Maternal Locus Research Articles

Pathogenesis of Placental Site Trophoblastic Tumor May Require the Presence of a Paternally Derived X Chromosome

Placental site trophoblastic tumor (PSTT) is a neoplastic proliferation of intermediate trophoblasts that invades the myometrium at the placental site after a pregnancy. Less than 100 cases have been reported. Information of the sex assignment of the antecedent gestation is available in 21 cases: 18 of these were female. To explore this interesting phenomenon, we have determined the sex chromosome composition of the tumor tissue preserved in paraffin blocks for five new cases of this condition. The last documented gestational event included a normal vaginal delivery of female infants in three cases, normal vaginal delivery of an infant of unknown sex in one case and a molar gestation in one case. Using the X-linked human androgen receptor (AR) gene as a polymorphic marker, we showed that in all five cases the tumor had a likely XX chromosomal composition; and in four cases it was possible to determine that one of the X chromosomes was of paternal origin. In one case, the paternal X chromosome showed no polymorphism to either maternal X chromosomes. In addition, sensitive semi-nested PCR failed to show a human Y chromosome element in any of the five cases of PSTT. Overall, of 21 cases from the literature and 5 cases of ours, 89% (23 of 26) showed an XX genomic composition in PSTT, either by history or genetic analysis. These results suggest that most PSTT were derived from the antecedent female conceptus and were likely to have possessed a functional paternal X chromosome. Methylation status analysis at the AR locus was performed in the three PSTT in which the paternal X chromosome was identifiable. In two cases, the paternal AR locus was hypomethylated while the corresponding maternal locus was hypermethylated. The methylation status of other loci was not investigated. Collectively, sex chromosome analysis of five cases of PSTT with literature support suggests a unique genetic basis for the development of PSTT that involves the paternal X chromosome. Although largely speculative, an active paternal X chromosome may be of importance in the pathogenesis of PSTT.

Genetic mapping of a maternal locus responsible for familial hydatidiform moles.

Hydatidiform mole (HM) is the product of an aberrant human pregnancy in which there is an abnormal embryonic development and proliferation of placental villi. The incidence of HM varies between ethnic groups, and occurs in 1 in every 1500 pregnancies in the USA. All HM cases are sporadic, except for extremely rare familial cases. The exact mechanisms leading to molar pregnancies are unknown. We previously postulated that women with recurrent hydatidiform moles are homozygous for an autosomal recessive defective gene. To map this gene genetically, we initiated a genome-wide scan with highly polymorphic short tandem repeats in individuals from two families with recurrent HM. Here, we demonstrate that a defective maternal gene is responsible for recurrent HM. This gene resides on chromosome 19q13.3-13.4 in a 15.2 cM interval flanked by D19S924 and D19S890. The identification of a gene for HM adds new insights into the molecular genetics of early embryogenesis and may be relevant to the large number of patients with sporadic HM.

Mother and teacher reports of behaviour and perceived self-competence of children with hydrocephalus.

The present study was designed to explore the social and behavioural functioning of children with hydrocephalus. The sample comprised 14 children with hydrocephalus (without spina bifida) and 14 controls with no history of neurological impairment matched for age and gender. Children were asked to report on their self-perceptions of academic and physical competence and on peer and maternal acceptance. In addition, mothers and teachers provided reports of the behavioural adjustment of both groups and mothers completed a questionnaire measuring locus of control orientation. Mothers of children with hydrocephalus also responded to a series of open-ended questions, their thoughts and feelings about the experience of having a child with hydrocephalus. Analyses of the data revealed that there was no difference in the self-perceptions of the two groups of children, although there was a trend for children with hydrocephalus to rate themselves as being lower in physical competence. There was a clear association between the presence of hydrocephalus and behaviour problems, with evidence of internalising and externalising problems being evident in the reports of both mothers and teachers, although the extent of agreement between the two informants was low. Maternal locus of control was related to behaviour problems in children with hydrocephalus, with a more external orientation being related to more behaviour problems. It is suggested that future researchers need to 1) focus on children's behaviour in context, 2) solicit data from a range of informants and 3) consider the complex transactions between biological and psychological factors to gain a fuller understanding of how hydrocephalus shapes children's development.

