The effect of transactional analysis training on emotional intelligence in health professions students.

BACKGROUND: Emotional intelligence (EI) is considered to present a significant predictor of work performance whereas Transactional analysis (TA) is the relational perspective in communication in managing emotions. We evaluated the effect of psycho-educational training in EI and TA (TEITA) on EI among health professions undergraduates, with post-training, and at 1-month follow-up. METHODS: A total of 34 participants participated in the study where 17 participants were in the TEITA group and another 17 were in the control group. A quasi-experimental non-randomised, controlled cohort study was conducted, in which participants in the TEITA group were introduced to EI and TA concepts on a weekly basis for four weeks, at 90 min each time, and provided with opportunities for experiential sharing of emotions and coping mechanisms experienced in the previous week. Both TEITA and control groups received weekly EI and TA reading materials. All completed the 16-item Wong and Law EI Scale at baseline and post-training. The training group also completed the questionnaire at a 1-month follow-up. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks and Mann Whitney tests were used to analyse within a group and between group changes in EI scores. RESULTS: Baseline EI scores in the TEITA group were lower than the control group. On completion of TEITA, EI scores in the TEITA group increased, and differences were not detected between groups. Within the TEITA group, paired increases in all domains were statistically significant, whereas, in the control group, the paired increase was only detected in the domain addressing regulations of emotion (ROE). Pre to post-training increases in EI scores were statically significantly greater in TEITA compared to control groups. At the 1-month follow-up, EI scores were sustained. CONCLUSION: The psycho-educational training based on EI and TA is effective in enhancing EI among health professions undergraduates. Future research should investigate the effect of such training on observable inter-personal and socio-economic behaviours.

Clima organizacional y liderazgo en un instituto de salud pública mexicano / Organizational climate and leadership at a Mexican public health institute

Introducción: El estilo de dirección y el clima organizacional son elementos importantes que tienden a influir sobre la manera en que un trabajador realiza sus actividades laborales y la forma en que atiende al paciente o usuario. Objetivo: Determinar los estilos de liderazgo y clima organizacional sobre la base de la comunicación, que prevalece en los trabajadores que laboran en un instituto de salud pública mexicano del centro del país. Métodos: Investigación cuantitativa, descriptiva, correlacional y transaccional. Se aplicó el cuestionario Instrumento de Medición de Clima Organizacional y Liderazgo a trabajadores subordinados y directivos que laboran en un instituto de salud pública del centro del país. Se obtuvo un coeficiente de confiabilidad Alpha de Cronbach de 0,86. Resultados: Un total de 152 trabajadores y 16 directivos, muestran una tendencia relacionada con la existencia de una calidad de clima regular para toda el área y un tipo de liderazgo autócrata consultador y administrador de consensos. Conclusiones: Cuando se obtienen resultados con niveles de clima organizacional bajos es común que se acentúen los problemas comunicativos dentro de la empresa. Esto origina que no exista una adecuada comunicación entre jefes y trabajadores, lo que trae como consecuencia una inestabilidad del clima laboral propiciada, en su mayor parte, por el estilo de liderazgo utilizado(AU)

Introduction: Management style and organizational climate are important elements that tend to influence how workers perform work activities and how they care for the patient or user. Objective: Determine leadership styles and organizational climate based on communication, which prevails in workers at a Mexican public health institute in the central area of the country. Methods: Quantitative, descriptive, correlational and transactional research. The questionnaire Instrument for The Measurement of Organizational Climate and Leadership was applied to subordinate workers and managers working at a public health institute in the central area of the country. A Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient of 0.86 was obtained. Results: A total of 152 workers and 16 managers show a trend related to the existence of a regular climate quality for the whole area and a type of autocrat consulting leadership and consensus manager. Conclusions: When results are obtained with low organizational climate levels, it is common that communication problems are more evident within the company. This results in inadequate communication between bosses and workers, resulting in instability of the working climate, mostly driven by the leadership style used(AU)

Resiliencia en un grupo de discapacitados físico motores / Resilience in a Group of People with Physical-Motor Handicaps

