The ability to identify facial expressions of happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disg... more The ability to identify facial expressions of happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust was studied in 48 nondisabled children and 76 children with learning disabilities aged 9 through 12. On the basis of their performance on the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test and the Benton Visual Retention Test, the LD group was divided into three subgroups: those with verbal deficits (VD), nonverbal deficits (NVD), and both verbal and nonverbal (BD) deficits. The measure of ability to interpret facial expressions of affect was a shortened version of Ekman and Friesen's Pictures of Facial Affect. Overall, the nondisabled group had better interpretive ability than the three learning disabled groups and the VD group had better ability than the NVD and BD groups. Although the identification level of the nondisabled group differed from that of the VD group only for surprise, it was superior to that of the NVD and BD groups for four of the six emotions. Happiness was the easiest to identify, and the remaining emotions in ascending order of difficulty were anger, surprise, sadness, fear, and disgust. Older subjects did better than younger ones only for fear and disgust, and boys and girls did not differ in interpretive ability. These findings are discussed in terms of the need to take note of the heterogeneity of the learning disabled population and the particular vulnerability to social imperception of children with nonverbal deficits. Studies comparing children with learning disabilities with their normally achieving peers indicate that, as a group, the former also experience more from social-emotional and behavioral difficulties (Bryan, Donohue, & Pearl, 1981; Bursuck, 1989; Kronick, 1980; McNutt, 1978; Spreen, 1988). These difficulties have often been seen as secondary to the cognitive problems of the learning disability and have been attributed to the impact of negative experiences common to most children with LD, such as the frustration of repeated school failure (Bruck, 1986; Coleman, 1983; Swayze, 1980). However, research findings indicate that the central processing deficiencies underlying the cognitive, linguistic, and academic aspects of learning disorders may also underlie their social and emotional features (Pearl, 1987). The results of research suggest that children with LD tend to have difficulty in understanding those subtle cues inherent in nonverbal communication that play so important a role in social interaction (Axelrod, 1982; Bachara, 1976; Bruno, 1981; Sisterhen & Gerber, 1989). One critical aspect of nonverbal communication is the interpretation of facial expressions of emotion, and children with LD have been found to be less accurate than nondisabled children in making such interpretations (Holder & Kirkpatrick, 1991). As Bandura (1986) has pointed out, the ability to read the signs of emotions in social interaction has important adaptive value in guiding actions toward others. Presumably, deficits in this area play a significant role in the social difficulties experienced by children with LD. Three decades ago Johnson and Myklebust (1967), on the basis of clinical observations, suggested the distinction between verbal and nonverbal learning disabilities, asserting that the latter may be more personally debilitating than the former, for they interfere with the ability to interpret the emotions of others. However, most studies of deficits in social perception and skills in children with LD have not focused on defining subgroups at particular risk for such difficulties (Axelrod, 1982; Bachara, 1976; Bruno, 1981; Bryan, 1977; Holder & Kirkpatrick, 1991; Sisterhen &
Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 1989
Abstract The relations of 38 Israeli mothers and fathers with their preterm infants during the in... more Abstract The relations of 38 Israeli mothers and fathers with their preterm infants during the initial period at home were examined in three 30-min periods of observations, and by self-report parental perception of their infants as being difficult. Mothers in both groups were found to engage more in caregiving and holding than fathers. Fathers of preterm infants, however, were more involved in caregiving and holding than were fathers of full-term infants. Fathers in both groups surpassed mothers in playing and stimulating, but mothers and fathers of preterm infants played with and stimulated their infants more than did parents of full-term infants. Parents of preterm infants also perceived their infants as being more difficult than did parents of full-term infants. Infant characteristics, namely birth weight and medical complications, as well as parental education were found to be significant variables underlying parental variations within the group of preterm infants, but not the duration of the hospital...
