Familial Children Research Articles

Perceraian dan Perkembangan Psikologis Anak: Analisis Tematis Temuan Tinjauan Literatur

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of divorce on children's psychological development, including changes in their behavior, emotional stability, response to stress, and adaptability, and to understand the factors that influence such impacts as social support and parent-child relationships.
 Methods – This research employing literature review methodology, this study delves into data extracted from pertinent journals, articles, and research studies. The collected data underwent thematic analysis to discern prevalent patterns and themes concerning the ramifications of divorce on children's psychological growth. Key areas of inquiry encompass behavioral shifts, stress levels, and resilience of children in navigating through the aftermath of divorce. Furthermore, this research endeavors to identify factors that may exacerbate or ameliorate these impacts, such as social support and psychological guidance.
 Findings – The findings of this study underscore that divorce can precipitate psychological effects manifested in alterations in children's behavior, emotional equilibrium, and sense of responsibility. Additionally, children may experience feelings of anxiety, distress, sadness, shame, and bewilderment following divorce. It is anticipated that the insights gained from this study will advance our understanding of the intricate ways in which divorce shapes children's psychological development.
 Research implications –The findings of this research contribute to theoretical frameworks regarding the psychological impact of divorce on children, shedding light on the nuanced interplay between familial upheaval and children's emotional well-being. This deepened understanding enhances existing theories of child development and family dynamics, offering insights into the mechanisms through which divorce affects children's psychological adjustment and resilience.
 Originality/value – The findings of this study provide novel insights into the nuanced ways in which divorce shapes children's psychological development. By highlighting the diverse range of psychological effects experienced by children following divorce, this study advances our understanding of the complexities involved in this process, thereby enriching theoretical frameworks in the field of child development and family dynamics.

Multigenerational care or parental care? Familial care types, social–emotional development and mediation of parent–child relationship of single‐parent children in mainland China

AbstractChildren from single‐parent families are at risk for problems related to social–emotional development (SED). This study investigated the associations between familial care types and single‐parent children's SED, and the possible pathways through the mediation of parent–child relationship. This study analysed 431 single‐parent children (50.0% girls) drawn from a local database with a total of 2507 children studying in Grades 4 to 8. We compared the SED of single‐parent children in multigenerational care and those in parental care. We then tested the possible mediating effect of parent–child relationship between familial care types and children's SED. The study found that there were no deficits in the SED of single‐parent children in multigenerational care compared with those in parental care. Multigenerational care had no direct relationship with the SED of single‐parent children after the mediator of the parent–child relationship was entered. The parent–child relationship mediated the associations between familial care types and four dimensions of the single‐parent children's SED. These findings provided support for multigenerational and parental care, and also directions for family care strategies and developing social service programmes to promote the SED of single‐parent children in China.

The interplay among familial risk, narrative coherence, and emotional problems from early to middle childhood.

The present study is a longitudinal extension (long-term follow-up) of a previous study examining the promotive and protective role of children's narrative coherence in the association between early familial risk factors and children's emotional problems from early to middle childhood. A total of 293 (T1; M age = 2.81), 239 (T2; M age = 3.76), and 189 (long-term follow-up T3; M age = 9.69) children from 25 childcare centers participated in this study. Familial risk factors were assessed at T1 using a caregiver interview and questionnaire. Narrative coherence was assessed using the MacArthur Story Stem Battery that was administered to the children at T2. Children's emotional problems were rated by the caregivers and by their teachers at T2 and T3. Results suggest that familial risk factors are linked to more emotional problems both in the short-term (T2) and the long-term (T3). Further, although some of the effects of relevant magnitude did not reach statistical significance, results pertaining to the role of narrative coherence indicate that it might have a promotive and protective effect in the short-term as well as a promotive effect in the long-term. These findings point to the relevance of children's narrative coherence as a cognitive ability and personality factor that contributes to more positive development and to better coping with adverse familial experiences.

