Alienated youth: Help from families and schools.

Presents the benefits of "family mealtime" for children and adolescents. By bringing about family mealtimes, parents demonstrate their commitment to each other and their children. The days per week that adolescents eat meals with their families is a more powerful predictor of whether they are "adjusted" (less likely to take drugs, less likely to be depressed, more motivated at school, and having better peer relationships) than is age, gender, or family type. The single factor common to the best readers from elementary through high school is that their families eat dinner together. Children whose families gather at the dinner table and converse develop more extensive vocabularies at earlier ages, are superior at conceptualizing "real subjects" (as opposed to, say, a cartoon plot), are better able to articulate at an earlier age, and score 2 or 3 grade levels higher on standardized reading and language tests. Family mealtimes also provide an important means for socialization. Although family mealtimes are home-centered, the author contends that schools may also implement a variation of the concept to facilitate increased awareness of their students' emotional lives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Levels of family assessment: I. Family, marital, and parent–child interaction.

Families are complicated systems to assess and quantify, requiring that decisions be made regarding where to focus research. The authors examined 3 levels of family interaction: marital, parent–child, and whole family. Instruments included the McMaster Structured Interview of Family Functioning, the Family Assessment Device, the Mealtime Interaction Coding System, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, and the Parent/Caregiver Involvement Scale. Results suggest that each measure, representing a unique combination of family level, informant, and setting, contained both independent variance and information redundant with other measures characterizing the family. The strengths of using a theoretical base, in this case the McMaster model of family functioning, and a multimeasure approach arc discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Correlates of psychosocial well-being among overweight adolescents: The role of the family.

An ethnically diverse sample of at-risk-for-overweight and overweight youths (body mass index greater than the 85th percentile for age and gender; n = 667 male participants, and n = 684 female participants) completed a school-based survey measuring family variables (connectedness, mealtime environment, and weight commentary), psychosocial well-being (depressed mood, body satisfaction, and self-esteem), and unhealthy weight-control behaviors; all measures were assessed concurrently. Hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed that measures of general family connectedness, priority of family meals, and positive mealtime environment were significantly positively associated with psychological well-being and inversely associated with depressive symptoms and unhealthy weight-control behaviors. Familial weight commentary (i.e., weight-based teasing and parental encouragement to diet) was associated with many indicators of poor psychological health. The authors conclude that greater psychosocial well-being and fewer unhealthy weight-control behaviors are associated with making family time at meals a priority, creating a positive mealtime atmosphere, and refraining from weight commentary. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Use of the short-acting insulin analogue lispro in intensive treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus: importance of appropriate replacement of basal insulin and time-interval injection-meal

To establish whether lispro may be a suitable short-acting insulin preparation for meals in intensive treatment of Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients already in chronic good glycaemic control with conventional insulins, 69 patients on intensive therapy (4 daily s.c. insulin injections, soluble at each meal, NPH at bedtime, HbA1c <7.5%) were studied with an open, cross-over design for two periods of 3 months each (lispro or soluble). The % HbA1c and frequency of hypoglycaemia were assessed under four different conditions (Groups I-IV). Lispro was always injected at mealtime, soluble 10-40 min prior to meals (with the exception of Group IV). Bedtime NPH was continued with both treatments. When lispro replaced soluble with no increase in number of daily NPH injections (Group I, n = 15), HbA1c was no different (p = NS), but frequency of hypoglycaemia was greater (p < 0.05). When NPH was given 3-4 times daily, lispro (Group II, n = 18), but not soluble (Group III, n = 12) decreased HbA1c by 0.35 +/- 0.25% with no increase in hypoglycaemia. When soluble was injected at mealtimes, HbA1c increased by 0.18 +/- 0.15% and hypoglycaemia was more frequent than when soluble was injected 10-40 min prior to meals (Group IV, n = 24) (p < 0.05). It is concluded that in intensive management of Type 1 DM, lispro is superior to soluble in terms of reduction of % HbA1c and frequency of hypoglycaemia, especially for those patients who do not use a time interval between insulin injection and meal. However, these goals cannot be achieved without optimization of basal insulin.     

