Showing papers in "Tradition in 2002"

Stress, maternal depression, and negative mother–infant interactions in relation to infant attachment

Abstract: This research examined factors contributing to infant attachment security such as stressful events, maternal depression, negative parent- infant interactions, and spanking. The sample included 169 mostly European American mothers and infants who were qualified applicants to Early Head Start. In- terview and self-report measures of contextual stress, mothers' depressive symptoms, mother- infant negative interactions, and discipline strategies were administered by trained researchers when infants were 14 months old. In addition, mothers' completed the Attachment Q-set (AQS, version 3.0, Waters, 1987). Infant security was lower when maternal depression was higher, when mothers were more dissat- isfied in their interactions with infants, and when these infants were spanked more frequently. A path model was constructed to examine the direct and indirect paths from predictor variables to infant attach- ment security. Maternal depression, negative interactions, and spanking directly affected infant attachment security. Economic stress and relationship stress directly affected maternal depression and frequency of spanking, thereby indirectly influencing infant attachment security. These findings suggest that under- standing the influences on infant attachment security is essential for effective early prevention and inter- vention that promote optimal development. RESUMEN: Este estudio examina los factores que contribuyen a la seguridad en la afectividad infantil, tales como eventos que puedan causar estres, la depresion maternal, las negativas interacciones entre la madre y el infante, y el pegarle al nino. El grupo muestra estuvo compuesto de 169 madres en su mayoria de origen e europeo-americano e infantes que eran solicitantes aptos para el programa de "Early Head Start." Cuando los infantes tenian 14 meses, los entrenados investigadores llevaron a cabo entrev- istas y medidas de autoreporte acerca del estres contextual, los sintomas de depresion de las madres, las interacciones negativas entre la madre y el infante, asicomo las estrategias para disciplinar al infante. Adicionalmente, las madres completaron la prueba de Afectividad Q-set (Attachment Q-set, version 3.0,

Links between childbearing age and observed maternal behaviors with 14-month-olds in the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project

Abstract: Teenage parents are commonly characterized as poor, minority, single mothers with low levels of education and problematic parenting behaviors. The role of teenage childbearing per se in mothers' parenting behaviors, however, is not well understood. This study addressed links between maternal childbearing age and parenting behaviors among 1,702 low-income mothers participating in the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project. The sample includes White (n = 704), Black (n = 595), and Latina (n = 403) mothers. One third of the sample were teenage childbearers (younger than 19 years at the birth of the target child). When the children were 14 months old, mothers and children were videotaped in their home during a 10-min free play assessment. This study examined four key parenting behaviors coded from this assessment: supportiveness, detachment, intrusiveness, and negative regard/hostility. Findings indicate that teenage childbearers were significantly less supportive, more detached, more intrusive, and more negative/hostile with their infants than older childbearers. Associations held above and beyond the effects of race/ethnicity, education, family type, family income, and child sex and age for supportiveness, detachment, and intrusiveness (but not negative regard/hostility). These findings provide the most definitive evidence to date of differences between teenage and older mothers' parenting behaviors, above and beyond demographic co-factors. Within-group analyses revealed different patterns of association in the three racial/ethnic groups. ©2002 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Mothers' insightfulness regarding their children's internal worlds: The capacity underlying secure child–mother relationships

Abstract: This article introduces a new method to assess mothers' insightfulness regarding their children's inner world Maternal insightfulness involves the capacity to see things from the child's point of view, and is based on insight into the child's motives, a complex view of the child, and openness to new information about the child Insightfulness is seen as the capacity underlying positive parenting and providing the context for secure child–parent attachment In the assessment of insightfulness mothers view video segments of their interactions with their children and are subsequently interviewed regarding their children's and their own thoughts and feelings during the segments This article describes how the maternal interviews are coded and provides vignettes of both insightful and noninsightful mothers Empirical findings supporting the validity of the insightfulness assessment are reviewed, and the implications for children's development are discussed ©2002 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health

Intervening with foster infants' caregivers: Targeting three critical needs

Abstract: This article presents the theoretical and empirical rationale for an intervention that targets three critical needs of infants and young children in foster care. First, foster children tend to give behavioral signals that lead even nurturing caregivers to provide non-nurturing care. Foster parents, therefore, need services that help them to reinterpret children's behavioral signals. Second, some caregivers are not comfortable providing nurturance. When surrogate caregivers do not provide nurturance to foster children, their children are at risk for a range of problematic outcomes. The second intervention component, therefore, targets caregiver difficulties in providing nurturance. Third, foster children are at risk for behavioral and biobehavioral dysregulation as the result of disrupted relationships with previous caregivers. The final intervention component helps caregivers provide children with a predictable interpersonal environment such that children develop better regulatory capabilities. ©2002 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Getting Dads Involved: Predictors of Father Involvement in Early Head Start and with their Children

