument is ideal for use in research investigating the early precursors of eating disorders or obesity.

    Time frame: 48 and 72 months

  16. Child's Executive Functioning Measured With the Behavior Rating of Executive Function.

    The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) measures executive function behaviors for children and adolescents ages 5-18. Each form of the BRIEF parent- and teacher- rating form contains 86 items in eight non-overlapping clinical scales and two validity scales. These theoretically and statistically derived scales form two indexes: a) Behavioral Regulation (three scales) and b) Metacognition (five scales), as well as a Global Executive Composite score which takes into account all of the clinical scales and represents the child's overall executive function.

    Time frame: 72 months

  17. Sensitivity to Punishment & Sensitivity to Reward in Children Will be Evaluated Using the Child Version of the Sensitivity to Punishment & Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire.

    The Sensitivity to Punishment \& Sensitivity to Reward questionnaire (SPSRQ-C) measures parent-rated sensitivity to punishment and reward and contains 33 items, divided in a Punishment Sensitivity scale, and three Reward Sensitivity scales: Reward Responsivity, Impulsivity/Fun-Seeking, and Drive. Each item is scored on a 5-point Likert scale.

    Time frame: 72 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Changes in Mother's Depression Symptoms Measured With the Beck Depression Inventory.

    The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) is a 21-question multiple-choice self-report inventory that is one of the most widely used instruments for measuring the severity of depression. The most current version of the questionnaire is designed for individuals aged 13 and over and is composed of items relating to depression symptoms such as hopelessness and irritability, cognitions such as guilt or feelings of being punished, as well as physical symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, and lack of interest in sex (15 minutes). BDI-II items are rated on a 4-point scale ranging from 0 to 3 based on severity of each item. The maximum total score is 63.

    Time frame: 60 and 72 months

  2. Changes in Mother's Depression Symptoms Measured With the Center for Epidemiological Studies, Depression Scale.

    The Center for Epidemiological Studies, Depression Scale (CES-D) is a 20-item instrument that has excellent internal consistency (.90) and reasonable test-retest reliability (.54) for a scale that should be sensitive to adverse changes in the respondent's environment. Questions ake to rate how often over the past week they experienced symptoms associated with depression, such as restless sleep, poor appetite, and feeling lonely. Response options range from 0 to 3 for each item (0 = Rarely or None of the Time, 1 = Some or Little of the Time, 2 = Moderately or Much of the time, 3 = Most or Almost All the Time). Scores range from 0 to 60, with high scores indicating greater depressive symptoms.

    Time frame: Prenatal, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 months

  3. Changes in Mother's Depression Symptoms Were Measured With the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.

    Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a 10-item self-report scale designed to screen for postpartum depression. The scale consists of 10 short statements with four possible answers corresponding to how the mother has felt during the past week. Responses are scored 0, 1, 2 and 3 based on the seriousness of the symptom. A higher total sum score indicates more severe symptoms of depression.

    Time frame: 6 months

  4. Changes in Mother's Anxiety Symptoms Were Measured Using the Speilberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.

    The Speilberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) is self-report scale consisting of two forms of 20 items each to measure psychic components of state and trait anxiety. The State-Anxiety scale measures intensity of current feelings "at this moment": 1) not at all, 2) somewhat, 3) moderately so, and 4) very much so. The Trait-Anxiety scale measures the frequency of feelings "in general": 1) almost never, 2) sometimes, 3) often, and 4) almost always.

    Time frame: 3, 24 and 60 months

  5. Mother's Retrospective Assessment of Parental Educational Style Using the Parental Bonding Inventory.

    Parental Bonding Inventory (PBI) is a standard in retrospective assessment of parental educational style (48 items). Two scales termed 'care' and 'overprotection' or 'control', measure fundamental parental styles as perceived by the child. The measure is 'retrospective', meaning that adults (over 16 years) complete the measure for how they remember their parents during their first 16 years. The measure is to be completed for both mothers and fathers separately. There are 25 item questions, including 12 'care' items and 13 'overprotection' items.

    Time frame: 6 months

  6. Changes in Mother's Sensitivity Was Evaluated Using the Maternal Behaviour Q Sort (Short Version) and the Ainsworth Scales.

    Mother's sensitivity was assessed using the Maternal Behaviour Q sort (short version) and the Ainsworth scales (AINS). MBQS-S and AINS assess maternal sensitivity. Trained raters scored the mother's behavior on the scale for the MBQS and four scales of the AINS scales (Acceptance, Availability, Cooperation and Sensitivity) during a 20 and 30 minutes video-taped home mother-child interaction. The scales range from -1 to 1 for the MBQS and from 1 to 9 for the AINS scales, with higher scores indicating highly sensitive mothers on both instruments.

    Time frame: 18 months

  7. Mother's Early Life Abuse and Neglect Were Evaluated Using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire.

    The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) is a 28-item self-report retrospective inventory intending to measure childhood or adolescent abuse and neglect, on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from Never True to Very Often True. The central constructs underlying the questionnaire are emotional, physical neglect and abuse, and sexual abuse. The CTQ contains five subscales : 3 subscales assessing abuse : Emotional, Physical, and Sexual abuse 2 subscales assessing neglect : Emotional and Physical neglect.

    Time frame: 24 months

  8. Mother's Eating Behaviours Were Evaluated Using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire.

    The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire is used to assess emotional, external and restrained eating. The 33 items on the DEBQ represent three separate scales: (i) Emotional Eating, with items such as 'Do you have the desire to eat when you are irritated?, contains 13 items; (ii) External Eating, with items such as 'Do you eat more than usual when you see others eating?, includes 10 items; and (iii) Restraint, with items such as 'Do you deliberately eat less in order not to become heavier? ', has 10 items.

    Time frame: 60 months

  9. Mother's Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Were Measured Using the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire.

    The Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ) (Torrubia et al., 2001) is a 48 yes/no questionnaire measuring SP (sensitivity to punishment) and SR (sensitivity to reward) functioning.

