Preliminary psychometric properties of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the emotional outburst questionnaire

This study focuses on the cross-cultural adaptation of the Emotional Outburst Questionnaire (EOQ) to Brazilian Portuguese and preliminarily assesses its predictive validity. The EOQ evaluates aspects of emotional outbursts (EO), including frequency, duration, intensity, types, associated behaviours, recovery time, triggers, and effectiveness of calming strategies. Two independent translators performed the translation, with subsequent synthesis and analysis revealing that only 33 items (24.81%) required revision. Among these, one item needed partial modification, and two needed total modification. The study demonstrated strong content validity and adaptation in terms of conceptual, idiomatic, and semantic aspects. The EOQ's predictive validity was assessed by analysing the interruption of mental health services in Brazil due to Covid-19 (T1) compared to when services resumed after social distancing measures were lifted (T2). Parents of 25 individuals with developmental disabilities (ASD, DS and ID), with a mean of 11 y/o, mostly male (76%), completed the EOQ. Service interruption during T1 led to increased frequency and duration of severe emotional outbursts reported by caregivers compared to T2 (frequency: p < .001; duration: p = 0.05). This suggests that the EOQ exhibits predictive validity and sensitivity to changes influenced by individual contexts. These findings highlight the EOQ's potential as an outcome measure for intervention development.

Cross-Cultural Comparison of the Contexts Associated with Emotional Outbursts

The causal relationship between emotional outbursts and emotion dysregulation is proposed to be heterogeneous, but cultural influences have not been considered despite established cultural differences in emotional processes (e.g., increased motivation to suppress emotions in interdependent cultures). Responses to the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Emotional Outburst Questionnaire were collected from 327 caregivers of young people (6-25 years) with autism spectrum disorder, Down's syndrome, or intellectual disability. Responses were compared to a previous sample of 268 responses from the English version of the questionnaire. The latent factor structure of the contextual items was measurement invariant across both versions. The Brazilian responses were classified into three distinct clusters (Sensory Sensitivity; Perceived Safety; Perceived Unsafety) which considerably overlapped with the English clusters.

Parental attitudes and beliefs about sexuality of individuals with intellectual disability: Insights from a Brazilian sample of parents of individuals with Williams syndrome

BACKGROUND

The affective expression of sexual behaviour in individuals with Williams syndrome can lead to risky behaviours, especially if parents do not have information on how to provide sex education or support from specialised professionals.

METHOD

The Attitudes to Sexuality Questionnaire for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities was used to identify parental beliefs, attitudes and concerns about the sexuality and sex education of individuals with intellectual disabilities. The sample comprised 35 parents of individuals with Williams syndrome (mean age 12.8 years (SD = 4.5), 57.1% male).

RESULTS

Parents believe in the possibility of marriage and sexual relationships for individuals with intellectual disability when they are older and agree with sexual reproduction in adulthood. Parents consider that sex education, in addition to parental guidance, should be provided by professionals.

CONCLUSIONS

This data highlights the need for parents to have clear guidelines on interventions in respect of the sexuality of individuals with intellectual disability.

Association between ADHD symptoms and inhibition-related brain activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with deficits in inhibitory functions including interference control, inhibition of prepotent/automatic responses and suppression of already initiated responses. This study used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to investigate the neural basis of these three forms of inhibition assessed by a recently developed behavioral protocol combining the Stroop-matching/stop-signal task in twenty-five young adults with inattention, impulsivity and/or hyperactivity symptoms. The severity of ADHD symptoms was measured using the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS). The concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) was assessed in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and temporoparietal regions (TP) during the Stroop-matching/stop-signal task. Correlations yielded significant associations between ASRS scores and HbO concentration in frontal regions during blocks with stop-signal tasks, namely the right IFG, the left DLPFC and the left IFG. This study revealed that different types of inhibition involve unique frontal and temporoparietal activities and linked frontal dysfunction during the suppression of ongoing responses to the severity of ADHD symptoms.

