Title: [Characteristics of the family structure of school children with antecedents of severe and early malnutrition who currently demonstrate different intellectual levels]

POPLINE Document Number: 077730

Author(s):

De Andraca Oyarzun I
Gonzalez Lopez B
Salas Aliaga MI

Source citation:

ARCHIVOS LATINOAMERICANOS DE NUTRICION, 1991 Jun;41(2):168-81.

Abstract:

7 families with children who were severely malnourished and were recuperating in the Closed Nutritional Recovery Center of the Corporation for Infant Nutrition (CONIN) were divided into 2 groups based on psychomotor development and intellectual development. Group 1 (G1) included children with an intelligence quotient (IQ) between 70 and 80. Group 2 (G2) contained those with an IQ of 85 or higher. 3 filmed sessions of family interviews using semistructured methods were conducted to determine the status of children. The socioeconomic level was also evaluated by the Modified Graffar Scale and Specific Index. In 4 families the children's IQ was between 70 and 80 and in 3 it was 85 or higher; their socioeconomic level was low considering the material resources and the level of education of the fathers. 3 of the 4 fathers in G1 were unemployed, while there was no unemployment in G2. In G1 the parents gave more orders and provided significantly more help to their children (p < .10) than in G2. The results were similar in both groups for fathers; however, between the mothers of these 2 groups there was no significant difference. In G1 the parents provided significant help to their index child with severe malnutrition compared to G2 (P < .02), which also held true for fathers of G1 and G2 (p < .07), but there were no differences between mothers. There was a certain difference (P < .06) in G1 between the index child and his siblings regarding the help requested; in G1 the index child also requested help more often. This suggests that in G1 the loss of paternal status because of unemployment produced a disequilibrium in the traditional parental and conjugal subsystem and family structure.

Keywords:

Chile
Malnutrition
Child Nutrition
Child Development
Intelligence
Fathers
Socioeconomic Status
Family Characteristics
School Age Population
Mothers
South America, Southern
South America
Latin America
Americas
Developing Countries
Nutrition Disorders
Diseases
Nutrition
Health
Biology
Personality
Psychological Factors
Behavior
Parents
Family Relationships
Family and Household
Socioeconomic Factors
Economic Factors
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Population