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- The role of child, maternal and household factors in the reported use of physical punishment practices by Portuguese mothersPublication . Rancheiro, Telma; Guedes, Maryse; Verissimo, ManuelaAbstract: Physical punishment is the use of physical force to cause to body pain or discomfort, to correct children’s misbehaviour (Gershoff, 2008) and negatively impacts children’s development (Gershoff, 2002). To overcome limitations in the current state-of-art knowledge in Portugal, this study aimed to describe the maternal reports about the use of different physical punishment practices in the last year and to analyse the predictive role of child, maternal and household characteristics in the use of different physical punishment practices in the last year. A total of 289 Portuguese mothers of children aged 5 to 14 years completed the Escala de Crenças sobre a Punição Física (Machado et al., 2003) and the Inventário de Práticas Educativas Parentais (Machado et al., 2015). According to results, spanking child at the buttocks with the hand and slapping child’s hand, arm, or leg were the most reported punishment practices. Maternal tolerance toward physical punishment was the strongest and most consistent predictor of spanking child at the buttocks with the hand and slapping child’s hand, arm, or leg during the last year. Future cross-cultural studies may continue to explore the most used physical punishment practices and the characteristics that predict their use.
- Examining the Factorial Structure of the Maternal Separation Anxiety Scale in a Portuguese SamplePublication . Guedes, Maryse; Monteiro, Lígia Maria Santos; Santos, António J.; Torres, Nuno; Verissimo, ManuelaThe increase in women's labor market participation emphasizes the importance of understanding maternal separation anxiety, that is, the unpleasant maternal emotional state, due to the actual or anticipated short-term separation from the child. Drawing on the insights of the attachment and psychoanalytic perspectives, the Maternal Separation Anxiety Scale (MSAS) was developed to overcome existing measurement gaps. However, prior research did not replicate its original three-factor structure in the contemporary context and in other cultural settings, using large samples composed of mothers of preschool children. This study aimed to examine the factorial structure of the MSAS in a sample of 597 Portuguese mothers of children aged 5-84 months who completed the questionnaire. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) conducted in subsample 1 revealed a four-factor structure: Maternal Negative Feelings, Beliefs about Exclusive Maternal Care, Need of Proximity, and Perceptions of Separation Benefits for Children. Confirmatory factor analyses conducted in subsample 2 revealed that the original three-factor structure revealed a poor fit, whereas the four-factor solution (obtained in the EFA) revealed an acceptable fit. As in previous studies, our findings report deviations from the original three-factor structure of the MSAS. Three of the newly identified factors seem to reflect specific sub-dimensions that originally guided item development in the MSAS, namely, maternal negative feelings, maternal attitudes about the value of exclusive maternal care, and the need of proximity with the child. The last factor appears to represent a refinement of original items pertaining to perceptions about separation effects for children.
- Measurement invariance across mother/child and father/child attachment relationshipsPublication . Fernandes, M.; Veríssimo, Manuela; Santos, António J.; Ribeiro, Olívia; Vaughn, Brian; Gastelle, Marissa; Kerns, Kathryn A.We examine the factorial structure of the Security Scale Questionnaire (SSQ), exploring measurement invariance across mother-father-child attachment relationships, child sex, and country. We used the new 21-item SSQ version that integrates both safe haven and secure base behaviors in a two factors structure. Participants were 457 children (224 girls and 233 boys), ranging from 9 to 14 years old (M = 10.84, SD = 1.02) from Portuguese and USA samples. We confirmed the SSQ's two-factor structure, although four items were unrelated to the latent structure and excluded from the final model. Results showed that SSQ can be used to study both mother/child and father/child attachment relationships. Multi-group analyses suggested measurement invariance between boys and girls and between Portuguese and USA samples. Our findings suggest that the SSQ can be considered a valid and cost-effective tool to measure perceived attachment security in middle childhood for both mother/child and father/child relationships.
