bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proximity and Sociable Behaviours in Autism: Evidence for Attachment
Authors: Dissanayake Cheryl , Crossley Stella A.
Published: December 2006

Sixteen autistic, 16 normal and 16 Down syndrome children (aged 3–6 years) were observed with their mother and a female stranger in a laboratory playroom. Proximity and sociable behaviours were recorded continuously during three observation sessions. The autistic children showed behaviours indicating that they were clearly attached to their mothers: like the normal and Down syndrome children, they showed all behaviours preferentially to the mother and directed proximity behaviours almost exclusively to her. These attachments were functionally similar to those the comparison children. The deficits identified in the autistic group were restricted to a set of behaviours which have to do with social interaction such as Show, Give and Mutual Play. Descriptions of the aloof, unattached autistic child were not confirmed.
Hyperactivity and Delay Aversion III: The Effect on Cognitive Style of Imposing Delay After Errors
Authors: Sonuga‐Barke E. J. S. , Williams E. , Hall M. , Saxton T.
Published: December 2006

The claim that impulsiveness associated with hyperactivity is the result of deficits in inhibition of responses over time was examined. The cognitive style of hyperactive children was studied under two conditions. As in previous studies hyperactive children appeared impulsive (i.e. gave shorter latencies and made more errors than controls) under conditions where this style led to shorter trials. In contrast, in a revised condition where each error led to an enforced/fixed trial length, hyperactive children waited as long as controls before responding, but still made more errors. Hyperactive children withheld responses when this offered them the best chance of avoiding extra delay. They were however, unable to use the extra time provided as effectively as controls. The link between hyperactive children's aversion to delay and their poor use of time is discussed.
Body Size, Parental Appraisal, and Self‐Esteem in Blind Children
Authors: Pierce Jeanne Walsh , Wardle Jane
Published: December 2006

This study of self‐esteem, body size, and parental views in 9–11–year‐old blind children found positive views about self‐presentation with no sex or weight differences. Lower self‐esteem emerged in children who thought they were judged by parents as too thin but being fat. being appraised as fat, or believing they are thought of as fat by parents, showed mi effect on self‐esteem. Their responses to questions about the causes, characteristics, and psychosocial functioning of obesity suggest an innate desire and possible need for a more robust stature, a bigger presence, and a feeling of weight which appeared to supercede any acquired negative attitudes to fatness.
Control of Action and Thought: Normal Development and Dysfunction in Autism: A Research Note
Authors: Hughes Claire
Published: December 2006

Thirty‐six children with autism, 24 children with learning difficulties (matched with the autistic group for sentence comprehension), and 41 normally‐developing preschoolers were given two simple tasks: a hand‐game requiring inhibitory control, and a delayed‐reward situation tapping metacognitive awareness of strategies for coping with the delay period. For both clinical groups, performance on the two tasks was correlated, even when the effect of comprehension level was partialled out. However, no such correlation was observed for the preschoolers, once age was taken into account. The results are discussed in terms of potential links between executive‐function and mental‐state awareness.
Mental Retardation: Genetic Findings, Clinical Implications and Research Agenda
Authors: Simonoff Emily , Bolton Patrick , Rutter Michael
Published: December 2006

The most important genetic advances in the field of mental retardation include the discovery of the novel genetic mechanism responsible for the Fragile X syndrome, and the imprinting involved in the Prader‐Willi and Angelman syndromes, hut there have also been advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of Down syndrome and phenylketonuria. Genetic detects (both single gene Mendelizing disorders and cytogenetic abnormalities) are involved in a substantial proportion of cases of mild as well as severe mental retardation, indicating that the previous equaling of severe mental retardation with pathology, and of mild retardation with normal variation, is a misleading over–simplication. Within the group in which no pathological cause can be detected, behaviour genetic studies indicate that genetic influences are important, but that their interplay with environmental factors, which are also important, is at present poorly understood. Research into the joint action of genetic and environmental influences in this group will be an important research area in the future.
Distractibility in Hyperactive and Conduct‐Disordered Children
Authors: Leung Patrick W. L. , Connolly Kevin J.
Published: December 2006

Hyperactive children are often said to be inattentive and distractible. However, the results from a number of experimental studies are equivocal. To examine this discrepancy, a Chinese version of the Stroop Test was devised. Four groups of subjects recruited from a community sample of 1479 Chinese boys living in Hong Kong took part in the investigation. These were: (1) a pure hyperactive (HA) group; (2) a mixed hyperactive/conduct‐disordered (HA + CD) group; (3) a pure conduct‐disordered (CD) group; and (4) a normal (N) control group. The results revealed that HA children were more markedly affected by the introduction of distracting stimuli. This distractibility was probably a function of both stimulus potency and the random order in which stimuli were presented. The specificity of a greater distractibility to HA children indicates its diagnostic value with regard to hyperactivity. The failure to find a similar deficit in HA + CD children raises questions about the clinical identity of this mixed diagnostic group.
Family Functioning Predictors of Adjustment in Children with Newly Diagnosed Cancer: A Prospective Analysis
Authors: Varni James W. , Katz Ernest R. , Jr. Robert Colegrove , Dolgin Michael
Published: December 2006