Introducción: Estudiar la resiliencia (enfrentamiento positivo ante la adversidad) permite comprender el afrontamiento a la discapacidad y poder reorientar mejor procesos interventivos y de rehabilitación. Objetivo: Caracterizar la resiliencia en personas con discapacidad físico motora adquirida. Método: Estudio descriptivo, transaccional, desde un paradigma mixto. Se trabajó con una muestra de 22 personas con discapacidad físico motora procedentes del municipio de Remedios, Villa Clara. Se aplicó entrevista individual semiestructurada y en profundidad, Escala de Resiliencia Connor-Davidson, Escala de autovaloración Dembo Rubinstein y técnica de los 10 deseos. Para el procesamiento de los datos se empleó análisis de contenido y estadísticos descriptivos con el paquete SPSS. Resultados: Los recursos personológicos, el uso de redes sociales y los estilos de afrontamiento resultaron los principales factores moduladores de la resiliencia. Se describieron estilos de afrontamiento a la discapacidad, siendo los más frecuentes en personas resilientes la reevaluación positiva y la búsqueda de apoyo social (72,7 por ciento) y en el grupo medianamente resiliente, la huida-evitación (27,3 por ciento). Conclusiones: Se identificaron factores moduladores de la resiliencia, los principales recursos personológicos que favorecen la conducta resiliente en las personas discapacitadas estudiadas y tipos de estrategias de afrontamiento que favorecen la resiliencia ante la discapacidad(AU)

Introduction: Studying resilience (coping positively with adversity) allows to understand coping with disability and to reorient intervention and rehabilitation processes better. Objective: To characterize resilience in people with acquired physical-motor disability. Method: Descriptive and transactional study carried out from a mixed paradigm. We worked with a sample of 22 people with physical-motor disabilities from Remedios Municipality, Villa Clara. A semistructured in-depth individual interview was applied, together with the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Dembo Rubinstein Self-Evaluation Scale, and the ten wishes technique. For data processing, content analysis and descriptive statistics were used with the SPSS package. Results: Personological resources, use of social networks and coping styles were the main modulating factors of resilience. Disability coping styles were described, the most frequent, in resilient people, being positive reassessment and seeking social support (72.7 percent); and, in the moderately resilient group, escape-avoidance (27.3 percent). Conclusions: Resilience-modulating factors were identified, together with the main personological resources that favor resilient behavior in the disabled people studied, and types of coping strategies that favor resilience to disability(AU)

The Transactional Relationship between Parental and Adolescent Depressive Symptoms: The Mediating Effect of Nurturant-Involved Parenting.

Sameroff's transactional theory emphasizes a bidirectional process between parents and offspring. The present study explored the reciprocal relationships between parental and adolescent depressive symptoms using a cross-lagged model and examined the mediating effect of nurturant-involved parenting on the relationship between them. Data for the present study were collected from a longitudinal study, and a total of 1644 adolescents and their mothers and fathers participated in the present study. The results revealed a reciprocal relationship between maternal and adolescent depressive symptoms, and the child-driven effect was more robust than the mother-driven effect. Adolescent depressive symptoms significantly predicted paternal depressive symptoms, but not vice versa. In addition, adolescent depressive symptoms indirectly predicted maternal and paternal depressive symptoms by deteriorating nurturant-involved parenting. These findings highlight a child-driven effect on parents' psychopathology, which may shed light on the mechanism underlying depression transmission between parents and adolescents.

Contribution of community-based sociotherapy interventions for the psychological well-being of Rwandan youths born to genocide perpetrators and survivors: analysis of the stories telling of a sociotherapy approach.

