Patricia A. Jarvis

Coping in adolescence: Empirical evidence for a theoretically based approach to assessing coping.

The present study was designed to examine the reported Stressors and patterns of coping strategies used by adolescents and extend the 1989 work of Carver et al. by reporting internal reliability, factorial validity, and normative data on the COPE for a sample of middle adolescents. A sample of 484 ninth through twelfth graders (ages 14–18) attending a Laboratory High School participated in the study. The COPE inventory developed by Carver et al. in 1989 for use with college students, was administered with a battery of measures to all adolescent participants in their classrooms. Results indicated sufficient internal consistency for the measure and significant gender differences. Factor analysis of the COPE indicated that the subscales consistently fell into four factors rather than the traditional two (i.e., problem focused vs emotion focused). Implications for using the COPE in research on adolescent were discussed.

Parental stress, coping, and attachment in families with an 18-month-old infant

Abstract Competing data exist regarding the influence of child care arrangements on infant social development. Yet, a large amount of within-group variability for both nonmaternally cared for infants and infants cared for in their homes by their mothers has been found with regard to such social developmental outcomes as attachment. The present study assessed coping as a mediator in the relationship between parenting stress and attachment for 32 families consisting of a mother, father, and their 18-month-old infant. The Attachment Q-Set, Parenting Stress Index, and Ways of Coping were administered. Parenting stress was significantly associated with insecure attachment to mothers and fathers. It was indicated that psychological separation (due to stress) more than actual physical separation (due to child care arrangements) may be a salient variable in considering the impact of child care on the relationship between infants and their parents. Positive reappraisal, as a coping strategy, was related to substantial reductions in the associations between parenting stress and attachment security. Although the results are not causal, implications for prevention efforts were suggested based on the coping strategies that were adaptive in mediating parenting stress versus those that were not.

Relationships between parenting stress and developmental functioning among 2-year-olds

Abstract The purpose of this article was to specify the relation between parenting stress and the early behavioral organization of 2-year-olds. Twenty-seven families provided assessments of parental stress and child behavior problems. In addition, observations of toddler pretend play and autonomy development were conducted. Mothers who reported higher level of stress within areas of life related to parental adjustment (e.g., relationship with spouse, social isolation, health) had toddlers who exhibited more externalizing and total behavior problems. In addition, mothers who reported higher levels of stress in relation to their toddler (e.g., perceptions of reinforcement from child) were more likely to have toddlers who exhibited behavior problems, less pretend play, and less usage of self-assertion during home observations. Finally, fathers who reported higher levels of stress in relation to their toddler also reported more behavioral problems.

The role of pets in preadolescent psychosocial development

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of pets in preadolescent psychosocial development. A sample of 130 third through sixth graders from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds were selected based on whether they were pet owners and nonpet owners. Preadolescents in the two groups were then matched on parental marital status, socioeconomic status (SES), and number of siblings. Data was collected in an interview and questionnaire format. Questionnaires measuring autonomy, self-concept, self-esteem, and attachment to animals were completed. Support for the hypothesis that pet owners would report higher autonomy, self-concept, and self-esteem was found. Higher autonomy was reported in pet owners across all grades on the perceives parents as people subscale of the autonomy measure. Sixth-grade pet owners reported higher self-concept and pet-owning fifth and sixth graders reported higher self-esteem. Attachment to animals was not found to be higher in the pet-owning group and greater attachment to animals was not found to be related to higher scores on the dependent measures. The significant differences between the groups for both fifth and sixth graders suggest that pets may have their greatest impact on childrens lives as they enter into adolescence. The significant influence of pets on autonomy indicates that pet ownership could be used to foster the development of autonomous characteristics in preadolescents. The positive influence of pets on self-concept and self-esteem suggests that pets may be used as a source of support as well as an intervention strategy for persons suffering from low self-concept and self-esteem.

The effects of infants' illness on mothers' interactions with prematures at 4 and 8 months

Abstract This investigation explored the effects of illness on mother-infant interactions among three groups of prematures: infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), and infants with no serious medical complications. Mother-infant interactions were coded from videotapes of teaching sessions at 4 and 8 months (correcting for prematurity). As predicted, BPD infant-mother pairs had less optimal interactions than RDS pairs and healthy preterm infant-mother dyads. The results of the present study demonstrated the importance of severity of illness not only for health status but also for mother-infant interactions.

Mental and motor development for three groups of premature infants

The purpose of this experiment was to contrast three groups of premature infants on 4-and 8-month cognitive and motor development. Premature infants diagnosed with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD; n = 21) and respiratory distress syndrome (RDS; n = 17) were recruited from a regional medical center along with a group of healthy prematures (well; n = 10). Well infants outperformed RDS infants, who, in turn, outperformed BPD infants on cognitive assessments at 4 and 8 months. Both well and RDS infants scored higher than BPD infants on motor development at 4 and 8 months. Suggestions for future research efforts are offered.

Student Attachment Stances, Instructor Immediacy, and Student–Instructor Relationships as Predictors of Achievement Expectancies in College Students

In the present research, associations between student attachment stances, verbal and nonverbal instructor immediacy, student–instructor relationships, and student achievement orientations were specified. It was predicted that positive student–instructor relationships would mediate associations between student attachment stances, instructor classroom behaviors and achievement orientations. To test this prediction, college students (N = 263) completed measures assessing achievement orientations, attachment stances, instructor relationship, and instructor-related behaviors in a randomly determined class. Instructor immediacy was significantly related to student achievement orientations; however, this association was partially mediated by student–instructor relationship quality. Highly immediate instructors had students who reported positive relationships with them, and this stance was associated with proficient achievement orientations. Student attachment stances were largely unrelated to relationships with instructors and achievement orientations. Implications for research and practice are offered.

The child's perceptions of familial relationships: convergence between two assessment techniques

Childrens (N = 28) perceptions of familial relationships were investigated with the Family Environment Scale (FES) and the Network of Relationships Inventory (NRI). The FES assesses overall impressions of the family, and the NRI measures perceptions of individual relationships. Because current family systems theory indicates that positive individual relationships within a dyad (e.g., child-mother) should be related to an overall favorable impression of the family system, we hypothesized that these two instruments should demonstrate convergence on selected dimensions. Results indicated that positive or negative relationships with an individual family member were related to how the child perceived the overall family system, supporting our hypothesis.

53 EFFECTS OF ILLNESS ON THE NEUROBEHAVIORAL COMPETENCE OF PREMATURE INFANTS

The neurological effects of prematurity are still poorly understood, in part due to failure to adequately control for severity of illness. We examined with the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale the neurobehavioral competence of 15 infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), 13 infants with respiratory distress syridrome (RDS), and 8 well premature infants (WP), matched except for severity of illness. Exams occurred at term and only if infants were medically 5table. Supplemental oxygen, if needed, was delivered by nasal cannula. Significant group differences occurred in the area of interaction and alertness (p. < .05). Performance was best for the WP group and worst for the BPD group. In the BPD group significant correlations with subscales measuring physiologic stability occurred with obstetrical complications (r=-.60, p <.02), neonatal complications (r=-.72, p <.003), gestational age (r=-.64, p < .01), birthweight (r=-.69, p < .005), and Apgar1(r=.60,p <.03). Neurobehavior in the RDS infants related only weakly to medical factors and not at all in the WP group. Our data suggest that perinatal events influence neurobehavioral competence but only in more severely involved infants. This may be due to neurological insult or ongoing illness. Degree of prematurity does not directly affect behavior as infants in the 3 groups were equivalent in this regard. Rather, degree of prematurity is influential because of the increased likelihood of medical complications.