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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1979

Sex-role behavior change: intrasubject studies of boyhood gender disturbance.

Sex-role behaviors were modified in a seven-year-old boy who had been evaluated by an independent psychiatrist as manifesting cross-gender identification. The child's developmental history paralleled the retrospective reports of adult transsexuals. In Experiment 1, the boy was treated in the clinic by a nonprofessional female "therapist" who reinforced "masculine" sex-typed play behaviors and extinguished "feminine" behaviors. The treatment effects generalized to the boy's play with a different set of toys in the presence of male and female strangers, but did not generalize to the boy's play in the alone condition. An intrasubject reversal design was used to replicate the treatment effects. Concurrently, Experiment 2 was conducted to shape the child's athletic skills to a level that would enable him to compete with his peers. The treatment effect for "sockball" was replicated for "kickball" in a multiple-baseline intrasubject design. Future research is suggested to explore variables that would maximize both generalization of treatment effects and parental cooperation over time.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1979

Early intervention for female sexual identity disturbance: self-monitoring of play behavior.

This study is the first experimental demonstration of sex-typed play behavior change in a young girl with sexual identity disturbance. The 8-year-old child was treated with a self-monitoring procedure combined with a behavioral prompting technique that was gradually faded out. Self-monitoring in the clinic resulted in a high, stable rate of appropriate sex-typed play, and this effect generalized to a different set of sex-typed toys over time. The treatment effects did not generalize to the home environment. The self-regulation intervention was subsequently adapted to the home setting, resulting in a replication of the treatment effects across settings. After the removal of the self-monitoring interventions, a high level of feminine sex-typed play persisted. Pretreatment, posttreatment, and follow-up psychological testing demonstrated a reversal of a pronounced cross-gender identity to a normal female sexual identity.

Aggression↗
PubMed1978

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome: further studies and thoughts.

A possible association between the Gilles de la Tourette and Lesch-Nyhan syndromes has recently been postulated. Fourteen patients with Tourette syndrome demonstrated no similarity to Lesch-Nyhan based upon patterns of inheritance, behavioral changes, or alterations of purine metabolism. Despite a strong male predominance, a sex-linked pattern of inheritance could not be confirmed. Self-mutilating behavior was found in 4 male patients but was readily differentiated from that characteristic of the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. Quantitation of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase and isoelectric focusing of its isoenzymes produced results that were indistinguishable from those in controls. We speculate that, pathophysiologically, Tourette syndrome represents an imbalance between the central neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin rather than an alteration in purine metabolism.

Child↗
PubMed1979

Program evaluation in sex education: outcome assessment of sexual awareness weekend workshops.

The results of an outcome assessment of a growth-oriented sex education program are reported. The evaluation project attempted to overcome flaws of existing sex education research by explicitly delineating goals and by incorporating both a rigorous experimental control group design and quasiexperimental cohort comparisons. A Sex Questionnaire (covering sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behavior) was administered to the participants of three weekend workshops at the tiem of registration and 1 month later. Overflow resistration for one workshop permitted the random selection of a no-program control group. Results supported inferences of workshop effectiveness in meeting program goals in the areas of attitude and behavior change, but not with regard to increasing sexual knowledge. Implications for development and evaluation of sex education programs are discussed.

Awareness↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Behavioral consequences of dietary vitamin deficiency in young and middle-aged rats.

The behavioral correlates of vitamin A and B 6 dietary deficiency in young adult rats (Experiment 1) and middle-aged, retired breeder rats (Experiment 2) were examined. Male and female rats received either vitamin A deficient, vitamin B6 deficient, or normal control diets for two and a half months. Body weight, eating, and drinking of water and adulterated fluids were monitored. Pyridoxine deficiency generally had greater effects on consummatory behavior and weight gain than vitamin A deficiency, but this effect was influenced by the rats' age and sex. Wheel running, (Experiment 1), increased above control levels in both the vitamin delete groups. Vitamin A and B 6 deplete diets may affect behavior before an animal displays classical physical signs. Furthermore, such behavioral changes are not restricted to young, rapidly growing male rats; instead, their character is influenced by both the sex and age of the animal.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Behavioral changes following VMH lesions in rats with controlled insulin levels.

