Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Introduction: All families experience some form of stress and strain in their lives, and parents are tasked with the important role of facilitating their child's development amid these stressors. Executive functions (EFs; mental processes involved in problem-solving, planning, and self-control) may be particularly important in supporting parents' ability to be flexible, responsive, and to parent effectively in stressful situations. This study examines parents' EFs as a potential protective factor for the development of child mental health problems in a population of first responder (FR; police, firefighter, paramedic) families. FRs are regularly exposed to significant workplace stress, placing themselves and their children at heightened risk of mental health problems. Objective: This study will examine if deficits in parent and child EFs, and increased levels of parental workplace stressors are risk factors in the development of child mental health problems. This study will also explore the protective role of parental EFs and positive parenting practices in mitigating the impacts of stress and child EF on the development of child mental health problems. Design and Participants: Participants for this study will be children aged 11-17 and their parent who works as a FR. Data on parent and child EF, mental health problems, parenting, and workplace stress will be collected yearly using computer-based measures over two years. Significance of Study: The role of parental EFs in the onset and development of child mental health problems is currently unknown. If parent EFs buffer associations between other risk factors (e.g., child EFs and stressors) and child mental health symptoms, early intervention can be provided to families to strengthen and support parental EFs, particularly in families experiencing significant life stressors such as workplace stress, socioeconomic adversity, and chronic medical and/or mental health problems.