Theoretically‐driven investigations on the potentially modifiable predictors of individual differences among newly‐diagnosed pediatric cancer patients may facilitate the Identification of children at risk for adjustment problems. Within a risk and resistance conceptual model, family functioning was investigated concurrently and prospectively as a predictor of adjustment in newly‐diagnosed pediatric cancer patients at Time 1 (within 1 month after diagnosis). Time 2 (6 months postdiagnosis), and Time 3 (9 months postdiagnosis). The family relationship dimensions of cohesion and expressiveness most consistently predicted the psychological and social adjustment of children with newly‐diagnosed cancer over a 9‐month period after initial diagnosis. These findings are discussed in terms of the treatment implications for enhancing child adjustment to newly‐diagnosed cancer and biomedical treatment.
The Validity of Mixed Disorders of Conduct and Emotions in Children and Adolescents: A Research Note
Authors: Steinhausen H.‐C. , Reitzle M.
Published: December 2006

In a study of differential validity, three diagnostic groups based on ICD‐10 criteria were compared, namely children with emotional disorders, children with conduct disorders, and children with mixed disorders of conduct and emotions. The patients were taken from a consecutive series of child and adolescent psychiatric service attenders from 1988 to 1992 and represented the total entire subgroups of patients with the respective diagnoses. Based on standardized item sheets that were filled out by the clinicians who were responsible for the respective cases, the groups were compared with regard to age, sex ratio, family background, premorbid behavioral abnormalities, abnormal psychosocial situations, and treatment. It was found that children with mixed disorders of conduct and emotions share many characteristics with pure conduct disordered children. It is concluded that the former group is a subgroup of the latter, and there is little evidence in this study supporting the validity of a separate category of mixed disorders of conduct and emotions.
The Teddy Bears' Picnic: Four‐Year‐Old Children's Personal Constructs in Relation to Behavioural Problems and to Teacher Global Concern
Authors: Mueller Ned
Published: December 2006

The study sought to establish cross‐test validity for The Teddy Bears’ Picnic (TBP), which assesses the internal personal constructs of the troubled child. After showing that the TBP could discriminate between 4‐year‐oids who were above and below cut‐off on she Preschool Behaviour Checklist, the research demonstrated that both tests could distinguish levels of teacher concern about the behaviour and adjustment of the preschoolers in their care. When used in conjunction with one another, the two tests were more powerful than either used alone. The results suggested that children's internal perceptions of self and others, as revealed in pretence, are systematically related to their mental health status.
Nonword Repetition as a Behavioural Marker for Inherited Language Impairment: Evidence From a Twin Study
Authors: Bishop D. V. M. , North T. , Donlan C.
Published: December 2006

The Children's Nonword Repetition Test (CNRep) was given to 39 children with persistent language impairment (LI), 13 with a history of having received speech‐language therapy (resolved LI), and 79 controls, all aged from 7 to 9 years. The children with LI were twins who had participated in a previous genetic study. Children with resolved LI, as well as those with persistent LI. were significantly impaired on the CNRep. Comparisons of MZ and DZ twins indicated significant heritability of a CNRep deficit. It is concluded that CNRep provides a marker of the phenotype of heritable forms of developmental language impairment.
Reading Problems and Antisocial Behaviour: Developmental Trends in Comorbidity
Authors: Maughan Barbara , Pickles Andrew , Hagell Ann , Rutter Michael , Yule William
Published: December 2006

Samples of poor and normal readers were followed through adolescence and into early adulthood to assess continuities in the comorbidity between reading difficulties and disruptive behaviour problems. Reading‐disabled boys showed high rates of inattentive‐ness in middle childhood, but no excess of teacher‐rated behaviour problems at age 14 and no elevated rates of aggression, antisocial personality disorder or officially recorded offending in early adulthood. Increased risks of juvenile offending among specifically retarded‐reading boys seemed associated with poor school attendance, rather than reading difficultiesper se, Reading problems were associated with some increases in disruptive behaviour in their teens in girls.
The Genetics of Children's Oral Reading Performance
Authors: Reynolds Chandra A. , Hewitt John K. , Erickson Marilyn T. , Silberg Judy L. , Rutter Michael , Simonoff Emily , Meyer Joanne , Eaves Lindon J.
Published: December 2006

