bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE VALIDITY OF DEPRESSIVE DISORDER IN CHILDHOOD AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SELF‐RATING SCALE: A RESEARCH REPORT
Authors: Birleson Peter
Published: December 2006

An operational definition of depressive disorder was used to define a group of prepubertal children attending a hospital‐based out‐patient child psychiatry clinic. The construct validity of depressive disorder in childhood was demonstrated by comparing this group with a matched control group on historical and clinical data.
THE REFERENTIAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS OF DEAF CHILDREN FROM DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS
Authors: Breslaw P. I. , Griffiths A. J. , Wood D. J. , Howarth C. I.
Published: December 2006

Two studies of the communication skills of orally educated deaf primary school children are repotted. In the first, a referential communication task with very limited linguistic demands, severely and profoundly deaf children performed as well us a hearing control group. In the second task with a richer linguistic domain. differences m performance were found between deaf children from three schools with different linguistic philosophies, children from the school performing com‐parably to hearing children, those from the other two schools slightly worse. It is concluded that deaf children are more able communicators than their grammatical competence suggests.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SITUATIONALLY AND PERVASIVELY HYPERACTIVE CHILDREN: IMPLICATIONS FOR SYNDROME DEFINITION
Authors: Schachar Russell , Rutter Michael , Smith Alan
Published: December 2006

Types of “hyperkinetic syndrome” were studied using data from the general population epidemiological study of 10‐to 11‐year‐olds on the Isle of Wight who were followed up at 14–15 years old. Characteristics of situationally hyperactive children were compared with those of pervasively hyperactive children, as defined in terms of the hyperactivity factor scores on the Rimer parent and teacher questionnaires. The association of situational hyperactivity with general emotional/behavioural disturbance was a nonspecific Ending; situational unsociability was also related to disturbance. In contrast, pervasive hyperactivity, a clinically distinctive behaviour pattern, was strongly associated with general behavioural disturbance, persistence of overall disorder and marked cognitive impairment. These findings indicate the importance of identifying the type of hyperactivity.
COMPREHENSION OF SPOKEN, WRITTEN AND SIGNED SENTENCES IN CHILDHOOD LANGUAGE DISORDERS
Authors: Bishop D. V. M.
Published: December 2006

Nine children suffering from Landau‐Kleffner syndrome and 25 children with developmental expressive disorder were tested for comprehension of the grammatical structure of English in spoken, written and signed (Paget‐Gorman) language modalities. It is shown that the comprehension problems of children with Landau‐Kleffner syndrome are not restricted to spoken language, but are also found when written or signed language is used. Further, in all three language modalities these children show deviant patterns of comprehension consistent with the notion that they treat language as having a sequential rather than a hierarchical structure. However, similar patterns of performance are found in profoundly deaf children, indicating that peripheral auditory deprivation is a sufficient condition for these deviant patterns of comprehension to develop.
READING RETARDATION AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Authors: Sturge Claire
Published: December 2006

Four groups of boys (totalling 129) with and without reading retardation and antisocial behaviour were compared and contrasted on many items related to current behaviour and family background in order to study the degree and nature of the association between the two disorders.

The results show a strong association between the two disorders but that boys with both disorders do not closely resemble either boys with only reading or boys with only antisocial problems. This differs from other findings and the reason for this and the possible nature of the association are discussed.
COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF ULCERATIVE COLITIS AND CROHN'S DISEASE IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
Authors: Steinhausen Hans‐Christoph , Kies Helga
Published: December 2006

Ten patients suffering from Crohn's disease and seven children diagnosed as having Ulcerative Colitis were studied with regard to psychopathology, locus of control and several parameters of family functions. A comparison with findings from matched controls revealed higher rates of psychiatric disturbance among the clinical groups. Patients of the two groups did not differ from each other; neither in the amount nor the type of disorder. The predominating pattern was emotional disorder, which was also found in the parents' response to a behavior questionnaire. Further associations of the locus of control dimension to Crohn's disease and family functions to both diseases were found. Among clinical variables only growth retardation tended to correlate significantly with psychopathology, indicating that this consequence of the basic disease process may be more significant than other factors.
THE QUESTION OF CHILDHOOD EGOCENTRISM: THE CO‐ORDINATION OF PERSPECTIVES IN RELATION TO OPERATIONAL THINKING
Authors: Hobson R. Peter
Published: December 2006

To what extent is the concept of ‘childhood egocentrism’ valid? Piaget presents an account in which a child's ability to appreciate different points of view is intimately related to his capacity for operational thought. To examine this hypothesis, children aged from 3 to 7 years were presented with tasks requiring the co‐ordination of visuo‐spatial perspectives, and tests of operational thinking. Subjects in the pre‐operational stage demonstrated an ability to co‐ordinate viewpoints, but found certain forms of visuo‐spatial problem relatively difficult. The significance of this for the concept of egocentrism and the analysis of role‐taking is considered.
ADOLESCENT DRUG USE AND OTHER BEHAVIORS
Authors: Hundleby John D. , Carpenter Richard A. , Ross R. A. J. , Mercer G. William
Published: December 2006

