Correlations between the BDI and CES-D in a sample of adolescent mothers

Adolescent mothers were administered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC). They also were asked if they preferred the BDI or CES-D. The findings indicated that BDI and CES-D scores were significantly correlated, and that more adolescent mothers preferred the CES-D. Both the BDI and CES-D were correlated with the DISC; however, the BDI was more highly correlated with the Major Depression subscale, and the CES-D with the Dysthymia subscale.

Polydrug-using adolescent mothers and their infants receiving early intervention

This study investigated the effects of an intervention for polydrug-using adolescent mothers. The program included educational, vocational, and parenting classes; social and drug rehab; and day care for their infants while they attended school half-day. The drug-exposed infants were similar to the nonexposed infants on traditional birth measures, although they had inferior Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale scores, including habituation, orientation, abnormal reflexes, general irritability, and regulatory capacity. The drug-exposed infants also spent less time in quiet sleep and more time crying and showing stress behaviors. Both the mothers and the infants in the drug groups demonstrated inferior interactions, and their dopamine and serotonin levels were significantly higher. As early as 3 months (following 3 months of intervention), the drug rehab mothers and their infants looked more like the nondrug group in their interactions; by 6 months, they looked similar on virtually every measure. At 12 months, the infants of drug rehab mothers (versus the drug control group) had superior Early Social Communication Scale scores and Bayley Mental scale scores, as well as significantly greater head circumference and fewer pediatric complications. The drug rehab mothers also improved on several lifestyle variables. They demonstrated a lower incidence of continued drug use and repeat pregnancy, and a greater number continued school, received a high school or general equivalency diploma, or were placed in a job. Thus, a relatively cost-effective high school based intervention had positive effects on both adolescent mothers who had used drugs and their infants.

Adolescent psychiatric patients' interactions with their mothers

Thirty-eight adolescent psychiatric patients and their mothers engaged in two dyadic interactions. The participants rated themselves and each other on four behavioral dimensions (calmness, friendliness, involvement, and bossiness) during a videotaped playback. An independent observer rated the dyads on the same dimensions. Analyses were conducted based on classification of adolescents as internalizers/externalizers, depressed/nondepressed, and socially anxious/nonanxious. Internalizing adolescent dyads were significantly calmer, friendlier, and more involved than were externalizing adolescent dyads. The dyads in which the adolescents scored lower on the depression scale were calmer, friendlier, and more involved than were the dyads with adolescents who had higher depression scores. No differences were noted between high and low socially anxious dyads. The findings indicated that the videotaping procedure could help familiarize clinical staff with the dynamics of parent-adolescent interactions.

Brief report: HIV-exposed newborns show inferior orienting and abnormal reflexes on the Brazelton Scale

Assessed 48 infants of HIV-positive and HIV-negative mothers on the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale. Infants exposed to HIV-positive mothers were disadvantaged from birth due to their mothers having obstetric complications and to the infants having orienting problems and abnormal reflexes on the Brazelton Newborn Scale. These problems may be early precursors of the later visual-spatial delays and hypertonicity noted in these infants.

Massage therapy improves behavior in neonates born to HIV-positive mothers

Assigned randomly 28 neonates born to HIV-positive mothers to a massage therapy or control group. The treatment infants were given three 15-minute massages daily for 10 days. The massaged group showed superior performance on almost every Brazelton newborn cluster score and had a greater daily weight gain at the end of the treatment period unlike the control group who showed declining performance.

Massage therapy reduces anxiety and enhances EEG pattern of alertness and math computations

Twenty-six adults were given a chair massage and 24 control group adults were asked to relax in the massage chair for 15 minutes, two times per week for five weeks. On the first and last days of the study they were monitored for EEG, before, during and after the sessions. In addition, before and after the sessions they performed math computations, they completed POMS Depression and State Anxiety Scales and they provided a saliva sample for cortisol. At the beginning of the sessions they completed Life Events, Job Stress and Chronic POMS Depression Scales. Group by repeated measures and post hoc analyses revealed the following: 1) frontal delta power increased for both groups, suggesting relaxation; 2) the massage group showed decreased frontal alpha and beta power (suggesting enhanced alertness); while the control group showed increased alpha and beta power; 3) the massage group showed increased speed and accuracy on math computations while the control group did not change; 4) anxiety levels were lower following the massage but not the control sessions, although mood state was less depressed following both the massage and control sessions; 5) salivary cortisol levels were lower following the massage but not the control sessions but only on the first day; and 6) at the end of the 5 week period depression scores were lower for both groups but job stress score were lower only for the massage group.

Massage therapy is associated with enhancement of the immune system's cytotoxic capacity

Twenty-nine gay men (20 HIV+, 9 HIV-) received daily massages for one month. A subset of 11 of the HIV+ subjects served as a within subject control group (one month with and without massages). Major immune findings for the effects of the month of massage included a significant increase in Natural Killer Cell number, Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxicity, soluble CD8, and the cytotoxic subset of CD8 cells. There were no changes in HIV disease progression markers (CD4, CD4/CD8 ratio, Beta-2 microglobulin, neopterin). Major neuroendocrine findings, measured via 24 hour urines included a significant decrease in cortisol, and nonsignificant trends toward decrease of catecholamines. There were also significant decreases in anxiety and increases in relaxation which were significantly correlated with increases in NK cell number. Thus, there appears to be an increase in cytotoxic capacity associated with massage. Implications for HIV+ men as those with other illnesses, particularly cancer, are discussed.

Tactile-kinesthetic stimulation effects on sympathetic and adrenocortical function in preterm infants

The purpose of our study was to investigate the neuroendocrine response in preterm infants to a pattern of tactile-kinesthetic stimulation that facilitates their growth and development. Preterm infants (mean gestational age 30 weeks, mean birth weight 1176 gm) received normal nursery care or tactile-kinesthetic stimulation for three 15-minute periods at the start of three consecutive hours each day for 10 days. On day 1 and day 10 of the study, a 24-hour urine sample was collected for norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, cortisol, and creatinine assay and a blood sample was taken by heel stick for cortisol and growth hormone assay. Urine norepinephrine and epinephrine values increased significantly only in the stimulated babies. Urine dopamine and cortisol values increased in both groups, and serum growth hormone decreased in both groups. Individual differences in urine norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, and cortisol values were highly stable across the 10 days despite a 10-fold range of values among the infants. The results of this study suggest that tactile-kinesthetic stimulation of preterm infants has fairly specific effects on maturation and/or activity of the sympathetic nervous system. In addition, this study has defined catecholamine and cortisol secretion across gestational age in normal preterm infants. Finally, these data suggest that highly stable individual levels of catecholamine and cortisol secretion are established by birth in humans.

Tactile/kinesthetic stimulation effects on preterm neonates

Tactile/kinesthetic stimulation was given to 20 preterm neonates (mean gestational age, 31 weeks; mean birth weight, 1,280 g; mean time in neonatal intensive care unit, 20 days) during transitional ("grower") nursery care, and their growth, sleep-wake behavior, and Brazelton scale performance was compared with a group of 20 control neonates. The tactile/kinesthetic stimulation consisted of body stroking and passive movements of the limbs for three, 15-minute periods per day for a 10 days. The stimulated neonates averaged a 47% greater weight gain per day (mean 25 g v 17 g), were more active and alert during sleep/wake behavior observations, and showed more mature habituation, orientation, motor, and range of state behavior on the Brazelton scale than control infants. Finally, their hospital stay was 6 days shorter, yielding a cost savings of approximately $3,000 per infant. These data suggest that tactile/kinesthetic stimulation may be a cost effective way of facilitating growth and behavioral organization even in very small preterm neonates.