Barbie at 50: maligned but benign?

OBJECTIVE: Barbie, the toy fashion doll, has been subjected to extensive speculation but little empirical investigation as to whether her thin persona exerts a negative influence on the self-image of young girls. The present study was conducted to examine the impact of childhood Barbie play versus other factors on self-image and dieting behaviors of young women. METHOD: A survey was completed by 254 undergraduate women that included questions about childhood Barbie play, family characteristics, satisfaction with their own appearance, and eating behaviors. RESULTS: Neither age of acquisition or number of Barbies owned had a significant impact on self-evaluations of appearance or on dieting behavior. The strongest predictor of dieting behavior was the women's recollection of how much physical appearance was valued by her family of origin members.

Early family mealtime experiences and eating attitudes in normal weight, underweight and overweight females.

The aim of this study was to examine young women's recollections of family mealtimes in order to determine whether these memories may serve to differentiate those of normal weight from those who were underweight or overweight. A sample of 340 women selected on the basis of their enrollment in a college course completed the Childhood Family Mealtimes Questionnaire and the short form of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT). The women were divided into under, normal and overweight groups on the basis of their body mass index (BMI). Two factors (appearance-weight control and emphasis on mother's weight) were significantly higher among the overweight than the underweight women, and mealtime communication-based stress was highest among the underweight women. The use of family mealtimes as a window for understanding the development of eating disorders (ED) is discussed.

Sex differences in associations of temperament with love-styles.

University students (439 women, 111 men) completed a questionnaire that included items assessing temperament and love-styles. While a single temperament and love-style association characterized the men, all five temperament dimensions were predictive of certain of the love-styles for the women.

Temperamental activity and fussiness: implications for weight of 3-mo.-old infants.

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of activity and perceived fussiness in predicting infants' weight. Temperament characteristics did not predict weight for male infants, but leg activity was inversely associated with weight for female infants.

Temperament and loving-styles in college women: associations with eating attitudes.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the associations of temperament and love attitudes with eating behaviors in 190 college-aged nonclinical women who completed a survey that included measures of temperament, loving-style, and eating attitudes. Certain temperament and loving-style variables showed significant statistical association with scores on eating attitudes. Specifically, both obsessive and game-playing love-styles were related to the Dieting and Bulimia-Food Preoccupation dimensions of the eating scales, while temperamental fear and anger were related to bulimia and oral control. The role of interpersonal relationships and self-perceptions of temperament may provide a useful perspective for understanding the etiology of eating disorders.

Efficacy of a preschool breakfast program in reducing refined sugar intake.

The objective of this study was to measure nutritional differences between breakfasts eaten at home and those eaten in a preschool setting, which were prepared and served following the guidelines of the School Breakfast Program (SBP). During the fall semester, baseline data on children's breakfasts were obtained from families of 3- and 4-year-old children attending our laboratory school. Two weeks later, we began providing breakfasts for the children at preschool, before they began their school day. Breakfast menus varied but were always in compliance with SBP guidelines. Six weeks after initiating the SBP, we recorded breakfasts eaten at school, and the entire procedure was repeated during the spring semester. Children's intake of macronutrients from the breakfast meal was altered through participation in the SBP. During each intervention period, the consumption of starch-rich foods and fibre increased while the intake of simple sugars decreased. Protein, fat, and micronutrient intake were not affected. The implementation of the SBP appeared to be an effective way to increase the intake of starch-rich foods and fibre in a low-risk sample of preschool-aged children who regularly are breakfast prior to their participation in this investigation.

Feeding method and motor activity in 3-month-old human infants.

It is currently acknowledged that breast-fed and formula-fed infants exhibit different rates of physical growth. Little is known, however, about behavioral differences that may be attributable to early feeding method. In the present investigation, activity level in 3-mo.-old infants was examined by measuring motoric output in 40 breast-fed and 40 formula-fed infants. Maternal ratings of temperament did not differ across the two groups, but scores derived from the actometer in a laboratory setting showed breast-fed infants to be more active. Upper limb activity appeared to be particularly sensitive to feeding regimen. Possible explanations for this effect as well as implications of these results are discussed.

Convergence between temperament ratings in early infancy.

This study assesses the degree of convergence between two temperament questionnaires promoted for use with relatively young infants. The mothers of 90 normal, healthy infants were asked to complete the infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ) and the Early Infancy Temperament Questionnaire (EITQ) when their babies were approximately 3 months of age; the returned questionnaires were reduced into the dimensions defined by the instruments' authors. The EITQ includes a General Impressions rating scale that provides a more global estimate of the same temperament dimensions, and these scores were also examined. Infant ratings on both questionnaires were similar in magnitude to results of other published reports. Comparisons across instruments showed that the IBQ and EITQ seem to measure similar aspects of behavioral style, because all of the IBQ dimensions were significantly related to the appropriate EITQ dimensions. These results support the validity of both questionnaires for use with infants in the first months of life.

Prenatal exposure to heavy metals: effect on childhood cognitive skills and health status.

Prenatal exposure to seven heavy metals (cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lead, mercury, nickel, and silver) was determined for amniotic fluid taken from 92 pregnant women undergoing amniocentesis at approximately 16 to 18 weeks' gestation. Follow-up assessment of their children's cognitive skills and health status was conducted when the children were approximately 3 years of age. The presence of these metals co-occurred in amniotic fluid. A prenatal toxic risk score was derived which was a weighted score reflecting the presence of the various metals in amniotic fluid. The toxic risk score was negatively related to performance on the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities and positively related to the number of child illnesses reported. These results suggest the need for further prospective research on the adverse effects of prenatal exposure to various metals in combination.

