Communicative styles of mothers interacting with their preschool-age children: a factor analytic study

The aim of this study was to determine if mothers display identifiably different communicative styles in their interaction with their normally developing two- to five-year-old children. In order to investigate this issue an extensive coding system was developed, which assessed the structural organization and the communicative function of the speech of 71 mothers as they interacted with their children. By means of factor analysis three maternal communicative styles were distinguished: non-intervening, explaining and directing. In the non-intervening style there is no direct pressure from the mother on the child to respond verbally. The explaining mother is primarily concerned with providing information to her child in a way that gives the child little opportunity to take the speaking turn. The directing mother is mainly engaged in directing the child's behaviour by means of verbal control. The internal consistency of the three communicative styles appeared to be both satisfactory and related to relevant child and mother features.     

Dynamic psychiatric interpretation of a disease model of trichotillomania

Every patient's "communal existence" allows to interpret deviations of behavior such as trichotillomania as a disturbance of interaction. When the child begins to wangle out of the dual union between mother and child it needs ways to delimitate itself, If the mother does not concede this demarcation (f. i. because she does not want to release the child from the symbiosis and therefore is "overprotecting") the child often becomes a victim of despair and, later on, of perplexity. At last it uses the own body as "Vis-a-vis". The accumulated aggressiveness is then worked off motorically by means of trichotillomania. In this way despair and perplexity in the field of interaction are passed on so to speak "atmospherically" to the mother, who in turn, having arranged treatment, transfers them on to the doctor. It is discussed how the area of irritation can be dissolved.     

Rupture of a splenic artery aneurysm intra partum

The rupture of a splenic artery aneurysm in pregnancy and during labour is a rare event with a high maternal and fetal mortality rate. This report is, in view of previously reported cases, on the thirteenth case of a ruptured splenic artery aneurysm reporting survival of both mother and fetus. The etiology, clinical signs, diagnosis and therapy are discussed with reference to consideration of the literature. The necessity of an early differential diagnostic consideration of this rare occurrence is discussed, because this is the only way to achieve survival of mother and fetus.     

Infant abuse by a wild-born group-living Japanese macaque mother.

Reports on a nonexperimentally induced case of infant abuse by a 6-yr-old Japanese macaque mother. The mother was born and reared in the wild and was living in a stable social group at the time of delivery—unlike the conditions in most previous reports. There were unusual findings from the quantitative study of the maternal behavior outside of the abuse (e.g., the mother–infant pair did not show a consistent decrease in the amount of contact from week to week). (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factors influencing a mother's response to her child's disclosure of incest.

The nonoffending parent of an incest victim, in many cases the mother, occupies a pivotal position when incest is disclosed. The response of the mother may further or hinder the future mental and emotional health and well-being of the child victim. Many factors appear to be involved in determining the reactions of the mother, and it is imperative that psychologists give thought to the dynamics involved in being in this unique position. Accurate assessment and effective intervention with the nonoffending mother may serve to preserve or facilitate the parental support the child victim clearly needs at the time of disclosure, thus reducing the likelihood of severe repercussions from the abuse and disclosure experiences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The structure of a population of smooth myocytes (aspects of the intraorganic organization of smooth muscle tissue)

In this qualitative study, we have analysed the communication established between mother-child and the nursing auxiliary personal in situations of injection medication in children. Data were classified according to the FORREST Theoretical Model. The non participative observation method was used with field note in twelve situations. The prevalence of blocking categories was confirmed as Disapproval, Depreciation and Tranquilizing the mother with stereotyped comments. The facilitating categories show subcategories such as recognizing feelings and presence of child clarifying and orientating mother or the responsible person. Authors concluded that there was prevalence of blocking categories when verbal communication resources were not used to interact with mother and child, without establishing a relationship of friendship and confidence and making the relation ineffective.     

Infant-mother recognition in a social rodent (octodon degus).

Octodon degus (degu), a biparental species with precocious offspring is a potential model for the study of social attachment and related affective disorders such as depression. This study investigates the nature of the social bond between young degus and their mothers with a special emphasis on infant-mother recognition. We tested young degus in a potentiation paradigm to determine if social contact, particularly with the mother, can modulate an infant's vocal response to isolation. One week later, animals were presented with a choice between their mother and an unfamiliar female or a sample of familiar and unfamiliar nesting materials. Subsequently, the ability of whole litters to discriminate between their mother and unfamiliar females was tested. We observed that infant degus alter their isolation response after brief social contact. Degu infants readily distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar nesting materials but fail to differentiate between their mother and unfamiliar females in an identical setting. Nevertheless, entire litters show a preference for their mothers when tested similarly in a group, demonstrating a perhaps socially facilitated ability to recognize the biological mother at an early age. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Infants' mother–stranger discrimination at 3 months as a predictor of cognitive development at 3 and 5 years.

