This cross-cultural study investigates how maternal task assignment relates to toddlers' requested behavior and helping between 18 and 30 months. One hundred seven mother-child dyads were assessed in three different cultural contexts (rural Brazil, urban Germany, and urban Brazil). Brazilian mothers showed assertive scaffolding (serious and insistent requesting), whereas German mothers employed deliberate scaffolding (asking, pleading, and giving explanations). Assertive scaffolding related to toddlers' requested behavior in all samples. Importantly, assertive scaffolding was associated with toddlers' helping in rural Brazil, whereas mothers' deliberate scaffolding related to toddlers' helping behavior in urban Germany. These findings highlight the role of caregivers' socialization practices for the early ontogeny of helping behavior and suggest culture-specific developmental pathways along the lines of interpersonal responsibility and personal choice.

Educadores de abrigo: seu trabalho e a criança institucionalizada Rev Bras Crescimento Desenvolvimento Hum. 2011; 21( Palavras-chave: criança; abrigo. ABSTRACT:The aim of this article is to study the perception of shelter care educators regarding the work performed by them as well as their effect on the institutionalized children under their care. Questionnaires were administered to 102 educators working in the largest shelter care facility in Belem during the period from 2004 to 2006. The results indicated that in the educator's view, in general service was satisfactory, and whereas basic physical needs were being met, provisions for affective and intellectual growth were not adequate. In particular, children in these facilities had little privacy, nor were they afforded sufficient individual attention. Furthermore, the educator's work appeared to exert minimal influence on the children's cognitive and emotional development. Such information may be useful for formulating more effective pedagogical policies, emphasizing a more integrated link between child care and education.

Processos de saúde e doença entre crianças institucionalizadas: uma visão ecológicaHealth and disease processes among institutionalized children: an ecological vision

RESUMOO estudo apresenta uma análise comparativa dos aspectos que caracterizaram a população infantil atendida em uma instituição de acolhimento na Região Metropolitana de Belém-Pará, nos anos de 2004 (n = 287) e 2009 (n = 249). Foram comparadas variáveis referentes às características sociodemográficas das crianças, ao motivo do acolhimento, a idade à entrada na instituição e o tempo de permanência. Os resultados mostram que o perfil da população atendida sofreu alterações importantes: em cinco anos, aumentou a idade em que as crianças ingressaram na instituição, o que pode evitar ou atenuar as sequelas geradas pela privação do cuidado parental, porém também estendeu o tempo que elas se mantiveram atendidas pelo serviço, sendo este um aspecto que agrava a sua condição de vulnerabilidade. Estes dados corroboram o argumento de que é necessário acompanhar ao longo do tempo estas e outras características dessa população infantil, para adequar a gestão dos serviços de acolhimento às suas demandas desenvolvimentais.Palavras-chave: Abrigo. Acolhimento institucional. Crianças abrigadas. Desenvolvimento infantil. Vulnerabilidade. Características da população. ABSTRACT Comparative Analysis of the Profile of Children in Institutional Care the Years of 2004 and 2009The study presents a comparative analysis of the aspects that characterized the child population served in a host institution in the metropolitan region of Belém, Pará, the years of 2004 (n = 287) and 2009 (n = 249). Variables were compared regarding sociodemographic characteristics of children, the reason for the host, age at entry into the institution and length of stay. The results show that the profile of the population served has undergone major changes: in five years, increased the age at which children entered the institution, which may prevent or mitigate the consequences generated by deprivation of parental care, but also extended the time they remained satisfied by the service, and this is one aspect that aggravates their condition of vulnerability. These data support the argument that it is necessary to monitor over time these and other characteristics of this population, to tailor the management of care services to their developmental demands. El estudio presenta un análisis comparativo de los aspectos que caracterizan a la población infantil servido en un centro de acogida en la región metropolitana de Belém, Pará, en los años de 2004 (n = 287) y 2009 (n = 249). Las variables se compararon con respecto a las características sociodemográficas de los niños, el motivo de la acogida, la edad de ingreso en la institución y la duración de la estancia. Los resultados muestran que el perfil de la población atendida ha sufrido grandes cambios: en cinco años, el aumento de la edad en que los niños entraron en la institución, lo que puede prevenir o mitigar las consecuencias generadas por la privación de cuidados parentales, pero también se extiende el tiempo que siendo satisfecho por el servicio, y este es un aspecto que agrava su condición de vulnerabilidad. E...

