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Copyright of Revista Iberoamericana de la Educación is the property of Instituto Corporativo Edwards Deming and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present study examines the implications of a pedagogical approach that views at-risk children as ‘specialized needs’ students lacking family resources, limiting their future educational and employment prospects. This approach deliberately addresses the distinctive needs of this population. The research investigates a case study conducted at an elementary school in Israel that includes at-risk students and which follows the proposed approach. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 15 at-risk students and 15 members of the teaching staff, as well as observations and document collection. Findings were analysed using qualitative-phenomenological methodology. Two main themes emerged: (1) differential responses to basic and optimal needs; (2) needs-supportive pedagogy. The findings demonstrate that the school adopts a pedagogical orientation wherein addressing at-risk students’ lack of home functionality is considered a prerequisite for learning. Study participants described the school as a ‘second home’ providing for students’ basic and optimal family needs, and fostering students’ development through cultivating a sense of belonging, empowerment, and self-worth. From a theoretical standpoint, this study presents a pedagogical concept that enhances knowledge of school-based educational interventions for at-risk students. From a practical standpoint, it presents an organisational model that can be studied and applied in similar educational systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In captive colonies, owl monkeys' mothers sometimes reject their newborns. To prevent, mortality infants are manually raised by veterinarians. Both parental separation and rejection are stressful experiences, associated with elevated stress, physical, and behavioural disorders. The effect of parental deprivation in IVITA's owl monkeys stress profiles and health is unknown. Methods: We compared stress biomarkers such as hair cortisol (using cortisol ELISA), stereotypic behaviours (with infrared cameras), and infection histories in juveniles separated from parents soon after birth (n = 14, ~17 months) and controls (n = 11, ~17 months). Results: Parentally deprived owl monkeys show higher infection rates than controls (p = .001). However, they display no higher incidence of biomarkers of stress: Neither stereotypic behaviour nor cortisol in hair was different between cohorts. Irrespective of deprivation status, rates of infection, and concentration of cortisol in hair were positively associated (R² = .29, p = .005). Conclusion: Early parental deprivation and natural high levels of cortisol secretion are associated with elevated infection levels in the IVITA owl monkey juveniles detectable up to 17 months post separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the level of self-trust in connection with empathy intensity level in different social situations of development in adolescence. Characteristics of self-trust in important spheres of life and empathy towards different categories of people in adolescents, living in complete and incomplete families, and also in orphanages were studied. The sample: 286 adolescents from Saint-Petersburg, Russia, aged 14-16 (126 boys;160 girls), including 97 orphanage teenagers (46 boys; 51 girls), 104 full families children (53 boys; 51 girls); 85 single-parent families children (40 boys; 45 girls). Self-trust survey by T.P.Skripkina was used to investigate self-trust level in significant spheres of life in adolescents. Empathy diagnostics by I.M.Yusupov was used to measure empathy level toward different people in adolescents. Data analyses included descriptive statistics analysis, Student's t-test, correlation analysis by Spirmen.Results of our study indicate, that self-trust in adolescence is not equally manifested in various spheres of life. Self-trust is expressed less in problematic areas: educational and relations with the opposite sex. Self-trust in the areas of relationships with peers and a family is expressed at the highest level. Social situation of development influences on self-trust: adolescents from full families, all indicators of self-trust are higher. The focus of empathy also varies among adolescents from full families and those who have experienced trauma of parting with parents. The findings showed the importance of not only the presence, but also the composition of the family for successful emotional development in adolescence.

