Behavioral comparisons of children from abusive and distressed families.

Investigated the problem behaviors of 35 physically abused 6–16 yr olds in comparison with 36 nonabused children from a child welfare agency and 35 nonabused children in the community. Parental report of behavioral strengths and weaknesses was examined by administering the Child Behavior Profile. Results concur with those of previous reports that abused children display a significantly greater number of behavior problems and fewer social competencies than normals. The behavior patterns of abused Ss closely resembled the range of behavior problems shown by Ss from distressed families in which abuse was not present. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal processes in friendship: A comparison of abused and nonabused children's experiences.

Although parental maltreatment has been presumed to have deleterious effects on children's abilities to form close relationships, observations of abused children with their best friends have rarely been conducted. Sixteen 9- to 14-year-old physically abused children and 32 matched nonabused children were observed during a 1.5-hr sequence of unstructured and structured tasks. Coding focused primarily on intimacy, conflict, and affective expression. Abused children and their friends displayed less overall intimacy than nonabused children and their friends, although peak levels of intimacy were similar for the 2 groups. Dyads containing an abused child were more conflictual than dyads without abused children, especially during game-playing activities. Abused boys and their friends also displayed more negative affect during game playing than did dyads of nonabused friends. Abused girls and their friends displayed less positive affect than other friendship dyads during activities involving primarily conversation and discussion. Several effects of gender and context not specific to abuse were also obtained. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Responses of abused and disadvantaged toddlers to distress in agemates: A study in the day care setting.

Examined responses to distress in agemates in observations of 10 abused toddlers (aged 1–3 yrs) and 10 unabused matched controls (aged 1–3 yrs) from families experiencing stress. Both groups of Ss were from disadvantaged families. Ss were observed in daycare settings. Nonabused, disadvantaged Ss responded to the distress of agemates with simple interest or with concern, empathy, or sadness. Their patterns of response were consistent with findings from other studies of middle-class, nonabused children. Not one abused S showed concern in response to the distress of an agemate. Instead, the abused Ss often reacted to an agemate's distress with disturbing behavior patterns not seen in the control Ss, such as with physical attacks, fear, or anger. Three of the abused Ss alternately attacked and attempted to comfort peers found in distress. Similar aversive and angry responses to distress in others have been described by investigators working with abusing parents. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The influence of belief systems on subjects' perceptions of empathy, warmth, and genuineness.

Investigated the relationship between 174 female and 96 male undergraduates' (aged 14–45 yrs) belief systems, gender, and perceptions of a Rogerian counseling session. Belief systems were assessed using a belief system test, after which Ss watched, by means of a sound video recording, a 30-min counseling intervention by C. R. Rogers. Ss rated the counselor using the Relationship Inventory, a client satisfaction scale, and 5 questions composed by the authors. Ss' beliefs influenced their perceptions of therapeutic variables. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Aggression, emotional maladjustment, and empathy in the abused child.

19 abused children between 5 and 10 yrs old were compared with 19 nonabused children on measures of aggression, emotional maladjustment, and empathy. The 2 groups were matched for age, sex, socioeconomic status, developmental age, IQ, language, and race. The abused Ss were found to be significantly lower than the controls on the measure of empathy and higher on measures of emotional maladjustment. They did not differ on the aggression measures. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Recognition and posing of emotional expressions by abused children and their mothers.

Twenty abused and 20 nonabused pairs of children (3 to 7 years of age) and their mothers participated in a facial expression posing task and a facial expression recognition task. The expressions produced by subjects were judged on emotion content by naive raters and were coded using Friesen and Ekman's (1984) Emotion Facial Action Coding System (EMFACS). Data analysis indicated that abused children and their mothers pose less recognizable expressions than nonabused children and mothers. Although abused children were less accurate than nonabused children in recognizing emotional expressions, there was no difference in recognition accuracy between the two groups of mothers. A significant correlation between mothers' posing scores and children's recognition scores was also obtained. These results suggest that abused children may not observe easily interpreted voluntary displays of emotion by their mothers as often as nonabused children. This may partially explain the difference in recognition (and production) abilities of abused and nonabused children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Co-occurrence of eating disorders and incest: The role of attachment, family environment, and social competencies.

Childhood attachment, family environment, and adult social competencies were examined to explain the association between sexual abuse and eating disorders (EDs). Female college students (n?=?102) and female clients sexually abused in childhood (n?=?52) completed surveys retrospectively that assessed parental bonds, family environment, and sexual abuse, as well as current self-efficacy, social support, intimacy, adult attachment style, and ED symptoms. Client incest survivors had a higher ED rate (47%) than did sexually abused clients (22%), student incest survivors (24%), or nonabused students (17%). Significant associations were found between family environment, incest, social competencies, and eating disorders. Incest survivors had more dysfunctional families and lower social competencies than did nonabused women. Among incest survivors, those with the lowest levels of social competencies and poorest bonds with their mothers had more ED symptoms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Supervisees' perceptions of their development: A test of the counselor complexity model.