The effects of ventromedial hypothalamic (VMH) lesions were studied in female rats made diabetic with streptozotocin that were given twice daily injections of protamine zinc insulin (0.75 mu/100g/day) and in non-diabetic animals of the same sex. Hyperphagia resulted from VMH lesions in both diabetic animals whose insulin levels were controlled and in non-diabetic animals. All animals with lesions exhibited persistent increases in feeding during the light protion of the light-dark cycle. Significant increases in body weight gain were observed in both diabetic and non-diabetic lesioned animals, but the magnitude of wegith gain was greater after VMH lesions in non-diabetic rats. VMH lesions also reduced wood-gnawing and increased emotionality, aversion to quinine and reactivity to electric shock. None of the behavioral changes were dependent on hyperinsulinemia, although hyperinsulinemia may contribute to the magnitude of certain of these effects.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Nutrition and infant behavior: a replication study in the Katmandu Valley, Nepal.

As a cross cultural comparison with an earlier study done in West Bengal, behavioral observations were made in the Katmandu Valley of 36 well-nourished and 38 undernourished children, 7 to 18 months of age, and their mothers. Undernourished children showed lowered levels of exploratory activity and attachment behavior, especially distance interaction, and a heightened need for physical closeness to the mother. Moreover, among the undernourished children the level of intellectual performance and the overall time spent in play were decreased, while time spent sucking at the breast was increased. In contrast to the West Bengali study, maternal behavior showed no differences between the two nutritional groups, and the intercorrelations between maternal and child scores showed similar or parallel patterns of reciprocity for the well-nourished and the undernourished children. No sex or age differences were found. The findings were interpreted to support Levitsky and Barnes' hypothesis of "functional isolation" as a mechanism between undernutrition and environmental stimulation to produce long-term behavioral changes. In addition, hunger as a motivational state, expressed as increased sucking, may interfere with other motivational determinants that might lead to exploration and/or increased social contacts.

Child Behavior↗
PubMed1977

The evaluation of sexual health services in a medical setting.

An interdisciplinary Sexual Health Services unit has been established at the University of Minnesota Medical School that offers counseling and treatment programs for a wide variety of sex-related concerns and problems. The programs are based on the principles of responsibility for self, permission to be sexual, the use of reeducation, the facilitation of increased awareness in clients, and structured behavior change. The programs have been evaluated according to client satisfaction with the extent to which they have met pretreatment goals and according to results of pre/posttesting with objective instruments. One year follow-up results from 131 clients and immediate posttreatment results from 411 clients show positive change in a large majority of cases.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1979

An ethological view of human adolescence.

In modern times the essential "normality" of adolescence has been acknowledged. With its pan-cultural and functional perspective, ethology is in a position to elaborate a description of normal human adolescence. Ethologists attempt to elucidate four interrelated aspects of a given behavior: its survival function, evolution, development, and elicitation by internal and external factors. The basic research strategy is two-fold: to identify biologically based, or evolved, behaviors (chiefly by controlling for the effects of experience and seeing if a core of evolved behavior remains); and to discover their functions by isolating the necessary and sufficient ecological conditions for their evolution. Applying this evolutionary analysis to human adolescence, we find that two developments seem to be basic: reproductive maturation and gaining independence from parents. The remainder of the article is an interpretation of various behavioral, morphological, and cultural data in accordance with these two developmental functions. Puberty seems to be timed so as to promote these functions most effectively. Pubertal changes parallel somatic growth and are delayed by poor nutrition, disease, and psychological stress--patterns consistent with functional considerations. The influence of natural selection on the sequencing of pubertal events is also emphasized. The role of pubertal hormones in altering behavior as well as morphology is illustrated. The adolescent gains independence from his parents by means of maturation and sex differentiation. Males become specialized for vigorous exertion, and females for work near the settlement--although considerable overlap in morphological and behavioral tendencies exists between the sexes. Various examples of sex differentiation demonstrates how morphological, behavioral, and cultural factors complement each other. Adolescent initiation rites help channel boys and girls into appropriate adult roles, teach respect for one's culture, and favor the fittest individuals. Hopi rites of passage are described as an example. Reproductive maturation likewise involves adaptive morphological and behavioral changes that are reinforced by cultural mores. Males rely on intimidation more than females, in order to dominate other males and attract females; contrariwise, females employ an endearment strategy more than males do. Many sex differences in human reproductive behavior can be explained with reference to man's parental behavior pattern. These include the male's greater aggressiveness, the preponderance of polygyny over polyandry, and differences in the antecedents of jealousy. Lastly, the need for an ethological understanding of adolescence is underscored as promising to offer a useful perspective on the problems of U.S. youth.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

An epidemiological review of the mortality of bereavement.

