Akkermansia muciniphila-derived pentadecanoic acid enhances oxaliplatin sensitivity in gastric cancer by modulating glycolysis.

Accumulating evidence has proved the close association between alterations in gut microbiota and resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. However, the potential roles of gut microbiota in regulating oxaliplatin sensitivity in gastric cancer (GC) have not been investigated before. We first found that antibiotic treatment diminished the therapeutic efficacy of oxaliplatin in a GC mouse model. Importantly, this effect could be transmitted to germ-free mice via fecal microbiota transplantation, indicating a potential role of gut microbiota modulation in oxaliplatin efficacy. Further, metagenomics data showed that Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila) ranked first among the bacterial species with decreased relative abundances after antibiotic treatment. Metabolically active A. muciniphila promotes oxaliplatin efficacy. As shown by metabolomics analysis, the metabolic pattern of gut microbiota was disrupted with significantly downregulated levels of pentadecanoic acid (PEA), and the use of PEA significantly promoted oxaliplatin efficacy. Mechanistically, FUBP1 positively regulated aerobic glycolysis of GC cells to hinder the therapeutic efficacy of oxaliplatin. A. muciniphila-derived PEA functioned as an inhibitory factor of glycolysis by directly antagonizing the activity of FUBP1, which potentiated GC responses to oxaliplatin. Our research suggested a key role for intestinal A. muciniphila and its metabolite PEA in promoting oxaliplatin efficacy, thus providing a new perspective for probiotic and prebiotic intervention in GC patients during chemotherapy.

Age-Varying Associations Between COVID-19-Related Racial Discrimination and Chinese American Adolescents' Political Civic Engagement.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made historically rooted anti-Asian racism, xenophobia, and civic activism in the United States highly salient, creating a heightened need for Asian American youth to redress racial injustice through civic engagement. However, little is known about Chinese American adolescents' civic engagement in response to racial discrimination. The present study investigated the age-varying associations between Chinese American adolescents' experiences of COVID-19-related racial discrimination and their political civic engagement at the intersection of race and gender, as well as the moderating roles of ethnic identity affirmation and parental civic socialization in these associations. The participants were 295 10- to 18-year-old Chinese American adolescents (Mage = 14.1 years, SD = 2.2 years; 52% girls) and their parents (Mage = 44.2 years, SD = 6.0 years; 79% mothers). Time-varying effect modeling showed that experiences of racial discrimination were negatively associated with political civic engagement in middle adolescence. This negative association was found only among girls but not boys. High ethnic identity affirmation and parental civic socialization not only buffered Chinese American adolescents against the impact of racial discrimination but even promoted their greater political civic engagement across adolescence. These findings revealed the age trends and important individual and contextual facilitators of Chinese American adolescents' political civic participation in the context of the racialized pandemic of COVID-19, which can inform culturally and developmentally targeted education and intervention efforts that promote the civic development of Chinese American adolescents.

Cascading effects of Chinese American parents' COVID-19 racial discrimination and racial socialization on adolescents' adjustment.

Using a three-wave longitudinal sample of 108 Chinese American parent-adolescent dyads (Mparent-ageW1 = 45.44 years, 17% fathers; Madolescent-ageW1 = 13.34 years, 50% boys), this study examined the effects of parents' COVID-19-related racial discrimination experiences on adolescents' ethnic identity exploration and anxiety as mediated by parents' awareness of discrimination (AOD) socialization and moderated by parents' anxiety and racial socialization competency (RSC). Parents' racial discrimination experiences in 2020 predicted adolescents' greater ethnic identity exploration or greater anxiety in 2022 via parents' greater use of AOD in 2021, depending on the levels of parents' anxiety and RSC. These findings highlighted individual and contextual factors impacting racial socialization processes in Chinese American families.

To maintain or conceal one's cultural identity? Chinese American parents' ethnic-racial socialization during COVID-19.

