| 1. |
- Cantor-Graae, Elizabeth, et al.
(författare)
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Risk for schizophrenia in intercountry adoptees: a Danish population-based cohort study
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines. - : Wiley. - 0021-9630 .- 1469-7610. ; 48:11, s. 1053-1060
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Increasing numbers of intercountry adoptees are reaching adulthood, the age of onset for most serious mental disorders. Little is known about the development of schizophrenia in intercountry adoptees, a group with potentially increased vulnerability. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of developing schizophrenia in adoptees and in non-adoptees. Methods: Utilising data from the Danish Civil Registration System, we established a population-based cohort of 1.06 million persons resident in Denmark before the age of 15, whose legal mother lived in Denmark at the child's birth. Intercountry adoptees were identified as children born abroad. Record linkage provided information on psychiatric admissions. Results: Intercountry adoptees had an increased relative risk (RR) (RR = 2.90, 95% CI 2.41-3.50) of developing schizophrenia compared to native Danes. The increased risk was independent of age at onset and age at, or region of, adoption, and was not attributable to mental illness in a foster parent, the foster parent's age, or to urbanisation. The foster mother's own biological offspring had also an increased risk of developing schizophrenia (1.92, 95% Cl 1.23-3.02). Conclusions: Young adult intercountry adoptees are at increased risk for schizophrenia. Although the underlying cause is unknown, a complex interplay of factors presumably may be involved, including heredity, adversity prior to adoption, and post-adoption adjustment difficulties during upbringing.
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| 2. |
- Göran, Söderlund, et al.
(författare)
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Listen to the Noise: Noise is Beneficial for Cognitive Performance in ADHD
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines. - : Wiley. - 0021-9630 .- 1469-7610. ; 48:8, s. 840-847
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Noise is typically conceived of as being detrimental to cognitive performance. However, given the mechanism of stochastic resonance, a certain amount of noise can benefit performance. We investigate cognitive performance in noisy environments in relation to a neurocomputational model of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dopamine. The Moderate Brain Arousal model (MBA; Sikstro¨m & So¨derlund, 2007) suggests that dopamine levels modulate how much noise is required for optimal cognitive performance. We experimentally examine how ADHD and control children respond to different encoding conditions, providing different levels of environmental stimulation. Methods: Participants carried out self-performed mini tasks (SPT), as a high memory performance task, and a verbal task (VT), as a low memory task. These tasks were performed in the presence, or absence, of auditory white noise. Results: Noise exerted a positive effect on cognitive performance for the ADHD group and deteriorated performance for the control group, indicating that ADHD subjects need more noise than controls for optimal cognitive performance. Conclusions: The positive effect of white noise is explained by the phenomenon of stochastic resonance (SR), i.e., the phenomenon that moderate noise facilitates cognitive performance. The MBA model suggests that noise in the environment, introduces internal noise into the neural system through the perceptual system. This noise induces SR in the neurotransmitter systems and makes this noise beneficial for cognitive performance. In particular, the peak of the SR curve depends on the dopamine level, so that participants with low dopamine levels (ADHD) require more noise for optimal cognitive performance compared to controls. Keywords: ADHD, stochastic resonance, dopamine, episodic memory, SPT, noise. Abbreviations: MBA: moderate brain arousal; SR: stochastic resonance; SPT: subject-performed task; VT: verbal task (VT).
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| 3. |
- Billstedt, Eva, 1961, et al.
(författare)
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Autism in adults: symptom patterns and early childhood predictors. Use of the DISCO in a community sample followed from childhood.
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines. - : Wiley. - 0021-9630 .- 1469-7610. ; 48:11, s. 1102-1110
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Few studies have looked at the very long-term outcome of individuals with autism who were diagnosed in childhood. METHODS: A longitudinal, prospective, community-based follow-up study of adults who had received the diagnosis of autism (classic and atypical) in childhood (n = 105) was conducted. A structured interview (the Diagnostic Interview for Social and COmmunication disorders--the DISCO) was used in order to evaluate symptoms and symptom patterns 13-22 years after original diagnosis. Childhood measures, including IQ-level at time of childhood diagnosis and communicative speech registered before age 5 years, were studied in relation to the presence of autism symptoms at follow-up. RESULTS: The classical and atypical autism groups were fairly homogeneously impaired in terms of symptoms in the social interaction category whereas other common childhood autism symptoms, including maladaptive and stereotyped behaviours, were more variable in the study group at follow-up. Odd responses to sensory stimuli were still extremely common. Speech before 5 years of age, IQ, gender, diagnosed medical disorder and onset of epilepsy before 5 years were variables that correlated to outcome on the DISCO algorithm for autistic spectrum disorders (Wing & Gould, 1979) concerning style and quality of social interaction, communication style and pattern of self-chosen activities. CONCLUSIONS: Social interaction problems were still present in the vast majority of adults with autism/atypical autism, but behavioural impairments were much more variable in adulthood. Almost all cases were reported to show persistent perceptual problems. Certain childhood measures were found to prospectively predict adult social interaction style, communication type, and pattern of self-chosen activities, which still met diagnostic criteria for autism/atypical autism in adulthood.