Little systematic information is available concerning the association between adolescent drug usage and other forms of behavior. The present study addressed this issue. Two hundred and thirty‐one adolescents completed questionnaires concerning their use of drugs (alcohol, tobacco, pain‐killers, marijuana, etc.). Factor analysis of endorsements of a broad range of behaviors, followed by regression analysis, indicated that sexual behavior, general delinquency, school misbehavior, social behavior and studying/reading (—) were all related to drug use. School achievement (—) and domestic behavior (—) gave lower correlations. Religious behavior did not emerge as a clear correlate.
ADULTS' COGNITIVE DEMANDS AT HOME AND AT NURSERY SCHOOL
Authors: Tizard Barbara , Hughes Martin , Pinkerton Gill , Carmichael Helen
Published: December 2006

A study was made of the “cognitive demands” made of children during spontaneous conversations with their teachers at nursery school and their mothers at home. Social class differences were small compared with home/school differences. Teachers' talk contained a higher proportion of cognitive demands and “testing” demands than did mothers' talk; however, the hourly rate of these demands was higher in the mothers' talk. Teachers used more demands for attributes, simple descriptions and interpretations, whilst mothers used more demands for recall and explanation of motives and purposes, More demands were left unanswered at school than at home. The implications for nursery education are discussed.
PROTEST OR PLEASURE? THE RESPONSE OF FIRST‐BORN CHILDREN TO INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THEIR MOTHERS AND INFANT SIBLINGS
Authors: Kendrick Carol , Dunn Judy
Published: December 2006

Triadic interactions between mother, pre‐school age first‐born, and 14‐month‐old second‐born siblings were studied in 40 families as part of a longitudinal study using home observations. Interaction between mother and second‐born exerted an important influence tin the behaviour of the first‐born; individual differences in the response of the first‐born children were associated with differences in temperament of the first child, their reaction to the sibling birth, and with the sex of the sibling dyad. The age gap between siblings and die sex of sibling dyad influenced the time mother and second‐born spent in interaction and the quality of this interaction.
PERCEPTUAL, MOTOR AND ATTENTIONAL DEFICITS IN SIX‐YEAR‐OLD CHILDREN, EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ASPECTS
Authors: Gillberg Christopher , Rrasmussen Peder , Carlström Gunilla , Svenson Bertil , Waldenström Eva
Published: December 2006

A total population study of 4797 six‐year‐old children attending the public pre‐schools in the city of Göteborg (Gothenburg) has been carried out. A questionnaire with 34 questions about MBD‐related problems was distributed to all pre‐school teachers. Three thousand four hundred and forty‐eight questionnaires were completed. Factor analysis of the questionnaire and empirical results from a pilot study provided the basis for selecting for further study children with pre‐school signs and symptoms suggestive of MBD. Neurological, psychiatric and psychological assessment of 82 children with, and 59 children without, pre‐school symptoms of MBD revealed that in the index groups 41% of the children, and in the control group 3% of the children, had MBD. Extrapolation procedures gave a total population frequency of 1.2% with severe MBD and a further 5.9% with mild‐moderate MBD. A very large questionnaire refusal rate (28%) is discussed. The relevance of the calculated frequency figures, especially as regards the mild‐moderate MBD category, cannot be properly evaluated until long‐term follow‐up has been completed.
COPING BEHAVIOR: DIFFERENCES IN BARRIER PERFORMANCE IN FULL‐TERM AND PREMATURE INFANTS
Authors: Garrity Linda I. , Weisman Bonnie
Published: December 2006

Coping ability was assessed in 12‐ and 18‐month‐old premature and full‐term children, using an experimental barrier situation consisting of a double fence of boards and boxes which the child had to remove to reach the center. No term differences were found for the 12‐month‐old children: the task was too difficult for them. The term differences found at 18 months indicated that the prematures rested more and tended to smile more than did full‐terms. The most dramatic finding was that only 4 of the 17 children who completed the task were premature. None of the findings for the 18‐month‐old children were related to intelligence.
NURSERY NURSES AND NURSERY TEACHERS I: THEIR ASSESSMENT OF CHILDREN'S VERBAL‐SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Authors: Gipps Caroline
Published: December 2006

Ratings of verbal‐social behaviour assigned by nursery nurses in day nurseries, nursery schools and centres were compared with those assigned by nursery teachers.

There were significant differences in ratings assigned by the different professional groups of staff: nursery nurses in day nurseries assigned the highest verbal‐social ratings, but these were not supported by observations of the children's verbal‐social behaviour or by language test scores.

Correlations showed that, while the nursery nurses were assessing directly measurable verbal and social behaviour, the teachers were not, and it is sugguested that they were assessing a more complex reasoning skill.
THE STRUCTURE OF CONVERSATIONS WITH 6‐ TO 10‐YEAR‐OLD DEAF CHILDREN
Authors: Wood D. J. , Wood H. A. , Griffiths A. J. , Howarth S. P. , Howarth C. I.
Published: December 2006