BACKGROUND: Psychological well-being (PWB) refers to inter- and intra-individual levels of positive functioning that include one's relatedness with others and self-referent attitudes that include one's sense of mastery and personal growth. PWB consists of hedonism and eudaimonia building on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sociotherapy is a community-based health intervention that contributes to the promotion of PWB worldwide. Starting from an analysis of trauma transmitted from the perpetrators and survivors of the Rwandan genocide to their descendants, this article is aimed at exploring the contribution of therapeutic sessions to PWB among youth. METHOD: A qualitative study design based on shared testimonies was carried out. Field reports from the sociotherapists, written texts, and testimonies of changes presented in the conviviality meetings were analyzed using transactional analysis. We included 24 reflexive texts upon completion of 8 months of the therapeutic program. RESULTS: Results indicated that before sociotherapy sessions, youth born to genocide survivors and perpetrators had psychosocial distress, including low self-esteem, hopelessness, anxiety, stigma, thoughts of revenge, shame, depression, and antisocial behaviors. Sociotherapy significantly contributed to the reduction of these psychosocial problems. Participating youth reported feeling safe, trusted, respected, and healthier than before the sociotherapy. This intervention created inner healing, social cohesion, alleviated their sufferings of trauma, restored their families and contributed to community resilience. Results revealed that youth developed PWB, helping them to what appeared to be psychosocial problems as being potentially healthy, enhancing self-acceptance, and respecting humanity. Youth also became the vector for the reconciliation and reconstruction of their humanity. CONCLUSION: Sociotherapy is a community health intervention that has an effective outcome on the personal well-being of of youth. This therapy impacted the individual, social, and familial resilience of youth who developed their capacity to regain and maintain health. The intervention restored their PWB, characterized by increased positive functioning specifically in the areas of autonomy, ecological mastery, individual growth, purpose in life, good relationships with others, and improved self-esteem.

The effect of transactional analysis on the self-esteem of imprisoned women: a clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The imprisoned women usually have low self-esteem and suffer from various physical and mental complaints; they may suffer from feelings of emptiness, isolation, and depression. Transactional analysis (TA) is part of a comprehensive system attributed to the individual and social psychiatry for personal development of self-esteem among the imprisoned women. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of TA group-training on the self-esteem of imprisoned women. METHODS: This clinical trial was conducted among the imprisoned women in a prison in Southeastern Iran using pretest-posttest design. In this regard, 76 women were randomly allocated to the intervention (n = 35) and control (n = 41) groups. The TA group-training program was held for eight 90-min sessions for the intervention group. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and the Rosenberg's self-esteem scale (RSES). Later, all participants were evaluated before and 1 month after the intervention. RESULTS: In pre-test, the mean scores of self-esteem were 11.8 ± 4.67 and 7.97 ± 4.52 for the intervention and control groups, respectively. These scores showed low levels of self-esteem and the difference between the two groups was significant (p = 0.001, t = - 3.61). In the post-test, the mean scores of self-esteem improved to the moderate level (22 ± 2.52) in the intervention group compared to the control group (8.92 ± 4.04). This indicates the significant improvement of self-esteem in the intervention group (p = 0.001, t = 17.15). CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that TA group-training had a significant effect on self-esteem. Therefore, the experienced and expert counselors and psychologists are recommended to hold transactional analysis group-training courses to enhance self-esteem among women prisoners. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials, IRCT20170725035289N5 Date registered: 25/08/2018.

Mapping transactional analysis to clinical leadership models.

Leaders in today's NHS face the unenviable task of reconciling rising demand, frozen resource allocation and increasing accountability. As the NHS itself stands at the nexus of an unstable political and socioeconomic landscape, its future success relies largely on its ability to nurture excellence, to encourage open communication within and across health-care teams, and to inspire its workforce through exemplary leadership and followership. Key to these endeavours are clinicians on the 'shop floor', whose daily interactions with patients and staff help to shape prevailing culture and drive progress through quality improvement and leadership initiatives. This article considers how transactional analysis can be incorporated into professional development to help doctors develop insight into and optimize the use of different communication styles. The authors propose that a working knowledge of the transactional analysis ego state model can enhance effective communication, leadership and followership within and across health-care teams, with a view to optimizing patient outcomes and workforce interactions.

Bidirectional Relationships between Alcohol-Specific Parental Socialization Behaviors and Adolescent Alcohol Misuse.

