# Exploring a Risk Phenotype for Maternal Distress Characterized by Regulatory Focus

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2024 · $12,655

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Both high incidence (i.e., 15%) and low remission rate (i.e., 30-50%) of postpartum distress symptoms indicate
a need for more research on the underlying mechanisms associated with elevated maternal distress and
caregiving deficits. Severe symptoms of maternal distress will continue to inflict significant morbidity and elicit
poor child health outcomes unless we initiate a system-wide change in how nurses and other healthcare
professionals understand and recognize indicators of maternal distress. Prior research has determined that
mothers with elevated distress symptoms (e.g., irritability and anhedonia) display suppressed neurological
reward responsivity. However, few studies have examined the role of reward responsivity to loss and
caregiving behaviors. Even fewer studies have asked women to describe their experience with goal pursuit
during the postpartum period and perceived functional ability as a mother. To address this research gap, the
proposed study will apply the Regulatory Focus Theory to link both aberrant reward responses and disruptive
caregiving behaviors to specific distress symptom sets assessed with the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety
Symptoms (IDAS) self-report measure. Aim 1 will use a retrospective, secondary analysis to correlate fMRI
imaging data with IDAS scores to determine distinct symptom sets that are associated with suppressed reward
responsivity. Aim 2 will use prospective, mixed-methods analyses to correlate maternal caregiving behaviors
with IDAS scores and qualitative interviews from a subset of 12 mothers. Exploratory Aim 3 will interpretively
synthesize findings from Aims 1 and 2 to propose an initial risk phenotype for maternal distress. This initial step
toward developing a risk phenotype will guide future research to improve early detection of women most
vulnerable to developing debilitating symptoms of distress during the postpartum period. The proposed study
and associated research training provide a comprehensive foundation for an innovative program of nursing
research focused on the bidirectional nature of the caregiver-child relationship as it relates to Regulatory Focus
Theory, specifically whether enhancing maternal self-regulation can prevent child development disorders.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10758790
- **Project number:** 5F31NR019928-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** Elisabeth Bernhardt
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $12,655
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-01-13 → 2024-05-12

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10758790

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10758790, Exploring a Risk Phenotype for Maternal Distress Characterized by Regulatory Focus (5F31NR019928-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10758790. Licensed CC0.

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