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Feeding readiness in preterm infants: the relationship between preterm behavioral state and feeding readiness behaviors and efficiency during transition from gavage to oral feeding.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this secondary analysis was to assess whether alert behavioral states were associated with an increased number of feeding readiness behaviors (FRBs) and whether the number of FRBs were associated with subsequent feeding efficiency in healthy premature infants born between 29 to 35 weeks gestation. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The data were collected as part of a larger study designed to compare the frequency of FRBs and feeding efficiency between control and experimental groups. Data from 21 stable premature infants were included in this secondary analysis. Infants were videotaped immediately prior to each of the first three oral feedings, from which infant behavioral state (IBS) and FRBs were assessed. Feeding efficiency was determined by calculating the ratio of feeding intake to feeding duration. RESULTS: IBS was not a significant predictor of the number of FRBs. The number of FRBs was predictive of feeding efficiency (p <.05). Group assignment was a marginally significant predictor of feeding efficiency (p < .10). Infant sex (p < .05), birthweight (p < .01), gestational age at birth (p <.01), and gestational age at entry (p < .05) were identified as significant predictors of the number of FRBs. Group assignment was marginally significant (p < .10). CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Feeding efficiency may be predicted by the increased number of FRBs immediately prior to feeding. An infant's attributes (sex, birth-weight, and gestational age) may relate to feeding efficiency and should be assessed when instituting oral feeding. Assessment of FRBs can be easily incorporated into routine clinical practice.

Attention↗

Integrating cognitive-behavioral and expressive therapy interventions:applying the trauma outcome process in treating children with sexually abusive behavior problems.

This article presents intervention strategies based on the Trauma Outcome Process, an integrated treatment model for guiding clinical practice with children with sexually abusive behavior problems. The steps for completing a comprehensive assessment are reviewed, and strategies are presented to help clinicians create a therapeutic alliance and increase these children's self-awareness of their thoughts, feelings, and body sensations. Treatment techniques based on an integrated approach combining cognitive-behavioral and expressive therapy approaches are described. These exercises help children accept responsibility for sexually inappropriate behavior and select adaptive responses for coping with the effects of traumatic experiences.

Awareness↗

Enhanced muscimol-induced behavioral responses after 6-OHDA lesions: relevance to susceptibility for self-mutilation behavior in neonatally lesioned rats.

Adult rats lesioned with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), either as neonates or as adults, demonstrated increased turning, compared to unlesioned controls, when muscimol was unilaterally microinjected into the substantia nigra reticulata (SNR). At the higher doses of muscimol, the lesioned rats were so intensely lateralized that circling was impeded. These data suggest a functional supersensitivity of receptors associated with GABA function in the SNR of 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. When 30 ng muscimol was administered bilaterally into the SNR, self-mutilation behavior (SMB) was observed in 2/11 of the control unlesioned rats, in 0/8 adult 6-OHDA-lesioned rats, and in 11/11 of the neonatally-lesioned rats tested. The ability of muscimol to produce SMB in the rats lesioned as neonates was dose related. Behavioral observations indicated that behaviors associated with SMB (self-biting and taffy pulling) were present in neonatal, but not adult lesioned rats. Behavioral responses to dopamine agonist administration were also different between rats lesioned as neonates and those lesioned as adults with 6-OHDA. These data support the view that lesions of dopaminergic neurons cause an increased functional responsiveness of receptors acted upon by muscimol in the SNR, and that the increased susceptibility for SMB in neonatally lesioned rats is determined by neurons distal to the GABA receptor complex in the SNR.

Animals↗

Homemaker role experiences affect toddler behaviors via maternal well-being and parenting behavior.

A model delineating the relationship between homemakers' role experiences and toddler behavior was developed, and tested using path analysis. We proposed that the relationship between homemakers' role experiences (skill use, perceived financial equity, homemaking satisfaction, and role overload) and toddler's internalizing and externalizing behaviors is mediated by maternal psychological well-being (positive mood, negative mood, and cognitive difficulties) and parenting behavior (positive, punishing, and rejecting). Using confirmatory path analysis, the proposed model fit the data [Q = .73, W(34) = 47.4; p > .05] obtained from a sample of 187 homemakers. The results suggest that, as for employed mothers, it is important to understand how homemakers experience their role, because those experiences indirectly predict children's behavior.