In stage 1 classroom conversations between sixteen teachers and their pre‐lingually deaf children were videotaped and analysed to examine both the styles used by teachers in controlling conversation and the functions pursued in dialogue. In stage 2 a sub‐sample of four teachers with twenty children of known hearing losses and non‐verbal intelligence was analysed in greater detail to examine relationships between these factors, teaching styles and the child's performance in dialogue. The analyses show that deaf children respond in a similar fashion to young hearing children in the way they react to different styles of teacher talk; that teachers differ in the functions they pursue in conversation; and that functions change as a consequence of the child's hearing loss but not mental age. The implications of the findings for linguistic development in pre‐lingually deaf children are explored.
A STAGES‐OF‐INFORMATION APPROACH TO HYPERACTIVITY
Authors: Sergeant J. A. , Scholten C. A.
Published: December 2006

In a memory search task with context recognition, three groups of children were examined: hyperactives, somewhat hyperactives and controls. It was found that the hyperactive groups differed from controls at the intercept of reaction time and not the slope. This was interpreted as evidence against a selective attention hypothesis in hyperactivity and evidence of either an ‘encoding’ or a response organization deficit.

The unexpected slower and less accurate performance of somewhat hyperactives than those rated as hyperactives may have been due to the higher rating of variable task application in the former than in the latter.
VISUO‐MOTOR BEHAVIOUR IN PRE‐SCHOOL CHILDREN IN RELATION TO SEX AND NEUROLOGICAL STATUS: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF ‘TIME‐PRESSURE’
Authors: Kalverboer A. F. , Brouwer H.
Published: December 2006

A detailed analysis was made of the visuo‐motor behaviour of 139 pre‐school children during a spatial‐constructive task with and without time‐pressure. The study focused mainly on sex differences and the implications of minor neurological dysfunctions for children's visuo‐motor behaviour. Between sexes only minor differences in behavioural organization and efficiency were found. Between neurological groups only differences within the girls were found, those with lower neurological optimality scores showing more signs of ‘lack of motor inhibition’ and distraction in the prestress condition, seemingly related to differences in motivation. No effect was found for time‐pressure for groups with a different neurological status.
BIOLOGICAL BASIS OF SOCIAL INTERACTIONS: IMPLICATIONS OF RESEARCH FOR AN RSTANDING OF BEHAVIOURAL DEVIANCE
Authors: Papoušek H. , Papoušek M.
Published: December 2006

Among the infant's initial risks, interactional failures have recently been identified as potential links of vicious circles leading from inconspicuous deviance to severe clinical syndromes. The knowledge of the origins of interactional failure has been insufficient. In this paper a basic explanatory model is presented and two major determinants of successful parent‐infant interactions are analysed: the infant's integrative competence and the initial forms of parenting. Particular attention is paid to pre‐term infants and the biological roots of parenting.
PERCEPTUAL, MOTOR AND ATTENTIONAL DEFICITS IN SWEDISH PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN. SOME CHILD PSYCHIATRIC ASPECTS
Authors: Gillberg Christopher
Published: December 2006

One hundred and forty‐one seven‐year‐old children took part in an extensive neuropsychiatric study. Eight‐two of these children had been selected and sampled from a group of 3448 children for whom questionnaires concerning motor control, perception and attention/behaviour had been completed by pre‐school teachers. They all showed pre‐school signs of both attention deficit and motor/perception dysfunction. The fifty‐nine remaining children had been randomly sampled from the group of 3448 children to serve as controls. The study was carried out in a blind fashion. The present paper reports on results of the neuropsychiatric study with special regard to psychiatric disorders in so‐called MBD syndromes, defined in accordance with operational criteria. Prevalence figures for marked psychiatric abnormality in MBD were shown to be higher than for psychiatric abnormality in children with ‘neuroepileptic’ disorders in the Isle of Wight study. Psychotic behaviour was found to be specifically associated with MBD. Hereditary and neuropathogenic factors singly or together possibly caused the ‘MBD handicap’. Non‐optimal psychosocial factors appear to interact with the MBD syndrome in the moulding of psychiatric disorders.
FACTORS RELATED TO CHANGES IN IQ: A FOLLOW‐UP STUDY OF FORMER SLOW LEARNERS*
Authors: Svendsen Dagmund
Published: December 2006

A group of 41 former slow learners were tested as children and at the age of 30 years. Information about family and personal problems met during childhood was available from the local school files and also by an interview at the age of 30 years. Changes in IQ were associated with the problem score and further education after leaving the compulsory school system. The group of subjects with the greater number of problems and further education improved their IQ scores by 18.1 points, against 5.0 points in the group with one or no problems and without further education.
COMPREHENSION OF ENGLISH SYNTAX BY PROFOUNDLY DEAF CHILDREN
Authors: Bishop D. V. M.
Published: December 2006

Seventy‐nine profoundly deaf 8 to 12‐year‐olds were tested for comprehension of spoken, written and signed (Paget‐Gorman Sign System, PGSS) English grammatical contrasts. Understanding of spoken language was below the 4‐year‐old level, with few deaf children understanding enough vocabulary to attempt the test. On written and signed forms, many children responded to content words with little understanding of grammar. Others would interpret word order sequentially, producing characteristic errors. PGSS can provide a viable communication channel and does not hinder oral or written language acquisition, but it does not overcome the grammatical problems of deaf children.
CHILDHOOD SUICIDAL BEHAVIOUR
Authors: Kosky Robert
Published: December 2006