Copyright of Journal of Tikrit University for Humanities is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The presence of the parents and the basic fundamental requirement in creating quality of life for children, especially the father, because the first role model for his children, as his image remains great does not match the greatness, an example of security, strength and masculinity and protects his children, an example of tenderness and kindness; because he embraces them, an example of love; an example of good education; because he guides them and advises them. Hence, the importance of having a father who instills values, attitudes, habits and concepts in the hearts of his children, this qualifies them for positive psychological compatibility with themselves first, and then with their external environment, which includes school and peer group in general. Psychological and emotional Compatibility can only occur within a family that provides children with affection, love, care, reassurance and a sense of stability. Any imbalance in the stability of this family through the loss of one of its main pillars from a father or mother may disturb its balance, which leads to cracking and the fall of its functions, her children are then subjected to emotional deprivation, which is a major cause of a lack of quality of life. Therefore, the current research came to study the level of quality of life of orphans in the intermediate stage, and in order to reach the objectives of the research the researcher built a scale consisting of (18) items, the researcher also selected a sample that included (150) orphans of males and females, and the researcher extracted items of the scale of coefficients of Validity and Stability in order to apply it to the research sample. After the researcher finished applying the quality of life measure to orphans, the results showed the following: a-The sample suffers from poor quality of life. b - There is no effect of variable (sex, and school stage) on the quality of life of orphans. After obtaining the results of the research, the researcher made a set of recommendations and suggestions, as follows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the association between perceived material deprivation, children's behavior problems, and parents' disciplinary practices. The sample included 1,418 8- to 12-year-old children and their parents in China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States. Multilevel mixed- and fixed-effects regression models found that, even when income remained stable, perceived material deprivation was associated with children's externalizing behavior problems and parents' psychological aggression. Parents' disciplinary practices mediated a small share of the association between perceived material deprivation and children's behavior problems. There were no differences in these associations between mothers and fathers or between high- and low- and middle-income countries. These results suggest that material deprivation likely influences children's outcomes at any income level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early childhood is important period for the child's mental health. Any negative experience associated with long separation from parents may lead to the development of frustration or deprivation. Parents and Crèche workers have a leading role in the process of psychosocial adaptation when they admit children to the day-care center. The purpose of the developed program for the preparation of children for crèche admission is to minimize the psychological stress that children experience when entering crèche and to avoid frustration and deprivation that negatively affect children's mental health and the overall process of their socialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal prenatal symptoms of depression and anxiety have been suggested to impose differential effects on later offspring development, depending on their characteristics, such as timing, intensity and persistence. Paternal symptoms have been less investigated. While knowledge on these trajectory characteristics is essential for improved comprehension of prenatal stress, prospective studies including both expecting parents have been scarce. We aim at identifying and comparing the trajectories of prenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms in both parents in a pregnancy cohort design. The sample included 3202 mothers and 2076 fathers who were recruited to the FinnBrain Birth Cohort study (). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and general anxiety by the anxiety scale of the Symptom Checklist -90 (SCL-90) repeatedly at 14, 24, and 34 gestational weeks. Five differential depressive and four anxiety symptom trajectories were identified across pregnancy both in mothers and in fathers. The trajectories of consistently low depressive or anxiety symptoms were associated with higher educational level in both parents, and with nulliparity and non-smoking during pregnancy in mothers. Parents with consistently high or increasing levels of symptoms had more often prenatal SSRI medication. The congruences between elevated depressive and anxiety symptoms at any point in pregnancy, as well as parental trajectories within families were low. However, in this population-based sample, the self-reported symptom levels of both parents were generally very low. Variance in timing and persistence of parent-reported prenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms is potentially important, while symptom trajectories are very similar in mothers and fathers. These differential symptom trajectories and the significance of their correlates should be acknowledged when studying prenatal stress exposures