The authors studied S. J. Blatt's (1974) ... more The authors studied S. J. Blatt's (1974) 2 dimensions of depression (anaclitic and introjective), P. L. Hewitt and G. L. Flett's (1991b) 3 dimensions of perfectionism (socially prescribed, self-oriented, and other-oriented), and the relationship between these and marital satisfaction in 100 married women in the last trimester of their first pregnancy and in 50 married women who had not yet experienced pregnancy. The measures used were the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (S. J. Blatt, J. P. D'Afflitti, & D. M. Quinlan. 1976a, 1976b), the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (P. L. Hewitt & G. L. Flett, 1989), and G. B. Spanier's (1976) Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Pregnant and nonpregnant women did not differ in anaclitic depression, but the level of introjective depression of pregnant women was lower than that of nonpregnant women. The two groups did not differ in level of marital satisfaction or in any of the dimensions of perfectionism. For both groups, introjective depression was positively correlated with socially prescribed perfectionism and negatively correlated with marital satisfaction. Self-oriented perfectionism was positively related to introjective depression and negatively related to marital satisfaction for nonpregnant women. For the pregnant women, there was a negative relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and marital satisfaction. Anaclitic depression and other-oriented perfectionism were unrelated to any of the other variables studied.
Feeding and eating difficulties are documented among the offspring of mothers with eating disorde... more Feeding and eating difficulties are documented among the offspring of mothers with eating disorders. Understanding the perspective of mothers with eating disorders is likely essential to develop parentbased early prevention programs for children of these mothers. In the present study, twenty-nine mothers who were diagnosed with an eating disorder prior to becoming mothers and who currently had toddler age children participated in a semi-structured interview examining maternal functioning and child feeding. The maternal perceptions that emerged from the interviews were sorted into central themes and subcategories using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Data indicate that mothers with eating disorders express preoccupation with their child's eating, shape and weight, and many dilemmas about child feeding. They also reported rarity of family meals and their toddlers' preliminary awareness of maternal symptoms. Maternal concerns regarding child nutrition, feeding and weigh...
American journal of mental retardation : AJMR, 1990
Ego identity and the relations between ego identity and adjustment in mentally retarded adolescen... more Ego identity and the relations between ego identity and adjustment in mentally retarded adolescents were explored. Three groups were formed: 30 mildly retarded adolescents, 30 nonretarded adolescents matched for CA, and 30 nonretarded preadolescents matched for MA. Ego identity was individually assessed using a questionnaire, and social adjustment was assessed by teachers' ratings. The identity profile of the retarded adolescents differed from that of the nonretarded peers and from that of younger preadolescents. Results suggest that identity in retarded adolescents does not reflect a simple developmental lag, but rather a unique profile. Ego identity in the retarded adolescents was also related to their social adjustment and level of functioning, even after controlling for IQ.
... Michael A. Hoffman and Rachel Levy-Sfiiff 1 Bar-llan University ... in children's lives ... more ... Michael A. Hoffman and Rachel Levy-Sfiiff 1 Bar-llan University ... in children's lives are recognized by mental health professionals and lay per-sons alike (Felner, 1984; Johnson, 1982). ... In J.Sherman & FC Denmark (Eds.), The psychology of women: Future directions of research. ...
... Michael A. Hoffman, a Rachel Levy-Shift, 2 and Daphna Malinski 3 Received November 15, 1993; ... more ... Michael A. Hoffman, a Rachel Levy-Shift, 2 and Daphna Malinski 3 Received November 15, 1993; accepted March 31, 1995 ... Page 4. 164 Hoffman et al. linked to mature, effective, and socially acceptable forms of coping re-sponse (Buss et al., 1987; McCrae and Costa, 1986). ...
Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 1989
Abstract The relations of 38 Israeli mothers and fathers with their preterm infants during the in... more Abstract The relations of 38 Israeli mothers and fathers with their preterm infants during the initial period at home were examined in three 30-min periods of observations, and by self-report parental perception of their infants as being difficult. Mothers in both groups were found to engage more in caregiving and holding than fathers. Fathers of preterm infants, however, were more involved in caregiving and holding than were fathers of full-term infants. Fathers in both groups surpassed mothers in playing and stimulating, but mothers and fathers of preterm infants played with and stimulated their infants more than did parents of full-term infants. Parents of preterm infants also perceived their infants as being more difficult than did parents of full-term infants. Infant characteristics, namely birth weight and medical complications, as well as parental education were found to be significant variables underlying parental variations within the group of preterm infants, but not the duration of the hospital...
The authors studied S. J. Blatt's (1974) ... more The authors studied S. J. Blatt's (1974) 2 dimensions of depression (anaclitic and introjective), P. L. Hewitt and G. L. Flett's (1991b) 3 dimensions of perfectionism (socially prescribed, self-oriented, and other-oriented), and the relationship between these and marital satisfaction in 100 married women in the last trimester of their first pregnancy and in 50 married women who had not yet experienced pregnancy. The measures used were the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (S. J. Blatt, J. P. D'Afflitti, & D. M. Quinlan. 1976a, 1976b), the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (P. L. Hewitt & G. L. Flett, 1989), and G. B. Spanier's (1976) Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Pregnant and nonpregnant women did not differ in anaclitic depression, but the level of introjective depression of pregnant women was lower than that of nonpregnant women. The two groups did not differ in level of marital satisfaction or in any of the dimensions of perfectionism. For both groups, introjective depression was positively correlated with socially prescribed perfectionism and negatively correlated with marital satisfaction. Self-oriented perfectionism was positively related to introjective depression and negatively related to marital satisfaction for nonpregnant women. For the pregnant women, there was a negative relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and marital satisfaction. Anaclitic depression and other-oriented perfectionism were unrelated to any of the other variables studied.
Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, 1999
The aim of this study was to investigate the one-year developmental outcome of offspring of mothe... more The aim of this study was to investigate the one-year developmental outcome of offspring of mothers with pregestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM). We prospectively evaluated 31 women with PGDM (21 with type 1 DM and 10 with type 2 DM) and 41 nondiabetic controls during pregnancy and for one year follow-up. Data showed that offspring of mothers with PGDM scored lower than controls in all aspects of development--mental, psychomotor, and exploration/orientation. Despite the good metabolic control of the mothers with PGDM, their offpsring showed a less favorable developmental outcome at one year than infants of nondiabetic mothers. MDI score and PDI score were significantly lower in the diabetic group than in the controls (91.04 vs 98.15, p<0.05 and 85.15 vs 95.54, p<0.05, respectively). In addition, the orientation/engagement score was lower in the diabetic group as compared with the nondiabetic group (41.04 vs 45.50, p<0.05). Whereas no significant difference was found between the type 1 and type 2 groups with regard to the MDI score, type 2 infants scored lower on the PDI than infants in the type 1 group (78.1 vs 89.3) but higher on the motor quality score (34.0 vs 31.3). These preliminary findings support the need for ongoing large scale developmental follow-up studies of offspring born to diabetic mothers in order to elucidate whether they have cognitive impairment later in life.
Our study postulated that deficient mentalization abilities and maladaptive relationships with pa... more Our study postulated that deficient mentalization abilities and maladaptive relationships with parents may be risk factors in the genesis of eating disorder (ED). The study examined 34 female inpatients with anorexia nervosa-binging/purging type and 35 matched non-ED controls. Data indicated that anorexia nervosa-binging/purging type patients presented significantly lower mentalization levels and reported significantly lower quality of current relationships with their parents, compared with non-ED controls. The combination of the mentalization and relationship quality variables showed an additive effect for some ED-related symptoms but not others. Moreover, high mentalization reduced ED symptomatology even if relationship quality with parents was deficient. Findings supported the role of low mentalization as a risk factor, and of high mentalization as a protective factor, in the formation of ED.
