Grandparent-Grandchild Attachment as a Predictor of Psychological Adjustment among Youth from Divorced Families

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons in the spinal cord, brain stem and motor cortex, leading to paralysis, respiratory failure and death. In about 5% of ALS cases, the disease is associated with mutations in the CuZn-superoxide dismutase (hSOD1) gene. As a rule, ALS caused by hSOD1 mutations is inherited dominantly and the mutant hSOD1s cause ALS by the gain of a noxious property. The present study focused on two hSOD1 mutations with widely differing characters. In Scandinavia, ALS caused by the D90A mutation is inherited in a recessive pattern. Elsewhere, families with dominant inheritance have been found. The properties of D90A mutant hSOD1 are very similar to those of the wild-type protein. The G127insTGGG (G127X) mutation causes a 21 amino acid C-terminal truncation which probably results in an unstable protein. The aim of this thesis was to generate transgenic mice expressing D90A and G127X mutant hSOD1s and to compare these mice with each other and with mice expressing other mutant hSOD1s, in search of a common noxious property. The findings were also compared with the results from studies of human CNS tissue. The cause of the different inheritance patterns associated with D90A mutant hSOD1 was investigated by analyzing erythrocytes from heterozygous individuals from dominant and recessive pedigrees. There was no evidence that a putative protective factor in recessive pedigrees acts by down-regulating the synthesis of D90A mutant hSOD1. In cerebrospinal fluid, there was no difference in hSOD1 content between homozygous D90A patients, ALS patients without hSOD1 mutations and controls. hSOD1 cleaved at the N-terminal end was found in both controls and D90A patients, but the proportion was significantly larger in the latter group. This indicates a difference in degradation routes between mutant and wild-type hSOD1. Both D90A and G127X transgenic mice develop an ALS-like phenotype. Similar to humans, the levels of D90A protein were high. The levels of G127X hSOD1 were very low in the tissues but enriched in the CNS. Similarly, in an ALS patient heterozygous for G127X hSOD1, the levels of the mutant protein were overall very low, but highest in affected CNS areas. Despite the very different levels of mutant hSOD1, both D90A and G127X transgenic mice developed similar levels of detergent-resistant aggregates in the spinal cord when terminally ill. Surprisingly, mice overexpressing wild-type hSOD1 also developed detergent-resistant aggregates, although less and later. Most of the hSOD1 in the CNS of transgenic mice was inactive due to deficient copper charging or because of reduced affinity for the metal. The stabilizing intrasubunit disulfide bond of hSOD1 was partially or completely absent in the different hSOD1s. Both these alterations could increase the propensity of mutant hSOD1s to misfold and form aggregates. The results presented here suggest that the motor neuron degeneration caused by mutant hSOD1s may be attributable to long-term exposure to misfolded, aggregation-prone, disulfide-reduced hSOD1s and that the capacity to degrade such hSOD1s is lower in susceptible CNS areas compared with other tissues. The data also suggest that wild-type hSOD1 has the potential to participate in the pathogenesis of sporadic ALS.