Measures of reading achievement and verbal ability have been shown to be heritable. Additionally, recent evidence has been suggestive of a major gene effect on reading disability and for problem reading in a sample of normal readers. We report on the etiology of individual differences in oral reading performance, the Slosson Oral Reading Test (SORT), for which biometrical analyses have not been reported in the literature previously. Oral reading performance was measured in a large population‐based sample of twins of the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development. Biometrical analyses of the SORT suggested that, in both mates and females. 69% of the phenotypic variation was due to heritable influences and 13”v of the variation dm‐ to shared environmental effects. While the relative importance of genetic and environmental influences is equivalent for males and females, males showed greater phenotypic variability than females.
Reading Disabilities With and Without Behaviour Problems at 7–8 Years: Prediction from Longitudinal Data from Infancy to 6 Years
Authors: Sanson Ann , Prior Margot , Smart Diana
Published: December 2006

Seven‐year‐old children with reading disabilities (RD‐only), behaviour problems (BP‐only), both conditions (RD‐BP) and neither condition (Comparison) were compared on indices including temperament and behaviour, gathered in five periods between infancy and 6 years of age. The RD‐BP group differed clearly from the RD‐only group from infancy onwards. This comorbid group was similar to the BP‐only group, while the RD‐only group was similar to the Comparison group, until school age. The gender composition of the two RD groups differed, and the RD‐BP boys showed the most problematic characteristics. The findings indicate different developmental pathways for ‘pure’ RD children and those with comorbid BPs.
Language Comprehension and Expression Among Adolescents Who Have Experienced Childhood Physical Abuse
Authors: McFadyen Ruth G. , Kitson Wendy J. H.
Published: December 2006

The present study compared the expressive and receptive language abilities of adolescents who had experienced physical abuse as children with the abilities of a closely matched control group who had not experienced maltreatment. Comprehension abilities of the two groups (as measured on a standard test) did not differ significantly. There were also no significant differences in expressive vocabulary. The syntactic expression of the abused group was significantly more impaired than that of the non‐abused group. In addition, two aspects of functional communication were impaired significantly. The abused used significantly less self‐related language and also had a significantly greater tendency to engage in self‐repetition. The two groups did not differ significantly, however, on several other aspects of functional communication. Explanations of the results are offered. It is also suggested that there are individual differences in the types of problem experienced by the physically abused group.
Twin‐Sibling Differences in Parental Reports of ADHD, Speech, Reading and Behaviour Problems
Authors: Levy Florence , McLaughlin Michael , Wood Catherine , Hay David , Waldman Irwin
Published: December 2006

Differences between twins and siblings in behaviour problems were investigated in a non‐selected sample of 1938 families with children aged 4‐12 years. Families were sent a questionnaire based on DSM‐III‐R criteria for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Conduct Disorder (CD) and Separation Anxiety (SA), which was validated by formal clinical interview. The questionnaire also included measures of speech and reading problems. There were significant differences between twins and siblings for ADHD symptoms, but not for symptoms of ODD, CD or SA. Twins and siblings differed significantly for gestational age, birth weight, speech and reading problems. While there was little evidence for birth weight or gestational age contributing to the difference in ADHD symptoms, there was a strong association between ADHD symptoms and speech and reading problems.
Thyroid Hormone and Attention in School‐Age Children with Congenital Hypothyroidism
Authors: Rovet Joanne , Alvarez Miguel
Published: December 2006

The relationship between attention and thyroid hormone was examined using a retrospective database of 85 7‐year‐old children with congenital hypothyroidism who received psychological evaluations and thyroid function tests on the same day. Four unique subgroups with different levels of thyroxine and thyrotropin were compared on psychological tasks and measures of attention. Children with high levels of both hormones were found to be significantly more distractible on an index of cognitive attention but were reportedly less hyperactive. Level of thyroxine accounted for over 10% of the variance in attention.
Risk Factors in the Adjustment of Siblings of Children with Cancer
Authors: Sloper Patricia , While David
Published: December 2006

The study investigated the psychological adjustment of 99 siblings of children with cancer. At 6 months post‐diagnosis, 24 siblings had scores in the borderline or clinical range on parent‐ and teacher‐completed measures of behavioural adjustment and were reported to have shown negative changes in behaviour since diagnosis. The results of logistic regression analysis indicated that problems in adjustment were related to the degree of disruption of family life occasioned by the illness, the resources available to the family to cope with the effects of such disruption on siblings and siblings’ perceptions of negative interpersonal effects on their lives.
PATHOS: A Screening Instrument for Adolescent Overdose: A Research Note
Authors: Kingsbury Stephen
Published: December 2006

This author, in a previous study, devised post‐hoc a five‐question screening instrument, PATHOS, that identified a high‐risk group within adolescent overdose. This study examines the concurrent validity of PATHOS, with measures of depression, hopelessness, premeditation and suicidal intent in adolescents presenting with an overdose. Strong correlations were found with the above features as well as problem duration and previous overdose history. The PATHOS was able also to identify a high‐risk group with a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 57% and all misclassifications were false positive. It is suggested that this could be used as an aid for non‐psychiatric assessors.
A Re‐examination of the Sex Ratios of Families with a Neurodevelopmentally Disordered Child
Authors: Flannery Kathleen A. , Liederman Jacqueline
Published: December 2006