Ethno-racially minoritized parents' ethnic-racial socialization may center on encouraging their children to maintain or conceal their ethnic-racial identity, particularly during the period of heightened racism of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the underlying mechanisms that could explain Chinese American parents' specific ethnic-racial socialization practices and the role of children's developmental stage are not well understood. The present study examined: (a) the association between Chinese American parents' racial discrimination experiences and their engagement in maintenance of heritage culture and concealing Chinese heritage and connection ethnic-racial socialization; (b) the mediating and moderating roles of psychological well-being and family support; and (c) variations in these associations among parents with children of different developmental stages. The participants comprised 470 Chinese American parents (Mage = 43.7 years, SD = 6.4; 79% mothers) of 4- to 18-year-old children in the United States. Findings revealed that Chinese American parents' racial discrimination experiences were associated with greater engagement in both maintenance of heritage culture and concealing Chinese heritage and connection ethnic-racial socialization practices. Furthermore, parents' racial discrimination experiences were negatively associated with their psychological well-being, which in turn, was associated with lower levels of maintenance of heritage culture and higher levels of concealing Chinese heritage and connection ethnic-racial socialization practices. Greater family support buffered against the negative impact of racial discrimination on parents' psychological well-being and subsequent associations with their ethnic-racial socialization. The underlying moderated mediation mechanism was similar across parents of children, and younger and older adolescents. Our findings can guide future efforts to expand theoretical frameworks of ethnic-racial socialization among ethnic minority families. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Longitudinal pathways linking racial discrimination and Chinese American mothers' parenting.

Racial discrimination is a salient and chronic stressor for ethnic minority parents that can negatively impact their parenting. The present study used a short-term longitudinal design to examine the link between Chinese American mothers' stressful experiences of racial discrimination and their authoritarian parenting practices, the mediating role of mothers' depressive symptoms, and the moderating role of their behavioral acculturation toward American and Chinese cultures in these associations (i.e., behavioral participation in the American culture and behavioral maintenance of Chinese culture). Participants were 143 first-generation Chinese American mothers (Mage = 38.0 years) with preschool-age children (Mage = 4.6 years; 50% girls). Mothers reported their racial discrimination stress, depressive symptoms, American and Chinese behavioral acculturation, and authoritarian parenting across two time points over a 6-month interval. A moderated mediation model was conducted using structural equation modeling to test the hypothesized associations. Chinese American mothers' depressive symptoms mediated the association between racial discrimination stress and authoritarian parenting. The path between racial discrimination stress and depressive symptoms and the indirect effect of racial discrimination stress on authoritarian parenting were buffered by mothers' behavioral acculturation toward American culture and exacerbated by their behavioral acculturation toward Chinese culture. This study provides the first longitudinal evidence linking Chinese American mothers' experiences of racial discrimination and their negative parenting over time as well as mediating and moderating factors underlying this process. Our findings highlight the need for systemic efforts addressing racial inequalities and fostering positive development in Asian Americans and other marginalized families. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Parental Stress and Chinese American Preschoolers' Adjustment: The Mediating Role of Parenting.

Family contexts, such as parental stress and parenting practices, play critical roles in preschoolers' adjustment. However, these processes have been understudied in Chinese American families. The present study examined the associations between Chinese American mothers' experiences of two types of stress (i.e., general/contextual stress and parenting stress) and their preschoolers' socio-emotional and behavioral adjustment problems; in addition, the mediating roles of maternal psychologically controlling parenting and maternal warmth in these associations were assessed. Participants included 207 first-generation Chinese American mothers (Mage = 37.78 years, SDage = 4.36) and their 3- to 6-year-old children (Mage = 4.50 years, SDage = 0.90; 52% boys). Mothers reported on their levels of stress, psychologically controlling parenting, and warmth practices; teachers reported on child adjustment in the school setting. The results revealed that higher levels of general/contextual stress and parenting stress were each uniquely associated with more maternal psychologically controlling parenting practices, which in turn was associated with fewer socio-emotional and behavioral adjustment problems in children. Our findings can inform parenting intervention programs designed to improve Chinese American preschoolers' adjustment.