Mental health professionals’ awareness of the parental functioning of persons with severe mental disorders: a retrospective chart study

Background:The proportion of persons with severe mental illness (SMI) who are parents has increased in recent decades. Children of parents with SMI are at increased risk for medical, behavioral, emotional, developmental, academic, and social problems. They also have an increased risk for injuries, accidents, and mortality, addictions, and various psychiatric disorders compared to children of parents with no such diagnoses. We aimed to examine the extent to which mental health professionals (MHPs) who treat adult patients with SMI in ambulatory settings are aware of these individuals’ functioning in three parenting domains: parental functioning, familial support system and children’s conditions. We also compared psychiatrists’ awareness with that of psychologists and social workers.Methods:In this retrospective practice-oriented study, we reviewed 80 clinical files of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, affective disorder or personality disorder treated in a mental health outpatient clinic, using the Awareness of Family’s Mental Health Checklist (AFMHC) developed for this study. Thus, awareness was determined on the basis of what was recorded in the patient file.Results:Almost half of the MHPs were unaware to their patients’ parental functioning as only 44% of files contained records relating to this issue. Awareness to other domains was even lower: 24% of files contained information on patient’s support system and 12% had information about their children’s mental and/or physical health. No statistically significant differences between psychiatrists and other MHPs were found with regards to awareness to the various domains. Positive correlations were found among MHP’s for awareness in the three domains.Conclusion:Lack of awareness among MHPs to their patients’ parental functioning is not specific to a certain profession and may be attributed to patients (e.g., reluctance to disclose relevant information) or to MHPs (e.g., lack of training). Awareness of family and parental functioning by MHPs working with persons with SMI should be part of a standard procedure, integrated into policy and training.

Maternal heritage language proficiency and child bilingual heritage language learning

ABSTRACT ‘Should I talk to my child in a language that I am not good at?’ This question reveals the dilemma that many bilingual parents are facing. In the current study, 301 English-Mandarin bilinguals’ mothers in Singapore self-evaluated their Mandarin proficiency and we assessed the 4–5 years old children’s Mandarin receptive vocabulary and grammar. We also investigated children’s bilingual language exposure with a parental questionnaire and children’s phonological short-term memory with CTOPP. The results indicated that mothers’ Mandarin proficiency would affect the amount of Mandarin they speak to their children. Those mothers with a medium- or high-level Mandarin proficiency demonstrated a significantly stronger influence on children’s Mandarin vocabulary and grammar than the mothers with lower Mandarin proficiency. Specifically, mothers’ Mandarin proficiency mediated the relations between familial SES and children’s Mandarin skills after controlling children’s Mandarin exposure at home, gender, and short-term phonological memory. Our findings suggest the unique role that maternal Mandarin proficiency plays in early heritage language learning. It indicates that mothers who have a decent command of heritage language should be encouraged to use this language more often with their children, considering maternal heritage language proficiency as a promotive factor from the influence of low SES.

Evaluation of hearing in familial Mediterranean fever children

Aim of the workFamilial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is the most prevalent monogenic auto-inflammatory illness worldwide. It is characterised by periods of self-limiting fever and polyserositis, including pleuritis as well as peritonitis. This study attempted to assess hearing in paediatric FMF patients on colchicine treatment. Patients and methodsA hundred children with FMF (7–18 years old) (male/female: 43/57) were recruited. Audiological assessments were performed for all patients, including transient-evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE), tympanometry, as well as pure-tone audiometry (PTA) tests. Severity score, response to treatment and type of MEFV gene mutation were assessed. ResultsThe mean age of patients was 11 ± 3 years and disease duration 7.1 ± 2.7 years. Fourteen patients were normal in all audiological tests, whereas 86 patients had impaired hearing (Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in one or both ears). PTA results were normal in 23 patients and bilaterally impaired in 50 patients and unilaterally impaired in 27 patients. TEOAE results showed that 37 patients had a bilateral pass test, nine patients had a unilateral pass test, 11 patients had a bilateral partial pass test, eight patients had a unilateral partial pass test, and 40 patients had a bilateral fail test, and seven patients had a unilateral fail test. The patients were 22 % homozygous, 52 % heterozygous, and 26 % compound heterozygous. M694I was the most prevalent allele (32 %) in the current study. There were no statistically substantial correlations between audiological parameters and other variables. ConclusionsChildren with FMF seem to have an increased risk of hearing impairment due to the affection of cochlear functions.