Epidemiological literature revealing excess mortality in the newly widowed is reviewed. The risk varies by age and sex. Younger persons and men are at higher risk. There are manifold specific causes of death characterized by conditions manifest in middle and late life. Cause specificity also varies by sex. Methodological problems in this literature are mitigated by application of varied methodology and replication of basic findings. Socioeconomic status and "social" stress are not well controlled as independent variables. Nevertheless, they probably do not explain the large relative risk of mortality among the bereaved. Pathogenetic mechanisms resulting from a loss are probably twofold: physiologic changes associated with the loss response and behavioral changes that comprise health maintenance or chronic disease management. Because of its important as a health problems, as a fundamental human reaction, and as a research strategy for the basic psychosomatic hypothesis, bereavement is a prime target of investigation.

Adult↗
PubMed2026

School-based sexual violence prevention: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: Sexual violence profoundly affects the health and development of children, adolescents, and young adults, representing a persistent challenge to public policy. This systematic review examined the effectiveness of school-based interventions aimed at prevention. METHODS: Eighteen randomized controlled trials published between 2012 and 2024 were retrieved from four major databases. The programs were implemented in primary, secondary, and higher education settings and targeted children, adolescents, and young adults. RESULTS: The results revealed improvements in knowledge and attitude, particularly regarding consent and awareness, whereas evidence supporting behavioral changes was less frequent and often limited. Methodological limitations, such as short follow-up periods and participant attrition, restricted the assessment of long-term outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This review highlights the importance of multicomponent, participatory, and culturally sensitive approaches, along with the integration of digital tools and continuous evaluation systems, to strengthen the role of schools as safe and transformative spaces in the prevention of sexual violence. IMPLICATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS: This systematic review suggests that school-based interventions hold significant potential for the prevention of sexual violence. It identifies promising strategies and reinforces the importance of culturally sensitive, sustained, evidence-based approaches to ensure learning environments that are safe, protective, and promotive of gender equity.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of medial preoptic--anterior hypothalamic lesions on bisexual behavior of the male rat.

The effects of bilateral radiofrequency lesions in various parts of the medial preoptic area (mPOA) and anterior hypothalamus (AH) on masculine and hormone induced feminine sexual behavior was studied in male rats. Anatomical as well as statistical analysis of the extent and location of the lesions and the consequent behavioral changes indicated that different parts of the mPOA-AH continuum are involved in masculine and feminine sexual behavior in different ways. Bilateral destruction at the transition of the mPOA and AH resulted in a large reduction of masculine sexual activity while lesions concentrated in the AH slightly facilitated feminine sexual behavior in males. These results are consistent with the notion that the mPOA-AH continuum is divided into anatomically and functionally different parts.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Changes in sexual behavior among women in studies evaluating the dapivirine vaginal ring for HIV prevention.

