Preterm babies are more prone to develop disorders and so require immediate intensive care. In the conventional neonatal intensive care, the baby is kept in the incubator, separated from the mother. Some actions have been taken in order to make this mother-child separation less traumatic. One of these actions is the Kangaroo mother care (KMC) characterized by skin-to-skin contact between a mother and her newborn. The objective of this study was to compare the mood variation of mothers enrolled in the KMC program to those in the conventional incubator care. In one general hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 90 mothers were evaluated before and after contact with the baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The participants were divided into three groups: 30 mothers of term newborns (TG), 30 mothers of preterm infants included in KMC program (PGK) and 30 preterms with incubator placement (PGI). The Brazilian version of the Visual Analogue Mood Scale (VAMS) was used for the assessment before and after the infant's visit. Results showed that TG mothers reported fewer occurrences of depressive states than PGK and PGI mothers. A significant mood variation was observed for PGK and PGI after the infant's visit. PGK mothers reported feeling calmer, stronger, well-coordinated, energetic, contented, tranquil, quick-witted, relaxed, proficient, happy, friendly and clear-headed. The only variation showed by PGI mothers was an increase in feeling clumsy. This study shows a positive effect of the KMC on the mood variation of preterm mothers and points to the need of a more humane experience during the incubator care.

Este artigo tem o objetivo de discutir algumas questões envolvidas na compreensão e concretização da inclusão social das pessoas com deficiências. Elegeu-se, para tanto, o estudo sobre a importância da mediação da cultura, da educação e do lazer no desenvolvimento sociocultural, focalizando-se algumas implicações no desenvolvimento pessoal e social. Uma análise crítica, bibliográfica e documental, resultou na apresentação de discussões sobre a consolidação de espaços sociais e relacionamentos favorecedores ou limitadores da inclusão social e escolar de tais pessoas com vistas ao atendimento ou à ampliação de suas necessidades especiais. Importantes decisões políticas e normativas nacionais e internacionais foram discutidas. Destacaram-se valores e atitudes que, objetiva ou subliminarmente, constroem e consolidam mecanismos de inclusão ou exclusão, concluindo-se que a educação, a cultura e o lazer são espaços estruturados com fundamental poder de mediação para a inclusão social da pessoa com deficiência assim como de todo e qualquer sujeito.

Although Rett syndrome (RS) has been considered a manifestation of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as well as a genetic model of ASD 1 , many aspects peculiar to each of these conditions make them very different and deserve to be even more clarified, so that diagnosis and therapeutic and educational interventions can be as effective as possible for one and other condition.RS is characterized by severe neuromotor, cognitive and communicative impairments. The severity of neuromotor impairments determines the level of global apraxia, resulting in loss or non-development of gait and purposeful use of hands, and in serious respiratory, gastrointestinal and orthopedic disturbances. Most of them do not develop any kind of speech. About 60%-70% develop with epileptic seizures. The empirical observation of RS patients points to a relative preservation of social domain, as they have a very intense look and somehow respond to social stimuli. The etiology of RS has strongly been associated with mutations in MECP2 gene 2,3,4 , and more recently with alterations in CDKL5 and FOGX1 in some cases 5,6 . Although it has been ABSTRACT Objective: To compare visual fixation at social stimuli in Rett syndrome (RT) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) patients. Method: Visual fixation at social stimuli was analyzed in 14 RS female patients (age range 4-30 years), 11 ASD male patients (age range 4-20 years), and 17 children with typical development (TD). Patients were exposed to three different pictures (two of human faces and one with social and non-social stimuli) presented for 8 seconds each on the screen of a computer attached to an eye-tracker equipment. Results: Percentage of visual fixation at social stimuli was significantly higher in the RS group compared to ASD and even to TD groups. Conclusion: Visual fixation at social stimuli seems to be one more endophenotype making RS to be very different from ASD.

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OBJECTIVE:To analyze risk and protective factors for mental health problems among adolescents. METHODS:Cross-sectional study with a random sample (N=327; attrition rate=6.9%) of sixth grade students from all public and private schools in the city of Barretos, Southeastern Brazil, conducted in 2004. The factors studied were: exposure to intrafamilial and urban violence, family socioeconomic level, sex, motherless household, participation in social activities (protective factor). All the independent risk and protective factors were included in the initial logistic regression model. Only the variable with a signifi cance level of p<0.05 remained in the model. RESULTS:It was observed that exposure to violence was the only factor associated with mental health problems in the fi nal logistic regression model (p=0.02, 95% CI: 1.12;4.22). In addition, adolescents exposed to intrafamilial violence were three times more likely to have problems than those exposed to urban violence (p=0.04; 95% CI: 1.03;7.55). CONCLUSIONS:Intrafamilial violence was associated with mental heath problems among adolescents studied and it could be more important than urban violence in medium-sized cities.

OBJECTIVE:To analyze risk and protective factors for mental health problems among adolescents. METHODS:Cross-sectional study with a random sample (N=327; attrition rate=6.9%) of sixth grade students from all public and private schools in the city of Barretos, Southeastern Brazil, conducted in 2004. The factors studied were: exposure to intrafamilial and urban violence, family socioeconomic level, sex, motherless household, participation in social activities (protective factor). All the independent risk and protective factors were included in the initial logistic regression model. Only the variable with a signifi cance level of p<0.05 remained in the model. RESULTS:It was observed that exposure to violence was the only factor associated with mental health problems in the fi nal logistic regression model (p=0.02, 95% CI: 1.12;4.22). In addition, adolescents exposed to intrafamilial violence were three times more likely to have problems than those exposed to urban violence (p=0.04; 95% CI: 1.03;7.55). CONCLUSIONS:Intrafamilial violence was associated with mental heath problems among adolescents studied and it could be more important than urban violence in medium-sized cities.

psicologia.v17n3p104-120. Sistema de avaliação: às cegas por pares (double blind review).