Health Problems in Individuals With PWS Are Associated With Lower Quality of Life for Their Parents: A Snapshot in the Brazilian Population

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a complex genetic disorder requiring interdisciplinary team monitoring and intensive care by parents. So far there is little information on people with PWS in Brazil. Our aim was to describe health problems and treatments used by people with PWS in Brazil and their relationship to their parents' quality of life. Parents answered questionnaires about their child's medical and exercise history, behavior problems, sociodemographic characteristics, and their own quality of life. Results: The responses of the participants showed similar health problems as in other countries. Anxiety and tantrums were the behavioral problems most commonly cited by parents. Parents of people with PWS had lower scores in respect of quality of life than the Brazilian population. Behavioral problems in individuals with PWS were negatively associated with their parents' quality of life. Behavioral and medical conditions in the children were associated with reduced quality of life in the parents. We conclude that heath care should not only be directed toward those with PWS, but also their parents.

Nationwide questionnaire data of 229 Williams-Beuren syndrome patients using WhatsApp tool

BACKGROUND

Williams-Beuren syndrome is a multisystemic disorder caused by a microdeletion of the 7q11.23 region. Although familial cases with autosomal dominant inheritance have been reported, the vast majority are sporadic.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the main complaints and clinical findings of patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome.

METHODS

A total of 757 parents of patients registered in the Brazilian Association of Williams-Beuren Syndrome (ABSW) received a questionnaire via WhatsApp from March to July 2017.

RESULTS

In total, 229 parents answered the survey. Age of diagnosis ranged from 2 days to 34 years (median: 3 years). The main clinical findings reported by the parents were abdominal colic (83.3%), failure to thrive (71.5%), feeding difficulty in the first year (68.9%), otitis (56.6%), urinary tract infections (31.9%), precocious puberty (27.1%) and scoliosis (15.9%). Cardiac defects were present in 66% of patients, and the most frequent defect was supravalvular aortic stenosis (36%). Arterial hypertension was reported in 23%. Hypercalcemia was reported in 10.5% of patients, mainly during the first year of life. Hyperacusis and hypersociability were common complaints (both present in 89%). Other behavioral and neuropsychiatric symptoms reported by the parents included attention deficit (89%), anger crises (83%), excessive fear (66%), depression (64%), anxiety (67%) and hypersexuality (33%). The most common complaints were hypersensitivity to sounds, talkative personality, emotional dependence and learning difficulties. In 98.3%, the parents denied family history.

CONCLUSIONS

Williams-Beuren syndrome requires close follow-up with different medical specialties due to their variable clinical comorbidities, including language and school learning difficulties, behavioral and psychiatric problems.

Construção e validação de instrumento para avaliar conhecimentos de universitários sobre transtorno específico da aprendizagem

O Transtorno Específico da Aprendizagem (TEAp) caracteriza-se por dificuldades persistentes para desenvolver habilidades acadêmicas de leitura, escrita e/ou matemática, sendo fundamental que professores conheçam suas características. O estudo teve como objetivos construir um questionário que avalia conhecimentos sobre TEAp e verificar suas propriedades psicométricas, mediante estudo piloto com estudantes de pedagogia ingressantes e concluintes. Participaram 178 estudantes, entre 18 e 54 anos, de três instituições de ensino superior particulares. Resultados revelaram índice adequado de consistência interna (Alfa de Cronbach = 0,738). Houve maior conhecimento sobre TEAp dos estudantes concluintes em relação aos ingressantes, porém com resultados baixos em alguns itens. Também houve diferença significativa entre as instituições. Não houve associação dos fatores idade, ano, renda e situação de trabalho, com o nível de conhecimento. Além de contribuir com a criação do questionário, os resultados sinalizam a necessidade de incluir disciplinas sobre TEAp na grade curricular dos cursos de pedagogia.