Twenty children under 14 years of age who were admitted to hospital following a suicide attempt were compared to 50 psychiatrically ill non‐suicidal inpatients of similar age. Suicidal behaviour was associated with mostly the male sex, personal experiences of significant losses, academic under‐achievement, marital disintegration among the parents and past intrafamilial violence, including physical abuse of the index child. Although suicide behaviour was not a prerogative of a particular social class, a number of factors producing high risk for poverty were present among a proportion of the families. In both samples there was a high incidence of ongoing illness in the families and a high incidence of perinatal difficulties concerning the index child were reported. Suicidal children did not have a past history of antisocial behaviour and their classroom behaviour was unremarkable.
CHILDREN IN LESBIAN AND SINGLE‐PARENT HOUSEHOLDS: PSYCHOSEXUAL AND PSYCHIATRIC APPRAISAL
Authors: Golombok Susan , Spencer Ann , Rutter Michael
Published: December 2006

Thirty‐seven school‐age children reared in 27 lesbian households were compared with 38 school‐age children reared in 27 heterosexual single‐parent households, with respect to their psychosexual development and their emotions, behaviour and relationships. Systematic standardized intervews with the mothers and with the children, together with parent and teacher questionnaires, were used to make the psychosexual and psychiatric appraisal. The two groups did not differ in terms of their gender identity, sex role behaviour or sexual orientation. Also, they did not differ on most measures of emotions, behaviour and relationships‐although there was some indication of more frequent psychiatric problems in the single‐parent group. It was concluded that rearing in a lesbian household per se did not lead to atypical psychosexual development or constitute a psychiatric risk factor.
EVIDENCE FOR AN INDEPENDENT SYNDROME OF HYPERACTIVITY
Authors: Trites R. L. , Laprade Ken
Published: December 2006

It has recently been suggested that hyperactivity and an aggressive conduct disorder cannot exist independently in children. The results of a factor analysis of the Conners Teacher Rating Scales of over 9000 children provided preliminary evidence to the contrary; a hyperactivity factor emerged as explaining the greatest proportion of the variance. Because of the large size of our data‐set, it was deemed necessary to investigate the heuristic value of this finding. Using norms calculated on composite factor scores, a contingency analysis was performed to determine the proportions of children who were above a two‐standard deviation criterion of deviance on all factors and combinations of factors. The use of different degrees of statistical control produced prevalence estimates comparable to those reported in the literature. These findings raise the possibility diat studies reporting different prevalences of hyperactivity may, in fact, be exercising different degrees of conservatism in classification. Also, when the extent of overlap along each of our factor dimensions was examined, a group of children who appeared to be hyperactive but not conduct‐disordered emerged. These findings provide evidence for an independent syndrome of hyperactivity in a sample of Canadian children.
SLEEP PATTERNS IN CHILDREN OF SUPERIOR INTELLIGENCE
Authors: Busby K. , Pivik R. T.
Published: December 2006

To examine the relationship between superior intellectual functioning and physiological patterns and events during sleep, male children (8–12 years old) of superior (x̄ IQ: 133.3) and average (x̄ IQ: 111.0) intelligence were recorded for five consecutive nights using standard electrographic measures.

Compared to normal controls, superior IQ subjects had greater amounts of TST, stage 2, stage 3, total NREM sleep, a longer average NREM cycle length and significantly less average REM density. In addition, significant negative relationships were obtained between full‐scale IQ and REM density, and between verbal IQ and REM density.

The results suggest that patterns and amounts of sleep stages in superior IQ children do not differ in any dramatic fashion from those of children with average IQ. However, the negative correlations between IQ measures and eye movement density during REM sleep are consonant with previous notions relating eye movement density to waking information processing strategies and suggest a carry‐over of such strategies from wakefulness to sleep.
THE TEMPERAMENT OF DOWN'S SYNDROME TODDLERS: A RESEARCH NOTE
Authors: Gunn P. , Berry P. , Andrews R. J.
Published: December 2006

A toddler temperament questionnaire was completed by the mothers of fifteen Down's syndrome children who had been assessed two years earlier with the Carey infant temperament questionnaire. The results suggest that infants who have been scored as showing signs of difficult temperament move towards the easier signs on the toddler scale. If these temperament questionnaires are biased by maternal perceptions, this move may reflect a reduced level of maternal anxiety.
CHILD PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCIES: A RESEARCH NOTE
Authors: Garralda M. E.
Published: December 2006

Summary In a controlled study, emergency referrals to a child psychiatric clinic showed increased depressive and suicidal symptomatology and more perceptual abnormalities. There was also more commonly a recent deterioration in the presenting condition. Parents rated themselves as depressed more frequently and there were more problems in the father‐child relationship. There were no significant associations between emergency referrals and ratings of family dysfunction, availability of an extended family or contact with social agencies, but there was a trend towards increased use of the latter by the emergency group. The results highlight the need for early child‐centred psychiatric intervention in a minority of conditions of children and adolescents.
THE INCIDENCE OF ATTACHMENT OBJECTS AND ORAL HABITS AT BEDTIME IN TWO LONGITUDINAL SAMPLES OF CHILDREN AGED 1.5–7 YEARS
Authors: Mahalski Pauline A.
Published: December 2006