A novel invertase from a thermophilic fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus: its requirement of thiol and protein for activation

BACKGROUND: In April 1988, Family Credit families lost their right to free school meals. They were compensated by an increase in Family Credit of 65p per child per schoolday, subsequently uprated by the retail price index. Families on Income Support continued to be entitled to free school meals. The impact of this legislation on the uptake of school meals has not been documented. METHODS: The uptake of school meals by Family Credit and income Support families over a decade was examined in two samples, each consisting of about 7000 English primary school children, one of "inner city' children and the other more representative of the whole population. RESULTS: The change in legislation resulted in an immediate drop in uptake by Family Credit children of around 30 per cent in both samples. By ethnic group, 42 per cent of the Asian Family Credit children changed from school meals compared with 10 per cent of the Afro-Caribbean children. Income Support children continued to have high uptake of about 90 per cent. By the early 1990s, half of the Family Credit children were not taking school meals, and the price of school meals was more than the allowance in 81 per cent of the areas in the representative sample, and in 45 per cent of the inner city areas. CONCLUSION: Uptake of school meals is very sensitive to changes in welfare policy. Monitoring the impact of these changes on children's health and welfare in families with low resources continues to be an important activity.     

Play in the context of the family.

Argues that symbolic play between parents and children contributes indirectly to the emotional, social, and cognitive development of children. Family play may serve important functions for the family as well, such as the generation of positive affect, consolidation of the family paradigm, integration of shared symbols, and affective communication. A model of symbolic play that can include fathers and couples as well as mothers at play with their children is proposed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Is histological verification of pancreatic carcinoma a prerequisite for pancreas resection?

Humans learn skilled acts in order to effectively interact with their environment. A loss of the ability to perform skilled acts is termed apraxia. Apraxia has been thought to be of theoretical interest, but the ecological implications of apraxia are controversial and have not been fully studied. We examined ten patients with unilateral left hemisphere cerebral infarctions (eight of whom were apraxic) and compared their mealtime eating behavior to a group of neurologically normal, age-matched controls. The stroke patients were less efficient in completing the meal. They made more action errors and were less organized in the sequencing of mealtime activities. Because the patients made more errors while using tools than when performing nontool actions, their deficit could not be accounted for by an elemental motor deficit. A positive relationship was found between mealtime action errors and the severity of apraxia. These findings suggest that limb apraxia may adversely influence activities of daily living.     

Review of Family Therapy: An Introduction to Theory and Technique (2nd ed).

Reviews the book, Family Therapy: An Introduction to Theory and Technique (2nd ed.) edited by Gerald D. Erickson and Terrence P. Hogan ( 1981). The second edition of Family Therapy is a significant and worthwhile improvement on the 1972 edition and it adequately reflects the rate of growth in the field of family therapy over the past decade. Erickson and Hogan have included articles which are classics in the field as well as papers critical to an appreciation of the rapid growth of techniques and research in family therapy. Almost 75% of the articles are new to this 1981 edition of Family Therapy. While almost all of the book is comprised of well selected articles which have previously been published, many are recent publications which retain their timeliness, and one is an original paper by Diane Pancoast on therapeutic interventions with community helping networks. The stated goal of the book is the selection of those major papers which represent several broad areas in family therapy. The book is successful in that regard. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Editor's report for Volume 2.

The Journal of Family Psychology has advanced into a new phase of its operation. Our efforts to establish the journal as a forum for high-quality contributions that cover the science and practice of family psychology have been successful. Volume 2 has covered the empirical, clinical, and theoretical areas of family psychology. Our goal is to continue attracting high-quality research articles and also to increase the flow of clinical articles. The journal is in sound condition as it enters its third volume of publication. We are still encouraging interested colleagues to become involved with the journal in any number of ways. Our major goal of bringing family systems thinking and family psychology and family therapy content into mainstream psychology has been established. We will continue to expand our efforts in this regard. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Measures to promote healthy dietary habits among schoolchildren