Utilized differential vocal response (DVR) to an interactive mother vs an interactive stranger to classify 12 3-mo-old male firstborn infants into either a high or low DVR group. The high DVR group responded significantly above base rate to stimulation by the mother and significantly below base rate to stimulation by the stranger, whereas the low DVR group responded at base rate to both mother and stranger. The high DVR group subsequently performed significantly better on both the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale at age 3 yrs and the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities at 5 yrs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Diploid/tetraploid mosaicism in the offspring of a 46XX/47XXX mosaic mother

A 10?-year-old boy with an IQ of 71, short stature, and isolated growth hormone deficiency was found to have diploid/tetraploid mosaicism. He was born to a 46xx/47xxx mosaic mother. The mother was found to be moderately mentally retarded but showed no other abnormalities. A review of literature pertinent to this case is presented.     

Caring for a second baby: Effects on interaction between mother and firstborn.

The results of an observational study of 40 families showed a marked increase in confrontation between mother and the firstborn and a decrease in maternal attentive playfulness after birth of a 2nd child. The direct effects of the mother's attention to the 2nd child on her interaction with the 1st child were examined by comparing 3 situations: (a) feeding the 2nd child, (b) holding/caregiving the 2nd child, and (c) not involved with the 2nd child. When the mother was occupied with the 2nd child, there was an increase in confrontation but also in positive involvement between the mother and 1st child. The decrease in maternal attention after the sibling birth occurred in contexts in which the mother was not occupied with the baby. With younger 1st children, these effects were particularly marked. Confrontation was higher in bottle-feeding than in breast-feeding situations. Sex differences were not significant. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived effectiveness of filial therapy for a Jamaican mother: A qualitative case study.

Although filial therapy has traditionally been viewed as suitable for children of diverse cultures, there is limited research to support this perspective. This qualitative case study examined the perceived effectiveness of filial therapy for a Jamaican mother and the perceived effect on the mother-child relationship. Findings indicate that some aspects of filial therapy are congruent with the parenting practices and values of this Jamaican mother. The mother reported an increase in empathy, a heightened awareness of her child's needs, and a stronger relationship with her child. She expressed some difficulty with limit setting and tracking skills taught as part of the model. Future research directions include further examination of the compatibility of filial therapy with other Jamaican parents and the effectiveness of group filial therapy with Jamaican parents or other parents of Caribbean descent. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Brain–behavior correlations: Relationships between mother–stranger face processing and infants' behavioral responses to a separation from mother.

Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 6-month-olds (N = 30) as they looked at pictures of their mother's face and a stranger's face. Negative component (Nc) and P400 component responses from the ERP portion of the study were correlated with behavioral responses of the infants during a separation from their mothers. We measured the mother-directed infant behaviors of distress and visual search for mother during separation in order to determine if they were predictive of infants' brain responses to pictures of the mother's face versus a stranger's face. These behavioral measures are important because they likely reflect the functioning of the emerging mother–child relationship and inform debates about interactions between social experience and face processing. Infant distress and visual search for mother during separation were predictive of face processing ERPs, and this relationship differed across mother and stranger face presentations. In particular, distress was associated with larger amplitude P400 and Nc responses to the mother's face, and visual search for mother was associated with longer P400 and Nc latencies to the stranger's face. Implications for the developing mother–child relationship and face processing system are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some roots of persistent homosexual fantasy and the quest for father's love: conflicted parental identifications in a male patient: fragment of an analysis

This is a clinical paper, which includes material from sessions, presenting the process of the analysis of a young adult male whose narcissistic character patterns, related to and evolved from failed attempts to integrate conflicting parental identifications. These unintegrated mother and father identifications contributed to life-long latent homosexual fantasies. Rodney's analysis indicates that for a boy/man, even a mother who has the qualities of a good enough parent, is not good enough to enable him to reach a nonconflicted manhood. A mother cannot provide for the boy the male model he needs and is searching for, the male who would affirm him in his maleness. Rodney wanted a father on whose shoulders he could stand to become a man. Rodney's persistent homosexual fantasy life, his quest for father's love, and his search for a masculine object to identify with stem from a combination of several factors. Rodney's regression to the negative oedipal phase was probably stimulated when father left the family. Rodney was eleven at the time. He felt overwhelmed experiencing himself as the oedipal victor. Unconsciously, Rodney feared his exacerbated incestuous wishes. He projected them upon his mother and subsequently incorporated them in his fantasies. His regression to more infantile dependency feelings was defensive. Rodney's father was an unsuitable object for identification. He was disinterested in Rodney and emotionally unavailable. Rodney, however, sought his father, whose lack of loving acknowledgement resulted in a lack of affirmation of Rodney's masculinity. Mother provided for Rodney the loving acknowledgement he lacked in his relationship with father. She was emotionally sustaining, an energetic, vibrant personality, who was seen by Rodney as a "superior human being." Rodney consciously idealized his mother toward whom he unconsciously also had ambivalent feelings. Rodney's identification with mother was not counterbalanced by the presence of a strong, loving father figure whom he could have used as a suitable model. This led to the development in Rodney of a strong sense of effeminization. Rodney in his homosexual fantasies assumed the so-called "feminine victimized" role. The regression to the negative oedipal phase contributed to an exacerbation of erotic, father-directed feelings, intensified by the identification with mother. Rodney was fixated in his quest for father's love. In addition, Rodney's unconscious guilt related to father and mother directed incestuous impulses, and his intense aggressivesadistic feelings contributed to the masochistic cast of his masturbation fantasies. Rodney's narcissistic aims and the quality of his narcissism changed during the analysis. His grandiosity almost disappeared. Rodney's goals became realistic and he acquired the skills necessary to achieve them. Inhibitions related to the "fear of success" were worked through. This enabled Rodney to compete successfully. His healthy narcissism derives from the success of his many achievements. Though Rodney remained a basically narcissistic personality, he did derive great pleasure from being a giving person. This was one of the many ways in which he identified with his mother. At the present, Rodney's identifications are selective and do not evoke intrapsychic conflict.     

