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PubMed2003

Defense mechanisms and psychological adjustment in childhood.

The association between maturity of defense use and psychological functioning was assessed in a group of 95 elementary school children. Defense mechanisms were measured using a valid and reliable storytelling task, and psychological adjustment was assessed through a combination of parent and self-report questionnaires. Correlational analyses indicated that children who relied on the developmentally immature defense of denial reported higher levels of self-rated social anxiety and depression and received higher ratings of parent-reported internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. However, children who made use of the developmentally mature defense of identification exhibited higher scores on perceived competence in social, academic, conduct, athletic, and global domains. Significantly, there was no relationship between children's use of denial and their level of perceived competence or between children's use of identification and their degree of maladjustment.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1995

[Aspects of pediatric psychotherapy with children and adolescents with uncontrolled aggressive behavior].

Starting from theoretical psychodynamic preliminary thoughts concerning the symptomatics of aggressive-uncontrolled behavior of children and adolescents, aspects of practical childpsychotherapeutic treatment processes are described. The latter is described as being dependent from the individual level of development of each child. Since it is usually the case that children and adolescent with these symptoms are psycho-socially immature based on ego-structural deficits at the beginning of treatment, the therapist primarily has the function of a transition object in accordance with Winnicott in the therapeutic beginning phase. Since the communication possibilities of these children are situated mostly on a deep nonverbal level of affectively loaded patterns of interaction in the beginning, the affective 'answer' of the therapist is of primary importance at this stage. In later stages of increased ego maturity symbolic communication possibilities increasingly open, whereby the child's conflicts can be worked through, shifted to play and shaping objects.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1984

[Terminal B-cell maturation and immunoglobulin synthesis in vitro in primary and secondary immune deficiencies].

Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from patients with various forms of primary and secondary immunodeficiencies and from 30 healthy control persons were examined for their capacity to show terminal B-cell maturation and immunoglobulin (Ig) synthesis in vitro following pokeweed mitogen (PWM) stimulation. PBL were cultured for 9 days with or without PWM and the percentages of B-cells or plasma cells with strongly positive cytoplasmic Ig (CIg+) were determined by indirect immunofluorescence on methanol fixed cytocentrifuged lymphocyte smears. In addition, newly synthesized IgA, IgG and IgM was measured in the cell free culture supernatant by means of a sensitive microplate ELISA. In 29 out of 30 control cultures the proportion of CIg+-cells increased markedly following 9-day stimulation with PWM. CIg+-cells and newly synthesized Ig were significantly correlated. In a group of 18 patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) maturation to CIg+-cells was greatly impaired and the in vitro production of IgA and IgG was reduced. Two infants with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) failed to produce Ig prior to and following haplo-identical bone marrow transplantation despite the presence of immature B-cells. A heterogeneous group of secondary immunodeficiencies showed different forms of an impaired terminal B-cell maturation and a reduced capacity to synthesize Ig in vitro. The described PWM culture techniques in combination with the evaluation of CIg+-cells and the measurement of newly synthesized Ig in the culture supernatant proved to be a reliable in vitro correlate for terminal B-cell maturation and represent an important tool for the classification of humoral immunodeficiencies.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Defense mechanisms in adolescents as a function of age, sex, and mental health status.

OBJECTIVE: To modify an existing instrument to provide a valid assessment of defense mechanisms in adolescents and to examine defense structure and usage as a function of age, sex, and mental health status. METHOD: Six hundred ninety-three subjects (187 nonclinic adolescents, 229 internalizing females, 99 incarcerated male delinquents, and 178 nonclinic adults) completed the modified Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ), which yielded 19 defense scores. RESULTS: Factor analyses of the 19 defense scores on the adolescent sample yielded three factors: Immature, Mature, and Prosocial Defenses. These were similar to those from studies of adults. Additional factor analyses were conducted on defense scores of subjects grouped by age, sex, and mental health status. The Immature and Mature Factors were relatively consistent across groups, but the Prosocial Factor varied by group. Multivariate analyses of variance and analyses of variance on individual and composite defense scores revealed differences by age, sex, and mental health status. CONCLUSIONS: Although the modified DSQ needs further work to improve its psychometric properties, it is clearly fruitful to assess adolescent defense mechanisms. Results from extant studies of adults and males on the structure of defenses cannot be validly extrapolated to other age groups and to females.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1992

[Psychogenic pain conditions. Defense structure and taxonomic subgroups].