Adult↗

Psychometric validity and clinical usefulness of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales and the AAMD Adaptive Behavior Scale for an autistic sample.

Two prominent assessment measures of adaptive behavior were compared and evaluated in terms of their psychometric properties and their clinical usefulness for autistic children and adolescents. The AAMD Adaptive Behavior Scale-School Edition (Lambert & Windmiller, 1981) and the Vineland Adapative Behavior Scales (Sparrow, Balla, & Cicchetti, 1984) were compared in 15 autistic persons aged 8 to 18. Correlations between the two instruments revealed good concurrent validity. The psychometric properties of the tests were similar to those found in samples of mentally retarded persons. The use of adaptive behavior measures for autistic children and adolescents is encouraged. Clinical advantages and disadvantages of the two tests are discussed.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Sexual risk behavior of men who have sex with men: comparison of behavior at home and at a gay resort.

This study compared sexual behavior of gay and bisexual men (N = 551) while at their primary residence to their behavior while vacationing at a gay resort community. Participants reported behavior for the days they spent in the resort and for their last 60 days in their home residences. Overall, 11 times more non-main partners were reported for unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) per day while in the resort as for the "at home" period. Regression analysis identified negative attitudes toward condoms, less concern about AIDS, and daily number of non-main, male partners at home with whom UAI occurred as significant predictors of the daily number of non-main male partners with whom holidaymakers engaged in UAI while in the resort area. The results suggest that sexual risk taking by men who have sex with men (MSM) while on holiday may be elevated over that at home and that prevention efforts need to be promoted in gay resorts. Behavioral surveillance research would be helpful in better characterizing the current social contexts of sexual risk taking by MSM. Theory-based studies of the nature of risk-taking and sexual decision-making on "gay holiday" could inform the development of empirically proven and conceptually grounded interventions.

Adult↗

Sex differences in passive avoidance behavior of rats: sex-dependent susceptibility to shock-induced behavioral depression.

Male and female Wistar rats were trained in a standard passive avoidance task. One-half of the subjects was shocked (S) upon entering a dark compartment, the other half was not (NS). One hour after S and NS experience subjects were tested. During testing different behavioral elements were observed in order to elucidate the variables which might be responsible for the observation of sex differences in passive avoidance behavior (Experiment Ia). In addition, separate groups of NS and S male and female rats were used to establish effects of sex and shock presentation on locomotor activity (Experiment Ib). One hour after S and NS experience within a passive avoidance procedure these subjects were tested for open field ambulation. Results of both experiments indicated that shock-stress reduces locomotor activity of male and female rats, but to a lesser extent in female rats. Sex differences in behavioral responses to aversive stimuli may thus be a consequence of a sex-dependent susceptability to stress-induced behavioral depression.

Animals↗

Pain greater than pain behaviors: the utility and limitations of the pain behavior construct.

A great deal of attention has been given to the importance of learning factors in communications of pain and suffering--pain behaviors. The concept of pain behaviors has served a heuristic function, however, there remain a number of important questions to be answered regarding the assessment and conceptual limitations of the construct. These concerns and questions must be acknowledged if the construct is to be of use in enhancing our understanding of chronic pain syndromes and to be employed in treatment. Current conceptualizations of pain behaviors are examined and methods of assessing pain behaviors are evaluated. The validity and utility of the construct and its limitations are discussed. It is concluded that failure to consider psychosocial, psychophysiological, and medical-physical factors may lead to an inadequate understanding of the patient and results in inappropriate treatment interventions. Suggestions for refined understanding of the scope of the construct are provided.

Chronic Disease↗

Behavioral inhibition system (BIS), behavioral activation system (BAS) and schizophrenia: relationship with psychopathology and physiology.