Abstract: Les caracterisques et le fonctionnement psychosocial du pere ont ete examines en tant qu'indicateurs d'engagement paternel avec un programme Early Head Start (le Early Head Start etant un programme de prevention et d'aide gouvernementale a la petite enfance defavorisee aux Etats-Unis d'Amerique) et avec leur enfant. Les variables examinees en tant qu'indicateurs potentiels ont ete selectionnees base sur l'accent que met le programme sur la construction des relations, ceci etant leur principale strategie d'intervention. Les 72 peres a revenus bas inclus dans cette etude etaient principalement blancs, et maries ou vivaient avec la mere de leur enfant. Les caracteristiques des peres ont predit leur engagement de maniere attendue. Les peres ont ete evalues comme etant plus engages, a la fois avec leur bebe et le programme EHS, lorsqu'ils etaient mieux eduques, moins deprimes, plus a meme d'utiliser un soutien social, surtout un soutien spirituel, et etaient plus actifs dans leur religion. Les peres qui avaient de meilleures relations avec les visiteurs a domicile etaient ceux qui avaient ces memes caracteristiques et qui etaient aussi moins anxieux a propos de relations intimes. De plus, les peres qui ont ete plus tard evalues comme etant moins engages avec leurs bebes ont fait etat de moins d'activites avec leur bebe a dix mois. Ces resultats suggerent que les peres qui ont le plus besoin de soutien pour s'engager dans la vie de leurs enfants sont tres probablement ceux qui sont les plus difficiles a faire participer au programme Early Head Start.

Does aversive behavior during toddlerhood matter? The effects of difficult temperament on maternal perceptions and behavior

Abstract: Seventy-three mothers and their toddlers were observed when the children were 18 and 24 months of age in a series of laboratory procedures designed to assess relations among frustration distress, aggression/venting, and defiance, as indicators of aversive behavior, and their relations to maternal interactive style concurrently and over time. A second goal was to identify the predictors of aversive behavior at 24 months of age. Child aversive behavior as a predictor of increases in maternal negativity over time was also examined. Results indicated that distress, venting, and defiance were related to one another at 18 months of age. For boys, venting at 24 months of age, but not distress or defiance, was associated with greater maternal report of stress and higher incidence of behavior problems at 24 months of age. Venting behavior at 24 months of age was predicted by the interaction of early aversive behavior and low maternal positive guiding behavior. Increases in maternal negative behavior over the six-month period were predicted by the interaction of earlier negative maternal behavior and child sex, with negative mothers of boys displaying greater increases in negative behavior at the later age. These findings are discussed in terms of the significance of early aversive behavior, in the context of mother–child interaction, for later problematic behavior. ©2002 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Developmental delay in young children in child welfare by initial placement type

Abstract: Estimates of developmental delay in children in out-of-home foster care range from 13–62%. Overlooked in these studies are comparisons of developmental delay differentiated by a child's initial placement type (i.e., biological parent, kinship care, or nonrelative foster care) following evaluation for possible abuse and/or neglect. The developmental status of children residing in these different placement types warrants further scrutiny by clinicians and policy makers, especially due to the recent trend towards family preservation efforts and the growing use of kinship care. Data were collected on 798 children, ages 3–36 months, who were admitted to San Diego's sole emergency shelter/receiving facility from April 1, 1998 through June 30, 1999 for investigation of alleged maltreatment. Children admitted received a physical exam and developmental screening using the Denver Developmental Screening Test (Denver-II). Sixty two percent of children (491) scored “suspect” on the Denver Developmental Screening Test II (Denver-II). Of these children, 73% received a developmental evaluation using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II (Bayley-II). Over 34% of these children evaluated scored more than 2 standard deviations below the mean on at least one component of the Bayley-II regardless of placement type. Although children with “suspect” scores on the Denver-II were more likely to be placed in nonrelative foster care (p < .013), there was no difference between placement types for children with delay on the Bayley-II. Results for children released to their biological parent(s) should be viewed as preliminary, because these children were less likely to receive an evaluation compared to other children. However, results suggest that young children placed in kinship care are as likely to be developmentally delayed, based on the Bayley-II, as those children placed in nonrelative foster care. Given concerns in the literature that children in kinship care receive fewer services than children in nonrelative foster care, this finding bears further investigation. ©2002 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Six-month follow-up of two mother-infant psychotherapies: Convergence of therapeutic outcomes