Preliminary evidence of the validity process of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS): translation, cross-cultural adaptation and semantic equivalence of the Brazilian Portuguese version

OBJECTIVES

To translate and back-translate the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) into Brazilian Portuguese, to assess its cross-cultural semantic equivalence, and to verify indicators of quality of the final version by analyzing the inter-rater reliability of the ADOS scores.

METHODS

This study had three stages: 1) translation and back-translation; 2) semantic equivalence analysis; and 3) pre-test to verify the agreement between mental health specialists and an ADOS senior examiner regarding the scoring procedure. Authorization to translate and carry out the cultural adaptation of the instrument was first obtained from the Western Psychological Services, publishers of the instrument.

RESULTS

The main preliminary results pointed to good equivalence between the original English version and the final version and the Brazilian version following the cultural adaptation process. Some semantic differences were found between the original version and the back-translation into English, but they did not interfere with the first translation into Portuguese or into the final version. One of the limitations of the study was the small sample size; for that reason, the inter-rater reliability of the ADOS scores between the specialists and the senior examiner using the kappa coefficient was adequate for 7 out of 10 areas.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that the creation of an official Brazilian version of ADOS will help to strengthen clinical and scientific research into ASD, and deter the use of other unauthorized versions of ADOS in the country.

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Motor Behavior Checklist (MBC) into Brazilian Portuguese

INTRODUCTION

There are only a few instruments available to assess behavioral problems in school-age children based on reports of physical education teachers. The Motor Behavior Checklist (MBC) was designed to be completed by this professional in free play-situations or during physical education classes to rate students' motor-related behavior using 5-point Likert scales. The MBC comprises 59 items distributed into two broadband factors (externalizing and internalizing) and seven behavior problem scales: rule breaking, hyperactivity/impulsivity, lack of attention, low energy, stereotyped behaviors, lack of social interaction, and lack of self-regulation. The objective of this study was to describe the translation and cross-cultural adaptation processes of the MBC into Brazilian Portuguese.

METHOD

The following procedures were conducted: forward translation of the original instrument, production of a synthesized version, back-translation, literal and semantic comparison, back-translator's evaluation of divergent items, synthesized version with back-translator's suggestions, clarity assessment of the synthesized version by professionals (physical education teachers), focus group to assess clarity indicators of the instrument, evaluation of adjustments by the author of the instrument, and production of the final version.

RESULTS

The results indicated a satisfactory level of agreement between the original and the back-translated versions, with 68% of exact equivalence between the translated items and 16% of terms requiring minor adjustments. In the draft version, 84% of the items were evaluated as clear by physical education teachers.

CONCLUSION

The translated version has compatible content with the original version. Future studies should be conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the MBC.

Indicadores de atraso no desenvolvimento em crianças de creche advindas de famílias de baixa renda

Avaliações periódicas precoces de indicadores de desenvolvimento são importantes para a elaboração de programas preventivos. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar atrasos em indicadores globais de desenvolvimento em 100 crianças (idades entre 16-24 meses, média de 21,84 meses, DP+1,94), matriculadas em creches de um município do Estado de São Paulo. O instrumento de coleta de dados foi o Teste de Triagem de Desenvolvimento de Denver II (Denver II). Na amostra estudada, o domínio de maior prejuízo foi o da linguagem, seguido pelo domínio de cuidado pessoal-social. Os resultados do estudo apontam para a necessidade de incluir na avaliação do desenvolvimento infantil fatores familiares e educacionais comumente associados a atrasos de desenvolvimento.

Cognitive and behavioral profile of Williams Syndrome toddlers

PURPOSE

To verify indicators of cognitive development, receptive language skills and adaptive behavioral patterns in toddlers with Williams syndrome (WS).

