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- Enhancing positive parent–child interactions and family functioning in a poverty sample: a randomized control trialPublication . Negrão, Mariana; Pereira, Mariana; Soares, Isabel; Mesman, JudiThis study tested the attachment-based intervention program Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) in a randomized controlled trial with poor families of toddlers screened for professional’s concerns about the child’s caregiving environment. The VIPP-SD is an evidence-based intervention, but has not yet been tested in the context of poverty. The sample included 43 families with 1- to 4-year-old children: mean age at the pretest was 29 months and 51% were boys. At the pretest and posttest, mother–child interactions were observed at home, and mothers reported on family functioning. The VIPP-SD proved to be effective in enhancing positive parent–child interactions and positive family relations in a severely deprived context. Results are discussed in terms of implications for support services provided to such poor families in order to reduce intergenerational risk transmission.
- Autonomic correlates of attachment insecurity in a sample of women with eating disordersPublication . Dias, Pedro; Soares, Isabel; Klein, John; Cunha, João P. S.; Roisman, Glenn I.This study examined associations between attachment insecurity and autonomic response during the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) in a sample of 47 women with eating disorders using a new system for the synchronous acquisition of behavioral and physiological data: the Bio Dual-channel and Representation of Attachment Multimedia System (BioDReAMS; Soares, Cunha, Zhan Jian Li, Pinho, & Neves, 1998). Consistent with the emerging literature on the psychophysiology of adult attachment, insecurity was positively correlated with electrodermal reactivity during the AAI. Furthermore, relatively secure patients showed some evidence of parasympathetic withdrawal, which can be conceptualized as evidence of more effective emotion regulation. Results suggest that, even among women with diagnosed psychopathology, security is associated with more productive patterns of psychophysiological response to attachment-related challenges.
- Agreement and disagreement on emotional and behavioral problems in a sample of preschool-age childrenPublication . Carneiro, Alexandra; Dias, Pedro; Pinto, Raquel; Baiao, Rita; Mesquita, Ana; Soares, IsabelThe present study aimed to identify predictors of agreement and disagreement concerning emotional and behavioral problems reported by the mothers and teachers of preschool-aged children. Participants included 172 (89 boys) children, their mothers, and their preschool teachers. Mothers were asked to complete the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 11/2-5 (CBCL 11/2-5), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and a sociodemographic questionnaire, and were observed engaging in an interactive task with their child. Preschool teachers completed the Caregiver Teacher Report Form for Ages 11/2-5 (CTRF). The results show low cross-informant agreement. None of the studied variables predicted cross-informant agreement; however, maternal psychopathology and the presence of an assistant in the classroom were predictors of disagreement between mothers and teachers. Although these results highlight the influence of maternal and school context variables on the disagreement among informants' reports on the emotional and behavioral problems of preschool-aged children, additional research in this field is needed.
- Decreasing harsh discipline in mothers at risk for maltreatment: a randomized control trialPublication . Pereira, Mariana; Negrão, Mariana; Soares, Isabel; Mesman, JudiThis study tested the effectiveness of the attachment-based program Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD; F. Juffer, M.J. Bakermans-Kranenburg, & M.H. van IJzendoorn, 2008) in decreasing harsh discipline of 43 mothers and their 1- to 4-year-old-children from severely deprived families. Based on previous studies, parenting stress was tested as a potential moderator of intervention effects on harsh discipline. Using a randomized control design, maternal harsh discipline was observed during home visits at the pretest and posttest, and mothers filled in questionnaires at both assessments. The VIPP-SD proved to be effective in decreasing maternal harsh discipline, but only for mothers who experienced higher levels of parenting stress at intake. These findings provide support for the program's ability to improve parenting in families who are most at risk for harsh parenting and for potentially maltreating child–parent interactions. The results are discussed in terms of the VIPP-SD elements most relevant to decreasing harsh discipline, and the challenges of parenting interventions in severely deprived populations.
- Predicting harsh discipline in at-risk mothers: the moderating effect of socioeconomic deprivation severityPublication . Pereira, Mariana; Negrão, Mariana; Soares, Isabel; Mesman, JudiSocioeconomic disadvantage is an important predictor of maternal harsh discipline, but few studies have examined risk mechanisms for harsh parenting within disadvantaged samples. In the present study, parenting stress, family conflict, and child difficult temperament are examined as predictors of maternal harsh discipline among a group of 58 mothers from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds and their young children between the ages of 1- to 4-years-old. Maternal harsh discipline was measured using standardized observations, and mothers reported on parenting stress, family conflict, and child temperament. Severity of socioeconomic deprivation was included as a moderator in these associations. Results showed that parenting stress and family conflict predicted maternal harsh discipline, but only in the most severely deprived families. These findings extend prior research on the processes through which socioeconomic deprivation severity and family functioning impact maternal harsh discipline within a high-risk sample of low-income families. They suggest that the spillover of negative parental functioning into parent–child interactions is particularly likely under conditions of substantial socioeconomic deprivation. Severity of socioeconomic stress seems to undermine maternal adaptive forms of coping, resulting in harsh disciplining practices. Intervention efforts aimed at improving parenting and family relations, as well as an adaptive coping style assume especial relevance.