Emotion regulation in 7‐year‐old children with familial high risk for schizophrenia or bipolar disorder compared to controls – The Danish High Risk and Resilience Study – VIA 7, a population‐based cohort study

Emotion regulation is a predictor of overall life outcome. Problems of emotion regulation are associated with multiple psychiatric disorders and could be a potential treatment target for improving well-being and functioning. Children at familial high risk of severe mental illness have a markedly increased risk of various psychopathology and constitute a group at significant risk of emotion regulation problems. Investigations of emotion regulation in children at familial high risk of severe mental illness are sparse. We applied an instrument for assessing emotion regulation, the Tangram Emotion Coding Manual (TEC-M), to a population-based cohort of 522 7-year-old children born to parents diagnosed with either schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and matched controls. The TEC-M is an ecologically valid, clinician-rated observational test measure of spontaneous emotion regulation. We aimed to compare emotion regulation between risk groups and to investigate associations between emotion regulation and psychopathology and daily life functioning, and between emotion regulation and an acknowledged questionnaire-based dysregulation profile. In this early developmental phase, we found no between group differences in emotion regulation. We found a significant but weak negative association between emotion regulation and both child psychopathology and the presence of a dysregulation profile on the Child Behavior Checklist and a weak positive association between emotion regulation and current level of functioning. These findings contribute to the understanding of emotion regulation in familial high-risk children and further studies of emotion regulation in children at familial high risk of severe mental illness are warranted.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Is of Clinical Significance Regarding Emotional and Behavioral Problems in 7-Year-Old Children With Familial Risk of Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder and Population-Based Controls the Danish High Risk and Resilience Study-VIA 7; A Population-Based Cohort Study.

BackgroundChildren born to parents with severe mental illness are at increased risk of mental and behavioral difficulties during childhood. We aimed to investigate the occurrence of clinically significant behavioral difficulties in 7-year-old children of parents diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder as well as in control children by using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Further, we aimed to determine if the SDQ could function as a screening instrument for clinically relevant behavioral problems of children at high risk of these severe mental illnesses.MethodsBy means of the Danish National Registers, we established a cohort of 522 7-year old children stratified by familial high risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorder (N = 202), bipolar disorder (N =120), and controls (N = 200). The child's primary caregiver completed the SDQ parent version and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) while the schoolteacher completed the SDQ teacher version and the CBCL teacher equivalent; the Teachers Report Form (TRF). Finally, global functioning was assessed with the Children's Global Assessment Scale (CGAS).ResultsChildren with familial high risk of schizophrenia spectrum disorder or bipolar disorder have a significantly increased risk (OR = 3.8 and 2.3) of suffering clinically significant behavioral difficulties at age 7-years according to SDQ parent ratings. The SDQ discriminates with moderate to high sensitivity and high specificity between familial high-risk children with and without a psychiatric diagnosis and has overall compelling discriminatory abilities in line with the more time consuming CBCL/TRF.Conclusions Familial high-risk children have more behavioral difficulties and more frequently at a level indicative of mental illness compared to control children as measured by the SDQ. The SDQ works well as a screening instrument for clinically relevant behavioral problems in high-risk children.

Exploring protective and risk factors in the home environment in high-risk families \u2013 results from the Danish High Risk and Resilience Study\u2014VIA 7

BackgroundExposure to inadequate home environment may put the healthy development of familial high-risk children at risk. This study aimed to investigate associations between risk factors and an adequate home environment of children having a parent diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.MethodsFrom a cohort of 522 children, data from 463 7-year-old children was included. Of these 172 children had familial risk for schizophrenia, 109 children had familial risk for bipolar disorder, and 190 were population-based controls. As part of a comprehensive battery, all participants were assessed with the Middle Childhood-Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Inventory (MC-HOME Inventory) measuring the quality of the home environment.ResultsWhen analyzing all families together, we found that having a parent diagnosed with schizophrenia would have a negative impact on the home environment (ß = -1.08; 95% CI (-2.16;-0.01); p = 0.05), while familial risk for bipolar disorder did not show significant predictive value. Being a single caregiver and child having experienced severe life events from ages 4 to 7 showed significant negative impact, while child having a mental illness diagnosis did not. Being a female caregiver, good social functioning of the caregiver, high child IQ and not being a single caregiver were found to predict positive values for the home environment. We found similar results when analyzing caregivers with and without a diagnosis separately.ConclusionsKnowledge of what predicts good home environment should be used to inform development of early interventions for families at risk.

