Helena Rutherford, PhD
Associate Professor in the Child Study CenterCards
About
Research
Overview
Individual differences in the neural correlates of infant cue perception
Maternal distress tolerance and stress reactivity
Publications
2025
Protective role of parenthood on age-related brain function in mid- to late-life
Orchard E, Chopra S, Ooi L, Chen P, An L, Jamadar S, Yeo B, Rutherford H, Holmes A. Protective role of parenthood on age-related brain function in mid- to late-life. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2025, 122: e2411245122. PMID: 39999172, PMCID: PMC11892684, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2411245122.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBrain functionFunctional connectivityPatterns of brain functionAssociated with higher connectivityConsistent with animal modelsBrain structuresCaregiving environmentAssociated with patternsAge-related alterationsBrain healthAging trajectoriesLate-lifeSpatial topographyAdult brainImpact of caregivingBrainPreliminary findingsHuman parentingImpact of ageCaregiving experienceChildrenCaregiversHigher connectivityEffect of parenthoodOne-bodyParental reflective functioning and internalizing symptoms predict altruistic prosocial behaviour in children
McGlade D, Rutherford H, McCrory E, Steinbeis N. Parental reflective functioning and internalizing symptoms predict altruistic prosocial behaviour in children. British Journal Of Developmental Psychology 2025 PMID: 39962726, DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12551.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchParental reflective functioningChild internalizing symptomsAltruistic prosocial behaviorsInternalizing symptomsProsocial behaviorMental healthAssociated with child internalizing symptomsReflective functioningChild mental healthMiddle childhoodCaregiving experienceCaregiving experiencesLongitudinal designMental statesBehavior 1Parenting capacityPath modelYear follow-upAltruistic behaviorHealthHealthy relationshipsSymptomsChildrenBaselineChildhoodA systematic review on the assessment of pregnancy-specific psychological trauma during pregnancy: A call to action
Givrad S, Wall K, Goldman L, Shin J, Novak E, Lowell A, Penner F, Day M, Papa L, Wright D, Rutherford H. A systematic review on the assessment of pregnancy-specific psychological trauma during pregnancy: A call to action. AJOG Global Reports 2025, 5: 100451. PMID: 40093874, PMCID: PMC11909425, DOI: 10.1016/j.xagr.2025.100451.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSystematic reviewPerinatal periodPsychological traumaPreferred Reporting ItemsCare deliveryWeb of ScienceReporting ItemsHealthcare systemIndependent reviewersInfant healthSecondary analysisScreening measuresOvid MEDLINEFull-textOvid EmbaseHistory of traumatic experiencesResearch teamPsychological disordersPerinatal individualsOvidPregnancyTraumatic experiencesTeamTraumaPsycINFOThe Significance of Mothers’ Neural Responding to Infant Emotional Cues for Caregiving Behaviors: The Moderating Role of Infant Temperamental Distress
Patrick M, Xu N, Rutherford H, Groh A. The Significance of Mothers’ Neural Responding to Infant Emotional Cues for Caregiving Behaviors: The Moderating Role of Infant Temperamental Distress. Developmental Psychology 2025 PMID: 39786797, DOI: 10.1037/dev0001852.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSensitivity to distressInfant emotional expressionsCaregiving behaviorInfant distressEmotional expressionMaternal sensitivity to distressInfant's emotional cuesModerating roleMothers' intrusivenessMaternal sensitivityEmotional cuesMothers' reportsInfant expressionsN170Facial encodingDistressP300CaregiversTemperamentNondistressBehaviorCuesMothersAssociationInfantsGlobal variation in the assessment of psychological trauma in pregnancy
Wall K, Penner F, Goldman L, Shin J, Novak E, Lowell A, Day M, Papa L, Wright D, Givrad S, Rutherford H. Global variation in the assessment of psychological trauma in pregnancy. Cambridge Prisms Global Mental Health 2025, 12: e10. PMID: 39935728, PMCID: PMC11810758, DOI: 10.1017/gmh.2024.152.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSub-Saharan AfricaPregnant peopleSystematic reviewPsychological traumaImpact health outcomesMiddle EastIn-house assessmentPrevalence of traumatic experiencesCulturally appropriate measuresPreferred Reporting ItemsTraumatic experiencesObstetric careWeb of ScienceHealth outcomesCentral AmericaReporting ItemsSecondary analysisOvid MEDLINESub-SaharanOvid EmbaseSystematic literature reviewGeopolitical regionsAssessment of psychological traumaAfricaInterpersonal trauma