Abstract: Fifty-eight mothers and infants participating in two infant–mother psychotherapeutic interventions in a comparative infant–mother clinical intervention study were followed six months after treatment ended. One treatment was an infant-led psychotherapy, Watch, Wait, and Wonder (WWW). The other was a more traditional mother–infant psychodynamic psychotherapy (PPT). Infants ranged in age from 10 to 30 months at the outset of treatment, which took place in weekly sessions over approximately five months. Results indicated that positive effects observed from the beginning to the end of treatment in both treatment groups in infant symptoms, parenting stress, and mother–infant interaction were maintained or improved further at six-month follow-up. Additionally, decreased maternal depression, gains in infant cognitive development and emotion regulation, and improved infant–mother attachment security or organization had been observed posttreatment only in the WWW group. Interestingly, between the posttreatment to follow-up period the PPT group also showed such gains. Thus, for these variables it would be more accurate to say that the outcomes were similar for the two treatment groups but change emerged at a different pace. Nevertheless, an advantage persisted in the WWW group in relation to mothers' comfort dealing with infant behaviors and their ratings of parenting stress which improved more in this group from the end of treatment to follow-up. The direct inclusion of the infant as an initiator in WWW was set forth as an explanation of differentially timed treatment effects. ©2002 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

The placement of infants in foster care

Abstract: The fundamental question explored in this study concerns the relationship between age and the risk of placement into foster care, the likelihood a child will leave placement, and the likelihood a child will return to foster care having been discharged. The study is based on the experiences of more than 690,000 children in 11 states over an eight-year period, from 1990 to 1997. The results suggest quite strongly that very young children are at greatest risk of entry into foster care, particularly if they are from urban areas. Specifically, 1% of children under one year and 2.5% of children under the age of four months enter foster care. Moreover, once in care, children under the age of four months at the time of placement remain in foster care longer than other children. The implications of these findings for public policy and future research are discussed. RESUMEN: La pregunta fundamental que este estudio explora tiene que ver con la relacion entre la edad y el riesgo de ser colocado en un hogar ajeno con el proposito de que al infante se le preste el cuidado que necesita, las probabilidades de que el infante abandone ese nuevo hogar, y las probabilidades de que el infante regrese al sistema de cuidados prestados por un hogar ajeno despues de ser dado de baja. Este estudio se basa en la experiencia de mas de 690,000 ninos en once Estados dentro de un periodo de 8 anos que va de 1990 a 1997. Los resultados sugieren en forma muy determinante que los ninos muy jovenes se encuentran bajo un riesgo mayor de entrar bajo el cuidado de un hogar diferente al propio, particularmente si esos ninos proceden de a ´reas urbanas. Especificamente, el 1% de los ninos con menos de un ano de edad, y el 2.5% de los ninos con menos de 4 anos entran al cuidado de hogares ajenos. Es mas, una vez bajo este cuidado, los ninos que tienen menos de 4 anos de edad al momento de ser colocados bajo tal cuidado, permanecen bajo e por mas tiempo que otros ninos. Se discuten las implicaciones que estos hallazgos puedan tener en cuanto a las reglamentaciones publicas y a la investigacion en el futuro. RESUME ´ : La question fondamentale exploree dans cette etude concerne la relation entre l'age et le risque de placement dans une famille de placement, la probabiliteque l'enfant quittera le placement, ainsi que la probabiliteque l'enfant retournera dans une famille de placement apres avoir eautorisearetourner dans sa famille. Cette etude est basee sur les experiences de plus de 690 000 enfants dans 11 etats des Etats-Unis sur une periode de 8 ans, de 1990 a 1997. Les resultats suggerent tres fortement que les tres jeunes enfants sont aplus grand risque d'entrer en famille de placement, en particulier s'ils viennent de zones urbaines. Plus specifiquement, 1% des enfants de moins d'un an et 2,5% des enfants de moins de 4 mois sont places en famille de placement. De plus, une fois places, les enfants de mois de 4 mois au

Adolescent Protective Factors Promoting Resilience in Young Adults at Risk for Depression

Abstract: In a longitudinal, community-based study, adolescent protective factors for those at risk for depression were identified that were associated with resilient outcomes in young adulthood For those with childhood risk factors for major depression, significant protective factors included family cohesion, positive self appraisals, and good interpersonal relations Findings may help inform the development of prevention and treatment programs for adolescents vulnerable to depression Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed

The Effect of Attachment Theory in the Development of Eating Disorders: Can Symptoms Be Proximity-Seeking?

