Sibling competition and parental control: Patterns of begging in parrots

Begging and food allocation patterns are the outcome of complex and repeated interactions between parents and young. In most systems studied, food allocation is regulated by begging and scramble competition. In contrast, little is understood about how nestling solicitation behaviours will evolve in systems where parents engage in complex patterns of food allocation. Parrots appear to be an excellent group in which to examine the shifting balance between sibling competition and parental control. Studies to date have shown that levels of sibling competition within parrot broods are low, possibly in response to parental control over food distribution. I assess what is known about the function of nestling begging in parrots and evaluate why begging signals appear to function differently in this group.

Farm exposures, parental occupation, and risk of Ewing's sarcoma in Australia: a national case-control study

Objective: It has been suggested that parental occupation, particularly farming, increased the risk of Ewing's sarcoma in the offspring. In a national case-control study we examined the relationship between farm and other parental occupational exposures and the risk of cancer in the offspring. Methods: Cases were 106 persons with confirmed Ewing's sarcoma or peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor. Population-based controls (344) were selected randomly via telephone. Information was collected by interview (84% face-to-face). Results: We found an excess of case mothers who worked on farms at conception and/or pregnancy (odds ratio (OR) = 2.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.5-12.0) and a slightly smaller excess of farming fathers; more case mothers usually worked as laborers, machine operators, or drivers (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 0.9-3.9). Risk doubled for those whose mothers handled pesticides and insecticides, or fathers who handled solvents and glues, and oils and greases. Further, more cases lived on farms (OR = 1.6, 95% CI 0.9-2.8). In the 0-20 years group, the risk doubled for those who ever lived on a farm (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-3.9), and more than tripled for those with farming fathers at conception and/or pregnancy (OR = 3.5, 95% CI 1.0-11.9). Conclusions: Our data support the general hypothesis of an association of Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors with farming, particularly at younger ages, who represent the bulk of cases, and are more likely to share etiologic factors.

Evaluating a model of parental influence on youth physical activity

Objective: To test a conceptual model linking parental physical activity orientations, parental support for physical activity, and children's self-efficacy perceptions with physical activity participation. Participants and Setting: The sample consisted of 380 students in grades 7 through 12 (mean age, 14.0 +/- 1.6 years) and their parents. Data collection took place during the fall of 1996. Main Outcome Measures: Parents completed a questionnaire assessing their physical activity habits, enjoyment of physical activity, beliefs regarding the importance of physical activity, and supportive behaviors for their child's physical activity. Students completed a 46-item inventory assessing physical activity during the previous 7 days and a 5-item physical activity self-efficacy scale. The model was tested via observed variable path analysis using structural equation modeling techniques (AMOS 4.0). Results: An initial model, in which parent physical activity orientations predicted child physical activity via parental support and child self-efficacy, did not provide an acceptable fit to the data. Inclusion of a direct path from parental support to child physical activity and deletion of a nonsignificant path from parental physical activity to child physical activity significantly improved model fit. Standardized path coefficients for the revised model ranged from 0.17 to 0.24, and all were significant at the p < 0.0001 level. Conclusions: Parental support was an important correlate of youth physical activity, acting directly or indirectly through its influence on self-efficacy. Physical activity interventions targeted at youth should include and evaluate the efficacy of individual-level and community-level strategies to increase parents' capacity to provide instrumental and motivational support for their children's physical activity.

Motivação e percepção do envolvimento parental na prática desportiva de jovens nadadores

RESUMO: O envolvimento parental no desporto é determinante no processo de formação desportiva dos jovens desportistas. Pelo facto de existirem poucos instrumentos de avaliação neste assunto, a adaptação e validação do Parental Involvement Sport Questionnaire (PISQ) para o idioma Português, tornou-se fundamental para colmatar esta lacuna. Assim, o presente estudo pretende alcançar dois objectivos principais: a) traduzir e adaptar o PISQ ao idioma Português do Brasil e, deste modo, iniciar o processo de validação do referido instrumento; b) analisar a relação entre a percepção dos jovens sobre o envolvimento parental na sua prática de natação e a motivação destes jovens nadadores. Um total de 114 nadadores participaram deste estudo, com idades compreendidas entre os 12 e 20 anos [ M = 14.67; DP = 8.29], para aferir utilizamos a versão Portuguesa do PISQ e do Sport Motivation Scale (SMS). Como principais resultados, a versão portuguesa do PISQ apresentou um Alpha de Cronbach deos comportamentos directivos dos pais mostraram reduzir a motivação intrínsica – saber, a motivação intrínsica pela prática e a motivação extrínsica – introjectada, e aumentar a amotivação dos jovens desportistas. ABSTRACT: The parental involvement in sport is crucial in the process of sports training of young athletes and, because there are few instruments for assessing this issue, the adaptation and validation of the Parental Involvement Sport Questionnaire (PISQ) for the Portuguese language, it became essential to bridge this gap. Thus, this study aims to achieve two main objectives: a) translate and adapt the PISQ to the Portuguese language of Brazil and thus begin the process of validation of that instrument, b) analyze the relationship between the perception of young people about the involvement parental in their practice of swimming, and the motivation of these young swimmers. A total of 114 swimmers participated in this study, aged between 12 and 20 years [M = 14.67, SD = 8.29], we used to measure the Portuguese version of PISQ and the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS). As main results, the Portuguese version of PISQ showed a Cronbach’s Alpha of , directive behaviors of the parents shown to reduce intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and increase the amotivation of the young athletes.