Background: There are innumerable diabetes studies that have investigated associations between risk factors, protective factors, and health outcomes; however, these individual predictors are part of a complex network of interacting forces. Moreover, there is little awareness about resilience or its importance in chronic disease in adulthood, especially diabetes. Thus, this is the first study to: (1) extensively investigate the relationships among a host of predictors and multiple adaptive outcomes; and (2) conceptualise a resilience model among people with diabetes. Methods: This cross-sectional study was divided into two research studies. Study One was to translate two diabetes-specific instruments (Problem Areas In Diabetes, PAID; Diabetes Coping Measure, DCM) into a Chinese version and to examine their psychometric properties for use in Study Two in a convenience sample of 205 outpatients with type 2 diabetes. In Study Two, an integrated theoretical model is developed and evaluated using the structural equation modelling (SEM) technique. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 345 people with type 2 diabetes from the endocrine outpatient departments of three hospitals in Taiwan. Results: Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed a one-factor structure of the PAID-C which was similar to the original version of the PAID. Strong content validity of the PAID-C was demonstrated. The PAID-C was associated with HbA1c and diabetes self-care behaviours, confirming satisfactory criterion validity. There was a moderate relationship between the PAID-C and the Perceived Stress Scale, supporting satisfactory convergent validity. The PAID-C also demonstrated satisfactory stability and high internal consistency. A four-factor structure and strong content validity of the DCM-C was confirmed. Criterion validity demonstrated that the DCM-C was significantly associated with HbA1c and diabetes self-care behaviours. There was a statistical correlation between the DCM-C and the Revised Ways of Coping Checklist, suggesting satisfactory convergent validity. Test-retest reliability demonstrated satisfactory stability of the DCM-C. The total scale of the DCM-C showed adequate internal consistency. Age, duration of diabetes, diabetes symptoms, diabetes distress, physical activity, coping strategies, and social support were the most consistent factors associated with adaptive outcomes in adults with diabetes. Resilience was positively associated with coping strategies, social support, health-related quality of life, and diabetes self-care behaviours. Results of the structural equation modelling revealed protective factors had a significant direct effect on adaptive outcomes; however, the construct of risk factors was not significantly related to adaptive outcomes. Moreover, resilience can moderate the relationships among protective factors and adaptive outcomes, but there were no interaction effects of risk factors and resilience on adaptive outcomes. Conclusion: This study contributes to an understanding of how risk factors and protective factors work together to influence adaptive outcomes in blood sugar control, health-related quality of life, and diabetes self-care behaviours. Additionally, resilience is a positive personality characteristic and may be importantly involved in the adjustment process among people living with type 2 diabetes.

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate whether risk factors for psychosis are different among those with and without parental psychosis, and to study the interaction between parental psychosis and risk factors. Protective factors for psychosis were also examined. Data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (N = 10,458) was used. Biological risk factors in particular increased the risk for schizophrenia and other psychosis among those with parental psychosis. In the same group, the risk for schizophrenia was increased if the achievement of holding the head up and touching the thumb with the index finger was delayed. A new born’s large size, advanced maternal age and mother’s antenatal depressed mood had interactions with parental psychosis regarding risk for schizophrenia and the mother’s smoking during pregnancy regarding risk for other psychosis. Parental psychosis and delayed touching the thumb with the index finger had an interaction regarding risk for schizophrenia and other psychosis. Several variables were associated with the decreased risk for psychosis in the total sample. In the parental psychosis group, only a mother’s non-depressed mood and a mother’s working outside the home or studying associated to remaining unaffected. This study is one of the few studies to investigate risk factors for psychosis among those with and without parental psychosis and to examine interactions between parental psychosis and risk factors. This study showed that many risk factors increased the risk for schizophrenia and other psychosis only among those with parental psychosis. Hence, parental psychosis might even explain part of the association between some risk factors. Surprisingly few protective factors were found among those with parental psychosis. Further studies on the protective factors for psychosis are important in order to prevent psychosis in individuals at high risk. / Tiivistelmä Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää, eroavatko psykoosien riskitekijät henkilöillä, joiden vanhemmalla oli psykoosi verrattuna niihin joiden vanhemmalla ei ollut psykoosia sekä tutkia vanhemman psykoosin ja riskitekijöiden yhdysvaikutusta. Myös psykoosilta suojaavia tekijöitä tutkittiin. Tutkimusaineistona oli Pohjois-Suomen vuoden 1966 syntymäkohortti (N = 10458). Erityisesti biologiset tekijät lisäsivät skitsofrenian ja muiden psykoosien riskiä henkilöillä, joiden vanhemmalla oli psykoosi. Viivästynyt pään kannattelun ja pinsettiotteen oppiminen lisäsivät skitsofreniariskiä henkilöillä joiden vanhemmalla oli psykoosi. Vastasyntyneen suurella koolla, äidin korkealla iällä ja raskaudenaikaisella masentuneella mielialalla oli yhdysvaikutus vanhemman psykoosin kanssa skitsofreniariskin osalta ja äidin raskaudenaikaisella tupakoinnilla muiden psykoosien riskin osalta. Vanhemman psykoosilla ja viivästyneellä pinsettiotteen oppimisella oli yhdysvaikutus sekä skitsofrenian että muiden psykoosien riskin osalta. Koko aineistossa useat tekijät liittyivät alentuneeseen psykoosiriskiin. Vain äidin ei-masentunut mieliala ja työskentely kodin ulkopuolella tai opiskelu suojasivat psykoosilta henkilöitä, joiden vanhemmalla oli psykoosi. Tämä on yksi harvoista tutkimuksista, jossa on tutkittu psykoosien riskitekijöitä erikseen henkilöillä, joiden vanhemmalla oli tai ei ollut psykoosia sekä vanhempien psykoosin ja riskitekijöiden yhdysvaikutusta. Useat riskitekijät lisäsivät skitsofreniariskiä ainoastaan henkilöillä, joiden vanhemmalla oli psykoosi, joten vanhemman psykoosi voisi selittää osan psykoosien riskitekijöistä. Psykoosilta suojaavia tekijöitä löydettiin yllättävän vähän niillä, joiden vanhemmalla oli psykoosi. Suojaavien tekijöiden tutkiminen on tärkeää, jotta suuressa psykoosiriskissä olevien sairastumista voidaan ennaltaehkäistä.

