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Pechtel, Pia

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Pechtel

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Pechtel, Pia

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2011 - 20122

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Author's Publications: search.filters.isAuthorOfPublication.fc4a7187-e0da-402b-b54b-d55fa0a4bb2d

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    Perceived parental protection and cortisol responses among young females with borderline personality disorder and controls
    (Elsevier BV, 2011) Lyons-Ruth, Karlen; Choi, Lois; Pechtel, Pia; Bertha, Eszter; Gunderson, John
    Borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been associated with deviations in cortisol in response to interpersonal stressors. Identifying mechanisms contributing to such deviations may help to address emotional dysregulation and the increased risk of self-destructive behavior. While dysfunctional relationships to caregivers have been widely reported among individuals with BPD, their contribution to cortisol hyperresponsiveness has yet to be investigated. Fifty-one females (aged 18–24years) participated to assess the impact of BPD and the quality of protective care in mother-daughter relationships on stress responsiveness. Seventeen females with BPD and twenty females without BPD participated with their mothers in a videotaped parent-young adult conflict discussion. Fourteen non-BPD females without their mothers were assessed for cortisol levels without stress exposure. Salivary cortisol samples were collected at lab entry and 20 and 40min after the onset of the discussion. Results revealed a higher overall cortisol response in the BPD group upon lab entry. BPD participants reported less experienced protection in the mother-daughter relationship which was associated with higher cortisol levels on lab entry and higher distress at study end. Results point to the perceived quality of parental protection as likely to modulate the activity of the stress response system among BPD patients.
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    Early Maternal Withdrawal and Nonverbal Childhood IQ as Precursors for Substance Use Disorder in Young Adulthood: Results of a 20-Year Prospective Study
    (Springer Nature, 2012) Pechtel, Pia; Woodman, Ashley; Lyons-Ruth, Karlen
    The relation between early mother–infant interaction and later socio-emotional development has been well established. The present study addresses the more recent interest in the impact of maternal caregiving on cognitive development and their role in decision-making in young adulthood. Using data from a prospective longitudinal study on attachment, prediction from early mother–infant interactions at age 18 months and from verbal and nonverbal cognitive skill at age 5 were examined as predictors of a substance use disorder (abuse/dependence) in young adulthood (age 20) on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-TV (SCID). Results reveal that the mother's withdrawal from interaction with the infant at age 18 months, coded using the AMBIANCE coding system (Atypical Maternal Behavior Instrument for Assessment and Classification), was associated with the child's lower nonverbal cognitive scores but not verbal cognitive scores at age 5. In addition, maternal withdrawal at 18 months predicted a clinical diagnosis of substance use disorder (alcohol/cannabis) at age 20. Finally, nonverbal reasoning at age 5 mediated the relationship between early maternal withdrawal and substance use disorder (alcohol/cannabis) in young adulthood. Findings indicate the need for further work examining how early maternal withdrawal affects nonverbal cognitive development by school entry, and how these nonverbal deficits further contribute to maladaptive coping strategies such as substance use by young adulthood.