Effect of sibling presence on mother–child interaction.

Interactions were observed as 80 mothers helped their 1st-grade child on an object-sorting task in the presence and absence of a 3rd-grade sibling. Mothers verbalized more to boys than to girls. For opposite-sex siblings, mothers gave less explanation and total verbalization with sibling present than absent. Other findings are presented. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Longitudinal direct and indirect pathways linking older sibling competence to the development of younger sibling competence.

A4-wave longitudinal model tested direct and indirect links between older sibling (OS; M = 11.7 years) and younger sibling (YS; M = 9.2 years) competence in 152 rural African American families. Data were collected at 1-year intervals. At each wave, different teachers assessed OS competence, YS competence, and YS self-regulation. Mothers reported their own psychological functioning; mothers and YSs reported parenting practices toward the YS. OS competence was stable across time and was linked with positive changes in mothers' psychological functioning from Wave 1 to Wave 2. Mothers' Wave 2 psychological functioning was associated with involved-supportive parenting of the YS at Wave 3. OS Wave 2 competence and Wave 3 parenting were indirectly linked with Wave 4 YS competence, through Wave 3 YS self-regulation. Structural equation modeling controlled for Wave 1 YS competence; thus, the model accounted for change in YS competence across 3 years. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Observed sibling interaction: Links with the marital and the mother–child relationship.

The study examines whether the link between the marital relationship and sibling interaction is direct or mediated by the mother–child relationship. Seventy-three same-sex sibling pairs aged 3 years 6 months to 8 years 6 months were observed during free play. Mothers completed questionnaires assessing marital functioning and their relationship with their 2 children. Results indicated that older siblings' negative behavior is linked with negative dimensions of the marital and the mother–child relationship, whereas younger siblings' negative behavior is linked with the mother–child and the differential mother–child relationship. Siblings' positive behavior, although linked with spacing, is not linked with positive dimensions of family interaction. Most important, the linkage between negative marital relations and older siblings' negative behavior was found to be mediated by maternal power assertion, thereby supporting the indirect model of negative family interaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Longitudinal links between older sibling features and younger siblings' academic adjustment during early adolescence.

This study investigated prospective relations between older siblings' support and academic engagement and younger siblings' academic adjustment from 7th to post-8th grade. The study was unique in that it incorporated a sample of both African American and European American adolescents. Also investigated was the extent to which the gender constellation (same sex vs. mixed sex) of sibling dyads moderated prospective associations. Findings revealed that, in mixed-sex dyads only, younger siblings' perceptions of support received from the older sibling and their positive image of the older sibling predicted declines in the younger siblings' academic self-perceptions and performance over time, even after controlling for younger siblings' background characteristics and support from parents. Older siblings' reported support to younger siblings also predicted declines in younger siblings' academic adjustment, whereas the older siblings' own level of academic engagement predicted an increase in younger siblings' academic adjustment over time. Overall, findings did not differ substantially for African and European American adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of interpersonal group composition on the problem-solving behavior of middle managers.

Examined the effects of compatible and incompatible group composition on the problem-solving behavior of middle managers who had spent time together in work-management conferences. 22 groups (n = 10-12 per group) were administered the Fundamental Interpersonal Relationship Orientation-Behavior at the start of their conference. The Lego Man, a problem-solving exercise, was administered the 2nd day. Groups that were more compatible on the interpersonal dimensions of control and affection completed the task more rapidly than more incompatible groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Type A behavior pattern and emotion expression in younger and older adults.

80 younger (M?=?28 yrs) and 80 older (>50 yrs, M?=?69 yrs) Type A and Type B Ss were evaluated for Type A behavior pattern using the Structured Interview (SI) and given personality tests for anxiety, depression, anger, aggression, hostility, and anger-in–anger-out. Ss also underwent an emotion induction procedure. Videotapes of the emotion induction procedure (N?=?160) and the SI (N?=?80) were coded for facial expression of emotion. Type As did not differ from Bs on anxiety or depression but did on anger and aggression. Type As showed anger inhibition and anger bound to shame, as predicted by emotion socialization theory. The greatest number of differential effects were observed between age groups. Older individuals, in general, were more emotionally expressive than younger Ss across a range of emotions. Women appeared more conflicted about anger expression than men, and Type A women more so than Type A men. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of frustration on problem-solving behavior.