    Time frame: 60 months

  10. Parenting Style Assessed Using the Parental Authority Questionnaire.

    The Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ) investigates three prototypes of parental behavior: permissive, authoritative and authoritarian. Each prototype is measured on 10 items on a Likert scale from 1 (disagree strongly) to 5 (agree strongly). The questionnaire was developed to be answered by the child, however, it was adapted in order to let the mother rate her own prototype of parenting. Item scores for each scale were averaged to obtain a total prototype score, with high scores indicating that the mother rates herself to engage strongly in a given parenting prototype.

    Time frame: 60 months

  11. Family Functioning Assessed Using the Family Assessment Device Questionnaire.

    The Family Assessment Device (FAD) questionnaire assesses family functioning on each dimension of the McMaster Model of Family Functioning (MMFF) according to individual family member's perception of their family's functioning. In addition to the six subscales of the MMFF (Problem solving, communication, roles, affective responsiveness, affective involvement, behaviour control) the FAD includes a General Functioning scale that measures the overall level of the family's functioning. Sixty statements, geared to an eighth-grade reading level, describe various aspects of family functioning. Each member of the family over the age of 12 completes the pen-and-paper questionnaire by rating how well the statement describes his or her family. There are four choices (strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree) per item for each dimension. Dimension items are purposely not listed in consecutive order. Each item matches only one dimension and may describe healthy or unhealthy functioning.

    Time frame: 72 months

07

Results

Posted May 27, 2020

Participant flow

Participant flow — Overall Study
MilestonePrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Started630
Completed630
Not completed0

Outcome measures

PrimaryChild's Cognitive Development Measured Using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II.

Assessment of child development was done using the cognitive, motor and mental scales of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II.

Time frame:
At 6, 12, 18 and 36 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Child's Cognitive Development Measured Using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
6 months524
12 months508
18 months458
36 months422
PrimaryChild Temperament Evaluated Using the Infant Behaviour Questionnaire.

Child temperament was evaluated using the Infant Behaviour questionnaire (IBQ). The items represent 14 scales but factor analysis reveals three primary factors: a) impulsivity, b) negative affectivity and c) effortful control.

Time frame:
3 and 6 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Child Temperament Evaluated Using the Infant Behaviour Questionnaire.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
3 months387
6 months475
PrimaryChanges in Child Temperament Evaluated Using the Early Childhood Behaviour Questionnaire.

Assessment of child's temperament was done with the Early Childhood Behaviour questionnaire, the toddler version of the IBQ. It is comprised of 201 items grouped in 18 subscales and is based on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from "never" to "always". The questionnaire yields 18 sub-scores: activity level/energy, attentional focusing, attentional shifting, cuddliness, fear, frustration, high-intensity pleasure, impulsivity, inhibitory control, low-intensity pleasure, motor activation, perceptual sensitivity, positive anticipation, sadness, shyness, sociability, and soothability.

Time frame:
18 and 36 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Changes in Child Temperament Evaluated Using the Early Childhood Behaviour Questionnaire.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
18 months433
36 months420
PrimaryChanges in Socio-emotional Development Measured Using the Infant Toddler Socio-emotional Assessment Questionnaire.

Socio-emotional development was measured using the Infant Toddler Socio-emotional Assessment questionnaire (ITSEA). It consists of 140 items to evaluate four independent behavioral domains: 1) externalizing, (e.g., high-activity, aggression, defiance, and negative emotional reactivity); 2) internalizing, (e.g., mood regulation problems, social withdrawal and extreme inhibition/shyness); 3) dysregulation (e.g., sleep and eating problems, mood regulation); and 4) maladaptation (e.g., repetitive and stereotypic behaviors). Items are rated on a 3-point scale.

Time frame:
18 and 24 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Changes in Socio-emotional Development Measured Using the Infant Toddler Socio-emotional Assessment Questionnaire.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
18 months485
24 months471
PrimaryChanges in Child's Behaviour Problems Measured With the Child Behaviour Checklist.

Child's behaviour was evaluated using the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL). The CBCL is a well-validated screen for childhood psychopathology. This parent-rated questionnaire contains 100 items divided in 2 broad scales : Internalizing problems includes : Withdrawn, Somatic Complaints, and Anxious/Depressed subscales. Externalizing problems : including Rule-Breaking Behavior and Aggressive subscales. Total problems score : is the sum of the scores of all the problem items.

Time frame:
48 and 60 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Changes in Child's Behaviour Problems Measured With the Child Behaviour Checklist.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
48 months366
60 months310
PrimaryChanges in Child's School Readiness Measured With the School Readiness Test Battery.

School and academic readiness were assessed using the School readiness test battery, including the Lollipop test, Number knowledge and Peabody Picture Vocabulary test. The NKT measures the development of number concepts. This test measures the mastery of a series of concepts required for learning math and comprises 5 levels. The Lollipop includes 52 questions, divided in 4 knowledge subtests: (1) colours and forms, (2) spatial relationships, (3) numbers and (4) letters. It is a good predictor of reading and math achievement up to 4th grade. The PPVT is a receptive vocabulary test that measures the extent of vocabulary a child can understand. A child is asked to identify a spoken word on an array of four pictures, only one of which is correct.

Time frame:
48 and 60 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Changes in Child's School Readiness Measured With the School Readiness Test Battery.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
48 months366
60 months322
PrimaryEvaluation or Child's Cognitive Development Using the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment.

Child's cognitive development was assessed using the sensory-motor and visuo-spatial processing subscales of the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment (NEPSY).

Time frame:
48 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Evaluation or Child's Cognitive Development Using the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Evaluation or Child's Cognitive Development Using the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment.358
PrimaryEvaluation of Child's Cognitive Development Using the Weschler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence.

Child's cognitive development was assessed using the vocabulary and the bloc design subscales of the Weschler Preschool Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI).