- Risk factors for internalizing and externalizing problems in the preschool years: systematic literature review based on the child behavior checklist 1½–5Publication . Carneiro, Alexandra; Dias, Pedro; Soares, IsabelEarly childhood is a common period for the onset of internalizing and externalizing problems. Many are the risk factors that contribute to the emergence of these types of problems. Literature enhances the importance of viewing the child as part of a system, in order to better understand the origin, the trajectory and the impact of risk factors in child mental health in preschool age. The current systematic literature review aims to examine empirical evidence based on the Child Behavior Checklist 1½–5 for risk factors related to the presence of internalizing and externalizing problems in children aged between 3 and 6 years old. The literature review includes articles published from January 2001 to December 2014. Twenty-eight articles that attend to pre-established inclusion and exclusion criteria were reported throughout the review. In general, results indicate that risk factors for internalizing and externalizing problems in preschool age can be organized into three main groups of risks: environment factors, parental/parenting factors, and child factors. It is clear that frequently more than one risk related to the emergence of internalizing and externalizing problems in preschool age children are reported. It is also possible to note that are few risks factors consistently studied in this age, highlighting the need for further investigation.
- Meta-analysis on parent–teacher agreement on preschoolers’ emotional and behavioural problemsPublication . Carneiro, Alexandra; Soares, Isabel; Rescorla, Leslie; Dias, PedroBased on a meta-analysis, this study aimed to examine cross-informant agreement between parents and teachers about Internalizing, Externalizing and Total Problems in preschool children using community and clinical samples and to test the effects of the type of sample, the measure used for assessments, and child sex on agreement between informants. The meta-analysis involved 23 studies assessing cross-informant agreement for preschool children. Informants were parents and teachers. The level of cross-informant agreement tended to be low. Meta-regression analyses showed that the child’s sex, the type of sample, and the measure used for assessments did not predict the level of cross-informant agreement on emotional and behavioural problems. The findings were in line with previous research results. Furthermore, the studied variables did not contribute to the prediction of agreement, suggesting the development of further studies that focus on other variables that may interfere with agreement in informants’ reports and will contribute to explaining different ratings of internalizing and externalizing problems in preschool-aged children.
- Maternal attachment representation in relation to emotional availability and discipline behaviorPublication . Negrão, Mariana; Pereira, Mariana; Soares, Isabel; Mesman, JudiMaternal attachment representations have been investigated in relation to sensitivity and emotional support, but rarely in relation to other important areas of daily parent–child interactions in early childhood, like limit setting and discipline strategies. This study investigates maternal attachment representations in relation to parenting sensitive and discipline behaviours. The sample consists of 37 Portuguese high-risk severely economically disadvantaged mothers and their 1- to 4-year-old children, that responded to the Adult Attachment Interview, and were observed in play and discipline interaction contexts. The results showed that a more preoccupied state of mind was related to less emotional availability in free play interaction with child. A more secure attachment representation was related to more psychologically controlling discipline tactics. These findings highlight the relevance of maternal attachment states of mind in understanding parenting practices in several domains, and are discussed in light of sociocultural factors
- Desenvolvimento, psicopatologia e apego: estudo exploratório com crianças institucionalizadas e suas cuidadorasPublication . Pereira, Mariana; Soares, Isabel; Dias, Pedro; Silva, Joana; Marques, Sofia; Baptista, JoanaO presente estudo exploratório examinou o desenvolvimento mental e a qualidade do funcionamento sócio-emocional de 16 crianças entre os 3 e os 6 anos, institucionalizadas em Centros de Acolhimento Temporário, relacionando-os com a qualidade das narrativas sobre o apego das suas cuidadoras. Foram utilizadas a Escala de Desenvolvimento Mental de Griffiths, o Questionário de Comportamentos, as Narrativas sobre o Apego e o Attachment Q-Sort. Os resultados revelaram que o nível de desenvolvimento das crianças foi inferior aos valores normativos. Além disso, os valores apresentados ao nível da psicopatologia, em termos de sintomas de internalização e de externalização, aproximaram-se dos valores clínicos. Não obstante e, em contraste com o esperado, a maioria das crianças apresentou valores próximos da segurança (base segura), os quais não estão associados com a qualidade das narrativas sobre o apego das suas cuidadoras. Os resultados são discutidos com base no impacto da privação em meio institucional para o desenvolvimento na infância.
- Avaliação do temperamento aos 13 e aos 24 meses através do relato do educador: validação da versão portuguesa do Infant Characterístics QuestionnairePublication . Magalhães, Carla; Dias, Pedro; Carneiro, Alexandra; Soares, Isabel; Rangel-Henriques, Margarida; Silva, Joana; Marques, Sofia; Baptista, JoanaSão apresentados dois estudos de validação do Infant Characteristics Questionnaire (ICQ; Bates, Freeland & Lounsbury, 1979) para a população portuguesa, junto de educadores de crianças entre os 11 e os 20 meses de idade (Estudo 1) e educadores de crianças entre os 21 e os 32 meses de idade (Estudo 2). No primeiro estudo foi avaliada uma amostra de conveniência de 289 bebés e, no segundo, uma amostra de conveniência de 398 crianças. O objectivo dos estudos foi a avaliação das qualidades psicométricas deste instrumento. Os estudos permitiram alcançar soluções factoriais adequadas para o ICQ, a partir do relato dos educadores. Os níveis de consistência interna das dimensões obtidas são, no geral, satisfatórios.