El desarrollo como estrategia adaptativa : Características exclusivas de la infancia humana

En este trabajo se presenta una hipótesis evolucionista acerca del desarrollo. Se compara la infancia humana con la de los primates no humanos y se describen sus rasgos exclusivos vinculados con la extensión y transformación del mundo emocional, la interacción adulto-bebé y la formación de procesos psicológicos complejos. Se argumenta a favor del papel constitutivo de las artes temporales en cada uno de los rasgos descriptos

El desarrollo como estrategia adaptativa : Características exclusivas de la infancia humana

En este trabajo se presenta una hipótesis evolucionista acerca del desarrollo. Se compara la infancia humana con la de los primates no humanos y se describen sus rasgos exclusivos vinculados con la extensión y transformación del mundo emocional, la interacción adulto-bebé y la formación de procesos psicológicos complejos. Se argumenta a favor del papel constitutivo de las artes temporales en cada uno de los rasgos descriptos

Desenvolvimento da linguagem oral e interação educação-criança na educação pré-escolar

Relatório de estágio apresentado para obtenção do grau de mestre na especialidade profissional de Educação pré-escolar

Desenvolvimento da linguagem oral e interação educação-criança na educação pré-escolar

Relatório de estágio apresentado para obtenção do grau de mestre na especialidade profissional de Educação pré-escolar

The development of an observation tool for use with parents with psychiatric disability and their preschool children

Community-based treatment and care of people with psychiatric disabilities has meant that they are now more likely to engage in the parenting role. This has led to the development of programs designed to enhance the parenting skills of people with psychiatric disabilities. Evaluation of these programs has been hampered by a paucity of evaluation tools. This study's aim was to develop and trial a tool that examined the parent-child interaction within a group setting, was functional and easy to use, required minimum training and equipment, and had acceptable levels of reliability and validity. The revised tool yielded a single scale with acceptable reliability. It had discriminative validity and concurrent validity with non-independent global ratings of parenting. Sensitivity to change was not investigated. The findings suggest that this method of evaluating parenting is likely to have both clinical and research utility and further investigation of the psychometric properties of the tool is warranted.

Evaluating the external validity of comorbid disorders in youth using rating scales and behavior observations

To evaluate the theoretical underpinnings of current categorical approaches to classify childhood psychopathological conditions, this dissertation examined whether children with a single diagnosis of an anxiety disorder (ANX only) and children with an anxiety diagnosis comorbid with other diagnoses (i.e., anxiety + anxiety disorder [ANX + ANX], anxiety + depressive disorder [ANX + DEP], and anxiety + disruptive disorder [ANX + EXT]) could be differentiated using external validation criteria of clinical phenomenology (i.e., levels of anxiety, depression, and internalizing, externalizing and total behavior problems). This study further examined whether the four groups could be differentiated in terms of their interaction patterns with their parents and peers, respectively. The sample consisted of 129 youth and their parents who presented to the Child Anxiety and Phobia Program (CAPP) housed within the Child and Family Psychosocial Research Center at Florida International University, Miami. Youth were between the ages of 8 and 14 years old. A battery of questionnaires was used to assess participants' clinical presentation in terms of levels of anxiety, depression, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Family and peer interaction were evaluated through rating scales and through behavior observation tasks. Statistics based on the parameter estimates of the structured equation models indicated that all the comorbid groups were significantly different from the pure anxiety disorder group when it came to depression indices of clinical phenomenology. Further, significant differences appeared mainly in terms of the ANX + DEP comorbid group relative to the other comorbid groups. In terms of Parent-child interaction the ANX + EXT and the ANX + DEP comorbid groups were differentiated from the pure anxiety disorder and ANX + ANX comorbid group when it came to the appraisal of the parent/child relationship by the parent, and the acceptance subscale according to the mother report. In terms of peer-child interaction the ANX + EXT and the ANX + DEP comorbid groups were statistically significantly different from the pure anxiety disorder only when it came to the positive interactions and the social skills as rated by mother. Limitations and future research recommendations are discussed.

Interação individualizada educador-criança e desenvolvimento da linguagem

Relatório de estágio apresentado para a obtenção do grau de mestre na especialidade profissional de Educação pré-Escolar e ensino do 1º ciclo do ensino básico

A Longitudinal Investigation of Infant Gesture Use and Parent Speech: Unique and Dynamic Influences on Infant Vocabulary Acquisition

How do infants learn word meanings? Research has established the impact of both parent and child behaviors on vocabulary development, however the processes and mechanisms underlying these relationships are still not fully understood. Much existing literature focuses on direct paths to word learning, demonstrating that parent speech and child gesture use are powerful predictors of later vocabulary. However, an additional body of research indicates that these relationships don’t always replicate, particularly when assessed in different populations, contexts, or developmental periods.

The current study examines the relationships between infant gesture, parent speech, and infant vocabulary over the course of the second year (10-22 months of age). Through the use of detailed coding of dyadic mother-child play interactions and a combination of quantitative and qualitative data analytic methods, the process of communicative development was explored. Findings reveal non-linear patterns of growth in both parent speech content and child gesture use. Analyses of contingency in dyadic interactions reveal that children are active contributors to communicative engagement through their use of gestures, shaping the type of input they receive from parents, which in turn influences child vocabulary acquisition. Recommendations for future studies and the use of nuanced methodologies to assess changes in the dynamic system of dyadic communication are discussed.

Angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma: comparison of fluorescence in situ hybridization and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction as adjunct diagnostic modalities

Angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma (AFH) is a rare soft tissue neoplasm of intermediate biologic potential and uncertain differentiation, most often arising in the extremities of children and young adults. Although it has characteristic histologic features of a lymphoid cuff surrounding nodules of ovoid cells with blood-filled cystic cavities, diagnosis is often difficult due to its morphologic heterogeneity and lack of specific immunoprofile. Angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma is associated with recurrent chromosomal translocations, leading to characteristic EWSR1-CREB1, EWSR1-ATF1, and, rarely, FUS-ATF1 gene fusions; fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), detecting EWSR1 or FUS rearrangements, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for EWSR1-CREB1 and EWSR1-ATF1 fusion transcripts have become routine ancillary tools. We present a large comparative series of FISH and RT-PCR for AFH. Seventeen neoplasms (from 16 patients) histologically diagnosed as AFH were assessed for EWSR1 rearrangements or EWSR1-CREB1 and EWSR1-ATF1 fusion transcripts. All 17 were positive for either FISH or RT-PCR or both. Of 16, 14 (87.5%) had detectable EWSR1-CREB1 or EWSR1-ATF1 fusion transcripts by RT-PCR, whereas 13 (76.5%) of 17 had positive EWSR1 rearrangement with FISH. All 13 of 13 non-AFH control neoplasms failed to show EWSR1-CREB1 or EWSR1-ATF1 fusion transcripts, whereas EWSR1 rearrangement was present in 2 of these 13 cases (which were histopathologically myoepithelial neoplasms). This study shows that EWSR1-CREB1 or EWSR1-ATF1 fusions predominate in AFH (supporting previous reports that FUS rearrangement is rare in AFH) and that RT-PCR has a comparable detection rate to FISH for AFH. Importantly, cases of AFH can be missed if RT-PCR is not performed in conjunction with FISH, and RT-PCR has the added advantage of specificity, which is crucial, as EWSR1 rearrangements are present in a variety of neoplasms in the histologic differential diagnosis of AFH, that differ in behavior and treatment.

Low frequency of the TEL/AML1 fusion gene in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in Spain.

We report on a series of Spanish patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in whom the t(12;21) [TEL/AML1] translocation could not be identified with two sensitive techniques: reverse transcript-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH). 101 cases were analysed: 38 children (29 B-cell precursor; nine T-cell precursor) and 63 adults (48 B-cell precursor; 15 T-cell precursor). Specific RT-PCR to amplify the TEL/AML1 fusion transcript was negative in all 101 cases. Moreover, all 38 paediatric samples were also negative by interphase FISH analysis for the presence of the TEL/AML1 fusion. These results suggest the existence of geographic/race variations in the genotype of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).

Future trends in cystic fibrosis demography in 34 European countries

Median survival has increased in people with cystic fibrosis (CF) during the past six decades, which has led to an increased number of adults with CF. The future impact of changes in CF demographics has not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to estimate the number of children and adults with CF in 34 European countries by 2025. Data were obtained from the European Cystic Fibrosis Society Patient Registry. Population forecasts were performed for countries that have extensive CF population coverage and at least 4 years of longitudinal data by modelling future entering and exiting flows in registry cohorts. For the other countries, population projections were performed based on assumptions from knowledge of current CF epidemiology. Western European countries' forecasts indicate that an increase in the overall number of CF patients by 2025, by approximately 50%, corresponds to an increase by 20% and by 75% in children and adults, respectively. In Eastern European countries the projections suggest a predominant increase in the CF child population, although the CF adult population would also increase.It was concluded that a large increase in the adult CF population is expected in the next decade. A significant increase in adult CF services throughout Europe is urgently required.

The Effects of a Group-Based Approach to Parent-Mediated Early Behavioral Intervention for Very Young Children with or At-Risk for Autism

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Understanding the Patient Experience Through the Power of Film: a Mixed Method Qualitative Research Study

Background For decades film has proved to be a powerful form of communication. Whether produced as entertainment, art or documentary, films have the capacity to inform and move us. Films are a highly attractive teaching instrument and an appropriate teaching method in health education. It is a valuable tool for studying situations most transcendental to human beings such as pain, disease and death. Objectives The objectives were to determine how this helps students engage with their role as health care professionals; to determine how they view the personal experience of illness, disease, disability or death; and to determine how this may impact upon their provision of patient care. Design, Setting and Participants The project was underpinned by the film selection determined by considerate review, intensive scrutiny, contemplation and discourse by the research team. 7 films were selected, ranging from animation; foreign, documentary, biopic and Hollywood drama. Each film was shown discretely, in an acoustic lecture theatre projected onto a large screen to pre-registration student nurses (adult, child and mental health) across each year of study from different cohorts (n = 49). Method A mixed qualitative method approach consisted of audio-recorded 5-minute reactions post film screening; coded questionnaires; and focus group. Findings were drawn from the impact of the films through thematic analysis of data sets and subjective text condensation categorised as: new insights looking through patient eyes; evoking emotion in student nurses; spiritual care; going to the moves to learn about the patient experience; self discovery through films; using films to link theory to practice. Results Deeper learning through film as a powerful medium was identified in meeting the objectives of the study. Integration of film into pre registration curriculum, pedagogy, teaching and learning is recommended. Conclusion The teaching potential of film stems from the visual process linked to human emotion and experience. Its impact has the power to not only help in learning the values that underpin nursing, but also for respecting the patient experience of disease, disability, death and its reality.

Interação individualizada educador-criança e desenvolvimento da linguagem

Relatório de estágio apresentado para a obtenção do grau de mestre na especialidade profissional de Educação pré-Escolar e ensino do 1º ciclo do ensino básico