Time frame:
48 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Evaluation of Child's Cognitive Development Using the Weschler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Evaluation of Child's Cognitive Development Using the Weschler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence.355
PrimaryChanges in Child's Hyperactivity Problems Measured With the Conner's.

The Conner's was designed to be completed by parents and teachers to assist in evaluating children for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The parents' short version contains 27 items and the teachers' short version has 28. The teacher version is similar but lacks the psychosomatic scale contained on the parent version. The Conner's is validated and the standard for informant-administered ADHD assessment both in clinical and research settings. Oppositional, cognitive problems/inattention, hyperactivity subscales.

Time frame:
60 and 72 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Changes in Child's Hyperactivity Problems Measured With the Conner's.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
60 months323
72 months272
PrimaryChild's Fears Assessed With the Koala Fear Questionnaire.

The Koala Fear Questionnaire (KFQ) is a standardized self-report scale for assessing fears and fearfulness in children aged between 4 and 12 years. This scale consists of 31 potentially fear-provoking stimuli and situations that are all illustrated with pictures. Children rate the intensity of their fear of these stimuli by using a visual scale depicting Koala bears expressing various degrees of fear ( no fear, some fear, a lot of fear ).

Time frame:
60 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Child's Fears Assessed With the Koala Fear Questionnaire.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Child's Fears Assessed With the Koala Fear Questionnaire.353
PrimaryChanges in Child's Emotional and Behaviour Problems Measured With the Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief screening for child emotional and behavioural problems. It is based on 25 items on psychological attributes. 1. emotional symptoms (5 items) 2. conduct problems (5 items) 3. hyperactivity/inattention (5 items) 4. peer relationship problems (5 items) 5. prosocial behaviour (5 items) Number 1) to 4) added together to generate a total difficulties score.

Time frame:
60 and 72 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Changes in Child's Emotional and Behaviour Problems Measured With the Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
60 months323
72 months271
PrimaryChild's Behavioural Inhibition and Behavioural Activation Were Measured Using the Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS) and the Behavioural Approach System (BAS)

The BIS/BAS was designed to assess dispositional sensitivity to the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and the behavioral activation or behavioral approach system (BAS). Questions 20 items using 4 point scales (1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree). 2 subscales: Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) 7 items about anticipation of punishment Behavioral Action System (BAS), which has 3 subscales of its own: Reward Responsiveness (RR) 5 items about anticipation or occurrence of reward Drive (D) 4 items about pursuit of desired goals. Fun Seeking (FS) 4 items about desire for new rewards and impulsive approach to potential rewards.

Time frame:
60 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Child's Behavioural Inhibition and Behavioural Activation Were Measured Using the Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS) and the Behavioural Approach System (BAS)
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Child's Behavioural Inhibition and Behavioural Activation Were Measured Using the Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS) and the Behavioural Approach System (BAS)303
PrimaryChild's Mental Health Was Evaluated Using the Dominic Questionnaire.

The Dominic questionnaire is a structured pictorial instrument assessing mental disorders in 6- to 11-year-old children. The Dominic assesses a child's perception of her/his own symptoms, which is critical to balance parents' and school professionals' perception. Ninety-nine drawings represent situations corresponding to DSM-III-R based. ADHD, Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Specific Phobia.

Time frame:
72 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Child's Mental Health Was Evaluated Using the Dominic Questionnaire.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Child's Mental Health Was Evaluated Using the Dominic Questionnaire.279
PrimaryThe Child's Attributional Style Was Evaluated With the Child Attributional Style Interview.

The Child Attributional Style Interview (CASI) is a measure of attributional style in children aged five years old and older. The interactive interview consists of sixteen events, which are presented to the child as illustrations, in a storybook format. The events are equally divided on two domains: valence (positive and negative theme), and interpersonal (parents and peers) and achievement. This creates the possibility of four sub-categories for analysis (i.e. positive-achievement, negative-interpersonal etc.). After the presentation of each event, the child is asked three questions for their level of internal, stable and global attributions for each event.

Time frame:
72 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
The Child's Attributional Style Was Evaluated With the Child Attributional Style Interview.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
The Child's Attributional Style Was Evaluated With the Child Attributional Style Interview.275
PrimaryChanges in Child's Feeding Behaviour Was Measured With the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire.

The Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ) was designed to assess children's eating scale styles. It is a parent-report measure comprised of 35 items, each rated on a five-point likert scale that ranges from never to always. The instrument is ideal for use in research investigating the early precursors of eating disorders or obesity.

Time frame:
48 and 72 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Changes in Child's Feeding Behaviour Was Measured With the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
48 months395
72 months305
PrimaryChild's Executive Functioning Measured With the Behavior Rating of Executive Function.

The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) measures executive function behaviors for children and adolescents ages 5-18. Each form of the BRIEF parent- and teacher- rating form contains 86 items in eight non-overlapping clinical scales and two validity scales. These theoretically and statistically derived scales form two indexes: a) Behavioral Regulation (three scales) and b) Metacognition (five scales), as well as a Global Executive Composite score which takes into account all of the clinical scales and represents the child's overall executive function.

Time frame:
72 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Child's Executive Functioning Measured With the Behavior Rating of Executive Function.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Child's Executive Functioning Measured With the Behavior Rating of Executive Function.307
PrimarySensitivity to Punishment & Sensitivity to Reward in Children Will be Evaluated Using the Child Version of the Sensitivity to Punishment & Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire.

The Sensitivity to Punishment \& Sensitivity to Reward questionnaire (SPSRQ-C) measures parent-rated sensitivity to punishment and reward and contains 33 items, divided in a Punishment Sensitivity scale, and three Reward Sensitivity scales: Reward Responsivity, Impulsivity/Fun-Seeking, and Drive. Each item is scored on a 5-point Likert scale.

Time frame:
72 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Sensitivity to Punishment & Sensitivity to Reward in Children Will be Evaluated Using the Child Version of the Sensitivity to Punishment & Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Sensitivity to Punishment & Sensitivity to Reward in Children Will be Evaluated Using the Child Version of the Sensitivity to Punishment & Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire.308
SecondaryChanges in Mother's Depression Symptoms Measured With the Beck Depression Inventory.

