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Through this study, we aim to evaluate the psychometric properties, such as factor structure, reliability, and construct validity of the Greek translation of the parent report version of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ). Four... more
Through this study, we aim to evaluate the psychometric properties, such as factor structure, reliability, and construct validity of the Greek translation of the parent report version of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ). Four hundred sixty-six parents were enrolled in the study. Firstly, we extracted four factors with the use of EFA (Principal Components Analysis) in a subsample comprised of n = 294 participants. Afterward, we evaluated the internal four-factor structure (Involvement – Positive Parenting – Inconsistent Discipline – Corporal Punishment), though CFA in the entire sample. All goodness of fit indices generated by CFA were found satisfactory (χ2/df = 1.54 < 2 and p = .213, TLI = 0.976 ≥ 0.95, RMSEA = .027 < 0.08, CFI = 0.95 ≥ 0.90 and SRMR = 0.015 < 0.08). No floor-ceiling effects were observed. Assessment of measurement invariance provided us with strong evidence that the proposed structure is both meaningful and valid in families with a child with a disability, as well. Consequently, the APQ-GR (3–6) is an easily applied and comprehended research tool that allows its use in studies on parental characteristics and practices in both families with and without a child with disabilities rearing.
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The purpose of the present analytically structured empirical case study was to explore the interactions which twins display during playing with their teachers and peers in a Special Nursery Unit. Two 5.5-year-old twin brothers with Autism... more
The purpose of the present analytically structured empirical case study was to explore the interactions which twins display during playing with their teachers and peers in a Special Nursery Unit. Two 5.5-year-old twin brothers with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) participated in this study, along with two teachers and seven non-typically developing peers. Non participant observations were made for four full-time school days in four consecutive weeks. We observed the frequency, initiations, and duration of playful interactions in a naturalistic context. Results derived from the analysis of video-recordings and documents from the school service records indicate that twin brothers with autism take initiative in order to become interactive partners in their dyadic play with their non-typically developing peers although, when so, interactions do not last longer. In twins’ dyadic interactions with their teachers, they never take the initiative to any playful interaction. There are also in...
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Background: Preterm neonates show decreased HRV compared to those at full-term. We compared HRV metrics between preterm and full-term neonates in transfer periods from neonate rest state to neonate–parent interaction, and vice versa.... more
Background: Preterm neonates show decreased HRV compared to those at full-term. We compared HRV metrics between preterm and full-term neonates in transfer periods from neonate rest state to neonate–parent interaction, and vice versa. Methods: Short-term recordings of the HRV parameters (time and frequency-domain indices and non-linear measurements) of 28 premature healthy neonates were compared with the metrics of 18 full-term neonates. HRV recordings were performed at home at term-equivalent age and HRV metrics were compared between the following transfer periods: from first rest state of the neonate (TI1) to a period in which the neonate interacted with the first parent (TI2), from TI2 to a second neonate rest state (TI3), and from TI3 to a period of neonate interaction with the second parent (TI4). Results: For the whole HRV recording period, PNN50, NN50 and HF (%) was lower for preterm neonates compared to full-terms. These findings support the reduced parasympathetic activity o...
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Through this study, we aim to evaluate the psychometric properties, such as factor structure, reliability, and construct validity of the Greek translation of the parent report version of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ). Four... more
Through this study, we aim to evaluate the psychometric properties, such as factor structure, reliability, and construct validity of the Greek translation of the parent report version of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ). Four hundred sixty-six parents were enrolled in the study. Firstly, we extracted four factors with the use of EFA (Principal Components Analysis) in a subsample comprised of n = 294 participants. Afterward, we evaluated the internal four-factor structure (Involvement – Positive Parenting – Inconsistent Discipline – Corporal Punishment), though CFA in the entire sample. All goodness of fit indices generated by CFA were found satisfactory (χ2/df = 1.54 < 2 and p = .213, TLI = 0.976 ≥ 0.95, RMSEA = .027 < 0.08, CFI = 0.95 ≥ 0.90 and SRMR = 0.015 < 0.08). No floor-ceiling effects were observed. Assessment of measurement invariance provided us with strong evidence that the proposed structure is both meaningful and valid in families with a ...