Summary The incidence of emotional attachment to soft toys and blankets, and sucking habits was studied in two samples of children. Mothers of one sample were interviewed when the children were 1.5, 2 and 2.5 years old, and mothers of the other sample answered questionnaires when their children were 3.5, 5 and 7 years old. Strong emotional attachment to objects, and thumb or finger sucking were most prevalent around 2 years of age. There was a positive association between sucking and attachment to objects at all ages. Clinging, sucking and movement habits merge into one another and serve the same function of easing the transition from waking to sleeping, from high arousal to low arousal.
LATERAL PREFERENCE AND SKILL IN DYSLEXICS: IMPLICATIONS OF THE RIGHT SHIFT THEORY
Authors: Annett Marian , Kilshaw Diana
Published: December 2006

Summary The lateral preferences and L‐R skill of 109 male and 20 female dyslexics were as expected if the distribution of lateral asymmetry is shifted less far to the right in dyslexics than in controls. Several aspects of the data were consistent with Annett's hypothesis that some dyslexics lack the left hemisphere speech‐organising factor postulated by the right shift theory of handedness and that this would be sufficient to account for the proportion of affected relatives. Some, dyslexics were strongly dextral and these differed from the less dextral cases in several ways which resembled the distinction between backward and retarded readers.
PERSONALITY, SOCIAL SKILLS, ANOMIE AND DELINQUENCY: A SELF‐REPORT STUDY OF A GROUP OF NORMAL NON‐DELINQUENT ADOLESCENTS
Authors: Furnham Adrian
Published: December 2006

Summary A group of over 200 ‘normal’ adolescents were administered self‐report measures of personality (extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism), social skills, anomie and delinquency in order to establish which of three theories best predicted delinquency. Eysenck's personality factors, particularly psychoticism, correlated most highly with delinquency, while there is no correlation at all between self‐reported social skills and delinquency. Overall the males tended to have lower neuroticism but higher psychoticism and anomie scores. The results are discussed in terms of the various psychological theories of delinquency, and the implications of these results for treatment are noted. It was pointed out that because this study was restricted to well‐educated, middle class, above‐average sixth‐form college students the findings may not generalize to a group of convicted or institutionalized offenders. The limitations inherent in sell‐report measures and in studies of this sort are also considered.
BLACK CHILDREN'S RACE AWARENESS, RACIAL ATTITUDES AND SELF‐CONCEPT: A REINTERPRETATION
Authors: Spencer Margaret Beale
Published: December 2006

Summary Results of a study of 130 black preschool children support the previous research finding that black preschoolers show majority group racial attitudes. Eighty percent of the sample obtained positive self‐concept scores, while demonstrating pro‐white biased cultural values on a racial attitude and preference measure. This significant finding is contrary to previous theorizing and consistent with recent data for a Southern sample (Spencer, 1982a). Few studies have empirically questioned this relationship, assuming less positive self‐concepts of black children who have consistently shown pro‐white cultural values. Race awareness affected majority group‐preferenced racial attitudes. Results suggest that black preschool children effectively compartmentalize personal identity (i.e. self‐concept) from knowledge of racial evaluations.
CHRONIC ILLNESS: PSYCHOSOCIAL EFFECTS ON SIBLINGS—I. CHRONICALLY ILL BOYS
Authors: Ferrari Michael
Published: December 2006

Summary Focusing on the adjustment of the siblings of three groups of male children; with pervasive developmental disability, diabetes and no known chronic illness, the present study failed to support the view that siblings of ill children are uniformly at greater risk for psychosocial impairment. However, several domains were identified in which siblings as well as parents of ill children were more susceptible to adjustment problems, though ‘risk’ seemed to relate more closely to illness‐specific variables than the presence or absence of illness. Several sex differences were found suggesting that same‐sexed siblings may be more vulnerable to maladjustment than opposite‐sexed pairs. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for investigation and intervention for families with an ill member.
FAMILY AND SCHOOL INFLUENCES ON COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Rutter Michael
Published: December 2006

Family and school influences on cognitive development are reviewed in terms of the empirical research findings on (i) variations within the ordinary environment; (ii) family intervention studies; (iii) the effects of abnormal environments; (iv) extreme environmental conditions; (v) variations within the ordinary school environment; and (vi) preschool and school intervention studies. It is concluded that environmental effects on IQ are relatively modest within the normal range of environments, but that the effects of markedly disadvantageous circumstances are very substantial. Cognitive development is influenced both by direct effects on cognition and by indirect effects through alterations in self‐concept, aspirations, attitudes to learning and styles of interaction with other people.
DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGES IN THE MOTHER‐CHILD INTERACTIONS OF HYPERACTIVE BOYS: EFFECTS OF TWO DOSE LEVELS OF RITALIN*
Authors: Barkley Russell A. , Karlsson Jennifer , Pollard Susan , Murphy Jerome V.
Published: December 2006