According to the results of the prospective Grant-Study the maturity of the individually available defence mechanisms has an essential influence on both physical and psychic well-being. Psychogenic pain patients are characterized by a "turning against self": an immature defense mechanism. By means of a cluster analysis, three taxonomic subgroups (types A, B, C) were defined. Type A is characterized by immature defense mechanisms (projection, turning against self and against object) and type C by neurotic defances (reaction formation and intellectualization), whereas type B manifests both intellectualization and a turning against self. Raised scores for anxiety, abnormal illness behaviour, depressive self-image, depressive mood and suicidal ideas are additional features which distinguish types A and B from type C. In contrast to type B, type A shows a negative social resonance, "doctor shopping" and drug abuse. The diagnostic differentiation of types A, B and C could be the basis of a differential indication to the different psychotherapeutic treatment approaches to chronic pain patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Familial and psychological risk factors of ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND: The aetiology of ulcerative colitis is still unknown. Several theories have been proposed taking into account psychological influences. AIMS: The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis of a relationship between certain individual psychological patterns, stress, some familial variables, and ulcerative colitis. PATIENTS: A series of 122 patients with ulcerative colitis and a matched hospital control population were independently studied by a team of physicians and a team of psychologists. METHODS: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Form Y) and Sacks' sentence completion tests were submitted to all subjects in both populations. RESULTS: Data showed significantly higher anxiety trait and state in ulcerative colitis patients, whilst 84% of ulcerative colitis patients showed a variety of obsessional traits and an affectivity state characterized by introversion and emotional immaturity. A link was found with regard to relationship with mother, to the condition of single children in the male ulcerative colitis population (41% vs 18% controls), and to last born daughters in the female ulcerative colitis group (47.5% vs 27.9% controls). In addition, a previous stressful life event within the 12-month period prior to the investigation was found in 44.3% of ulcerative colitis patients and in 10.7% of controls. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological disturbances and familial condition are proposed as risk factors, if not actual aetiological variables of ulcerative colitis.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

A factor structure for the MMPI-A: replication with male delinquents.

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A) Structural Summary was developed as a means of simplifying the interpretation of the 69 scales and subscales of this test instrument by organizing findings around eight primary factor dimensions. The current study examined the scale-level factor structure of the MMPI-A in a large sample of 1,610 male juvenile delinquents to assess the potential usefulness of this factor structure in a delinquency population. In this attempt to replicate the MMPI-A scale-level factor structure identified by Archer, Belevich, and Elkins in the MMPI-A normative sample and by Archer and Krishnamurthy in a clinical sample, a correlation matrix of all MMPI-A scale raw scores was created for a principal factor analysis. Results from the factor analysis produced a seven-factor solution that was largely consistent with the dimensions of the MMPI-A Structural Summary. Results were also reported in terms of the frequency of elevations on Structural Summary dimensions, with particular evidence of the importance of the Immaturity factor in describing this male juvenile delinquent sample.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

The effects of an anabolic steroid (oxandrolone) on reproductive development in the male rat.

