Encarnación Sarriá

Family Quality of Life and Psychological Well-Being in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Double ABCX Model.

BACKGROUND This study examined family quality of life (FQOL) and psychological well-being from a multidimensional perspective. The proposed model was based on the double ABCX model, with severity of the disorder, behaviour problems, social support, sense of coherence (SOC) and coping strategies as components. METHOD One hundred and eighteen parents (59 mothers and 59 fathers) with a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) participated in the study. Separate path analyses were performed to evaluate models of FQOL and psychological well-being for mothers and fathers. RESULTS In all models, behaviour problems had a negative indirect effect on adaptation (FQOL and psychological well-being) through SOC. For both mothers and fathers, the severity of the disorder and social support played significant roles in FQOL models. Coping strategies were related with adaptation, active avoidance coping with FQOL for fathers and positive and problem-focused coping with psychological well-being for mothers. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study highlight the value of the multidimensional approach. The specific patterns of results for mothers and fathers contribute to comprehension of the psychological adaptation of parents. Findings could be taken into account in interventions with families.

Desarrollo cognitivo y comunicación intencional preverbal: un estudio longitudinal multivariado

ResumenA partir de la revision de las investigaciones sobre las relaciones entre la aparicion de la intencion comunicativa y el desarrollo sensoriomotor, se planteo la conveniencia de realizar un estudio empirico que permitiera profundizar en el estudio de estas relaciones desde una perspectiva de analisis multivariado. Para ello se realizo un estudio longitudinal de 16 sujetos, con tres momentos de medida (en torno a los ocho, diez y doce meses de edad). Los sujetos fueron evaluados mediante la aplicacion de las escalas Uzgiris y Hunt (1975) y grabados en dos situaciones de interaccion diadica, una libre con su madre y otra semiestructurada de caracter elicitador. La conducta comunicativa de los ninos fue registrada mediante un sistema de codificacion disenado con tal fin (Sarria, 1991). Los datos fueron analizados mediante analisis de correlaciones y analisis de correspondencias multiples. Los resultados obtenidos no apoyan la hipotesis de la homologia local sobre la interdependencia de determinadas cap...

Pointing Gestures as a Cognitive Tool in Young Children: Experimental Evidence.

This article explores the possible cognitive function associated with pointing gestures from a Vygotskian perspective. In Study 1, 39 children who were 2-4years of age were observed in a solitary condition while solving a mnemonic task with or without an explicit memory demand. A discriminant analysis showed that children used noncommunicative pointing gestures only in the task with an explicit memory demand. In Study 2, 39 children who were 4-6years of age completed an attentional task with and without the possibility of pointing. An analysis of variance showed that only those children who spontaneously pointed to solve the first task performed significantly worse in a second condition where pointing was impossible. These results suggest that besides its social interactive functions, pointing may also subserve private cognitive functions for children.

Realismo, Animismo y Teoría de la Mente: características culturales y universales del conocimiento mental

Resumen Este estudio pretende evaluar la universalidadde la teoría de la mente en niños de tres culturas—la zapoteca, la española y la regiomontana—y a su vez, comparar sus concepciones sobre el realismo y el animismo, conocimiento que está marcadamente influido por principios o sistemas culturales. Se utilizaron dos tareas de teoría de la mente (la tarea de creencia falsa de primer y de segundo orden de recursividad) para evaluar los rendimientos de los niños en dos edades distintas; y otras dos tareas para valorar el realismo y el an imismo. Los resultados de este estudio revelan el carácter universal de la competencia de la teoría de la mente y su coexistencia con concepciones culturales y particulares sobre lo mental. Se discute la naturaleza de la psicología natural y de la psicología popular.

Psychological Adaptation in Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are among the most enigmatic and restricting disorders, given that affected individuals demonstrate alterations in three basic areas of development: reciprocal social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and flexibility in their selection of interests and behaviours. The peculiar characteristics that define ASD cause major disturbances in the family dynamics and generate needs in all areas and contexts of development (Altiere, 2006; Baker et al., 2005; Shu, 2009; Smith, Hong et al., 2010). Other problems are frequently associated with the nuclear characteristics of autism. These include mental retardation (Sigman & Caps, 1997) and behaviour problems such as stereotyped, self-injurious or aggressive conduct (Bryson, 1996; Hastings, 2003) that persist in the long term (Einfeld, Tonge & Rees, 2001). These problems, depending on the severity and frequency with which they occur, will affect the development of individuals with autism and the well-being and adaptation of their parents to a greater or lesser extent (Herring, et al., 2006; Lecavalier et al., 2006; Pozo et al., 2006; Tomanik et al., 2004). Many studies have examined the emotional adjustment of parents of children with ASD. These studies have systematically documented that --compared to parents of children with other disorders or with parents of normally developing children-parents of ASD children have higher levels of stress (Baker et al., 2005; Baker et al., 2003; Belchic, 1996; Cuxart, 1995), anxiety (Baxter et al., 2000; Hastings, 2003; Hastings et al., 2005a; Konstantareas & Homatidis, 1989), and depression (Feldman et al., 2007; Olsson & Hwang, 2002; Phetrasuwan, 2003; Singer, 2006; Smith et al., 2008). Many studies also suggest that the concomitant behaviour problems in ASD, compared to the severity of the disorder itself, are most strongly associated with stress (Baker et al., 2002; Donenberg & Baker, 1993; Herring et al., 2006; Lecavalier et al., 2006; Tomanik et al., 2004) and with anxiety and depression (Baxter et al., 2000; Blacher, Shapiro et al., 1997; Quine & Pahl, 1991). Nevertheless, some families, despite having children with severe ASD, have still managed successful psychological adaptation. From this we can infer that the characteristics of autistic children may not be the only factors that influence adaptation. Other types of variables are also involved, including social support, perception of problems and coping strategies. In the next section, we will describe the results of studies that have analysed the influences of these factors on adaptation.