The mother‐child interactions of 60 hyperactive children subdivided equally into five age levels (years 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9) were studied during free play and task periods in a double‐blind drug‐placebo evaluation of two dose levels of Ritalin® (0.3 and 0.7 mg/kg bid.) on these interactions. No effects for age or drug condition were found during free play. In contrast, age effects were significant in the task period with the children increasing their compliance and sustained attention with age. In response, mothers decreased their direction and control while increasing their passive observation of the children. Several drug effects were found during the task period, indicating that only the high dose of Ritalin produced improvements in child compliance. However, both doses resulted in decreases in mothers controlling reactions to the child's compliance and off‐task behavior as well as in ratings of home behavior problems. Drug effects were essentially the same across all five age levels. The interaction patterns of hyperactive children are similar to those found in younger normal children in previous research, apparently reflecting a chronic lag in this pattern in hyperactive children that may be improved with stimulant medication.
THE EFFECT OF PROXIMAL AND DISTAL FEEDBACK ON THE CONTINGENCY LEARNING OF 6‐ AND 12‐MONTH‐OLD NORMAL AND PERINATALLY COMPROMISED INFANTS*
Authors: Millar W. Stuart
Published: December 2006

Acquisition of a manipulative response under proximal and distal contingent feedback was examined in 6‐ and 12‐month‐old normal infants, and infants who in the perinatal period had experienced either CNS‐related risk or non‐CNS‐related risks. Both risk groups experienced marked difficulty with the proximal and distal contingency tasks. With proximal feedback 6‐month‐old CNS‐related risk and non‐CNS‐related risk groups failed to learn to control the contingency, whereas at 12 months all groups learned. The distal feedback task also differentiated between the normal and atypical groups, though only at the 12‐month level. The findings also revealed a lag in the performance of the 12‐month CNS‐related risk group. The results are discussed in terms of attentional factors and the possible use of contingency procedures for investigating the effects of compromise in early infancy is noted.
THE EFFECTS OF FATHER INVOLVEMENT IN PARENT TRAINING FOR CONDUCT PROBLEM CHILDREN
Authors: Webster‐Stratton Carolyn
Published: December 2006

Thirty families who received parent training for conduct‐disordered children were divided into two groups, father‐involved families and father‐absent families. Immediately post‐treatment both groups reported significant improvements in their children's behaviors. Behavioral data showed significant increases in mother praises and reductions in mother negative behaviors, child non‐compliance and deviancy. One year later the children continued to show reductions in non‐compliance and deviance. However, significantly more of the mother‐child dyads who maintained behavioral improvements came from father‐involved families.
THE CHILDREN'S DEPRESSION SCALE. A STUDY OF ITS VALIDITY
Authors: Rotundo N. , Hensley V. R.
Published: December 2006

The validity of the Children's Depression Scale and of its parent‐report version were examined on a sample of normal and clinically referred adolescents. The CDS and CDS‐A discriminated adequately between clinical and non‐clinical Ss, as well as between depressed and non‐depressed. Only the CDS discriminated between depressed and ‘sad”, i.e. parental report did not discriminate between these two groups. A high correlation was found between the CDS and the Children's Depression Inventory. Internal consistency of the scale was found to be adequate. However, no support was found for the subscale structure of the CDS as proposed by its authors.
A DEVELOPMENTAL DOSE‐RESPONSE ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF METHYLPHENIDATE ON THE PEER INTERACTIONS OF ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDERED BOYS
Authors: Cunningham Charles E. , Siegel Linda S. , Offord David R.
Published: December 2006

Mixed dyads of 42 normal and 42 ADD boys were videotaped in free play, co‐operative task, and simulated classrooms. ADD boys received placebo, 0.15 mg/kg, and 0.50 mg/kg of methyl‐phenidate. ADD boys were more active and off task, watched peers less, and scored lower on mathematics and visual‐motor tasks. Older boys interacted less, ignored peer interactions and play more frequently, were less controlling, and more compliant. In class, methylphenidate improved visual motor scores, and reduced the controlling behaviour, activity level, and off task behaviour of ADD boys. Normal peers displayed reciprocal reductions in controlling behaviour, activity level, and off task behaviour.
THE TEMPERAMENT OF DOWN'S SYNDROME TODDLERS AND THEIR SIBLINGS
Authors: Gunn P. , Berry P.
Published: December 2006

The Toddler Temperament Scale was completed by mothers of 37 Down's syndrome children. Questionnaires were also completed for 13 siblings. Comparisons with standardization scores on the difficult dimensions suggested that the Down's syndrome children were more rhythmic, less intense and of more positive mood than children of the same CA. In addition, they were less withdrawn and more adaptable than children of similar MA. The siblings were more rhythmic than the standardization sample and more persistent than the Down's syndrome children. There was no trend for Down's syndrome ratings to be strongly associated with own‐sibling ratings.
PSYCHIATRIC EPIDEMIOLOGY IN A SAMPLE OF 1510 TEN‐YEAR‐OLD CHILDREN–I. PREVALENCE
Authors: Vikan Arne
Published: December 2006

Prevalence estimates of psychiatric disorder in 10‐yr‐old rural Norwegian children were based on responses to symptom checklists for parents and teachers. The parents' index showed highest validity, and was used as a basis for prevalence estimates. Properties of the index were shown to be sample specific, and a validity test should consequently always be administered to representative subsamples in psychiatric epidemiological studies based on symptom checklists. Prevalence of functional problems of a primarily psychological nature was calculated by proportional extrapolations from the validity test results. The prevalence rate for the total sample was 5%, and corrected prevalence when emigrants were excluded was 4.6%.
ON RESOURCE STRATEGY LIMITATIONS IN HYPERACTIVITY: COGNITIVE IMPULSIVITY RECONSIDERED
Authors: Sergeant Joseph A. , Scholten C. A.
Published: December 2006

