Competence-enhancing communication by parents of high-risk children.

Examined parental competence-enhancing communication (CEC), which is transactional behaviors that may facilitate healthy child development. A set of coding categories was applied to Rorschach protocols from both parents of 61 10-yr-old boys who were at risk for the development of psychopathology; a parent in each family had previously been hospitalized for a mental disorder. Teacher and peer ratings of the children were also obtained. On the individual Rorschach, parents of well-adjusted children made clear transitions to each new percept and gave responses freely. These features of parental CEC were independent of parental psychopathology. CEC, symptomatic, and pathogenic communication seem to be separate domains of parenting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Intellectual and personality characteristics of parents of autistic children.

Studied 5 sets of parents with autistic children, and 2 with schizophrenic offspring. Demographic, intelligence, and personality data on their families were examined. Rimland's retrospective checklist (Form E-1) was useful in distinguishing between autistic and schizophrenic disorders. Demographic and IQ findings were not supportive of conjectures about parents' remarkable intelligence and achievement levels. Parental MMPI and "A-B therapist" measures (the Kemp version of the Whitehorn-Betz A-B scale) seemed contradictory to related psychogenic hypotheses about severe childhood disturbances. Results are contrary both to positions depicting parents of autistic children as exceedingly brilliant people and as "emotional refrigerators." (26 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescent children of alcoholic parents and the relationship of Alateen to these children.

25 adolescents with an alcoholic parent who are not members of Alateen (Group 1) had significantly higher scores on the negative scales of the Profile of Mood States and a significantly lower score on the positive scale and significantly higher scores (indicating low self-esteem) on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale than a control group of 25 adolescents without an alcoholic parent or 25 adolescents who have an alcoholic parent but are members of Alateen. Group 1 also had problems at school or with law enforcement officials. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Filial therapy with parents of chronically ill children.

This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of a 10-wk filial therapy training model as a method of intervention for parents of chronically ill children. 23 parents, with children between the ages of 3 to 10 yrs, were included in the study. Results of the analysis of covariance revealed that parents in the experimental group significantly increased their attitude of acceptance toward their children and significantly reduced their level of stress as compared to parents in the control group. Children in the experimental group scored significantly lower than did children in the control group on total behavioral problems and anxiety and depression. This study supports filial therapy as an effective intervention for parents of chronically ill children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological well-being of parents with early adolescent children.

This study examined whether parents' reports of midlife identity concerns and psychological well-being are related to signs of their youngster's transition to adolescence, including pubertal status, involvement in mixed-sex social relations, and persuasive reasoning skills. The sample was composed of 129 families with a firstborn child between the ages of 10 and 15. Findings indicate only very modest direct relations between parental well-being and signs of adolescent development; instead, the relations are moderated by the strength of the parent's orientation toward his or her paid work role. Among parents with a weak orientation toward work, signs of adolescent development are negatively associated with well-being; among parents with a relatively strong orientation toward work, the associations are often positive. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Thinking disorders in parents of young psychotic children.

Tested 17 parents of young psychotic children on the Object Sorting Test. 2 control groups were used. The sample differed from the replicated studies in that parents of adult schizophrenics were tested. Since childhood psychosis has substantial differences from adult schizophrenia, it was anticipated that parents of psychotic children would not show the same extent of thought impairment found in parents of adult schizophrenics. The Ss, however, showed more thought impairment than parents of normal children. Mothers showed more impairment than fathers. Findings were interpreted to suggest circumscribed test anxiety in association with a psychotic child rather than representing a formal thought disorder. (20 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The personality and family-interaction characteristics of parents of autistic children.

49 parents of autistic children (aged 2.1–9.75 yrs) generally scored in the normal range on the MMPI, and their scores did not differ from normative data on families with only normal children. Ss exhibited the same level of marital happiness on the Dyadic Adjustment Scale as a normative group of happily married couples and showed considerably better marital adjustment than a normative group of divorced couples. Ss did not differ by more than one standard deviation from normal families when assessing interpersonal relationships among family members on the Family Environment Scale. Biological and stepparents of autistic children showed essentially identical results on all of the measures used. Ss showed no higher level of general stress compared to established normative data, although the periodic occurrence of situation-specific stresses remains plausible. Results are all counter to the concept of any general psychological characteristics for parents of autistic children with respect to either a parental cause of the disorder or with respect to a general stress reaction to the disorder. (63 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethnic stereotypes: Determinants in children and their parents.

Administered a questionnaire to Canadian 9-17 yr olds (n = 157) and their parents (n = 106) to assess stereotypes about English Canadians, French Canadians, and Canadian Indians. In general, results indicate that as children grow older, their stereotypes become more consensual, less evaluative, and more similar to those in the adult community. Factor analyses of reactions to each ethnic-group label conducted separately on the children and adult samples demonstrates independent stereotype and attitude factors. Evidence was obtained which suggested 2 components of ethnic stereotypes, 1 informational and the other evaluational. Implications of this 2-factor model of ethnic stereotypes for understanding their development and change are discussed. (French summary) (19 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Characterizing the life stressors of children of alcoholic parents.

The current study examined differences between children of alcoholic (COAs) and nonalcoholic parents in their experience of negative life events across 3 longitudinal studies together spanning the first 3 decades of life. The authors posited that COAs would differ from their peers in the life domains in which they are vulnerable to stressors, in the recurrence of stressors, and in the severity of stressors. Scale- and item-level analyses of adjusted odds ratios based on stressors across 7 life domains showed that COAs consistently reported greater risk for stressors in the family domain. COAs were also more likely to experience stressors repetitively and to rate their stressors as more severe (in adulthood). Implications for prevention and intervention programs targeting this risk group are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality and behavior in parents of tempermentally inhibited and uninhibited children.