Eu existo e estou aqui! : Intervenção junto de uma jovem com necessidades educativas especiais e melhoria do envolvimento parental

O trabalho que aqui se apresenta pretende mostrar as estratégias e actividades utilizadas com uma jovem com Necessidades Educativas Especiais, pertencente a um meio sócio-económico-cultural desfavorecido, cuja mãe e Encarregada de Educação não compreende nem valoriza o papel da escola a par de manifestar baixas expectativas face às competências académicas da sua filha o que a leva a não investir na vida escolar da mesma. Foram realizadas diversas diligências no sentido de se fazer um levantamento acerca de toda a problemática que envolve a aluna. Para tal foi consultada documentação diversa referente ao meio, à escola, à turma e à aluna, aplicação de questionários e entrevistas a pessoas ligadas ao percurso escolar desta jovem, bem como a outro encarregado de educação de um aluno da mesma escola que serviu como termo de comparação. Após a recolha de toda a informação que considerámos importante, levou-se a cabo à planificação, e a consequente avaliação. Esta intervenção teve como principais propósitos desenvolver o perfil educacional da aluna e modificar a postura da mãe e Encarregada de educação face à Escola e consequentemente fazê-la criar expectativas positivas face à sua educanda o que potenciará a Inclusão da mesma.

Factores determinantes na adesão parental ao tratamento oclusivo em crianças amblíopes

Introdução - Estudos de investigação recentes apontam para o facto de que cerca de 1/3 dos olhos amblíopes não chegam à acuidade visual de 5/10 apesar da terapia oclusiva. Uma das razões apontadas é a não adesão ao tratamento. O objectivo do presente estudo é contribuir para a determinação do grau de influência dos factores psicossociais na adesão à terapia oclusiva por parte dos pais de crianças amblíopes e avaliar se existem diferenças significativas entre as recomendações do Ortoptista, a percepção parental dessas mesmas recomendações e o comportamento descrito. Metodologia - Foi efectuado um estudo quantitativo transversal, no qual participaram pais de crianças amblíopes (n=100), a realizar tratamento oclusivo num hospital público e numa clínica privada em Lisboa. Os pais responderam a um questionário baseado na Teoria da Motivação e Protecção (TMP) de Rogers, no qual foram analisadas variáveis parentais como a gravidade, vulnerabilidade, auto-eficácia, intenções de comportamento, eficácia da resposta e barreiras ao tratamento. Adicionalmente, foram analisadas as variáveis percepção parental do número de horas de oclusão e comportamento parental descrito. Resultados - Os resultados apontam para uma percentagem de 72% de adesão parental ao tratamento oclusivo e uma percentagem de 28% de não adesão. As variáveis intenções de comportamento (p=O,Ol 5) e eficácia da resposta (p=O,Ol 1) demonstraram ser significativas na predição da adesão parental ao tratamento oclusivo em crianças amblíopes (a=0,05). Foi detectada uma correlação positiva moderada (kappa=0, 536) entre o número de horas de oclusão recomendado pelo Ortoptista e a percepção parental dessas mesmas recomendações e uma correlação positiva forte (kappa=0,700) entre o número de horas de oclusão percepcionadas e o comportamento descrito. Conclusões - A prévia noção por parte dos pais de que o tratamento é uma mais-valia com consequências benéficas, provoca o desenvolvimento de uma resposta adaptativa de coping, neste caso de adesão ao tratamento oclusivo. A intenção positiva dos pais para realizar o tratamento e a prévia noção da sua eficácia na melhoria da acuidade visual da criança são preditivas da adesão por parte destes. Nesse sentido a probabilidade da adesão ao tratamento será maior se os pais associarem a adopção do comportamento recomendado à melhoria do estado de saúde das crianças, o que de facto foi demonstrado por esta investigação.