Relationships among Maternal Locus of Control, Prenatal Sources of Infant Feeding Information, and Infant Feeding Choices

Ninety-eight women were recruited for the study during their third trimester of pregnancy from private obstetrical practices. Each subject was asked to complete a demographic survey, a questionnaire on sources of infant feeding information, and an instrument which assessed locus of control (Generalized Expectancies for Internal Versus External Locus of Control, Rotter). Of the 89 subjects who completed the study, 30 planned to breastfeed, 28 planned to formula-feed, and 31 planned to feed a combination of breast milk and formula during the first month postpartum. Subjects’ ages ranged from 16 to 39 years. Ninety-eight percent of the participants were white and 62% had at least some college education. The three groups were not statistically different in age (p>.05) and education (p=.05). Locus of control scores were not statistically different among women in the three groups (p>.05). The most frequently cited sources of infant feeding information were health care providers (82%) and reading materials (82%). At least two-thirds of subjects indicated they had received information from family (75%) and/or friends (73%). There were no significant differences in information sources used by women in the three groups. Overall, subjects initiated the interaction more frequently with family (73%) and friends (73%) than with health care providers (30%). Although previous research suggests those with an external locus of control are more likely to initiate health education, the present study found no relationship between maternal locus of control and initiation of infant feeding discussions. Additional research is needed to explore strategies dietitians and other health care professionals can utilize to optimize breastfeeding promotion and education activities during the prenatal period.

Impoverished women's health locus of control and utilization of prenatal services

The relationship between maternal health locus of control and utilization of prenatal health services in a sample of impoverished mothers was examined. Assessments of maternal health locus of control, as well as a variety of sociodemographic and attitudinal variables, were collected from 228 Latino and Euro-American women in a United States county hospital maternity ward. Regression analyses revealed the importance of transportation, parity, perceived importance of prenatal care, and maternal health locus of control (internal and powerful others dimensions) to number of prenatal visits. «Internals» were less likely and «externals» were more likely to receive adequate care, a result contrary to prior results found with middle-class samples. The results underscore the importance of specifying the demographic characteristics of the sample in order to determine the relationships between health beliefs and health behavior, in addition to providing information on how the utilization of prenatal health services may be increased through intervention

The Relationship between Divorced Mothers' Perceived Control over Child Rearing and Children's Post-Divorce Development

The present research examines the contribution of divorced mothers' beliefs of control over child rearing to their children's development during the post-divorce period. Fifty-eight divorced, single mothers described their 4year-old children's positive and negative behavior and specific circumstances surrounding child-rearing events. Maternal locus of causality and perceived controllability were assessed. Maternal belief variables were compared with other familial variables (sex of child, time since separation, father-mother harmony, and father-child contact) in predicting children's post-divorce development. Regression analysis indicates that the full model, which included maternal beliefs, accounted for a significant portion of the variance in predicting children's self-esteem and fewer physical and psychological symptoms beyond nonbelief familial variables (restricted model). Implications for practitioners are discussed. Parents' beliefs about child rearing and their impact on children's development have become a prominent theme in contemporary socialization literature (Goodnow, 1988; Miller, 1988). Recent evidence suggests there is a moderating effect of parental social cognitions on parenting behavior (Bugental, Blue, & Lewis, 1990; Phillips, 1990; Sigel, 1986) and children's development (Miller, 1988). Examination of parental beliefs can provide a window to view a cumulative history of interaction between parents and children where parents' beliefs appear to impact developmental processes.

