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Biomedical subjects

J J Sigal

Publications and source records attributed to J J Sigal.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

The unraveling of a treatment paradigm: a followup study of the Milan approach to family therapy.

A 2-year followup study was conducted to determine the efficacy and degree of satisfaction with Milan-style family therapy with families refractory to other treatment interventions. Fourteen families and 5 couples who received Milan-style family therapy participated in the study. Family outcome was found to be improved in 56% of parents and 89% of identified child-patients at followup. Improved self-outcome at followup was reported by 56% of fathers, 67% of mothers, and 78% of identified child-patients. A substantial percentage of fathers (68%) and mothers (59%) reported that at least one family member sought further therapy posttreatment. Factors associated with either parent's positive perception of the treatment in general included the time interval between sessions, experiencing the treatment as brief rather than long, and positive feelings for the group behind the mirror. Mothers who reported liking the treatment reported better family outcome. For mothers, disliking the treatment was related to family members seeking further treatment. The more negative the mothers' and fathers' spontaneous comments about therapy were, the more likely that a family member would seek further alternative psychotherapy. The outcome results are explained in terms of the treatment families' negative reactions to some aspects of the therapist's stance and to the group behind the one-way mirror, as in Milan-style therapy. The importance of modifying Milan-type therapy to foster a positive attitude toward the treatment procedures and the therapist's interventions is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Some determinants of individual differences in the behaviour of children of parentally deprived parents.

Parents who had been placed in an orphanage as children rated the behaviour of all their children who were between the ages of 6-18 years on a children's behaviour survey instrument. All families were intact and the parents had not requested professional help for marital problems. A significant number of relationships were found between parental background variables and higher reported levels of conflict with siblings and with parents, dependent-unassertive behaviour, and undemandingness in the children. Although sampling difficulties preclude generalization, the results suggest that repercussion of events in the lives of the first and second generation that are usually pathogenic may be seen in the third generation, even when the second generation may not be grossly adversely affected. These events most frequently related to individual differences in the third generation in the area of undercontrol of aggression directed toward parents and siblings.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1988

Grandchildren of survivors: can negative effects of prolonged exposure to excessive stress be observed two generations later?

Some studies have demonstrated negative psychological repercussions on children of parents who experienced extreme, prolonged stress. To determine whether such effects might continue in the third generation, we examined the presenting complaints of patients in a child psychiatry clinic who could be reliably identified as: (i) children whose parents were native born but who had at least one grandparent who was a survivor of the Nazi persecution (Index 1, N = 58); (ii) other children who had at least one parent and one grandparent who was a survivor (Index 2, N = 11); (iii) children of other immigrant grandparents (N = 28); (iv) children with four native born grandparents (N = 30). All other grandparents and parents were native born. All families were of the same ethnic group. Index 2 children manifested more difficulties related to school performance, but the small size of the sample precludes generalization. Although the Index 1 children did not have different types of behavioural disturbances, the size of the Index (1 + 2) group (N = 69) relative to the comparison groups was 300% greater than expected on the basis of community population estimates. Implications of this finding are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Mutual involvement and alienation in families of Holocaust survivors.

Clinical studies suggest that children of Holocaust survivors remain enmeshed with their families or alienated from them. To examine the applicability of these observations to a nonclinic population, questionnaire responses of a randomly selected community sample of adult children (ages 19-36) of Holocaust survivors (COS) were compared to those of children of other immigrants (COI), and of children of native-born parents (CON). The clinical findings were not supported in most of the wide range of possible manifestations of ties to or distance from the family. COS did, however, report more dissatisfaction with some aspects of the cross-sexed parents' disciplinary habits in the past. Male COS continued to feel that way in the present, wishing their mothers would be more permissive. Documented negative consequences of prolonged, severe victimization may affect only small segments of the second generation.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Stability of coping style 33 years after prolonged exposure to extreme stress.

Respondents who were in hiding or in the armed resistance movement in Nazi occupied Europe are assumed to have had avoidant and confronting coping styles, respectively. Responses to questionnaire items tapping behavior, attitudes and perceptions were examined in the two groups for the persistence of these same traits 33 years after World War II, in a study of randomly selected community sample of Jews. Taken as a whole, but not individually, responses to the questionnaire items suggested that the traits did persist (P less than 0.001). The results highlight the importance of distinguishing individual differences in coping style when studying the long-term effects of prolonged, stressful experiences.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1976

Motivational effects of hunger on time estimation and delay of gratification in obese and nonobese boys.

Time estimates and ability to delay gratification of obese and nonobese boys were compared by a 2x2x2 factorial experiment in which hunger and edibility of incentives were manipulated. Hunger did not affect estimates of the obese boys, while it significantly shortened estimates made by the nonobese boys when the hunger drive was made either specific or nonspecific by varying incentive conditions. Although estimates of the nonobese boys were significantly shorter in the edible than nonedible incentive condition, edibility of incentives did not affect the estiamtes of the obese, suggesting a general rather than food-specific arousal in the nonobese and a general lack of response to internal cues in the obese. Immediate rewards were chosen significantly more often by obese than nonobese Ss. However, delay gratification in both obese and nonobese was unaffected by the hunger and edibility of incentive manipulations. This was attributed to uncontrolled cognitive variables.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Problems in measuring the success of family therapy in a common clinical setting: impasse and solutions.

Families treated in conjoint therapy in the outpatient clinic of a general community hospital for about a year and other families that refused further contact with the same clinic after no more than two interviews were followed up about four and a half years later. The main difference found was that the treated group reported more new symptoms. The complexities of interpreting the data obtained are used as a basis for discussing problems that confront, and may deter, clinics attempting to evaluate their clinical work by means of controlled, nonfactorial or related designs. Process or correlational studies are suggested as an alternate choice.

Child Behavior Disorders↗
PubMed1975

Predictions of therapeutic process and progress in conjoint family therapy.

Following initial diagnostic interviews with 20 families in an outpatient psychiatric clinic, a group of therapists made predictions of the anticipated responses of the families to therapy. Changes in family structure, organization, and transactional patterns were predicted with use of the Family Category Schema. The families' responses to the process of therapy was predicted in a questionnaire. The results showed poor predictions of response to process. However, a normative response picture of a family in therapy did emerge. Also, all predictions erred in the direction of underrating the overall effectiveness of conjoint family therapy.

Adolescent↗