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Biomedical subjects

P T Becker

Publications and source records attributed to P T Becker.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Infant crying and stability in the mother-infant relationship: a systems analysis.

Mother-infant interaction was studied using a general systems theory framework. 20 mother-infant pairs were observed in their home for a 7-hour period when the infants were 2, 3, 4, and 5 weeks of age. A measurement procedure was devised to assess, for each pair, the consistency over weeks in their allocation of time to 4 interactional contexts that make up the day: feeding, changing or bathing, social attention, and baby alone. The measure was called an Interactional Stability Score. Construct validity for this measure was investigated based on our hypothesis that high interactional stability would be strongly linked to low levels of crying during social attention. This hypothesis was confirmed. The results are interpreted within a general systems theory perspective--namely, that this measure of interactional stability is an empirical indicator of the degree of equilibrium within the relationship, at the level of patterning of interactional contexts. High stability scores represent consistency in allocation of time to the 4 contexts over weeks and not a rigidity in sequencing of these contexts, and thus appeared to reflect a dynamic process of mutual constraints on the behaviors of both partners.

Child Development↗
PubMed1982

Intense rapid eye movements during active sleep: an index of neurobehavioral instability.

Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Storms, intense REM bursts during Active Sleep (or REM Sleep), were investigated as an expression of the neural mechanisms involved in overall control of the sleep and waking states. Twenty normal full-term infants were observed in their homes for a 7-hr period when they were 2, 3, 4, and 5 weeks old. Sleep and waking states, and co-occurring behaviors of the mother, were recorded at 10-sec intervals throughout the observation day. During each 10-sec epoch of Active Sleep a rating was made of the infant's rapid eye movements, as follows: No REM, Light REMs, Moderate REMs, or intense REMs (REM Storms). REM Storm rates were related to a measure of stability in the distribution of the sleep and wake states over weeks, derived separately for time the infant was alone and for time the infant was with its mother. REM Storm rates were negatively correlated with state stability in each of these contexts. The results demonstrated a commonality between the incidence of REM Storms and overall sleep-wake state regulation.

Brain Damage, Chronic↗
PubMed1982

'Waking activity': the neglected state of infancy.

The significance of the waking activity state was investigated using naturalistic observations of 20 infants at 2, 3, 4 and 5 weeks of age. Sleep and wake states were recorded at 10-s intervals throughout a 7-h day, along with co-occurring behaviors of the mother. The infant's behavioral state was classified as 'waking activity' when the eyes were open but unfocused, and there was diffuse motor activity. Thus the infant was not alert, drowsy, dazed, or crying. Infants showed individual consistency in amount of waking activity over weeks, although this state composed only 4.4% of the total observation. The mean amount of waking activity over weeks was related to an index of stability in state organization, as measured by the consistency of state profiles over weeks. Profile consistency was assessed by an ANOVA for each infant's data. Separate stability indexes were derived for that portion of the day when the infants were alone, and for that portion when they were with their mothers. Infants with higher levels of waking activity had lower state stability scores in each context. The results indicate that waking activity is a behavioral state which reflects overall state control and is therefore significant for an understanding of brain-behavior relationships.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Rapid eye movement storms in infants: rate of occurrence at 6 months predicts mental development at 1 year.

Intense rapid eye movements (REM) during sleep were investigated as a possible indication of delay in the neurodevelopment of infants. The rate of occurrence of REM storms was determined by monitoring the sleep of 15 normal, first-born infants during weeks 2 through 5 and at 3, 6, 12 months. The amount of REM within each 10-second interval of active sleep was rated on a four-point scale based on frequency and intensity of eye movements. When the babies were 12 months old, the Bayley Scales of Mental Development were administered. A significant negative correlation was found between the frequency of REM storms of 14 subjects was also studied. The negative correlation was confirmed. The findings support the suggestion that by 6 months of age REM storms express dysfunction or delay in the development of central inhibitory feedback controls for sleep organization and phasic sleep-related activities.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1979

The zeta sedimentation ration (ZSR) as the routine monitor of disease activity in a general hospital.

Nine hundred eighty-one requests for sedimentation rates in a clinical laboratory were received and the zeta sedimentation ratio (ZSR) test was performed. The results were correlated with the patients' diagnoses and disease activity. This test was found to be a useful monitor of disease activity in a clinical setting. Substitution of the ZSR for the standard erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESR) appears to be acceptable. The test is simple, rapidly performed, and reproducible.

Blood Sedimentation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Outcomes of developmentally supportive nursing care for very low birth weight infants.

Numerous aspects of the intensive care environment are stressful for low birth weight infants and may play a role in adverse developmental and behavioral outcome. The purpose of this study was to determine whether staff education in care protocols designed to make the environment less stressful and thereby support the infant's development would improve short-term outcomes. Twenty-one infants (less than 1,501 gms) were studied during the preeducation period and 24 infants were studied following staff education. The educational program successfully altered nursing care. Experimental infants had more optimal respiratory and feeding status, lower levels of morbidity, shorter hospitalization, and improved behavioral organization.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of developmental care on behavioral organization in very-low-birth-weight infants.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether modifying care to reduce stressors in the neonatal intensive care unit and support infant development affected physiological, motor, and behavioral state organization. Twenty-one infants weighing less than 1501 g were studied prior to a nursing staff-training program (control) and 24 infants were studied posttraining (study). Nurses were taught to lower environmental stress, reduce procedural stress, and facilitate motor and sleep-wake organization. Oxygen saturation, motor activity, posture, and sleep-wake states were measured biweekly during routine care. Study infants showed higher oxygen saturation levels, fewer disorganized and jerky movements, more flexor movements, more flexed posture, and more alert-wakefulness than controls. Results suggest that this approach to care may have potential to improve behavioral organization during the preterm period.

Behavior↗