It has been claimed that mothers with certain hormonal imbalances and/or immunological disorders are more likely to give birth to male than female children and that they are more likely to give birth to a neurodevelopmentally disordered (ND) child. Liederman and Flannery (1995) reported that the sex ratio of families with an index ND child did not significantly differ from the sex ratio of families without an index ND child. The data were derived from the National Collaborative Perinatal Project (NCPP). James (in the current issue) challenged us to reconsider the standard against which we judged the sex ratio of siblings of ND children, since the 1.10 sex ratio that we obtained for the siblings of non‐ND children is much higher than the sex ratio of children born during that period according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In the current paper, the NCPP data were re‐examined and it was demonstrated that the high sex ratio of siblings in our non‐ND sample was not due to various retention or recruitment biases. Thus, we suggest that use of the sex ratio of siblings of non‐ND children was the proper standard against which to judge the sex ratio of ND families, and that our data provide no evidence to support the notion that these families are male biased.
Head Circumference in Autism and Other Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Authors: Woodhouse Wendy , Bailey Anthony , Rutter Michael , Bolton Patrick , Baird Gillian , Le Couteur Ann
Published: December 2006

Recent studies have found that an unexpectedly large proportion of autistic children have large heads. Anthropometric measures of consecutive clinic attenders with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), other psychiatric or language disorders were analysed. Similar data were obtained from two schools for language disordered children. These data, combined with those from previous studies, indicate that about one‐third of children with PDD have macrocephaly based on current percentile charts; this rate was significantly higher than in children with language disorder alone. The finding was not a consequence of recognizable medical disorders and suggests that PDD is sometimes associated with abnormal physical development.
Controlled Trial of a Brief Cognitive–Behavioural Intervention in Adolescent Patients with Depressive Disorders
Authors: Wood Alison , Harrington Richard , Moore Anne
Published: December 2006

Fifty‐three child and adolescent psychiatric patients with depressive disorders were randomly allocated to brief cognitive‐behaviour therapy (CBT) or to a control treatment, relaxation training. Forty‐eight patients completed the treatment phase of the trial, which comprised 5–8 treatment sessions. Post‐treatment assessments showed a clear advantage of CBT over relaxation on measures of both depression and overall outcome. However, there were no significant differences between the treatments on comorbid anxiety and conduct symptoms. At follow‐up, the differences between the groups were reduced, partly because of a high relapse rate in the DTP group and partly because subjects in the relaxation group continued to recover.
Personality and Self‐Reported Delinquency: A Longitudinal Analysis
Authors: Heaven Patrick C. L.
Published: December 2006

This study assessed the personality factors associated with self‐reported delinquency. Respondents were 282 14‐year‐olds who were traced for follow‐up 2 years later. The follow‐up success rate was more than 80%. In line with previous work which has adopted a trait personality perspective to understanding antisocial and delinquent behaviours, it was predicted that psychoticism, extroversion, and low self‐esteem as measured at Time 1 would be significant predictors of self‐reported delinquency at Time 2. However, the results of structural equation modelling suggested that the three personality variables explained just over 16% of the variance of delinquency at Time 1, but only 6.61% of the variance of delinquency at Time 2. Alone, psychoticism explained 15.3% of the variance of delinquency at Time 1, but only 4.36% of the variance of delinquency at Time 2. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed and some suggestions for future research are made.
A Broader Phenotype of Autism: The Clinical Spectrum in Twins
Authors: Le Couteur Ann , Bailey Anthony , Goode Susan , Pickles Andrew , Gottesman Irving , Robertson Sarah , Rutter Michael
Published: December 2006

The diagnostic boundaries of the behavioural phenotype for autism were examined in 28 MZ pairs and 20 DZ same‐sex twin pairs, where one or both twins had autism. In the non‐autistic cotwin (i.e. In twin pairs discordant for autism) it was common to find language impairments in childhood and social deficits persisting into adulthood. Concordance for this broader phenotype was much greater in MZ pairs than DZ pairs, indicating a strong genetic component. Behavioural and cognitive manifestations of autism were compared both within and between MZ twin pairs. The variation was as great within MZ twin pairs as between pairs, suggesting that it does not index genetic heterogeneity (although aetiological heterogeneity probably exists). Current diagnostic practices need re‐evaluation.
Familial Aggregation of Spelling Disability
Authors: Schulte‐Körne Gerd , Deimel Wolfgang , Müller Katarina , Gutenbrunner Cornelius , Remschmidt Helmut
Published: December 2006

This study examined the familial aggregation of spelling disability in a sample of 32 German school‐aged children and their relatives. The influence of two different diagnostic criteria (low‐achievement criterion, and regression‐based IQ‐discrepancy criterion) on the rate of affectedness was investigated. Results revealed that 52.3‐61.9% of the sibs and 26‐34% of the parents were spelling disabled. Little evidence was found for an influence of the diagnostic criterion on the rate of affectedness.
Separation and Comorbidity of Hyperactivity and Conduct Disturbance in Chinese Schoolboys
Authors: Leung Patrick W. L. , Luk S. L. , Ho T. P. , Taylor E. , Bacon‐Shone J. , Mak F. Lieh
Published: December 2006