Examined the perceptions of 91 trainees in counseling and clinical psychology regarding their development of counseling and supervision behaviors. Ss were from 8 geographically diverse training programs and were categorized into 3 levels on the basis of a composite of their degree of experience in graduate school, counseling, and received supervision. Ss' responses to an instrument designed to assess constructs relevant to the 2nd author's (see record 1981-06282-001) counselor complexity model were examined across these experience levels. Results indicate that higher-level Ss reported greater self-awareness, autonomy, acquisition of counseling skills and understanding of theory than did Ss at a lower experience level. Implications for developmental models of supervision are discussed. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Temporal profiles of physical health in family members of heart transplant recipients: Predictors of health change during caregiving.

Examined patterns of change in the physical health and well-being of 133 family caregivers to heart transplant recipients during the 1st yr after transplant. Ss were assessed at 2, 7, and 12 mo after transplant. Cluster analysis was used to identify temporal profiles reflecting unique patterns of change in the direction and nature of Ss' physical health; their temporal profiles showed either (a) a worsening of general medical condition (MC), with weight gain (14% of Ss); (b) worsening MC with weight loss (15%); (c) weight gain with stable MC (41%); (d) weight loss with slightly improving MC (21%); or (e) worsening health perceptions with relatively little objective evidence of MC change or weight (8%). Subsequent multivariate analyses indicated that Ss' characteristics measured at baseline and reflecting caregiving burden, coping styles, demographics, and health history reliably predicted membership in the pattern-of-health-change groups. Among the findings, Ss who showed a pattern of MC decline with weight loss had a poorer health history and weaker coping styles (lower mastery and higher use of avoidance coping) than other Ss. Ss who experienced MC decline with weight gain had the greatest levels of caregiver burden. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relations between maternal employment and development of nursery school children.

Examined the relations between maternal employment status and nursery school children's sex role concepts, cognitive development, and adjustment. 110 children formed 4 groups according to their sex and their mothers' employment status. It was predicted that maternal employment would be associated with a broadening of Ss' sex role concepts and differential cognitive development depending on the sex of the S. Results show that Ss' sex role concepts were broader if their mothers were employed. Ss' perceptions of their mothers were not related to their employment status, but fathers were perceived more negatively by their sons if the mother was employed. Sons of employed mothers had lower IQ scores than either daughters of employed mothers or Ss with nonemployed mothers. Ss with employed mothers received better adjustment ratings from their teachers. (French summary) (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of social interaction and children's relative inputs on older women's psychological well-being.

Sampled 719 White females, ages 60–75 yrs; half of the Ss were widows and half were currently married, living with a spouse. For each marital-status group, half were childless and half had living children. Results reveal that contact with relatives, friends, and associates was more important for Ss' well-being than contact with children and that well-being was enhanced by quality of interaction. Perceived quality of child contact appeared to be influenced by Ss' perceptions of other social relationships. Weak support for equity theory explanations of relationship satisfaction was found. For Ss with children the amount of interaction appeared unimportant whereas for childless Ss the amount and quality of contact with others was positively related to well-being. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Avoiding artifact in the search for bias: The importance of assessing subjects' perceptions of the experiment.

Ss' awareness of the experimenter's hypothesis has been recognized as a threat to the validity of laboratory experiments. After finding that the spontaneous behavior of uninstructed Ss was not similar to the behavior of Ss instructed to play a role, D. E. Carlston and J. L. Cohen (see record 1981-12761-001) suggested that concerns with this problem are exaggerated. In the present paper, methodological problems with the Carlston and Cohen study are identified, and a study designed to examine them is reported. 40 male and 40 female undergraduates participated in a conceptually similar experiment. Ss were or were not explicitly told an experimental hypothesis and were or were not instructed to play the role of a good or cooperative S. An extensive postexperimental questioning procedure was used to determine the effect of the manipulations on Ss' perceptions. Overall data from the explicit-hypothesis conditions replicated the Carlston and Cohen finding. However, only Ss who indicated on the postexperimental questionnaire that they did not believe that the explicitly stated hypothesis was the true purpose of the experiment replicated their results. When Ss were not blatantly told the hypothesis (implicit-hypothesis conditions), uninstructed control Ss and good-role-play Ss behaved similarly. Results are interpreted and discussed in terms of Ss' phenomenological views of the experiment rather than traditional S roles. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual Experiences Survey: Reliability and validity.

