Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 92-96).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisors: Cindy Carlson and Nancy Hazen-Swann. Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI company.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--Acadia University, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--Acadia University, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

O abuso sexual infantil (ASI) é um fenômeno de destaque em todo o mundo nas últimas décadas e é considerado uma questão de saúde pública, por tratar-se de um importante fator de risco para o desenvolvimento de psicopatologias. Seus efeitos têm sido amplamente estudados, devido à sua diversidade, magnitude e consequências, e podem ser observados inclusive nos vínculos afetivos que a criança estabelece. O presente estudo buscou verificar a qualidade do apego de vítimas de ASI, pois acredita-se que esta experiência tenha grande influência no desenvolvimento das relações afetivas da criança, podendo alterar seu padrão de apego até a vida adulta. Para isso, foi realizado um estudo piloto com o inventário Pessoas em minha vida (PIML), o qual foi elaborado com o objetivo de mensurar a qualidade destes vínculos em crianças. A amostra foi composta por 60 crianças de 09 a 12 anos, de baixo nível sócioeconômico, sendo 30 vítimas de ASI (grupo clínico). Também foi aplicado o Inventário de Frases auxiliar no diagnóstico de violência doméstica contra crianças e adolescentes (IFVD), a fim de coletar mais dados acerca dos efeitos da violência, além de ser utilizado como critério de exclusão no grupo comparativo, caso a criança apresentasse suspeita de vitimização. Após consentimento dos pais ou responsáveis pelas crianças, pesquisadores treinados realizaram aplicações individuais na própria escola ou instituição, que disponibilizaram salas para tal. Os resultados apontaram diferenças significativas entre os dois grupos (clínico e comparativo). As crianças vitimizadas apresentaram menores pontuações em relação ao apego quando comparadas a seus pares, indicando maior dificuldade em confiar nas pessoas e sentir-se segura na presença dos cuidadores. Além disso, apresentaram maiores pontuações em todos os níveis de sintomas referentes aos transtornos investigados pelo IFVD, demonstrando a variedade dos efeitos do ASI naqueles que o sofrem. A partir do estudo com o PIML, observou-se que este instrumento não é capaz de avaliar padrões de apego infantil, entretanto mostrou-se eficaz na avaliação dos vínculos e relações afetivas estabelecidas pelas crianças com as pessoas próximas a ela, bem como o sentido de segurança e confiança no mundo que a cerca. São feitas algumas ressalvas 4 acerca da estrutura e utilização do instrumento, além de sugestões no sentido de aprimorá-lo. Destaca-se ainda a necessidade de novos estudos e dados mais específicos sobre a incidência de ASI no Brasil e no mundo, a fim de desenvolver políticas públicas eficientes para prevenir e lidar com esse fenômeno / Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a worldwide phenomenon and should be considered a public health issue as an important risk factor for the development of psychopathologies. Its effects have been extensively studied because of its variety, magnitude and consequences, which can also be identified in the affective bonds that the child establishes. The present study aimed to evaluate the attachment quality of CSA victims, for it is believed that this experience has a great influence on the development of childrens emotional relationships and that it can change their pattern of attachment into adulthood. Therefore, a pilot study with the People in my life (PIML) inventory was conducted, which was created to measure the quality of childrens bonds. The sample comprised 60 children aged between 09 and 12 years, with low socioeconomic status, being 30 of them victims of CSA (clinical group). The Phrase Inventory of Intrafamilial Child Abuse (PIICA) was used in order to gather more data regarding the effects of violence, also to exclude any suspected victim from the comparison group. After parents or guardians concent, trained researchers conducted individual interviews with the children in their school or institution. The results showed significant differences between clinical and comparative groups. The victims obtained lower attachment scores when compared to their peers, indicating greater difficulty in trusting others and feeling safe in presence of their caregivers. Additionally, they got higher scores on all types of disorders pointed by the PIICA, demonstrating the variety of the effects of CSA on those who suffer it. This study also pointed that the PIML does not assess patterns of child attachment. However, it proved to be effective on evaluating the childrens bonds and affective relationships, the feeling of security and trust in the world around them. Notes and suggestions regarding the instrument are made and the need for further studies and more specific data on the incidence of CSA in Brazil and abroad is highlighted, in order to develop effective public policies to prevent and take care of this phenomenon

