bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unspeakable September 11th: Taken for‐granted assumptions, selective reality construction and populist politics
Authors: Steinert Heinz
Published: October 2003

The interplay of private and public reactions to the crisis of September 11th in New York is analyzed as an example of well‐functioning populist politics. Using material from observations, interviews and a content analysis of The New York Times obituaries, the sequence of reactions to the catastrophe of September 11th 2001 in New York City is described. The wish for nearness and reassurance was followed by a wish ‘to do something’. The latter, by necessity frustrated for most, was turned into identification with the new heroes who could ‘do something’: fire‐fighters, steel‐workers, and the politicians who presented themselves as organizers of their efforts. Analysis then concentrates on how these ‘private wishes’ were used for ‘public politics’ of a populist kind. Cultural norms and assumptions about family, community and masculinity were utilized for the mobilization of political attitudes of patriarchal protection, patriotism and retaliation. Social differences of victimization were denied (where in fact it can be shown that the financial upper class paid the highest toll) with the effect of creating the perfect ‘populist moment’ out of the situation on the basis of actual needs and sentiments.

La combinaison des réactions individuelles et publiques à la crise new‐yorkaise du 11 septembre est analysée comme exemple de politique populiste réussie. A partir d'informations provenant d'observations, d'entretiens et d'une analyse de contenu des nécrologies parues dans The New York Times, la succession de réactions à la catastrophe du 11 septembre 2001 est décrite dans la ville de New York. Le souci de rapprocher et rassurer a été suivi d'une volonté de ‘faire quelque chose’. Cette dernière, frustrée par nécessité pour la majorité, s'est changée en identification aux nouveaux héros qui pouvaient ‘faire quelque chose’: pompiers ou métallurgistes, et politiciens qui se présentaient comme organisateurs de leurs efforts. L'analyse se consacre ensuite à la façon dont ses ‘aspirations privées’ ont été utilisées en faveur d'une ‘politique publique’ de type populiste. Normes culturelles et postulats sur la famille, la communauté et la masculinité ont été exploités pour mobiliser des attitudes politiques de protection patriarcale, de patriotisme et de revanche. Les différences sociales des victimes ont été effacées (alors qu'en fait, on peut montrer que la classe financière supérieure a payé le plus lourd tribut), créant ainsi, à partir des circonstances, le parfait ‘moment populiste’ fondé sur des besoins et sentiments réels.
Technology vs ‘terrorism’: circuits of city surveillance since September 11th
Authors: Lyon David
Published: October 2003

Since September 11th 2001 ‘terrorism’ has understandably become the preoccupation of many, especially in urban areas, where the threat of ‘terrorism’ is greatest. High on the list of priorities is tightening up the technological means of ensuring security, by adopting in particular new surveillance measures. While these are mainly expansions of already existing systems — biometrics, ID cards, CCTV and communications interception — an interesting and perhaps disturbing new feature of these is the apparent willingness to create modes of integration between previously separate systems. Similar software and dependence on algorithmic techniques permit data‐sharing across several boundaries that were previously less porous. The dispersed data‐gathering of the surveillant assemblage, that includes relatively ‘innocent’ items such as consumer transaction trails —‘categorical seduction’— converges with the more centralized activities of policing and intelligence —‘categorical suspicion’— in the effort to make urban areas safe. The consequences of this are likely to be far‐reaching, reinforcing our reliance on technological solutions, and increasingly inserting them into the routines of everyday life in the city.