Overactive and distractible (hyperactives), normoactive and distractible, and normoactive and attentive (controls) children were administered a high‐speed visual search task. The display load was manipulated and all subjects were administered the task in three instruction conditions: speed, ‘normal’ and accuracy. Speed‐accuracy trade‐off curves indicated that the controls and distractibles conformed to the fast guess model, which relates speed and accuracy. Hyperactives partially conformed to this model. It is concluded that a structural process deficit is not indicated by these data in hyperactivity. Rather, the evidence suggests that a resource strategy defect may be characteristic of hyperactivity.
ON DATA LIMITATIONS IN HYPERACTIVITY
Authors: Sergeant Joseph A. , Scholten G. A.
Published: December 2006

Three groups of children rated firstly as overactive and distractible, secondly as distractible and thirdly as low on both activity and distractibility were examined in a visual search task with three levels of display load: two, three and four items. The children were tested twice in two conditions of stimulus visibility to examine the encoding stage of the model used here.

The experimental results reject the hypothesis that an encoding deficit or data limitation may explain the attentional performance of either hyperactive or somewhat hyperactive subjects. They suggest, rather, that a trade‐off in speed and accuracy may be evident in (the) hyperactives.
IQ, SCHOLASTIC PERFORMANCE AND BEHAVIOUR OF SIBS RAISED IN CONTRASTING ENVIRONMENTS
Authors: Dumaret Annick , Stewart John
Published: December 2006

Medium and long‐term effects of types of placement of the offspring of lower class families have been studied. The progeny of 28 mothers was reconstituted. The subjects were divided into three groups: 35 children abandoned and adopted early in privileged environments (A), 46‘biological mother‐reared’ children remaining in their disadvantage social environments (B) and 21 children raised in institutions or foster homes (C). Analyses focused on IQ, scholastic performance and behaviour. Results show that the social environment has important effects: the differences between the three groups are very significant. For A and B groups tested in the schools, comparisons were made with the classmates. For the C group the effects of long‐term emotional deprivation are superimposed on the effects of the social environment.
THE NATURE AND QUALITIES OF PARENTING PROVIDED BY WOMEN RAISED IN INSTITUTIONS
Authors: Dowdney Linda , Skuse David , Rutter Michael , Quinton David , Mrazek David
Published: December 2006

A repeated pattern of difficulties in parenting is often found in successive generations of the same families. That finding, together with a concern to identify potential adverse influences upon child behaviour and development, was the focus of this study into the parenting provided by women who were raised within institutions. Relationships with their 2‐ to 3‐year‐old infants were assessed using complementary interview and naturalistic observational techniques. Differences in parenting styles between the case and comparison groups were on the whole subtle. Ex‐care women were relatively less sensitive to their children's cues and, in response to their demands and opposition, exercised control by confrontation rather than by circumvention.
CONTINUITIES IN SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS: PATTERNS OF AGGRESSION AND FRIENDLINESS
Authors: Stillwell Robin , Dunn Judy
Published: December 2006

Thirteen girls and 12 boys who had been observed at home as 2‐ to 3‐year‐olds with their mothers and infant siblings were interviewed as 6‐year‐olds about their relationship with their siblings; their mothers also were interviewed. The marked individual differences found among the 2‐ to 3‐year‐olds in comments about their siblings were correlated with differences in the children's comments about their siblings 3–4 years later, and the differences in their behaviour towards their siblings as 2‐ to 3‐year‐olds were correlated with differences in their mothers' accounts of the sibling relationship at the 6‐year visits.
PARENTS TEACHING THEIR YOUNG MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN
Authors: McConachie Helen , Mitchell David R.
Published: December 2006

Abstract— This paper reports a fine‐grained analysis of interaction between 21 mothers and fathers and their young mentally handicapped children. Parent‐child dyads were videotaped at home on two occasions with a‘roundabout’ toy. The sessions were analysed by means of a detailed coding system which reflected the reciprocal nature of interaction and which attended to sequences of behaviour. Results are reported on short‐term stability of various features of communication and comparisons of dyads involving mothers and fathers. Implications of the results are outlined for interventions designed to help parents to teach their young mentally handicapped children.
DEFINING THE SOCIAL DEFICITS OF AUTISM: THE CONTRIBUTION OF NON‐VERBAL COMMUNICATION MEASURES
Authors: Mundy Peter , Sigman Marian , Ungerer Judy , Sherman Tracy
Published: December 2006

Abstract Young autistic children were compared to normal and control samples on measures of nonverbal communication skills and object play skills. Deficits in non‐verbal indicating behaviors best discriminated the children diagnosed as autistic from the other groups. Although the autistic children also exhibited deficits in object play behavior, these deficits did not add appreciably to the discriminant function based on the non‐verbal communication behaviors. These results suggest that a deficit in the development of non‐verbal indicating behaviors is a significant characteristic of young children who receive the diagnosis of autism.
THE AUTISTIC CHILD'S APPRAISAL OF EXPRESSIONS OF EMOTION: A FURTHER STUDY
Authors: Hobson R. Peter
Published: December 2006