Den tidigare forskning som finns kring barn som utsätter barn för våld är begränsad och det saknas forskning kring hur dessa barn stöttas upp av socialtjänsten. Studiens syfte är därför att undersöka hur socialsekreterare uppmärksammar och arbetar med barn som utsatt barn för våld. Detta undersöks genom en kvalitativ forskningsmetod där det empiriska materialet inhämtas genom tio strukturerade intervjuer med socialsekreterare. Studiens resultat presenteras genom en tematisk analys och analyseras med hjälp av Bourdieus perspektiv. Senare diskuteras resultatet i relation till tidigare forskning. De främsta slutsatser som dras från resultatet är att barns våld mot barn inte alltid uppmärksammas och att socialsekreterares bedömningar av barn som utsatt barn för våld påverkas av faktorer som ålder, kön, allvarlighetsgrad i brottet samt socioekonomi. I resultatet framgår att socialtjänsten har ett flertal insatser att tillgå, men att utbudet av dessa varierar mellan kommuner och vissa socialsekreterare upplever därför en brist i insatser. Risk- och skyddsfaktorer som uppmärksammas extra mycket är närmiljön som omfattar familj, skola och umgänge. / Previous research on children exposing children to violence is limited and there is no research on how these children are being supported by social services. The purpose of the study is therefore to examine how social workers pay attention to and work with children who have exposed children to violence. This is conducted through a qualitative research method, in which the empirical material is obtained through ten structured interviews with social workers. The studys’ result is presented through a thematic analysis and analyzed with help of Bourdieus’ perspective. Later on, the result is being discussed in relation to previous research. The main conclusions drawn from the result are that violence between children are not always noticed and the social workers’ assessments of children who has exposed children to violence are affected by factors such as age, gender, severity of crime and socioeconomics. The result shows that the social services have a number of interventions available, but the range of these vary between municipalities and some social workers therefore experience a lack of interventions. Risk and protective factors that are given extra attention are the immediate environment that conclude family, school and social life.

No description available.

Denna studie har undersökt vilka möjligheter eller svårigheter som lärare i årskurs sex har för att hjälpa barn som visar tecken på kriminalitet och hur skolorna arbetar brottsförebyggande. Vi vill med denna studie bidra till en ökad kunskap och förståelse för lärare och skolans roll i det brottsförebyggande arbetet. Studien bygger på intervjuer med lärare från olika skolor och resultatet analyserades genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. En förhoppning med studien är att se hur möjligheterna för lärarna att upptäcka och hjälpa barn som visar tecken på kriminalitet kan öka och hur deras brottsförebyggande arbete kan förbättras, som egen aktör och i samverkan med andra. Lärarna som intervjuats till studien har generellt en vilja och en önskan att jobba mer brottsförebyggande men saknar idag både kunskap och resurser för detta. Studiens avslutande diskussion innehåller förslag på förbättringar för att öka skolans skyddsförmåga. / In this study we have examined the possibilities and difficulties that teachers in sixth grade have to help children that show signs of criminality, and the school's crimepreventive work. The main aim is to contribute to an increased knowledge and understanding of teachers and their school's role in crime prevention work, as individual actors but also in collaboration with the police and social services or other actors.The study is based on interviews with teachers from different schools and the results were analyzed through a qualitative content analysis. We also hope that the study can provide some insight to see how the opportunities for the teachers to detect and help children who show signs of criminality can increase and how their crime prevention work can be improved, both as their own actor and in collaboration with others. The teachers in the study generally have a will and a desire to work more with crime prevention, but they lack both knowledge and resources for this today. In the end of the paper we present some suggestions for improvements to increase the school's protective capacity.

