The Marital Discord Model of Depression maintains that marital discord is an important antecedent in the development of depression. Although empirical evidence supports this premise, none of this research has been done with Latinos. The purpose of this study was to test the longitudinal relationship between marital satisfaction and depression among 99 Brazilian women. Using structural equation modeling, results indicated that marital satisfaction was a strong predictor of depression 2 years later. Marital satisfaction was also related to cooccurring depression. These results provide evidence that the Marital Discord Model of Depression is an appropriate theoretical model for the conceptualization of marital discord and depression with Latina women and suggest the potential utility of using couples therapy for treating depression among this population.

Background:The WHO recommends exclusive breast-feeding for babies up to 6 months of age. The association between maternal mental health and breast-feeding duration is contradictory. This is a casecontrol study to investigate this association.Methods: 153 families with 4-month-old babies from an urban area in southern Brazil were investigated: in 51 families, breast-feeding had being discontinued (cases); in 102, babies were being breastfed (controls). Two researchers evaluated maternal and paternal mental health during home visits using semistructured interviews and scales.Results: Disorders were found in 59% of case mothers versus 48% of control mothers. Depression was the most prevalent disorder affecting both mothers and fathers. We did not identify a statistically significant association between maternal mental disorder at 4 months after delivery and early termination of breast-feeding. When the mother had mental problems during the first month after delivery, however, she was twice as likely to interrupt breast-feeding. Among the mothers with mental disorders during puerperium, 76% still had the problem 4 months postpartum. An association was observed between maternal and paternal mental health.Conclusions :

Este estudo longitudinal investigou a contribuição de fatores psicossociais para o desempenho em leitura de crianças. Participaram 59 mães e seus filhos aos 4 meses, 2, 5-6 e 9-11 anos. Correlacionou-se o desempenho em leitura das crianças a variáveis psicossociais. Encontrou-se correlações negativas entre morbidade psiquiátrica materna na primeira infância e leitura de palavras irregulares e entre o número de familiares que residiam com a criança aos 2 e 5-6 anos e o desempenho na leitura de palavras. A renda familiar aos 2 anos correlacionou-se positivamente com compreensão textual. Entretanto, apenas o número de familiares que residiam com a criança foi preditor do desempenho em leitura de palavras. Conclui-se que o desempenho em leitura relaciona-se a fatores psicossociais.

The absence of a translated and validated instrument for measuring marital satisfaction in Brazil, the largest country in South America and fifth most populous country in the world, is a significant barrier for research and mental health service delivery. The purpose of this study was to translate and validate a marital satisfaction scale into Portuguese that would have both empirical credibility and cultural relevance in Brazil. A six-step serial approach was used to simultaneously translate and culturally validate the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS). The translated instrument (RDAS-P) demonstrated good psychometric properties during field testing.

RESUMOO atendimento a pacientes que procuram serviços primários de saúde deveria compreender uma avaliação global, tanto física como psicológica. Diversos estudos internacionais sobre prevalência de transtornos mentais entre pacientes atendidos em serviços de saúde que prestam cuidados primá-rios (1) mostram que de 10 a 31% dos pacientes apresentam pelo menos um tipo de diagnóstico psiquiátrico (principalmente depressão e ansiedade). Além disso, sabe-se que as dificuldades nas interações sociais podem manifestar-se sob a forma de doenças psicossomáticas, problemas emocionais ou de relacionamento, de forma isolada ou em combinação (2, 3).O desenvolvimento de problemas psiquiátricos é influenciado pelas particularidades do indivíduo e de suas interações com a família, sendo que as dificuldades são maiores quando já há outros membros da família com doença psiquiátrica. O processo de adoecimento também é afetado pelas relações de vizinhança, de trabalho e pelas relações do indivíduo com instituições como a escola e os centros de saúde.Para muitos pacientes, o sucesso do tratamento depende do entendimento da dinâmica familiar e da função que a doença assume na família e na vida do próprio paciente. O envolvimento da família no tratamento de todas as manifestações de uma doença, sejam elas de caráter psiquiátrico ou não, freRev Panam Salud Publica/Pan Am J

One hundred fifty-three Brazilian families with 4-month-old infants--51 cases (breastfeeding had ceased) and 102 controls (breastfeeding maintained)--were recruited to verify if a problematic couple relationship is associated with early breastfeeding termination. The relationships of the 118 cohabiting couples were assessed by clinical interviews and the Global Assessment of Relational Functioning and Beavers-Timberlawn scales, examining marital and parental functions, parents' satisfaction with the quality of care each partner provided to their infants, mothers' opinions of paternal breastfeeding support, and interviewers' assessments of paternal breastfeeding support and involvement in the infants' care. The quality of a couple relationship was not associated with the interruption of breastfeeding before 4 months postpartum. However, a good couple relationship was associated with more paternal breastfeeding support (P < .01) and involvement in the infant's care (P < .0001).

Family functioning and maternal psychopathology in early and middle childhood and children's stress levels were associated with children's working memory and executive functioning.

OBJECTIVE:To identify factors associated with the lack of active father involvement in infant care at four months of age.