COVID-19 Racism and Chinese American Families' Mental Health: A Comparison between 2020 and 2021.

This study compared rates of multiple forms of COVID-19 racism-related discrimination experiences, fear/worries, and their associations with mental health indices among Chinese American parents and youth between 2020 and 2021. Chinese American parents of 4- to 18-year-old children and a subsample of their 10- to 18-year-old adolescents completed surveys in 2020 and 2021. A high percentage of Chinese American parents and their children continued to experience or witness anti-Chinese/Asian racism both online and in person in 2021. Parents and youth experienced less vicarious discrimination in person but more direct discrimination (both online and in person) and reported poorer mental health in 2021 than in 2020. Associations with mental health were stronger in 2021 than in 2020 for parents' and/or youth's vicarious discrimination experiences, perceptions of Sinophobia, and government-related worries, but weaker only for parents' direct discrimination experiences. The spillover effect from parents' vicarious discrimination experiences and Sinophobia perceptions to all youth mental health indices were stronger in 2021 than in 2020. Chinese American families experienced high rates of racial discrimination across multiple dimensions, and the detrimental impacts on their mental health were still salient in the second year of the pandemic. Vicarious and collective racism may have even stronger negative impacts on mental health and well-being later in the pandemic. Decreasing health disparities for Chinese Americans and other communities of color requires extensive, long-term national efforts to eliminate structural aspects of racism.

Parenting measurement, normativeness, and associations with child outcomes: Comparing evidence from four non-Western cultures.

This study compared parenting across four non-Western cultures to test cross-cultural commonality and specificity principles in three aspects: measurement properties, parenting normativeness, and their associations with child outcomes. Both mothers and fathers (N = 1509 dyads) with preschool-aged children (M = 5.00 years; 48% girls) from urban areas of four countries (Malaysia, N = 372; China, N = 441; Turkey, N = 402; and Japan, N = 294) reported on four parenting constructs (authoritative, authoritarian, group harmony socialization, and intrusive control) and their sub-dimensions using modified culturally relevant measures. Teachers reported on children's internalizing, externalizing, and prosocial behaviors. The commonality principle was supported by two sets of findings: (1) full measurement invariance was established for most parenting constructs and sub-dimensions, except that intrusive control only reached partial scalar invariance, and (2) no variations were found in associations between parenting and any child outcomes across cultures or parent gender at the construct level for all four parenting constructs and at the sub-dimensional level for authoritarian and intrusive control sub-dimensions. The specificity principle was supported by the other two sets of findings: (1) cross-cultural differences in parenting normativeness did not follow the pattern of economic development but yielded culture-specific patterns, and (2) at the sub-dimensional level, the authoritative parenting and group harmony socialization sub-dimensions were differently associated with child outcomes across cultures and/or parent gender. The findings suggested that examining specific dimensions rather than broad parenting constructs is necessary to reflect cultural specificities and nuances. Our study provided a culturally-invariant instrument and a three-step guide for future parenting research to examine cross-cultural commonalities/specificities. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: This is the first study to use an instrument with measurement invariance across multiple non-Western cultures to examine the commonality and specificity principles in parenting. Measurement invariance was achieved across cultures for authoritative and authoritarian parenting, group harmony socialization, intrusive control, and their sub-dimensions, supporting the commonality principle. Cross-cultural differences in parenting normativeness did not follow the pattern of economic development but yielded culture-specific patterns, supporting the specificity principle. Both commonalities and specificities were manifested in associations between parenting and child outcomes across cultures.

Income and social support related with mental health during COVID-19 outbreak in China.