The Norwegian National Nutrition Council has, over the past years, implemented a number of measures designed specifically to promote well-organized school meals and increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables among school children. These measures include the development of national guidelines for organizing school meals, economic support for trying out new methods of operating a school cafeteria, national campaigns to promote the traditional Norwegian packed lunch, open community meetings with political and administrative leaders at municipality level, the introduction of a system whereby pupils can purchase fresh fruit and vegetables at school, and advocacy through mass media. Results of an ongoing evaluation seem to indicate that these measures have had a positive effect on the organization of school meals. More young children are attended to by an adult during mealtimes, more pupils are allowed at least 20 minutes for their lunch break, and a growing number of secondary schools are introducing school cafeterias. However, only half of the total number of schools seem to be aware of the new guidelines, and much more work is required in order to ensure all students are provided with a well-organized school meal. Health personnel play a critical role in ensuring that this work is given political priority, also at the local level.     

Family stress: Integrating theory and measurement.

Family stress theory and family stress measurement were critically reviewed. After R. Hill's (1949) original formulation, 4 factors in family stress were examined: the stressor, family resources, family perceptions, and stress outcomes. The research findings clearly indicate that change per se can no longer be viewed as the essence of family stress and that the focus should be on negative changes and, in particular, loss. Family resources, such as cohesiveness, flexibility, social support, and shared family values, were evaluated as key stress-resistance attributes. Resource conservation and utilization models were applied in explaining the origins of stress for families and how existing resources aid families during stressful circumstances. One stress model, termed the conservation of resources theory, was applied to the family stress context. The popular concept of resource fit was also challenged and revised. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Child Behavior and Parent Management Strategies at Mealtimes in Families With a School-Age Child With Cystic Fibrosis.

Parent and child mealtime behaviors in school-age children with cystic fibrosis (CF; n = 28) and children without CF (n = 28) were examined during dinner meals by using multivariate analysis of variance. Parents of children with CF were found to differ from comparison parents in the frequency and rate of child management strategies. No differences were found in child behaviors. As the meal progressed, children displayed an increase in behaviors incompatible with eating, and parents increased behaviors to encourage eating. Slow eaters (> 20 min) with CF consumed more calories at the dinner meal than fast eaters (     

Sources of covariation among attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder: The importance of shared environment.

Research has documented high levels of covariation among childhood externalizing disorders, but the etiology of this covariation is unclear. To unravel the sources of covariation among attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and conduct disorder (CD), the authors studied 11-year-old twins (N/&=/&1,506) from the Minnesota Twin Family Study. Symptom counts for each of these disorders were obtained from interviews administered to the twins and their mothers. A model was fit that allowed the parsing of genetic, shared environmental (factors that make family members similar to each other), and nonshared environmental (factors that make family members different from each other) contributions to covariation. The results revealed that although each disorder was influenced by genetic and environmental factors, a single shared environmental factor made the largest contribution to the covariation among ADHD, ODD, and CD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescent satisfaction in family rituals and psychosocial development: A developmental systems theory perspective.

Adolescent satisfaction in family rituals and psychosocial development (E. Greenberger & A. B. Sorenson, 1974) were explored in the context of adolescent personality characteristics (International Personality Item Pool, 1999) and family environment characteristics (S. M. Gavazzi, M. J. Reese, & R. M. Sabatelli, 1998; D. H. Olson et al., 1983). Data were collected from 159 female undergraduates with the Adolescent Satisfaction in Family Rituals Scale (D. G. Eaker & L. H. Walters, 1999). Family ritual satisfaction was positively related to late adolescent psychosocial development and mediated the relation between family boundaries and psychosocial development. Furthermore, the relation between personality (measured as discontentedness, an aspect of neuroticism) and satisfaction with family rituals was found to be mediated by family boundaries in preliminary analyses. These results suggest that the relevance of family ritual experiences to adolescent psychosocial development is in part a function of an individual's personality and the family environment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of the views of mothers, fathers, and pre-adolescents about family cohesion and power.