Abstract: The relationship between attachment theory, proximity seeking behaviors and the development of eating disorders was investigated in three groups of adolescent females from various settings; 44 individuals with eating disorders, 28 clinical controls, and 36 non-clinical controls. The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment and the Parental Attachment Questionnaire were both used in this study and both found that the clinical groups demonstrated a weaker sense of attachment quality compared to their non-clinical counterparts. This study also expands upon John Bowlby's concept of proximity seeking, to offer a possible explanation of the function for eating disorder symptomatology. A new measure, the Proximity-Seeking Scale, found that self-reported changes in both the physical and psychological proximity needs of those with eating disorders had transpired since the clinical diagnosis of the disorder.

Maltreatment reports and placement outcomes for infants and toddlers in out‐of‐home care

Abstract: Cette etude examine la relation entre l'enfant et les caracteristiques familiales, les mauvais traitements a enfants, la negligence a faire etat des faits de maltraitance, et les resultats de placement pour un echantillon de 1357 bebes et petits enfants qui furent places en familles de placement avant la mise en application aux Etats-Unis de la Loi d'Adoption et a la Securite des Familles de 1997 (PL 105-89) Un grand nombre d'enfants entrant dans des familles de placement dans six comtes californiens ont ete suivis pendant une moyenne de 4 ans, en utilisant des donnees fournies par deux systemes de gestion de donnees (les services de protection de l'enfant et le mode de soin de placement) Parmi les resultats, on peut noter que les enfants nes exposes a l'alcool et aux drogues prenatales etaient parmi ceux qui avaient le plus de chances de rester places pendant la duree entiere de la periode d'etude et s'ils etaient reunifies avec leurs familles ils avaient plus de chances d'etre replaces en famille de placement plus tard Tous les enfants qui etaient places dans des familles de placement y avaient ete places apres un seul rapport des services de protection de l'enfant Ces resultats pour ce qui concerne le bien-etre de l'enfant sont examines a la lumiere de la politique actuelle du bien-etre de l'enfant et des recherches sur le risque de developpement, la pratique de soumission, et les implications pour la recherche

Low‐income adolescent mothers' knowledge about domains of child development

Abstract: Sixty low-income adolescent mothers of children ranging in age from birth to 28 months were asked to estimate the ages at which children are first able to engage in specific activities in cognitive, language, motor, play, and social development. In general, mothers were quite knowledgeable about the ordering of developmental abilities relative to one another, but were less knowledgeable about the de- velopmental timing of abilities. With respect to timing, mothers tended to underestimate the onset of all developmental abilities. That is, mothers predicted that children's developmental abilities would appear earlier than they actually do. Mothers' knowledge about cognitive, language, and motor abilities was stronger than their knowledge about abilities in play and social development. Across domains, mothers were more accurate at estimating the ages of abilities that emerge in the first year than those occurring during children's second and third years. Findings are discussed with respect to societal emphases on different domains of development, and the potential implications of unrealistic expectations for adolescent parenting. RESUMEN: Se les pidioa 60 madres adolescentes de bajos recursos, con hijos cuyas edades variaban desde los recien nacidos hasta los de 28 meses, que calcularan las edades a las cuales sus hijos serian capaces por primera vez de llevar a cabo actividades especificas en el desarrollo a los niveles cognitivo, del lenguaje, motor, de juego y social. En terminos generales, las madres estaban bien informadas del orden de las habilidades de desarrollo en cuanto a las relaciones entre unas y otras, pero conocian menos acerca del tiempo en que dichas habilidades se desarrollan en el infante. Con respecto al tiempo, las madres tendian a no poder calcular el principio de todas las habilidades de desarrollo. Eso significa que las madres predijeron que las habilidades de desarrollo de sus ninos comenzarian mucho antes de cuando aparecen en realidad. El conocimiento que las madres tenian acerca de las habilidades cognitivas, de lenguajes y motoras era mas fuerte que su conocimiento sobre las habilidades de desarrollo social y de juego. A traves de los diferentes ambitos, las madres fueron mas precisas al calcular las edades de las habilidades que surgen en el primer ano del infante que aquellas que ocurren durante el segundo y tercer ano de vida. Los resultados se discuten con respecto al e

Rrepresentations of trauma in infancy: Clinical and theoretical implications for the understanding of early memory