BACKGROUND: Although numerous studies have examined parental influence on adolescent alcohol misuse, few have examined how adolescents impact parental behavior or the reciprocal nature of parent-adolescent behavior relative to alcohol misuse. OBJECTIVES: This study assessed bidirectional relationships between adolescent alcohol misuse and three alcohol-specific parenting behaviors (substance-specific monitoring, permissive communication messages about alcohol, and cautionary communication messages about alcohol). METHODS: Data were from 1,645 parent-adolescent dyads drawn from a longitudinal study spanning grades 6-10. A multivariate latent curve model with structured residuals was used to test study hypotheses. RESULTS: One marginally significant result emerged (increased alcohol misuse leads to greater substance-specific monitoring) after accounting for underlying developmental processes. CONCLUSIONS: Though practical implications are limited based on the results of the study, further directions for research regarding study design and measurement are provided to more fully examine dynamic processes between parents and adolescents relative to alcohol use.

Habilidades sociales y valores interpersonales de los estudiantes de la clínica odontológica / Correlation between the social skills and the interpersonal values of the students of a dentistry clinic

Objetivos: La investigación está orientada a estudiar la correlación entre las habilidades sociales y los valores interpersonales de los estudiantes de la Clínica de la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad Andina Néstor Cáceres Velásquez, 2015 en una muestra de 140 estudiantes. Material y Métodos: Se realizó una investigación no experimental, el tipo de diseño fue transaccional correlacional, los instrumentos utilizados fueron la Lista de Chequeo de Habilidades Sociales de Arnold Goldstein y el Cuestionario de Valores Interpersonales de Leonard V. Gordon. Resultados: las habilidades sociales se encuentran en un nivel desarrollado y poco desarrollado, mientras que los valores interpersonales presentan en su mayoría niveles medios y bajos siendo necesario su afianzamiento en ambos casos, para un mejor manejo de sus pacientes dentro de su formación profesional. Conclusiones: Se estableció una correlación positiva entre las habilidades sociales y los valores interpersonales entre los estudiantes. (AU)

Objectives: The research is aimed at studying the correlation between the social skills and the interpersonal values of the students of the Clinic of the Faculty of Dentistry of the Andean University Néstor Cáceres Velásquez, 2015 in a sample of 140 students. Material and Methods: A non-experimental investigation was conducted, the type of design was correlational transactional, the instruments used were the Arnold Goldstein Social Skills Checklist and the Leonard V. Gordon Interpersonal Values Questionnaire. Results: social skills are at a developed and underdeveloped level, while interpersonal values are mostly low and medium levels, and their reinforcement is necessary in both cases, in order to better manage their patients within their professional training. Conclusions: A positive correlation was established between social skills and interpersonal values among students. (AU)

Estudo comparativo entre as técnicas manual e automática de demarcação de borda para avaliação de área de úlceras por pressão / Comparative study between manual and automatic techniques to pinpoint wound edges during pressure ulcers perimeter evaluation

Objetivo: comparar a acurácia entre a técnica manual e automática de demarcação da borda da ferida para cálculo de área pelo software ImageJ para avaliação de úlceras por pressão (UP). Metodologia: trata-se de um estudo transversal controlado com análise computacional de imagens realizada em 35 fotografias digitais de úlceras por pressão (UP) localizadas nas regiões sacral, trocanteriana e isquiática. O software utilizado para cálculo de propriedades (ImageJ) é um recurso não invasivo, reprodutível, objetivo e de uso viável na prática clínica para delimitação da área de feridas. Utilizou-se o software SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) para a análise descritiva dos dados, concordância entre as medidas pelo procedimento de Bland e Atman. Resultados: observou-se pouca concordância entre as técnicas. A técnica automática denominada Brightness/Contrast demonstrou medidas mais aproximadas à técnica manual para avaliação de área de UP. Conclusão: ambas as técnicas computacionais, manual e automática do software ImageJ, para cálculo de área de UP, demonstraram boa correlação positiva, mas também pouca concordância entre as técnicas, quando comparadas.