Parents of 53 children categorized as behaviorally inhibited or uninhibited at age 30 mo were assessed on measures of affectivity, personality, and behavior. Parents of inhibited children showed lower extraversion, higher avoidance and shyness and faster drawing times on a task involving uncertainty than did parents of uninhibited children. Faster speed on the uncertainty task was interpreted as evidence of increased anxious responding. The Extroversion, Avoidance, Shyness, and Sociability scales loaded heavily on a single factor, the scores of which differed significantly by group. Child behavioral inhibition (BI) negatively correlated with maternal scores on the Extroversion scale and the extracted factor, and positively correlated with maternal scores on the Avoidance scale. BI correlated with both maternal and paternal scores on the uncertainty task in the predicted direction. Low parental extraversion, high paternal avoidance and shyness, and parental tendency toward anxious responding were associated with BI in children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Filial therapy with parents of children experiencing learning difficulties.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a 10 week filial therapy training model as an intervention method for parents of children with learning difficulties. Results of the analysis of covariance revealed that the parents in the experimental group scored significantly higher after training than the parents in the control group on their attitude of acceptance of the child. The experimental group parents attained a significantly lower mean total score on level of stress related to parenting than the control group parents. There was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups' posttest mean scores on the total behavior problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting adherence to recommendations by parents of clinic-referred children.

The authors examined predictors of parents' adherence to recommendations made by psychologists after the evaluation of clinic-referred children. Parents or legal guardians of 93 children aged 4 to 12 years participated. The major findings were that (a) child behavior problem severity, parent recall of recommendations, parent satisfaction with the child's psychological evaluation, and locus of control were not significantly associated with adherence; (b) number of perceived barriers was the most salient predictor of adherence to recommendations, regardless of recommendation type; and (c) adherence rates to psychological services recommendations were significantly lower, compared with those for school-based or professional nonpsychological recommendations. Implications for more research on predictors of adherence to recommendations and clinical strategies for overcoming barriers to adherence are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Helping Chinese parents understand and support children with learning disabilities.

Despite common stereotypes of Chinese children as high academic achievers, school psychologists increasingly are coming across Chinese children with learning disabilities. In contrast to psychologists' attributions for children's learning problems, Chinese parents often attribute children's learning difficulties to a lack of self-discipline, an imbalance of yin and yang, or the influence of spirits. These beliefs affect parents' views of their children and their intervention preferences. The authors address the fundamental question: How do school psychologists mobilize Chinese parents to support their children in accessing and benefiting from school-based disability services? They provide guidance about building an alliance with Chinese parents, negotiating different explanatory models for children's learning problems, and reframing remediation efforts to make them consistent with Chinese parenting practices. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Investing in children: Government and workplace policies for parents.

Changes in the structure and needs of the American family are requiring changes in government and workplace policies. Current policies related to day care, parental leave, work schedules, income support, and child support enforcement are discussed. Consideration is given to psychological research needed to develop effective policies that do not supplant the role of parents, but rather support them and strengthen families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bicultural identification: Experiences of internationally adopted children and their parents.

Little is known about bicultural identity development, a process that is particularly complicated for internationally adopted children. The authors interviewed 8 adoptive families about their cognitive, emotional, and familial experiences. Qualitative analyses showed consistency in the parent and child interviews (conducted independently) and ratings of the children's kinetic family drawings. Themes included parents identifying the family multiculturally, promoting ethnic pride, and worrying about bigotry. Their ways of educating their children about race differed considerably, however. Results also indicated a developmental progression in the children's understanding of ethnicity in relation to adoption. Although the data indicated good psychosocial adjustment and strong family attachments, most of these children struggle with a sense of being different, and some experience feelings of sadness and loss. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cooperative interactions and sharing between very young children and their parents.

Recorded early forms of cooperation and sharing displayed by 12-, 18-, and 24-mo-old children in the course of the children's interactions with their parents in a play setting. Eight children at each age were observed. One 12-, 7 18-, and 7 24-mo-olds engaged the parent in cooperative interchanges characterized by coordinated operations on a mutual array of toys. The children also shared by showing and giving objects to the parent. Showing was recorded for 7 of the 12-mo-olds and all of the older children, and giving was recorded for 4 12-, 8 18-, and 7 24-mo-olds. The sharing data for the 18-mo-olds did not depart reliably from previous findings. Both cooperative interchanges and sharing appeared to increase in frequency in the course of the 2nd year. The 3 behaviors were reliably interrelated. Although the relation of these activities to later sharing and cooperation is unclear, they serve contemporary prosocial functions and provide opportunities for further prosocial learning. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social perception and sociometric choice of children.

"This study was designed to test the generality of the positive relationship between perceived similarity and valuation of others." The results indicate that highest sociometric choices tend to be perceived as more similar to self than are lowest sociometric choices and also more similar to self than they actually are. The proposition is suggested that the positive relationship between perceived similarity and valuation of others is a function of the need to be similar to valued persons. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Concept of "pathogenesis" in parents of schizophrenic and normal children.

Administered the TAT to 5 pairs of parents of normal and schizophrenic children in a cross-validation study. Parents by diagnostic category were matched on age, education, and social class. Each story was judged pathogenic, benign, or unscorable and a pathogenic score was tabulated for each S from the formula: pathogenic/pathogenic plus benign. Mothers of the normal children told significantly fewer pathogenic stories than mothers of the schizophrenic children. Although fathers did not differ significantly, their mean pathogenic scores were distributed according to the hypotheses of the study. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)