The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) is a 21-question multiple-choice self-report inventory that is one of the most widely used instruments for measuring the severity of depression. The most current version of the questionnaire is designed for individuals aged 13 and over and is composed of items relating to depression symptoms such as hopelessness and irritability, cognitions such as guilt or feelings of being punished, as well as physical symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, and lack of interest in sex (15 minutes). BDI-II items are rated on a 4-point scale ranging from 0 to 3 based on severity of each item. The maximum total score is 63.

Time frame:
60 and 72 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Changes in Mother's Depression Symptoms Measured With the Beck Depression Inventory.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
60 months318
72 months261
SecondaryChanges in Mother's Depression Symptoms Measured With the Center for Epidemiological Studies, Depression Scale.

The Center for Epidemiological Studies, Depression Scale (CES-D) is a 20-item instrument that has excellent internal consistency (.90) and reasonable test-retest reliability (.54) for a scale that should be sensitive to adverse changes in the respondent's environment. Questions ake to rate how often over the past week they experienced symptoms associated with depression, such as restless sleep, poor appetite, and feeling lonely. Response options range from 0 to 3 for each item (0 = Rarely or None of the Time, 1 = Some or Little of the Time, 2 = Moderately or Much of the time, 3 = Most or Almost All the Time). Scores range from 0 to 60, with high scores indicating greater depressive symptoms.

Time frame:
Prenatal, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Changes in Mother's Depression Symptoms Measured With the Center for Epidemiological Studies, Depression Scale.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
prenatal533
6 months554
12 months518
24 months471
36 months437
48 months391
60 months342
72 months287
SecondaryChanges in Mother's Depression Symptoms Were Measured With the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.

Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a 10-item self-report scale designed to screen for postpartum depression. The scale consists of 10 short statements with four possible answers corresponding to how the mother has felt during the past week. Responses are scored 0, 1, 2 and 3 based on the seriousness of the symptom. A higher total sum score indicates more severe symptoms of depression.

Time frame:
6 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Changes in Mother's Depression Symptoms Were Measured With the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Changes in Mother's Depression Symptoms Were Measured With the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.481
SecondaryChanges in Mother's Anxiety Symptoms Were Measured Using the Speilberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.

The Speilberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) is self-report scale consisting of two forms of 20 items each to measure psychic components of state and trait anxiety. The State-Anxiety scale measures intensity of current feelings "at this moment": 1) not at all, 2) somewhat, 3) moderately so, and 4) very much so. The Trait-Anxiety scale measures the frequency of feelings "in general": 1) almost never, 2) sometimes, 3) often, and 4) almost always.

Time frame:
3, 24 and 60 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Changes in Mother's Anxiety Symptoms Were Measured Using the Speilberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
3 months410
24 months471
60 months338
SecondaryMother's Retrospective Assessment of Parental Educational Style Using the Parental Bonding Inventory.

Parental Bonding Inventory (PBI) is a standard in retrospective assessment of parental educational style (48 items). Two scales termed 'care' and 'overprotection' or 'control', measure fundamental parental styles as perceived by the child. The measure is 'retrospective', meaning that adults (over 16 years) complete the measure for how they remember their parents during their first 16 years. The measure is to be completed for both mothers and fathers separately. There are 25 item questions, including 12 'care' items and 13 'overprotection' items.

Time frame:
6 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Mother's Retrospective Assessment of Parental Educational Style Using the Parental Bonding Inventory.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Mother's Retrospective Assessment of Parental Educational Style Using the Parental Bonding Inventory.475
SecondaryChanges in Mother's Sensitivity Was Evaluated Using the Maternal Behaviour Q Sort (Short Version) and the Ainsworth Scales.

Mother's sensitivity was assessed using the Maternal Behaviour Q sort (short version) and the Ainsworth scales (AINS). MBQS-S and AINS assess maternal sensitivity. Trained raters scored the mother's behavior on the scale for the MBQS and four scales of the AINS scales (Acceptance, Availability, Cooperation and Sensitivity) during a 20 and 30 minutes video-taped home mother-child interaction. The scales range from -1 to 1 for the MBQS and from 1 to 9 for the AINS scales, with higher scores indicating highly sensitive mothers on both instruments.

Time frame:
18 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Changes in Mother's Sensitivity Was Evaluated Using the Maternal Behaviour Q Sort (Short Version) and the Ainsworth Scales.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Changes in Mother's Sensitivity Was Evaluated Using the Maternal Behaviour Q Sort (Short Version) and the Ainsworth Scales.99
SecondaryMother's Early Life Abuse and Neglect Were Evaluated Using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire.

The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) is a 28-item self-report retrospective inventory intending to measure childhood or adolescent abuse and neglect, on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from Never True to Very Often True. The central constructs underlying the questionnaire are emotional, physical neglect and abuse, and sexual abuse. The CTQ contains five subscales : 3 subscales assessing abuse : Emotional, Physical, and Sexual abuse 2 subscales assessing neglect : Emotional and Physical neglect.

Time frame:
24 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Mother's Early Life Abuse and Neglect Were Evaluated Using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Mother's Early Life Abuse and Neglect Were Evaluated Using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire.429
SecondaryMother's Eating Behaviours Were Evaluated Using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire.

The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire is used to assess emotional, external and restrained eating. The 33 items on the DEBQ represent three separate scales: (i) Emotional Eating, with items such as 'Do you have the desire to eat when you are irritated?, contains 13 items; (ii) External Eating, with items such as 'Do you eat more than usual when you see others eating?, includes 10 items; and (iii) Restraint, with items such as 'Do you deliberately eat less in order not to become heavier? ', has 10 items.

Time frame:
60 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Mother's Eating Behaviours Were Evaluated Using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Mother's Eating Behaviours Were Evaluated Using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire.350
SecondaryMother's Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Were Measured Using the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire.

The Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ) (Torrubia et al., 2001) is a 48 yes/no questionnaire measuring SP (sensitivity to punishment) and SR (sensitivity to reward) functioning.

Time frame:
60 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Mother's Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Were Measured Using the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Mother's Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Were Measured Using the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire.350
SecondaryParenting Style Assessed Using the Parental Authority Questionnaire.

The Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ) investigates three prototypes of parental behavior: permissive, authoritative and authoritarian. Each prototype is measured on 10 items on a Likert scale from 1 (disagree strongly) to 5 (agree strongly). The questionnaire was developed to be answered by the child, however, it was adapted in order to let the mother rate her own prototype of parenting. Item scores for each scale were averaged to obtain a total prototype score, with high scores indicating that the mother rates herself to engage strongly in a given parenting prototype.

Time frame:
60 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Parenting Style Assessed Using the Parental Authority Questionnaire.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Parenting Style Assessed Using the Parental Authority Questionnaire.323
SecondaryFamily Functioning Assessed Using the Family Assessment Device Questionnaire.

The Family Assessment Device (FAD) questionnaire assesses family functioning on each dimension of the McMaster Model of Family Functioning (MMFF) according to individual family member's perception of their family's functioning. In addition to the six subscales of the MMFF (Problem solving, communication, roles, affective responsiveness, affective involvement, behaviour control) the FAD includes a General Functioning scale that measures the overall level of the family's functioning. Sixty statements, geared to an eighth-grade reading level, describe various aspects of family functioning. Each member of the family over the age of 12 completes the pen-and-paper questionnaire by rating how well the statement describes his or her family. There are four choices (strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree) per item for each dimension. Dimension items are purposely not listed in consecutive order. Each item matches only one dimension and may describe healthy or unhealthy functioning.

Time frame:
72 months
Reported as:
Count of participants · Participants
Family Functioning Assessed Using the Family Assessment Device Questionnaire.
ParticipantsPrenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Family Functioning Assessed Using the Family Assessment Device Questionnaire.307

Adverse events

Collected over 6 years. Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
Adverse Events0/630 (0%)0/630 (0%)0/630 (0%)

Baseline characteristics

Age, Categorical
Age, Categorical(Participants)Prenatal and 3 to 72 Months
<=18 years630
Between 18 and 65 years0
>=65 years0
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)Prenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Female288
Male342
Race and Ethnicity Not Collected
Race and Ethnicity Not Collected(Participants)Prenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Number of Participants that Provided Feedback on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire
Number of Participants that Provided Feedback on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire(Participants)Prenatal and 3 to 72 Months
Count of participants429
08

Study locations

1 site
  • Douglas Mental Health University Institute
    Verdun, Quebec H4H 1R3, Canada
09