Objective: to compare the accuracy between manual and automatic perimeter estimation technique to pinpoint wound edges using the software ImageJ to ascertain pressure ulcers (PU). Methodology: through a controlled transversal investigation using 35 pressure ulcers (PU) digital photographs taken in the sacral, trochanter and ischium areas. The software used to determine its properties (ImageJ) is a noninvasive, objective and reproducible practical resource to use in clinical practice to delimit the wound area. The SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software made possible a descriptive analysis of data and concordance between the measurements using Bland and Altman procedure. Results: a slight agreement between the techniques has been discovered. The automated technique known as Brightness/Contrast displayed results closer to the manual technique to estimate PU area. Conclusion: both computational techniques, manual and automatic, of the ImageJ software to estimate PU area showed sound positive correlation, but also limited correlation between the techniques, when cross-checked.

Objetivo: comparar la precisión entre la técnica manual y automatizada de demarcación de borde de la lesión para calcular el área por el software ImageJ para evaluación de úlceras por decúbito (UD). Metodología: tratase de una investigación transversal manejada con el análisis computacional de imágenes de 35 fotografías digitales de úlceras por decúbito (UD) localizadas en las regiones sacra, regiones trocanteras e isquiática. El software utilizado para el cálculo de propiedades (ImageJ) es un recurso no invasivo, reproducible, objetivo e de uso manejable en la práctica clínica para la demarcación del área de las lesiones. Se aplicó el software SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) para el análisis descriptivo de los datos, conformidad entre las mediciones por intermedio del método Bland y Atman. Resultados: se constató conformidad limitada entre las técnicas. La técnica automática denominada Brightness/Contrast demostró mediciones más próximas a la técnica manual para evaluación del área UD. Conclusión: las dos técnicas computacionales, manual y automatizada del software ImageJ, para el cálculo del área UD, han revelado gran correlación positiva, pero también poca correlación entre las técnicas, cuando comparadas.

Cost-Effectiveness of Short-Term Inpatient Psychotherapy Based on Transactional Analysis in Patients With Personality Disorder.

Short-term inpatient psychotherapy based on transactional analysis (STIP-TA) in patients with personality disorders (PD) has shown to be more effective than comparable other specialized psychotherapies (OP). The aim of this study was to assess whether the higher effectiveness of STIP-TA also results in a better cost-effectiveness. Patients treated with STIP-TA were matched with patients treated with OP by the propensity score. Healthcare costs and lost productivity costs were measured over 3 years and from the societal perspective. Cost-effectiveness was represented by costs per quality adjusted life years (QALYs). Uncertainty was assessed using bootstrapping. Mean 3-year costs were €59,834 for STIP-TA and €69,337 for OP, a difference of -€9,503, 95% CI [-32,561, 15,726]. QALYs were 2.29 for STIP-TA and 2.05 for OP, a difference of .24, 95% CI [.05, .44]. STIP-TA is a dominant treatment compared to OP: less costly and more effective. We conclude that STIP-TA is a cost-effective treatment in PD patients.

Transactional processes in children born preterm: Influences of mother-child interactions and parenting stress.

This prospective, longitudinal study examined the transactional relations among perceived maternal parenting stress, maternal insensitivity, and child behavior across toddlerhood through age 6 within families of a child born preterm. A sample of 173 mother-child dyads were followed from just before the infant was discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit to 6 years of age, with observational measurements of maternal insensitivity and child noncompliance (24 and 36 months), maternal self-reports of perceived parenting stress (24 months, 36 months, 6 years), and maternal reports of child externalizing behavior at 6 years. Results indicated that maternal insensitivity at 36 months significantly mediated the relation between parenting stress at 24 months and externalizing behaviors at 6 years. Parenting stress was also directly associated with child noncompliance at 36 months and with child externalizing behavior at 6 years. Neonatal risk was associated with increased maternal insensitivity at 24 months, but also decreased parenting stress at 24 months. No significant "child effects" from child behavior to either maternal insensitivity or parenting stress were found. Parenting stress appears to play a critical role for children born preterm, and it is associated with children's behavior both directly and through its influence on parenting. The role of neonatal risk needs continued investigation, as families traditionally considered to be at lower risk may still face significant challenges.

A transactional analysis of changes in parent and chick behaviour prior to separation of Herring Gulls (Larus Argentatus): A three-term contingency model.