METHODS

The sample comprised 8 children of both sex, aged between 48 and 72 months with WS. Instruments of data collection were Denver Developmental Screening Test II; Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test; Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale; Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1½-5and 6 to 18; Columbia Mental Maturity Scale (CMMS), and Behavior Problems Inventory-01.

RESULTS

The major developmental impairments were associated with fine motor skills and personal care abilities. Deficits in receptive language and communication skills were reported according to the PPVT and Denver II, respectively. The caregivers reported behavioral and emotional problems associated to anxiety and depression, and attention problems scales of CBCL.

CONCLUSION

The toddlers demonstrated deficits in adaptive functioning and behavioral, motor and cognitive difficulties such as inattention and hyperactivity, stereotypies and aggressive behavior.

Microcephaly and other Zika virus related events: the impact on children, families and health teams

The present study aimed to present an overview of recent national and international research on the Zika virus (ZIKV), as well as to explore possible action plans focused on children, their families and the health teams involved.Therefore, the study proposes the implementation of tracking systems in order to identify, describe and characterize the potential correlates of prenatal exposure to ZIKV, divided into three lines of action: 1. Diagnostic and etiological evaluation as well as screening of developmental problems in children confirmed or suspected of prenatal ZIKV infection. 2. Investigation of the emotional impact, quality of life, coping strategies and support network of the affected children and their families. 3. Training of multidisciplinary teams to conduct assessments and intervention programs throughout these children's development, especially in the first three years of life. In conclusion, the recent ZIKV outbreak in Brazil and several other Latin American countries places a significant burden on the health care systems: to understand the real meaning of a potential new teratogen; to unravel the pathogenic mechanisms of ZIKV, particularly in a prevention perspective; and to recognize the broad spectrum of clinical manifestations in order to devise intervention programs.

Associations between fetal testosterone and pro-social tendencies, anxiety and autistic symptoms in Williams syndrome: a preliminary study

Objective: Fetal testosterone (fT) has organizational effects on the developing human nervous system and can be reliably estimated by the ratio between the length of the second and fourth digits - 2D:4D. Previous studies reported altered patterns of fT in some developmental disabilities (e.g. ASD) relative to typically developing individuals (TD). Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by exacerbated empathy and social approach and heightened anxiety. Recent reports also highlight the co-occurrence of significant levels of autistic symptoms. Despite constituting an interesting model to study androgenic contributions to social behavior, no studies have sought to explore fT in WS. The main aims of this preliminary study were two-fold: (a) to compare 2D:4D in WS and TD; (b) to analyze the pattern of associations between 2D:4D and hypersociability, affective and cognitive empathy, anxiety and autistic symptoms in WS. Methods: 2D:4D were measured from digital scans of the ventral surface of the right hand. Hypersociability, empathy, anxiety and autistic symptoms were obtained from parental reports. Results: There were no significant differences in 2D:4D between WS than TD. In WS lower fT (higher 2D:4D) was significantly associated with hypersociability and affective empathy, as well as marginally associated with anxiety/depression scores. In contrast, cognitive empathy was marginally and negatively associated with 2D:4D, while levels of autistic symptoms were unrelated with this measure. Conclusion: Our results suggest that fT may be implicated in the emergence of several cardinal features of WS, namely hypersociability, affective empathy and anxiety, but not in ASD symptoms.

Mismatch between diagnostic reports and special educational needs classification in a public educational system

OBJECTIVE

To assess the diagnostic status, the sociodemographic and health profiles for students with special educational needs (SEN) in a public educational system, and to map their use of educational/social services.

METHODS

The sample comprised 1,202 SEN students from a total of 59,344 students.

RESULTS

Only 792 students of the 1,202 had an established diagnosis. The most prevalent SEN condition was intellectual disability. There was a low percentage (29.4%) of use of specialized educational services or support. It was found that, for some neurodevelopmental disorders, prevalence data suggest an under-reporting in the school system.

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that there is a mismatch between the diagnostic reports and the SEN condition legally recognized according to Brazilian law, in addition to the under-reporting and under specialized service use of students with disabilities.