Parental predictors of poor visual outcome with occlusion treatment for unilateral amblyopia

Aim: Visual acuity outcome of amblyopia treatment depends on the compliance. This study aimed to determine parental predictors of poor visual outcome with occlusion treatment in unilateral amblyopia and identify the relationship between occlusion recommendations and the patient's actual dose of occlusion reported by the parents. Methods: This study comprised three phases: refractive adaptation for a period of 18 weeks after spectacle correction; occlusion of 3 to 6 hours per day during a period of 6 months; questionnaire administration and completion by parents. Visual acuity as assessed using the Sheridan-Gardiner singles or Snellen acuity chart was used as a measure of visual outcome. Correlation analysis was used to describe the strength and direction of two variables: prescribed occlusion reported by the doctor and actual dose reported by parents. A logistic binary model was adjusted using the following variables: severity, vulnerability, self-efficacy, behaviour intentions, perceived efficacy and treatment barriers, parents' and childrens' age, and parents' level of education. Results: The study included 100 parents (mean age 38.9 years, SD approx 9.2) of 100 children (mean age 6.3 years, SD approx 2.4) with amblyopia. Twenty-eight percent of children had no improvement in visual acuity. The results showed a positive mild correlation (kappa = 0.54) between the prescribed occlusion and actual dose reported by parents. Three predictors for poor visual outcome with occlusion were identified: parents' level of education (OR = 9.28; 95%CI 1.32-65.41); treatment barriers (OR = 2.75; 95%CI 1.22-6.20); interaction between severity and vulnerability (OR = 3.64; 95%CI 1.21-10.93). Severity (OR = 0.07; 95%CI 0.00-0.72) and vulnerability (OR = 0.06; 95%CI 0.05-0.74) when considered in isolation were identified as protective factors. Conclusions: Parents frequently do not use the correct dosage of occlusion as recommended. Parents' educational level and awareness of treatment barriers were predictors of poor visual outcome. Lower levels of education represented a 9-times higher risk of having a poor visual outcome with occlusion treatment.

La investigación sobre apoyo social en salud: situación actual y nuevos desafíos

La categoría de "apoyo social" ha permitido desarrollar toda una corriente de investigación que busca explicar algunas de las diferencias existentes en la distribución de ciertas enfermedades tanto físicas como mentales. El concepto de apoyo social presenta varios problemas que es preciso resolver. Este artículo discute algunos de estos problemas, y mostra la posibilidad de enriquecer el tema desde una perspectiva sociológica. Se discute el origen conceptual del término y se analizan diversas definiciones del mismo. Se analizar las formas en que la investigación reciente ha tratado de vincular la disponibilidad de apoyo social con la existencia de ciertos niveles de salud y enfermedad. Se discuten las diferencias entre el modelo del efecto directo y el modelo del efecto amortiguador. Se muestra la necesidad de estudiar al apoyo social no sólo como posible determinante de ciertas formas de enfermedad, sino también como una variable dependiente. Se subraya la importancia de buscar las determinantes del apoyo social en todos los niveles de la realidad social, dando especial importancia a las variables de clase social y género. Se presenta una discusión sobre los avances logrados en el estudio de los factores que se asocian a la disponibilidad de apoyo social por parte de los individuos. Se muestra que el apoyo social es a su vez producto de ciertos ordenamientos sociales que pueden ser identificados con claridad a través de un análisis sociológico del fenómeno. Para ilustrar este argumento, se discute el caso de la atención, entendida como una forma de apoyo social, y se muestra que la distribución de la misma está determinada socialmente. Se finaliza con una reflexión sobre la necesidad de integrar diversos enfoques teórico-metodológicos como condición necesaria para lograr nuevos avances en el estudio del apoyo social

Parental cognitive dimensions associated with preschool children’s eating habits: an intervention study

Childhood excessive weight and obesity are a major public health concern from early childhood. Early childhood is an important period of development for developing healthy eating habits, that may be associated with an adequate present/future BMI. There is extensive evidence that children’s food intake is shaped by early experiences, suggesting ways in which parenting practices may be promoting obesity. But what leads parents to endorse healthier or detrimental educational practices and routines needs further study. 1. Perception of children’s weight: parents of overweight or obese children often fail to correctly perceive their children as overweight; failing to recognize their children’s excessive weight may impeach parents from implementing the best educational practices. 2. Concern: relation between the adequacy of mothers perception of their children’s weight and the level of concern - parental concern is be associated with parental practices. 3. Attribution of control: also, if parents do not consider their children’s eating behavior at least partially controllable by them, they may relinquish some of their responsibility in this area. Self-efficacy: evidence linking parental self-efficacy to parent competence and to parenting practices and behaviors; low parental self-efficacy related to the control of everyday behavior of young children may lead parents to abandon more consistent health practices and endorse permissive and inconsistent strategies. We designed 2 sequential studies that aim to contribute to the understanding of cognitive determinants of children’s eating patterns.