References and documents

Publications

  • O'Donnell KA, Gaudreau H, Colalillo S, Steiner M, Atkinson L, Moss E, Goldberg S, Karama S, Matthews SG, Lydon JE, Silveira PP, Wazana AD, Levitan RD, Sokolowski MB, Kennedy JL, Fleming A, Meaney MJ; MAVAN Research Team. The maternal adversity, vulnerability and neurodevelopment project: theory and methodology. Can J Psychiatry. 2014 Sep;59(9):497-508. doi: 10.1177/070674371405900906. PubMed 25565695 ↗
  • Mileva-Seitz V, Kennedy J, Atkinson L, Steiner M, Levitan R, Matthews SG, Meaney MJ, Sokolowski MB, Fleming AS. Serotonin transporter allelic variation in mothers predicts maternal sensitivity, behavior and attitudes toward 6-month-old infants. Genes Brain Behav. 2011 Apr;10(3):325-33. doi: 10.1111/j.1601-183X.2010.00671.x. Epub 2011 Jan 13. Erratum In: Genes Brain Behav. 2012 Feb;11(1):125. PubMed 21232011 ↗
  • Silveira PP, Agranonik M, Faras H, Portella AK, Meaney MJ, Levitan RD; Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment Study Team. Preliminary evidence for an impulsivity-based thrifty eating phenotype. Pediatr Res. 2012 Mar;71(3):293-8. doi: 10.1038/pr.2011.39. Epub 2012 Jan 25. PubMed 22278183 ↗
  • Mileva-Seitz V, Steiner M, Atkinson L, Meaney MJ, Levitan R, Kennedy JL, Sokolowski MB, Fleming AS. Interaction between oxytocin genotypes and early experience predicts quality of mothering and postpartum mood. PLoS One. 2013 Apr 18;8(4):e61443. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061443. Print 2013. PubMed 23637833 ↗
  • Jonas W, Mileva-Seitz V, Girard AW, Bisceglia R, Kennedy JL, Sokolowski M, Meaney MJ, Fleming AS, Steiner M; MAVAN Research Team. Genetic variation in oxytocin rs2740210 and early adversity associated with postpartum depression and breastfeeding duration. Genes Brain Behav. 2013 Oct;12(7):681-94. doi: 10.1111/gbb.12069. Epub 2013 Aug 31. PubMed 23941164 ↗
  • Adedinsewo DA, Fleming AS, Steiner M, Meaney MJ, Girard AW; MAVAN team. Maternal anxiety and breastfeeding: findings from the MAVAN (Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment) Study. J Hum Lact. 2014 Feb;30(1):102-9. doi: 10.1177/0890334413504244. Epub 2013 Sep 24. PubMed 24065719 ↗
  • Silveira PP, Portella AK, Kennedy JL, Gaudreau H, Davis C, Steiner M, Soares CN, Matthews SG, Sokolowski MB, Dube L, Loucks EB, Hamilton J, Meaney MJ, Levitan RD; MAVAN Study Team. Association between the seven-repeat allele of the dopamine-4 receptor gene (DRD4) and spontaneous food intake in pre-school children. Appetite. 2014 Feb;73:15-22. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2013.10.004. Epub 2013 Oct 20. PubMed 24153108 ↗
  • Neuwald MF, Agranonik M, Portella AK, Fleming A, Wazana A, Steiner M, Levitan RD, Meaney MJ, Silveira PP; MAVAN Study Team. Transgenerational effects of maternal care interact with fetal growth and influence attention skills at 18 months of age. Early Hum Dev. 2014 May;90(5):241-6. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2014.01.015. Epub 2014 Mar 3. PubMed 24602473 ↗
  • Escobar RS, O'Donnell KA, Colalillo S, Pawlby S, Steiner M, Meaney MJ, Levitan RD, Silveira PP; MAVAN Study Team. Better quality of mother-child interaction at 4 years of age decreases emotional overeating in IUGR girls. Appetite. 2014 Oct;81:337-42. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2014.06.107. Epub 2014 Jul 8. PubMed 25014742 ↗
  • Wendland BE, Atkinson L, Steiner M, Fleming AS, Pencharz P, Moss E, Gaudreau H, Silveira PP, Arenovich T, Matthews SG, Meaney MJ, Levitan RD; MAVAN Study Team. Low maternal sensitivity at 6 months of age predicts higher BMI in 48 month old girls but not boys. Appetite. 2014 Nov;82:97-102. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2014.07.012. Epub 2014 Jul 15. PubMed 25049136 ↗
  • Pennestri MH, Moss E, O'Donnell K, Lecompte V, Bouvette-Turcot AA, Atkinson L, Minde K, Gruber R, Fleming AS, Meaney MJ, Gaudreau H; MAVAN Research Team. Establishment and consolidation of the sleep-wake cycle as a function of attachment pattern. Attach Hum Dev. 2015;17(1):23-42. doi: 10.1080/14616734.2014.953963. Epub 2014 Sep 18. PubMed 25231054 ↗
  • Levitan RD, Rivera J, Silveira PP, Steiner M, Gaudreau H, Hamilton J, Kennedy JL, Davis C, Dube L, Fellows L, Wazana A, Matthews S, Meaney MJ; MAVAN Study Team. Gender differences in the association between stop-signal reaction times, body mass indices and/or spontaneous food intake in pre-school children: an early model of compromised inhibitory control and obesity. Int J Obes (Lond). 2015 Apr;39(4):614-9. doi: 10.1038/ijo.2014.207. Epub 2014 Dec 16. PubMed 25512364 ↗
  • Bouvette-Turcot AA, Fleming AS, Wazana A, Sokolowski MB, Gaudreau H, Gonzalez A, Deslauriers J, Kennedy JL, Steiner M, Meaney MJ; MAVAN Research Team. Maternal childhood adversity and child temperament: an association moderated by child 5-HTTLPR genotype. Genes Brain Behav. 2015 Mar;14(3):229-37. doi: 10.1111/gbb.12205. Epub 2015 Mar 24. PubMed 25688466 ↗
  • Pennestri MH, Gaudreau H, Bouvette-Turcot AA, Moss E, Lecompte V, Atkinson L, Lydon J, Steiner M, Meaney MJ; Mavan Research Team. Attachment disorganization among children in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Preliminary results. Early Hum Dev. 2015 Oct;91(10):601-6. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2015.07.005. Epub 2015 Aug 8. PubMed 26261864 ↗
  • Bouvette-Turcot AA, Pluess M, Bernier A, Pennestri MH, Levitan R, Sokolowski MB, Kennedy JL, Minde K, Steiner M, Pokhvisneva I, Meaney MJ, Gaudreau H; MAVAN research team. Effects of Genotype and Sleep on Temperament. Pediatrics. 2015 Oct;136(4):e914-21. doi: 10.1542/peds.2015-0080. Epub 2015 Sep 14. PubMed 26371199 ↗
  • Wazana A, Moss E, Jolicoeur-Martineau A, Graffi J, Tsabari G, Lecompte V, Pascuzzo K, Babineau V, Gordon-Green C, Mileva V, Atkinson L, Minde K, Bouvette-Turcot AA, Sassi R, St-Andre M, Carrey N, Matthews S, Sokolowski M, Lydon J, Gaudreau H, Steiner M, Kennedy JL, Fleming A, Levitan R, Meaney MJ. The interplay of birth weight, dopamine receptor D4 gene (DRD4), and early maternal care in the prediction of disorganized attachment at 36 months of age. Dev Psychopathol. 2015 Nov;27(4 Pt 1):1145-61. doi: 10.1017/S0954579415000735. PubMed 26439067 ↗
  • Reis RS, Bernardi JR, Steiner M, Meaney MJ, Levitan RD, Silveira PP; MAVAN Study Team. Poor infant inhibitory control predicts food fussiness in childhood - A possible protective role of n-3 PUFAs for vulnerable children. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2015 Jun;97:21-5. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2015.03.004. Epub 2015 Apr 3. PubMed 25892188 ↗
  • Babineau V, Green CG, Jolicoeur-Martineau A, Bouvette-Turcot AA, Minde K, Sassi R, St-Andre M, Carrey N, Atkinson L, Kennedy JL, Lydon J, Steiner M, Gaudreau H, Levitan R, Meaney M, Wazana A; MAVAN project. Prenatal depression and 5-HTTLPR interact to predict dysregulation from 3 to 36 months--a differential susceptibility model. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2015 Jan;56(1):21-9. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12246. Epub 2014 May 15. PubMed 24827922 ↗
  • Silveira PP, Gaudreau H, Atkinson L, Fleming AS, Sokolowski MB, Steiner M, Kennedy JL, Meaney MJ, Levitan RD, Dube L. Genetic Differential Susceptibility to Socioeconomic Status and Childhood Obesogenic Behavior: Why Targeted Prevention May Be the Best Societal Investment. JAMA Pediatr. 2016 Apr;170(4):359-64. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.4253. PubMed 26832777 ↗
  • Cost KT, Plamondon A, Unternaehrer E, Meaney M, Steiner M, Fleming AS; MAVAN team. The more things change, the more things stay the same: maternal attitudes 3 to 18 months postpartum. Acta Paediatr. 2016 Jul;105(7):e320-7. doi: 10.1111/apa.13409. Epub 2016 May 6. PubMed 26999290 ↗
  • Green CG, Babineau V, Jolicoeur-Martineau A, Bouvette-Turcot AA, Minde K, Sassi R, St-Andre M, Carrey N, Atkinson L, Kennedy JL, Steiner M, Lydon J, Gaudreau H, Burack JA, Levitan R, Meaney MJ, Wazana A; Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability, and Neurodevelopment Research Team. Prenatal maternal depression and child serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) genotype predict negative emotionality from 3 to 36 months. Dev Psychopathol. 2017 Aug;29(3):901-917. doi: 10.1017/S0954579416000560. Epub 2016 Jul 18. PubMed 27427178 ↗