In a two‐stage community study of 3069 Chinese schoolboys in Hong Kong, those entering stage 2 were classified by scores on Rutter's teacher and parent questionnaires into: (1) a mixed hyperactive/conduct‐disturbed (HA‐CD) group; (2) a pure hyperactive (HA) group; (3) a pure conduct‐disturbed (CD) group; and (4) a normal control group. The four groups of children were compared on a series of psychosocial, cognitive and neurodevelopmental measures. This was followed by a regression analysis to examine the specificity of the differential patterns of associations between HA and CD. There was a mix of negative and positive findings defying a simple, definitive conclusion. However, the positive findings that did emerge supported a growing body of recent literature which favoured a separation of HA from CD and their cross‐cultural validity: the former was associated with neurodevelopmental impairments, the latter with family disharmony. The mixed condition, HA–CD, was a hybrid of its two constituent conditions, displaying the attributes of both.
Studying Weak Central Coherence at Low Levels: Children with Autism do not Succumb to Visual Illusions. A Research Note
Authors: Happé Francesca G.E.
Published: December 2006

While anecdotal reports of abnormal perceptual experiences in autism abound, there have been to date no experimental studies showing fundamental perceptual peculiarities. The present paper reports results from a first study of low‐level visual integration in autism. Twenty‐five subjects with autism, 21 normal 7‐ and 8‐year‐olds, and 26 children with learning difficulties were asked to make simple judgements about six well‐known visual illusions. Two conditions were used, in an attempt to explore group differences; standard two‐dimensional black and white line drawings, and the same figures augmented with raised coloured lines. The subjects with autism were less likely to succumb to the two‐dimensional illusions than were the other groups, and were less aided by the three‐dimensional disembedded’ condition. These striking results are discussed with reference to the ‘central coherence’ account of autism.
Self‐Reported Depressed Mood in Russian and U.K. Schoolchildren. A Research Note
Authors: Charman Tony , Pervova Irina
Published: December 2006

Self‐reported depressive symptoms were compared between two samples of schoolchildren – one in Russia and one in the U.K. Self‐reported symptoms were significantly higher in the Russian sample on both the Child Depression Inventory (CDI) and the Depression Self‐Rating Scale (DSRS). Age and gender effects were found for the Russian sample on the DSRS but not the CDI, with younger children and girls scoring more highly. The possible explanations for the elevated self‐report of depressive symptoms in the Russian sample are considered.
The Cognitive Development of 5‐Year‐Old Children of Postnatally Depressed Mothers
Authors: Murray Lynne , Hipwell Alison , Hooper Richard , Stein Alan , Cooper Peter
Published: December 2006

As part of a longitudinal study of the influence of postnatal depression on child development, the cognitive functioning of index and control children was assessed at age 5 years. There was no evidence of an adverse effect of postnatal depression, even amongst sub‐groups of children suggested to be vulnerable (boys and children from low SES families). However, early experience of insensitive maternal interactions predicted the persistence of poorer cognitive functioning. A number of factors in the child's current environment, including stimulation at home, social class and, for boys, the experience of schooling, contributed to cognitive performance. The findings are considered in relation to the ongoing debate on sensitive periods.
Seven‐Year Follow‐Up of Speech/Language Impaired and Control Children: Psychiatric Outcome
Authors: Beitchman J. H. , Brownlie E. B. , Inglis A. , Wild J. , Ferguson B. , Schachter D. , Lancee W. , Wilson B. , Mathews R.
Published: December 2006

This study examined the 7‐year psychiatric outcome of 202 speech/language (S/L) impaired and control children selected from a community sample at age 5 years. Children with S/L at age 5 years were more likely to be psychiatric cases at age 12.5 years than were normal controls, even if their S/L improved. Controlling for concurrent psychiatric disorder, S/L impairment at age 5 years was still associated with an increased rate of psychiatric disorder at 12.5 years. Psychiatric disorder at age 12.5 years was more likely to co‐occur with language disorder than with speech disorder.
Error Patterns on the Continuous Performance Test in Non‐Medicated and Medicated Samples of Children With and Without ADHD: A Meta‐Analytic Review
Authors: Losier Bruno J. , McGrath Patrick J. , Klein Raymond M.
Published: December 2006