Introduction: Child development is considered a sequence of changes in behaviour and underlying processes that are infl uenced by biological and environmental factors. The screening and monitoring of neuropsychomotor development (NPMD) procedures have been shown to be effective in the early identifi cation of different diseases in childhood.Objective: relate the condition of the NPMD in children aged 36-48 months attending Early Childhood Education Units (ECEU) in Belém, Pará, Brazil to certain personal characteristics and variables of their ecological environment. Methods:The following instruments were applied: Questionnaire of the biopsychosocial characteristics of the child, the Instrument for Measuring Urban Poverty Level, and fi nally, Developmental Screening Denver II Test. Result:The study revealed that of the 319 children evaluated, 77.74% had probable delays in development. The variables that were statistically signifi cant were paternal education (0.000**), the child's primary caregiver (0.039*) and pregnancy planning (0.007*). Regarding the instrument of measurement for the level of urban poverty, the scores ranged from 28 to 52 points, and showed a statistically significant relation with the outcome (0.003*). Conclusion:The high prevalence of probable developmental delays seen in children of the city's ECEU showed the need to introduce early stimulation programs, encouraging the monitoring of child development through the screening, and, in addition, to alert for the issue of negative interference of socioeconomic factors related to family condition and city they reside in on child growth and development. INTRODUCTIONChild development is a complex term that comprises defi nitions originated in several areas, such as paediatrics, physiotherapy and psychology. The most recent studies emphasize development as a process of change and permanence, demonstrating that the acquisition and use of skills integrate various systems and functions of the individual in constant interaction with the physical and social environment. [1][2][3][4][5][6] There are many factors that infl uence the child's health and development, which may be related to heredity and biological adaptation, in addition to environmental conditions (experience and sensory-motor stimulation, nutrition, socioeconomic conditions, affective disorders). The impact of these factors on child development has been the subject of many studies in recent decades, pointing out that identifi cation and early intervention are key to the prognosis of children with development disorders. [7][8][9] It is important to note that the assessment of the child's development seems ineffi cient when it is based only on clinical impressions. Less than 30% of children with mental retardation, language disorders or other developmental problems had such situations detected by the clinical trial. [7][8][9][10] With the purpose of promoting some form of early intervention for the so-called deviations of development, the use of standardized instruments have been -182...

No abstract

Autores de agressão sexual a crianças e adolescentes têm recebido maior atenção por parte dos estudiosos do desenvolvimento humano. Este estudo analisou dados de 206 processos de uma vara especializada em crimes contra a criança e o adolescente, entre 2012 e 2014. O Formulário de Caracterização Biopsicossocial tornou possível o registro dos dados extraídos desses documentos. Para análise dos dados, utilizou-se estatística descritiva e o Modelo de Regressão Logística, indicando a Razão de Chance (OR) e a probabilidade da agressão sexual por contexto. Predominaram as agressões ocorridas no contexto extrafamiliar (53%), sendo os conhecidos das famílias das vítimas os acusados mais frequentes (81%). Já no contexto intrafamiliar, destacam-se os pais ou padrastos (53%). Verifi cou-se ainda que pessoas acusadas acima dos 30 anos possuíam aproximadamente duas vezes mais chance de pertencer ao contexto intrafamiliar da vítima quando comparado aos com idade abaixo de 30 anos (OR=2,949). Novos estudos podem refi nar as conclusões preliminares destas análises.

ABSTRACT