  • Bouvette-Turcot AA, Unternaehrer E, Gaudreau H, Lydon JE, Steiner M, Meaney MJ; MAVAN Research Team. The joint contribution of maternal history of early adversity and adulthood depression to socioeconomic status and potential relevance for offspring development. J Affect Disord. 2017 Jan 1;207:26-31. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.08.012. Epub 2016 Aug 16. PubMed 27685851 ↗
  • Tombeau Cost K, Unternaehrer E, Plamondon A, Steiner M, Meaney M, Atkinson L, Kennedy JL, Fleming AS; MAVAN Research Team. Thinking and doing: the effects of dopamine and oxytocin genes and executive function on mothering behaviours. Genes Brain Behav. 2017 Feb;16(2):285-295. doi: 10.1111/gbb.12337. Epub 2016 Oct 21. PubMed 27620964 ↗
  • Levitan RD, Jansen P, Wendland B, Tiemeier H, Jaddoe VW, Silveira PP, Kennedy JL, Atkinson L, Fleming A, Sokolowski M, Gaudreau H, Steiner M, Dube L, Hamilton J, Moss E, Wazana A, Meaney M. A DRD4 gene by maternal sensitivity interaction predicts risk for overweight or obesity in two independent cohorts of preschool children. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2017 Feb;58(2):180-188. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12646. Epub 2016 Oct 11. PubMed 27726127 ↗
  • Maunder RG, Hunter JJ, Atkinson L, Steiner M, Wazana A, Fleming AS, Moss E, Gaudreau H, Meaney MJ, Levitan RD. An Attachment-Based Model of the Relationship Between Childhood Adversity and Somatization in Children and Adults. Psychosom Med. 2017 Jun;79(5):506-513. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000437. PubMed 27941580 ↗
  • Pokhvisneva I, Leger E, Meaney MJ, Silveira PP. Systematic Overestimation of Reflection Impulsivity in the Information Sampling Task: Age Dependency in Children. Biol Psychiatry. 2018 Jan 15;83(2):e33-e34. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.12.027. Epub 2017 Jan 5. No abstract available. PubMed 28189253 ↗
  • Bischoff AR, Pokhvisneva I, Leger E, Gaudreau H, Steiner M, Kennedy JL, O'Donnell KJ, Diorio J, Meaney MJ, Silveira PP; MAVAN research team. Dynamic interaction between fetal adversity and a genetic score reflecting dopamine function on developmental outcomes at 36 months. PLoS One. 2017 May 15;12(5):e0177344. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177344. eCollection 2017. PubMed 28505190 ↗
  • Silveira PP, Pokhvisneva I, Gaudreau H, Atkinson L, Fleming AS, Sokolowski MB, Steiner M, Kennedy JL, Dube L, Levitan RD, Meaney MJ; MAVAN research team. Fetal growth interacts with multilocus genetic score reflecting dopamine signaling capacity to predict spontaneous sugar intake in children. Appetite. 2018 Jan 1;120:596-601. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2017.10.021. Epub 2017 Oct 14. PubMed 29038017 ↗
  • Graffi J, Moss E, Jolicoeur-Martineau A, Moss G, Lecompte V, Pascuzzo K, Babineau V, Gordon-Green C, Mileva-Seitz VR, Minde K, Sassi R, Steiner M, Kennedy JL, Gaudreau H, Levitan R, Meaney MJ, Wazana A; MAVAN project. The dopamine D4 receptor gene, birth weight, maternal depression, maternal attention, and the prediction of disorganized attachment at 36 months of age: A prospective genexenvironment analysis. Infant Behav Dev. 2018 Feb;50:64-77. doi: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2017.11.004. Epub 2017 Nov 21. PubMed 29149620 ↗
  • Parent C, Pokhvisneva I, Gaudreau H, Diorio J, Meaney MJ, Silveira PP; MAVAN Research Team. Community study found that cutaneous allergies in childhood were associated with conduct problems in girls. Acta Paediatr. 2018 May;107(5):900-901. doi: 10.1111/apa.14235. Epub 2018 Feb 19. No abstract available. PubMed 29364555 ↗
  • Silveira PP, Pokhvisneva I, Gaudreau H, Rifkin-Graboi A, Broekman BFP, Steiner M, Levitan R, Parent C, Diorio J, Meaney MJ. Birth weight and catch up growth are associated with childhood impulsivity in two independent cohorts. Sci Rep. 2018 Sep 12;8(1):13705. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-31816-5. PubMed 30209275 ↗
  • Jolicoeur-Martineau A, Wazana A, Szekely E, Steiner M, Fleming AS, Kennedy JL, Meaney MJ, Greenwood CMT. Alternating optimization for G x E modelling with weighted genetic and environmental scores: Examples from the MAVAN study. Psychol Methods. 2019 Apr;24(2):196-216. doi: 10.1037/met0000175. Epub 2018 Aug 13. PubMed 30102054 ↗
  • Belsky J, Pokhvisneva I, Rema ASS, Broekman BFP, Pluess M, O'Donnell KJ, Meaney MJ, Silveira PP. Polygenic differential susceptibility to prenatal adversity. Dev Psychopathol. 2019 May;31(2):439-441. doi: 10.1017/S0954579418000378. Epub 2018 Aug 7. PubMed 30081968 ↗
  • Laganiere C, Gaudreau H, Pokhvisneva I, Atkinson L, Meaney M, Pennestri MH. Maternal characteristics and behavioural/emotional problems in preschoolers: how they relate to sleep rhythmic movements at sleep onset. J Sleep Res. 2019 Jun;28(3):e12707. doi: 10.1111/jsr.12707. Epub 2018 Jun 5. PubMed 29873138 ↗
  • Garg E, Chen L, Nguyen TTT, Pokhvisneva I, Chen LM, Unternaehrer E, MacIsaac JL, McEwen LM, Mah SM, Gaudreau H, Levitan R, Moss E, Sokolowski MB, Kennedy JL, Steiner MS, Meaney MJ, Holbrook JD, Silveira PP, Karnani N, Kobor MS, O'Donnell KJ; Mavan Study Team. The early care environment and DNA methylome variation in childhood. Dev Psychopathol. 2018 Aug;30(3):891-903. doi: 10.1017/S0954579418000627. PubMed 30068421 ↗
  • Jonas W, Bisceglia R, Meaney MJ, Dudin A, Fleming AS, Steiner M; MAVAN Research Team. The role of breastfeeding in the association between maternal and infant cortisol attunement in the first postpartum year. Acta Paediatr. 2018 Jul;107(7):1205-1217. doi: 10.1111/apa.14256. Epub 2018 Mar 24. PubMed 29405436 ↗
  • Forest M, O'Donnell KJ, Voisin G, Gaudreau H, MacIsaac JL, McEwen LM, Silveira PP, Steiner M, Kobor MS, Meaney MJ, Greenwood CMT. Agreement in DNA methylation levels from the Illumina 450K array across batches, tissues, and time. Epigenetics. 2018;13(1):19-32. doi: 10.1080/15592294.2017.1411443. Epub 2018 Jan 30. PubMed 29381404 ↗
  • Silveira PP, Pokhvisneva I, Parent C, Cai S, Rema ASS, Broekman BFP, Rifkin-Graboi A, Pluess M, O'Donnell KJ, Meaney MJ. Cumulative prenatal exposure to adversity reveals associations with a broad range of neurodevelopmental outcomes that are moderated by a novel, biologically informed polygenetic score based on the serotonin transporter solute carrier family C6, member 4 (SLC6A4) gene expression. Dev Psychopathol. 2017 Dec;29(5):1601-1617. doi: 10.1017/S0954579417001262. PubMed 29162172 ↗
  • Agranonik M, Portella AK, Hamilton J, Fleming AS, Steiner M, Meaney MJ, Levitan RD, Silveira PP; MAVAN study team. Breastfeeding in the 21st century. Lancet. 2016 May 21;387(10033):2088-2089. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30536-0. No abstract available. PubMed 27301818 ↗
  • Jonas W, Atkinson L, Steiner M, Meaney MJ, Wazana A, Fleming AS; MAVAN research team. Breastfeeding and maternal sensitivity predict early infant temperament. Acta Paediatr. 2015 Jul;104(7):678-86. doi: 10.1111/apa.12987. Epub 2015 Apr 22. PubMed 25727570 ↗
  • Graffi J, Moss E, Jolicoeur-Martineau A, Moss G, Lecompte V, Pascuzzo K, Babineau V, Gordon-Green C, Mileva-Seitz VR, Minde K, Sassi R, Carrey N, Kennedy JL, Gaudreau H, Levitan R, Meaney M, Wazana A. Preschool children without 7-repeat DRD4 gene more likely to develop disorganized attachment style. McGill Sci Undergrad Res J. 2015 Mar;10(1):31-36. PubMed 28574063 ↗
  • Agrati D, Browne D, Jonas W, Meaney M, Atkinson L, Steiner M, Fleming AS; MAVAN research team. Maternal anxiety from pregnancy to 2 years postpartum: transactional patterns of maternal early adversity and child temperament. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2015 Oct;18(5):693-705. doi: 10.1007/s00737-014-0491-y. Epub 2015 Jan 29. PubMed 25627018 ↗
  • Plamondon A, Akbari E, Atkinson L, Steiner M, Meaney MJ, Fleming AS; MAVAN research team. Spatial working memory and attention skills are predicted by maternal stress during pregnancy. Early Hum Dev. 2015 Jan;91(1):23-9. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2014.11.004. Epub 2014 Nov 26. PubMed 25460253 ↗