ABSTRACT: To investigate psychological response of Chinese public during the regular prevention and control of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and explore the relationship among income loss, social support and mental health.Five hundred twenty-six participants were randomly selected by snowball sampling method. Chinese version of Perceived Psychological Stress Scale, Perceived Social Support Scale, self-rating anxiety scale, and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 were used to measure the levels of psychological stress, social support, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Demographic variables, income loss and income satisfaction during the outbreak period were also collected.The prevalence rate of anxiety, PTSD symptoms and stress problems were 19.8%, 23.8%, and 24.7% respectively. Multiple Regression Analysis illustrated that social support associated with stress, anxiety and PTSD after controlling demographic variables; for non-student samples, stress, anxiety, and PTSD were corelated with change in income and social support.During the regular prevention and control of COVID-19, social support might help reducing stress, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. In addition to social support, change of income level was also an important factor for mental health. This study suggested the importance of maintaining a steady income after acute outbreak of COVID-19.

Chinese American Adolescents' Experiences of COVID-19-Related Racial Discrimination and Anxiety: Person-Centered and Intersectional Approaches.

The present study examined the impact of COVID-19-related racial discrimination on Chinese American adolescents (N = 213; Mage = 13.95 years, SD = 2.35; 49% girls) at the intersection of race and gender. We explored (1) subgroups of adolescents based on ethnic identity, bicultural identity integration, and behavioral acculturation; (2) their demographic correlates; and (3) whether the association between racial discrimination and anxiety varied across subgroups and gender. Latent profile analysis identified three profiles: bicultural, marginalized, and separated. Bicultural and marginalized adolescents were vulnerable to direct and vicarious racial discrimination, respectively. Moreover, bicultural and marginalized boys and separated girls were more negatively affected by COVID-19-related racial discrimination. The findings highlight the utility of person-centered and intersectional approaches in understanding Chinese American adolescents' experiences of racial discrimination.

The cost and benefit of fear induction parenting on children's health during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The outbreak of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was an unprecedented global public health emergency with a significant psychological toll. This study aimed to understand how specific COVID-19 related stressors contributed to Chinese parents' fear induction practices, and how these practices, in turn, contributed to their children's disease prevention practices during the outbreak and depressive symptoms after the outbreak. Parents (N = 240, Mage = 38.50 years, 75% mothers) with elementary-school-age children (Mage = 9.48 years, 46% girls) in Wenzhou, 1 of the most impacted cities in China, reported on the presence of confirmed or suspected cases in their communities, their frequencies of consuming COVID-19-related information, fear induction practices, and their children's trait anxiety and disease prevention practices during the outbreak (January 28-30, 2020). Child-reported depressive symptoms were collected between March 7-11, 2020; during which there were very few remaining cases and no new confirmed cases or deaths. Parents' higher frequency of virus-related information consumption but not the presence of community infection was associated with their engagement in more fear induction practices, which was in turn associated with children's greater engagement in prevention practices during the outbreak, but more postquarantine depressive symptoms. Child trait anxiety exacerbated the association between parent fear induction and child depressive symptoms. Using fear induction parenting may promote children's willingness to cooperate and participate in disease prevention practices during the crisis but at the cost of children's long-term mental health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Daily routines, parent-child conflict, and psychological maladjustment among Chinese children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Family lives have been changed dramatically due to the stay-at-home orders implemented during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. A variety of factors serve to increase the risk for children and adolescents in developing mental health issues during the prolonged stay-at-home period. The primary aim of this study was to examine a complex conceptual model linking daily routines, parent-child conflict, and indices of psychological maladjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic in a large sample of Chinese children and adolescents. Participants were N = 1,594 children and adolescents (50.6% girls; Mage = 13.13, SDage = 1.54) and their mothers, from Zhengzhou in Mainland China. Multisource assessments include youth self-reports of loneliness, depressive symptoms, and perceived conflict with parents during the stay-at-home period, as well as maternal reports of their child's daily routines during this time. Among the results, parent-child conflict mediated the relations between daily routines and indices of psychological maladjustment, such that a lack of routine predicted greater parent-child conflict, which in turn was associated with higher levels of loneliness and symptoms of depression. Further, results from multiple group analyses revealed that associations between daily routines and maladjustment were stronger among boys than girls-as well as stronger among primary school children than middle school adolescents. Findings highlighted the importance of maintaining regular routines for children's and adolescents' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Chinese American adolescents' experiences of COVID-19 racial discrimination: Risk and protective factors for internalizing difficulties.