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Οι γονeίς των παιδιών μe σύνδρομο Down αντιμeτωπίζουν καθημeρινά πολλές προκλήσeις και έχουν ποικίλeς ανάγκeς λόγω των δυσκολιών που eμφανίζουν τα παιδιά τους. Ο σκοπός της παρούσας ποιοτικής μeλέτης eίναι να ανιχνeύσeι τα βιώματα και τις... more
Οι γονeίς των παιδιών μe σύνδρομο Down αντιμeτωπίζουν καθημeρινά πολλές προκλήσeις και έχουν ποικίλeς ανάγκeς λόγω των δυσκολιών που eμφανίζουν τα παιδιά τους. Ο σκοπός της παρούσας ποιοτικής μeλέτης eίναι να ανιχνeύσeι τα βιώματα και τις eμπeιρίeς μιας μητέρας παιδιού μe σύνδρομο Down. Αναλυτικότeρα, μέσω ημιδομημένων συνeντeύξeων, η μeλέτη στοχeύeι στη μeλέτη των συναισθημάτων της μητέρας, της eμπλοκής της στη ζωή του παιδιού της αλλά και στην ανάδeιξη των σχέσeών της μe τον κοινωνικό πeρίγυρο. Τα αποτeλέσματα έδeιξαν ότι η μητέρα eμπλέκeται σe σημαντικό βαθμό στη ζωή του παιδιού της και καθημeρινά έρχeται αντιμέτωπη μe ποικίλeς δυσκολίeς (π.χ. αποδοχής του παιδιού, eντατικής προσοχής και φροντίδας), τις οποίeς αντιμeτωπίζeι μe βοήθeια κυρίως από το eνδοοικογeνeιακό πeριβάλλον. Μέσα από την κατανόηση των βιωμάτων και των eμπeιριών της συγκeκριμένης μητέρας, όπως αυτά eξeτάζονται στην παρούσα ποιοτική μeλέτη, αναδύονται σημαντικά θέματα που σχeτίζονται μe τη διάγνωση και την πρώιμη...
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Abstract We compare matching of facial expressions of emotion, completion of the positive valence of emotional expression, attunement of emotional intensity, and non-matching of emotion, in engagements with their mothers of firstborn... more
Abstract We compare matching of facial expressions of emotion, completion of the positive valence of emotional expression, attunement of emotional intensity, and non-matching of emotion, in engagements with their mothers of firstborn dizygotic twins and of singletons. Nine twins and nine singletons were video-recorded at home in spontaneous face-to-face interactions from the second to the sixth month after birth. Microanalysis of infant and maternal facial expressions of emotion revealed qualitative and quantitative differences that indicate that engagements with twins had more frequent and more accurate emotional matching and attunements compared to those with singletons. Singletons displayed more emotional completion and non-matching reactions. Expressions of matching for pleasure and interest followed different developmental patterns in the two kinds of dyads. These results are discussed in relation to the theory of innate affective intersubjectivity. Differences may shed light on the relationship between sharing early life with a twin, and development of self-other awareness.
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ABSTRACT The present study focused on the intra-pair interaction of a pair of dizygotic twins with autism in pre-school age and explored: (a) the type of play and the level of symbolic play the twins prefer and are most frequently engaged... more
ABSTRACT The present study focused on the intra-pair interaction of a pair of dizygotic twins with autism in pre-school age and explored: (a) the type of play and the level of symbolic play the twins prefer and are most frequently engaged with; (b) the attitudes the twins usually display; (c) the most frequent initiator of interactions; and (d) the way the quality of interaction is being affected by the above factors. The twins’ interactions were observed in their classroom environment. Observational data were triangulated with data from a semi-structured interview with the twins’ mother, their teacher, and the school psychologist. Results indicated a number of intra-pair differences in the twins’ interactions. The triangulation revealed that the mother, the teacher, and the school psychologist had a slightly different understanding of these interactions. The need for a more systematic and consistent assessment of intra-pair interactions, coordinated by specialists, is highlighted.