"An attempt is made in this study to determine the effect of frustration in one task on performance in the immediately following task… . The results yield some indications of spread of the effects of frustration induced in one task to the performance of another task." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parental perceptions of child behavior problems, parenting self-esteem, and mothers' reported stress in younger and older hyperactive and normal children.

40 parents of younger and older hyperactives (Hs; aged 5 yrs 1 mo and 8 yrs 4 mo, respectively) and 51 parents of age-matched normal controls completed measures of hyperactivity and child behavior, parenting self-esteem (PSE), and parenting stress. PSE was lower in parents of Hs than in parents of controls. Self-esteem related to skill/knowledge as a parent was age related, with parents of older Hs reporting the lowest levels; self-esteem related to valuing/comfort in the parenting role was not related to the child's age. Mothers of Hs, especially younger ones, reported markedly higher levels of stress associated with both child characteristics and their own feelings, such as depression, self-blame, and social isolation. Consistent inverse relationships were found between PSE and perceptions of child problems, whereas ratings of child disturbance and maternal stress were positively correlated. Findings are discussed in terms of the social contexts surrounding hyperactivity and the need for multidimensional assessments and interventions in families of Hs. (47 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of sibling relationships on preschoolers' behavior at home and at school.

Observed the social behavior of 34 36–64 mo olds (17 males and 17 females) both in their homes and in their preschools to determine the patterning of interactions among siblings and the consistency in children's interactions with siblings and peers. Results show that at home, preschoolers with older siblings received more aggressive and prosocial behavior than did preschoolers without older siblings; they also played frequently with their older siblings. Preschoolers with younger siblings were more dominant in their interactions than were preschoolers without younger siblings, but they displayed certain types of verbal behavior less often, probably because their young siblings had limited language skills. Indicators of sibling status were not strongly related to behavior at school, but girls who did not have any brothers spent more time unoccupied or as onlookers. Few of the correlations between home and school behaviors were significant, but Ss who were more aggressive toward siblings and Ss who were more often onlookers or unoccupied at home showed similar behavior with peers. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development of justification in disputes with mother and sibling.

The development of children's use of justification in disputes with their mothers and siblings and its relation to the social and emotional context of family disputes were studied in a longitudinal study of 43 children observed at home at 18, 24, and 36 months. By 36 months, children used justifications in about one third of their disputes with both mother and sibling, chiefly in terms of their own feelings, but also in terms of social rules and the material consequences of actions. Children's emotional behavior and use of justification differed according to the topic of dispute: Anger and distress were most often expressed at 18 months, and justification at 36 months was most often given by children in disputes about rights and conventions. Mothers, too, were more likely to justify in disputes over rights, and there was a significant association between child and mother justification. The significance of emotional experience and of family discourse in the development of reasoning about social issues is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of familiarity of task and choice on the functional performance of younger and older adults.

An experiment was conducted to compare the functional performance of younger and older adults on familiar and unfamiliar tasks under 2 conditions of perceived control. Specifically, the relation between age and motor and process skills was examined. The familiar tasks were simple cooking tasks, whereas the unfamiliar tasks were contrived, meaningless tasks developed for this study. Younger and older adults did not differ in the ratings of the familiarity of the tasks, but results from 2 Age?×?Task?×?Choice analyses of variance demonstrated a significant age difference for motor and process skills under all conditions. This suggests that older adults demonstrate age-related decline, even with activities that take motivational, experiential, and ecological validity components into account. For the process skills scale, there was also a significant main effect for choice. These results support the concept that perceived control may improve performance, but not differentially for older adults; that is, younger and older adults both demonstrated improved process performance when given their choice of tasks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of age and ritalin dosage on the mother–child interactions of hyperactive children.

Observed interactions between mothers and 54 hyperactive children in 3 age groups (4 yrs to 5 yrs 11 mo, 6 yrs to 7 yrs 11 mo, and 8 yrs to 9 yrs 11 mo) during a drug–placebo evaluation of 2 daily dosages (0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg) of Ritalin (methylphenidate). Results indicate few age or drug effects on social interactions during free play; however, numerous age and drug effects were seen in the task period. With age, children increased their compliance and decreased their negative behavior, and their mothers decreased their levels of control and management. Both doses of methylphenidate increased child compliance equally, but only at the higher dose were significant drug effects found on mothers' behavior: Mothers decreased their control and negative behavior toward children during the high-dose condition. Drug effects on these interactions were not affected by children's ages. It is concluded that although the parent–child interactions of hyperactive children improve with age, methylphenidate produces further improvements in task-related interactions. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The consequences of antisocial behavior in older male siblings for younger brothers and sisters.