Factors Mediating Children's Health Care Attitudes

Children (N = 55; ages 6 to 15.5 years) and their mothers participated in a study to gather psychometric data for the Children's Health Care Attitudes Questionnaire (CHCAQ), and to explore how several variables (child's age, sex, cognitive-developmental level, experience with illness and health care, and health locus of control; maternal health care attitudes and health locus of control; and family socioeconomic status) might mediate children's differential responding to this measure. Additional support was obtained for satisfactory internal consistency and construct validity of the CHCAQ. Patterns of intercorrelations of CHCAQ scales were generally consistent with previous findings. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that those factors mediating children's health care attitudes differ for each CHCAQ scale. Findings suggest that a modified CHCAQ may be a useful instrument for assessing adults' health care attitudes.

Maternal depression and locus of control orientation as predictors of dyadic play behavior

Maternal locus of control orientation and depression were examined in relation to joint negotiation and coordination of mother-child play at 20 months. Subjects were 51 high-social-risk mothers and children. Mothers completed the I-E Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory prenatally and at 20 months; mother-child interaction was videotaped in a laboratory playroom at 20 months. Tapes were coded using the Control-Autonomy Balance Scales to evaluate maternal control and sensitivity and child engagement and autonomy. Analyses of dyadic play behavior indicated that maternal controllingness was related to an external locus of control orientation. Child engagement during play was related to the resolution of mild maternal depression. Les marques maternelles d'orientation contrǒle et la depression maternelle ont ete examinees en relation avec l'interaction commune et la coordination des jeux mere-enfant a 20 mois. Les sujets con-sistaient en 51 meres et enfants a haut risque social. Les meres completerent 1'Echelle I-E et l'Inventaire de Depression Beck prenatalement et a 20 mois; l'interaction mere-enfant fut filmee dans une salle de jeu laboratoire a 20 mois. Le cassettes video furent codees en utilisant les Echelles d'Equilibre Contriǒle-Autonomie. Le manque de contrǒle maternel durant le jeu etait lie a une adaptation dyadique marginale ou insuffisante. Les patterns en temps de depression maternelle et les marques de contrǒle etaient plus fortement lies au comportement de I'enfant qu'au comportement de la mere pendant la seance de jeu. En general, les profils psychologiques maternaux les moins optimaux etaient lies a des patterns plus negatifs d'adaptation de l'enfant a la mere pendant la seance de jeu.

Maternal Involvement in Residential Day Treatment

This study investigated the relationship between maternal locus of control and maternal involvement in children's residential day treatment and found that mothers who believed in their power to effect change were more involved. Implications for practice are explored.

Teaching interactions of black and Cuban teenage mothers and their infants

Possible factors related to maternal teaching styles are socioeconomic status, ethnic group membership, maternal age, maternal locus of control, and the mother's “hidden agenda” or goals for her child. In this study, 32 lower income, Black and Cuban, teenage and adult mothers and their 12 month old infants participated in a simple task teaching their infant how to operate a “Jack‐in‐the‐box”. The mothers were also interviewed on questionnaires designed to tap locus of control, “hidden agendas”, and demographic characteristics. The results showed that Cuban mothers demonstrated the task to their infant with verbalization significantly more often than the Black mothers. The groups did not differ on maternal “hidden agendas”. Adult mothers showed a more internal locus of control than teenage mothers. Infants of Black, teenage mothers vocalized significantly less often than infants of the other groups. Results of this study provide additional support for existing literature in which maternal age and cultural ...

Maternal locus of control and developmental gain demonstrated by high risk infants: a longitudinal analysis.

The short and long-term effects of a parent-infant training program for biologically handicapped infants was evaluated in terms of maternal locus of control. Twenty-four infants were evaluated on five developmental scales measuring motor, cognitive, and language functioning over a four-year period. Developmental gains on these indices were regressed against maternal locus of control partialing maternal education and socioeconomic status out of the relationship. The results indicated that maternal locus of control accounted for a substantial portion of variance in the developmental gains following the program intervention period. This was especially true for the cognitive and language indices. Locus of control in the mother, however, was not related to the motor indices, nor did it relate to cognitive and language gains achieved during the program intervention period. The results are discussed in terms of the mother's perceived contribution to infant progress in programs designed to produce sustained gains in early infant development.