Latest news with #JasminWertz
Newsweek
11-05-2025
- Science
- Newsweek
I Interviewed 2,000 Loving Mothers—Here's How Affection Shaped Their Kids
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ever wonder how those tender moments of childhood—your mom's warm hugs or words of encouragement—might shape the person you grow up to be? New research suggests that affectionate mothering during childhood doesn't just create happy memories, it could also influence who you become as an adult. Kids who receive more maternal warmth between ages five and 10 are more likely to develop key personality traits, such as openness, conscientiousness and agreeableness. To understand more about how this affects children from early life to adulthood, Jasmin Wertz, PhD, lead author of the study and a professor of psychology at the University of Edinburgh analyzed data from 2,232 British identical twins who were followed from birth to age 18 as part of the Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twins Study. High angle portrait of Asian mother and her daughter hugging while little girl biting her point finger. High angle portrait of Asian mother and her daughter hugging while little girl biting her point finger. AnnaStills By focusing on identical twins, the researchers were able to account for genetic and shared environmental factors, making it possible to isolate the effects of maternal affection. During home visits, trained observers rated the mothers' warmth toward their children based on five-minute recorded interviews. "For example, some mothers expressed a lot of positive emotions and empathy about and for their children," Wertz told Newsweek. "They said things such as, 'She's my ray of sunshine, I love her.' Others expressed a lot of criticism and negativity." These ratings were then compared with the children's personalities at age 18, assessed using the well-established Big Five personality traits model. "The key discovery was when mothers were more affectionate toward their children, when they grew older, they were more open minded, kinder, more cooperative with others and they were more conscientious," Wertz explained. Notably, maternal affection did not significantly influence two of the Big Five traits—extraversion and neuroticism—suggesting that other factors such as peer relationships or genetic influences, may play a larger role in shaping these characteristics. Wertz acknowledged that the effects of affectionate parenting on personality were small, which was surprising since it is often assumed that parents significantly impact their children's personality and other outcomes. "Even though these effects were overall relatively small, they were robust and also relatively long lasting," she explained. "Of course, age 18 is still pretty young, but it's an important developmental phase when young people are becoming more independent from their parents," Wertz continued. "So even during that time, that experience of affectionate parenting early in life still had that impact." Headshot of psychology professor Jasmin Wertz. Headshot of psychology professor Jasmin Wertz. Jasmin Wertz The research also offered practical insights for policymakers and professionals in education, family welfare and mental health. According to Wertz, supporting parents to be more affectionate could have population-wide benefits over time. "There are many proven ways to support parents, such as policies that improve a family's financial situation, access to treatment for parents who struggle with mental health problems such as depression and parenting programs that help parents build stronger relationships with their children," she said. Research indicates that effective parenting programs support mothers in showing increased affection towards their children. Wertz shared that these programs assist parents in employing more effective discipline strategies and engaging in enjoyable activities with their children, such as reading together, which fosters affectionate parenting. Additionally, various policies have been identified as effective in promoting affectionate parenting. "For example, policies that make it possible for parents to seek mental health treatment, if they have mental health problems, that can have a positive effect on the whole family dynamic, including affectionate parenting," she said. "There are things that we know can be done, and our research would suggest that these types of programs and interventions can have these longer lasting, positive effects for the children." Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about psychology? Let us know via science@ Reference Wertz, J., Moffitt, T. E., Blangis, F., Ambler, A., Arseneault, L., Danese, A., Fisher, H. L., & Caspi, A. (2025). Parenting in childhood predicts personality in early adulthood: A longitudinal twin-differences study. American Psychologist.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Science Says This Is the Best Way to Raise Your Kids
Anyone who decides to have children hopes that they will raise kids who turn into good, thoughtful, high-quality adults—but the pathway there can be long and bumpy. Plus, if you have a child who tends to be rambunctious and likes getting into trouble, it can sometimes feel like you're screwing the whole "parenting" thing up. While there's no "right" way to raise a kid, new research suggests that regularly doling out affection can have some major benefits. Of course, raising amazing little humans is a lot more involved than just giving them lots of hugs and encouragement, but these new findings offer a more concrete goal if it feels like your kids will never get it together. Here's what the study found, plus what mental health experts recommend taking away from it. Meet the experts: Jasmin Wertz, PhD, lead author of the study and a professor of psychology at the University of Edinburgh; Tamar Gur, MD, PhD, a reproductive psychiatrist and researcher at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center The study, which was published in the journal American Psychologist, analyzed data that followed 2,232 British identical twins from birth through age 18. The researchers looked at data from home visits with the twins' mothers, analyzing recordings of the moms talking about each of their children. Those recordings were then rated for warmth and affection. At age 18, the children (now teens) were given personality tests to see their 'Big Five' personality traits. These traits are viewed as the five basic dimensions of human personality, and include extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability. The researchers discovered that twins whose moms were more warm towards them as kids —especially between the ages of five and 10—ended up being more open, conscientious, and agreeable as young adults. 'Our findings suggest that interventions to increase positive parenting in childhood have the potential to make a positive population-wide impact through small but sustained effects on personality traits,' the researchers wrote on the conclusion. 'We knew from previous research that the way parents treat their children—such as how affectionate and supportive they are—is linked with how children's personalities develop,' says Jasmin Wertz, PhD, lead author of the study and a professor of psychology at the University of Edinburgh. Usually, it can be hard to know if these type of results would be due to the actual parenting or because the parents passed on specific genes to their kids. This study accounted for that barrier. 'By studying twins who share all of their genes and grow up in the same home, we were able to study the effects of parenting separately from the effects of genes, to see if parenting has an effect on young people's personalities,' Wertz says. The study didn't explore this exact question, but there are some theories. 'If a parent is affectionate, this might teach children to be more understanding and emphatic themselves, thereby fostering agreeableness,' Wertz says. 'Affectionate parenting may also help children regulate their emotions and behaviors, making them more persistent and conscientious.' Being an affectionate parent can also help kids feel supported, says Tamar Gur, MD, PhD, a reproductive psychiatrist and researcher at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. 'If a child falls, you want to make sure that they feel loved,' she says. 'If they had a difficult day and could use a warm hug, affection is absolutely an important tool there.' That support at home can also help kids feel more comfortable exploring the world and being open with others, Wertz says. At its core, Wertz says that affectionate parenting is about showing your child that you care about them. 'This can look different for every family,' she says. That might mean asking your child about something that interests them, trying to empathize with them, praising good behaviors, using caring and encouraging language, being affectionate with hugs and words, and doing your best to be patient, she says. 'Being affectionate does not mean allowing everything—setting clear limits and consequences are important parenting strategies,' Wertz adds. Dr. Gur stresses this same point, and emphasizes that consistency is really important as a parent. 'Kids have the hardest time with the dysregulation of affection,' she says. 'If you run hot and cold, which can happen, it can be the most difficult for children.' Affection should definitely be an important tool as a parent, says Dr. Gur, 'but it should not be the only tool in your tool belt.' 'If someone is misbehaving or is really dysregulated and you're meeting them with affection, that can be very confusing,' she says. 'That's not how the world works.' By the way, Wertz says that it's important to be kind to yourself while you're parenting, too. 'Many mothers feel stressed, and being mindful and compassionate about your own needs ensures you don't pour from an empty cup,' she says. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
