Gender Differences in Parent–Child Emotion Narratives

Early parent–child conversations about past emotional experiences provide a rich environment for the socialization of emotions. This study explored the role of parent and child gender in this process. Participants were 21 White, middle-class, 40- to 45-month-old children and their mothers and fathers. At separate home visits, each parent discussed with their child four specific past events during which the child experienced happiness, anger, sadness, and fear, respectively. Mothers conversed more overall, talked more about emotional aspects of the experience, and used more emotion words than did fathers. Similarly, girls talked more about emotional aspects of their experiences than did boys. Further, girls used more emotion words when discussing scary events than did boys. Most intriguingly, both mothers and fathers used more emotional utterances when discussing sad events with daughters than with sons. Parent–daughter dyads also placed emotional experiences in a more interpersonal context than did parent–son dyads. Implications for the development of gender, emotional understanding, and clinical repercussions are discussed.     

Testimony and evidence: a scientific case study of memory for child sexual abuse

Although case studies can provide insight into children's eyewitness memory, the typical lack of objective record limits evaluation of accuracy. In contrast, in this ‘scientific case study’, a detailed record of child sexual assault, documented by a ‘sex ring’ leader and confiscated by police, was available. In police interviews and courtroom hearings, four girls (8 to 15 years old at time of report) testified about sexual exploitation that involved eight adult men. The girls' allegations were compared with evidence contained in photographic and audiotaped records of the abuse. Overall, there was supportive evidence for about 80% of the allegations (85.6% of the alleged sexual acts; 42.9% of the alleged coercive acts; and 82.5% of the alleged preparatory acts). Levels of support for sexual act allegations were similar for all four girls, regardless of age, but the younger child made more unsupported allegations of coercive behaviour. Additionally, there were high levels of omission errors. Findings are discussed in the context of research on eyewitness testimony and child sexual abuse. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Violence against women: Mental health effects. Part II. Conceptualizations of posttraumatic stress

A broad range of psychological aftereffects have been noted among women who have experienced male-perpetrated violence. These symptoms vary considerably among individuals, across social contexts, and across different types of violent encounters (Coley & Beckett, 1988; Goodman, Koss, & Russo, 1992; Koss, 1988; Straus, Gelles, & Steinmetz, 1980). Nevertheless, a remarkably consistent picture of the psychological sequelae of violence—particularly sexual and physical assault—emerges from the empirical and clinical literature (Koss, 1988). In this article, we use the posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis—a frame that captures many of the disparate symptoms described by researchers—as a basis for exploring several conceptual models that have been developed to explain women's responses to violence.     

When I Became a Refugee,This Became My Refuge: A Proposal for Implementing a Two-Generation Intervention Using Yoga and Narrative to Promote Mental Health in Syrian Refugee Caregivers and School Readiness in Their Preschool Children

ABSTRACT

This article represents our attempt to establish a blueprint for a comprehensive refugee intervention program to be disseminated across the globe. Specifically, we describe a proposal to conduct a two-generation intervention program that addresses the socioemotional needs of both Syrian caregivers and their preschool children who have fled the atrocities of their home country and have settled in Turkey. The goal is to improve the school readiness skills of preschool children ravaged by war, dislocation, and poverty. First, we describe a caregiver intervention, which consists of trauma-sensitive yoga; second, we describe a child intervention, which consists of a storytelling and story-acting activity. Finally, we discuss how to assess the effectiveness of this two-generation intervention program. Our hope is that this novel intervention program will be implemented in other regions experiencing an influx of refugee families who need immediate psychological services.     

False memories in children and adults: age,distinctiveness, and subjective experience

This study investigated developmental trends associated with the Deese/Roediger-McDermott false-memory effect, the role of distinctive information in false-memory formation, and participants' subjective experience of true and false memories. Children (5- and 7-year-olds) and adults studied lists of semantically associated words. Half of the participants studied words alone, and half studied words accompanied by pictures. There were significant age differences in recall (5-year-olds evinced more false memories than did adults) but not in recognition of critical lures. Distinctive information reduced false memory for all age groups. Younger children provided with distinctive information, and older children and adults regardless of whether they viewed distinctive information, expressed higher levels of confidence in true than in false memories. Source attributions did not significantly differ between true and false memories. Implications for theories of false memory and memory development are discussed.     

Radioligands for PET and SPECT Imaging of the central noradrenergic system

In the central nervous system, the neurotransmitter norepinephrine is involved in normal physiology, neuropsychiatric disorders, and the effects of numerous drugs. Although alterations of the central noradrenergic system are involved in the pathophysiology and pharmacotherapy of mood disorders, the basis and nature of these changes remain unresolved. Positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging agents will be valuable for further elucidating the roles of norepinephrine in health and disease. This review discusses PET and SPECT radioligands that have been developed for the enzymes, receptors, and transporters involved in noradrenergic neurotransmission. Currently, imaging agents that exhibit specific in vivo uptake in the brain have been described for monoamine oxidase A and beta-adrenergic receptors, but have not undergone detailed evaluation or experimental application. Based on the successful development and utilization of in vivo imaging agents for elements of the central dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems, PET and SPECT radioligands are expected to serve as new tools for studying the physiology, pathophysiology, and pharmacology of the central noradrenergic system.     

Are the interpersonal and identity disturbances in the borderline personality disorder criteria linked to the traits of affective instability and impulsivity?

This study examines the degree to which two putative biologically influenced personality traits, affective instability and impulsive aggression, are associated with some of the interpersonal and intrapsychic disturbances of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and with choice of defense mechanism. In a sample of 152 personality disorder patients, affective instability and impulsive aggression were measured. Defense mechanisms were assessed in 140 of these patients using the Defensive Style Questionnaire (DSQ). The correlations between the traits of affective instability and impulsive aggression and the eight DSM-III-R criteria for borderline personality disorder and 20 DSQ defenses were examined. Affective instability was significantly correlated with the DSM-III-R criteria of identity disturbance, chronic emptiness or boredom, inappropriate anger, suicidality, and the affective instability criteria. It also was associated with the defenses of splitting, projection, acting out, passive aggression, undoing, and autistic fantasy. Impulsive aggression was related to unstable interpersonal relationships, inappropriate anger and impulsiveness and with the defense of acting out. It was negatively correlated with the defenses of suppression and reaction formation. A number of the interpersonal and experiential disturbances and defense mechanisms that are features of BPD are associated with the traits of affective instability and impulsive aggression among patients with personality disorders.