The effect of the passage of time on parent-offspring behaviour of urban Herring Gulls (Larus Argentatus) was studied and analysed using a three-term contingency model. A behavioural sequence was initiated by the arrival of a parental adult gull, which would lead to feeding in the chick. However, with the passage of time, and approach of the separation period, this pattern changed. Chicks' begging became more intense, and parent gulls more often withheld food. However, the chicks' begging became directed at a wider range of adults over the observation period. These activities are placed within a three-term contingency model, which may have implications for understanding some behavioural processes involved in parent-offspring separation.

[Interpersonal games as a method for doctors' occupational stress]. / Gry miedzyludzkie jako sposób na stres zawodowy lekarzy.

Doctors are frequently expose to stress during their occupational work. It is mainly the result of burdens caused by taking care of patients, dysfunctional arrangements of the health care system and difficult relationships in their workplace. Chronic stress brings negative emotions and they need to cope with them . Doctors, willing to achieve it, may initiate interpersonal games with the hidden motive of restoring their internal balance. Based on transactional analysis, the authors describe some of the games which may be found in doctors' environment: "How to get out of there", "Mine is better than yours", "Scapegoat", "Fault" and "double bind". The outcome of the games may be receiving a support, proving a benefit derived from stress, getting the feeling of being not guilty, justification, or releasing emotions in apparently unintended way. Interpersonal games may help stressed doctors to get rid of internal tension but at the same time they may be a source of stress for other participants in the games. The way to limit their destructive impact is to create such administrative and organizational solutions which allow to make working conditions more friendly.

Effectiveness of Short-Term Inpatient Psychotherapy Based on Transactional Analysis With Patients With Personality Disorders: A Matched Control Study Using Propensity Score.

Controlled studies on the effectiveness of inpatient psychotherapy with patients with personality disorders (PD) are rare. This study aims to compare 3-month short-term inpatient psychotherapy based on transactional analysis (STIP-TA) with other psychotherapies (OP) up to 36-month follow-up. PD patients treated with STIP-TA were matched with OP patients using the propensity score. The primary outcome measure was general psychiatric symptomatology; secondary outcomes were psychosocial functioning and quality of life. In 67 pairs of patients, both STIP-TA and OP showed large symptomatic and functional improvements. However, STIP-TA patients showed more symptomatic improvement at all time points compared to OP patients. At 36 months, 68% of STIP-TA patients were symptomatically recovered compared to 48% of OP patients. STIP-TA outperformed OP in terms of improvements in general psychiatric symptomatology and quality of life. Superiority of STIP-TA was most pronounced at 12-month follow-up, but remained intact over the course of the 3-year follow-up.

Spanking and children's externalizing behavior across the first decade of life: evidence for transactional processes.

Despite a growing literature associating physical discipline with later child aggression, spanking remains a typical experience for American children. The directionality of the associations between aggression and spanking and their continuity over time has received less attention. This study examined the transactional associations between spanking and externalizing behavior across the first decade of life, examining not only how spanking relates to externalizing behavior leading up to the important transition to adolescence, but whether higher levels of externalizing lead to more spanking over time as well. We use data from the Fragile families and child well-being (FFCW) study to examine maternal spanking and children's behavior at ages 1, 3, 5, and 9 (N = 1,874; 48% girls). The FFCW is a longitudinal birth cohort study of children born between 1998 and 2000 in 20 medium to large US cities. A little over a quarter of this sample was spanked at age 1, and about half at age 3, 5, and 9. Estimates from a cross-lagged path model provided evidence of developmental continuity in both spanking and externalizing behavior, but results also highlighted important reciprocal processes taking hold early, with spanking influencing later externalizing behavior, which, in turn, predicted subsequent spanking. These bidirectional effects held across race/ethnicity and child's gender. The findings highlight the lasting effects of early spanking, both in influencing early child's behavior, and in affecting subsequent child's externalizing and parental spanking in a reciprocal manner. These amplifying transactional processes underscore the importance of early intervention before patterns may cascade across domains in the transition to adolescence.

