The psychological experiences of foster mothers of adolescent children

The present study explored the psychological experiences of foster mothers who were fostering adolescents abandoned by their biological parents and whose parents had passed away. A purposive sample of 20 foster mothers (age range 25 to 83 years) was informants. They completed semi-structured interviews on their experiences of providing care to foster children. Thematic analysis of the data revealed the following themes: structure of the support system, crisis management, relationships management, and resilience with spirituality as coping mechanisms. Foster parenting of adolescent children requires qualities of perseverance, love, humility, and faith in carers.     

Reports and Brief Communications - Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy: The Journal of the Psychoanalytic Institute of the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health,New York

Abstract

This article presents research into the mother–child relationship according to psychoanalytic theory. It is based on data from groups of mothers who have children with special needs in the context of their experiences with inclusive education policies.     

Argument in a Nutshell: Condensation as a Transfiguring Mechanism in Argumentative Discourse

Although not generally regarded as a significant area of inquiry, the condensation of argumentative structures and the presence of `miniaturized' yet self-sufficient arguments in stand-alone, sub-discursive linguistic units, especially those below the level of a compound sentence, deserve a close look. Built skillfully into key words, catchy phrases, subtly appealing tropes, etc., these condensed arguments are often instrumental in accounting for the way some small linguistic units work magic on the audience. Taking such mini structures seriously holds two promises for argumentation studies: a widened scope of investigation and a unique contribution to the understanding of how rhetorical effects are being produced at the sub-syntactic or lexical level.     

Gender differences in the intention to react to aggressive action at home and in the workplace

This study explored gender differences in escalatory tendencies, defined as individuals' intentions to react when faced with the prospect of potential aggression from others. The escalatory tendencies are based on an interaction unit of analysis, which is a proxy representation of behavioral intention from planned behavior theory. This study consists of a convenience sample of 264 male and female participants who were asked to report their escalatory tendencies following verbal and physical forms of aggression committed by various hypothetical offenders, including their intimate partner at home, as well as the men and women at work who are in higher, lower, or equal positions. The main findings support the assumptions that escalatory tendencies toward verbal aggression are higher than those toward physical aggression; that escalatory tendencies at work are higher toward lower status workers than toward those of higher status; that escalatory tendencies within the same gender are higher than between genders; and that women tend to escalate more against their spouses than do men. The findings emphasize the importance of studying aggression and escalatory tendencies in context. Aggr. Behav. 32:1–9, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

知情权与新生儿重症监护病房(NICU)患儿父母的信息交流技巧

在新生儿重症监护病房(neonatal intensive care unit,NICU)中接受治疗的危重新生儿约90%结果良好,而这些患儿的父母100%都在此过程中遭受不同程度的心理创伤.患儿父母及其家人应被充分告知患儿的病情、治疗方案及可能的预后,这是他们拥有的知情权.在临床工作中,怎样运用良好的信息交流技巧让患儿父母充分理解病情、配合治疗又不过分紧张这对患儿的康复比对患儿实施具体的诊疗方案更重要.从患儿父母、医护人员、人文关怀的角度探讨NICU医护人员与患儿父母之间信息交流的技巧.     

Influence of maternal reflective functioning on mothers’ and children's weight: A follow-up study

Based on cross-sectional research linking poor reflective functionining (RF) to eating disorders, the current follow-up study tested whether maternal RF would explain the variance of mothers’ and children's weight beyond the effects of maternal emotional dysregulation. During pregnancy (Time 1 [T1]), 51 women were administered the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and interviewed using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). Seven months after delivery (Time 2 [T2]), mother–baby dyads who remained in the study (n = 44) were videotaped (Feeding Scale) during their feeding interaction. Last (Time 3 [T3]), the weight of the 34 children who were still in the study was collected at 3 years of age. Maternal AAI-RF at T1 did not correlate with the DERS at T1 nor with the quality of the feeding interacions at T2. However, it correlated, significantly, with maternal body mass index (BMI) at T1, r = −.298, P = .034, and marginally significantly with baby's BMI at T3, r = −.296, P = .089. Moreover, multiple regression models showed a trend indicating that maternal AAI-RF might explain the variance of mothers’ and children's weight beyond the effects of maternal emotional dysregulation. These findings suggest that working on maternal mentalization might contribute to helping prevent childhood obesity from pregnancy.     

When soothing succeeds: Simulating a risk for repeated shaking in abusive head trauma in infants

PurposeTo investigate the observation that perpetrators of abusive head trauma engage in repeated shakings because shaking “works” to quiet the infant.MethodsSixty first-time parent couples individually cared for a programmable model infant in two consecutive 7-min trials. After six minutes of consolable followed by inconsolable crying, parents selected one of three soothing techniques. For trial one, parents were randomized to a “Successful” or “Failed” Soothing Condition. Whether the soothing technique was repeated after trial two was determined by the study investigators. Parents rated their frustration after each trial.ResultsAs hypothesized, parents were more likely to repeat a soothing technique that “worked” in trial one. Compared to fathers, mothers reported more frustration when soothing failed.ConclusionsThat caregivers were more likely to repeat a successful soothing technique converges with perpetrator confessions that crying cessation after shaking may be a reason why shaking is used repeatedly in response to crying.