Biomedical subjects

Z Stoneman

Publications and source records attributed to Z Stoneman.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1989

Comparison groups in research on families with mentally retarded members: a methodological and conceptual review.

A review and critique of the use of comparison groups in mental retardation family research was provided. Issues addressed include matching on age versus competency of the mentally retarded family member, description of comparison groups in published research, demographic equivalence of groups, matching strategies, populations from which samples were drawn, appropriateness of tasks/instruments across groups, and the role of theory in comparison group selection. Unique concerns relating to sibling research and studies of mentally retarded parents were discussed. Caution was expressed concerning the translation of comparison research findings into intervention targets for families with mentally retarded members. Alternatives to comparison group designs were presented as well as recommendations for selecting and describing comparison samples.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1988

Child temperament and parental perceptions of individual child adjustment: an intrafamilial analysis.

The association between child temperament and mothers' and fathers' perceptions of child adjustment was investigated in a study of 70 married couples, each of whom had two children of the same gender--36 brother pairs and 34 sets of sisters. The parents' perceptions of their children's levels of activity, persistence, and emotional intensity were found to be related to their perceptions of child adjustment. Implications of the findings are discussed and directions for further research indicated.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1988

Correlates of stress, perceived competence, and depression among family care providers.

Correlates of three coping outcomes among individuals providing family care homes for mentally retarded residents were investigated. A sample of 104 home providers completed a set of questionnaires providing information on demographic characteristics, client characteristics, clarity of role expectations, neighbor attitudes, training, and social support. These factors were used to predict stress, perceptions of competence, and depression. Social support was the most powerful predictor of stress and perceptions of competence. Negative neighbor attitudes were associated with both stress and lower self-confidence, whereas the presence of a handicapped person in the home provider's family predicted self-perception of competence. Home provider age was the best predictor of depression.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1988

Childcare responsibilities, peer relations, and sibling conflict: older siblings of mentally retarded children.

Household and childcare responsibilities, peer contacts, and out-of-home activities of older same-sex siblings of mentally retarded children as compared to a group of matched nonhandicapped children were examined. Older siblings of retarded children, particularly older sisters, assumed multiple caretaking responsibilities. For these siblings, increased childcare responsibilities were associated with sibling conflict and decreased opportunities for peer contacts and out-of-home activities. As a group, however, siblings of retarded children did not differ from their agemates in frequency of contact with friends or participation in out-of-home activities. Retarded younger siblings had less contact with friends than did their nonhandicapped agemates. Within-group differences appeared to be more important in understanding sibling risk status than whether the child had a younger retarded sibling.

Child↗

PubMed1987

Family system and individual child correlates of sibling behavior.

In this study of the connections between marital adjustment and sibling behavior, the best predictor of younger siblings' prosocial behavior was found to be low interparental conflict. Older siblings' prosocial behavior was most associated with the mothers' marital adjustment. Younger siblings' agonistic behavior was related to marital adjustment and to the older children's activity level.

Child↗

PubMed1987

Mentally retarded children and their older same-sex siblings: naturalistic in-home observations.

In-home interactions of mentally retarded children and their older nonhandicapped siblings were observed, as were interactions between target children and their mothers and fathers. Thirty-two same-sex sibling pairs participated; 16 with a mentally retarded child. Comparison siblings were matched on age, sex, race, parent marital status, education, and family income. High rates of interaction occurred between siblings. Older siblings accommodated the presence of a retarded child through their selection of activities. Interactions between retarded children and siblings were characterized by accentuated role asymmetries and less joint object play; no differences in affect were found. Gender differences in roles occurred as did relationships between competency of the retarded child and sibling interaction. Indirect effects on the parent-child relationship were also detected.

Child↗

PubMed1986

Parental nonparticipation in program planning for mentally retarded children. An empirical investigation.

This study examined differences in family characteristics, maternal knowledge about the educational program planning process, and maternal knowledge about children's individualized educational plans (IEPs) among families where parents never attended program planning meetings, inconsistently attended these meetings, or attended all of their children's IEP meetings. Nonattending families tended to have lower incomes and less parental education and included more single parent families and nonwhite families. Mothers from nonattending families placed more responsibility for their children's educational programs on professionals and had less information about the program planning process than mothers from other families. These mothers also knew less about their children's educational goals and objectives, the assessment data available on their children, and the support services received by their offspring. Mothers who attended program planning meetings believed that they benefited from attending, but many believed that their presence made no difference as to the outcome of the meeting. Suggestions for increasing parent involvement are presented.

Child↗

PubMed1983

In-home observations of young Down syndrome children with their mothers and fathers.

Sixteen mothers, fathers, and their 4- to 7-year-old children were observed interacting in their homes during three family groupings: (a) mother and child, (b) father and child, and (c) mother, father, and child. Half the children had Down syndrome and half were nonhandicapped. Parents of children with Down syndrome structured their interactions with their offspring by assuming manager and teacher roles more often than did parents of nonhandicapped children. Children with Down syndrome were less contingently responsive to both parents than were nonhandicapped children. Mothers of Down syndrome children assumed the teacher role more often than fathers did. Fathers of both groups of children interacted less with their offspring in the triadic family grouping, whereas mothers were more consistent, assuming a parenting role across family contexts.

Child↗

PubMed1980