[Coping with overweight strategies, self-esteem and body-esteem in the context of transactional analysis]. / Strategie radzenia sobie z nadmierna masa ciala oraz szacunek do siebie i wlasnego ciala w kontekscie analizy transakcyjnej.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the ego-state of obese people in terms of transactional analysis and to determine the relationship between coping with overweight strategies, Ego-structure, global self-esteem, and body self-esteem levels. METHODS: One-hundred-seventy-one overweight and obese adult females were examined by a general practitioner and a specialist in obesity management. The ego-state, global self-esteem, and body self-esteem were assessed using the Ego State Questionnaire (ESQ), the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, and the Body-Esteem Scale, respectively. RESULTS: Participants were divided into three subgroups: A--no attempts at weight loss currently (35.1%), B--self-attempted weight loss (33.9%), C--professional obesity treatment (31.0%). Age, education level, professional status, marital status, and number of children, along with the onset of being overweight/obese were similar in all subgroups. Subgroups B and C statistically and significantly made frequent attempts at weight loss (p < 0.001) and experienced yo-yo effect (p < 0.001) more than subgroup A. Effective weight loss attempts were observed significantly more often in subgroups C (p < 0.001). Only mean lies scale results were significantly higher in subgroups A and C compared to B (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). While self-esteem, sexual attractiveness, weight concern, physical condition and ego-states were similar in all study subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Structure of the Ego-states, self-esteem and body-esteem did not influence the strategies of coping with overweight. Self-esteem is related to spontaneous Ego-child and Ego-adult levels, while the sense of sexual attractiveness is affected only by Ego-spontaneous child.

A transactional analysis of the relation between maternal sensitivity and child vagal regulation.

A transactional model examining the longitudinal association between vagal regulation (as indexed by vagal withdrawal) and maternal sensitivity from age 2.5 to age 5.5 was assessed. The sample included 356 children (171 male, 185 female) and their mothers who participated in a laboratory visit at age 2.5, 4.5, and 5.5. Cardiac vagal tone was obtained during a baseline task and during emotional frustration tasks. Maternal sensitivity was assessed via direct observation during a pretend play and cleanup task. To test for transactional associations, a path model estimating stability paths for vagal withdrawal and maternal sensitivity was compared with a full reciprocal model that included all cross-lagged pathways. A chi-square difference test was used to evaluate whether the cross-lagged model explained the data above and beyond the stability model. The vagal withdrawal cross-lagged model was found to fit significantly better than the stability model and revealed that maternal sensitivity at 2.5 years was associated positively with vagal withdrawal at 4.5 years, and vagal withdrawal at 4.5 years was associated positively with maternal sensitivity at 5.5 years. These results suggest that early sensitive responding by mothers was associated with increases in vagal withdrawal, which in turn was associated with higher levels of sensitive parenting.

Mothers' early depressive symptoms and children's first-grade adjustment: a transactional analysis of child withdrawal as a mediator.

BACKGROUND: The depression-inhibition hypothesis suggests that mothers' depressive symptoms undermine development because they lead children to withdraw from social contact. To test this, this study examined whether poor first-grade adjustment among children of mothers with depressive symptoms is mediated by the emergence of child withdrawal in early development. METHOD: Based on 1,364 dyads, four waves of data spanning from 24 months to first grade (7 years) were used to examine paths by which children's withdrawal mediates relations between mothers' early depressive symptoms and three first-grade outcomes: social competence, academic performance, and externalizing behavior problems. RESULTS: Structural equation modeling revealed three principal paths. First, direct relations were observed: Mothers' depressive symptoms predicted early child withdrawal and increases in child withdrawal over time, which predicted poor first-grade adjustment. Second, reciprocal relations were observed: Mothers' depressive symptoms predicted child withdrawal, which predicted increases in depressive symptoms. Third, relations via mother-child mutual responsiveness were observed: Depression-related increases in child withdrawal predicted declines in mutual responsiveness, which predicted poor first-grade adjustment. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that, due to its interdependence with maternal depression and low mother-child mutual responsiveness over time, child withdrawal may play an important role in the poor first-grade adjustment of children whose mothers are high in depressive symptoms.