Abstract: Comprendre la nature de l'experience interne du nourrison est crucial pour delimiter les effets d'un traumatisme precoce sur le developpement. De plus, dans la mesure ou les representations internes d'un traumatisme peuvent etre tracees au fil du temps, les experiences traumatiques presentent des opportunites uniques pour l'etude de la memoire precoce. Cette etude decrit des vignettes de cas d'enfants qui ont vecu un traumatisme durant la periode preverbale et qui, ulterieurement, ont presente des evidences de formes de souvenirs de leur traumatisme. Conjointement avec la documentation clinique, les recherches en matiere de developpement portant sur les sortes de souvenirs precoces decrits seront discutes. Les donnees cliniques, renforcees par les resultats de recherche, indiquent que les enfants preverbaux, meme durant leur premiere annee, peuvent etablir et retenir une forme de representation interne d'un evenement traumatique, et ceci pendant de grandes periodes. La specificite et la nature durable des representations internes suggerent que des interventions therapeutiques specifiques allant bien au dela d'un simple reconfort seront necessaires a la recuperation maximale du nourrisson apres un traumatisme. Les resultats cliniques sont importants pour certains problemes faisant actuellement l'objet d'un debat dans le domaine de la memoire du nourrisson, dont par exemple le role des rappels dans la retention de la memoire, la nature des systemes de la memoire precoce, et le developpement de la memoire autobiographique.

Client Satisfaction Methods: Input from Parents with Children in Foster Care

Abstract: Although significant research has been conducted on the effectiveness of foster care services, the viewpoints of parents with children in foster care are routinely neglected. This manuscript describes a series of focus group interviews that included parents who have children in foster care. The purpose of the interviews was to learn about effective methods for designing an ongoing system for collecting client satisfaction data. In addition to providing insights on preferred methods for collecting this data, the parents provided extensive information about their perceived treatment as consumers of services within this privatized foster care system. In addition, the authors provide details on the methods utilized to conduct these groups.

Perceptions of early relationships during the transition to motherhood: The mediating role of social support

Abstract: Perceptions of the availability of social support were assumed to mediate the association between the future mother's perceptions of early relationships and positive postpartum outcomes. We explored the idea that pregnant women's perceptions of early caretaking relationships as optimal associate with the perceived availability of, and satisfaction with, social support, which in turn, were assumed to affect postpartum depressive symptomatology, the APGAR (i.e., rates of Appearance (color); Pulse (heart- beat); Grimace (reflex); Activity (muscle tone); and Respiration (breathing), Nelson, 1987) scores of the newborn, and the mother's perceptions of the infant. Using a longitudinal design, we enrolled 120 first- time pregnant participants, who were assessed during the third trimester of pregnancy and eight weeks postpartum. Newborns were assessed immediately after birth. Findings confirmed the expected model, controlling for levels of depressive symptomatology during pregnancy. This model is discussed in the context of system and transactional models of mother- infant interactions. RESUMEN: Se asumioque las percepciones de disponibilidad de apoyo social mediaban la asociacion entre las percepciones que la futura madre tenia de las tempranas relaciones, y los positivos resultados posteriores al parto. Nosotros exploramos la idea de que las percepciones que la mujer embarazada tiene de que las tempranas relaciones de prestacion de cuidado son o se asocian con la forma como se percibe la disponibilidad de y satisfaccion con el apoyo social, todo lo cual se asume que a su vez afecta la sintomatologia de depresion posterior al parto, los puntajes de APGAR del recien nacido, asicomo las percepciones que la madre tiene del infante. Usando un diseno longitudinal, inscribimos a 120 mujeres que por primera vez estaban embarazadas para participar en este estudio. Ellas fueron evaluadas durante el tercer trimestre del embarazo y a las 8 semanas despues del parto. Los recien nacidos fueron evaluados inmediatamente despues del nacimiento. Los hallazgos confirman el modelo esperado, controlando los niveles de la sintomatologia depresiva durante el embarazo. Este modelo se discute en el contexto de los modelos de sistema y transacsionales de las interacciones entre las madres y sus infantes.

The European Early Promotion Project: A new primary health care service to promote children's mental health

Abstract: The number of children in Europe with significant psychologic and social problems is large and increasing. This article describes an innovative crosscultural method of working with families to promote the psychosocial well being of children and prevent the development of psychologic and social problems. A study designed to evaluate the effects of the service is also presented. Primary health care workers in five European countries have been trained to conduct promotional interviews with all prospective mothers in their area one month before and one month after birth. They have also been taught to work with mothers identified as in need of support as a parent by using a specific counselling model to try to prevent the onset of child mental health difficulties. Effects of the intervention on children's psychologic development and family adaptation are being evaluated at two years in comparison with matched groups not receiving the intervention. ©2002 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Ecological Correlates of Child Maltreatment: Similarities and Differences Between Child Fatality and Nonfatality Cases

Abstract: The rate of fatal child maltreatment is increasing, and differentiating between risk factors for fatal as opposed to nonfatal maltreatment is essential to developing prevention programs. This exploratory retrospective study utilizes case record analysis to examine four categories of correlates for child maltreatment: 1) parent/caregiver factors, 2) child factors, 3) environmental/situational factors, and 4) maltreatment incident factors. Thirty-eight fatality cases are compared to a matched group of nonfatality cases to determine which factors are related to fatality in a large Southwestern metropolitan area. The results provide a profile of characteristics that may place a child at higher risk of fatal maltreatment.