The contribution of younger male and female siblings' conflict and involvement in deviant activities with their older brothers to younger siblings' adolescent adjustment problems was examined in the context of parenting. Ineffective parenting during younger siblings' childhood had no direct effects on adjustment but facilitated their exposure to older brothers' deviant peers and activities. The effect of sibling conflict on adjustment was mediated by younger siblings' coparticipation in deviant activities with their older brothers during adolescence. Early sibling conflict and coparticipation in deviant activities synergistically increased the risk for younger siblings' adolescent adjustment problems. These empirical relations held in the context of parental discipline of younger siblings during adolescence. Sibling relationships entail a set of iterative social processes that strongly influence risk for adolescent antisocial behavior, drug use, sexual behavior, and traumatic experience. Variations in sibling influence were observed conditional on the gender combination of the sibling pair and on sibling age differences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of goal-setting and feedback on memory performance and beliefs among older and younger adults.

This research examined the impact of goal-setting conditions on memory beliefs and performance among older and younger adults. After baseline recall and assessment of beliefs, participants were assigned to goal-setting, goals plus feedback, or control. Then, additional recall trials were followed by repeated memory beliefs assessments. For both younger and older adults, performance, motivation, and self-efficacy were affected positively by goal-setting. The impact of goals plus feedback was mixed and varied as a function of age and dependent measure. Success rates for reaching memory goals, which were low for the older adults, may have been a factor in these results. Adults' self-set recall goals were predicted initially by baseline performance and self-efficacy. On the final trial, goals were predicted by last trial performance, self-efficacy, and control beliefs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A schizophrenic child and his mother.

The case of a five-year-old schizophrenic child is presented together with his background. "The mother's lack of psychological sophistication, her cooperative attitude, and the relative youth of the child permit a rather clear view of some of the dynamics which might have entered into the genesis of the disorder." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological health and problem-solving self-appraisal in older adults.

This study investigated relations between psychological health and problem-solving self-appraisal in 97 adults aged 65–96 years. Participants completed the Problem-Solving Inventory (P. P. Heppner, 1988) and two measures of psychological health encompassing both well-being and distress dimensions. Results of a canonical correlation analysis indicated that relations between problem-solving self-appraisal and psychological health were complex and sometimes contradictory. On the one hand, as problem-solving self-appraisal became more favorable (more confidence, more control, and increased approaching of problems), well-being increased and distress decreased. Conversely, perceptions of avoidant problem solving and decreased control were also associated with some increases in psychological health. Research and counseling implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

State-dependent learning in older and younger adults.

In this study state-dependent learning in younger and older adults was compared. State was manipulated by having participants rest or exercise for 5 min, followed by exposure to 3 learning trials of a 20-item word list. After a 20-min delay, participants engaged either in the congruent or in the incongruent activity followed by free-recall trial, cued-recall, and recognition tests. Heart rate, blood pressure, and self-report of distress measures verified that the experimental conditions influenced the participants' physiologic state, but the distracter tasks did not. There was no difference in learning that was due to initial exercise condition, but both age groups showed greater recall when state was congruent before learning and delayed recall. This replicates previous research in which consistent state-dependent learning effects in younger adults were found and supports research suggesting that older adults spontaneously use contextual information to facilitate recall. The demonstration of state-dependent learning in older adults is discussed as an example of implicit memory not affected by aging. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of mother–child separation on the behavior of children experiencing a diagnostic medical procedure.

54 4–6 and 7–10 yr olds were observed having a venal puncture blood sample drawn in a clinical laboratory with or without their mothers being present. Younger Ss exhibited significantly more crying before and during the blood test, more aggression, and more resistance to the procedure than did older Ss, regardless of experimental condition. The mother-present condition only affected crying before the initiation of the blood test. Ss in both age groups displayed significantly more crying when their mothers were present than when their mother remained in the waiting room. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influences on the efficiency of prospective memory in younger and older adults.

The influence of 4 factors on age-related declines in prospective memory (PM) was considered in 2 experiments. The results of the experiments reveal that age-related differences in PM were not moderated by the degree of match between the nature of processing required in the ongoing activity and the defining features of the PM cue. Age-related differences in the accuracy of PM responses were primarily attributable to an increase in the number of omission errors committed by older adults. Age-related differences in PM were somewhat independent of the ability to recall the PM cues and intentions following task performance and were mediated by the cognitive resources of processing speed, inhibitory control, and working memory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)