The child's perception of the parent.

"Interviews were held with 217 children of both sexes whose ages ranged from 6-0 to 10-2. Their answers to questions related to their perception of their parents were obtained. Both girls and boys stated that fathers were less friendly and more dominant, punitive, and threatening than mothers. There was, however, a consistent tendency for the older children to be more likely than the younger children to view the parent of the same sex as more dominant and punitive. It was suggested that differential handling of boys and girls might partially account for this latter finding." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Telling relatives that a family member has died suddenly

Persons dying suddenly are very likely to be taken to the nearest Accident and Emergency Department. The task of informing and counselling bereaved relatives therefore frequently falls to the staff of these Departments. Adequate preparation is important in allowing such situations to be dealt with in a sensitive and appropriate manner. Advice on coping with different aspects of sudden death is given and some common reactions discussed. Special problems are also considered (eg, the death of a child, criminal violence, communication difficulties). Aftercare must also not be forgotten and staff should receive training in the care of the bereaved.     

Mourning the loss of a child who has not died.

This article presents material from the treatment of a woman who experienced her living son as dead. This fantasy is interpreted both as a response to and defense against the trauma of loss. Shattered expectations and insecure attachment immure her in a relationship in which hope leads repeatedly to affective dysregulation and crushing disappointment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Child custody evaluations when one divorcing parent has a physical disability.

Objective: To explore how parents' physical disability status might impact the process of divorce-related child custody evaluations and custody decisions, the level of training received by psychologists regarding assessment of parents with physical disabilities, and whether psychologists recognize that testing persons with physical disabilities requires specialized knowledge. Study Design: Survey mailed in 4 waves. Participants: 206 child custody evaluators (31% response rate). Outcome Measures: A survey regarding custody evaluations, a custody questionnaire, evaluation practices, education and training regarding disability, demographics, and a question about the purpose of the study. Results: Almost 70% had performed ≥1 child custody evaluation involving a parent with a physical disability. Over 85% of participants reported no training with regard to such evaluations, and 49% reported no training regarding any disability issues. 65% stated they would use the same tests without modifications, regardless of disability status of the parent. Conclusions: Recommendations include mandated training on disability for child custody evaluators, graduate training on disability accommodations in assessment, specifying conditions when evaluating parents with disabilities, more information regarding accommodations in custody evaluations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A view from the family: years after a loved one has died of ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND: Macrosclerotherapy in combination with compression has proven to be safe and effective in the treatment of varicose veins. Local compression is increased by pads, according to Laplace law. Firm rolls of cotton wool are fixed over the course of the entire vein to increase local compression and to reduce complications. Additional compression is given by a combination of a class I (daytime and nighttime) and class II (daytime only) medical compression hosiery. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and side effects of sclerocompression therapy with cotton wool rolls in combination with medical compression hosiery. METHOD: Prospective study with 100 patients (120 legs) with primary varicose veins, which are treated with polidocanol as sclerosant with the empty vein technique. Immediately after the injection, a long cotton wool roll is placed over the entire vein and fixed. Additional compression is obtained with class I and class II medical compression hosiery. The interface pressure on the skin, just under the cotton wool roll, is measured on 12 legs with the aid of an interface pressure measuring instrument (Oxford Pressure Monitor). RESULTS: Good sclerosing results are obtained in all patients. Side effects are classified as early and late. In 16 patients, minor side effects which needed no treatment are observed. In only 3 cases (2.5%), intravascular blood clots (2) and phlebitis (1) needed incision and expression. The mean interface pressure of all measuring sensors under the cotton wool roll is 84 mm/Hg (68 to 122 mm/Hg). CONCLUSION: This study proves the high effectiveness of a cotton wool roll compression right at the place of treatment. By using these long cotton wool compression rolls, the compression part of sclerocompression therapy becomes more effective and much easier to perform.     

Effects on children of having lived with a parent who has an anxiety disorder

The purpose of this article is to show that the mental illness of a parent, in this case an anxiety disorder, can have a significant, negative impact on children. A brief history of the concept of anxiety is provided, showing the multifaceted nature of anxiety. The Integrative Model of Anxiety (Akiskal, 1985) is outlined to provide a current definition of anxiety. This article concludes by describing the role that nursing can play in intervening on behalf of children whose parents have an anxiety disorder. Finally, a proposed study is outlined.     

Preventive intervention following a child's death.

Developed a family-focused, manualized intervention program to prevent the development of psychopathology and maladaptation in the aftermath of the death of a child. The intervention was intended to enhance the ability of family members to provide each other with effective mutual support after the loss of a child. The initial phase of the intervention involved sharing memories of the loss event. The middle phase involved sharing the feelings that accompany the full recognition of the loss, and the end stage involved contemplation of moving forward in a planned manner. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Network representation of a child's dinosaur knowledge.