Children and Violence: Findings and Implications from a Rural Community

Abstract: The present study addresses gaps in the youth violence literature by exploring the types and levels of children's violence exposure in a rural setting and examining psychological trauma associated with violence exposure. The study is a secondary data analysis using a rural sample (N = 549) from a larger study. The larger study employed a 45-minute questionnaire given to students in grades 3 through 8. The questionnaire was designed to assess children's present and past violence exposure as a victim and witness across the home, school, and neighborhood. In addition, this questionnaire assessed children's psychological trauma symptoms. Our study found that children in the rural sample were exposed to high amounts of violence as both victims and witnesses within, and prior to, the past year. Violence exposure variables explained a significant amount of variance in total trauma symptoms after controlling for demographic variables. This finding is consistent with the literature examining the association of trauma and violence exposure.

Family stress and parent–infant interaction: The mediating role of coping

Abstract: On a toujours demontre que le stress, que ce soit sous la forme de tracas quotidiens, de facteurs de stress chroniques ou d'evenements stressants, a un grand impact sur la qualite des relations parent-enfant. Le coping a ete defini comme representant toute strategie developpee par l'individu pour faire face a des situations ou a des evenements stressants. Dans la mesure ou les tracas quotidiens et les evenements de la vie evoquent des strategies pour faire face au stress, l'efficacite de telles strategies pourrait avoir un impact sur la qualite des relations familiales. Le but de cette etude fut d'examiner la relation entre le stress et les interactions parent-enfant, avec un interet particulier et direct sur le role mediateur du coping familial sur ce processus familial. Les participants etaient 105 paires mere-bebe a revenus bas qui etaient inscrits dans l'evaluation nationale du Early Head Start (le EHS etant un programme de prevention et d'aide gouvernementale a la petite enfance defavorisee aux Etats-Unis d'Amerique). Les resultats de l'etude ont revele que les meres ont plus tendance a faire preuve d'interactions positives avec leurs bebes quand les perceptions des facteurs de stress de la vie sont basses. De plus, bien que les meres qui font etat de moins de facteurs de stress utilisent plus de soutien de leurs amis et de leurs famille, les resultats n'ont pas indique qu'il existe un effet de mediation du coping sur les interactions mere-bebe.

Suicide Attempts by Adolescent Latinas: An Exploratory Study of Individual and Family Correlates

Abstract: Epidemiological data show high rates of suicide attempts among adolescent Latinas. Few studies have addressed the psychosocial, cultural and family correlates of suicide attempts among this age group of a rapidly growing population. The authors studied 31 adolescent Hispanic females who were receiving mental health services; 14 girls had attempted suicide in the previous five years and 17 had never attempted suicide. The two groups of girls did not differ significantly with respect to demographic profiles, levels of depression, family type, acculturation, or self-esteem. However, as hypothesized, the mutuality between girls and their mothers was lower among suicide attempters. Maladaptive coping skills of withdrawal and wishful thinking were more commonly used by attempters, and non-attempters used emotional regulation and problem-solving more frequently. Findings are discussed within the context of the empirical and theoretical literature and implications for practice are considered.

The importance of maternal state of mind regarding attachment and infant age at placement to foster mothers' representations of their foster infants

Abstract: Previous research has found that foster mother state of mind with respect to attachment and infant age at placement into foster care influence the developing foster mother- foster child relationship (Dozier, Albus, Stovall, & Bates, 2000; Stovall & Dozier, 2000). This study extends prior research by assessing factors related to foster mothers' representations of their foster infants. Participants were 48 foster mother- foster infant dyads in two mid-Atlantic cities. We expected that foster mothers' states of mind and infant age at placement would be associated with foster mothers' acceptance of infants, com- mitment to infants, and belief in their influence on infants' development. Consistent with hypotheses, foster mothers' states of mind interacted with infant age at placement in predicting foster mothers' acceptance of their babies, and the extent to which foster mothers believed they could influence their infants' development. Specifically, autonomous foster mothers of babies placed before 12 months of age were more accepting and more likely to believe they could influence their infants' development compared to autonomous foster mothers of babies placed after 12 months of age, a pattern not seen for nonauton- omous foster mothers. These results converge with other findings suggesting that timing of placement in foster care, and foster mothers' states of mind, are important to the developing foster mother- child relationship.