This study explored the effect of past traumatic losses on the well-being of elderly men, focusin... more This study explored the effect of past traumatic losses on the well-being of elderly men, focusing on losses related to the Nazi Holocaust and on traumatic personal losses of significant others. Two issues were addressed: the relationships between past traumatic losses and well-being in aging and the interaction between past traumatic losses and current age-related losses (work loss, health loss,
The ability to recognize emotions that were easily identifiable and those that were more difficul... more The ability to recognize emotions that were easily identifiable and those that were more difficult to identify, as expressed by male and female faces, was studied in 48 nondisabled children and 76 children with learning disabilities (LD) ages 9 through 12. On the basis of their performance on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and the Benton Visual Retention Test, the LD group was divided into three subgroups: those with verbal (VD), nonverbal (NVD), and both verbal and nonverbal (BD) deficits. A shortened version of Ekman and Friesen's Pictures of Facial Affect, including pictures of both men and women, was the measure of ability to identify facial expressions of affect. Children of both genders in all three groups of children with LD, as well as their normally achieving peers, were more accurate in identifying expressions of affect from female faces, notwithstanding differences in sensitivity to such emotional communication in favor of the nondisabled and VD groups. However...
To address the role of maternal coping and control beliefs in the development of coping and locus... more To address the role of maternal coping and control beliefs in the development of coping and locus of control in their adolescent children, 68 yoked pairs of Israeli mothers and their male, seventh- and eighth-grade children completed questionnaires related to coping styles and locus of control. Regression analyses revealed a strong similarity between adolescents' coping profiles and those of their mothers in a manner relecting the hypothesized impact of modeling. As expected, locus of control was found to be associated with the active patterns of coping in mother and adolescent alike. However, little empirical support was found for the hypothesis of developmental similarities in locus of control Rather, the pattern of findings was consistent with an alternate interpretation involving the potential impact of maternal coping on the development of adolescent locus of control. Study findings are discussed in regard to models of cross-generational transmission.
Cognitive appraisals of mothering as a challenge and threat, coping strategies, affect balance, a... more Cognitive appraisals of mothering as a challenge and threat, coping strategies, affect balance, and depression were studied in 91 married gender-typed, cross-gender typed, and androgynous primiparous middle-class Israeli mothers of infants aged 3–5 months. The results indicated that gender-typed and androgynous women had significantly higher challenge scores and lower threat scores than did cross-gender typed women. With regard to coping
International Journal of Behavioral Development, 1997
Adjustment of school-aged children, parents, and families in international versus domestic adopti... more Adjustment of school-aged children, parents, and families in international versus domestic adoption was studied in 100 Israeli families. No significant differences were found between the two groups of children in school adjustment, grades, IQ level, psychological adjustment (i.e. anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, self-concept), observed behaviours at home, and coping with adoption issues. However, they perceived their parents to be more supportive but controlling. Marked differences were found in parents’ behaviours, especially fathers’, and family functioning: In the international adoption group, compared with the domestic adoption group, parents used more problem-focused and support-seeking ways of coping, viewed parenting more as a challenge, were more involved with their children; but were more intrusive, reported more cohesive family relations and better marital adjustment, and coped differently with adoption issues. Results are discussed in terms of the differences in the tw...
Summary. The relationship between social behaviour and hearing loss was studied in Israeli presch... more Summary. The relationship between social behaviour and hearing loss was studied in Israeli preschool‐age children. Free play interactions were observed in mainstreamed settings among 36 children with varying degrees of hearing loss (severe loss, profound loss) and normal hearing. Social competence and hearing impairment were inversely related: the profoundly impaired were markedly less skilful than the normal hearing, while the severely impaired differed only moderately. However, the hearing impaired as a group displayed greater self‐segregation tendencies to interact with those of similar hearing status than was displayed by the normal hearing. These results are discussed in light of extant research and theory on mainstreaming.