Play psychotherapy of a profoundly incest abused boy: A Jungian approach.

A Jungian play psychotherapy approach to the treatment of a profoundly sexually abused mother–son incest victim is described. The S started treatment at the age of 4.5 yrs. He and his older brother had been initially raised by their young single mother who supported herself by working as a prostitute. The S's mother had displayed severe parenting deficits including neglect of both children, leaving the children alone for up to 3 days, physical abuse of the S's older brother, and sexual abuse of the S. The S and his brother were taken into temporary care for the 1st time when the S was 4 mo old. The S was formally adopted when he was 37 mo old. Emphasis is placed on (1) the therapeutic alliance; (2) a teleological approach, that is, following the child's play as it unfolds; and(3) the differences between acting-out and acting-in. The play during therapy evolved through several stages: symbolic and verbal disclosure in the 1st session; terror and rage; sexual, urination, cleansing, and nurturant themes; ego and superego development; and latency aged play. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attachment relationships in infant twins: the effect of co-twin presence during separation from mother

In this study the roles of the mother and the co-twin in inhibiting emotional arousal and reducing manifest distress of a twin who had been isolated in a modified strange situation were compared. The subjects were 15 children, each a member of a twin pair. The subjects were placed in a playroom under three conditions in the following order: (a) mother and twins present; (b) twins together, mother absent; (c) subject isolated from both co-twin and mother. The episodes in which all partners were together were alternated with brief separations. The subjects' distress was minimal when they were separated from the mother with the co-twin present. Upon reunion, stable social behavior was quickly restored. However, separation from the mother and co-twin produced a high level of distress for the subjects. When reunited, the isolated twin initiated physical contact with the mother, soliciting and receiving comfort from her. Furthermore, the distress of the isolated twin was transmitted to the co-twin who had remained with the mother during the isolation period. The nonisolated twin also solicited comfort from the mother. The presence of the co-twin during the reunion following isolation had little effect in reducing the subject twin's distress.     

Complications for the mother in vaginal delivery after a prior cesarean section and in parturients with a planned repeat cesarean section

Over a period of 10 years (1980-1989) in the Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Stara Zagora 740 women have delivered children after a previous caesarean operation. On the basis of this material the author has studied the vaginal delivery complications for the mother after a previous caesarean operation and in the cases of a second planned caesarean operation. The alternative and correlational analysis of the clinical data has shown that the complications for the mother in the latter group are 3 times more than those in the former group.     

Establishment of a preference by the newborn lamb for its mother: The role of opioids.

Mother-young relationships in sheep are characterized by individual recognition and a rapidly developing exclusive bond. The authors examined the role of opioids in establishment of the lamb's preference for its mother. Newborn lambs received the opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone (0.0, 1.5, or 3.0 mg/kg ip), and lambs were tested at 24 hr and 48 hr of age. At 24 hr, controls spent significantly more time near the mother than near an alien ewe; no significant difference was obtained for the naltrexone-treated groups. The effect of naltrexone persisted at 48 hr. No other significant behavioral difference was observed. Results support the hypothesis that opioids mediate the establishment of mother preference and the view that positive affect associated with social attachment and maternal care may be modulated by opioids. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dynamics of a relationship: Rhesus mother-infant ventro-ventral contact.

Examined the dynamics of the age changes in ventro-ventral contact between 19 monkey mother-infant pairs. The relative role of the infant increases with age. Correlations between medians of measures for all infants at different ages indicate that the decrease in ventro-ventral contact with age is due more immediately to changes in the mother than to changes in the infant. Data on initiation and termination of bouts suggest that earlier each member of the pair is less ready to adjust to the other's immediate motivational state than later. Correlations between measures for different dyads at particular ages are used to assess the relative contributions of mother and infants to the differences between individuals at particular ages. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alport syndrome with neurofibromatosis type-I: a case report

We report a 9-year-old boy with repeated fractures of the tibia from age 6 months and microscopic hematuria from age 2 years. His maternal family has a history of nephritis and his paternal family has neurofibromatosis type-I (NF-I). The boy's renal biopsy revealed an irregular attenuation and splitting of the glomerular basement membrane. The skin biopsy was stained with monoclonal antibody against the alpha 5 chain of type IV collagen; the epidermal basement membrane was negative in the boy and segmentally positive in the boy's mother. We conclude that the patient inherited Alport syndrome from his mother and NF-I from his father. We postulate this was a chance association and that this case does not suggest any relationship between the two diseases.