The Electroretinogram as a Potential Biomarker of Psychosis in Children at Familial Risk.

We previously proposed the electroretinogram (ERG) as a promising biomarker of major psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BP), given that we found anomalies in the ERG parameters of patients with these diagnoses as well as in their children who are at high risk (HR) of developing such disorders. The aim of the present study is to investigate the usefulness of the ERG for individual detection, among HR children, of an ERG profile resembling that of a SZ patient, as this may indicate a stronger likelihood of transition to psychosis. Using a logistic regression model previously derived from the ERG assessments of SZ patients and control (CT) subjects, individual risk scores were obtained for 61 HR and 80 CT youth. Those with a very high individual risk score were classified as "schizophrenia-like" (SZ-like). We found that the HR subjects were 3.5 times more likely to be classified as SZ-like than the CT subjects (95% CI [1.1-11.8]). Furthermore, among the HR subjects, we studied the relationship between the SZ-like classification and psychotic-like experiences and found that HR subjects classified as SZ-like were 2.7 times more likely than all remaining HR subjects to have experienced psychotic-like symptoms (95% CI [1.3-4.6]), and 6.8 times more likely than those with a very low individual risk score (95% CI [1.4-40.4]). Our results suggest that a model previously derived from ERG data on SZ patients could be a potential tool for early detection of the susceptibility to a psychotic-like disorder among familial HR children.

COVID-19 and home confinement: A study on fathers, father-child relationships and child adjustment.

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to explore fathers' adjustment and father–child relationships during the first peak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) outbreak (April 2020). More particularly, the study analysed paternal perceptions of changes concerning familial economic conditions and children's psychological difficulties (viz., emotional problems and hyperactivity) during the lockdown produced by the current pandemic. Furthermore, we investigated the following correlates of fathers' parenting stress: socio‐demographic condition, paternal individual stress, anxiety, depression and changes in the father–child relationship during the outbreak.MethodsA total of 102 fathers (mean age = 41.60 years; SD = 11.54) with minor children were recruited through an online survey and reported data about their socio‐economic condition, anxiety, and depressive levels, parenting stress, offspring's adjustment, and changes in their relationship with their children.ResultsAs for the economic conditions, participants were equally distributed between those who did not perceive changes and those who perceived a worsening. With regard to changes in the child's psychological difficulties, results showed that levels of children's emotional problems and inattention/hyperactivity had significantly increased during the lockdown period. A multiple linear regression analysis highlighted that the principal predictor of paternal parenting stress was living in the regions most affected by the COVID‐19 pandemic, followed by high levels of paternal anxiety symptomatology and high levels of worsening of the relationship with the child during the pandemic.ConclusionsOverall, our study suggests to consider the effects of COVID‐19 on fathers as well, as they have been rather overlooked by previous research that has mainly focused on mothers, and to plan specific interventions able to also take them into account.

Impact of Covid-19 on Domestic Violence in South Asia

Domestic violence, rooted in patriarchy and conservatism, significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting a challenge to gender justice. This study examines the pandemic's impact on domestic violence in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, using an exploratory mixed-methods approach. In-depth interviews (IDIs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) with practitioners and experts, alongside a web-based survey with field-level practitioners and community members, revealed that domestic violence surged during the pandemic. Factors such as mobility restrictions, loss of livelihoods, and prolonged presence of men at home exacerbated violence against women and young girls. Additionally, increased household chores, school closures, and the absence of recreational activities led to heightened aggression. The findings highlight that domestic violence was a widespread issue across social classes in South Asia, reflecting the pandemic's deep impact on socio-economic and familial dynamics, with women and children bearing the brunt of this crisis.