and the related outcomes in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract China's unprecedented economic boom has led a massive number of children left-behind by their peasant parents who have immigrated to urban areas in search of work. In current study, we explored how being left behind is associated with children's positive emotions and negative psychological traits by examining the differences in levels of happiness, self-esteem and anxiety between left-behind children (LBC) and non-LBC. A total of 448 students (aged 7–16) from three schools in Sichuan Province in China responded to the questionnaire. Fourteen teachers of LBC were invited to one-to-one interviews for in depth responses to LBC's behaviors and psychological well-being. The results revealed that non-LBC showed a higher level of happiness (t = −0.21, df = 258, p < 0.01) and a lower level of anxiety (t = 1.41, df = 406, p < 0.05) than LBC children. Among LBC, low grade children (primary school grades 3 and 4) reported a lower level of happiness (t = −0.73, df = 216, p <0.01) and self-esteem (t = −0.24, df = 191, p < 0.01) than their older counterparts (primary school grades 5 and 6). The teachers' accounts confirmed the statistical results that LBC suffered from the deprivation of parental care. According to the teachers, as LBC grew older, they developed an understanding of their own circumstances and came to appreciate their parents' decisions. With appropriate and adequate support provided to both LBC and the caretakers around them such as relatives and teachers, it may be possible to reduce the adverse impacts of parental deprivation on LBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines whether childless older Thais are more vulnerable to psychological distress relative to older adults with children. Drawing from the 2011 Survey of Older Persons in Thailand (n = 37,936), zero‐inflated negative binomial regression methods examine psychological distress of childless older adults relative to coresident and noncoresident parents. Analyses further explore how gender and marital status moderate this relationship. Results show that 40% of older Thais did not experience any symptoms of psychological distress in the past month. Compared to coresident parents, noncoresident parents showed a higher likelihood of experiencing psychological distress but being childless was associated with increased symptoms of psychological distress. While the relationship between parental status and psychological distress did not significantly differ by gender, marital status presents a significant moderating effect. Specifically, widowed childless older adults and widowed noncoresident parents experienced more symptoms of psychological distress relative to their married counterparts. In collectivistic societies, where the family unit is highly valued, and institutional support is weak, being childless and unmarried may negatively affect one's psychological well‐being in later life. Children and marriage are protective for older Thais’ psychological well‐being. The implications for social welfare policies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on patterns of individualization along with the lines of human development in youth and family in Southeast Europe. Topics include changes in family life through the perceptions of youth, there seems to be wide consensus that moving away from parents represented a crucial milestone on the path of adulthood.

The current study explored the relations between interparental conflict, parental attachment, and emotion regulation among 404 undergraduates (322 females, 88.9% Caucasians). Data were collected through online survey. Results from conditional process analyses demonstrated that intensity of interparental conflict positively predicted late adolescents' emotion regulation whereas low resolution of interparental conflict negatively predicted emotion regulation when parental attachment was considered. Frequency of interparental conflict was not associated with parental attachment or emotion regulation. In addition, parental attachment partially mediated the relations between intensity and low resolution of interparental conflict, and late adolescents' emotion regulation. The findings supported the emotional security theory and highlighted intensity and low resolution of interparental conflict as significant contributors of late adolescents' emotion regulation, and identified parental attachment as a mechanism between the relations. Implications of the study and future research directions were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between parental psychological control and perceived stress level in national sports. Methods. The study is planned in a descriptive relational type. The research was conducted with national sports who are interested in Taekwondo sports. The population of the research is national sportsmen who are in Taekwondo sports in Turkey and 15-18 age groups. A total of 114 sportmen agreed to participate in the survey and returned with the questionnaire. In gathering the data; "Parental Psychological Control Scale" and "Perceived Stress Level Scale" were used as information form prepared by researchers questioning sociodemographic information of adolescents. Results. When the distribution of the scores according to subscales of parental psychological control levels of the sportmen was examined, the mean score of the guiltiness sub dimension was 26.04 ±4.15 perceived by the mother and 22.24 ± 3.76 perceived by the father. The mean score of the level of thumbs were 32.24 ±3.25 perceived by the mother and 34.17 ± 2.74 perceived by the father. When the sportmen perceived Stress Scale scores were examined, it was determined that 