Abstract Autistic and matched non‐autistic retarded children were selected for their ability to recognize the correspondence between schematic drawings and videotaped scenes involving people. The subjects of both groups were able to choose schematic drawings of gestures for a person's gestures of emotion enacted on videotape. However, the autistic children were significantly impaired in choosing which of the drawings of gestures should ‘go with’ videotaped vocalizations and facial expressions characteristic of four emotional states. The results were found to be consistent with results from a previous, related study in which the same subjects had chosen drawn or photographed faces to indicate their judgements of the same videotapes of emotional expression. It is suggested that these findings reflect an important aspect of autistic children's social disability.
DO AGE AND SEX INFLUENCE THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN RECENT LIFE EVENTS AND PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS?–A CONTROLLED ENQUIRY
Authors: Goodyer I. M. , Kolvin I. , Gatzanis S.
Published: December 2006

Abstract In a consecutive sample of school‐aged children attending a routine child psychiatry clinic, four clinical groups were classified based on presenting signs and symptoms, conduct (N= 44), mild emotional (N= 55), severe emotional (N= 32) and somatic (N= 26). The groups were divided by age and sex and comparisons made between the groups and community subjects (N= 76) for the number of children experiencing one or more recent stressful life events. The results indicated that with the possible exception of severe emotional disorders, neither age nor sex substantially influenced the association between events and psychiatric disorder.
WILSON'S DISEASE IN AN ADOLESCENT DISPLAYING AN ADJUSTMENT REACTION TO A SERIES OF LIFE STRESSORS: A CASE STUDY
Authors: Carr Alan , Mcdonnell Dermot J.
Published: December 2006

Abstract The case is presented of a 13 year old boy suffering from Wilson's disease. Initially, his medical condition was, to a large degree, masked by a range of behavioural and emotional problems which followed directly in the wake of a series of major life stresses.
THIRTY YEARS OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY: A SELECTIVE REVIEW
Authors: Clarke Ann M. , Clarke A.D.B.
Published: December 2006

Abstract A selective review of the literature in child psychology over the last 30 years reveals substantial changes in methodology, in analysis and the interpretation of findings. Evidence on the multifactorial nature of development is drawn from genetic/environmental research, longitudinal studies and a consideration of potential long‐term effects of early experience, including planned intervention. It is increasingly recognized that individuals play some part in causing their own development, via ongoing transactional processes. Eight themes form the basis for discussion, including the belated emergence of Piaget's theory and the changing outlook for the mentally retarded. In addition, the explosion of research upon infancy and the growing influence of behavioural psychology are noted.
CHILD PSYCHOLOGY: THE FUTURE
Authors: Schaffer H. R.
Published: December 2006

Abstract Knowledge regarding the mechanisms of development is the aspect in most urgent need of attention, so that we can specify the processes responsible for children's progression from one stage to another. In particular, social influence processes need to be clarified, for past attempts to provide adequate socialisation theories have been hampered by various conceptual and methodological problems. Care must also be taken not to tie such theories to outdated stereotypes of the family; recent social changes and developments in the field of reproductive technology are raising new issues that need to be taken into account in attempts to explain the social context of child development.
CHILD PSYCHIATRY: LOOKING 30 YEARS AHEAD
Authors: Rutter Michael
Published: December 2006

Abstract The likely developments over the next 30 years in the understanding of disorders and in patterns of clinical practice in child psychiatry are considered in the light of basic biological principles, the current knowledge base and the prevailing trends of change. Attention is paid to possible advances in genetics, biological investigations, cognitive deficits and cognitive processing, psychosocial mechanisms, treatment strategies, classification, theories, patterns of practice and child psychiatric training.
BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS IN SPECIFIC READING RETARDED AND GENERAL READING BACKWARD CHILDREN: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY
Authors: Jorm A. F. , Share D. L. , Matthews R. , Maclean R.
Published: December 2006

Abstract A sample of 453 Australian children was followed over the first three years of schooling. Behaviour problems were assessed at the beginning of the first year at school and at the end of the second and third years. At the end of the third year the children were classified as specific reading retarded, general reading backward or normal. At school entry backward readers were found to have behaviour problems, principally relating to attentional deficit. It was concluded that this factor may play a causative role in their reading difficulty. Retarded readers, on the other hand, showed no evidence of behaviour problems.
COGNITIVE FACTORS AT SCHOOL ENTRY PREDICTIVE OF SPECIFIC READING RETARDATION AND GENERAL READING BACKWARDNESS: A RESEARCH NOTE
Authors: Jorm A. F. , Share D. L. , Maclean R. , Matthews R.
Published: December 2006

Abstract A sample of 453 Australian children was followed over the first three years of schooling. A broad range of cognitive skills was assessed at the beginning of the first year at school and at the end of the third year the children were classified as retarded, backward or normal readers. At school entry, backward readers were found to be deficient in a broad range of cognitive skills, as might be expected given their lower IQs. Retarded readers, however, were found to be deficient on a more limited range of tasks, mainly involving early literacy and phonological processing skills. The implications of these findings for theories of cognitive deficit in reading retardation are discussed.