OBJECTIVE: The Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) and the Behavioral Activation System (BAS) have been conceptualized as two neural motivational systems that regulate sensitivity to punishment (BIS) and reward (BAS). Imbalance in BIS and BAS levels has been reported to be related to various forms of psychopathology. Since sensitivity to stress has been supposed to be a pathway for the development of psychotic symptoms, the aim of this study is to examine BIS and BAS scores in schizophrenia and their relationship with psychopathology and physiology. METHOD: Forty-two patients with schizophrenia (26 men, 16 women), stable on atypical antipsychotics, and 37 healthy controls (17 men, 20 women) were assessed with the use of the Behavioral Inhibition and Behavioral Activation scales. Since increased average heart rate (HR) and decreased heart rate variability (HRV) have been reported in patients with schizophrenia and have been shown to correlate with inhibited behaviour, these psychophysiological measures were also obtained. The BIS/BAS data and HR/HRV data were both analyzed by a (M)ANOVA. Correlation coefficients were computed for associations between BIS/BAS data, HR/HRV data, and patient variables. RESULTS: On the BIS, patients showed higher sensitivity to threat than control subjects. Higher BIS sensitivity correlated with longer duration of illness, and lower negative symptoms on the PANSS. The BAS scores did not reveal differences between patients and controls. In patients, low BAS sensitivity correlated with low dosage of medication. On the physiological measures patients showed a significantly higher HR and lower HRV compared to controls, which was limited to clozapine treated patients. No correlations were found between HR/HRV scores and BIS/BAS scores or patient variables. CONCLUSIONS: Male as well as female patients with schizophrenia are more sensitive to threat than healthy controls. This may reflect a trait-related characteristic, and is not reflected in state-related psychophysiological measures.

Adult↗

Behavioral trajectories as predictors in event history analysis: male calling behavior forecasts medfly longevity.

A recent study on wild male Mediterranean fruit flies [Papadopoulos, N.T., Katsoyannos, B.I., Kouloussis, N.A., Carey, J.R., Müller, H.-G., Zhang, Y., 2004. High sexual signalling rates of young individuals predict extended life span in male Mediterranean fruit flies. Oecologia 138, 127-134] provided evidence that intense sexual signalling (calling behavior) is associated with longer life span. We demonstrate here an approach based on functional data analysis methodology for predicting individual remaining longevity and the distribution of remaining lifetime from individual behavioral trajectories. A key methodological concept is the time evolution of mean functions and eigenfunctions. This methodology is applied to the event history of calling behavior of male medflies. The results demonstrate complex relationships between male calling behavior and subsequent longevity that complement previous biodemographic analyses of these data. A high level of recent calling activity is found to be associated with increased remaining lifetime for an individual male fly, while calling activity at early ages plays no role for remaining longevity.

Animals↗

A behavioral and neuroanatomical assessment of an inbred substrain of 129 mice with behavioral comparisons to C57BL/6J mice.

The inbred 129 substrains have been characterized as poor learners that display hypoplasia of the corpus callosum. However, they are used extensively as a source of embryonic stem (ES) cells for creating mice carrying altered copies of a targeted gene ('knockout mice'). The present research investigated callosal agenesis and behavior in the 129/SvEvTac substrain and compared their behavior to that of C57BL/6J mice. In addition, the degree to which callosal agenesis affected behavior was assessed. Nearly 80% of 129/SvEvTac mice in the current sample exhibited callosal hypoplasia, although this was not subsequently found to be associated with any measure of cognition. They learned the Morris maze and a non-spatial pattern discrimination task, though at a level inferior to C57BL/6J mice. They were unable to learn shuttlebox avoidance or the Lashley III maze. The only measure on which they performed better than C57BL/6J mice was a simple water escape task. Thus, 129/SvEvTac mice, in addition to displaying aberrant neuroanatomy, perform poorly on many behavioral tasks, resulting in potential interpretational difficulties.