55.26% of them had a low level of stress, 30.70% of them had medium stress and 14.04% had low stress level. In addition, as the parental guiltiness increased and the love level of the lover was increased, the level of stress perceived by the sportmen was increased (p <0.05). Conclusions. In terms of psychological control, gender and age group of the sportmen are important. The work status and income level of the parents can be said to be effective at the stress level that the sportmen perceive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to stress early in life may negatively impact nervous system functioning, including increasing the proneness to learning and memory impairments later in life. Maternal deprivation, a model of early-life stress, hinders memory in adult rats and lessens brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the hippocampus in a very heterogeneous way among individuals. The main goal of the present study was to investigate the possible epigenetic modulation underlying recognition memory impairment and reduced BDNF levels in the hippocampus of adult maternally deprived rats. We also evaluated the potential ameliorating properties of the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, sodium butyrate, on memory deficits and BDNF changes related to maternal deprivation. Maternally deprived animals were categorized as ‘inferior learners’ and ‘superior learners’ according to their performance in object recognition memory task in comparison to controls. Results indicated that HDAC activity was higher in individuals submitted to maternal deprivation with the worst cognitive performance (inferior learners). Acute administration of sodium butyrate increased histone H3 acetylation and BDNF levels, and restored recognition memory in maternally deprived animals with the worst cognitive performance. Moreover, we also showed that there is a positive correlation between BDNF levels and memory performance. Taken together, the results indicated that HDAC inhibitors could be considered as a possible therapeutic agent to improve cognitive performance in inferior learners. Further studies need to be conducted for a better comprehension of the mechanisms related to persistent alterations observed in adult life induced by early stressful circumstances and those leading to resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study questions the links between the young adolescents quality of attachment to the mother and father (secure, ambivalent or avoidant) and the sexual behaviours reported by early adolescents. Two questionnaires were completed by 312 French middle-school students (mean age: 13.8 years) to test attachment style and sexuality (emotion, intention and relation). Ambivalent attachment was related to greater sexual involvement than to secure attachment. Avoidant attachment to the mother was associated with emotional disinvestment in sexuality. Avoidant attachment to the father appears to influence sexual decision-making, especially for girls. These results support an individuated conception of attachment patterns with differential influence of dyadic relationships and could provide a better understanding of adolescent sexual behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An essay on the need to empower and uplift young girls focusing on dynamics of father-daughter relations as portrayed in the novel "Desirada: A Novel" by Maryse Conde is presented. The author stesses on the need to offer emotional guidance, support and physical protection of both parents to young girls in order to ensure their proper physical and mental health. Also discussed is the lack of self confidence among fatherless girls.

Health service utilization is an important component of child health promotion. Evidence shows that two-thirds of child deaths in low and middle income countries could be prevented if current interventions were adequately utilized. Aim of this study was to identify determinants of variation in health services utilization for children in communities in Nigeria. Multivariable negative binomial regression model attempting to explain observed variability in health services usage in Nigerian communities was applied to the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey data. We included the index of maternal deprivation, gender of child, community environmental factor index, and maternal health seeking behaviour, multiple childhood deprivation index and ethnicity diversity index as the independent variables. The outcome variable was under-fives' hospital attendance rates for acute illness. Of the 7577 children from 896 communities in Nigeria that were sick 1936 (25.6%) were taken to the health care facilities for treatment. The final model revealed that both multiple childhood deprivation (incidence rate ratio [IRR]=1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12 to 1.35) and children living in communities with a high ethnic diversity were associated with higher rate of health service use. Maternal health seeking behaviour was associated with a significantly lower rate of health care service use. There are significant variations in health services utilization for sick children across Nigeria communities which appear to be more strongly determined by childhood deprivation factors and maternal health seeking behaviour than by health system functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies into the effects of maternal and paternal deprivation on the brain and behavior are traditionally done on animals from postnatal day 0 to 14 when parents display high levels of licking and grooming. Deprivation experiments that reveal attachment conducted during this period are confounded because physiological and emotional