Passage
The diagnosis of a child with a serious disability significantly impacts the child's parents. While positive psychological outcomes are sometimes possible, evidenced by research showing that for some parents a child's disability is eventually viewed as a chance for personal growth, research also indicates that many parents of children with disabilities are at greater risk for poor physical and mental health outcomes. Coping with a child's initial symptoms, providing ongoing care, and dealing with prejudice from others present significant stressors for parents. This stress may also disrupt marriages; results of a meta-analysis showed a modest, increased risk for divorce in parents of children with disabilities. Another line of research has identified significantly higher rates of anxiety and/or depression in parents of children with disabilities. The fact that parental distress often results in poorer outcomes for their children points to a need for evidence-based interventions for parents of children with disabilities.In Study 1, researchers compared the effectiveness of two interventions in reducing depressive symptoms in parents of children with cognitive disabilities. Researchers recruited 30 parents of children with intellectual disorders from the contact list of an affluent community wellness center and randomly assigned them to a meditation (M) group or a humanistic psychotherapy (HP) group. Both groups were led by peer mentors trained in specific interventions who taught and demonstrated the techniques to the participants during the weekly sessions. Participants completed self-report measures of depressive symptoms at baseline (pre-test) , 4 weeks into the intervention (midpoint) , at the end of the 8-week program (post-test 1) , and 4 weeks after the program ended (post-test 2) . The findings are shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 Depressive symptoms at pre-test, midpoint, post-test 1, and post-test 2 (Note: * indicates p < .05.) In Study 2, researchers examined the impact of coping strategies on distress in 80 parents of children with muscular dystrophy. Participants were asked to think of a recent stressful, threatening event and report whether they had classified their future expectancy for the event as "changeable" (situation is able to be modified) or "unchangeable" (situation is not able to be modified) . They were then asked whether they attempted to cope with the event primarily by regulating their emotions (emotion-focused) or by modifying aspects of the situation (problem-focused) , such as seeking help from others. Lastly, they were surveyed about their level of distress after they tried to cope with the stressor. Figure 2 illustrates the findings.
Figure 2 Average level of distress by coping strategy (emotion-focused vs. problem-focused) and future expectancy appraisal for the threatening event (Note: * indicates p < .05.)
-Which statement is best supported by Figure 1?

Question

Passage
The diagnosis of a child with a serious disability significantly impacts the child's parents. While positive psychological outcomes are sometimes possible, evidenced by research showing that for some parents a child's disability is eventually viewed as a chance for personal growth, research also indicates that many parents of children with disabilities are at greater risk for poor physical and mental health outcomes. Coping with a child's initial symptoms, providing ongoing care, and dealing with prejudice from others present significant stressors for parents. This stress may also disrupt marriages; results of a meta-analysis showed a modest, increased risk for divorce in parents of children with disabilities. Another line of research has identified significantly higher rates of anxiety and/or depression in parents of children with disabilities. The fact that parental distress often results in poorer outcomes for their children points to a need for evidence-based interventions for parents of children with disabilities.In Study 1, researchers compared the effectiveness of two interventions in reducing depressive symptoms in parents of children with cognitive disabilities. Researchers recruited 30 parents of children with intellectual disorders from the contact list of an affluent community wellness center and randomly assigned them to a meditation (M) group or a humanistic psychotherapy (HP) group. Both groups were led by peer mentors trained in specific interventions who taught and demonstrated the techniques to the participants during the weekly sessions. Participants completed self-report measures of depressive symptoms at baseline (pre-test) , 4 weeks into the intervention (midpoint) , at the end of the 8-week program (post-test 1) , and 4 weeks after the program ended (post-test 2) . The findings are shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Depressive symptoms at pre-test, midpoint, post-test 1, and post-test 2 (Note: * indicates p < .05.) In Study 2, researchers examined the impact of coping strategies on distress in 80 parents of children with muscular dystrophy. Participants were asked to think of a recent stressful, threatening event and report whether they had classified their future expectancy for the event as "changeable" (situation is able to be modified) or "unchangeable" (situation is not able to be modified) . They were then asked whether they attempted to cope with the event primarily by regulating their emotions (emotion-focused) or by modifying aspects of the situation (problem-focused) , such as seeking help from others. Lastly, they were surveyed about their level of distress after they tried to cope with the stressor. Figure 2 illustrates the findings.

Figure 2 Average level of distress by coping strategy (emotion-focused vs. problem-focused) and future expectancy appraisal for the threatening event (Note: * indicates p < .05.)
-Which statement is best supported by Figure 1?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

11ecba2d_0daf_004b_a3bf_31075b76cbfd_MD0008_00 Relaxation is a physiological state of reduced arousal and sympathetic activity. Research indicates that relaxation, which can be achieved through many different techniques (eg, massage, meditation), is effective for reducing stress. Meditation is a practice whereby individuals regulate their awareness and attention with the goal of achieving mental clarity and emotional calmness. Although meditation techniques vary, they can include focusing on one's own breathing or other present-moment stimuli (eg, the sound of rain), or mentally repeating a mantra (short saying or thought). Neuroimaging studies have shown that meditation not only results in relaxation, but also produces an altered state of consciousness, demonstrated by an increase in alpha brain waves. Regular meditation provides benefits outside of the meditative state, such as improved attention and emotional self-regulation. Depressive symptoms were measured only once during the therapeutic intervention, at the midpoint (ie, halfway through). Figure 1, which shows that the M group had significantly fewer depressive symptoms than the HP group (as indicated by the asterisks) at the midpoint, supports the statement that while in therapy, the M group experienced fewer depressive symptoms compared to the HP group. (Choice A) The M group had approximately similar (not reduced) levels of depressive symptoms from post-test 1 to post-test 2. (Choice C) Although the M and HP therapies resulted in similar levels of depressive symptoms at post-test 1, the HP group showed significantly fewer depressive symptoms than the M group at post-test 2 (as indicated by the asterisks between post-test 2 scores in Figure 1). (Choice D) There was no significant difference in the level of depressive symptoms at baseline between the two groups (no asterisks between pre-test scores in Figure 1), so the statement that the HP group had higher levels of depressive symptoms at baseline as compared to the M group is not supported. Educational objective: Meditation is a relaxation technique whereby individuals regulate their awareness and attention. Meditation may improve mental clarity and emotional calmness. Regular meditation provides benefits outside of the meditative state, such as improved attention and emotional self-regulation.

Passage The Diagnosis of a Child with a Serious Disability Significantly