Oxandrolone is a 5 alpha-reduced anabolic steroid that is administered for the treatment of short stature disease in children. It is a commonly used substance beginning as early as prepuberty by some individuals who are seeking to enhance athletic performance or personal appearance. Because of the lack of data on the effects of anabolic steroids on the reproductive system, we have examined the effects of oxandrolone treatment on reproductive development in male rats with treatment beginning two days after weaning. Male, Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 12) received a daily subcutaneous injection of oxandrolone (32.7 mumol.kg-1.day-1) and the control group (N = 12) received vehicle only (dimethyl sulfoxide). Treatment began at age 23 days and continued to 60 days of age. The weights of the testes, prostate glands, and seminal vesicles in the treatment group were 69%, 50% and 29% below control levels, respectively and were all significantly decreased (p less than 0.01). Testicular testosterone production in a 3-h incubation was inhibited in the treated animals to 1.3% of control values (p less than 0.001). Serum FSH (11.7% of control) and LH (undetectable) in the treated animals were both significantly less than controls. Histological findings indicated an arrest of advanced spermatids and a severe depletion of Leydig cells in the interstitial compartment. It was concluded that treatment of immature male rats with oxandrolone results in effects on the adult male reproductive system which are profound and occur at several levels. The most likely affected sites are the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and the Leydig cells.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Clinical paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria is the result of expansion of glycosyl-phosphatidyl-inositol-anchored protein-deficient clone in the condition of deficient hematopoiesis.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is an acquired, clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorder in which PIG-A, gene essential for the biosynthesis of the glycosyl-phosphatidyl-inositol (GPI) anchor, is somatically mutated. Absence of GPI-linked proteins from the surface of blood cells is characteristic of the PIG-A mutant (PNH) clone and is also accountable fo certain manifestations, such as intravascular hemolysis. It is unclear how the PNH clone expands and comes to dominate hematopoiesis. In this study, CD34+ cells--committed progenitors (colony-forming cells) representing immature hematopoietic stem cells--and reticulocytes representing the differentiated erythroid cells were quantitated in peripheral blood of patients with PNH. Compared with normal controls (n = 29), CD34+ cell levels were significantly lower in PNH patients who did not have preexisting aplastic anemia (AA) (n = 12) (2.47+/-1.23 versus 4.68+/-1.05 x 106/L, mean +/- standard error; P = .022). PNH patients with precedent aplastic anemia (AA+/PNH) showed markedly low CD34+ cell levels compared with normal control subjects (0.6+/-0.29 versus 4.68+/-1.05 x 10(6)/L; P = .0001). In addition, colony-forming cells from PNH patients were significantly decreased compared with those from normal volunteers (erythroid burst-forming units, 2.8+/-1.2 versu 25.6+/-6.2/5 x 10(5) mononuclear cells; P = .0006; and granulocyte/macrophage colony-forming units, 1.2+/-0.5 versus 13.3+/-3.0/ 5 x 10(5) mononuclear cells; P = .0006). These findings occur in both aplastic and hemolytic types of PNH, suggesting hematopoietic failure in PNH. On the contrary, the numbers of reticulocytes and the reticulocyte production index of PNH patients were significantly higher than those of normal persons and comparable to those from patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia, indicating accelerating erythropoiesis in PNH. The degree of reticulocytosis correlated well with the proportion of CD59- (PNH) reticulocytes. All of the findings suggest that in the condition of deficient hematopoiesis, the PNH clone arising from the mutated hematopoietic stem cell expands and maintains a substantial proportion of the patient's hematopoiesis.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Two approaches to the measurement of adaptive style: comparison of normal, psychosomatically ill, and delinquent adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: This project evaluated the discriminant validity of two self-report measures of adaptive styles. METHOD: The Weinberger Adjustment Inventory, which assesses distress, restraint, denial, and repressive defensiveness, and the Bond Defense Style Questionnaire, which assesses immature, neurotic, and mature defenses, were administered to 272 adolescents: normal comparison group boys (n = 63), normal comparison group girls (n = 68), girls with psychosomatic disorders (n = 75), and incarcerated delinquent boys (n = 66). Multivariate analyses of covariance, analyses of covariance, and discriminant analyses (with socioeconomic status and age as covariates) were conducted. RESULTS: Adaptive styles from the Defense Style Questionnaire differentiated the adolescent groups better than did the Weinberger Adjustment Inventory styles. CONCLUSION: Measurement of adaptive style by the Defense Style Questionnaire may be a useful adjunct to other measures of psychopathology and can assist in assessment of risk, treatment planning, and treatment progress.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1989

The determination of defense style by questionnaire.

The Defense Style Questionnaire was relabeled in terms of DSM-III-R defenses and administered to three groups: a normal population, family practice patients, and patients with anxiety disorders. The preferred factor structure identified mature defenses (sublimation, humor, anticipation, and suppression), neurotic defenses (undoing, altruism, idealization, and reaction formation), and immature defenses (projection, passive aggression, acting out, etc). Factor scores varied systematically with group membership and with measures of total symptoms. In this cross-sectional study, the vulnerability factors of neuroticism, locus of control, and defense style were all correlated with neurotic symptoms, but defense style added little to the variance explained by the other two. Within the patient group, however, neuroticism and locus of control did not distinguish among panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, while defense style showed patterns characteristic of each disorder.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Parental vocalizations and perceived immaturity in down syndrome.