Treino parental para manejo comportamental de crianças com Síndrome de Prader-Willi: impacto sobre a saúde mental e práticas educativas do cuidador

RESUMO Objetivo: verificamos os indicadores de impacto na saúde mental de cuidadores de um programa de treinamento parental para manejo de crianças e adolescentes com Síndrome de Prader-Willi. Métodos: a amostra foi composta por 5 mães de crianças/adolescentes com Síndrome de Prader-Willi entre 6 a 18 anos. Os instrumentos de coleta de dados foram: a) Questionário para verificação de conhecimentos das mães sobre a síndrome, b) Inventário de Auto-avaliação para Adultos de 18 a 59 anos, c) Inventário de Estilos Parentais/Práticas educativas maternas e paternas; d) Levantamento de dificuldades e preocupações sobre os filhos. O estudo foi realizado em quatro fases: pré-intervenção, intervenção, pós-intervenção e seguimento. Resultados: as mães passaram a adotar práticas parentais educativas baseadas na monitoria positiva, diminuíram as práticas de risco. Conclusão: houve melhora em indicadores de dificuldades emocionais das mães, apreenderam a identificar e manejar fatores que prejudicavam a saúde física, o comportamento e a aprendizagem escolar dos filhos e a necessidade do envolvimento de outros familiares no cuidado do filho.

Avaliação da consciência fonológica na síndrome de Williams

Resumo: OBJETIVOS: avaliar o desempenho de crianças e adolescentes com Síndrome de Williams em tarefas de consciência fonológica e analisar esse desempenho em função da idade, escolaridade e indicadores de habilidade intelectual. MÉTODOS: vinte e duas crianças e adolescentes (11 meninos e 11 meninas) com idades entre 7 e 18 anos realizaram os subtestes cubos e vocabulário das Escala Wechsler de Inteligência para estimativa de habilidades intelectuais e responderam a Prova de Consciência Fonológica por produção oral. RESULTADOS: os participantes obtiveram valores do quociente de inteligência estimado compatível com rebaixamento intelectual. Nas habilidades de consciência fonológica os resultados mostraram que os participantes com a síndrome obtiveram desempenho rebaixado em nove dos dez subtestes da prova de consciência fonológica em relação à pontuação padronizada em função da idade, assim como do nível escolar. Não foram encontradas correlações significantes entre consciência fonológica, indicadores de habilidade intelectual, idade e escolaridade. CONCLUSÃO: os resultados corroboram os encontrados em pesquisas internacionais sugerindo rebaixamento em consciência fonológica na Síndrome de Williams. Dada a relevância desses achados é necessário incluir programas de estimulação contínua, inclusive com intervenções precoces dirigidas a crianças com Síndrome de Williams em idade pré-escolar, adequação de métodos de ensino e de currículo adaptado.

Associações entre Sinais Precoces de Autismo, Atenção Compartilhada e Atrasos no Desenvolvimento Infantil

RESUMOOs Transtornos do Espectro do Autismo (TEA) costumam comprometer o funcionamento adaptativo e desenvolvimento psicossocial na infância. O objetivo deste estudo foi buscar associações entre: sinais precoces dos TEA, falhas na atenção compartilhada-AC e atrasos de desenvolvimento. Participaram do estudo 92 crianças (16-24 meses) de cinco creches de Barueri-SP. Instrumentos utilizados: Development Screening Test-DENVER-II (desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor), Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers-M-CHAT (sinais precoces de TEA), Pictorial Infant Communication Scales-PICS(comunicação social). Identificou-se 28,3% de atrasos no desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor. Cinco crianças apresentaram sinais precoces dos TEA; todas falharam nas provas de AC (PICS). Nas crianças que apresentaram sinais indicativos de TEA, os déficits mais comuns foram relacionados à atenção compartilhada, área que deve ser privilegiada em avaliações precoces.