OBJECTIVE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has fueled anti-Asian racism and xenophobia in the United States, which negatively impact Asian Americans' adjustment. To identify risk and protective factors for Chinese American adolescents' mental health, the present study examined: (1) the associations between Chinese American adolescents' experiences of COVID-19-related racial discrimination and their internalizing difficulties; (2) the moderating roles of: (a) adolescents' bicultural identity integration (BII; harmony and blendedness dimensions separately) and (b) parents' promotion of mistrust ethnic-racial socialization (PMERS); and (c) the interplay between BII and PMERS in the associations between racial discrimination and internalizing difficulties. METHOD: Participants included 211 Chinese American adolescents of 10-18 years old (M age = 13.92, SD = 2.33; 48% girls) and their parents (M age = 46.18 years, SD = 5.17; 81% mothers). RESULTS: Overall, adolescents' experiences of COVID-19-related racial discrimination were associated with more internalizing difficulties, and this association was buffered by BII harmony and blendedness and exacerbated by PMERS. However, a complex interplay among specific BII dimensions and parental PMERS in the associations between racial discrimination and adolescent internalizing problems was revealed. Adolescents with lower levels of BII blendedness were more vulnerable to the negative effects of racial discrimination on their internalizing problems and more susceptible to their parents' PMERS; adolescents who reported higher levels of BII harmony and perceived lower levels of parental PMERS were more protected from the negative effects of racial discrimination on their internalizing problems. CONCLUSION: Both adolescents' and parents' contributions should be considered simultaneously in promoting resilience in Chinese American families. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

A person-centered examination of acculturation and psychological functioning among Chinese and Korean immigrant mothers in the United States.

Objectives: The present research used a person-centered approach to examine the acculturation styles of Chinese and Korean immigrant mothers in the United States and demographic characteristics and psychological functioning associated with each acculturation style. Method: The sample comprised 240 first-generation Chinese immigrant mothers (CIMs; M = 37.80 years, SD = 4.55) and 222 first-generation Korean immigrant mothers (KIMs; M = 36.00 years, SD = 3.69) of preschool children. Latent profile analysis was used to identify latent acculturation styles among CIMs and KIMs. We further examined whether mothers' acculturation styles were associated with their sociodemographic characteristics and psychological functioning within each cultural group. Results: Four acculturation styles were revealed among CIMs: (a) behaviorally undifferentiated/psychologically assimilated, (b) behaviorally marginalized/psychologically separated, (c) behaviorally psychologically assimilated, and (d) behaviorally integrated/psychologically undifferentiated. Three acculturation styles were uncovered among KIMs: behaviorally psychologically separated, behaviorally psychologically assimilated, and behaviorally psychologically integrated. Chinese behaviorally integrated/psychologically undifferentiated mothers and Korean behaviorally psychologically separated perceived the highest levels of coethnic concentration in their communities. Chinese behaviorally marginalized/psychologically separated mothers reported poorer psychological functioning than other Chinese mothers. Korean behaviorally psychologically separated mothers had poorer psychological functioning than other Korean mothers. Conclusions: Findings revealed the significant role of participation in the American mainstream culture for Asian immigrant mothers' psychological adjustment. The heterogeneity in the acculturation experiences of Asian immigrants in the United States was highlighted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

The Protective Roles of Exercise and Maintenance of Daily Living Routines for Chinese Adolescents During the COVID-19 Quarantine Period.