Poverty and health: older minority women and the rise of the female-headed household.

This analysis uses the 1984 Survey on Aging (SOA) supplement to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to compare the relative impacts of poverty and health on the propensity of unmarried older black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white women to live with family. The results reveal that for blacks and Hispanics, economics are more significant than health in determining whether a woman lives with her children. Our findings also show that black unmarried elderly females are more likely than similar non-Hispanic white women to head their households. The literature and our findings suggest that black and Hispanic older women have fewer options in living arrangements than non-Hispanic older women in the event of diminished health.

Functional capacity and living arrangements of unmarried elderly persons.

This analysis employed the 1986 Longitudinal Study of Aging (LSOA) to examine the impact of functional capacity, gender, race and ethnicity, and various socioeconomic characteristics on changes in living arrangements among unmarried elderly persons over a two-year period. The results reveal that a decline in functional capacity greatly increases the likelihood that an elderly person will move in with others or become institutionalized. Nonetheless, even when they experience significant declines in health, most single elderly persons who were living alone at the initial interview continued to live alone two years later. Multivariate analyses show that women who suffer declines in functional capacity are somewhat less likely than men who experience declines to live alone at Time two. In contrast, Blacks who suffer declines are more likely than Whites who experience declines to continue living alone at follow-up.

The factor structure of the CES-D in the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: the influences of ethnicity, gender and language.

In this paper, we examine the factor structure of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) in the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (Hispanic HANES). The Hispanic HANES provides a unique opportunity to examine the patterning of depressive symptoms among the three major Hispanic groups in the U.S. and to compare the factor structures that emerge from the analysis to other studies using this approach. Different factor structures emerged for the Hispanic groups as compared to previous analyses of the CES-D with non-Hispanic populations. We also found significant intra-group differences among Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cuban-Americans which were strongly influenced by the gender of the respondent and the language in which the person was interviewed.

Single motherhood and children's health.

PIP: This analysis employs the recently released Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (hispanic HANES) and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey II (NHANES) to determine the effect of a mother's marital status on her report of her child's health for Mexican-American, black, and non-Hispanic white children aged 6 months to 11 years. The results reveal that single mothers report poorer overall physical health for their children than do mothers in intact marriages. Several social and cultural factors, including marital status, acculturation, and income, affect the accuracy of mother's assessments. The analysis also documented the extensive dependence of single mothers, especially minority-group mothers, on public programs. In summary, a mother's report of her child's health is the result of a complex interaction of cultural, demographic, and social class factors. This analysis revealed that marital status operates differently for 3 racial and ethnic groups, and that poverty and the stresses associated with single motherhood decrease levels of reported health for children. Analysis of a matched sample of Mexican-American children and their mothers revealed that, net of physician's assessment of a child's health, a mother's depression score is among the most significant predictors of her assessment of her child's health.^ieng

Mother and daughter perceptions of their relationship: the influence of adolescent pregnancy status.

This investigation focused on the perceived relationships between 95 mothers and their adolescent daughters. It sought to determine if there was a significant difference in the mother-daughter relationship as perceived by pregnant versus nonpregnant adolescents, and whether the mothers of these two groups, when compared to each other, differed in their feelings for their daughters. In contrast to other investigations, no striking differences between the groups in intimacy, attachment, and strength of feeling as indicated by a questionnaire were found, though results were generally in the predicted direction. Nevertheless, a strong correlation between daughters' and mothers' answers was found, indicating an overall positive perception by both toward their relationship.

PIP: The perceived relationships between 95 mothers and their adolescent daughters were explored to determine if there was a significant difference in the mother-daughter relationship as perceived by pregnant vs. nonpregnant adolescents, and whether mothers of these 2 groups, when compared to each other, differed in their feelings for their daughters. Female high school students and their mothers in an urban area of the American southwest were surveyed at 3 regular high schools and in-school program for pregnant teenagers. In contrast to other investigations, no striking differences between the groups in intimacy, attachments, and strength of feeling as indicated by a questionnaire were found, though results were generally in the predicted direction, that is, in favor of mothers and daughters in the nonpregnant groups. The ratings by both mothers and daughters were overwhelmingly positive toward each other. In summary, although the mother is a significant source of inspiration and help to her daughter, at least as determined by this study, the quality of their relationship does not strongly relate to the pregnancy status of the daughter.

Experimenting with the family in the newborn period: a commentary.

Belsky has described the ineffectiveness of employing the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale as an intervention device with new families. In light of the previous reports of success in enhancing parent-infant interaction with such procedures, we suggest a number of alternate explanations for the disparity in results across investigations. Furthermore, in examining the dynamics of these interventions, we propose that empowering new parents with a sense of competency may be as critical to success as showcasing the capabilities of the newborn.

The future role of foreign medical graduates in U.S. medical practice: projections into the 1990s.

Projections of the effect of actual and hypothesized declines in the proportion of foreign medical graduates (FMGs) in residency training on the future distribution of physicians are explored. We find potential proportionate declines in the eventual location of physicians in rural areas and small towns in the North Central regions, and in solo and partnership arrangements in the Northeast, North Central, and Southern regions. Reductions in FMG house officers now could also lead to an increased proportionate presence of physicians in subspecialty practices in the largest U.S. cities. These changes might happen despite the current perception that there is a "surplus" of physicians.