Shiftworking families: parents' working schedule and sleep patterns of adolescents attending school in two shifts

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether parents' engagement in shift work affects the sleep habits of their adolescent children who attend school in two shifts. METHODS: The data were drawn from an extensive survey of sleep and daytime functioning of adolescents attending school one week in the morning and the other in the afternoon. The participants were 1,386 elementary and high school students (11-18 years old) whose parents were both employed. The data were analyzed using MANOVA, with parents' work schedule, adolescents' gender and type of school as between-subject factors. RESULTS: Parents' working schedule significantly affected the sleep patterns of high school adolescents. When attending school in the morning, adolescents whose parents were both day workers woke up somewhat later than adolescents with one shiftworking parent. In addition, they slept longer than adolescents whose parents were both shift workers. On weekends, adolescents whose parents both worked during the day went to bed earlier than adolescents whose parents were both shiftworkers. They also had smaller bedtime delay on weekends with respect to both morning and afternoon shifts than adolescents for whom one or both parents worked shifts. A significant interaction between parents' working schedule, adolescents' gender and type of school was found for sleep extension on weekends after afternoon shift school. CONCLUSIONS: Parental involvement in shift work has negative effects on the sleep of high school adolescents. It contributes to earlier wake-up time and shorter sleep in a week when adolescents attend school in the morning, as well as to greater bedtime irregularity.

Decision-making on childhood vaccination by highly educated parents

OBJECTIVE To analyze the sociocultural aspects involved in the decision-making process of vaccination in upper-class and highly educated families.METHODS A qualitative approach based on in-depth interviews with 15 couples from the city of Sao Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, falling into three categories: vaccinators, late or selective vaccinators, and nonvaccinators. The interpretation of produced empirical material was performed through content analysis.RESULTS The study showed diverse and particular aspects surrounding the three groups’ decisions whether to vaccinate their children. The vaccinators’ decision to vaccinate their children was spontaneous and raised no questions. Most late or selective vaccinators experienced a wide range of situations that were instrumental in the decision to delay or not apply certain vaccines. The nonvaccinator’s decision-making process expressed a broader context of both criticism of hegemonic obstetric practices in Brazil and access to information transmitted via social networks and the internet. The data showed that the problematization of vaccines (culminating in the decision to not vaccinate their children) occurred in the context of humanized birth, was protagonized by women and was greatly influenced by health information from the internet.CONCLUSIONS Sociocultural aspects of the singular Brazilian context and the contemporary society were involved in the decision-making on children’s vaccination. Understanding this process can provide a real basis for a deeper reflection on health and immunization practices in Brazil in light of the new contexts and challenges of the world today.

Improving Influenza Surveillance in Portuguese Preschool Children by Parents' Report

Influenza surveillance is usually based on nationally organized sentinel networks of physicians and on hospital reports. This study aimed to test a different report system, based on parents' phone contact to the research team and in home collection of samples by a dedicated team. The identification of influenza and other respiratory viruses in children who attended a Hospital Emergency Department was also recorded. Real-time PCR and reverse transcription PCR were performed for influenza A and B, parainfluenza 1-4, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, respiratory syncytial virus A and B, rhinovirus, enterovirus, group 1 coronaviruses, group 2 coronaviruses, and human bocavirus. One hundred children were included, 64 from the day care centers and 36 from the Hospital. Overall, 79 samples were positive for at least one respiratory virus. Influenza A (H3) was the virus most frequently detected: 25 cases, 20 of these in children under 5 years of age (ten from day care centers and ten who went to the hospital) which was higher than those reported by the National Influenza Surveillance Programme for this age. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in this study suggest that a surveillance system based on parents' reports could complement the implanted system of the National Influenza Surveillance Programme.

Implementation of a pilot project for the treatment and prevention of substance abuse in children and adolescents : strengthening families for parents and youths 12-16