deprivation occur simultaneously. Whether rodent pups of greater physiological independence from postnatal 14 to 21 days show emotional attachment towards mothers and fathers remains unclear. Here we establish a new animal model for attachment experiments in animals 14–21 days old using monogamous mandarin voles ( Microtus mandarinus ). Levels of emotional attachment of pups from postnatal 14 to 21 days were measured using preference tests. Pups spent more time in contact with their mothers, more time approaching, sniffing, climbing and walking near their mothers, and emitted more calls on their mother’s side compared to an unknown female. They also showed a preference for their fathers over an unknown male. While pups displayed attachment to both their mothers and fathers, levels directed towards mothers were higher in tests when mothers and fathers were presented simultaneously. These results indicate that mandarin voles can be used as an animal model to investigate the effects of early emotional attachment disruption on the adult brain and behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental separation is linked to multiple negative outcomes for children in all spheres of life. A field study was designed to estimate the epidemiology and to quantify the outcomes on the wellbeing of children from separated parents. Thus, data on socioeconomic status, psychological adjustment, behavioral disorders, social relations, selfconcept, and academic achievement were gathered from 346 children and adolescents, 173 separated parents, and 173 parents from intact families in the paediatric catchment area of Galicia (Spain). The results showed that parental separation had a significant negative impact on the children's and adolescents' family income (increasing the probability of falling below the poverty line); psychological adjustment (i.e., higher scores in anxiety, depression, hostility, paranoid ideation, and interpersonal alienation); social relations (i.e., less self-control in social relations; higher social withdrawal); self-concept (lower levels of academic, emotional, physical, and family self-concept), and academic achievement (lower academic achievement with higher school dropout rates). Moreover, children from separated families had a higher probability of being exposed to gender violence. Epidemiologically, parental separation is associated to the probability of falling below the poverty line 33.9%; being exposed to gender violence 43.2%; and symptoms such as depression, anxiety, hostility, paranoid ideation interpersonal alienation, and social withdrawal, i.e., 20, 17, 27, 20, 19, and 35.5%, respectively. Inversely, self-control in social relations, and academic, emotional, physical, and family self-concept fell to 16, 32, 27, 22, and 37%, respectively. The interrelationship among these variables and the implications of these results for interventions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a concept of inequality comparisons with ordinal bivariate categorical data. In our model, one population is more unequal than another when they have common arithmetic median outcomes and the first can be obtained from the second by correlation-increasing switches and/or median-preserving spreads. For the canonical 2 × 2 case (with two binary indicators), we derive a simple operational procedure for checking ordinal inequality relations in practice. As an illustration, we apply the model to childhood deprivation in Mozambique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotional maltreatment is a problem that creates difficulties in the life of adolescents and affects their mental health negatively. This research examined the impact of emotional maltreatment on the mental health among adolescents. The study further explored the moderating role of optimism. A cross sectional survey research design was used. The sample of 400 male and female adolescents with age range 14 to 18 was obtained from various public and private schools and colleges of Sargodha city. Depression Anxiety Stress Scale DASS (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995); Questionnaire on Seven Dimensions of Emotional Maltreatment At Home (QSDEMH) developed by Gesinde (2010) and Life Orientation Test-Revised LOT-R (Scheier & Carver, 1985) were individually administered to measure emotional maltreatment, mental health and optimism of sample. The findings indicated that emotional maltreatment is a significant predictor of mental health problems among adolescents. Results further indicated that optimism partially moderates the relationship between emotional maltreatment and mental health. This research has implications for increasing parental awareness of their actions and behaviours and its negative consequences on the mental health of their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the unprecedented increase in the flow of migrants from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to the United States, this article analyzes the impact of U.S. interior enforcement on parent-child separations among Central American deportees, along with its implications for deportees' intentions to remigrate to the United States. Using the EMIF sur survey data, we find that interior enforcement raises the likelihood of parent-child separations as well as the likelihood that parents forcedly separated from their young children report the intention to return to the United States, presumably without documents. By increasing parent-child separations, interior enforcement could prove counterproductive in deterring repetitive unauthorized crossings among Central American deportees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Over the past few decades, a large number of rural residents have migrated to cities in China and left their children behind. This study estimated how many 10- to 14-year-old children in rural Anhui drank alcohol and examined the association between parental migration and children's alcohol use.