Résumé : INTRODUCTION : L’étude vise à établir un portrait des traumatismes et de la pratique de l’escalade au Québec: 1) en décrivant les caractéristiques des décès associés à l’escalade au Québec; 2) en décrivant les caractéristiques des consultations à l’urgence associées à l’escalade; 3) en estimant la prévalence à vie et l’incidence des traumatismes en escalade, ainsi qu’en explorant les facteurs de risques ou de protection associés. MÉTHODES : 1) Une série de cas des décès en escalade a été analysée à partir d’une extraction des données des rapports d’investigation du coroner, entre 1986 et 2013. 2) Une série de cas des consultations à l’urgence a été analysée à partir des données du Système canadien hospitalier d'information et de recherche en prévention des traumatismes, entre 1992 et 2011. 3) Une étude descriptive transversale par questionnaire en ligne qui a été administré auprès des membres de la Fédération québécoise de la montagne et de l’escalade (FQME), entre le 8 avril 2014 et le 3 juin 2014. RÉSULTATS : 1) et 2) Les 14 décès et 29 cas de consultations à l’urgence retenus pour l’analyse sont survenus en majorité chez des hommes âgés entre 18 et 29 ans. La chute du grimpeur est la principale cause de décès ou de traumatismes aigus. 3) Avec une participation de 19 % (765/4 109), la prévalence à vie de traumatismes a été estimée à 11,1 % pour l’escalade sur structure artificielle, 11,3 % pour l’escalade de rocher et 7,6 % pour l’escalade de glace. Une approximation de l’incidence dans les derniers 12 mois a été estimée à 0,37 événement à l’origine de traumatismes aigus par 1 000 heures de pratique sur structure artificielle d’escalade (SAE), 0,17 pour l’escalade de rocher et 0,10 pour l’escalade de glace. Le jeune âge a été associé à la survenue de traumatismes aigus (p < 0,01) pour tous les types d’escalade et le faible nombre d’années de pratique, à la survenue de traumatisme en escalade de rocher (p = 0,03). Les itinéraires de niveaux de difficulté élevés (p = 0,01) ou une plus grande intensité de la pratique (p < 0,01) ont été associés à la survenue de traumatismes sur SAE. CONCLUSION : L’escalade est une activité physique sécuritaire avec des prévalences et des incidences de traumatismes très faibles. Les résultats permettront d’orienter les interventions pour améliorer la sécurité en escalade. / Abstract : INTRODUCTION: This study aims to produce a portrait of injuries associated with rock climbing in Quebec by: 1) describing the characteristics of deaths associated with climbing in Quebec; 2) describing the characteristics of emergency room visits associated with climbing; 3) estimating the lifetime prevalence and the incidence rate for climbing injuries, and by exploring the associated risk or protective factors. METHODS: 1) A case series of climbing related deaths was analysed by extracting data from coroners’ investigation reports, between 1986 and 2013. 2) A case series of emergency room consultations was analysed from data provided by the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program, between 1992 and 2011. 3) A cross-sectional descriptive study using a self-administered online survey sent to members of the Fédération québécoise de la montagne et de l’escalade (FQME), from April 8th, 2014 to June 3rd, 2014. RESULTS: 1) and 2) Of the 14 deaths and 29 cases of emergency room visits selected and analysed, the majority were men aged between 18 and 29 years. Climber falls were the leading cause of death or acute injury. 3) With a participation rate of 19 % (765/4,109), the lifetime prevalence for trauma was estimated at 11.1% on artificial climbing structures, 11.3% for rock climbing, and 7.6% for ice climbing. An approximation of the incidence in the last 12-months was estimated at 0.37 events causing injuries per 1,000 hours on artificial climbing structures (ACS), 0.17 for rock climbing and 0.10 for ice climbing. Younger age was associated with the occurrence of acute injuries (p < .01) for all types of climbing and the small number of climbing practice years with the occurrence of acute injuries during rock climbing (p = .03). Routes of higher climbing difficulty (p = .01) or a greater intensity of climbing practice (p < .01) and the occurrence of acute injuries on ACS. CONCLUSION: Climbing is a safe physical activity, with very low prevalence and incidence of acute injury. Results will help interventions in order to improve climbing safety.