RESUMO: Antecendentes: Uma avaliação dos serviços de abuso de substâncias em Barbados identificou a necessidade de programas e serviços que são projetados especificamente para crianças e adolescentes. Objetivo: Realizar programa com base em evidências para reduzir a incidência de abuso de drogas entre crianças e adolescentes por meio do fortalecimento da unidade familiar através de parentalidade positiva, de maior funcionamento familiar e de resistência dos jovens. Método: Dois projetos-piloto foram realizadas com base no programa "Fortalecer as Famílias para Pais e Jovens de 12 a 16 anos (SFPY). O programa de nove semanas foi empregado como uma intervenção para criar laços familiares mais fortes, aumentar a resistência dos jovens e reduzir o abuso de drogas entre crianças e adolescentes de idades de 11 a 16 anos. A decisão foi tomada para incluir participantes de 11 anos desde que as crianças possam estar no primeiro ano da escola secundária nessa idade. IMPLEMENTATION OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE PILOT PROJECT FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS 5 Resultados: Quinze famílias participaram em dois projetos-piloto e a avaliação final mostrou que os jovens após o programa, geralmente tornaram-se mais positivos sobre o seu lugar na unidade familiar e sentiram que sua participação no programa foi benéfica. Os pais, da mesma forma, relataram que eles conquistaram, com o programa uma relação mais positiva, uma melhor compreensão das necessidades, e consciência das mudanças de desenvolvimento de seus jovens. Desta forma, considera-se que o programa atingiu o resultado desejado de criar unidades familiares mais fortes. Conclusão: O Projeto Piloto “SFPY” foi bem sucedido em fazer pais e jovens mais conscientes de suas necessidades individuais e de responsabilidades dentro da unidade familiar. Como resultado, o relacionamentos das respectivas famílias melhorou. Estudos baseados em evidências têm demonstrado que um relação familiar mais forte diminui a incidência de uso e abuso de drogas na população adolescente, aumentando os fatores de proteção e diminuindo os fatores de risco. A implementação do programa, que foi desenvolvido e testado no ambiente norte-americano, demonstrou que era transferível para a sociedade de Barbados. No entanto, seu impacto total só pode ser determinado através de um estudo comparativo envolvendo um grupo de controle e / ou uma intervenção alternativa ao abuso de substâncias. Portanto, é recomendável que um estudo comparativo da intervenção SFPY deve envolver uma amostra representativa de adolescentes que estão em estágio de desenvolvimento anterior mais cedo. Evidências já demonstram que o programa é mais eficaz, com impacto mais longo sobre os jovens que participam em uma idade maisABSTRACT:Background: An evaluation of substance abuse services in Barbados has identified the need for programmes and services that are specifically designed for children and adolescents. Aim: To conduct an evidence-based programme to reduce the incidence of substance abuse among children and adolescents by strengthening the family unit through positive parenting, enhanced family functioning and youth resilience. Method: Two pilot projects were conducted based on the ‘Strengthening Families for Parents and Youths 12– 16’ (SFPY) programme. The nine-week programme was employed as an intervention to create stronger family connections, increase youth resiliency and reduce drug abuse among children and adolescents between the ages of 11 to 16. The decision was made to include participants from age 11 since children may be in the first year of secondary school at this age. IMPLEMENTATION OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE PILOT PROJECT FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS 3 Results: Fifteen families participated in two pilot projects and an evaluation conducted at the conclusion showed that the youth were generally more positive about their perceived place in the family unit and felt that the being in the programme was generally beneficial. The parents similarly reported they had a more positive relationship with their youths and also had a better understanding of their needs, and an awareness of their developmental changes. This affirmed that the programme had achieved its desired outcome to create stronger family units. Conclusion: The SFPY Pilot Project was successful in making parents and youths more aware of their individual needs and responsibilities within the family unit. As a result relationships within their respective families were strengthened. Evidence-based studies have shown that enhanced family functioning decreases the incidence of substance use and abuse in the adolescent population by increasing protective factors and decreasing risk factors. The implementation of the programme, which was developed and tested in the North American environment, demonstrated that it was transferable to the Barbadian society. However, its full impact can only be determined through a comparative study involving a control group and/or an alternative substance abuse intervention. It is therefore recommended that a comparative study of the SFPY intervention should be delivered to a representative sample of adolescents who are at an earlier developmental stage. Evidence has shown that the programme is more effective, with longer impact on youths who participate at a younger age.

The effect of energy and traffic light labeling on parents purchasing decisions of cereals for their children

Objective: Nutritional labeling systems are considered a tool to fight obesity since they aim to contribute for more informed food choices as well as assist consumers to make healthier nutrition options and in this manner, contribute to a decrease in the obesity rate. This study intends to analyze the effect of different types of labeling systems on parents’ purchasing decisions for their children on a specific product: breakfast cereals. More precisely, how labels affect parents’ perception of healthiness regarding cereals and if the nutritional information has an effect on intended purchases for their children. Participants and methods: We conducted a study with 135 Portuguese parents of children aged 4 to12 years. Parents answered a questionnaire with one of three hypothetical cereals menus. Menus only differed in their nutritional labeling technique: no labels (control group), reference intake labels or traffic light labels. In addition, we conducted 20 face-to-face interviews to a different group of parents in order to perform a recall task. Findings: This paper provides no evidence to suggest that energy labeling or traffic light labeling systems alone were successful in helping parents making healthy purchases of cereals for their children. Therefore, there is the need to promote supplementary policies to encourage the consumption of healthier food and help fight obesity.

