How childhood hardships shape health and parenting across generations in Malawi
Adversities, Health and Resilience in Early Adulthood: An intergenerational, low-income country study
Researchers will follow young adults in Malawi, their partners, and children to see how childhood hardships affect sexual, reproductive, and mental health in early adulthood.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University New York Stony Brook NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stony Brook, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11395998 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will re-contact a group of young adults in Malawi who have been tracked since adolescence and collect new information on health, family life, and parenting. They will ask about experiences you had as a child, current mental and sexual and reproductive health, and how you care for your children. The project also invites your partner and children to share information so the team can track effects across generations. Data will be compared over time to identify patterns that might point to helpful supports or services.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are young adults from the MLSFH-ACE cohort in Malawi, along with their partners and children.
Not a fit: People who did not experience childhood adversity, who live outside the study communities in Malawi, or who are not part of the MLSFH cohort may not be eligible or see direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to support young parents who faced childhood abuse and improve health and wellbeing for their children.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research links adverse childhood experiences to poorer adult health, but long-term intergenerational research in low-income African settings is relatively rare.
Where this research is happening
Stony Brook, United States
- State University New York Stony Brook — Stony Brook, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kidman, Rachel — State University New York Stony Brook
- Study coordinator: Kidman, Rachel
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.