ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Variability in behaviour displayed by children with fragile X syndrome (FXS) may be partially attributable to environmental factors such as maternal responsivity. The purpose of this study was to explore variables associated with maternal behaviour during a task designed to elicit frustration in their children with FXS. METHODS: Forty-six mother-child dyads, in which the child had full-mutation FXS, were observed in their homes during a task designed to elicit frustration in the child. Each child was given a wrong set of keys and asked to open a box to retrieve a desired toy. Mothers were provided with the correct set of keys and instructed to intervene when they perceived their child was getting too frustrated. Child-expressed frustration and requests for help and maternal behaviours (comforting, negative control, and encouraging/directing) were observed and coded. Maternal variables (e.g. depression, stress, education levels), child variables (e.g. autistic behaviours, age, medication use) and child behaviours (frustration, requests for help) were explored as predictors of maternal behaviour. RESULTS: Almost all mothers intervened to help their children and most used encouraging/directing behaviours, whereas very few used comforting or negative control. Child age and child behaviours during the frustrating event were significant predictors of encouraging/directing behaviours in the mothers. Children whose mothers reported higher depressive symptomology used fewer requests for help, and mothers of children with more autistic behaviours used more negative control. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that child age and immediate behaviours are more strongly related to maternal responsivity than maternal traits such as depression and stress.
Subject(s)
Fragile X Syndrome/psychology , Helping Behavior , Mother-Child Relations , Parenting/psychology , Adult , Affect , Autistic Disorder/diagnosis , Autistic Disorder/psychology , Child , Child, Preschool , Depression/diagnosis , Depression/psychology , Female , Fragile X Syndrome/diagnosis , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Maternal BehaviorABSTRACT
We report a case of severe mechanical hemolysis occurring 8 years after insertion of a bioprosthetic mitral valve in a patient who also suffered from aortic valve stenosis. It is suggested that the coexistence of two malfunctioning valves may lead to hemolysis via hemodynamic and turbulence alteration and that this condition is more frequent than expected for isolated valve involvement.
Subject(s)
Aortic Valve Stenosis/pathology , Bioprosthesis , Heart Valve Prosthesis , Hemolysis , Aged , Aortic Valve Stenosis/complications , Calcinosis , Humans , Male , Mitral ValveABSTRACT
Two experiments tested whether expression of emotions from which motivated cognitive biases presumably provide protection would reduce the extent of such biases. In Study I, we hypothesized that expressing any tension produced by writing a counterattitudinal essay would reduce the extent of dissonance-reducing attitude change. To test this hypothesis, Ss were induced to write an essay arguing for higher tuition. High-choice Ss were either encouraged to express their emotions, to suppress them, or to do neither. As expected, high-choice-express Ss exhibited the least attitude change. Study 2 tested the hypothesis that expressing fear of cancer would reduce the extent of defensive distancing from cancer patients, but expressing sympathy would not. Although control Ss clearly distanced from cancer patients, fear-expression Ss did not. Implications for understanding the role of affect in defense are discussed.
