Double burden of malnutrition among mother-child DYADS in urban poor settings in India

Introduction: Low-and middle-income countries are undergoing nutrition transition wherein presence of under and over-nutrition in the same household is increasing. Aims & Objectives: This study explored the coexistence of under and over-nutrition among mother-child dyads in an urban poor setting in India. Material & Methods: Data was collected from 225 dyads in urban poor settings of Delhi. Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, waist-circumference, hip circumference in mothers and weight, height, MUAC in children) were taken from a random sample of mothers aged >18 years with children aged 3-5 years. Prevalence of underweight, stunting, wasting and overweight/obesity were determined in children, while corresponding proportions of underweight and overweight/obesity were determined in mothers, based on BMI and waist circumference. Results: Of the 225 children, 19% were stunted, 12% were underweight, 4.8% were wasted, while 20% were overweight/obese. Among their mothers, 8.4% were underweight, 20% were overweight/obese and 23% had waist circumference > 88cm. A large proportion of overweight and obese mothers (33% and 30% respectively) had stunted, wasted or underweight children. Among the overweight/obese children, 12% had underweight, and 22% had overweight/obese parentage. Among, all dual burden households, the nutritional status of child correlates with that of mother. Conclusion: One-third mother-child dyads revealed the existence of double burden of malnutrition characterized by high prevalence of undernutrition, stunting and wasting in children, and overweight/obesity in mothers within the same household. It is crucial to understand the pathways to this coexistence, and to test effectiveness of context-specific interventions to curb associated future health risks

¿Afectan las complicaciones perinatales la respuesta sensible de las madres hacia sus hijos/as de 12 meses? / Do adverse pregnancy outcome affect mothers’ sensitive response to their 12 month children?

La respuesta sensible es una competencia materna ampliamente estudiada por su influencia en el desarrollo infantil y su asociación con las características de la madre, pero en menor medida se ha investigado su relación con las dificultades durante la gestación y el parto. El presente estudio busca identificar la influencia de las complicaciones perinatales sobre la sensibilidad materna en 90 diadas madre-hijo/a entre diez y catorce meses de edad de nivel socioeconómico alto, medio y bajo, residentes en Santiago de Chile. Se aplicó un cuestionario sociodemográfico y las diadas fueron filmadas en una situación de juego libre, la cual fue codificada con la Escala de Sensibilidad del adulto (E.S.A.). Los resultados muestran que la ausencia de complicaciones en el embarazo de la madre y la presencia de complicaciones en el parto, explican una mayor sensibilidad materna un año después. Se observa, además, una influencia significativa del nivel socioeconómico sobre la sensibilidad materna. Se discuten estos resultados y sus implicancias.

Sensitive response is a maternal competence widely studied for its influence in child development, and for its relationship with mother features, however, there is fewer research on its relationship to the difficulties of pregnancy and childbirth. This study seeks to identify the influence of adverse pregnancy outcome on maternal sensitivity in 90 dyads mother-child between ten and fourteen months age, of high, medium and low socioeconomic status, residents in Santiago, Chile. A sociodemographic questionnaire was taken to mothers, and dyads were filmed in a free play situation, which was coded with the Sensitivity Adult Scale (ESA). Results show that absence of difficulties during pregnancy on the mother, as well as presence of them during labor, explain a higher maternal sensitivity one year later. In addition, a significant influence of socioeconomic status on maternal sensitivity had been observed. These results and their implications are discussed.

Intervención interactiva en los problemas de comportamiento infantil / Interactional intervention in child behavior problems / Intervenção interativa nos problemas de comportamento infantil

El objetivo del estudio fue examinar la efectividad de una estrategia de intervención con padres, basada en la perspectiva de la interacción social, a fin de disminuir los problemas de comportamiento infantil. Los participantes fueron 15 niños (11 niños y 4 niñas) con sus respectivas madres; las edades de los niños oscilaron entre los cinco y los ocho años, y el promedio de edad de las madres fue de 27.8 años. Se empleó un diseño experimental de caso único y se utilizaron procedimientos de enseñanza conductual como instrucciones, modelamiento, moldeamiento y retroalimentación visual. Se llevaron a cabo análisis de dependencias secuenciales y de secuencias temporales que son sensibles a los procesos de reforzamiento positivo y negativo que operan en las relaciones coercitivas. La intervención propició un aumento de la conducta prosocial en la madre y una disminución de la conducta aversiva infantil. Por otra parte, el cambio observado en la paternidad positiva parece mediar el cambio en los problemas de comportamiento infantil.

The aim of the study was to examine the effectiveness of an intervention strategy with parents, based on the perspective of social interaction, in order to decrease child behavior problems. Participants were 15 children (eleven boys and four girls) with their mothers. Children ages ranged from five to eight years, and the average age of mothers was 27.8 years. A single case experimental design was used and behavioral teaching procedures such as instructions, modeling, shaping and visual feedback were applied. Analysis of sequential dependencies and time sequences sensitive to processes of positive and negative reinforcement operating in coercive relationships were carried out. The suitable intervention increased prosocial behavior in mothers and decreased aversive behavior in children. Moreover, the observed change in positive parenting appears to mediate the change in child behavior problems.