We systematically reviewed the patterns of Continuous Performance Test (CPT) errors of omission and commission exhibited by normal children and children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) under no drug, placebo and methylphenidate drug conditions. Findings from 26 studies were submitted to a meta‐analytic procedure. In contrast to the contradictory findings of individual reports, our results revealed that children with ADHD made significantly more errors of omission and commission than normal children. As well, in children with ADHD and treated with methylphenidate, statistically significant reductions in the rate of both error types were noted. The effects of methylphenidate on the percentage of hits (i.e. 1 — omissions) were greater in experiments using shorter stimulus duration, smaller number of trials and higher probability of a target. Using Signal Detection Theory (SDT) parameters, we found that children with ADHD were less sensitive to the difference between targets and non‐targets than their normal counterparts, while showing a comparable response bias. Similarly, the effects of methylphenidate were restricted to improving the sensitivity, while not affecting response bias, in both normal children and those with ADHD.
Obsessions and Compulsions in Prader‐Willi Syndrome
Authors: Dykens Elisabeth M. , Leckman James F. , Cassidy Suzanne B.
Published: December 2006

This study examines the nature, severity and correlates of non‐food obsessions and compulsions in 91 people with Prader‐Willi syndrome (PWS) aged 5–47 years (mean age = 19 years). Prominent symptoms, seen in 37–58% of the sample, included hoarding; ordering and arranging; concerns with symmetry and exactness; rewriting; and needs to tell, know or ask. A remarkably high proportion of participants had moderate to severe symptom severity ratings; 64% showed symptom‐related distress, and 80% showed symptom‐related adaptive impairment. The study also compared obsessive‐compulsive symptoms in 43 adults with PWS to age‐ and sex‐matched non‐retarded adults with obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD). The PWS and OCD groups showed similar levels of symptom severity and numbers of compulsions; they also showed more areas of symptom similarity than difference. Increased risks of OCD in persons with PWS are strongly indicated. Implications are discussed for pharmacotherapy, behavioral therapy and family support.
Theory of Mind Abilities in Individuals With Autism, Down Syndrome, and Mental Retardation of Unknown Etiology: The Role of Age and Intelligence
Authors: Yirmiya Nurit , Solomonica‐Levi Daphna , Shulman Cory , Pilowsky Tammy
Published: December 2006

We examined theory of mind abilities of individuals with autism, mental retardation (MR) of unknown etiology, Down syndrome, and normal children. On false belief and deception tasks, normal children performed better than all clinical groups, while no differences emerged among the clinical groups. The groups with MR performed better than the group with autism on the value task only. For individuals with autism, theory of mind abilities correlated with verbal ability. For individuals with MR nonverbal abilities correlated with deception and false belief scores. Findings are discussed in terms of the specificity of the theory of mind deficit to autism.
Connectionism and Developmental Psychology
Authors: Plunkett Kim , Karmiloff‐Smith Annette , Bates Elizabeth , Elman Jeffrey L. , Johnson Mark H.
Published: December 2006

What features of brain processing and neural development support linguistic and cognitive development in young children? To what extern arc the profile and timing of development in young children determined by a preordained genetic programme? Does the environment play a crucial role in determining the patterns of change observed in children growing up? These questions have been of central concern to developmental psychologists for well over a century. Yet none of them have received answers that are generally accepted by the profession. This article reviews some recent computational modelling of developmental change in children that promise to contribute to a deeper understanding of the issues behind these questions. The modelling work exploits artificial neural networks that mimic some of the basic properties of neural processing in the brain. These networks involve densely connected webs of simple processing units that propagate and transform complex pattern of activity. When exposed to a training environment, they undergo a process ofselforganization, yielding information processing systems that support new forms of behavior The study of the dynamics of these systems and their learning capabilities promises to provide us with important clues as to the nature of the mechanisms underlying development iii infants and young children.
Children with a Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Children with a Language Disorder and Normally Developing Children in Situations with High‐ and Low‐level Involvement of the Caregiver
Authors: Willemsen‐Swinkels Sophie H. N. , Buitelaar Jan K. , van Engeland Herman
Published: December 2006

The social behaviour of tow‐functioning children with a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). high‐functioning children with a PDD, children with a Language Disorder (LD) and normally developing children (ND| was investigated in a playroom session while they were iteracting with one of their parents. High‐functioning children with a PDD were found to differ from the other groups in social responsivity. Low‐functioning children with a PDD differed from high‐functioning children with a PDD in the total number of social bids, type of social bids, number of looks at parent and social responsivity. When parents structured the behaviour of their children, this resulted in an increase in number of social bids and looks in the low‐functioning children with PDD.
How Specific Are “Specific Developmental Disorders”? The Relevance of the Concept of Specific Developmental Disorders for the Classification of Childhood Developmental Disorders
Authors: Rispens Jan , van Yperen Tom A.
Published: December 2006