Depuis le 11 septembre 2001, le ‘terrorisme’ est naturellement devenu la préoccupation de beaucoup, surtout dans les zones urbaines où la menace ‘terroriste’ est la plus forte. Aux premiers rangs des priorités, on trouve les moyens technologiques d'assurer la sécurité, notamment l'adoption de nouvelles mesures de surveillance. Si certaines consistent principalement àétendre les systèmes existants (biométrie, cartes d'identité, circuits de télévision et interception des communications), l'une des nouvelles méthodes, intéressante mais quelque peu troublante, est la volonté apparente de créer des modes d'intégration entre des systèmes jusqu'alors indépendants. Des logiciels similaires et une subordination à des techniques algorithmiques permettent le partage de données à travers plusieurs frontières auparavant moins perméables. La collecte de données éparses dans l'assemblage de surveillance, incluant des éléments relativement ‘innocents’ tels que le suivi des transactions de clients s'allie aux activités les plus centralisées de la police et du renseignement afin de sécuriser les zones urbaines. Les conséquences sont susceptibles d'aller plus loin, renforçant notre dépendance à l'égard de solutions technologiques et multipliant celles‐ci dans les routines de la vie quotidienne urbaine.
Dealing with urban terror: heritages of control, varieties of intervention, strategies of research
Authors: Molotch Harvey , McClain Noah
Published: October 2003

The events of September 11th bring urgency to problems of urban security, both in terms of finding ways to protect cities from attacks by terrorists and also protecting urban life from repressive measures that form in reaction to those attacks. We outline a rationale for urbanists to participate in analysis and policy‐formulation on security issues and examine the utility of past urban research strategies, including criminology, in terms of their relevance to the current challenge. We suggest principles to guide future urban policy in light of past experiences.

Les événements du 11 septembre rendent urgents les problèmes de sécurité urbaine, à la fois pour trouver des façons de protéger les villes contre des attaques terroristes et pour préserver la vie urbaine de mesures répressives en réponse à ces attaques. L'article argumente en faveur de la participation d'urbanistes à l'analyse et à la formulation d'une politique publique sur les questions de sécurité. Il examine le parti à tirer des stratégies de recherches urbaines antérieures (y compris en criminologie) en fonction de leur pertinence par rapport au défi actuel. De plus, il suggère des principes permettant d'orienter la politique urbaine future à la lumière des expériences passées.
World cities in poor countries: conclusions from case studies of the principal regional and global players
Authors: Gugler Josef
Published: October 2003

This is a brief report on a study of world cities in the under‐researched poor countries. Whereas previous work has focused rather haphazardly on one or a few cities beyond the West, this is the first study to systematically cover such ‘second‐tier’ world cities. Fourteen leading authorities from diverse backgrounds bring their expertise to bear on twelve world cities across four continents. Alongside the economic, they consider the political and cultural role these cities play within their regions and at the global level. The study leads to three principal conclusions: (1) these cities are extraordinarily diverse; (2) the city centers have become elite enclaves; and (3) along with the forces of globalization, the state and popular movements are important actors. These findings indicate the need for research that moves beyond the focus on globalization to take into account the multiple forces shaping world cities. And they demonstrate the benefits of overcoming an ethnocentrism in urban studies that privileges Western cities as locales of study and sources of generalization.

Ce compte rendu résume une étude sur les grandes villes mondiales situées dans les pays pauvres délaissés par les recherches. Tandis que les travaux précédents s'étaient consacrés, plutôt au hasard, à quelques grandes villes hors d'Occident, cette étude est la première à couvrir systématiquement les villes mondiales ‘de second ordre’. Quatorze auteurs éminents d'appartenances diverses apportent leur expertise à l'égard de douze grandes villes mondiales réparties sur quatre continents. Ces chercheurs s'intéressent non seulement à la fonction économique, mais aussi aux rôles politique et culturel de ces villes au niveau régional et international. Trois conclusions majeures se dégagent: ces villes sont extraordinairement diverses, les centres‐villes sont devenus des enclaves pour élites et, parallèlement aux poussées de la mondialisation, l'État et les mouvements populaires sont des acteurs importants. Ces résultats montrent la nécessité de réaliser des recherches qui dépassent le seul plan de la mondialisation pour tenir compte des forces multiples qui façonnent les villes mondiales. De plus, ils prouvent qu'il vaut mieux s'émanciper de l'ethnocentrisme des études urbaines, lequel privilégie les villes occidentales comme sites d'étude et sources de généralisation.
Toward an understanding of the spatiality of urban poverty: the urban poor as spatial actors
Authors: Gotham Kevin Fox
Published: October 2003