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in six cities in Anhui between July and August 2012. All participants had lived in the study villages for at least six months during the previous year and were interviewed face-to-face using a standardised questionnaire.Results: More than half (57%) of the 1367 subjects were left-behind children, 43% lived with both parents and 9.6% currently drank alcohol. When we controlled for other variables, the rate of alcohol use was statistically higher among left-behind children if both parents had migrated (14.0%) than among children living with both parents (7.8%) (p = 0.002). Boys, children with siblings and those with a poorer academic performance were more likely to drink.Conclusion: Children in rural China were more likely to drink if both their parents had migrated in search of work. School-based interventions could help to reduce alcohol use among rural left-behind children, especially boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid adaptation to changes, while maintaining a certain level of behavioral inhibition is an important feature in every day functioning. How environmental context and challenges in life can impact on the development of this quality is still unknown. In the present study, we examined the effect of a complex rearing environment during adolescence on attention and behavioral inhibition in adult male rats. We also tested whether these effects were affected by an adverse early life challenge, maternal deprivation (MD). We found that animals that were raised in large, two floor MarlauTM cages, together with 10 conspecifics, showed improved attention, but impaired behavioral inhibition in the 5-choice serial reaction time task. The early life challenge of 24 h MD on postnatal day 3 led to a decline in bodyweight during adolescence, but did not by itself influence responses in the 5-choice task in adulthood, nor did it moderate the effects of complex housing. Our data suggest that a complex rearing environment leads to a faster adaptation to changes in the environment, but at the cost of lower behavioral inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On Friday, August 1, 2014--as I reflected on my remarks for this symposium--an eight-year-old, little boy was found dead in his home two doors down from my house on Green Street. His mother and father were taken into custody by the Harrisburg police as his five brothers and sisters were ushered away by the Dauphin County Department of Children and Youth Services. Several of the little boy's siblings were suffering from various medical conditions, and one of my neighbors fed his brother a bowl of soup because he was hungry on that breezy summer night. The mother of the "severely mentally disabled" little boy, who was dead several days before his body was discovered, is not Black; Kim is poor and overwhelmed by her parental responsibility. Undoubtedly, her children were taken into some form of foster care due to her incarceration--albeit temporary. Kim epitomizes "the most marginalized women in our society," who, Professor Dorothy E. Roberts writes, are punished for "their own disadvantaged positions". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migration is considered a form of socio-economic behaviour. Previous research in the field shows that migration became a strategy of life after the fall of the communist regime for many Romanians, due to the difficult transition to democracy. Aside from the economic benefits of migration, this strategy of life has sometimes negative social effects on family, as migration becomes a destabilizing factor for the family especially when children are left in Romania. Children often find themselves responsible for tasks usually completed by the adult members of the family (such as housework and even agricultural work in the case of children from rural areas), leaving aside their obligations to attend school. According to official statistics, over 80 thousands children living in Romania have at least one parent working abroad. However, numerous NGO's activating in Romania argue that the actual size of this phenomenon is still unknown, despite the fact that efforts are made by the public authorities to determine the real number of children living in this country and having at least one parent who works abroad. The biggest concern is that of children who remain in their home country completely deprived of parental care. The absence of the mother is one of the important factors that contribute to changing family model, taking into account the traditional family model where mothers have the most important role in household labour (i.e., housework and childcare). Or, changing the roles of family members in terms of childcare represents a challenge for family protection policies in Romania. This article presents the new model of transnational family and uses a sociological approach regarding the impact of parental deprivation and analysis the migration intentions of Romanian parents with special focus on the effects on children left behind. In order to reach this objective, authors used data from the Special Eurobarometer 337 exploring Europeans' mobility experiences and intentions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temporary absence of a parent (e.g., due to incarceration, migration, or military deployment) is experienced by many youth and can have profound effects. Available research within these disparate literatures primarily has catalogued