The concept of “specific developmental disorder” (SDD) refers to delays in developmental domains such as language and speech development, motor coordination or the development of scholastic skills, in the absence of sensory deficits, subnormal intelligence or poor educational conditions. The key element in this concept is the notion of a discrepancy between observed and expected level of development In DSM III‐ R and ICD 10. SDD serves as a conceptual umbrella, suggesting that the subsumed disorders are of the same type. In DSM‐IV. the SDD umbrella is not used explicitly, but the notion of a discrepaney is present in the categories of Learning Disorders. Motor Skill Disorder and Communication Disorders, suggesting a close relationship between these disorders. One of the advantages of the use of SDD as a unifying concept is that ii contributes to the. standardisation of the description off the various disorders. However, bused on reviews of research regarding the reliability and validity of the SDD categories, we argue that the application of n unifying SDD concept has been premature. For each of the categories for disorders in scholastic skills, language, speech and motor coordination the notion of a discrepancy between observed find expected level of development should be elaborated and tested more thoroughly, before SDD can be used as a unifying concept in classification.
Psychogenic Disorders of Vision in Childhood (“Visual Conversion Reactions”): Perspectives from Adolescence: A Research Note
Authors: Wynick Sarah , Hobson R. Peter , Jones R. Barry
Published: December 2006

Fifteen adolescents who had exhibited psychogenic disorders of vision in childhood were compared with a control group of adolescents who had experienced childhood visual dysfunction of organic origin. The principal modes of assessment were clinical interviews, the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). and self‐report measures concerning specific personality trails. Adolescents who had previously presented with psychogenic disorder were more likely to (1) report having experienced school difficulties and the loss of a significant figure at the time of presentation. (2) rate their mothers as over‐invoked on the PBI and (3) report adjustment difficulties and obsessional personality trails in adolescence.
Parent‐reported Problems in 211 Adopted Children: Some Risk and Protective Factors
Authors: Howe David
Published: December 2006

Parents of 211 adopted children, now young adult, were interviewed about their children's behaviour and development during childhood and adolescence. The children were placed for adoption al different ages. The quality of children's pre‐placement cape also varied, older‐placed children generally experiencing adverse backgrounds prior to joining their adoptive parents. Depending on their quality of per‐placement care, the children were placed in one of three groups for the purposes of analysis: (a) baby adoptions, (b) older‐children adoption‐, in which children had enjoyed satisfactory care as babies, and (c) older‐children adoptions in which children had experienced adverse care as babies. The rate of adolescent problem behaviours varied between the three groups, with the older‐children adoptions/adverse baby care group showing the highest rates. Two subgroups were identified. A quarter of the baby adopted children were reported to have had problem behaviours during adolescence. In contrast, no problem behaviours were reported in 28% of the older‐adopted/adverse baby care children. Some possible risk and protective factors are explored.
Children with Schizophrenia‐spectrum Disorders: Thought Disorder and Communication Problems in a Family Interactional Context
Authors: Tompson Martha C. , Asarnow Joan R. , Hamilton Elizabeth Burney , Newell LaRisa E. , Goldstein Michael J.
Published: December 2006

Thought disorder and communication patterns during an interactional task were examined in families of children with schizophrenia‐spectrum disorders (schizophrenia and schizotypal personality disorder), depressed Children, and normal controls. Children with schizophreniaspectrum disorders showed significantly mere thought disorder than their normal peers: levels of though) disorder among depressed children Tell between those observed in the other two groups but did not differ significantly from either of them. Similarly, mothers of Children with schizophrenia‐spectrum disorders showed more thought disorder than mothers of normal control children but did not differ from mothers of depressed children. Children with schizotypal personality disorder did not differ from children with schizophrenia. These findings demonstrate that the thought disorder present in childhood‐onset schizophrenia and schizotypal personality disorders is manifest in an important social context, the family.
Effects of Age of Entry, Day‐care Quality, and Family Characteristics on Preschool Behavior
Authors: Hausfather Albert , Toharia Angeles , LaRoche Catherine , Engelsmann Frank
Published: December 2006

Teachers evaluated 155 4–5‐year‐old children attending Montreal day‐care centers of excellent (N= 51). average (N= 60), or low (N= 44) quality using behavioral scales. Age of entry to day‐care was also considered. Center q quality was assessed by two observers using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. Results point to the positive effects of longer exposure to high‐quality group day‐care (increased interest‐participation), and the negative effects of longer exposure to low‐quality centers (increased anger‐defiance). Positive or negative family characteristics contributed further to these effects.
Early Dentine Lead Levels and Educational Outcomes at 18 Years
Authors: Fergusson David M. , Horwood L. John , Lynskey Michael T.
Published: December 2006

The associations between early dentine lead levels measured at the age of 6–8 years and educational outcomes measured at IS years were examined in a birth cohort of 1265 New Zealand children. Analyses showed significant (p > .005) dose/response relationships between early dentine lead levels and later outcomes: at age 18 children with early elevated lead levels had poorer reading abilities, had more often left school early, had more often left school without qualifications, and had lower levels of success in school examinations. These associations persisted after Statistical control for a range of social and familial confounding factors. A number of potential threats to the validity of the findings are examined, including sample selection bias, statistical undercontrol of covariates, and errors of measurement. It is concluded that the findings are consistent with the view that early mildly elevated lead levels have modest but delectable effects on individual achievement, with these effects extending to late adolescence.
Annotation: Computers for Learning: Psychological Perspectives
Authors: Light Paul
Published: December 2006