Previous findings suggest that children with Down syndrome may be perceived as more youthful than other children with mental retardation. In this study whether perceptions of youthfulness can be linked to parenting behavior, in particular increased prosodic adjustments characteristic of infant-directed speech, is investigated. The prosodic characteristics of parental language targeted to children with Down syndrome and children with other etiologies of mental retardation were compared. Results show that parents of children with Down syndrome raised their voice pitch significantly more (i.e., spoke in a higher register) and spoke with a significantly wider mean pitch variance than parents of children in the comparison group. Implications are discussed for parent-child interactions in children with different genetic mental retardation syndromes.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Delayed carpal ossification in Notophthalmus viridescens Efts: Relation to the progress of mesopodial completion in newt forelimb regenerates.

The persistence of cartilage in the adult newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) forelimb skeletal regenerate has recently been reported by Libbon et al. It is particularly evident in the carpal group, which remains cartilaginous for at least 9 months while all other regrown skeletal parts are either ossified or ossifying. The present investigation was undertaken to determine whether delayed ossification in the adult regenerate recapitulates a pattern evident during the development of the forelimb of the red eft (N. viridenscens' immature terrestrial phase). Right upper limbs of 20 efts were examined at low magnification to establish carpal composition and organization. Among five efts of the smallest size (26.54 plus or minus 2.20 mm snout-to-vent length), and displaying bright orange dorsal skin coloration, all carpal rudiments were cartilaginous. Eleven efts, intermediate in length (33.88 plus or minus 0.81 mm), displaying orange-green coloration, all carpals had ossified. These observations demonstrate that during adult newt forelimb regeneration, the failure of the carpal elements to begin ossification in synchrony with other regrown skeletal parts duplicates a similar schedule of delayed mesopodial ossification which is evident during the development of the red eft's forelimb.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Social adjustment of adolescents at risk for schizophrenia: the Jerusalem Infant Development Study.

OBJECTIVE: To better understand whether poor social adjustment, a core characteristic of schizophrenic illness, may also be an indicator of vulnerability in young people who are at genetic risk for schizophrenia, but who do not have schizophrenia. METHOD: Between 1992 and 1996, 27 Israeli adolescents with a schizophrenic parent, 29 adolescents with no mentally ill parent, and 30 adolescents with a parent having a nonschizophrenic mental disorder were assessed on multiple domains of social adjustment measured using the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents and the Youth Self-Report. RESULTS: Young people with a schizophrenic parent showed poor peer engagement, particularly heterosexual engagement, and social problems characterized by immaturity and unpopularity with peers. These social adjustment difficulties in youths at risk for schizophrenia could not be attributed solely to the presence of early-onset mental disorders, although problems were greater in those with disorders in the schizophrenia spectrum. Young people whose parents had other disorders showed different patterns of social maladjustment characterized by difficult, conflictual relationships with peers and family. CONCLUSION: Adolescents at risk for schizophrenia have social deficits that extend beyond early-onset psychopathology and that may reflect vulnerability to schizophrenic disorder.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Modes of transmission and genetic diversity of foamy viruses in a Macaca tonkeana colony.

