No description available.

We compared the ability of several groups of women to distinguish infant cry-signals. The cry-signals were taped reproductions of the Wasz-Hockert et al., (1964) study. Subjects were mothers and non-mother practical nursing students and mothers known to have battered their children. The results supported previous findings on ability to recognize cry-signals by mothers and non-mothers. The findings were not supportive of our primary hypothesis to determine if abusive mothers were less likely to correctly identify infant cry-signals than non-abusive mothers.

The present study was designed to investigate child abuse through the development of an experimental analog. Infant cries were used as aversive stimuli within a learned helplessness paradigm to examine the relationship between crying and infant-directed aggression. Subjects were assigned to one of several feedback conditions and were required to select one of nine responses (cuddle, talk to, feed, pacify, check, ignore, scold, and spank) in order to terminate each of a series of pain, hunger, anger, and abnormal infant cries. During the first half of the experiment, subjects were given either false, veridical, or no feedback. During the second half of the experiment, all subjects received veridical feedback. It was hypothesized that compared to the veridical feedback groups, subjects in the learned helplessness groups would exhibit negative affect, learning impairments, motivational deficits, and decreased nurturance. Although motivational deficits were not obtained, the induction of learned helplessness did result in negative affect, poor learning, and diminution in nurturance. The results represent a successful first approximation toward the creation of an experimental analog of child abuse. / Ph. D.

Abstract available in the pdf file.

M.A.(Psychological Research) / Child maltreatment has occurred over the ages, but has been recognised as such only during the present century. The concept of maltreatment is culturally bound and therefore dependent on value judgements within a community. What is acceptable in one society may be rejected in another. Medical professionals discovered skeletal injuries in young children that was eventually traced to harsh treatment by parents. Physical abuse was thus identified, resulting in public and professional awareness and involvement. Later neglect and sexual abuse was identified as variations of maltreatment and legislation was instituted for the protection of children. Maltreated children manifest symptoms of behavioural, emotional and scholastic problems, and antisocial behaviour such as crime is being ascribed to child abuse. Research shows a tendency of placing emotional factors at the centre of maltreatment and the concept of psychological maltreatment was thus born. The present study was an attempt at indicating the relationship between maltreatment by parents and their children's ability at forming personal attachments. A questionnaire was developed in an attempt to operationalize the concept of psychological maltreatment and make it quantifiable. A comparison between this questionnaire and the PHSF relationship questionnaire indicated that a damaged capacity to form personal attachments may be traced back to psychological maltreatment. The implications of these findings were briefly discussed.

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 1999. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-91). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ56171

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1982.

published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences

This study investigated links between childhood victimization, adult attachment style, and adult physical health outcomes among women. Existing research has found that female survivors of childhood abuse are more likely than non-abused women to experience a host of negative long-term sequelae, particularly in terms of mental and physical health concerns. Examining the attachment security of abuse survivors may facilitate our understanding of the relationship between early victimization and later health. Attachment theory posits that the security of childhood relationships with caregivers influences the quality of later interpersonal relationships. As a consequence of childhood abuse, normal attachment patterns are thought to be disrupted. Furthermore, insecure adult attachment has been linked to poorer physical health in community samples. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), adult attachment insecurity was found to partially mediate health outcomes among female survivors of childhood victimization in an undergraduate sample. Findings suggest that the experience of childhood maltreatment is tied to an increase in women's physical health concerns in a holistic manner, where victimization affects later perceptions of symptoms, functional impairment, and illness behaviour. Furthermore, adult attachment and relational behaviour appears to be a pathway through which this association is formed. Implications for health practitioners, clinicians and researchers are discussed. / Graduate