The last two decades have witnessed an explosion of empirical research on the role of space in group life at the same time scholars have lamented the under‐theorization of space in sociology. In particular, mainstream poverty researchers have conceptualized space as a neutral backdrop against which action unfolds and viewed poor people's agency as passive and unreflexive. This article attempts to move beyond this space‐as‐container ontology and provide a more coherent view of how theorizing space and spatial issues can help us understand the actions of the urban poor. At the core of the paper is an attempt to theorize agency as a spatial phenomenon — with spatial attributes and spatial influences — and offer empirical insight into how different spatial meanings can enable or constrain particular forms of social action and behavior. My intent is to contribute to an understanding of the urban poor as spatial actors. I argue that the importance of space lies in understanding it as an object of political struggle, a constitutive component of human agency, and a facilitator as well as constraint upon action.

Les deux dernières décennies ont connu une explosion des recherches empiriques sur le rôle de l'espace dans la vie de groupe, tandis que les intellectuels déploraient le manque de théorisation de l'espace en sociologie. En particulier dans le courant dominant de la recherche sur la pauvreté, l'espace a été conceptualisé comme un décor neutre devant lequel se déroule l'action, et la capacité d'action des pauvres était considérée comme passive et irréfléchie. Cet article tente de dépasser cette ontologie de l'espace‐contenant et de fournir une vision plus cohérente de la façon dont on peut théoriser l'espace et dont les aspects spatiaux peuvent aider à comprendre les actions des populations urbaines pauvres. L'essence de ce travail vise à théoriser l'agence en tant que phénomène spatial — avec des influences et attributs spatiaux — et à proposer un aperçu empirique de la manière dont différentes significations spatiales peuvent susciter ou limiter des formes spécifiques d'action et de comportement sociaux. Le propos est de contribuer à une reconnaissance des pauvres des villes en tant qu'acteurs spatiaux. Donner son importance à l'espace, c'est le concevoir comme thème de lutte politique, élément constitutif de l'agence humaine, ainsi qu'aide et entrave à toute action.
Architecture, banal nationalism and re‐territorialization
Authors: McNeill Donald , Tewdwr‐Jones Mark
Published: October 2003

This article concerns the relationship between architecture, territory and identity within major city‐regions, and attempts to unpick notions of cultural and aesthetic meanings stemming from particular mega‐projects. Debates over the form and function of major new architectural projects reveal ongoing attempts by territorial elites to re‐narrate nations within the context of the re‐regulation of sovereignty within Europe. To understand what these processes may mean, we employ Billig's conception of ‘banal nationalism’, which notes the pervasiveness of nationalism as an ideology through everyday life. We explore the idea practically by considering one example of an urban development project: the (unbuilt) Welsh Opera House in Cardiff Bay and the machinations that occurred politically over the choice of a mega‐project to represent the re‐branding of both a city and a nation. We conclude the article by suggesting that it is important to identify forms of aesthetics, function and location within cities, since the architectural mega‐project is increasingly becoming a key tool in the search for new national brands in Europe's free market of identities. Overall, although it may be worthwhile for culture to play a significant role within debates regarding nationalism and identity within globalization, cultural meanings generated from aesthetic forms may take different modes according to what territorial scale a mega‐project is attempting to represent.