Fatores de proteção associados a problemas emocionais e comportamentais em escolares

O estudo teve como objetivo verificar associações entre fatores de risco e proteção e problemas emocionais/ comportamentais em escolares. A amostra foi composta por 181 alunos do 2º a 5º anos (6 a 12 anos de idade) e seus respectivos cuidadores. Os instrumentos de coleta de dados foram o Inventário de Comportamentos para Crianças e Adolescentes de 6 a 18 anos, um questionário de avaliação socioeconômico familiar, de médias finais de Matermática e Português fornecidas pela escola. Foram investigados problemas emocionais/comportamentais e competências sociais com base no inventário, no desempenho acadêmico e na classificação socioeconômica familiar. Foi conduzida uma análise de regressão logística para gerar um modelo que buscasse associações entre o desfecho (problemas emocionais e comportamentais) e idade, sexo, classificação socioeconômica familiar, desempenho acadêmico e indicadores de socialização. Os resultados indicaram associações entre melhor desempenho acadêmico e indicadores positivos de socialização, com menor probabilidade de as crianças apresentarem problemas emocionais/comportamentais.

Translation, adaptation, and preliminary validation of the Brazilian version of the Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI-01)

Introduction: Children with atypical development often present behavior problems that impair their psychosocial adaptation. Objective: To describe the cultural adaptation to Brazilian Portuguese of the Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI-01), as well as preliminary indicators of instrument reliability and validity. Methods: The process involved translation, back-translation, and cultural adaptation of the instrument. Psychometric properties (reliability and validity) were assessed comparing scores obtained with the BPI-01, the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children and Adults, the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 6-18 (CBCL/6-18), and the Autism Screening Questionnaire (ASQ). The sample comprised 60 children (30 typically developing and 30 atypically developing). Results: The cultural adaptation process was considered adequate. Internal consistency of the BPI-01 was satisfactory, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.65 for the self-injurious behavior scale, 0.82 for stereotyped behaviors, and 0.91 for aggressive/destructive behaviors. Considering a mean frequency of 0.5, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve revealed 80% sensitivity and 3% specificity in the stereotyped behavior scale, 50 and 10% in aggressive/destructive behaviors, and 76 and 6% in self-injurious behaviors, respectively. Low-to-moderate correlations were observed between BPI-01, ASQ, and CBCL/6-18 scores. Conclusion: BPI-01 showed good psychometric properties, with satisfactory preliminary indicators of reliability, convergent validity, and sensitivity for the diagnosis of atypical development.

Inattention and Hyperactivity Behavioral Pattern of a Child With Williams Syndrome

Children and adolescents with Williams syndrome (WS) frequently present inattention and hyperactivity. This study aims to compare the number of behaviors of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity in one child with WS in two school settings: a regular class setting and an experimental class setting with the introduction of strategies for behavioral management. A case study was conducted with a child with WS, his regular teacher at school, his mother, and a teacher of the experimental class setting. A protocol was used to observe behavioral patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Behavioral strategies of stimulus control and reinforcement were also used. Results indicated a significant improvement in the rates of inattention and hyperactivity responses for the experimental class condition. Behavioral strategies, if adapted to the needs of students with WS, may optimize an effective school inclusion and contribute to the child’s adaptation to classroom setting.

Behavioral and cognitive phenotype of children and adolescents with Williams-Beuren Syndrome

BACKGROUND

Williams-Beuren Syndrome (WBS) is a genetic disorder caused by the deletion of multiples genes of long arm of chromosome 7 (region 7q11-23), which causes behavioral and intellectual disability. For the effectiveness of educational inclusion of these children, multidisciplinary approaches are needed to guide teachers and parents.

AIM

to describe the behavioral, cognitive and language profiles and to identify autistic behavior in a group of children and adolescents with WBS.

