The effects of the Newborn Behavioral Observations (NBO) system in early intervention: A multisite randomized controlled trial

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effect of an infant mental health intervention, the Newborn Behavioral Observations system (NBO), versus usual care (UC) on infant neurodevelopment and maternal depressive symptoms in early intervention (EI). This multisite randomized trial enrolled newborns into the NBO (n = 16) or UC group (n = 22) and followed them for 6 months. Outcome measures included the Battelle Developmental Inventory (BDI-2), Bayley Scales of Infants Development (BSID-III), and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). The CES-D and BSID-III were collected at 3- and 6-months post EI entry and the BDI-2 was collected at EI entry and 6-months post-EI entry. We estimated group differences [95% CI], adjusting for program characteristics. At 6 months, the NBO group had greater gains in Communication (b = 1.0 [0.2, 1.8]), Self-Care (b = 2.0 [0.1, 3.9]), Perception and Concepts (b = 2.0 [0.4, 3.6]), and Attention and Memory (b = 3.0 [0.4, 6.0]) than the UC group. The NBO group also had greater decline in maternal postnatal depressive symptoms (b = −2.0 [−3.7, −0.3]) than the UC group. Infants receiving the NBO infant mental health intervention had greater gains in cognitive and adaptive functions at 6 months than infants receiving UC. Caregivers receiving NBO care had greater improvements in maternal depressive symptoms than caregivers receiving UC.     

Studying the process of psychoanalytic parent–infant psychotherapy: Embodied and discursive aspects

This paper presents findings from an intensive, mixed methods case study of one session of psychoanalytic parent–infant psychotherapy (PPIP) addressing early relational trauma, and aims to shed light on the multimodal interactive processes that take place in the moment-to-moment exchanges comprising the therapeutic encounter. Different research methods were used on video material from PPIP sessions, including microanalysis of adult–infant interactions, discourse analysis of talk, and coding systems developed to study parent–infant interaction. These different perspectives were brought together with the clinical narrative to illuminate the complex, dynamic processes of parent–infant–therapist interaction. More specifically, the detailed analysis of one interactive episode revealed brief behavioral manifestations of fearful and disoriented states of mind, reflecting dysregulated interaction between mother and infant, which also powerfully affected the therapist. The processes through which the therapist gradually resolves this rupture are also described in detail. Through this pilot study, we were able to show that it is possible to systematically study the process of PPIP. The study contributes to the growing psychotherapy research literature that takes into account both the verbal domain and implicit, interactional processes in therapeutic practice, and underscores the therapist's comprehensive engagement in the therapeutic process.     

From parent education to collective action: ‘Childrearing with love’ in post‐war Guatemala

The paper discusses the implementation and effect of group‐based parenting workshops oriented by the principles of liberation psychology in a low‐income, hispanicized community in Guatemala City. The objective of this initiative was not only to improve outcomes in the parent–child relationship, but to galvanize the formation of community‐based support groups that could have multiple ends. The theoretical foundations of the project are introduced, before illustrating their practical application. Sixteen months post‐intervention, largely positive effects were being sustained in parent child relations. The project was also successful in generating social action through the formation of grass‐roots women's organizations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

THE EFFECTS OF PARENT‐IMPLEMENTED PECS TRAINING ON IMPROVISATION OF MANDS BY CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

The present study examined the extent to which mothers were able to train their children, 2 boys with autism, to exchange novel pictures to request items using the picture exchange communication system (PECS). Generalization probes assessing each child's ability to mand for untrained items were conducted throughout conditions. Using a multiple baseline design, results demonstrated that both children improvised by using alternative symbols when the corresponding symbol was unavailable across all symbol categories (colors, shapes, and functions) and that parents can teach their children to use novel pictorial response forms.     

A Review of Childrearing in African American Single Mother Families: The Relevance of a Coparenting Framework

Clinical research on African American single mother families has focused largely on mother-child dyads, with relatively less empirical attention to the roles of other adults or family members who often assist with childrearing. This narrow definition of “family” fails to take into account the extended family networks which often provide support for African American single mother families and the influence of these other adults on maternal parenting and youth adjustment. Our review integrates the literature on the role of extended family members, highlights the strengths and limitations of this work, and proposes the use of theory and methods from the coparenting literature to guide future study in this area. The relevance of the study of coparenting for family-based intervention efforts targeting African American youth from single mother homes is addressed.     

Training parent implementation of discrete-trial teaching: effects on generalization of parent teaching and child correct responding

Behavioral skills training was used to teach 3 parents to implement discrete-trial teaching with their children with developmental disabilities. Parents learned to implement discrete-trial training, their skills generalized to novel programs, and the children's correct responding increased, suggesting that behavioral skills training is an effective and efficient method of teaching discrete-trial teaching to parents.     

青少年亲子关系与心理健康的相关研究

本文采用亲子关系测验(PCRR)与SCL-90量表评定了349名青少年的亲子关系与心理健康状况,运用相关分析的方法探讨了亲子关系对心理健康的影响。结果表明：80％以上的青少年家庭至少存在一种不良的亲子关系,其中最突出的类型为期待型亲子关系、溺爱型亲子关系和不安型亲子关系;青少年在强迫症、人际关系不良、焦虑和敌对等方面存在比较多的心理健康问题;亲子关系与心理健康状况存在显著的高相关,不同类型的不良好亲子关系与青少年不同的心理健康问题有关。     

Intergenerational transmission of qualities of the parent–child relationship in the population-based Young Finns Study

We examined the intergenerational transmission of parent–child relationship qualities in a population-based Finnish sample of 1418 participants (G2) and their mothers (G1). At baseline, G1 (Mage = 38) reported qualities of the parent–child relationship in terms of emotional warmth and acceptance towards G2 (age range 3–18). After 28 years, G2 (Mage = 39) rated the qualities of the parent–child relationship regarding their own children using the same questionnaire. Emotional warmth and acceptance were transmitted across generations even after controlling for demographic and family characteristics in both generations. The transmission was stronger for emotional warmth than acceptance. For emotional warmth, intergenerational transmission was stronger for men than women. The findings provide evidence for the long-term transmission of parenting quality across generations.     

Support reciprocity and depression among elementary school and high school students1

Abstract: This study examined the relationship between support reciprocity in friendships and depression among elementary school and high school students, taking specific account of the quality of parent‐child relationships. The participants were 340 first‐year high school students and 317 sixth‐year elementary school students, all of whom completed questionnaires measuring levels of depression and support receiving and support giving in the relationship with their best friend. In addition, high school students answered questions about their parents’ child‐rearing attitudes. Consistent with predictions, it was shown that support reciprocity correlated significantly with lower depression among high school students but not among elementary school students. Moreover, it was found that for high school students who perceived their parents as caring and affectionate, support reciprocity related significantly to lower depression but not for those who perceived their parents as distant and dismissive.     

Effectiveness and acceptability of parent training via telehealth among families around the world

Teaching parents to conduct functional analyses and to implement functional communication training is an efficacious approach for treating socially maintained problem behavior (Derby et al., 1997). Research has found that delivering this assessment and intervention package via telehealth technologies is efficient and acceptable to caregivers in the United States (Wacker et al., 2013b). We replicated this work with families residing in rural and urban areas of eight countries. Two behavior therapists located in the United States conducted appointments in the participants' native languages, using interpreters as needed. Parent‐implemented functional analyses and treatment with functional communication training were highly effective in reducing problem behavior in children diagnosed with autism. Furthermore, parents rated the procedures as acceptable and indicated that the treatment would be effective with their children. These findings indicate that telehealth technologies are a viable option for clinicians to provide behavior analysis services to families around the world.