The Oxidative Stress-Induced miR-200c Is Upregulated in Psoriasis and Correlates with Disease Severity and Determinants of Cardiovascular Risk.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase and a higher risk of cardiovascular (CV) events. We previously showed that the miR-200 family (miR-200s) is induced by ROS, miR-200c being the most upregulated member responsible for apoptosis, senescence, ROS increase, and nitric oxide decrease, finally causing endothelial dysfunction. Moreover, circulating miR-200c increases in familial hypercholesterolemic children and in plaques and plasma of atherosclerotic patients, two pathologies associated with increased ROS. Given miR-200s' role in endothelial dysfunction, ROS, and inflammation, we hypothesized that miR-200s were modulated in lesional skin (LS) and plasma of psoriatic patients (Pso) and that their levels correlated with some CV risk determinants at a subclinical level. All Pso had severe psoriasis, i.e., Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) > 10, and one of the following: at least two systemic psoriasis treatments, age at onset < 40 years, and disease duration > 10 years. RNA was extracted from plasma (Pso, N = 29; Ctrl, N = 29) and from nonlesional skin (NLS) and LS of 6 Pso and 6 healthy subject skin (HS) biopsies. miR-200 levels were assayed by quantitative RT-PCR. We found that all miR-200s were increased in LS vs. NLS and miR-200c was the most expressed and upregulated in LS vs. HS. In addition, circulating miR-200c and miR-200a were upregulated in Pso vs. Ctrl. Further, miR-200c positively correlated with PASI, disease duration, left ventricular (LV) mass, LV relative wall thickness (RWT), and E/e′, a marker of diastolic dysfunction. Multiple regression analysis indicates a direct association between miR-200c and both RWT and LV mass. Circulating miR-200a correlated positively only with LV mass and arterial pressure augmentation index, a measure of stiffness, although the correlations were nearly significant (P = 0.06). In conclusion, miR-200c is upregulated in LS and plasma of Pso, suggesting its role in ROS increase and inflammation associated with CV risk in psoriasis.

VIA Family\u2014a family-based early intervention versus treatment as usual for familial high-risk children: a study protocol for a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundChildren born to parents with a severe mental illness, like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major recurrent depression, have an increased risk of developing a mental illness themselves during life. These children are also more likely to have developmental delays, cognitive disabilities, or social problems, and they may have a higher risk than the background population of experiencing adverse life events. This is due to both genetic and environmental factors, but despite the well-documented increased risk for children with a familial high risk, no family-based early intervention has been developed for them. This study aims to investigate the effect of an early intervention that focuses on reducing risk and increasing resilience for children in families where at least one parent has a severe mental illness.Methods/designThe study is a randomized clinical trial with 100 children aged 6–12 with familial high risk. It is performed in the context of the Danish health-care system. Families will be recruited from registers or be referred from the primary sector or hospitals. The children and their parents will be assessed at baseline and thereafter randomized and allocated to either treatment as usual or VIA Family. The intervention group will be assigned to a multidisciplinary team of specialists from adult mental health services, child and adolescent mental health services, and social services. This team will provide the basic treatment elements: case management, psychoeducation for the whole family, parental training, a safety plan, and potentially an early intervention if the child has mental problems. The study period is 18 months for both groups, and all participants will be assessed at baseline and after 18 months. The primary outcome measure will be daily functioning of the child, and the secondary measures are the psychopathology of the child, days of absence from school, family functioning, child’s home environment, and parental stress.DiscussionThis study is to our knowledge the first to explore the effects of a multidisciplinary team intervention that provides an intensive and flexible support to match the families’ needs for children with a familial high risk for severe mental illness. The study will provide important knowledge about the potential for increasing resilience and reducing risk for children by supporting the whole family. However, a longer follow-up period may be needed.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03497663. Registered on 13 April 2018.

The clinical and molecular diversity of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia in children: Results from the GeneTics of clinical homozygous hypercholesterolemia (GoTCHA) study