Early Head Start: A dynamic new program for infants and toddlers and their families

Abstract: En simplement six annees, le Early Head Start (un programme de prevention et d'aide gouvernementale a la petite enfance defavorisee aux Etats-Unis d'Amerique) a grandi de 68 centres beneficiaires a l'origine a 650 programmes servant plus de 50.000 familles avec des bebes ou des petits enfants a travers les USA au debut de l'annee 2001. Avec une part toujours plus grande du budget federal de programme Head Start, un programme plus general, le Early Head Start est un effort ambitieux avec lequel le ministere americain delegue aux familles, a la jeunesse et aux enfants repond a la crise silencieuse auxquels sont confrontes les bebes et les petits enfants aux Etats-Unis, cette crise ayant ete identifiee par la Carnegie Corporation de New York dans son Starting Points de 1994. Ce survol de ce numero special decrit le programme, son developpement et sa croissance, ses changements d'orientation et de contexte programmatique durant ses cinq premieres annees. Nous expliquons comment l'infrastructure federale et regionale soutient le Early Head Start a travers la formation, l'assistance technique et la surveillance. Nous resumons la conception et la conduite de l'evaluation nationale et des etudes de recherche locales. Nous presentons les lecons cles que les recherches ont donnees jusqu'a present. Enfin, nous concluons avec une evaluation des defis auxquels nous faisons face pour creer une base solide de connaissances pour les programmes servant les familles a revenus bas ayant des bebes et des petits enfants.

Domestic Violence and Intergenerational Rates of Child Sexual Abuse: A Case Record Analysis

Abstract: Using case review at a shelter for battered women and their children, this exploratory study investigated the association between physical abuse, exposure to domestic violence and intergenerational occurrence of child sexual abuse. The charts of 570 children were reviewed in an attempt to explore the relationship between the children's experiences with sexual abuse and their nonoffending parent's own history of having been sexually abused. Results indicated that a significant percentage of nonoffending parents who reported a history of child sexual abuse also had children who were sexually abused. Additionally, we found that most (93%) of the children studied had been exposed to domestic violence, and while the base rate of sexual abuse was relatively low (11%), the rate of physical abuse of the children was substantial (41%). Logistic regression results indicated that children of sexually abused nonoffending parents may be at heightened risk for sexual abuse. Implications for treatment and intervention are discussed.

Young Fathers: An Analysis of Risk Behaviors and Service Needs

Abstract: One hundred and twenty eight young fathers participated in an assessment of risk behaviors and service needs prior to entering a program for young fathers. Of this group, 73% were unemployed, 69% were school drop-outs, almost 40% had substance abuse problems, close to 30% had committed a felony, and less than half had declared paternity for their children. The majority of these young fathers desired employment services and educational/vocational training. Despite their risk behaviors, young fathers did not want substance abuse counseling, child support services, or help in obtaining a GED. There appears to be a discrepancy between the problems and needs, and the services which these young fathers requested. Many young fathers believed employment would be a panacea to all their problems. These findings suggest that more attention should be given to examining these issues in programs targeting young fathers. Services such as preventive health and mental health should be considered prior to the final goals of employment and establishment of paternity.

Parenting and attachment among toddlers with congenital anomalies: examining the strange situation and attachment q-sort

Abstract: Cette etude a evalue les facteurs de prediction d'attachement du parent et de l'enfant chez un echantillon de 72 jeunes enfants ayant des malformations congenitales neurologiques (par exemple la paralysie motrice centrale) et non-neurologique (par exemple le palais fendu ou la levre fendue) et leurs meres. On s'attendait a ce que la qualite de parentage (c'est-a-dire la sensibilite) soit plus importante dans la prediction de la relation d'attachement que le type et la severite de la condition medicale de l'enfant. Le parentage et les indices de severite de la condition de l'enfant ont ete mesures grâce a l'observation de recherche. L'attachement fut mesure par la Strange Situation et un Q-sort d'attachement d'un parent. La qualite de parentage etait meilleure pour les enfants ayant les deformations cosmetiques les plus severes. La Strange Situation et les Q-sort d'attachement n'etaient pas lies de maniere significative. Les enfants avec les troubles neurologiques etaient beaucoup plus a risque de developper des attachements insecures que ne l'etaient les enfants ayant des troubles n'etant pas neurologiques. La qualite de parentage predisait aussi directement la securite d'attachement evaluee par Strange Situation et la recherche/l'exploration du confort Q-sort, mais pas les scores criteres de Q-sort standard. La qualite de parentage influencait partiellement la relation entre la condition medicale de l'enfant et la securite de l'attachement. Les resultats suggerent que les facteurs medicaux de l'enfant influencent le parentage, et donc l'attachement de l'enfant.