BACKGROUND: Foamy viruses are exogenous complex retroviruses that are highly endemic in several animal species, including monkeys and apes, where they cause persistent infection. Simian foamy viral (SFV) infection has been reported in few persons occupationally exposed to non-human primates (NHP) in zoos, primate centers and laboratories, and recently in few hunters from central Africa. Most of the epidemiological works performed among NHP populations concern cross-sectional studies without long-term follow-up. Therefore, the exact timing and the modes of transmission of SFVs remain not well known, although sexual and oral transmissions have been suspected. We have conducted a longitudinal study in a free-breeding colony of Macaca tonkeana in order (1) to determine the prevalence of the infection by foamy viruses, (2) to characterize molecularly the viruses infecting such animals, (3) to study their genetic variability overtime by long-term follow-up of several DNA samples in a series of specific animals, and (4) to get new insights concerning the timing and the modes of SFVs primary infection in these monkeys by combining serology and molecular means, as well as studies of familial structures and long-term behavioral observations. RESULTS/CONCLUSION: We first demonstrated that this colony was highly endemic for SFVs, with a clear increase of seroprevalence with age. Only 4.7% of immatures, and 43,7% of sub-adults were found seropositive, while 89.5% of adults exhibited antibodies directed against SFV. We further showed that 6 different strains of foamy viruses (exhibiting a very low intra-strain and overtime genetic variability in the integrase gene) are circulating within this group. This suggests a possible infection by different strains within an animal. Lastly, we provide strong evidence that foamy viruses are mostly acquired through severe bites, mainly in sub-adults or young adults. Most cases of seroconversion occur after 7 years of age; from this age individuals competed for access to sexual partners, thus increasing the likelihood of being wounded. Furthermore, all the serological and molecular data, obtained in this free-breeding colony, argue against a significant transmission of SFVs from mother or father to infants as well as between siblings.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Behavior-oriented approaches to reducing youth gun violence.

Advocacy groups on both sides of the guns issue frequently point to changing personal behavior--of both parents and children--as a key element in reducing gun violence among youth. Efforts to bring about these changes range from community-based campaigns, to laws and programs that encourage parents to store their guns safely, to educational initiatives that focus on keeping young children away from guns and encouraging youth to resolve disputes without violence. Unfortunately, these behavior-oriented programs have not shown great success in reducing youth gun violence. This article reviews the research surrounding behavioral approaches to gun violence prevention and highlights obstacles that hamper the effectiveness of these programs. Supportive communities can play a key role in protecting youth from violence in general, but the few community-based violence prevention programs that focus on youth have not been shown to decrease youth access to or use of guns. By and large, behavioral programs and legal interventions aimed at parents have not been proven to reduce youth gun violence. This may be due in part to parental misperceptions about children's risk of injury and ability to protect themselves. Children and youth are particularly difficult targets for behavioral change programs. Cognitive immaturity among younger children and perceptions of invulnerability among adolescents may be part of the reason. Most programs that seek to persuade youth to stay away from guns have not been proven effective. The author concludes that, although behavioral programs could be improved, overall they hold only limited promise for reducing youth gun violence.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Old and new internal working models of attachment: the organization of feelings and language.

Old internal working models of attachment are based on the organization of feelings and behavior which develop on the basis of parents' sensitivity to infants' and young children's attachment and exploratory needs. New internal working models reflect the process of language discourses with older and wiser conversation partners during the many subsequent years of immaturity. It is proposed that successful linguistic co-construction of internal coherence of attachment emotions and their external correspondence may lead to secure states of mind even in cases of less than optimal early attachment experiences--and vice versa. Attachment theory needs to address the problem of how early secure or insecure organizations of attachment emotions interact with the later construction of mature internal working models through language discourse with others, and with what emotional outcome. This would help to solve the theoretical paradox between continuity--unchangeable determinism from early infancy--and non-continuity--irrelevancy of early attachment experiences for later states of mind.

Child↗

PubMed1995

Marital crises in oncology patients. An approach to initial intervention by primary clinicians.

Life-threatening illnesses such as cancer may precipitate marital crises in vulnerable relationships, and oncology clinicians often feel uncertain about how to approach them. This paper presents a framework for initial intervention based on the nature of the principal threat to the relationship. Immature relationships need distance and support for their identity as a couple; hostile dependent couples need to find consensus in order to structure communication; physically abusive relationships require monitoring in order to promote safety; and estranged couples need help in understanding their disappointment and identifying available support. Clinicians working in oncology can help couples in crisis by promoting a realistic balance of independence and dependence, clarifying the complexity of factors contributing to the crisis, considering referral for couples treatment, communicating with the team while respecting patients' confidences, and by choosing clear and compatible clinical roles. Primary clinicians can stabilize and treat marital crises, but need access to medically knowledgeable couples' therapists.

Adaptation, Psychological↗