La consultation: Un r?le professionnel à mieux définir.

There are currently increasing requests for psychologists to provide “consultation” services to their peers, other professionals (ex., physicians, social workers, school teachers) or community services (ex., school, community agencies, mental health services, mass-medias). However, so far, there are few empirical works systematically aiming at defining the character of that professional activity and consultation may still be confused with the competency of intervention in the field of clinical psychology. This article aims at defining “consultation” as a specific professional activity, presenting the models of consultation and exploring clinical examples of consultation. Then, practical, ethical and training considerations related to “consultation” activities are discussed and some recommendations are provided, based on available literature. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Les relations avec les pairs à l’adolescence comme facteurs de risque de l’insatisfaction à l’égard de l’image corporelle.

The objective of this study is to determine the extent to which certain risk factors in terms of peer relations (e.g., incentives to dieting and negative criticism concerning physical appearance, peer victimization, level of body image dissatisfaction compared to mutual friends of the same sex, and frequency of conversations between friends concerning physical appearance) account for observed changes in the level of body image dissatisfaction (BID) at the onset of adolescence. Information on BID of 594 students of first and second year of secondary school was collected over a period of 2 consecutive years. The results show that certain individual characteristics such as gender, body mass index and general self-esteem of students in the first period are respectively associated with an increase in BID over a 1-year period. After controlling for individual risk factors, the contribution of relational risk factors was found to be not significant. However, the different relational risk factors are closely associated with individual characteristics of students at the beginning of adolescence. The results pattern is similar for girls and boys. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Le r?le des interactions mère-enfant et de la dépression maternelle à l'age préscolaire dans la prédiction de l'attachement de l'enfant à l'age scolaire.

Examined the contribution of mother–child partnership and maternal depression during the preschool period to the prediction of the child's attachment classification at early school-age in 91 French-Canadian children. Mother–child interactions were observed during a collaborative task using a scale measuring synchronized and reciprocal social-affective exchanges in the mother-child partnership (age 3–5 yrs). Maternal depression was assessed during the same lab visit using the Beck Depression Inventory. At a second lab visit (age 5–7 yrs), attachment classifications were assigned on the basis of reunion behaviour. A discriminant function analysis showed that reciprocal mother–child partnerships in the absence of maternal depressive symptom predicted security of attachment two years later, whereas failed reciprocity in the presence of maternal depressive symptoms predicted both insecure disorganized and ambivalent attachment. Quality of prediction is high for secure, ambivalent and disorganized children, although ambivalent and disorganized children cannot be distinguished from each other. Results support the importance of mother–child interactions and maternal depression as preschool variables associated with security and insecurity of attachment at early school-age. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

La face cachée de l'effet protecteur du désengagement psychologique au travail: Le cas des policiers.

This study has two goals. The first is to provide more information on the asymmetrical and negative link between psychological disengagement mechanisms and self-esteem level. The second is to pursue the investigation of the protective effect of psychological disengagement via the evaluation of another facet of self-esteem that is, its stability. This study conducted amongst 152 policemen confirms that disengagement allows individuals to secure their self-esteem stability. Results militate in favour of the occupation's social status to explain the variable association between disengagement and self-esteem level. In the discussion, we raise the veil on the hidden face of the protective effect of disengagement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Développement langagier et cognitif de l'enfant durant les trois premières années en relation avec la durée des vocalisations maternelles et les jouets présents dans l'environment: étude longitudinale auprès de populations á risque.

This study compares language and cognitive development of children from different socio-economic backgrounds, during the first three years of their life, in relation to the duration of maternal vocalizations and to the number of toys available to the child in his/her environment. A total of 209 mother–child dyads participated in the study. The sample was divided in three groups of mothers: 65 teenage mothers (aged 14–19 yrs), 91 mothers of low socioeconomic status (LSES; aged 20–37 yrs), and 53 mothers of higher socioeconomic status (HSES; aged 22–37 yrs). Results showed that children of teenage mothers and children of LSES mothers had a language development and a cognitive development inferior to those of children of HSES mothers. The duration of maternal vocalization at 6 and at 18 mo of age was related to measures of child development, particularly to child language development at 18 and 24 mo. Furthermore, the number of linguistic and social toys in the child's environment was correlated with some measures of language and cognitive development. Variability in children's language and cognitive development is related to environmental factors which seem more significant at certain times than others in the child's development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)