The ability to identify facial expressions of happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disg... more The ability to identify facial expressions of happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust was studied in 48 nondisabled children and 76 children with learning disabilities aged 9 through 12. On the basis of their performance on the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test and the Benton Visual Retention Test, the LD group was divided into three subgroups: those with verbal deficits (VD), nonverbal deficits (NVD), and both verbal and nonverbal (BD) deficits. The measure of ability to interpret facial expressions of affect was a shortened version of Ekman and Friesen's Pictures of Facial Affect. Overall, the nondisabled group had better interpretive ability than the three learning disabled groups and the VD group had better ability than the NVD and BD groups. Although the identification level of the nondisabled group differed from that of the VD group only for surprise, it was superior to that of the NVD and BD groups for four of the six emotions. Happiness was the easiest to identify, and the remaining emotions in ascending order of difficulty were anger, surprise, sadness, fear, and disgust. Older subjects did better than younger ones only for fear and disgust, and boys and girls did not differ in interpretive ability. These findings are discussed in terms of the need to take note of the heterogeneity of the learning disabled population and the particular vulnerability to social imperception of children with nonverbal deficits. Studies comparing children with learning disabilities with their normally achieving peers indicate that, as a group, the former also experience more from social-emotional and behavioral difficulties (Bryan, Donohue, & Pearl, 1981; Bursuck, 1989; Kronick, 1980; McNutt, 1978; Spreen, 1988). These difficulties have often been seen as secondary to the cognitive problems of the learning disability and have been attributed to the impact of negative experiences common to most children with LD, such as the frustration of repeated school failure (Bruck, 1986; Coleman, 1983; Swayze, 1980). However, research findings indicate that the central processing deficiencies underlying the cognitive, linguistic, and academic aspects of learning disorders may also underlie their social and emotional features (Pearl, 1987). The results of research suggest that children with LD tend to have difficulty in understanding those subtle cues inherent in nonverbal communication that play so important a role in social interaction (Axelrod, 1982; Bachara, 1976; Bruno, 1981; Sisterhen & Gerber, 1989). One critical aspect of nonverbal communication is the interpretation of facial expressions of emotion, and children with LD have been found to be less accurate than nondisabled children in making such interpretations (Holder & Kirkpatrick, 1991). As Bandura (1986) has pointed out, the ability to read the signs of emotions in social interaction has important adaptive value in guiding actions toward others. Presumably, deficits in this area play a significant role in the social difficulties experienced by children with LD. Three decades ago Johnson and Myklebust (1967), on the basis of clinical observations, suggested the distinction between verbal and nonverbal learning disabilities, asserting that the latter may be more personally debilitating than the former, for they interfere with the ability to interpret the emotions of others. However, most studies of deficits in social perception and skills in children with LD have not focused on defining subgroups at particular risk for such difficulties (Axelrod, 1982; Bachara, 1976; Bruno, 1981; Bryan, 1977; Holder & Kirkpatrick, 1991; Sisterhen &
Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 1989
Abstract The relations of 38 Israeli mothers and fathers with their preterm infants during the in... more Abstract The relations of 38 Israeli mothers and fathers with their preterm infants during the initial period at home were examined in three 30-min periods of observations, and by self-report parental perception of their infants as being difficult. Mothers in both groups were found to engage more in caregiving and holding than fathers. Fathers of preterm infants, however, were more involved in caregiving and holding than were fathers of full-term infants. Fathers in both groups surpassed mothers in playing and stimulating, but mothers and fathers of preterm infants played with and stimulated their infants more than did parents of full-term infants. Parents of preterm infants also perceived their infants as being more difficult than did parents of full-term infants. Infant characteristics, namely birth weight and medical complications, as well as parental education were found to be significant variables underlying parental variations within the group of preterm infants, but not the duration of the hospital...