2024
Birthing a new maternal cognition literature: 10 recommendations for future research
Orchard E, Rutherford H. Birthing a new maternal cognition literature: 10 recommendations for future research. Archives Of Women's Mental Health 2024, 28: 77-80. PMID: 39264403, DOI: 10.1007/s00737-024-01514-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAnxiety and neural correlates of attention and self-regulation in pregnancy: a resting-state EEG study
Levy J, Yatziv T, Bunderson M, Bartz C, Vancor E, Rutherford H. Anxiety and neural correlates of attention and self-regulation in pregnancy: a resting-state EEG study. Archives Of Women's Mental Health 2024, 28: 43-53. PMID: 39214911, DOI: 10.1007/s00737-024-01505-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPregnancy-related anxietySelf-regulationBeta oscillationsNeural markersNeural markers of attentionNeural correlates of attentionSelf-regulation difficultiesMarkers of attentionDelta-beta couplingMental health difficultiesCorrelates of attentionResting-state EEG studiesGeneral populationPrefrontal regionsAttentional processesNeural correlatesAttentional controlGeneralized anxietyMind-wanderingCognitive functionHealth difficultiesNeural patternsAnxietyEEG sessionEEG studiesW147 Neural and Behavioral Habituation to Sad Infant Stimuli in Mothers who Use Substances
McCurdy L, Yip S, Worhunsky P, Kim S, Strathearn L, Potenza M, Mayes L, Rutherford H. W147 Neural and Behavioral Habituation to Sad Infant Stimuli in Mothers who Use Substances. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2024, 260: 110848. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110848.Peer-Reviewed Original Research27. Investigating Neural Markers of Maternal Psychological Risk
Wall K, Penner F, Dell J, Lowell A, Potenza M, Mayes L, Rutherford H. 27. Investigating Neural Markers of Maternal Psychological Risk. Biological Psychiatry 2024, 95: s109-s110. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.02.262.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMade to move: A review of measurement strategies to characterize heterogeneity in normal fetal movement
Ayala K, Huynh C, Voegtline K, Rutherford H. Made to move: A review of measurement strategies to characterize heterogeneity in normal fetal movement. Infant Behavior And Development 2024, 75: 101949. PMID: 38663329, DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2024.101949.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFetal movementsAssessment of fetal movementsIndicator of fetal well-beingNormal fetal movementFetal well-beingPredicting adverse outcomesAbnormal fetal movementsMovement assessmentMagnetic resonance imagingGestational ageFetal behaviorAdverse outcomesDoppler ultrasoundResonance imagingClinical implicationsMaternal perceptionGestationReview of studiesUltrasoundMaternal attachmentComprehensive review of studiesFetuses
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
The Baby School Recruitment and Education Initiative
HIC ID2000022110RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date12/31/2027Recruiting Participants
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
News & Links
News
- March 24, 2025
Spicer Honored With 2025 Yale Department of Psychiatry Mental Health Advocacy Award
- December 12, 2024
Yale developmental science summer internship opens to undergrad applicants December 15
- December 11, 2024
October 2024 YCSC Faculty Development Fund awardees announced
- June 25, 2024
Forty trainees recognized at annual Yale Child Study Center graduation event
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Apr 202517Thursday
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May 20251Thursday
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May 202515Thursday
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May 202522Thursday
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