Portant sur la relation entre architecture, territoire et identité dans les grandes villes ou régions, cet article tente de démêler les notions de significations culturelle et esthétique émanant de certains méga‐projets. Les débats sur la forme et la fonction des nouveaux grands projets architecturaux révèlent les efforts constants des élites territoriales pour re‐raconter les nations dans le contexte de la re‐régulation de la souveraineté en Europe. Pour comprendre le sens que peuvent avoir ces processus, l'article emprunte à Billig son concept du ‘nationalisme banal’, qui souligne l'imprégnation d'une idéologie nationaliste dans la vie quotidienne. Cette idée est examinée à partir d'un exemple concret de projet d'urbanisme: le Welsh Opera House de Cardiff Bay (jamais construit) et les méandres politiques sur le choix d'un méga‐projet visant à traduire la redéfinition à la fois d'une ville et d'une nation. La conclusion suggère qu'il est important d'identifier des formes d'esthétique, de fonction et de localisation au sein des grandes villes, puisqu'un grand projet architectural devient progressivement un outil‐clé dans la quête de nouvelles “marques” nationales sur le marché libre européen des identités. Globalement, si la culture a intérêt à jouer un rôle important dans les débats sur le nationalisme et l'identité au cur de la mondialisation, les significations culturelles nées de formes esthétiques sont susceptibles de prendre différents statuts selon l'échelle territoriale que cherche à représenter un méga‐projet.
China's Urbanization
Authors: Friedmann John
Published: October 2003

Books reviewed in this article:

Susan D. Blum,Portraits of “Primitives”: Ordering Human Kinds in the Chinese Nation

Liz Zhang,Strangers in the City: Reconfigurations of Space, Power, and Social Networks within China's Floating Population

Nancy N. Chen, Constance D. Clark, Suzanne Gottschang and Lyn Jeffery (eds.),China Urban: Ethnographies of Contemporary Culture

John R. Logan (ed.),The New Chinese City: Globalization and Market Reform
Annotation: Hyperlexia: disability or superability?
Authors: Grigorenko Elena L. , Klin Ami , Volkmar Fred
Published: October 2003

Background: Hyperlexia is the phenomenon of spontaneous and precocious mastery of single‐word reading that has been of interest to clinicians and researchers since the beginning of the last century.

Methods: An extensive search of publications on the subject of hyperlexia was undertaken and all available publications were reviewed.

Results: The literature can be subdivided into discussions of the following issues: (1) whether hyperlexia is a phenomenon that is characteristic only of specific clinical populations (e.g., children with developmental delays) or whether it can also be observed in the general population; (2) whether hyperlexia is a distinct syndrome comorbid with a number of different disorders or whether it is a part of the spectrum of some other clinical condition(s); (3) whether hyperlexia should be defined through single‐word reading superiority with regard to reading comprehension, vocabulary, general intelligence, any combination of the three, or all three characteristics; (4) whether there is a specific neuropsychological profile associated with hyperlexia; (5) whether hyperlexia is characterized by a particular developmental profile; and (6) whether hyperlexia should be viewed as a disability (deficit) or superability (talent).

Conclusions: We interpret the literature as supporting the view that hyperlexia is a superability demonstrated by a very specific group of individuals with developmental disorders (defined through unexpected single‐word reading in the context of otherwise suppressed intellectual functioning) rather than as a disability exhibited by a portion of the general population (defined through a discrepancy between levels of single‐word reading and comprehension). We simultaneously argue, however, that multifaceted and multi‐methodological approaches to studying the phenomenon of hyperlexia, defined within the research framework of understanding single‐word reading, are warranted and encouraged.
Family dynamics and preadolescent girls with ADHD: the relationship between expressed emotion, ADHD symptomatology, and comorbid disruptive behavior
Authors: Peris Tara S. , Hinshaw Stephen P.
Published: October 2003

Background: Despite the strong biological underpinnings of attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), family factors remain salient influences on the course of the disorder. However, relatively little is known about how family‐level variables relate to ADHD in girls and whether these variables are linked primarily to core ADHD symptomatology or to comorbid aggressive conditions.

Methods: We investigated the relationship between parental expressed emotion (EE), measured via the five‐minute speech sample (FMSS), and ADHD as well as comorbid disruptive behavior disorders, in a diverse sample of 131 girls aged 6–12 years.

Results: High parental EE was associated with both ADHD and aggression, whether these constructs were measured categorically or continuously. The EE component of criticism, as opposed to emotional overinvolvement (EOI), showed the stronger associations with both constructs. ADHD subtypes (Inattentive vs. Combined) were equivalent with respect to prediction from high EE status. Whereas linkages with EE were stronger for ADHD than for aggression and withstood control of comorbid aggression, the converse was not true – i.e., the link between EE and aggression did not hold with control of ADHD. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the associations were independent of parenting stress and maternal depression; exploratory analyses revealed interactions between EE and (a) maternal depression and (b) Child Verbal IQ with respect to predictions of disruptive behavior.