- Father involvement during early childhood: a systematic review of the literaturePublication . Diniz, Eva; Brandão, Tânia; Monteiro, Lígia Maria Santos; Verissimo, ManuelaInexistente
- Attachment goes to court: child protection and custody issuesPublication . Forslund, Tommie; Granqvist, Pehr; Van IJzendoorn, Marinus; Sagi-Schwartz, Avi; Glaser, Danya; Steele, Miriam; Hammarlund, Mårten; Schuengel, Carlo; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J.; Steele, Howard; Shaver, Phillip R.; Lux, Ulrike; Simmonds, John; Jacobvitz, Deborah; Groh, Ashley; Bernard, Kristin; Cyr, Chantal; Hazen, Nancy; Foster, Sarah; Psouni, Elia; Cowan, Philip A.; Pape Cowan, Carolyn; Rifkin-Graboi, Anne; Wilkins, David; Pierrehumbert, Blaise; Tarabulsy, George M.; Cárcamo, Rodrigo; Wang, Zhengyan; Liang, Xi; Kazmierczak, Maria; Pawlicka, Paulina; Ayiro, Lilian; Kabali, Tamara Chansa; Sichimba, Francis; Mooya, Haatembo; McLean, Loyola; Veríssimo, Manuela; Gojman-de-Millán, Sonia; Moretti, Marlene M.; Bacro, Fabien; Peltola, Mikko; Galbally, Megan; Kondo-Ikemura, Kiyomi; Behrens, Kazuko Y.; Scott, Stephen; Fresno, Andrés; Spencer, Rosario; Posada, Germán; Cassibba, Rosalinda; Barrantes-Vidal, Neus; Palacios, Jesús; BARONE, LAVINIA; Madigan, Sheri; Jones-Mason, Karen; Reijman, Sophie; Juffer, Femmie; Pasco Fearon, R.; Bernier, Annie; Cicchetti, Dante; Reijman, Sophie; Cassidy, Jude; Kindler, Heinz; Zimmermann, Peter; Feldman, Ruth; Spangler, Gottfried; Zeanah, Charles; Dozier, Mary; Belsky, Jay; Lamb, Jason; Duschinsky, RobbieAttachment theory and research are drawn upon in many applied settings, including family courts, but misunderstandings are widespread and sometimes result in misapplications. The aim of this consensus statement is, therefore, to enhance understanding, counter misinformation, and steer family-court utilisation of attachment theory in a supportive, evidence-based direction, especially with regard to child protection and child custody decision-making. The article is divided into two parts. In the first, we address problems related to the use of attachment theory and research in family courts, and discuss reasons for these problems. To this end, we examine family court applications of attachment theory in the current context of the best-interest-of-the-child standard, discuss misunderstandings regarding attachment theory, and identify factors that have hindered accurate implementation. In the second part, we provide recommendations for the application of attachment theory and research. To this end, we set out three attachment principles: the child’s need for familiar, non-abusive caregivers; the value of continuity of good-enough care; and the benefits of networks of attachment relationships. We also discuss the suitability of assessments of attachment quality and caregiving behaviour to inform family court decision-making. We conclude that assessments of caregiver behaviour should take center stage. Although there is dissensus among us regarding the use of assessments o attachment quality to inform child custody and child-protection decisions, such assessments are currently most suitable for targeting and directing supportive interventions. Finally, we provide directions to guide future interdisciplinary research collaboration.
- Parenting and child well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak : the importance of marital adjustment and parental self-efficacyPublication . Diniz, Eva; Brandão, Tânia; Monteiro, Lígia Maria Santos; Verissimo, ManuelaAbstract: The pandemic situation of COVID-19 has introduced new challenges on family routines, affecting interpersonal relationships, which may have detrimental consequences to child well-being. The current study aimed to examine the direct effects of marital adjustment on child socioemotional adjustment and to test if parental self-efficacy mediated this association during home confinement due to COVID-19. A final sample of 163 caregivers was recruited online during home confinement period. On average children were 6 years-old (SD=2.92; 44.8% girls). Caregivers and their child were in home confinement for an average of 31 days (SD=12.08). Most of the couples had been married or living together for an average of 14 years (SD=5.77) and had a university degree, mostly living in metropolitan areas. Caregivers answer to a set of measures assessing marital adjustment, parental selfefficacy, and child socioemotional competence and behavior. Findings depicted a direct effect on the positive association between marital satisfaction and parental self-efficacy, and negatively associated with anger-aggression. Parental self-efficacy was positively associated with child's: social competence, negatively associated with anger-aggression, and anxiety-withdrawal. Indirect effects depicted that marital satisfaction was associated with child's social competence, anger-aggression and anxietywithdrawal through parental self-efficacy. Thus, higher marital satisfaction was associated with more parental self-efficacy which in turn was associated with more child's social competence. Findings are relevant to the current state of the art, given the lack of information regarding imposed isolation due to COVID-19 and the consequences it may have to child's well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR
- A systematic review on attachment and sleep at preschool agePublication . Perpétuo, Catarina; Diniz, Eva; Verissimo, ManuelaSleep is a biological process that impacts nearly every domain of a child’s life. Sleep-wake regulation influences and it is highly influenced by developmental variables related to parent-child relationships, such as attachment. The main goal of the present systematic review is to analyze and integrate the findings of empirical studies investigating the relations between attachment and sleep in preschool age, a period marked by important developmental changes that challenge both attachment system and sleep-wake regulation. A database search was performed using a combination of relevant keywords, leading to the identification of 524 articles, with 19 manuscripts assessed for eligibility; finally, seven studies (2344 children) were included. Overall, the findings were not consistent, with some studies reporting significant associations between attachment security and sleep quality, as well as between attachment insecurity and sleep problems, whereas others did not find significant associations. The results are discussed in light of the available theoretical models and integrated in the context of measurement approaches to attachment and sleep heterogeneity, aiming to guide future research on the topic.