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| 4. |
- Brocki, Karin C., et al.
(författare)
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Early concurrent and longitudinal symptoms of ADHD and ODD : Relations to different types of inhibitory control and working memory
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. - : Wiley. - 0021-9630 .- 1469-7610. ; 48:10, s. 1033-1041
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate how three different types of inhibitory control - interference control within task, interference control outside task, and prepotent response inhibition - and two types of working memory - verbal and spatial - would relate to early symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), both concurrently and longitudinally. Methods: Seventy-two preschoolers, 1/3 who had been identified as being at risk for developing ADHD and/or ODD, completed neuropsychological tasks designed to measure inhibitory control and working memory. Behavioral symptoms were measured through parental and teacher ratings of the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD and ODD. Results: Our results suggest distinct types of inhibitory control as being good predictors of concurrent and longitudinal symptoms of ADHD, rather than ODD. However, no associations were obtained between working memory and ADHD or ODD symptoms either concurrently or longitudinally. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the need to isolate complex executive processes and break them down into components in order to properly understand the neuropsychological roots involved in ADHD and ODD.
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| 5. |
- Hysing, Mari, et al.
(författare)
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Chronic physical illness and mental health in children. Results from a large-scale population study.
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines. - : Wiley. - 0021-9630 .- 1469-7610. ; 48:8, s. 785-792
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in detecting emotional and behavioural problems among children with chronic illness (CI). METHODS: Parents and teachers of a population of primary school children in Norway (n = 9430) completed a questionnaire including the SDQ, and a question about chronic illness. A total of 74% (n = 7007) of the parents participated. A sub-sample (n = 1040) was given a psychiatric diagnostic evaluation according to the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA). RESULTS: According to parent reports, 537 (8%) children had a CI. The SDQ revealed an increased risk of emotional and behavioural problems in children with CI as compared with non-CI peers, both among boys (OR = 2.10 CI 95% 1.56-2.83) and girls (OR = 2.11 CI 95% 1.49-2.99). Children with CI also showed an increased risk of psychiatric disorder as assessed by the DAWBA (OR = 1.70 CI 95% 1.04-2.85). Both the sensitivity and specificity of the SDQ in predicting a psychiatric diagnosis were high, even when only information from parents was included. CONCLUSION: Children with CI in the general population are at increased risk of behavioural and emotional problems and psychiatric disorders. Given its high sensitivity and specificity the SDQ might work well as a screening instrument for behaviour/emotional problems and psychiatric disorder in children with CI.
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| 6. |
- Munoz, Luna C., et al.
(författare)
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Verbal ability and delinquency : testing the moderating role of psychopathic traits
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. - : Wiley. - 0021-9630 .- 1469-7610. ; 49:4, s. 414-421
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Impaired verbal abilities are one of the most consistent risk factors for serious antisocial and delinquent behavior. However, individuals with psychopathic traits often show serious antisocial behavior, despite showing no impairment in their verbal abilities. Thus, the aim of the current study was to examine whether psychopathy moderates the relationship between verbal abilities and delinquent behavior in a sample of detained youth. Methods The sample included 100 detained adolescent boys who were assessed on self-reported delinquent acts and psychopathic traits, as well as their age at first offense based on official records. Participants also completed a competitive computer task involving two levels of provocation, during which skin conductance was measured. A standard measure of receptive vocabulary was individually administered. Results As predicted, there was a significant interaction between callous-unemotional (CU) traits (a critical dimension of psychopathy) and verbal ability when predicting violent delinquency. Individuals who were high on CU traits with higher scores on the measure of verbal abilities reported the greatest violent delinquency. These individuals also showed the lowest level of skin conductance reactivity during the provocation task. Conclusions The results suggest CU traits are an important moderator of the relation between verbal abilities and violent delinquency.
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| 7. |
- Parkes, Jackie, et al.
(författare)
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Psychological problems in children with cerebral palsy: a cross-sectional European study.