Explored the veracity of self-reported sexual experiences as relayed by university students (242 females and 144 males) on a sexual experience survey that was completed once privately and a 2nd time in the presence of an interviewer. The Ss were selected from a group of 4,000 students to represent all degrees of exposure to sexual aggression and sexual victimization. Of the female Ss (mean age 21.3 yrs), 86% were single, 92% were White, and 25% were in each year of college study. Of the male Ss (mean age 21.7 yrs), 89% were single, 87% were White, and 25% were in each year of college study. Female Ss were classified as nonvictimized, sexually coerced, sexually abused, or sexually assaulted. Male Ss were classified as nonsexually aggressive, sexually aggressive, sexually abusive, or sexually assaultive. The Pearson correlation between female Ss' level of victimization (LOV) based on self-report and her LOV based on responses as related to the interviewer was .73. Among the 62 females whose self-reports suggested that they were rape victims, only 2 changed their responses. The LOV correlation between male Ss' responses was .61. Results reveal a tendency for males to deny behaviors during interviews that had been revealed on self-reports. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceptions of parental relationships in the eating disorders: The relevance of depressed mood.

Recent studies (e.g., D. M. Garner et al; see record 1985-22960-001) have suggested that subtypes of eating-disordered persons differ in their perceptions of their family environments. This study used the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior to examine how depressed mood influenced eating-disordered Ss' ratings of their parental relationships. The results indicated that when level of mood disturbance was statistically controlled, there were no significant differences in parent ratings among 11 restricting anorexics, 11 bulimic anorexics, 26 bulimics, and 29 normal control Ss. The results are discussed in terms of the possible relations of mood, eating disorder, and perception of family relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological functioning and behavior of sexually abused girls.

The psychological functioning and behavior of 46 sexually abused girls (ages 6–14) was compared with that of 46 nonabused girls who were matched on age, race, family income, and family constellation. Sexually abused children demonstrated heightened sexual preoccupation and behavior problems, lower cognitive abilities and school achievement, and more stressful past histories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perception of normality in families: Four samples.

Explored the extent to which normative values on family assessment measures reflected perceptions of what constituted a "normal" family. Ss from 4 samples in the US and Canada were identified. 20 Canadian Ss, 65% of whom were female with a child 6 yrs and under; 172 undergraduates, approximately 60% of whom were female; 24 grandmothers (aged 51–79 yrs); and 21 therapists (aged 27–61 yrs). Ss completed the Family Environment Scale and 2 self-report measures based on family systems models. Results point out differences among Ss' ratings of normal families, perceptions of their own families, and instrument norms. Group differences highlighted the need to incorporate family developmental concerns in all family assessment, therapy, and research and raised questions about differences in perceptions between family members and therapists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Elementary school children's perceptions of their actual and ideal school experience: A developmental study.

154 2nd, 4th, and 6th graders were interviewed about their perceptions of school in 2 domains. The action domain tapped perceptions of their actual and ideal prerogatives with respect to privacy, territoriality, and 3 types of decision making (custodial, governance, and instructional). The value domain addressed Ss' evaluations of the school as a safe, just, responsive, important, and liked environment. Ss reported a fair amount of discrepancy between their ideal and actual status in the action domain, asserting that they ought to have more prerogatives than those they perceived as available to them, particularly with respect to decision making. This discrepancy increased with grade level. Ss' evaluations of school in the value domain were, on the whole, overwhelmingly positive. Results indicate that Ss did not see the school as supporting the expression of their emerging social competence and/or aspirations. In contrast, Ss saw the school as substantially sharing their values while constraining their actions. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Why it won't happen to me: Perceptions of risk factors and susceptibility.

Conducted 4 studies with 405 college student Ss to examine (1) perceptions of susceptibility to health and safety risks, (2) factors that Ss see as important in determining their susceptibility, and (3) Ss' actual standing on objective risk factors. Ss were generally unbiased about hereditary risk factors and were even somewhat pessimistic about environmental risk factors. Their views of their own actions and psychological attributes, however, were excessively optimistic. Few acknowledged actions or psychological attributes that increased their risk. This pattern of findings helps to explain why risks thought to be controllable (i.e., preventable by personal action) are likely to evoke unrealistic optimism about susceptibility. Several recommendations are offered for health campaigns that seek to produce more realistic perceptions of susceptibility to health and safety problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Long-term sequelae of childhood sexual abuse: Perceived family environment, psychopathology, and dissociation.

105 abused and nonabused women were examined for patterns of adult psychopathology associated with childhood sexual abuse and to test the extent to which these patterns are independent of other pathogenic properties of the family environment. Clinical and nonclinical Ss completed the Family Environment Scale, the MMPI, the Rorschach, and the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale. Greater nonspecific impairment among abused women may be a consequence, at least in part, of pathogenic family structure rather than sexual abuse per se. However, MMPI and Rorschach responses suggest sexual abuse may render victims especially vulnerable to specific disturbances involving soma and self. Abuse was associated with greater use of dissociation, but covariance analysis revealed this effect to be accounted for by family pathology. There was no evidence that sexual trauma is associated with hypnotizability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)