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (hoFH) is either diagnosed on the identification of pathogenic genetic variants in LDLR, APOB, or PCSK9 or by phenotypic parameters of which an extremely elevated LDL-C level >13mmol/L (>500mg/dL) is the most prominent hallmark. Little is known about the clinical spectrum in children with hoFH. We set out to investigate the phenotypical spectrum of genetically defined hoFH in our pediatric cohort and evaluated how many pediatric patients, now classified as heterozygous, carry a second mutation, which would reclassify these patients as hoFH. We analyzed the data of a total of 1903 children with molecularly proven FH. Subsequently we performed candidate gene sequencing in the cohort of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia children in whom the LDL-C level was above the lowest level measured in the pediatric patients with hoFH. Of our 13 hoFH children, 8 (62%) had LDL-C levels below the clinical hoFH criteria of 13mmol/L (500mg/dL). In the remaining 1890 patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, 64 (3.4%) had LDL-C levels equal to or above the lowest LDL-C level in a patient with hoFH carrying 2 deleterious variants (8.36mmol/L or 323.3mg/dL). No additional pathogenic variants in LDLR and APOB were identified. In 2 related patients, a PCSK9 gain of function mutation was found. We show that LDL-C levels vary among pediatric patients with molecularly proven hoFH, and that most of these patients do not meet the clinical LDL-C criteria for hoFH. The levels overlap with LDL-C levels in true heterozygous patients. This warrants a critical reappraisal of the current LDL-C cutoffs for the phenotypic diagnosis of hoFH in children.

Linking Family Functioning and Self-Discrepancies among Children with Functional Somatic Symptoms

Functional somatic symptoms (FSS), defined as physical symptoms of unknown pathology, are common among children and adolescents and are often associated with high levels of functional impairment. Self-discrepancy theory (SDT) suggests that discrepancies between one’s ideal, ought, or undesired self-states and one’s actual self-representation may lead to emotional distress. Among families with dysfunctional patterns, such emotional distress may result in FSS. The current study examined the relationship between familial patterns and children’s levels of self-discrepancies, among children with and without FSS. Twenty-three children diagnosed with FSS and 23 children with orthopedic problems (non-FSS) and their mothers participated in the study. Mothers and children completed the Child Somatization Inventory and the Integrated Self-Discrepancies Index. Mothers also completed the general scale of the Family Assessment Device. Higher levels of symptom intensity were found in the FSS group than in the non-FSS group. Dysfunctional familial patterns were significantly higher in the FSS group, and higher levels of discrepancies were reported in the FSS group, compared with the non-FSS group. No significant relationship was found in the FSS group between level of self-state discrepancies and level of family functioning. Higher levels of dysfunctional patterns are observed among families of children with FSS. Furthermore, children with FSS and their mothers hold relatively high levels of self-state discrepancies. However, these elevated discrepancies are not significantly related to familial dysfunctional patterns. Viewing self-state discrepancies together with family maladaptive patterns might help address both inter- and intrapersonal conflicts within the family and reduce children’s symptoms.

Like mother like daughter: low birth weight and preeclampsia tend to reoccur at the next generation

Background: Low birth weight and preeclampsia are both adverse pregnancy and delivery outcomes, with possible influence on future health status. Previous studies have shown that intergenerational factors may be important prognostic information in evaluating women prior to or after conception. Our objective was to evaluate the role of intergenerational factors on the incidence of preeclampsia and low birth weight (LBW).Methods: A retrospective population-based study was conducted. Perinatal information was gathered from 2311 familial triads, comprising mothers (F1), daughters (F2), and children (F3). All births occurred in a tertiary medical center between 1991 and 2013. A multivariate generalized estimating equation logistic regression model analysis was used to study the association between LBW and preeclampsia across generations while controlling for confounders and for clusters of families in the database.Results: A total of 1490 in F1, 1616 in F2, and 2311 in F3 were included. LBW in mothers (F2), adjusted for possible confounders, was found to be a significant predictor for LBW in offspring (OR = 1.6, 95% CI 1.02–2.6, p = .043). Likewise, preeclampsia was also noted as a significant intergenerational factor following adjustments for possible confounders (OR = 2.9, 95% CI 1.4–5.8, p = .004).Conclusions: Maternal LBW and preeclampsia are both independent risk factors for recurrence in the next generation.