Agenesis of Corpus Callosum↗

Behavioral, physiological, and neuroendocrine stress responses and differential sensitivity to diazepam in two Wistar rat lines selectively bred for high- and low-anxiety-related behavior.

Two Wistar rat lines, selectively bred for high-anxiety-related behavior (HAB) and low-anxiety-related behavior (LAB) in the elevated plus-maze test, were tested for the susceptibility of their behavioral characteristics to anxiolytic treatment and for their endocrine and physiological reactivity to different stressors. Injection of 1 mg/kg diazepam failed to affect line differences in coping strategy but resulted in a marked (20-fold) decrease in plus-maze anxiety in HAB rats; whereas, the anxiolytic effect was less pronounced in LAB animals. Biotelemetrical measurements revealed that HAB and LAB rats do not significantly differ in their baseline body temperature, locomotor activity, food and water intake, or in stress-induced alterations of the diurnal rhythms in these parameters. However, line differences were found in acute changes in body temperature and locomotor activity following stress exposure, LAB rats responding with a greater, albeit shorter, increase in body temperature and activity than HAB animals. Basal ACTH and corticosterone plasma levels as well as pituitary reactivity to intravenously administered CRH (40 ng/kg) were similar in both lines, although, especially in response to plus-maze exposure, HAB rats tended toward higher ACTH secretion than LAB rats. These data confirm that animals with high or low basal levels of anxiety may be a promising model for studying the mechanisms of action of anxiolytic substances. Nevertheless, the endocrine findings support the notion that the reactivity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical system and anxiety-related behavior can be regulated independently.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

HIV treatment adherence in women living with HIV/AIDS: research based on the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills model of health behavior.

Close and consistent adherence to anti-HIV medication regimens is necessary to achieve the maximum benefit of these potentially effective treatments. The authors examined cognitive and behavioral factors associated with HIV treatment adherence in a convenience sample of 112 women, 72 of whom were currently taking HIV treatments at the time of the study. Women completed confidential surveys and interviews to assess HIV-related health status, treatment regimens, and cognitive behavioral characteristics derived from the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills model of health promotion behaviors. Results showed that women who had missed at least one dose of their HIV medications in the past week reported lower intentions (motivation) to remain adherent and lower adherence self-efficacy (skills). Structural equation modeling showed that motivational and skills-building factors significantly predicted the number of medication doses missed. However, treatment-related information did not predict treatment adherence. In addition, women who had missed a dose of medication in the past week were more likely to have ever used devices and strategies to remind them of doses, but were no more likely to currently use such strategies. Interventions that enhance treatment adherence motivation and build adherence skills may help improve HIV treatment adherence in women receiving anti-HIV therapies.

Adult↗

The Behavior Problems Checklist-Spanish: a preliminary study of a new scale for the assessment of depressive symptoms and disruptive behaviors in Hispanic patients with dementia.

Few instruments are available with which to measure behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms in Hispanic patients with dementia. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to develop and evaluate a 17-item scale adapted from the Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist. This measure, the Behavior Problems Checklist-Spanish (BPC-S), assesses caregiver-reported symptoms of depression and disruption in patients with dementia. The sample for this study comprised 27 Spanish-speaking Hispanic patients and their family caregivers evaluated at a university-affiliated memory disorders center. All patients met diagnostic criteria for possible or probable Alzheimer's disease as set forth by the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke-Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association. Satisfactory convergent validity, discriminant validity, and internal consistency reliability were demonstrated for the Depression and Disruption subscales of the BPC-S. Both of these neuropsychiatric disturbances were related to heightened levels of caregiver burden. The results of this preliminary study suggest the BPC-S is a brief, psychometrically sound caregiver-report instrument to assess symptoms of mood disturbance and behavioral disruption in Hispanic patients with dementia. This instrument may have utility for both clinical and research purposes.

Aged↗

A meta-analysis of the relationship between organizational citizenship behavior and counterproductive work behavior.