Study documents

PDFs hosted by the registry, ClinicalTrials.gov.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

10

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Ran from Oct 2003 to primary completion in Dec 2017, 170 months.

Results were first posted in May 2020, 2 years 5 months after primary completion.

Of 460 non-industry observational studies under Depression, half reached primary completion within 34 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 14 and three quarters within 63. This study's 170 months is above that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 493 studies reached it within 33 months; a quarter within 13 and three quarters within 62.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Jan 30, 2018
First posted
Feb 15, 2018
StartActual
Oct 1, 2003
Primary completionActual
Dec 1, 2017
CompletionActual
Dec 1, 2017
Results first posted
May 27, 2020
Last update
May 27, 2020
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 27, 2020, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
11

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03434457
Lead sponsor
Douglas Mental Health University Institute
Collaborators
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), The JPB Foundation, Ludmer Family Foundation, Norlien Foundation, WOCO Foundation, Blema & Arnold Steinberg Family Foundation, McGill University, Jacobs Foundation
Responsible party
Michael J Meaney (James McGill professor, Douglas Mental Health University Institute) — Principal investigator
First posted
Feb 15, 2018
Start date
Oct 1, 2003
Primary completion
Dec 1, 2017
Completion
Dec 1, 2017
Results posted
May 27, 2020
Last update
May 27, 2020

Study contacts

Michael J Meaney, PhD
study director · James McGill Professor

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in May 2020. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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