The authors studied S. J. Blatt's (1974) ... more The authors studied S. J. Blatt's (1974) 2 dimensions of depression (anaclitic and introjective), P. L. Hewitt and G. L. Flett's (1991b) 3 dimensions of perfectionism (socially prescribed, self-oriented, and other-oriented), and the relationship between these and marital satisfaction in 100 married women in the last trimester of their first pregnancy and in 50 married women who had not yet experienced pregnancy. The measures used were the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (S. J. Blatt, J. P. D'Afflitti, & D. M. Quinlan. 1976a, 1976b), the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (P. L. Hewitt & G. L. Flett, 1989), and G. B. Spanier's (1976) Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Pregnant and nonpregnant women did not differ in anaclitic depression, but the level of introjective depression of pregnant women was lower than that of nonpregnant women. The two groups did not differ in level of marital satisfaction or in any of the dimensions of perfectionism. For both groups, introjective depression was positively correlated with socially prescribed perfectionism and negatively correlated with marital satisfaction. Self-oriented perfectionism was positively related to introjective depression and negatively related to marital satisfaction for nonpregnant women. For the pregnant women, there was a negative relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and marital satisfaction. Anaclitic depression and other-oriented perfectionism were unrelated to any of the other variables studied.
Feeding and eating difficulties are documented among the offspring of mothers with eating disorde... more Feeding and eating difficulties are documented among the offspring of mothers with eating disorders. Understanding the perspective of mothers with eating disorders is likely essential to develop parentbased early prevention programs for children of these mothers. In the present study, twenty-nine mothers who were diagnosed with an eating disorder prior to becoming mothers and who currently had toddler age children participated in a semi-structured interview examining maternal functioning and child feeding. The maternal perceptions that emerged from the interviews were sorted into central themes and subcategories using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Data indicate that mothers with eating disorders express preoccupation with their child's eating, shape and weight, and many dilemmas about child feeding. They also reported rarity of family meals and their toddlers' preliminary awareness of maternal symptoms. Maternal concerns regarding child nutrition, feeding and weigh...
American journal of mental retardation : AJMR, 1990
Ego identity and the relations between ego identity and adjustment in mentally retarded adolescen... more Ego identity and the relations between ego identity and adjustment in mentally retarded adolescents were explored. Three groups were formed: 30 mildly retarded adolescents, 30 nonretarded adolescents matched for CA, and 30 nonretarded preadolescents matched for MA. Ego identity was individually assessed using a questionnaire, and social adjustment was assessed by teachers' ratings. The identity profile of the retarded adolescents differed from that of the nonretarded peers and from that of younger preadolescents. Results suggest that identity in retarded adolescents does not reflect a simple developmental lag, but rather a unique profile. Ego identity in the retarded adolescents was also related to their social adjustment and level of functioning, even after controlling for IQ.
... Michael A. Hoffman and Rachel Levy-Sfiiff 1 Bar-llan University ... in children's lives ... more ... Michael A. Hoffman and Rachel Levy-Sfiiff 1 Bar-llan University ... in children's lives are recognized by mental health professionals and lay per-sons alike (Felner, 1984; Johnson, 1982). ... In J.Sherman & FC Denmark (Eds.), The psychology of women: Future directions of research. ...
... Michael A. Hoffman, a Rachel Levy-Shift, 2 and Daphna Malinski 3 Received November 15, 1993; ... more ... Michael A. Hoffman, a Rachel Levy-Shift, 2 and Daphna Malinski 3 Received November 15, 1993; accepted March 31, 1995 ... Page 4. 164 Hoffman et al. linked to mature, effective, and socially acceptable forms of coping re-sponse (Buss et al., 1987; McCrae and Costa, 1986). ...
Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 1989
Abstract The relations of 38 Israeli mothers and fathers with their preterm infants during the in... more Abstract The relations of 38 Israeli mothers and fathers with their preterm infants during the initial period at home were examined in three 30-min periods of observations, and by self-report parental perception of their infants as being difficult. Mothers in both groups were found to engage more in caregiving and holding than fathers. Fathers of preterm infants, however, were more involved in caregiving and holding than were fathers of full-term infants. Fathers in both groups surpassed mothers in playing and stimulating, but mothers and fathers of preterm infants played with and stimulated their infants more than did parents of full-term infants. Parents of preterm infants also perceived their infants as being more difficult than did parents of full-term infants. Infant characteristics, namely birth weight and medical complications, as well as parental education were found to be significant variables underlying parental variations within the group of preterm infants, but not the duration of the hospital...
The authors studied S. J. Blatt's (1974) ... more The authors studied S. J. Blatt's (1974) 2 dimensions of depression (anaclitic and introjective), P. L. Hewitt and G. L. Flett's (1991b) 3 dimensions of perfectionism (socially prescribed, self-oriented, and other-oriented), and the relationship between these and marital satisfaction in 100 married women in the last trimester of their first pregnancy and in 50 married women who had not yet experienced pregnancy. The measures used were the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (S. J. Blatt, J. P. D'Afflitti, & D. M. Quinlan. 1976a, 1976b), the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (P. L. Hewitt & G. L. Flett, 1989), and G. B. Spanier's (1976) Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Pregnant and nonpregnant women did not differ in anaclitic depression, but the level of introjective depression of pregnant women was lower than that of nonpregnant women. The two groups did not differ in level of marital satisfaction or in any of the dimensions of perfectionism. For both groups, introjective depression was positively correlated with socially prescribed perfectionism and negatively correlated with marital satisfaction. Self-oriented perfectionism was positively related to introjective depression and negatively related to marital satisfaction for nonpregnant women. For the pregnant women, there was a negative relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and marital satisfaction. Anaclitic depression and other-oriented perfectionism were unrelated to any of the other variables studied.
Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, 1999
The aim of this study was to investigate the one-year developmental outcome of offspring of mothe... more The aim of this study was to investigate the one-year developmental outcome of offspring of mothers with pregestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM). We prospectively evaluated 31 women with PGDM (21 with type 1 DM and 10 with type 2 DM) and 41 nondiabetic controls during pregnancy and for one year follow-up. Data showed that offspring of mothers with PGDM scored lower than controls in all aspects of development--mental, psychomotor, and exploration/orientation. Despite the good metabolic control of the mothers with PGDM, their offpsring showed a less favorable developmental outcome at one year than infants of nondiabetic mothers. MDI score and PDI score were significantly lower in the diabetic group than in the controls (91.04 vs 98.15, p<0.05 and 85.15 vs 95.54, p<0.05, respectively). In addition, the orientation/engagement score was lower in the diabetic group as compared with the nondiabetic group (41.04 vs 45.50, p<0.05). Whereas no significant difference was found between the type 1 and type 2 groups with regard to the MDI score, type 2 infants scored lower on the PDI than infants in the type 1 group (78.1 vs 89.3) but higher on the motor quality score (34.0 vs 31.3). These preliminary findings support the need for ongoing large scale developmental follow-up studies of offspring born to diabetic mothers in order to elucidate whether they have cognitive impairment later in life.
Our study postulated that deficient mentalization abilities and maladaptive relationships with pa... more Our study postulated that deficient mentalization abilities and maladaptive relationships with parents may be risk factors in the genesis of eating disorder (ED). The study examined 34 female inpatients with anorexia nervosa-binging/purging type and 35 matched non-ED controls. Data indicated that anorexia nervosa-binging/purging type patients presented significantly lower mentalization levels and reported significantly lower quality of current relationships with their parents, compared with non-ED controls. The combination of the mentalization and relationship quality variables showed an additive effect for some ED-related symptoms but not others. Moreover, high mentalization reduced ED symptomatology even if relationship quality with parents was deficient. Findings supported the role of low mentalization as a risk factor, and of high mentalization as a protective factor, in the formation of ED.