The research literature on the use of computers in support of learning is already vast. In this review, the focus is on children's learning, and on the way in which psychological theories of learning have informed (and, to a lesser extent, been informed by) developments in the field of computer‐based learning. Associationist, constructivist, and social‐constructivist approaches are explored, and issues of equity, access, and special learning needs are addressed. It is concluded that computers have led to, and will continue to lead to, significant changes in both what and how children learn.
A Competency‐based Model of Child Depression: A Longitudinal Study of Peer, Parent, Teacher, and Self‐evaluations
Authors: Cole David A. , Martin Joan M. , Powers Bruce
Published: December 2006

In a two‐wave longitudinal study of third and sixth graders (N= 617), we obtained self‐reports of depression and peer, teacher, parent, and self‐reports of competence in five domains: academic, social, attractiveness, conduct, and athletic. Competency evaluations by others predicted change in self‐perceived competence over time for girls, but not for boys. Depression predicted change in self‐perceived competence over time for boys but not for girls. Among girls, the relative importance of parent, teacher, and peer appraisals shifted from third to sixth grade. For both boys and girls, self‐perceptions of competence predicted change in depression scores over time. Furthermore, self‐perceived competencies mediated the relation between competency appraisals by others and children's self‐reported depression. Results are interpreted in light of a competency‐based model of child depression.
Are People with Autism and Asperger Syndrome Faster Than Normal on the Embedded Figures Test?
Authors: Jolliffe Therese , Baron‐Cohen Simon
Published: December 2006

Previous work suggests children with autism show superior performance (in relation to their general mental age) on the Embedded Figures Test (EFT). Frith interprets this as showing that they have “weak central coherence”. In Experiment 1, using an adult level version of this task, we aimed to replicate and extend this finding, first, by collecting response time (RT) data; second, by testing adults with autism of normal intelligence; and third, by testing a group of adults with Asperger syndrome, in order to test for differences between autism and Asperger syndrome. Both clinical groups were significantly faster on the EFT. In Experiment 2, we investigated if this difference was due to a preference for local over global processing, using a novel drawing task based on the classical Rey Figure. The clinical groups did not differ significantly on this test, but there was a trend towards such a difference. Alternative explanations for the EFT superiority in autism and Asperger syndrome are considered.
Sibling Sex Ratio of Boys with Gender Identity Disorder
Authors: Zucker Kenneth J. , Green Richard , Coates Susan , Zuger Bernard , Cohen‐Kettenis Peggy T. , Zecca Graziella Mansueto , Lertora Vincenza , Money John , Hahn‐Burke Sarah , Bradley Susan J. , Blanchard Ray
Published: December 2006

Sibling sex ratio (the ratio of brothers to sisters) was calculated for 444 boys with gender identity disorder (or with behaviors consistent with this diagnosis). The probands were ascertained from several researchers with expertise with this disorder and from the English language case report literature between 1938 and 1995. Among the probands with at least one sibling (N= 333), the results showed that boys with gender identity disorder had a significant excess of brothers to sisters, 131.1:100, when compared with the expected secondary sex ratio of 106:100. The excess of brothers replicated a previous study by Blanchard, Zucker, Bradley, and Hume (1995), in which the sibling sex ratio was 140.6:100. Further analyses showed that the probands were born later relative to their brothers than they were relative to their sisters. These findings are amenable to several psychosocial and biological explanations, which require further investigation.
Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Predictors of Suicidal Behaviors: A Prospective Study of African Americans
Authors: Juon Hee‐Soon , Ensminger Margaret E.
Published: December 2006

This study examined the lifetime prevalence of suicidal behaviors and their relation to social integration, depression, and aggression/substance use in a cohort of African Americans followed prospectively from first grade to age 32. Lifetime depressive moods in adulthood, lifetime use of cocaine, and frequent mobility were associated with suicidal behaviors for both males and females. For males, having been in a mother‐alone or mother‐absent family at age 6, childhood psychopathology, and not being married were related to suicidal behaviors. Females who reported high assault behavior in adolescence were more likely to report suicide attempts. The results suggest that social integration, depression, and aggression/drug use are important risk factors for suicidal behaviors in this African American population.
Practitioner Review: The Pharmacotherapy of Adolescent Depression
Authors: Kutcher Stan
Published: December 2006

This paper is a review of the pharmacotherapy of adolescent depression. It begins with a brief discussion regarding the nature of adolescent depression and then critically evaluates the available evidence regarding the efficacy and tolerability of psychotropic intervention as it has, to date, been reported. As the available evidence suggests that tricyclic antidepressants have failed to show efficacy, yet demonstrate significant problems with tolerability and safety, the remainder of the article describes how clinicians should prescribe antidepressants using the serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Areas covered include assessment, treatment initiation, dosing, outcome evaluation, adverse events, and combinations. The review concludes with a discussion of long‐term therapy with antidepressant medications.