A 4-yr-old male's knowledge of 40 dinosaurs was elicited from 2 tasks. The data gathered from these knowledge-production protocols were used to map 2 interrelated semantic networks of dinosaurs, viewed as concept nodes connected by links. The 2 mappings corresponded to 2 sets of dinosaurs (20 each), partitioned on the basis of external criteria: mother's subjective judgment of the S's knowledge of each dinosaur and the frequency of mention in the S's dinosaur books. Comparisons of the structure of the 2 mappings were based on 3 attributes: (a) number of links, (b) strength of links, and (c) the internal cohesion of the network in terms of higher-order groupings and specific patterns of interlinkages. The validity of the differential structures of the 2 mappings was verified by the corresponding differential memory performance. The better structured set of dinosaurs was more easily remembered and retained by the S over a year than the less structured set of dinosaurs. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influence of a child's sex on medulloblastoma outcome

CONTEXT: Aggressive treatment of medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric brain tumor, has not improved survival. Identifying better prognostic indicators may warrant less morbid therapy. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of sex on outcome of medulloblastoma. DESIGN: Retrospective study of significant factors for survival with a median follow-up of 82 months. SETTING: University medical center. PATIENTS: A total of 109 consecutive, pediatric patients treated for primary medulloblastoma from 1970 to 1995 with surgery and postoperative radiotherapy and, after 1979, chemotherapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Factors independently associated with survival. RESULTS: The final multivariate model predicting improved survival included sex (hazard ratio, 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29-0.92; P=.03; favoring female), metastases at presentation (hazard ratio, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.14-3.52; P=.02), and extent of surgical resection (hazard ratio, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.34-1.04; P=.07; favoring greater resection). The overall, 5-year freedom from progression was 40% and survival was 49%. Radiotherapy dose (P=.72), and chemotherapy (P=.90) did not significantly affect a disease outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The sex of the child was an important predictor for survival of medulloblastoma; girls had a much better outcome. The difference in survival between sexes should be evaluated in prospective, clinical trials.     

Multimodal behavioral treatment of a child's eliminative disturbance.

Multimodal behavior therapy focuses on 7 interrelated and interactive modalities of human functioning: behavior, affect, sensation, imagery, cognition, interpersonal relationships, and drugs. The approach advocates the systematic application of relevant therapeutic interventions to those modalities that are dysfunctional. A case example of a 46-mo-old boy illustrates the application of multimodal behavior therapy to a child's eliminative disturbance. The therapist addressed the avoidance characteristics of the disturbance first; interventions to improve interpersonal aspects of the problem were added gradually. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Societal reactions to a child's death by suicide.

80 14–67 yr olds responded to newspaper accounts of a 10-yr-old girl who died either from a bone marrow disease, an automobile accident, a drug overdose, or by hanging. The child and her family were perceived as most disturbed and her parents as most blameworthy in the case of suicide. Results are consistent with the view that parents of children who kill themselves experience stress from external sources as well as internal grief. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parental discipline as affected by the sex of the parent, the sex of the child, and the child's apparent responsiveness to discipline.

40 parents (mean age 31 yrs) were made to believe they were teaching their children (mean age 55.7 mo) a task by selecting rewarding and punishing consequences for the children's successes and errors. The children actually had been separated from their parents, and their "responding" was electromechanically controlled. Initially, responses were 50% successful on the trials, independent of their parents' disciplinary strategies. Next, successes were manipulated to be contingent on parents' selection of high, and later low, levels of punishment following errors. Finally, no successful responses were given regardless of parents' administration of discipline. The children's simulated responding was found to exert functional control over the intensities of punishments that their parents administered. Furthermore, parents' and children's gender and the children's apparent responsiveness to the parents' disciplinary strategies combined to determine the manner in which punishers and rewards were given by the parents. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Is there really a schizophrenogenic parent?

Therapists who treat schizophrenics (SCZs) generally report a parenting interaction different from that usual to neurotic patients. Communication deviance, measured from parental interaction, the Rorschach Inkblot Test, and the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) has been found to characterize parents and adoptive parents of SCZs. Expressed emotion (intrusive hostility) of parents increases rehospitalization. Genetic factors, at most, represent increased vulnerability. Pathogenesis, based on clinical observations, is measured from the TAT and is defined as the degree to which the parent unconsciously acts in terms of the parent's needs without regard to the potentially conflicting needs of the child. In a series of studies (e.g., R. G. Meyer and B. P. Karon, 1967) mothers of normals averaged 35% pathogenic. Mothers of SCZs averaged 65% pathogenic. Fathers of SCZs were nearly as high. Clinical examples of the meaning of pathogenesis are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)