55 middle-class families explored the extent of agreement between fathers, mothers, and sons in their perceptions of family cohesion and power (FC&P). Ss were asked to reach a consensus in their family portrayal, using the Family System Test (FAST) of T. M. Gehring and S. S. Feldman (see record 1989-14119-001). Mothers, fathers, and sons perceived FC&P quite similarly. Similarities in responses were evident in absolute terms, but correlational data suggest that within-family agreement was quite rare. Correlations between FAST and observational data show family members varying in the ability to provide objective information about FC&P; mothers were not the best providers of valid information. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Children with persistent feeding difficulties: An observational analysis of the feeding interactions of problem and non-problem eaters.

Examined the relationship between parent's feeding practices and the feeding behavior of toddlers and preschool-age children with (n?=?19) and without (n?=?26) persistent feeding difficulties. Specifically, patterns of parent–child interaction were assessed during standardized family mealtime observations in the clinic. Parents also kept observational records of their children's mealtime behavior at home and rated the degree of difficulty they experienced in feeding their child during each meal on a daily basis. Observational results showed that feeding-disordered children engaged in higher levels of disruptive mealtime behavior (food refusal, noncompliance, complaining, oppositional behavior, and playing with food) and lower levels of chewing during mealtime. There were several significant age effects, with younger children (under age 3) engaging in more vomiting and less aversive demanding and verbalizations. Parents of feeding-disordered children were more negative and coercive in their feeding practices and engaged in higher levels of aversive instruction giving, aversive prompting, and negative eating-related comments.… (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

System for observing family therapy alliances: A tool for research and practice.

To advance research and inform practice, the authors developed an observational rating system of client behavior reflecting strong and weak therapeutic alliances in couple and family therapy. The System for Observing Family Therapy Alliances (SOFTA), in both English and Spanish, has 2 dimensions that are common across therapy modalities ("emotional connection to the therapist" and "engagement in the therapeutic process") and 2 dimensions that reflect the uniqueness of conjoint treatment ("safety within the therapeutic system" and "shared sense of purpose within the family"). Psychometric support is provided by 5 reliability studies, an exploratory factor analysis with data from 120 diverse English- and Spanish-speaking couples and families, and meaningful associations with various process and outcome indices. Recommendations are made for using the SOFTA in research, training, and (self-)supervision. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Family structure and the mental health of children. Concurrent and longitudinal community-wide studies

This study provides a map of variations of families and some of the core relationships between types of family and the mental health of children. Family types in a poor, black urban community were defined in terms of the adults present at home. The resulting taxonomy is based on two populations: half of the community's 1964 first-grade children and families and the entire 1966 first-grade children and families. Eighty-six family types were found, falling into ten major classes. Family type was found to be strongly related over time to the child's social adaptational status (SAS) and his or her psychological well-being. The results suggest that (1) mother alone families entail the highest risk in terms of social maladaptation and psychological well-being of the child; (2) the presence of certain second adults has important ameliorative functions--mother/grandmother families being nearly as effective as mother/father families, with mother/stepfather families similar to mother alone in regard to risk; and (3) the absence of the father was less important than the aloneness of the mother in relation to risk.     

A Preliminary Study of Acute Family Needs After Spinal Cord Injury: Analysis and Implications.

Objective: To address the paucity of research on family needs following spinal cord injury (SCI). Study Design: Prospective cross-sectional design. Setting: Inpatient SCI rehabilitation unit within a Level 1 trauma center. Participants: Family members of 17 inpatients with SCI. Main Outcome Measure: Family Needs Questionnaire (FNQ). Results: Eighteen of the 40 FNQ needs were rated as important or very important by 100% of the respondents. Health Information Needs were rated as most important and Instrumental Support Needs as least important. Involvement With Care Needs were most often met, whereas Emotional Support Needs were most often unmet. Conclusions: The FNQ is a promising measure of family members' needs after SCI and treatment planning and program evaluation tool. Findings affirm that family education is important during rehabilitation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)