Les études sur les enfants vivant avec un parent souffrant de maladie mentale se focalisent sur ceux présentant des troubles psychiques ou à risques d’en développer. Problématique. Cette étude explore les facteurs de protection internes et externes des adultes résilients ayant grandi auprès d’un parent souffrant de maladie mentale afin d’envisager une aide pour les enfants en souffrance. Nous réalisons également une revue de la littérature sur les programmes et les aides existantes pour ces enfants, mise en perspectives avec nos résultats, afin de proposer des pistes de prise en charge. Méthodologie et population. Trente femmes adultes en bonne santé mentale, âgées de 19 à 36 ans, ayant vécu avec un père ou une mère souffrant de maladie mentale, ont répondu à un entretien semi-directif. Elles ont également réalisé des dessins de la famille, et complété l’inventaire de résilience (IFR-40) et un questionnaire d’événements de vie. Résultats. La présence significative de certains facteurs de protection familiaux et extrafamiliaux dans le processus de résilience des sujets, confirme ceux retrouvés dans la littérature : les bonnes relations avec les parents, la bonne entente familiale, la présence d’adultes aidants, etc. D’autres facteurs de protection familiaux significatifs ont été trouvés : les activités privilégiées avec l’un des parents et le partage de valeurs morales. Conclusion. Nous pouvons favoriser la résilience des enfants vivant avec un parent souffrant de maladie mentale en renforçant ces facteurs de protection externes, et en développant un groupe de soutien entre pairs, afin de répondre à leurs besoins et de pallier le manque d’aide pour ces enfants en France. / The studies about children living with a parent suffering from a mental illness focus on children with mental disorders or at risk. Problematic. This study aims at exploring internal and external protective factors in resilient adults who grew up with a mental ill parent in order to develop a help for suffering children. We also make a literature review of the existing programs and helps for these children, put in perspective with our results, so that we can propose to offer them a kind of support. Methodology and population. Thirty mental healthy adult women, from 19 to 36 years old, who lived with a father or a mother suffering from a mental illness, answered a semi-structured interview. They also realized family drawings, and completed a resilience inventory (IFR-40) and a life events questionnaire. Results. The significant presence of family and extrafamily protective factors in the process of the resilience’ subjects, confirms those in the literature: good relationships with parents, good family concord, the presence of helping adults, etc. Other significant family protective factors were found: privileged activities with a parent and moral values shared.Conclusion. We can promote resilience in children living with a parent suffering from a mental illness by strengthening these external protective factors, and by developing a group of peer support to meet their needs and address the lack of support for these children in France.

The objective of this study was to examine how a child's attachment is influenced by having an alcohol- or drug-abusing mother. The importance of secure attachment for a child's positive development, made exploring the issues surrounding substance abuse, and its impact on the child's essential attachment, of great interest. A systematic literature review was conducted to analyze the published research on the topic. The results provide valuable insights into attachment, maternal substance abuse, and related risks and protective factors.  Furthermore, the findings shed light on the increased vulnerability of children whose mothers have engaged in substance abuse before, during, and after pregnancy, indicating a higher likelihood of developing insecure attachment patterns. However, it is important to note that there is no consensus among researchers. Some results suggest that children growing up with substance-abusing mothers do not necessarily exhibit insecure attachment or develop problems later in life due to the substance abuse. The gathered empirical evidence, however, supports the effectiveness of interventions targeting substance-abusing mothers in promoting security in the child's attachment. Nevertheless, it is crucial not to solely focus on interventions for mothers, but also to consider the measures that can be offered to children in unfavorable home environments, with the best interests of the child as a central principle in social work.