Attachment theory states that emotion regulation is one of the central features of attachment system. The current study adopted an attachment perspective to investigate how mother-child attachment at 36 months and teacher-child relationships at 54 months influence children’s emotion regulation in 3rd grade, and whether teacher-child relationships moderate the associations between mother-child attachment and children’s emotion regulation. Longitudinal data from the first three phases of the National Institute of Child Health and Human development Early Child Care Research Network of Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (NICHD SECCYD) were used in the study. The results showed that the association of teacher-child conflict and child’s negative engagement with peers was statistically significant. Additionally, teacher-child relationships significantly moderated the impacts of mother-child attachment on children’s emotion regulation. Specifically, the relationship between teacher-child conflict and negative engagement with peers for children with secure attachment and for those with disorganized attachment were in opposite directions. The relationship between teacher-child closeness and negative engagement with peers was significant for children with disorganized attachment, but not for children with secure attachment. And, the results showed that the levels of conflict in teacher-child relationships for children with ambivalent and with disorganized attachment were statistically different from those for children with secure attachment. The present study fills in the research gap with regard to the effects of teacher-child relationships on children’s emotion regulation. It also suggests that children’s experiences of positive teacher-child relationships may compensate for the negative impacts of insecure early mother-child attachment patterns on emotion regulation development.

The study integrated attachment theory and developmental systems theory to examine the mediating and moderating role of teacher-child relationships in characterizing early mother-child attachment influences on behavior problems in preschool. The study used the data from National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's (NICHD) Early child Care Research Network Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCEY). The results indicated that early mother-child attachment did not predict teacher-child closeness after controlling for the demographic variables and prior internalizing problems. Mother-child attachment had a statistically significant effect on teacher-child conflict; specifically, those with insecure-controlling/insecure-other attachments had higher levels of conflict than those with secure attachments. Early mother-child attachment did not have a statistically significant effect on later behavior problems after controlling for demographic variables and prior behavior problems. Teacher-child closeness did not have a statistically significant effect on either internalizing or externalizing problems after controlling for the demographic variables, early mother-child attachment behavior and prior behavior problems. Teacher-child conflict had a statistically significant effect on later behavior problems (both internalizing and externalizing problems) after controlling for the demographic variables, early mother-child attachment behavior and prior behavior problems. However, moderation analyses did not indicate that early mother-child attachment and teacher-child relationship quality interact together to significantly affect the later behavior problems. Mediation analyses also did not indicate that the relationship between early mother-child attachment and later behavior problem was mediated by teacher-child relationships either. However, an indirect effect was found such that those with insecure-controlling/insecure-other attachments had higher levels of conflict (than those with secure attachments) and such conflict was associated with higher levels of externalizing problems.

No description available.

This longitudinal study investigated the potential moderating effects of attachment on negative marital interaction and positive child outcomes, specifically school engagement and child self-regulation. Waves I and II of data were drawn from the Flourishing Families Project; participants were 296 two parent families (fathers, mothers and children ages 10-13). Both observational and questionnaire data were used in data collection. Negative marital interaction was assessed using observational codes from the Iowa Family Interaction Rating Scales. All three family members' perceptions were used in assessing parent/child attachment and the potential positive child outcomes of school engagement and child self-regulation. As negative marital interaction increased, both school engagement and the child's self-regulation decreased. Only mother's attachment with child was a statistically significant moderating variable for the relationship between negative marital interaction and the child's school engagement. Gender effects showed that girls were more engaged in school and more self-regulated than boys. Implications for family therapy interventions with problems of child school engagement and self-regulation are explored.

The current study examined the role that parent-child attachment plays in the relationship between marital conflict and the development of behavior problems in adolescents. To evaluate the hypothesis that attachment moderates this relationship, 57 families were recruited via e-mail invitation sent to families that participated in local church youth groups, school organizations, and a treatment program designed for adolescents with behavior problems. One custodial parent and his/her adolescent child completed an online or paper version of a survey consisting of the Achenbach’s Behavior Checklists, the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, and the Children’s Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale. Hypotheses were evaluated using Baron and Kenny’s (1986) procedures to test moderating effects with multiple regression analyses. Mother attachment demonstrated a significant moderation effect between the intensity of interparental conflict and the parent’s report of externalizing behavior problems. Specifically, at low conflict intensity levels, relative to low attachment security, high attachment security was associated with fewer externalizing behavior problems, whereas at high intensities of interparental conflict high attachment security was associated with more externalizing behavior problems.