contextual and individual variables that influence youth adaptation, which are integrated and summarized here. In addition, we present a systematic review of proximal family process mechanisms by which youth and their family members adapt to periods of temporary parent absence. This systematic review across the different types of parent absence produced four themes: communication among family members, parenting characteristics during absence, negotiation of decision-making power and authority, and shifts in family roles. By juxtaposing the three types of temporary parent absence, we aim to bridge the separate research silos of parent absence due to incarceration, deployment, and migration, and to bring wide-ranging characteristics and processes of temporary parent-absent families into sharper focus. The review highlights possibilities for fuller integration of these literatures, and emphasizes the clinical value of considering these types of experiences from a family and relational perspective, rather than an individual coping perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examined the traumatic experiences among mothers of Palestinian prisoners. A representative purposive sampling design consisted of forty participants from Jerusalem suburbs, specifically at abu Dis and Ezaria, was used. Data was collected using a 20-item questionnaire developed by the research team. The findings demonstrate that traumatic experiences are prevalent among the mothers of Palestinian prisoners. Of the Palestinian mothers surveyed, 72.3% reported traumatic experiences. Current statistics revealed that number of household members and level of education were significant predictors for traumatic experiences among Palestinian prisoners' mothers. Mothers still carry greater part of the pain due to the absence of their detained sons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The postnatal development of the mouse is characterized by a period of hyporesponsiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to mild stressors. Maternal deprivation (MD) during this period can disrupt the quiescence of the HPA-axis. The present study examined the influence of strain (outbred CD1 vs. inbred C57BL/6J mice) on some central and peripheral components of the HPA-axis in neonatal mice (5-day-old) in the presence of their mother or after 24 h MD (on postnatal day 4) under basal or mild stressful conditions. In the presence of the dam, adrenal corticosterone (CORT) secretion was low in both mouse strains. Compared to CD1 mice, C57BL/6J had lower CORT levels associated with higher ACTH levels and ACTH/CORT ratio (i.e., lower adrenal sensitivity to ACTH), and higher glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA expression in the paraventricular nucleus. Although MD disinhibited the HPA-axis in both strains as reflected by increased basal CORT and ACTH, we found a strain-dependent pattern. MD increased CORT more in C57BL/6J compared to CD1 mice together with a lower ACTH/CORT ratio (i.e., higher adrenal sensitivity to ACTH), while GR mRNA was no longer different in the two strains. However, this increased adrenal sensitivity in maternally deprived C57BL/6J mice was not reflected in their CORT response to a subsequent novelty stressor, possibly due to an MD-induced ceiling effect in their steroidogenic capacity. In conclusion, the immediate outcome of MD depends on the genetic background of the mother-infant dyad, suggesting that maybe also the outcome in later-life cannot be generalized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few methods estimate the prevalence of child maltreatment in the general population due to concerns about socially desirable responding and mandated reporting laws. Innovative methods, such as interactive voice response (IVR), may obtain better estimates that address these concerns. This study examined the utility of interactive voice response (IVR) for child maltreatment behaviors by assessing differences between respondents who completed and did not complete a survey using IVR technology. A mixed-mode telephone survey was conducted in English and Spanish in 50 cities in California during 2009. Caregivers ( n = 3,023) self-reported abusive and neglectful parenting behaviors for a focal child under the age of 13 using computer-assisted telephone interviewing and IVR. We used hierarchical generalized linear models to compare survey completion by caregivers nested within cities for the full sample and age-specific ranges. For demographic characteristics, caregivers born in the United States were more likely to complete the survey when controlling for covariates. Parenting stress, provision of physical needs, and provision of supervisory needs were not associated with survey completion in the full multivariate model. For caregivers of children 0–4 years ( n = 838), those reporting they could often or always hear their child from another room had a higher likelihood of survey completion. The findings suggest IVR could prove to be useful for future surveys that aim to estimate abusive and/or neglectful parenting behaviors given the limited bias observed for demographic characteristics and problematic parenting behaviors. Further research should expand upon its utility to advance estimation rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To determine whether multimedia based health information presented to parents of children with breathing difficulties in a pediatric acute ward, is more effective than verbal information, to reduce parental anxiety and increase satisfaction. Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted in a pediatric acute ward in Norway, from January to March 2011. Parents were randomly assigned to a multimedia intervention (n =53), or verbal health information (n =48). Primary outcome measure was parental anxiety, and secondary outcome measures were parental satisfaction with nursing care and health information. Results: Parental anxiety decreased from arrival to discharge within both groups. At discharge the anxiety levels in the intervention group were no lower than in the control group. There was no difference in satisfaction with nursing care between the groups, but parents in the intervention group reported higher satisfaction with the health information given in the acute ward (p =.005). Conclusion: Multimedia based health information did not reduce anxiety more than verbal information, among parents to children with breathing difficulties. However, after discharge the parents were more satisfied with the multimedia approach. Practice implications: More research is needed to recommend the use of multimedia based information as a routine to parents in pediatric emergency care. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It is evident that parental depressive symptoms negatively influence adolescent behavior and various psychosocial outcomes. Certain family types like families with a chronically ill parent and single parent families are more vulnerable to parental depressive symptoms. However, the relationship between these symptoms, family type, and adolescent functioning remains largely unclear. This study examined relations between self-report of parental depressive symptoms and adolescent functioning in 86 two-parent families including a parent with a chronic medical condition, 94 families with healthy single parents, and 69 families with 2 healthy parents (comparison group). Parents completed the Beck Depression Inventory. Adolescents filled in the Youth Self-Report measuring problem behavior, and other instruments measuring psychosocial outcomes (stress, grade point average, school problems, and self-esteem). Multilevel analyses were used to examine the effects of family type, parental depressive symptoms, adolescents' gender and age, and interaction effects on adolescent functioning. The results indicated that adolescents with chronically ill and single parents had a lower grade point average (p<.01) than the comparison group. Adolescents of single parents reported more internalizing problems (p<.01) and externalizing problems (p<.05) than children from the other family types. Parental depressive symptoms were strongly related to child report of stress (p<.001). Adolescents of depressed chronically ill parents were particularly vulnerable to internalizing problems (interaction effect, p<.05). Older children and girls, and especially older girls, displayed more internalizing problems and stress. It can be concluded that growing up with a chronically ill parent in a family with 2 parents may have less impact on adolescent problem behavior than growing up in a single parent family. Health practitioners are encouraged to be attentive to the unique and combined influence of family type and parental depressive symptoms on adolescent functioning. Older and female adolescents deserve particular attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey study (response rate n = 106, 75.7%) was conducted of professional custody evaluators to assess their beliefs and attitudes about the parental alienation syndrome (PAS). Three overarching research questions were addressed: (1) To what extent do custody evaluators endorse the concept of PAS (2) How, if at all, do custody evaluators assess PAS and aspects of it (including general quality of parent-child relationship, extent to which child has been coached and/or is unduly influenced, and extent of parental personality disorders associated with PAS), and (3) What factors were associated with theproportion of cases that evaluators concluded PAS had occurred. Results revealed general consensus regarding the concept of PAS (familiarity with it, importance of measuring it) as well as several areas of disagreement (whether it should be included in the DSM, whether it meets Daubert and Frye standards). Evaluators who reported greater familiarity with PAS also reported having cases with more good faith allegations of it, which itself was associated with concluding that PAS had occurred in a greater number of cases. Findings suggest several avenues for improved practice and for future research.

In the Netherlands, about 20% of children do not have any contact with their non-resident parent after parental divorce. There are often many reasons underlying the broken contact, but one might well be the process of parental alienation, when the child denigrates and excludes the non-resident parent. This article presents the results of two studies conducted among divorce experts and divorced, non-resident parents. A total of 138 respondents co-operated in our studies. Of the respondents, 58% thought PAS either does not, or rarely occurs in the Netherlands, and 42% thought it does occur. The extent of parental alienation was classified as mild (33%) or moderate (9%). From our factor analysis, it became clear that Gardner's classification of eight separate symptoms of parental alienation was not evident in our research data. We were able to distinguish four separate aspects: two of them concerning alienation due to the resident parent and two concerning alienation due to the child. Our results underpin the importance of mediation, since it seemed that parental alienation syndrome (PAS) occurred significantly more often when decisions with relation to the children were not taken together by the parents but were determined in court. We consider that compulsory mediation and better communication during divorce would prevent many cases of PAS.