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines. - : Wiley. - 1469-7610 .- 0021-9630. ; 49:4, s. 405-13
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: To describe psychological symptoms in 8-12-year-old children with cerebral palsy; to investigate predictors of these symptoms and their impact on the child and family. DESIGN: A cross-sectional multi-centre survey. PARTICIPANTS: Eight hundred and eighteen children with cerebral palsy, aged 8-12 years, identified from population-based registers of cerebral palsy in eight European regions and from multiple sources in one further region. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)(P4-16) and the Total Difficulties Score (TDS) dichotomised into normal/borderline (TDS < or = 16) versus abnormal (TDS > 16). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Multilevel, multivariable logistic regression to relate the presence of psychological symptoms to child and family characteristics. RESULTS: About a quarter of the children had TDS > 16 indicating significant psychological symptoms, most commonly in the domain Peer Problems. Better gross motor function, poorer intellect, more pain, having a disabled or ill sibling and living in a town were independently associated with TDS > 16. The risk of TDS > 16 was odds ratio (OR) = .2 (95% CI: .1 to .3) comparing children with the most and least severe functional limitations; OR = 3.2 (95%CI: 2.1 to 4.8) comparing children with IQ < 70 and others; OR = 2.7 (95% CI: 1.5 to 4.6) comparing children in severe pain and others; OR = 2.7 (95% CI:1.6 to 4.6) comparing children with another disabled sibling or OR = 1.8 (95%CI: 1.2 to 2.8) no siblings and others; OR = 1.8 (95% CI: 1.1 to 2.8) comparing children resident in a town and others. Among parents who reported their child to have psychological problems, 95% said they had lasted over a year, 37% said they distressed their child and 42% said they burdened the family at least 'quite a lot'. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of children with cerebral palsy have psychological symptoms or social impairment sufficiently severe to warrant referral to specialist services. Care must be taken in the assessment and management of children with cerebral palsy to ensure psychological problems are not overlooked and potentially preventable risk factors like pain are treated effectively. The validity of the SDQ for children with severe disability warrants further assessment.
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| 8. |
- Posserud, Maj-Britt, et al.
(författare)
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Autistic features in a total population of 7-9-year-old children assessed by the ASSQ (Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire).
- 2006
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Ingår i: Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines. - : Wiley. - 0021-9630 .- 1469-7610. ; 47:2, s. 167-75
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The prevalence of autism is reported to be on the rise worldwide. Change of diagnostic criteria and a broadening of the concept of autism have been mentioned as contributing factors. Further studies of general populations are needed. The present study assessed the distribution of autistic features in a total population of children 7-9 years of age, and explored the impact of age, gender, informant, and participation bias on symptom report. METHODS: Teacher and parent forms of the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) were used in the "Bergen Child Study", a total population study of 9430 children aged 7-9 years. Completed teacher forms were returned for 97% and parent forms for 71% of the children. High-scorers were defined according to the ASSQ validation study by Ehlers, Gillberg, and Wing (1999). RESULTS: The distribution of ASSQ scores was found to be almost continuous. Of the children with both a teacher and a parent form, 2.1% were defined as high-scorers. Children without parent informed consent (i.e., anonymous children) obtained significantly higher teacher scores than those who had questionnaires completed by both parent and teacher. Adjusting prevalence for the anonymous children, the prevalence of high-scorers was 2.7% of the total population. Age did not affect symptom scores. Boys scored higher and parents reported more symptoms, particularly in girls. Agreement between informants was low to moderate. CONCLUSIONS: Autism symptoms are not uncommon in the general population of children. Our findings are consistent with the concept of autism as a spectrum. Non-responders had a higher load of autism symptoms than identified children, indicating that reports on the prevalence of autism in a responder group underestimate true prevalence. Large differences across informants suggested the need to gather information both from families and from schools when screening for autism spectrum disorders.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Rodriguez, Alina, et al.
(författare)
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Fetal origins of non-right-handedness and child mental health
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. - : Wiley. - 0021-9630 .- 1469-7610. ; 49:9, s. 967-976
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Environmental risk during fetal development for non-right-handedness, an index of brain asymmetry, and its relevance for child mental health is not fully understood. Methods: A Swedish population-based prospective pregnancy-offspring cohort was followed-up when children were five years old (N = 1714). Prenatal environmental risk exposures were the number of ultrasound examinations and maternal distress during pregnancy. Child mental health, including symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), language difficulties, and care-seeking for child behavior problems, was assessed via maternal and/or kindergarten teacher's ratings. Results: Prenatal exposure to maternal depressive symptoms and critical life events were associated with increased risk of child non-right-handedness and mixed handedness, after adjustment for parity, maternal age, birth outcomes, infant sex, and parental handedness. No association was found between handedness and number of ultrasound examinations. Non-right and mixed-handedness, rather than left-handedness, were associated with increased risk of language difficulties and particularly with ADHD symptoms, after adjustment for current parental ADHD symptoms, current maternal depressive symptoms, birth outcomes, smoking during pregnancy, depressive symptoms and critical life events. Problems were significant enough to prompt mothers to seek care for children's behavioral problems, and parents were more likely to have received advice from the children's kindergarten teachers to seek care. Conclusions: This study suggests that mixed-handedness, i.e., reflecting atypical brain laterality, can be a marker of both severity of prenatal exposure to maternal distress and of increased risk of ADHD symptoms in childhood. Our results support the idea that the fetal environment plays a role in subsequent child mental health.
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