Conclusions: These findings add to a growing body of literature on ADHD in girls and highlight a pivotal link between family dynamics and the spectrum of ADHD‐related behaviors. They also indicate that inattentive symptoms may be equally challenging to parents as hyperactive/impulsive symptoms.
Deliberate self‐harm in adolescents: a study of characteristics and trends in Oxford, 1990–2000
Authors: Hawton Keith , Hall Stephanie , Simkin Sue , Bale Liz , Bond Alison , Codd Sharon , Stewart Anne
Published: October 2003

Background: Deliberate self‐harm (DSH) is a major healthcare problem in adolescents. Identification of targets for prevention and treatment requires ongoing monitoring of trends and characteristics of those involved.

Method: Using data from the Oxford Monitoring System for Attempted Suicide, we have examined trends and characteristics in adolescents aged 12–18 years presenting to a general hospital because of DSH between 1990 and 2000.

Results: The numbers of presentations by females increased during the study period. An association of DSH with school stress was suggested by there being fewer presentations during the school holiday periods, the largest number in term times occurring on Mondays, and study problems being common. Self‐poisoning was involved in more than 90% of episodes. Paracetamol overdoses decreased following legislation on pack sizes of analgesics. Antidepressant overdoses increased during the study period, in keeping with the rise in prescriptions. Drug misuse increased markedly in the boys, as did a history of violence to others. Being a victim of violence increased in girls. Suicide intent was higher in males. Problems faced by the adolescents showed marked gender differences, and differed between age groups and between those carrying out their first DSH episode and repeaters.

Conclusions: Clinical management of DSH in adolescents requires a range of responses, often involving multiservice and multidisciplinary input. Preventive initiatives in schools are also required.
Practitioner Review: The Treatment of Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents
Authors: James Anthony C. D. , Javaloyes Auxi M.
Published: October 2003

This paper reviews the presentation, clinical features, and management of early‐onset bipolar disorder. A framework for the treatment is based upon a systematic, critical appraisal of the available literature. A multimodal approach is emphasised using individual and family psychoeducational interventions in conjunction with pharmacotherapy. The role of mood stabilisers—lithium—and the anticonvulsants—sodium valproate and carbamazepine—is reviewed, alongside the treatments for depression in bipolar disorder and refractory mania.
Prevalence of Psychiatric Diagnoses and the Role of Perceived Impairment: Findings from an Adolescent Community Sample
Authors: Romano Elisa , Tremblay Richard E. , Vitaro Frank , Zoccolillo Mark , Pagani Linda
Published: October 2003

The present study examined psychiatric functioning in a community sample of adolescents aged 14 to 17 years (average age of 15 years). We administered the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children‐2.25 (DISC‐2.25) to 1201 adolescents and their mothers to obtain prevalence estimates of DSM‐III‐R disorders and the amount of perceived impairment associated with these disorders. While adolescent females reported a significantly higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders than males (15.5% vs. 8.5%), mothers indicated no sex difference. Compared with adolescent males, females had significantly higher rates of internalizing, anxiety, and depressive disorders. In contrast, the prevalence of externalizing disorders was significantly higher among adolescent males. The inclusion of an impairment criterion had a significant impact in reducing the prevalence rates of overall psychiatric disorders. This reduction occurred mainly through impairment's effects on internalizing disorders, specifically anxiety‐based disorders (i.e., simple and social phobia). Given the limited research on the effect of impairment on the prevalence of adolescent psychiatric disorders, future work in this area seems warranted.
Modeling Interinformant Agreement in the Absence of a “Gold Standard”
Authors: Baillargeon Raymond H. , Boulerice Bernard , Tremblay Richard E. , Zoccolillo Mark , Vitaro Frank , Kohen Dafna E.
Published: October 2003