Kinship Care Providers: Designing an Array of Supportive Services

Abstract: Kinship care, the placement of children with their relatives, has become an integral part of the child welfare system in the United States. It is also becoming a more established way of meeting the needs of children in care in other western countries (Greeff, 1999). However, kinship care did not emerge as a child welfare issue until the late 1980s, and only recently has it become a part of the formalized system for out-of-home care (Hegar & Scannapieco, 1995). Since that time, many states have come to rely more heavily on placements with relatives to meet the needs of children removed from parental custody. For example, California has placed approximately 51% of the foster care population in kinship care, while Illinois has placed 55% (GAO, 1999).

Very young foster children and foster families: Clinical challenges and interventions

Abstract: Recent federal reviews of the foster care system in the United States have concluded that the system is “in crisis.” Clinicians familiar with the foster care system are undoubtedly aware of significant stress points directly impacting foster families. In July of 1997, an innovative program was developed to assess and treat young foster children (under 48 months of age). A significant focus of this program's clinical work is supporting foster parents. This article begins with a brief review of the status of foster parenting in the United States. A description of challenges and obstacles faced by foster parents participating in this program and the service providers who work with them follows. Finally, a review of the various intervention strategies used by our program to address clinical challenges inherent in work with foster families is provided. ©2002 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Congregate care for infants and toddlers: Shedding new light on an old question

Abstract: Avec l'arrivee de l'epidemie de la cocaine crack et la baisse simultanee de foyers disponibles pour le placement en famille pour les jeunes enfants, le placement des bebes et des petits enfants dans des foyers residentiels a refait surface dans les plus grandes zones urbaines aux Etats-Unis. En depit de la controverse a propos de ce type de placement, les recherches actuelles sur les foyers de placement sont quasi inexistentes. Ce travail examine les foyers de placement qui ont ete etablis dans une zone urbaine dans la region de la cote est des Etats-Unis, comme une reponse a la crise de placement pour les jeunes enfants censes etre en famille de placement. De plus, cette etude compare le developpement d'une groupe d'enfants places dans ces foyers avec un groupe d'enfants places dans des familles. Les resultats suggerent que les foyers different pour ce qui concerne leur a-propos pour les jeunes enfants, base sur le nombre d'enfants dans la famille et la philosophie pratique du foyer de placement. Cette etude a documente le fait que les enfants eleves dans des familles de placement reussissaient generalement mieux que les enfants eleves en foyer pour ce qui concerne un eventail de variables, y compris le developpement mental et les facultes d'adaptation. Par contre, les enfants eleves en foyers etaient comparables aux enfants eleves dans des familles pour ce qui concerne les problemes de comportement observes et documentes. Les implications de ces resultats pour la politique et les pratiques liees aux foyers sont discutees.

Assessment, intervention, and research with infants in out-of-home placement

Abstract: Les bebes constituent une large proportion, en fait de plus en plus elevee, des placements hors-famille de jeunes. Ces bebes ont de tres hauts taux de maladies medicales, de retards de developpement, et sont a risques considerables pour ce qui concerne la psychopathologie. Ils recoivent des quantites de services variables de la part d'un systeme complexe et peu integre qui inclut quatre secteurs de services principaux: l'aide sociale a l'enfance, le service medical, le secteur d'intervention precoce, et le secteur de sante mentale infantile. Ces sytemes pourvoyeurs de services sont en train de subir de grands changements aux Etats-Unis, a la fois pour ce qui concerne leurs politiques, leur organization, et leur financement, comme par exemple le lancement du systeme de soin gere dans le secteur de l'aide sociale a l'enfance. Nous offrons dans cet article une vue d'ensemble de ce qu'on appelle le placement hors-famille pour les bebes. Nous resumons les approaches a l'evaluation de la sante mentale du nourrisson et de l'intervention dans une perspective etendue qui aborde les problemes multiples de ces bebes et reconnait qu'ils ont besoin de recevoir des services de systemes multiples qui subissent des changements tres rapides. Nous concluons en mettant l'accent sur un nombre de domaines critiques sur lesquels il faudrait effectuer des recherches.