PURPOSE: Adolescents are particularly vulnerable during the COVID-19 quarantine periods and may be at risk for developing psychological distress symptoms that extend beyond a crisis, including depression. This study examined adolescents' postquarantine depressive symptoms associated with pandemic stressors. The primary aim was to identify potential protective factors that may buffer the association between the presence of COVID-19 cases in adolescents' communities and their postquarantine depressive symptoms. METHODS: Adolescents from public schools were recruited from Zhengzhou city, Henan, China (N = 1,487, Mage=13.14 years, 50% girls). Adolescents reported the presence of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases in their communities, their daily activities and routines during the 2-month quarantine period, and depressive symptoms after the quarantine period. RESULTS: The presence of cases in adolescents' communities during the quarantine contributed to more depressive symptoms in adolescents after the quarantine. This association was buffered by adolescents' spending more time on physical activities and better maintenance of daily living routines during the quarantine period. The presence of community infection was also more strongly associated with depressive symptoms in older adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of COVID-19 cases in communities contributed to adolescents' poorer mental health, and the association was stronger for older adolescents. Spending time on physical activities and maintaining daily living routines during the quarantine appear to be practical strategies that can be used by adolescents to mitigate the association between pandemic stressors and their diminishing mental health.

COVID-19 Racism and Mental Health in Chinese American Families.

OBJECTIVES: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has fueled xenophobia against Chinese Americans. We examined the rates of 6 types of COVID-19 racism and racial discrimination experienced by Chinese American parents and youth and the associations with their mental health. METHODS: We recruited a population-based sample of Chinese American families to participate in this self-reported survey study conducted from March 14, 2020, to May 31, 2020. Eligible parent participants identified as ethnically/racially Chinese, lived in the United States, and had a 4- to 18-year-old child; their eligible children were 10 to 18 years old. RESULTS: The sample included 543 Chinese American parents (mean [SD] age, 43.44 [6.47] years; 425 mothers [78.3%]), and their children (N = 230; mean [SD] age, 13.83 [2.53] years; 111 girls [48.3%]). Nearly half of parents and youth reported being directly targeted by COVID-19 racial discrimination online (parents: 172 [31.7%]; youth: 105 [45.7%]) and/or in person (parents: 276 [50.9%]; youth: 115 [50.2%]). A total of 417 (76.8%) parents and 176 (76.5%) youth reported at least 1 incident of COVID-19 vicarious racial discrimination online and/or in person (parents: 481 [88.5%]; youth: 211 [91.9%]). A total of 267 (49.1%) parents and 164 (71.1%) youth perceived health-related Sinophobia in America, and 274 (50.4%) parents and 129 (56.0%) youth perceived media-perpetuated Sinophobia. Higher levels of parent- and youth-perceived racism and racial discrimination were associated with their poorer mental health. CONCLUSIONS: Health care professionals must attend to the racism-related experiences and mental health needs of Chinese Americans parents and their children throughout the COVID-19 pandemic via education and making appropriate mental health referrals.

Maternal Attribution and Chinese Immigrant Children's Social Skills: The Mediating Role of Authoritative Parenting Practices.

OBJECTIVE: This study explores the contributions of Chinese immigrant mothers' parenting cognitions and parenting practices to their children's social skills. DESIGN: We used a cross-sectional design to examine the mediating role of authoritative parenting in associations between Chinese immigrant mothers' parenting attributions and their children's social skills. Chinese immigrant mothers (N = 208, M age = 37.36 years) reported their attributions regarding successes and failures in their daily caregiving experiences, authoritative parenting practices, and demographic information. Their preschool children's (M age = 4.51 years, 46.2% females) social skills in school were rated by their teachers. RESULTS: Maternal attributions of successful events to uncontrollable causes and unsuccessful events to controllable causes were associated with more authoritative parenting. In turn, more authoritative parenting was associated with more competent social skills in children. In contrast, maternal attributions of successful events to controllable causes and unsuccessful events to uncontrollable causes were associated with less authoritative parenting, which in turn was associated with poorer social skills in children. CONCLUSIONS: Promoting Chinese immigrant mothers' attributions that preserve positive efficacy during daily parenting tasks may enhance their engagement in warm, autonomy-promoting and regulatory parenting, which in turn may facilitate their children's social skills.