O objetivo do estudo foi examinar a efetividade de uma estratégia de intervenção com pais, baseada na perspectiva da interação social, a fim de diminuir os problemas de comportamento infantil. Os participantes foram 15 crianças (11 meninos e 4 meninas) com suas respectivas mães; as idades das crianças oscilaram entre os cinco e os oito anos, e a média de idade das mães foi de 27.8 anos. Empregou-se um desenho experimental de caso único e utilizaram-se procedimentos de ensino condutual como instruções, modelamento, modelagem e retroalimentação visual. Foram feitas análises de dependências sequenciais e de sequências temporais que são sensíveis aos processos de reforço positivo e negativo que operam nas relações coercitivas. A intervenção propiciou um aumento da conduta pró-social na mãe e uma diminuição da conduta aversiva infantil. Por outro lado, a mudança observada na paternidade positiva parece mediar a mudança nos problemas de comportamento infantil.

Estudo exploratório sobre a violência entre irmãos em Portugal / An exploratory study of sibling violence in Portugal

A violência entre irmãos é uma das formas mais comuns de violência familiar. Este estudo pretendeu caracterizar este problema em Portugal, numa amostra de 588 estudantes universitários. Os diferentes tipos de violência (física, psicológica e sexual) foram avaliados com as "Revised Conflict Tactics Scales - Sibling Version". Procedeu-se a análises descritivas exploratórias das distribuições das principais variáveis, recorreu-se ao teste do χ2 e a análises de covariância múltipla. Os resultados indicaram que a violência entre irmãos é muito frequente no início da adolescência; os rapazes perpetraram significativamente mais atos de violência física (p <0,001) e sexual (p <0,05) do que as raparigas, mas foram também, física (p <0,001) e sexualmente (p <0,05), mais vitimizados. Também as díades masculinas apresentaram níveis de violência física e sexual significativamente superiores aos de todas as outras díades, indicando claramente a reciprocidade do fenómeno. Os resultados foram discutidos segundo perspetivas de 'normalização de agressões' (dissonância cognitiva; Hardy, Beers, Burguess, & Taylor, 2010) e do 'ciclo de violência', as quais explicam a manutenção de comportamentos abusivos entre irmãos e a sua possível transferência para outras relações.

Sibling violence is one of the most common forms of family violence. This study aimed to characterize this issue in Portugal, among a sample of 588 undergraduates. The different types of victimization (physical, psychological and sexual) were assessed through the "Revised Conflict Tactics Scale - Sibling Version". Descriptive exploratory analyses of the main variables, χ2 test, and multiple analyses of covariance were conducted. The results indicated that sibling violence is more frequent during early adolescence; boys committed significantly more physical (p <.001) and sexual (p <.05) violent acts than girls, but they were also significantly more victimized than girls, both physically (p <.001) and sexually (p <.05). Also, the male dyads showed significantly higher levels of physical and sexual violence than all other dyads, indicating clearly the reciprocal phenomenon. The results are discussed according to 'normalization of aggression' and 'cycle of violence' perspectives, which both help to understand the perpetration of abusive behaviors among siblings, as well as their occasional transfer to other relationships.

Equidad en intercambios de esfuerzo y ganancias: efectos de la información / Equity in Effort and Profits Interchanges: Effects of Information

Este trabajo aborda experimentalmente el estudio de los intercambios equitativos en una tarea en la que doce díadas de estudiantes de licenciatura en psicología asignaban a su compañero uno de tres posibles "juegos" asociados con requisitos diferenciales de un programa de reforzamiento de razón variable (RV: 5, 10 o 20). En una segunda condición, los participantes asignaban también la cantidad de puntos que obtendría su pareja (1, 2 o 4 puntos) con cada requisito de razón. Se programaron dos clases de sesiones: con información o sin información de la asignación de juego que hacían los compañeros en cada ensayo. Para evaluar las estrategias utilizadas se empleó el modelo Aristotélico de la Equidad (Adams, 1965; Anderson, 1976), mismo que describió adecuadamente la razón de esfuerzo y ganancias en los intercambios bajo la condición de información. Se discuten aquellas estrategias diádicas que resultaron en una distribución de mayor cantidad de ganancias con el menor esfuerzo posible, así como aquellas que produjeron distribuciones asimétricas de ganancias y esfuerzo, lo que desencadenó ganancias relativamente reducidas a lo largo de las sesiones. Especial énfasis recibe la discusión del mecanismo de reciprocidad en el intercambio social.

This paper deals with the experimental study of equitable interchanges in a task where 12 dyads of psychology students assigned their partners one of three games associated with different values of a variable ratio schedule of reinforcement (VR: 5, 10 or 20). In a second condition, subjects also assigned the number of points (1, 2 or 4 points) that their partners could obtain after completing the VR response criteria. Two types of sessions were programmed in which the information about task allocation and point's assignment was either present or absent. The Aristotelic model of Equity was used (Adams, 1965; Anderson, 1976) to evaluate the interchange strategies, and to describe the ratio of effort and profits in the interchanges under the information condition. The patterns of dyadic strategies that maximized profits and minimized effort were analyzed. The reciprocity mechanism in social interchange is discussed.