Job performance is increasingly being seen to encompass constructs such as organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and counterproductive work behavior (CWB). To clarify the OCB-CWB relationship, a meta-analysis was conducted. Results indicate a modest negative relationship (p = -0.32). The relationship strength did not increase appreciably when the target of the behavior (the organization vs. other employees) was the same. Moreover, OCB and CWB exhibited somewhat distinct patterns of relationships with antecedents. The OCB-CWB relationship was moderated by the source of the ratings, the presence of antithetical items, and the type of response options. An employee-centric perspective is proposed whereby both OCB and CWB are perceived as adaptive behavior. Implications for organizations are discussed.

Affect↗

Disentangling the effects of safety-behavior utilization and safety-behavior availability during exposure-based treatment: a placebo-controlled trial.

The primary aim of the current study was to further investigate the deleterious effects of safety-seeking behaviors on fear reduction by disentangling the effects of perceived availability of threat-relevant safety behaviors during treatment versus their actual use. Participants (N=72) displaying marked claustrophobic fear were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 conditions: (a) exposure only (EO), (b) exposure with phobic safety-behavior availability (SBA), (c) exposure with safety-behavior utilization (SBU), (d) credible placebo treatment (PL), or (e) wait list (WL). High end-state functioning rates at posttreatment were as follows: EO = 94%, SBA = 45%, SBU = 44%, PL = 25%, and WL = 0%. Findings suggest that it is the perception of the availability of safety aids as opposed to their actual use that exerts a disruptive effect on fear reduction. Clinical implications are discussed.

Adolescent↗

Behavioral insensitivity to restraint stress, absent fear suppression of behavior and impaired spatial learning in transgenic rats with hippocampal neuropeptide Y overexpression.

Exogenous neuropeptide Y (NPY) reduces experimental anxiety in a wide range of animal models. The generation of an NPY-transgenic rat has provided a unique model to examine the role of endogenous NPY in control of stress and anxiety-related behaviors using paradigms previously used by pharmacological studies. Locomotor activity and baseline behavior on the elevated plus maze were normal in transgenic subjects. Two robust phenotypic traits were observed. (i) Transgenic subjects showed a markedly attenuated sensitivity to behavioral consequences of stress, in that they were insensitive to the normal anxiogenic-like effect of restraint stress on the elevated plus maze and displayed absent fear suppression of behavior in a punished drinking test. (ii) A selective impairment of spatial memory acquisition was found in the Morris water maze. Control experiments suggest these traits to be independent. These phenotypic traits were accompanied by an overexpression of prepro-NPY mRNA and NPY peptide and decreased NPY-Y1 binding within the hippocampus, a brain structure implicated both in memory processing and stress responses. Data obtained using this unique model support and extend a previously postulated anti-stress action of NPY and provide novel evidence for a role of NPY in learning and memory.

Animals↗

Type A behavior pattern, risky driving behaviors, and serious road traffic accidents: a prospective study of the GAZEL cohort.

The type A behavior pattern (TABP), characterized by impatience, time urgency, and hostility, was originally developed in relation to coronary heart disease. Since 1986, there has been a debate on whether the TABP is also associated with risky driving behaviors leading to increased risks in road traffic accidents (RTAs). The authors examined prospectively the relation among risky driving behaviors, serious RTAs, and the TABP in a cohort of 20,000 French employees of Electricité de France-Gaz de France who were aged 39-54 years in 1993. A total of 11,965 participants were included in this study. The TABP was assessed in 1993 using the French version of the Bortner Rating Scale. Driving behaviors and serious RTAs were recorded in 2001. Sociodemographic and alcohol consumption data were available from the cohort's annual follow-up. The impact of the TABP on the risk of serious RTAs was assessed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model with time-dependent covariates. After adjustment for potential confounders, the risk for serious RTAs increased proportionally with TABP scores: hazard ratios were 1.29 (95% confidence interval: 1.03, 1.63) for intermediate-level scores and 1.48 (95% confidence interval: 1.16, 1.90) for high-level scores relative to low TABP scores. The authors concluded that type A drivers had an increased risk of RTAs. Implications of this finding for traffic safety are discussed.

Accidents, Traffic↗