Metarrepresentación, intencionalidad y verbos de referencia mental: un estudio evolutivo

ResumenLa tarea clasica de teoria de la mente (Wimmer y Perner, 1983) permite el estudio del desarrollo de la comprension de algunos verbos mentales. Estos verbos tienen particulares atributos semanticos y logicos. En la tarea clasica, las preguntas habituales son sobre los verbos «pensar» o «creer» que son verbos intencionales. En este trabajo hemos disenado una nueva tarea que permite investigar otros verbos epistemicos como «recordar» y «saber» que no tienen un rasgo de intencionalidad. La muestra estaba compuesta por 80 sujetos (cuarenta ninos y cuarenta ninas), entre 4,5 y 5,5 anos. La mitad de los sujetos fueron evaluados con una pregunta de crencia y la otra mitad con una pregunta de recuerdo. Los resultados nos permiten hacer inferencias sobre la comprension de los verbos mentales y sobre la diferencia en la compresion de verbos intencionales y no intencionales. Los resultados muestran que la intencionali dad genera mas dificultades cognitivas en la comprension y el uso de algunos verbos mentales.

Still stressed but feeling better: Well-being in autism spectrum disorder families as children become adults

The transition to adulthood and adulthood itself have been identified as times of stress for parents of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Longitudinal studies, however, show improvements in the well-being of mothers of adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder. This article presents a cross-sectional study of 102 Spanish parents (51 mothers and 51 fathers) of 102 individuals with autism spectrum disorder. The aim was to examine parental well-being (evaluated based on stress, anxiety, depression and psychological well-being) in three groups of parents of adults, adolescents and young children with autism spectrum disorder. In addition, the relationships between parental well-being and the characteristics of their children, social support, parental age and sense of coherence were analysed. The results showed that although parental stress and psychological well-being levels were similar across the groups, depression and anxiety were lower in parents of adolescents or adults compared with parents of young children. Different factors predicted different measures of parental well-being, but sense of coherence emerged as the main predictive factor for all parental well-being measures. These findings are discussed in relation to parental adaptation over the lifespan and the implications for interventions in autism spectrum disorder families.

Comprensión emocional en el contexto de la envidia en niños zapotecos y españoles de 3 a 5 años: un estudio exploratorio

Resumen El objetivo de este estudio es explorar la comprensión emocional en el contexto de la envidia, en niños de 3 a 5 años, pertenecientes a dos culturas—zapotecos y españoles—, para las cuales el significado y el modo de afrontar la envidia son distintos. Dos tareas fueron diseñadas, una para obtener atribuciones emocionales de un personaje que presenciaba la destrucción de un objeto de su compañero, que previamente había deseado y que no le era posible conseguir, la segunda explora la relación entre emociones, explicaciones y estrategias de solución al conflicto. Los resultados muestran que los niños de ambas culturas, y desde los tres años, atribuyen alegría por el daño ajeno. Sin embargo, el tipo de explicaciones y las estrategias de solución al conflicto varían según la cultura y la edad. Discutimos estos resultados en relación con el papel que ejerce la cultura en el desarrollo de la comprensión emocional.

Parental Self-Efficacy and Positive Contributions Regarding Autism Spectrum Condition: An Actor–Partner Interdependence Model

Couples affect each other cognitively, emotionally and behaviorally. The goal of this study is to test the benefits and potential use of the actor–partner interdependence model in examining how parental self-efficacy and positive contributions of fathers and mothers of children with Autism Spectrum Condition influence each other’s psychological adaptation. The sample includes 76 Spanish couples who completed validated questionnaires measuring predictors, i.e., self-efficacy and positive contributions, and adaptation outcomes i.e., stress, anxiety, depression and psychological well-being. Multilevel analysis revealed many actor and some partner effects of parental self-efficacy and positive contributions to be important determinants of adaptation above and beyond child and sociodemographic factors, and as such, these effects should be targeted in clinical intervention programs.

Análisis comparativo de la conducta de niños autistas, deficientes y normales en una situación de interacción

ResumenEl presente articulo expone una investigacion cuyo objetivo es estudiar comparativamente la conducta de los ninos autistas, deficientes no autistas y normales, en una situacion de interaccion diadica con un adulto. La muestra estaba compuesta por 30 ninos, 10 en cada grupo. Los ninos de los distintos grupos diagnosticos estaban igualados uno a uno en edad mental y sexo. Los deficientes y los autistas fueron igualados ademas en edad cronologica. Cada sujeto fue grabado mediante video en una sesion de interaccion social. La conducta de los sujetos se codifico atendiendo a 34 categorias de observacion que recogian distintos tipos de conducta (conductas proxemicas, de atencion, expresivas, instrumentales, estrategias de comunicacion, conductas de huida, agresivas…). Se discuten tos resultados y sus implicaciones, sugiriendo nuevas lineas de investigacion.