Morfología del polen de especies neotropicales de Podostemum (Podostemaceae)

Pollen morphology of neotropical species of Podostemum (Malpighiales: Podostemaceae). Pollen morphology of neotropical species of Podostemum is described for the first time with light (LM) and scanning electronic microscopes (SEM), using pollen dehydration by critical point. Herbarium specimens under study are P. comatum, P. distichum, P. muelleri and P. rutifolium. Pollen grains are dispersed in dyads. Observed with LM, dyads range from 21 to 31μm in lengh and 12 to 18μm wide. Individual pollen grains are radially symmetrical spheroidal to subprolate, and have a tricolpate aperture. The exine is tectate, psilate, with an infratectal structure formed by simple columella under the tectum. With SEM, an abundant pollen surface coat is observed all over the pollen grains, mainly in the two grains dyad contact zone. This pollen coat would protect the grains from dehydration because the environments in which these plants grow have important water variation and pollination is not zoophilic. The shared dyad wall shows bridges that partially fusion the exines, forming calymate dyads. Some dyads bear the apertures aligned between grains and some not. The transverse condition of the aperture or aperture in "L" that occurs in the four studied species is described for the first time. It is interpreted as a trend of the genus to espiroaperture. This change in the aperture would be associated with phenology because it is a genus with very short flowering and anthesis, generally a day of anthesis in the dry season. The spiroaperture increases the chances of germination sites and would also have a harmomegata role in an environment with water changes favoring the reproductive success.Walls have a microechinate sculpture, with or without pads at the base of the microechinae. Size of ornamental processes differs, and the colpus membrane has similar ornamentation to that of the non apertural wall, but with larger processes. Individual morphology of pollen grains is similar to that described for other family genera as Apinagia and Mourera. During previous stages of anthesis, the presence of cross tetrads was observed, also a new contribution for this genus. Rev. Biol. Trop. 58 (1): 81-88. Epub 2010 March 01.

La morfología del polen de cuatro especies neotropicales del género Podostemum (Podostemaceae) se describe aquí por primera vez mediante microscopía de luz y electrónica de barrido, utilizando material deshidratado en punto crítico. Se analizaron ejemplares de P. comatum, P. distichum, P. muelleri y P. rutifolium. Los granos de polen son dispersados en díades. Se encuentra abundante cobertura polínica, principalmente en la zona de contacto entre los dos granos de la díada. En la pared compartida entre los granos se presentan puentes de ectexina que fusionan parcialmente las exinas. Los granos individuales son radialmente simétricos y tricolpados. En algunas díades las aberturas están alineadas entre los granos y en otras no. Se describe por primera vez la condición abertura transversal, que fue observada en las cuatro especies estudiadas, y que se interpreta como tendencia del género a espiroabertura. La escultura de la exina es microequinada con mamelones en la base. Los procesos ornamentales son de diferente tamaño. La membrana del colpo tiene una ornamentación similar a la pared adyacente del grano, pero los procesos tienen mayor tamaño. Se observaron tétrades decusadas en las etapas previas a la antesis, un dato hasta el momento no registrado para el género.

A análise da fala materna dirigida a bebês em duas etapas do desenvolvimento / Analyses of maternal speech to babies in two steps of the development

A linguagem é considerada um instrumento de mediação simbólica que caracteriza a espécie humana e é fundamental nas trocas interpessoais e na internalização dos processos constituídos nessas trocas. Neste artigo foram descritas contribuições teóricas acerca do desenvolvimento da linguagem, e o papel da fala do adulto nesse processo. O modelo de Roman Jackobson foi adotado para análise de características pragmáticas da fala materna. Foram transcritas e analisadas as falas maternas em 40 díades, em dois momentos do desenvolvimento do bebê (30 dias e 5 meses). Foram ainda analisados os aspectos afetivos e cognitivos dessa linguagem. Os resultados mostraram uma predominância da função fática em ambas as faixas etárias. Houve também predominância dos aspectos afetivos em relação aos cognitivos. Acredita-se que o conhecimento das características da fala materna em etapas iniciais do desenvolvimento e a identificação dos aspectos pragmáticos, que podem colaborar para o desenvolvimento da linguagem infantil, são de especial relevância.

Language is considered an instrument of symbolic mediation that characterizes the human species, involved in interpersonal exchanges and internalization of the processes that are constructed in these exchanges. In this article the theoretical contributions and conceptions about language development were described, and the role of adults’ speech in this process. Roman Jackobson’s model of was adopted for the analyses of pragmatic characteristics of mothers’ speech. Mothers’ talk of 40 dyads were transcribed and analyzed in two moments of the babies’ development (30 days and 5 months). The affective and cognitive aspects of maternal language were also analyzed. The results indicated the predominance of phatic function in both age groups. Affective aspects were also more frequent in relation to cognitive ones. Knowledge about maternal and child language characteristics at the initial stages of development, and the identification of its pragmatic aspects that can contribute for child language development are relevant.