Патологія родинного життя – насильство в сім’ї

Depending on the severity of parental violence, alcoholism, and other manifestations of familial pathology, children and adolescents exhibit many physical, psychological and emotional characteristics that affect how they function in a functioning social system.In this article I am addressing the issue of the impact of domestic violence on aggressive behavior of children and adolescents. Aggression can be a manifestation of aversive experiences and predictable benefits. Conversational experiences produce the general state of emotional stimulation, which can lead to several types of behavior, depending on how the individual learned to cope with stress (aggression, withdrawal, request for help). Aggression can also occur in the absence of emotional stimulation when an individual thinks that such behavior will lead to the desired result.In this discussion, I will adopt a compromise position, increasingly accepted in the literature. It combines various theories of aggression and assumes that aggressive behaviors of man are the result of frustration and persevere as a result of social learning. Depending on the severity of parental violence, alcoholism, and other manifestations of familial pathology, children and adolescents exhibit many physical, psychological and emotional characteristics that affect how they function in a functioning social system. In this article I am addressing the issue of the impact of domestic violence on aggressive behavior of children and adolescents. Aggression can be a manifestation of aversive experiences and predictable benefits. Conversational experiences produce the general state of emotional stimulation, which can lead to several types of behavior, depending on how the individual learned to cope with stress (aggression, withdrawal, request for help). Aggression can also occur in the absence of emotional stimulation when an individual thinks that such behavior will lead to the desired result.In this discussion, I will adopt a compromise position, increasingly accepted in the literature. It combines various theories of aggression and assumes that aggressive behaviors of man are the result of frustration and persevere as a result of social learning.

Dichotic listening as an index of lateralization of speech perception in familial risk children with and without dyslexia

Atypical language lateralization has been marked as one of the factors that may contribute to the development of dyslexia. Indeed, atypical lateralization of linguistic functions such as speech processing in dyslexia has been demonstrated using neuroimaging studies, but also using the behavioral dichotic listening (DL) method. However, so far, DL results have been mixed. The current study assesses lateralization of speech processing by using DL in a sample of children at familial risk (FR) for dyslexia. In order to determine whether atypical lateralization of speech processing relates to reading ability, or is a correlate of being at familial risk, the current study compares the laterality index of FR children who did and did not become dyslexic, and a control group of readers without dyslexia. DL was tested in 3rd grade and in 5/6th grade. Results indicate that at both time points, all three groups have a right ear advantage, indicative of more pronounced left-hemispheric processing. However, the FR-dyslexic children are less good at reporting from the left ear than controls and FR-nondyslexic children. This impediment relates to reading fluency.

Medical Decision-Making for Minors: Using Care Ethics to Empower Adolescents and Amend the Current Power Imbalances

In light of preconceived notions in Western society that children make irrational decisions, society often wants to “protect children from themselves” (Doyal and Henning 1994, 771). In Eastern countries, notions of familial hierarchies, respect, and harmony remove children from decision-making contexts and promote nonemotive silence (Wang and Marsh 1992, 85; McLaughlin and Braun 1998, 118). One must be wary of unquestioningly valuing parental choice as it can cause medical, personal, and familial harm while disregarding the importance of children’s autonomy, regardless of how “limited” or “incompetent” it may be. It is unjust to generalise and say that children are inexperienced and thus lack capacity to make decisions. It is also unjust if cultural notions disregard the child’s voice. For children who have been ill their whole lives, it can be certain that they have a greater capacity to understand their situations than they are given credit for—it may even be reasonable for them to “prefer death” and voice that thought (Raymond 1999, 15). I am writing from an “end-of-life” perspective where minors are severely ill, probably have been for a long time, and should have the opportunity to refuse treatment and have that decision respected. This fact is not mentioned often throughout the essay because although end-of-treatment care for children prompted my research, I believe minors have an overarching ability and right to have a role in their medical decision-making, regardless of the severity of the situation. I am not suggesting that adolescents should make decisions unaided. I do recommend, however, a care ethics approach that calls upon guardians and professionals to assist with the adolescent-patient’s understanding of the situation by contextualising the situation and offering valuable information and teaching via open communication. This enhances and develops patients’ capacity, values it, while also providing the opportunity for professionals and guardians to evaluate their capacity which is currently a difficult process. Contextualised by the current dynamics between parent, child and medical professional, it is clear that a care ethics approach is a beneficial way to rebalance the power between these parties and fix many of the issues integral to a) unjustified overt paternal authority; and b) not acknowledging or valuing a minor’s capacity, for families all over the world from Canada to New Zealand to China, Malaysia and India.