- Associations between secure base script knowledge in early childhood and perceived quality of attachment in middle childhoodPublication . Fernandes, C.; Fernandes, M.; Antunes, Marta; Santos, António J.; Vaughn, Brian; Verissimo, ManuelaAbstract: Previous studies suggest that mental representations of attachment can show moderate stability across childhood but none of these considered the child’s use of the Secure Base Script (SBS). This study tested the longitudinal stability of attachment representations from early to middle childhood, providing data that will allow us to determine whether the SBS score behaves like other attachment measures for early childhood in this regard. A sample of 70 Portuguese preschool children (36 girls) was assessed regarding their access to and use of the SBS when producing narratives relevant to attachment themes (e.g., separation, fear of ambiguous threat) at age 5 years using the Attachment Story Completion Task. Follow-up assessments were obtained at 8 and 9 years of age using the Kerns Security Scale. Security scores for both parents were obtained from the child in both years. All crosstime correlations were positive and significant. Subsequent tests on correlation magnitudes for mothers vs. fathers were not significant. Finally, correlations for mother/father security scores were significant at both age levels. Our findings indicate that children’s access to and use of the SBS in early childhood does predict their perceived quality of attachment with parents in middle childhood. Overall, our results indicate that access to and use of SBS in young children’s attachment-relevant narratives is a valid and potentially productive measure.
- Salivary oxytocin after play with parents predicts behavioural problems in preschool childrenPublication . Torres, Nuno; Martins, Daniel; Monteiro, Lígia; Santos, António J.; Vaughn, Brian; Verissimo, ManuelaBackground: Oxytocin (OXT) has attracted research interest for its potential involvement in many of the behavioural problems observed in childhood. Due to its logistical advantages, saliva is an attractive fluid to quantify neuropeptides in children. Salivary OXT has been suggested as a potential biomarker for psychopathology during childhood. However, several questions still remain about the extent to which, and under what conditions, concentrations of OXT in saliva can be reliably measured and are related to behavioural problems in preschool age children. Methods: Seven samples of saliva from 30 preschool children (17 girls) were collected in five different days at their homes. Three of the samples were collected by the children’s parents at baseline daily routine conditions, and four of the samples were collected by researchers during two home-visits: before and after two 15-minute dyadic play sessions (one with mothers and one fathers) between each individual parent and the child. Oxytocin concentrations were quantified by Radioimmunoassay with prior extraction. Children’s behavioural problems were assessed by the Caregiver-Teacher Report Form (C-TRF) questionnaire, completed by the child’s’ preschool teacher. Results: Salivary OXT measured in baseline samples could not predict any of the behavioural problems measured by the C-TRF. However, when measured after playing with parents salivary OXT showed a stronger pattern of negative correlations, specially with the depression and opposition scales of the C-TRF. Furthermore, salivary OXT was unlikely to be reliably measured using single sampling, but acceptable reliabilities were achieved when averaging several samples. Finally, the single measures of salivary OXT evoked after an episode of play with parents showed better reliabilities than collected at baseline. Conclusion: Measurements of OXT evoked after positive affect interactions with parents seem to capture aspects of the OXT system in young children that might be relevant for understanding the role of this system in children’s social behaviour.
- Perceptions of Portuguese parents about the acceptability of a multicomponent intervention targeted at behavioral inhibition during early childhoodPublication . Guedes, Maryse; Matos, Inês; Almeida, Telma; Freitas, Miguel; Alves, Stephanie; José dos Santos, António; Verissimo, Manuela; Chronis-Tuscano, Andrea; Rubin, KennethHigh and stable behavioral inhibition during early childhood is a risk factor for later anxiety disorders. The few available interventions targeted at behavioral inhibition have not yet been implemented in European countries. Evaluating intervention acceptability is essential when introducing interventions in new cultures. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of parents about the acceptability of the multicomponent Turtle Program in Portugal. Participants were 12 parents (from seven families) of children with a positive screening on the Behavioral Inhibition Questionnaire and no diagnoses of developmental disorders/selective mutism. Children's mean age was 55.86 months and most children were female and first-born. Parents and children participated in the eight-sessions Turtle Program. After each session, parents completed weekly satisfaction checklists. Following completion of the full intervention, parents were invited to participate in individual qualitative in-depth interviews. The thematic analysis revealed that both parents perceived the intervention objectives and contents as relevant. Both parents suggested the introduction of follow-up sessions, the discussion of practical experiences, the need to be sensitive to cultural differences in positive language, and the provision of more feedback about children's activities. These findings support prior research on the acceptability and cultural tailoring needed for parenting and child socioemotional learning interventions.
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