This study explored the effect of past traumatic losses on the well-being of elderly men, focusin... more This study explored the effect of past traumatic losses on the well-being of elderly men, focusing on losses related to the Nazi Holocaust and on traumatic personal losses of significant others. Two issues were addressed: the relationships between past traumatic losses and well-being in aging and the interaction between past traumatic losses and current age-related losses (work loss, health loss,
The ability to recognize emotions that were easily identifiable and those that were more difficul... more The ability to recognize emotions that were easily identifiable and those that were more difficult to identify, as expressed by male and female faces, was studied in 48 nondisabled children and 76 children with learning disabilities (LD) ages 9 through 12. On the basis of their performance on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and the Benton Visual Retention Test, the LD group was divided into three subgroups: those with verbal (VD), nonverbal (NVD), and both verbal and nonverbal (BD) deficits. A shortened version of Ekman and Friesen's Pictures of Facial Affect, including pictures of both men and women, was the measure of ability to identify facial expressions of affect. Children of both genders in all three groups of children with LD, as well as their normally achieving peers, were more accurate in identifying expressions of affect from female faces, notwithstanding differences in sensitivity to such emotional communication in favor of the nondisabled and VD groups. However...
To address the role of maternal coping and control beliefs in the development of coping and locus... more To address the role of maternal coping and control beliefs in the development of coping and locus of control in their adolescent children, 68 yoked pairs of Israeli mothers and their male, seventh- and eighth-grade children completed questionnaires related to coping styles and locus of control. Regression analyses revealed a strong similarity between adolescents' coping profiles and those of their mothers in a manner relecting the hypothesized impact of modeling. As expected, locus of control was found to be associated with the active patterns of coping in mother and adolescent alike. However, little empirical support was found for the hypothesis of developmental similarities in locus of control Rather, the pattern of findings was consistent with an alternate interpretation involving the potential impact of maternal coping on the development of adolescent locus of control. Study findings are discussed in regard to models of cross-generational transmission.
Cognitive appraisals of mothering as a challenge and threat, coping strategies, affect balance, a... more Cognitive appraisals of mothering as a challenge and threat, coping strategies, affect balance, and depression were studied in 91 married gender-typed, cross-gender typed, and androgynous primiparous middle-class Israeli mothers of infants aged 3–5 months. The results indicated that gender-typed and androgynous women had significantly higher challenge scores and lower threat scores than did cross-gender typed women. With regard to coping
International Journal of Behavioral Development, 1997
Adjustment of school-aged children, parents, and families in international versus domestic adopti... more Adjustment of school-aged children, parents, and families in international versus domestic adoption was studied in 100 Israeli families. No significant differences were found between the two groups of children in school adjustment, grades, IQ level, psychological adjustment (i.e. anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, self-concept), observed behaviours at home, and coping with adoption issues. However, they perceived their parents to be more supportive but controlling. Marked differences were found in parents’ behaviours, especially fathers’, and family functioning: In the international adoption group, compared with the domestic adoption group, parents used more problem-focused and support-seeking ways of coping, viewed parenting more as a challenge, were more involved with their children; but were more intrusive, reported more cohesive family relations and better marital adjustment, and coped differently with adoption issues. Results are discussed in terms of the differences in the tw...
Summary. The relationship between social behaviour and hearing loss was studied in Israeli presch... more Summary. The relationship between social behaviour and hearing loss was studied in Israeli preschool‐age children. Free play interactions were observed in mainstreamed settings among 36 children with varying degrees of hearing loss (severe loss, profound loss) and normal hearing. Social competence and hearing impairment were inversely related: the profoundly impaired were markedly less skilful than the normal hearing, while the severely impaired differed only moderately. However, the hearing impaired as a group displayed greater self‐segregation tendencies to interact with those of similar hearing status than was displayed by the normal hearing. These results are discussed in light of extant research and theory on mainstreaming.
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Papers by Rachel Levy-shiff