Epidemiological surveys of child and adolescent mental disorders often rely on multiple informants to get a complete diagnostic picture. A consistent finding in the literature is that different informants often do not identify the same children as being disordered. However, because current strategies for estimating interinformant agreement often involve categorizing children using less than perfectly sensitive and/or specific symptoms, biased estimates of interinformant agreement are likely. The aim of this report was to illustrate how latent class analysis (LCA) can be used to model interinformant agreement in the absence of a “gold standard”. The proposed model consists of informant‐specific latent variables each made up of two or more latent classes corresponding to different levels of symptomatology. Unlike most previous applications of LCA this model allows us to model the extent to which the prevalence of the disorder is the same across informants; and, in addition, the association between informants. The data set comes from a prospective longitudinal study of 2264 children from Québec (1155 boys and 1109 girls). In grade 2, teachers and mothers independently rated each child on three physical aggression behavior symptoms. We satisfactorily accounted for the cross‐classification of the behavior symptoms by postulating the existence of two latent variables—one for each informant—each made up of three latent classes of children: low‐, medium‐, and high‐aggressive. The results showed that the prevalence of low‐ and medium‐aggressive children in the population differed from teacher to mother, but that the prevalence of high‐aggressive children did not. We found that the association between teacher and mother was large and positive and did not vary according to the child's physical aggression state or gender; in contrast, the association between physical aggression and gender was not the same for mother and teacher. Limitations and other potential applications of the proposed model are discussed.
The Comorbidity of ADHD in the General Population of Swedish School‐age Children
Authors: Kadesjö Björn , Gillberg Christopher
Published: October 2003

This study examined patterns of comorbid/associated diagnoses and associated problems in a population sample of children with and without DSM‐III‐R attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Half (N= 409) of a mainstream school population of Swedish 7‐year‐olds were clinically examined, and parents and teachers were interviewed and completed questionnaires. The children were followed up 2–4 years later. Eighty‐seven per cent of children meeting full criteria for ADHD (N= 15) had one or more—and 67% at least two—comorbid diagnoses. The most common comorbidities were oppositional defiant disorder and developmental coordination disorder. Children with subthreshold ADHD (N= 42) also had very high rates of comorbid diagnoses (71% and 36%), whereas those without ADHD (N= 352) had much lower rates (17% and 3%). The rate of associated school adjustment, learning, and behaviour problems at follow‐up was very high in the ADHD groups. We concluded that pure ADHD is rare even in a general population sample. Thus, studies reporting on ADHD cases without comorbidity probably refer to highly atypical samples. By and large, such studies cannot inform rational clinical decisions.
Which Aspects of ADHD Are Associated with Tobacco Use in Early Adolescence?
Authors: Burke Jeffrey D. , Loeber Rolf , Lahey Benjamin B.
Published: October 2003

Several studies have found a relationship between attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and substance use, primarily in the context of co‐occurring conduct disorder (CD). However, very few have examined the associations between the individual dimensions of ADHD (hyperactivity‐impulsivity and inattention) and substance use, even though these dimensions reflect distinct symptom groupings, both by clinical definition (DSM‐IV, American Psychiatric Association, 1994) and through empirical demonstration (Lahey et al., 1988; McBurnett et al., 1999). This longitudinal study examines the relationship between dimensions of ADHD (as described by DSM) and substance use, accounting for other psychopathology and factors potentially related to substance use. Participants were 177 clinic‐referred boys (initially between ages 7 and 12) followed up over nine annual phases until all participants had reached age 15. Annual assessment included structured clinical interviews with parent and child and self‐report questionnaires of substance use, as well as questionnaires related to family factors and parenting behaviors. Seventy‐eight per cent of participants reported use of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, or other illicit drugs during adolescence, with 51% reporting any tobacco use. The inclusion of CD rendered all bivariate relationships with the full diagnosis of ADHD nonsignificant. However, adolescent inattention, considered independently, was associated with a 2.2 times greater risk for concurrent tobacco use, even after controlling for CD. Even when other factors, selected based on their associations with tobacco use in adolescence, were included in a regression model (concurrent adolescent CD odds ratio [OR]= 6.08), duration of tobacco use by age 12 (OR = 5.11), poor parental communication in childhood (OR = 2.9), African‐American ethnicity (inversely predictive ; OR = 0.15), inattention (OR = 2.3) remained significantly associated with tobacco use in early adolescence. These findings highlight the importance of considering the risks for comorbid substance use separately by individual dimensions of ADHD.
Developmental Trajectories of Physical Aggression from School Entry to Late Adolescence
Authors: Brame Bobby , Nagin Daniel S. , Tremblay Richard E.
Published: October 2003