METHOD

10 children and adolescents with WBS, aged 5 to 16 years, and 10 children and adolescents with typical development, matched by gender and age. Instruments used for assessment were: Nonverbal Intelligence Test (Leiter-R); Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/1½-5; CBCL/6-18); Language Exam (TIPITI) and the Autism Screening Questionnaire (ASQ).

RESULTS

the group with WBS presented a greater number of behavioral changes with more inattention and social problems. Regarding the Leiter-R scale the intelligence scores were below the average for age (67.8 points) in WBS. The control group (CG) scored into the average (101.2). The group with WBS presented discrepancy in the morphosyntactic structure as well as an increased number of echolalia in the subtests of TIPITI, when compared to the CG.

CONCLUSION

based on the behavioral and cognitive problems found in individuals with WBS, the need for a multidisciplinary follow-up focused on cognitive stimulation and behavior control is confirmed, due to the interference of these characteristics in learning abilities.

A description of adaptive and maladaptive behaviour in children and adolescents with Cri-du-chat syndrome

BACKGROUND

Psychological tests can be useful to record adaptive and maladaptive behaviours of children with intellectual disability. The objective of this study was to describe the adaptive and maladaptive behaviour of children and adolescents with Cri-du-chat syndrome.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 10 children and adolescents with Cri-du-chat syndrome (mean chronological age=11.3 years, mean mental age=18 months). The developmental quotient was calculated through the Psychoeducational Profile - Revised. An observational protocol was used to record adaptive and maladaptive behaviours.

RESULTS

The number of maladaptive behaviours observed was different among participants. However, all of them had high rates of adaptive behaviours, such as rule-following.

CONCLUSIONS

These results, though preliminary, justify that we continue to think about the need for psychoeducational interventions aimed at stimulating the repertoire of adaptive behaviours, in people with Cri-du-chat syndrome.

Social play impairment following status epilepticus during early development

Neonatal status epilepticus (SE) disrupts prefrontal cortex and thalamus, brain regions related to social play. Juvenile play was evaluated using the "intruder-resident" paradigm following SE in 9-day-old Wistar pups of both genders. Quite interestingly, we demonstrated for the first time that neonatal SE produces social impairment in male rats, reduces locomotor activity in both genders and enhances self-grooming in female. Additional studies are necessary to clarify if these effects can impair social behavior across the life span.

Representações sociais do trabalho: uma análise comparativa entre jovens trabalhadores e não trabalhadores

O trabalho na adolescência é justificado, dentre outros aspectos, pela necessidade econômica das famílias. Os objetivos deste estudo foram analisar o conteúdo e a estrutura da representação social do trabalho na adolescência, entre estudantes trabalhadores e não trabalhadores, entre catorze e dezoito anos; comparar as representações nos dois grupos estudados; verificar se as cognições participantes do núcleo central das representações caracterizadas se confirmam em uma segunda técnica de estudo das representações. A amostra foi composta por 724 alunos do ensino médio da rede pública de ensino da cidade de São Paulo. A coleta de dados foi realizada através da técnica de evocações livres de palavras, utilizando o termo indutor "trabalho", e da realização de 21 grupos focais. Os resultados revelam que a representação do trabalho, em ambos os grupos, foi associada a significados morais e psicossociais positivos. Do ponto de vista metodológico, a maioria dos elementos classificados como participantes do núcleo central da representação foram confirmados nos diferentes eixos temáticos da análise de conteúdo dos grupos focais.

A survey of women's social representations of aging and rejuvenation

The goal of this work was to analyze the social representations that women of three different age groups had about aging, rejuvenating, and methods of rejuvenation. The research was performed in São Paulo between 2004 and 2005. The participants of this research were three groups of women of different ages: 19 to 24 years, 25 to 35 years, and over 60 years. The data were collected by the focus group technique. Data was analyzed using the lexical analysis software ALCESTE 4.5. The main results show a social representation of aging centered on losses and gains. The subjects appraised the possibility of using rejuvenating methods only when it was extremely necessary, because of the health risks that most of them involve. The three groups agreed about natural methods of rejuvenating instead of resorting to invasive methods.

