Cleanthis Michael, University of Michigan – Parenting influences children’s brain and mental health differently at different ages

On this Student Spotlight: How you talk to your children is crucial, especially when they are very young.

Cleanthis Michael, doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Michigan, discusses the effects.

Cleanthis Michael is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at the University of Michigan. His research examines how children’s experiences, such as adversity and protection, influence their brain development and mental health. Clinically, he is particularly interested in the treatment of depression, suicide, and traumatic responses in youth. Cleanthis grew up in Cyprus and moved to the United States to pursue his doctoral studies.

Parenting influences children’s brain and mental health differently at different ages

Parenting is one of the strongest environmental experiences that shape children’s development and mental health, partly by changing how the brain develops. But what we were really interested in was understanding how parenting at different ages may differentially influence brain development and mental health in children.

We found that harsh parenting during early childhood affected the organization of the entire brain in adolescence. In contrast, harsh parenting during late childhood more specifically affected the corticolimbic circuit, a system in the brain that is involved in processing and regulating our emotions.

However, we were also interested in examining positive parenting behaviors. We found that warm parenting during middle childhood affected how the amygdala, a small structure in the brain that processes emotions and threats, was communicating with the rest of the brain. This in turn predicted lower anxiety and depression 15 years later during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our study suggests that interventions for parents may have more profound and widespread effects on brain development and mental health when delivered earlier in life. However, we also identify multiple periods of opportunity during childhood when interventions can support healthy development, as well as adaptive coping even when we experience stress in the future.

We also want to highlight that parenting is impacted by many factors, like financial and structural barriers. So, our study additionally emphasizes the importance of improving public policies to support parents and even allow them to engage in warm parenting practices.