The role of family and individual factors in going through adolescence having a disabled sibling - analysis of a healthy child's functioning. A case-control study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Having a disabled sibling can be a source of extremely important and enriching experiences that foster the development of social and emotional competences, as well as broadening the child's perspective and knowledge. On the other hand, it also poses many challenges for the siblings, especially in adolescence. Thus, the aim of the proposed project is to investigate the specificity of the growing up process in young people with disabled siblings. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: A total of 160 dyads (320 participants) - an adolescent and one of his/her parents - will take part in this cross-sectional case-control study. Participants will be assigned to four groups, having a sibling with: 1) intellectual disability, 2) motor disability, 3) chronic somatic disease, and 4) the control group - having a sibling without any disability. Both the healthy adolescent and one of the parents will fill out a set of questionnaires regarding the study variables: Questionnaire of Relationships with Siblings, Parental Attitude Scale-2, KidScreen-27, Parentification Questionnaire for Youth, Teenage Rebellion Questionnaire, Child Behavior Checklist 6-18. RESULTS: The primary outcomes include investigating the healthy adolescent functioning in three environments: family, peers and school. The proposed research model focuses both on the difficulties associated with having a disabled sibling (e.g. possible occurrence of disorders) and resources (e.g. higher quality of relationships in the family, especially in the sibling subsystem). CONCLUSIONS: The proposed comprehensive approach to the issue of disability in the family from the perspective of a healthy child will allow for a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the process of growing up with disabled siblings.

Heterogeneity of Cognitive Profiles in Children and Adolescents with Mild Intellectual Disability (MID).

Mild Intellectual Disability (MID) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in childhood and is characterized by limitations in intellectual functioning (IQ = 55-69) and adaptive behavior that manifests in everyday living. In addition to these specific criteria, clinical practice shows that the population of children with MID has heterogeneous deficits in cognitive functioning. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify groups of homogenous cognitive profiles within a heterogeneous population of students with MID. The cognitive profiles of 16,411 participants with Mild Intellectual Disability were assessed based on their performance on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales-Fifth Edition. Prior to the assessment, participants were divided into three age groups corresponding to the levels of the Polish education system: (1) 7;00-9;11, (2) 10;00-14;11, and (3) 15;00-18;11 years old. Using cluster analysis, we identified three distinct cognitive profiles (clusters) in each age group. These clusters differed from each other within and between each age group. Distinguishing cognitive profiles among children and adolescents with MID is important both in the context of diagnosis as well as the development of research-based interventions for these students.

Empathy and Hormonal Changes as Predictors of Sensitive Responsiveness towards Infant Crying: A Study Protocol.

Sensitive responsiveness refers to parents' ability to recognize and respond to infants' cues and has been linked to parental empathy. Additionally, oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) are hormones important for sensitivity and empathy. The aim of this study is to test the links between dispositional empathy along with changing OT and AVP levels and responsiveness to a life-like doll in couples and to verify whether these factors are predictors of responsiveness to a child's cues. Exploratory analyses include predictors of sensitive responsiveness: polymorphisms of OXTR, AVPR1a and CD38 genes, personal characteristics and relational factors. The project employs standardized experimental settings that can be used with non-parents and the assessment of parental sensitive responsiveness towards their child. The participants are couples expecting their first child (111) and childless couples (110). The procedure involves caretaking of a life-like doll. Salivary samples and questionnaire data are collected in a planned manner. In the second part, the expectant couples are invited for the assessment of their sensitivity to their own child (Free Play episodes). Parental sensitivity is assessed using the Ainsworth Sensitivity Scale. This paper presents an interdisciplinary research project that reaches beyond the questionnaire measurement, considering many factors influencing the dynamics of adult-infant interaction.

Heterogeneity of cognitive profiles in students with borderline intellectual functioning. / Heterogenicznosc profili poznawczych uczniów z inteligencja nizsza niz przecietna.

OBJECTIVES: Borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) is aclinical entity of polyetiological nature which manifests in heterogeneity of cognitive deficits. The aim of this study was to identify groups of homogenous cognitive profiles within a heterogeneous population of students with BIF. METHODS: Cognitive profiles of 114 participants with borderline intellectual functioning were assessed based on different patterns of their performance on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Revised. RESULTS: Through a hierarchical cluster analysis we identified four distinct cognitive profiles: a) children with severe verbal skills deficits and average visual-spatial abilities; b) children with short-term memory and attention deficits; c) children with ACID profile, typical for learning disabilities; d) children with 'flat' cognitive profile where all verbal and performance skills were on borderline IQ level. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying strengthsand limitations of distinct cognitive profiles among students with borderline intellectual functioning has important implications for further assessment strategies and distinctive approach in designing educational and developmental interventions.

How Well Do Couples Care When They Are Expecting Their First Child? Family and Dyadic Predictors of Parental Sensitivity in Expectant Couples.

Belsky's Process Model points to family-of-origin (especially experiences of mistreatment in childhood) as well as personality and marital relations as determinants of parenting quality, including parental sensitive responsiveness. Parental sensitivity might be intuitively developed during pregnancy and affects perinatal mental health. However, there is a lack of studies investigating effects of family-of-origin and relationship perceptions on expectant couples' parental sensitive responsiveness. The aim of the presented study was to test mediation and moderation effects of perceived partner's empathic concern and retrospectively assessed abuse experienced in childhood on sensitive parental responsiveness operationalized as caretaking behaviors and emotional reactions to a crying life-like doll. One hundred eleven expectant couples (N = 222; age: M women = 28.4 years, SD = 3.03; age: M men = 29.2 years, SD = 3.31; relationship duration: M years = 6.8, SD = 3.43; gestational week: M = 31.3, SD = 4.58) assessed the extent to which they experienced physical and emotional abuse from their parents in childhood and rated their current partner's empathic concern. In the experimental procedure, couples reacted to a crying life-like doll and were assessed by trained psychologists using the modified Ainsworth Sensitivity Scale to measure couples' sensitive responsiveness. The results confirmed a significant mediational effect of perceived women's (and not men's) empathic concern for the relationship between the reported experience of abuse in family-of-origin by expectant fathers (and not mothers) and couples' sensitivity. Support and interventions regarding couples' empathy and parenting competence can be offered to both mothers and fathers to identify those who are at risk of low parental sensitivity.