Envelhecimento e rejuvenescimento: um estudo de representação social

Resumo O estudo baseou-se na teoria das representações sociais para analisar o conteúdo das representações sociais que três gerações diferentes de mulheres têm sobre assuntos relacionados com envelhecimento e rejuvenescimento. Setenta e duas mulheres participaram da pesquisa, sendo 34 universitárias de 25 a 35 anos, 18 de 40 a 50 anos e 20 acima de 60 anos. Utilizou-se como método de coleta e análise de dados a técnica de associação livre de palavras. Os termos indutores foram envelhecimento e rejuvenescimento. A análise dos vocábulos evocados seguiu os critérios de freqüência e de ordem de evocação. Foram calculadas as médias de ambos os critérios para compor os quadrantes que formariam os conteúdos das hipóteses de núcleos centrais e periféricos de representação social. Os principais resultados mostraram que ao redor do envelhecimento ainda existem idéias antigas cristalizadas em imagens, como sabedoria e experiência. Já em relação ao rejuvenescimento, as mulheres participantes expressaram uma atitude favorável à prevenção do envelhecimento direcionada à melhora de condições de saúde, em detrimento dos cuidados estéticos, o que mostra que nos conteúdos centrais está presente uma dimensão funcional da representação social em termos de uma prática de cuidados preventivos. Conclui-se que, independentemente da faixa etária das participantes, elas construíram uma representação social do rejuvenescimento voltada para cuidados em saúde muito mais do que com a beleza estética.

Efeitos do trabalho sobre a saúde de adolescentes

O estudo analisa conseqüências do trabalho para as condições de vida, saúde e desenvolvimento psicossocial de adolescentes. Participaram do estudo 354 estudantes de 14 a 18 anos, do ensino médio, período noturno. A análise das representações foi realizada a partir da coleta de evocações livres. Os dados sobre sono foram obtidos por meio de questionários, sobre auto-percepções acerca das condições de vida e trabalho, sintomas de saúde e doenças. A análise de dados foi realizada com o software EVOC 2000 e SPSS. Constataram-se diferenças significativas na duração média de sono entre os adolescentes: os trabalhadores relataram menores médias de duração de sono. Entre os trabalhadores, referiram dormir menos os que sentem sono no trabalho e nas aulas, têm maiores exigências psicológicas no trabalho, ganham acima de 1 salário mínimo mensal, jornadas acima de 6 horas diárias ou acima de 20 horas semanais, trabalham em local barulhento e com presença de gases e vapores. As representações do trabalho entre os jovens apontam contradição entre o seu reconhecimento como valor moral positivo para o desenvolvimento psicossocial e a construção da identidade, e as conseqüências negativas decorrentes da exposição a cargas físicas e psicológicas precocemente.

Representações sociais sobre a saúde na velhice: um diagnóstico psicossocial na Rede Básica de Saúde

O estudo tratou da temática da representação social da saúde na velhice. Participaram do estudo quatro grupos de sujeitos: um grupo de idosos doentes, um grupo de idosos saudáveis; um grupo de trabalhadores de um Centro de Saúde da rede municipal do Sistema Único de Saúde de Florianópolis e um grupo de pessoas que cuidavam de idosos no Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Os dados foram coletados através da técnica de entrevista e a análise dos mesmos foi realizada com a ajuda de um software de análise quantitativa de dados textuais denominado Alceste. Os resultados mostraram que, ao que parece, os locais pesquisados ainda não conseguiram implementar todos os programas necessários para resolver os problemas de saúde da população idosa que atende. A teoria das representações sociais mostrou ser uma ferramenta muito importante para explorar necessidades de saúde sentidas pelos idosos participantes da pesquisa.