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Biomedical subjects

H S Ross

Publications and source records attributed to H S Ross.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Do mitigating circumstances influence family reactions to physical aggression?

The influence of mitigating circumstances on family reactions to physical aggression was investigated. 40 families, each with a 2- and a 4-year-old child, were observed during home interactions, and parents' and older children's beliefs concerning mitigation were also assessed. Although parents considered sibling physical aggression to be a serious transgression, they believed that mitigated aggression of both of their children was more excusable and they intervened less often to prohibit mitigated than nonmitigated aggression, even when the aggression was severe. Older children also believed that mitigated aggression deserved less punishment. Provocation, reciprocity, and lack of aggressive intent occurred as mitigating circumstances in the observations. When family members' reactions to these individual circumstances were examined, discrepancies arose in judgments of which specific mitigations justified aggression. These findings were discussed in terms of the clarity of a parent's message, children's appraisals of it, differing conflict roles, and society's impact.

Aggression↗
PubMed1989

A social relations analysis of toddler peer relationships.

We examined whether young children form different relationships with specific peers. Using the social relations model, effects of individuals as either actors or partners were distinguished from effects of relationships. Relationship effects are inferred when behavior within a dyad cannot be predicted from behavior that both partners give and receive in other social contexts. 32 20- or 30-month-old children were each paired with 2 partners (same age and gender) and observed for 18 40-min play sessions. The social relations analysis indicated that children differed consistently in their initiation of interaction (actor effects) and in the conflict contributions they elicited from their peers (partner effects). Relationship effects were found in games and contingent interaction, and were generally reciprocal. Relationship effects emerged gradually; in contrast, neither actor nor partner effects increased over time. Results were discussed in the context of definitions of relationships and peer relationships of young children.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1984

Working with groups in patient education.

Group processes are an effective means of helping individuals change their behavior. Of six types of group events, three have particular relevance in the health-care setting: individually oriented change groups, group-process oriented change groups, and focused-criterion groups. The role health professionals can play in designing and implementing group discussion methods is presented.

Group Processes↗
PubMed1982

The social nature of early conflict.

The conflicts of 24 pairs of previously unacquainted 21-month-old children were examined for social hallmarks at several levels of analysis. Each child was observed with the same partner for 15 min on 3 consecutive days. On the fourth day half the dyads were rearranged such that each child now was paired with a new partner; the remaining children returned to meet their usual partners. Conflicts were defined dyadically as 1 child's protesting, resisting, or retaliating against an act by the peer; 217 were recorded across the 4 days, 84% of which were struggles over toys. The disputes possessed a patterned interactive structure and explicit communicative content, and 75% of the object struggles were preceded or followed by socially pertinent events. The extent of conflict neither increased nor decreased over days, nor were there reliable differences between acquainted peers on the fourth day. However, the outcome of 1 conflict affected the next; a child who lost a dispute was more likely than the winner to initiate the next. Moreover, the findings suggested that dyadic as well as dispositional factors influenced conflictual behavior; the children's tendency to initiate disputes on the fourth day could be predicted from their initiations on the first 3 days for both groups, but prediction of their tendency to yield to the peer's demands for objects was only possible for the group who retained the same partners.

Aggression↗
PubMed1977

Pilot study of discussion groups of "worried well" patients in an ambulatory care setting.

Two pilot discussion groups were conducted for patients who met selected criteria indicating they were worried well patients (not requiring conventional medical care services). The objective of the groups was to explore and demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing an educational approach conducted by paraprofessional personnel, under physician supervision, for helping to meet the needs of such patients, thereby reducing utilization of more expensive physician resources. The findings indicated that 50 percent of the patients reduced the number of visits to the physician, and 60 percent perceived the experience as helpful.

Allied Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Problem solving, contention, and struggle: how siblings resolve a conflict of interests.

In a laboratory setting, 48 sibling dyads age 4 and 6 or 6 and 8 years negotiated the division of six toys. Findings revealed that, in general, children reached divisions while using a preponderance of constructive problem-solving strategies, rather than contentious tactics. The degree of conflict of interests and the quality of sibling relationships predicted the children's use of problem-solving and contentious negotiation strategies, and was related to the types of resolutions achieved. Dyads experiencing low conflict of interests resolved their differences quickly. High conflict of interests coupled with positive relationships and constructive negotiation resulted in longer negotiations and creative, agreeable resolutions. High conflict of interests coupled with more negative relationships and destructive negotiations resulted in children's failures to reach agreement. Developmental differences indicated that older siblings within the pairs took the lead in negotiation, and benefited slightly more from the divisions. Furthermore, children in older dyads were more sophisticated and other oriented in their negotiations.

Child↗