Adolescent parents’ values: the role played by retrospective perceptions of the family-of-origin

Family-of-origin is an important system in individual’s lives, and its influence is extensive over the life cycle. The aim of this study was to investigate, in a sample of adolescents’ parents, whether their retrospective perceptions of parenting and relationship qualities within their families-of-origin during adolescence predicted their current collectivist and individualist values. Participants included 110 Portuguese adults with a mean age of 46.86 years old. The results of structural equation modeling supported that retrospective perceptions of parenting and relationship qualities in the family-of-origin predicted the adults’ collectivist values but not their individualist values. This study highlights the importance of retrospective perceptions of supporting and non-rejecting parenting for value acquisition. The results also suggest that values that preserve and protect family connections and collaborations are more likely to be socialized by families. Implications for practice and for the theories on parenting, values, family-of-origin influences and family intergenerational transmission are discussed.

Attachment to parents: the mediating role of inhibition of exploration and individuality on health behaviors

This study’s goal was to analyze whether the quality of university students’ relationship with their parents mediated the association between mental health and physical symptoms and health behavior. Participants were 250 university students (66% female and 34% male), aged between 17 and 29 years old (M = 20.88, SD = 2.03) that answered the Father/Mother Attachment Questionnaire (FMAQ), the Physical Symptoms Scale from the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL), the Health Behavior Questionnaire (HBQ), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The results showed that the indirect effect of physical symptoms on health behavior was significantly mediated by the father’s and mother’s inhibition of exploration and individuality (IEI). Also the indirect effect of psychological distress on health behavior was significantly mediated by the father’s and mother’s IEI. These results suggest that young adults who had more restrictions to their individuality show worse health behaviors. Separation Anxiety and Dependence (SAD) and Quality of Emotional Bond (QEB), the other 2 attachment scales, were not mediators of the relationship between physical symptoms/ psychological distress and health behavior. This study shows the importance of promoting positive parenting practices that contribute to healthier behavior choices and less risky behaviors, as well as the need for more studies that clearly identify these practices in young adult populations.

The Portuguese programme ‘one laptop per child’ and its impact on families: a study on parents’ and children’s perspectives

This paper intends to present and reflect upon some of the findings emerging from a research project entitled “Navigating with ‘Magalhães’: Study on the Impact of Digital Media on Schoolchildren” that was conducted at the Communication and Society Research Centre at the University of Minho, Braga, Portugal. The project focused on the politics of the governmental programme “One Laptop per Child” part of the Portuguese Technological Plan for Education, and the uses of the “Magalhães” computer, and other media, by children aged 8-10 years. This paper analyses the impact of this particular public policy on digital literacy of young children based mostly on the perspectives of parents and their modes of mediation. It also debates parents’ and children’s perspectives on parental rules on computer and Internet usage. It ends by concluding that the impact of this programme occurred mainly at the level of access rather than the social and educational uses and practices. It also highlights the importance of family in the way children access and use ICT.

First- and second-time parents’ couple relationship: from pregnancy to second year postpartum

First- and second-time parents’ couple relationships were studied from early pregnancy to the second year postpartum. The Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) was administered to Portuguese couples (N = 82), first- or second-time parents, at the first, second and third pregnancy trimester, childbirth, 3 and 18 months postpartum. Adverse changes in positive and negative partner relationship dimensions were reported from early pregnancy to the second year postpartum by all participants; in the same way by mothers and fathers and by first- and second-time parents. Second-time parents reported a worse couple relationship (lower RQ-positive scores) than first-time parents, but only during pregnancy. Results from the present study suggest a decline in partner relationship quality during the transition to parenthood both in mothers and fathers, as well as in first- and second-time parents.

Parents' physical victimization in childhood and current risk of child maltreatment: the mediator role of psychosomatic symptoms

Objective: To test the potential mediation effect of psychosomatic symptoms on the relationship between parents' history of childhood physical victimization and current risk for child physical maltreatment. Methods: Data from the Portuguese National Representative Study of Psychosocial Context of Child Abuse and Neglect were used. Nine-hundred and twenty-four parents completed the Childhood History Questionnaire, the Psychosomatic Scale of the Brief Symptom Inventory, and the Child Abuse Potential Inventory. Results: Mediation analysis revealed that the total effect of the childhood physical victimization on child maltreatment risk was significant. The results showed that the direct effect from the parents' history of childhood physical victimization to their current maltreatment risk was still significant once parents' psychosomatic symptoms were added to the model, indicating that the increase in psychosomatic symptomatology mediated in part the increase of parents' current child maltreatment risk. Discussion: The mediation analysis showed parents' psychosomatic symptomatology as a causal pathway through which parents' childhood history of physical victimization exerts its effect on increased of child maltreatment risk. Somatization-related alterations in stress and emotional regulation are discussed as potential theoretical explanation of our findings. A cumulative risk perspective is also discussed in order to elucidate about the mechanisms that contribute for the intergenerational continuity of child physical maltreatment.