BACKGROUND: Access to novel HIV prevention technologies often raise concerns of risk compensation. This analysis examined changes in the sexual behaviors of MTN 020/ASPIRE participants, a placebo controlled randomized control trial, who subsequently enrolled in MTN-025/HOPE, an open-label extension using the dapivirine vaginal ring. METHODS: Both studies enrolled healthy, sexually active, HIV-negative women from Malawi, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Longitudinal data on participants' sexual behaviors, specifically sex with a nonprimary partner (past 3&#xa0;months), and use of male or female condoms at the last vaginal sex act were compared between ASPIRE and HOPE. Conditional and mixed ordinal logistic regression models evaluated associations between study and sexual behaviors at enrollment,&#xa0;and quarterly over the first 12&#xa0;months. RESULTS: Of the 2629 individuals enrolled in ASPIRE, 1456 (55%) participated in HOPE. At enrollment, the proportion of participants who reported sex with a nonprimary partner and condom use at last vaginal sex act did not differ by study. Across all quarterly follow-up visits, sex with a nonprimary partner was more common in HOPE (13.9-18.7%) than ASPIRE (10.7-12.6%); adjusted OR&#xa0;1.47, 95% CI 1.24-1.75, P&#xa0;<&#xa0;0.001. There was no difference in condom use at the last vaginal act across all quarterly follow-up visits between ASPIRE (36.5-42.7%) and HOPE (43.6-46.7%); adjusted OR&#xa0;1.05, 95% CI 0.94-1.18. CONCLUSION: More women reported sex with nonprimary partners in HOPE, with little change in condom use over time between the two studies. Understanding behavior changes during PrEP use allows for tailored, holistic reproductive health programming.

Humans↗
PubMed2025

Complimentary vertebrate Wac models exhibit phenotypes relevant to DeSanto-Shinawi Syndrome.

Monogenic syndromes are associated with neurodevelopmental changes that result in cognitive impairments, neurobehavioral phenotypes including autism and seizures. Limited studies and resources are available to make meaningful headway into the underlying molecular mechanisms that result in these symptoms. One such example is DeSanto-Shinawi Syndrome (DESSH), a rare disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the WAC gene. Individuals with DESSH syndrome exhibit a recognizable craniofacial gestalt, developmental delay/intellectual disability, neurobehavioral symptoms that include autism, ADHD, behavioral difficulties and seizures. However, no thorough studies from a vertebrate model exist to understand how these changes occur. To overcome this, we developed both murine and zebrafish Wac/wac deletion mutants and studied whether their phenotypes recapitulate those described in individuals with DESSH syndrome. We first show that the two Wac models exhibit craniofacial and behavioral changes, reminiscent of abnormalities found in DESSH syndrome. In addition, each model revealed impacts to GABAergic neurons and further studies showed that the mouse mutants are susceptible to seizures, changes in brain volumes that are different between sexes and relevant behaviors. Finally, we uncovered transcriptional impacts of Wac loss of function in mice that will pave the way for future molecular studies into DESSH. These studies present two new animals that begin to uncover some biological underpinnings of DESSH syndrome and elucidate the biology of Wac.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1979

Psychotropic drugs as behavioral teratogens.

Three psychotropic drugs were administered to pregnant rats and were then evaluated for their behavioral and reproductive effects in the offspring. Control rats received either saline or vitamin A. Prochlorperazine had the most disruptive effects on reproduction and growth, but had the least effect on behavior. Propoxyphene had no apparent effects on reproduction or growth, but produced a variety of behavioral changes. Fenfluramine was intermediate in its effects on reproduction and growth and had behavioral effects that were revealed in tests of preweaning development. The data suggest that systematic tests of behavior add important information to evaluations of reproductive toxicity that cannot, at present, be obtained by other means.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Adolescent pregnancy: an interpersonal skill training approach to prevention.

The research literature reports numerous negative consequences of adolescent pregnancy. Unfortunately, contemporary approaches to preventing teenage pregnancies have been largely unsuccessful. Recent evidence, however, suggests that interpersonal communication skill training may represent an important step in helping adolescents deal with their sexual and contraceptive behavior. This describes a pilot study of an interpersonal skill training model for sexually active inner-city teenagers. Results show that this training model is a feasible and attractive approach to modifying the youths' communication patterns. Findings indicate that such training is a fruitful direction for future pregnancy prevention research with the adolescent target population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Rehabilitation experiences of women ex-addicts in methadone treatment.

In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 female "hard-core" heroin addicts on a methadone maintenance treatment program 1 year or longer to learn what the rehabilitation process is like for women and how their life-styles had changed since being in treatment. The paper describes the adjustments and special difficulties experienced by women through patients' own accounts. Behavioral changes were verified by clinic records and staff. Cessation of criminal behaviors, regulation of daily living patterns on methadone, increased social productivity, and adoption of new social values were noted. Persisting problems include loneliness, motivational difficulties, and an incomplete transition to ordinary society.

Adult↗