Post-divorce representations of marital negotiation during marriage predict parenting alliance in newly divorced parents

Literature demonstrates that marital and co-parenting subsystems are intercorrelated and have autonomous functions in the family system. This study explored representations of marital negotiation strategies for conflict resolution during marriage and parenting alliance relationship after divorce, using data from Portuguese newly divorced parents. In multiple regression analysis, representations of marital negotiation strategies for conflict resolution during marriage used by ex-spouses predict positive parenting alliance relationship after divorce. These results suggest that representations of pre-divorce marital relationship influence positively current interparental relationship regarding child rearing after marital dissolution. Implications for clinical interventions are also discussed.

Massage therapy reduces pain in pregnant women, alleviates prenatal depression in both parents and improves their relationships

Prenatally depressed women (N=47) were randomly assigned to a group that received massage twice weekly from their partners from 20 weeks gestation until the end of pregnancy or a control group. Self-reported leg pain, back pain, depression, anxiety and anger decreased more for the massaged pregnant women than for the control group women. In addition, the partners who massaged the pregnant women versus the control group partners reported less depressed mood, anxiety and anger across the course of the massage therapy period. Finally, scores on a relationship questionnaire improved more for both the women and the partners in the massage group. These data suggest that not only mood states but also relationships improve mutually when depressed pregnant women are massaged by their partners.

Distribution of risk factors in parents and siblings of patients with early coronary artery disease

OBJECTIVE: Early coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with risk factors (RF). Offspring of parents with a RF have a greater prevalence of them. However, the distribution of RF in parents and siblings of patients with early CAD is unknown. METHODS: The study comprised the parents and siblings of 42 patients with early CAD (< 45 years), 29 males. Their mean age was 39.5±3.7 years. The following major RF were analyzed: smoking (> 5 cigarretes/day), hypercholesterolemia (total cholesterol > 200 mg/dL), hypertension (diastolic blood pressure > 90 mmHg), and diabetes (glycemia > 126 mg/dL). RESULTS: Of a total of 102 RF, 4, 3, 2, and 1 were observed in, respectively, 5, 15, 15, and 7 patients with early CAD, the most prevalent being smoking (86%) and hypercholesterolemia (83%). Diabetes was observed in 15 (36%) and hypertension in 16 (38%) patients. Smoking was more prevalent in the fathers (76%) and hypercholesterolemia in the mothers (30%). In 183 siblings, 131 RF were observed (1 patient with the disease had a mean of 4.7 siblings). The prevalences of smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes in the siblings were, respectively, 32%, 18%, 14%, and 9%. The incidence of RF was as follows: 72 (39%) siblings had 1 RF, 25 (14%) siblings had 2 RF, and 3 (2%) siblings had 3 RF. In parents and their offspring, smoking was moderately correlated (r=0.43; P=0.02) with CAD. CONCLUSION: Smoking habit of parents is passed on to offspring, and, in association with hypercholesterolemia, it was the major cause of early CAD in offspring. High prevalence of smoking in offspring shows the potential responsibility of parents in the incidence of the disease in offspring.

Does the provision of full day care improve the quality of life for children and their parents

This study sought to explore and examine if the provision of full day care improves the quality of life for children and their parents. Owing to the effects of the Celtic Tiger, life in Ireland has changed considerably over the past five to ten years. Because of the booming economy there are now 60.8% of women employed in the workforce. This means many changes for children, parents and families. Findings in the literature review are based on international studies. The researcher utilised both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies for the study. She interviewed 31 respondents; 27 childcare managers; 3 politicians and the chairperson of a childcare committee. Furthermore, 325 questionnaires were completed in a survey by working parents in the statutory and voluntary sectors in and around Sligo town and in two childcare facilities in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. Babies as young as 4 months are being cared for in childcare facilities from 6.45am until 6.pm daily, 5 days per week. Some children are spending up to 11 hours per day in childcare facilities. The study has not categorically concluded that full day care is either positive or negative for children. Childcare facilities are providing good quality childcare encompassing various services; however, 25 out of 27 childcare managers reported to the researcher that they would not leave their child in full day care. Parents are finding it difficult to manage work life balance. Health dominated quality of life issues. Two hundred and thirty five (235) parents reported being stressed. The study also found that 315 working parents feel that the government is not doing enough to support working parents. On a positive note, 241 parents said they are happy in general with the quality of life for them, their family and their children. In addition, the researcher has identified a number of recommendations for future changes in policy and further study.