The developmental perspective applied to psychopathology has led to the concept of early‐and late‐onset disorders. This study explores the application of the early‐ and late‐onset concepts of antisocial behavior to physical aggression. Are there two categories of chronically physically violent adolescents: those who are physically aggressive throughout childhood and those who start being physically aggressive during adolescence? The estimation of developmental trajectories for repeated measures of two different response variables—physical aggression in childhood as measured by teacher reports and physical aggression in adolescence as measured by self‐reported violent delinquency—is achieved with a semi‐parametric, group‐based method. This new method is applied to a large sample of males from Montreal who have been assessed repeatedly since kindergarten. Several salient findings emerge from the analysis. First, we find considerable change in the levels of childhood and adolescent physical aggression. Thus, there is little evidence of stability of behavior in an absolute sense. A second key finding concerns the connection of childhood aggression to adolescent aggression. Boys with higher childhood physical aggression trajectories are far more likely to transition to a higher‐level adolescent aggression trajectory than boys from lower childhood physical aggression trajectories. However, for all childhood physical aggression trajectory levels the modal transition is to a relatively low‐level adolescent aggression trajectory. Third, we find little evidence of “late onset” of high‐level physical aggression. Specifically, the joint trajectory analysis finds no evidence of transition from a low physical aggression trajectory in childhood to a high trajectory in adolescence.
Home Is Where It Begins: Parents, Children, and Stressful Events
Authors: Yamamoto Kaoru , Mahlios Marc C.
Published: October 2003

A 20‐event, 7‐point scale on the stressfulness of selected unpleasant experiences was administered to 364 children in Grades 4 to 6 in an American intermediate school. Independently, a parallel questionnaire was given to their parents to indicate (a) how upsetting they would find each event themselves, (b) what they estimate their own children's ratings to be, and (c) whether they think their children have actually experienced each event. The parent‐child agreements among the 239 responding pairs were quite close on (1) the scale values (the median upsettingness ratings) with an r of .96, (2) the discriminal dispersions (the interquartile ranges of ratings) with an r of .79, and (3) the incidences with an r of .96. The striking contrasts with the earlier comparisons with professional judgements invite a reassessment of parents as dependable observer‐reporters.
Susceptibility to Illusions and Performance on Visuospatial Tasks in Individuals with Autism
Authors: Ropar Danielle , Mitchell Peter
Published: October 2003

The current study follows a recent paper reporting that individuals with autism were just as susceptible to visual illusions as those without autism (Ropar & Mitchell, 1999). The possibility that individual differences may account for the failure to replicate Happé's (1996) findings is explored by presenting a battery of visuospatial tasks thought to measure weak central coherence (embedded figures, block design, Rey complex figure test). Participants with autism were distinguished by relatively good performance on visuospatial tasks, though there was no superiority effect in those with Asperger's syndrome. Performance on the visuospatial battery did not significantly predict susceptibility to illusions in various participant groups, including those with autism and Asperger's syndrome. This suggests that perception of illusions and performance on visuospatial tasks may rely on different mechanisms. The implications for the theory of weak central coherence are discussed.
Individual Differences in Cognitive Planning on the Tower of Hanoi Task: Neuropsychological Maturity or Measurement Error?
Authors: Bishop D. V. M. , Aamodt‐Leeper G. , Creswell C. , McGurk R. , Skuse D. H.
Published: October 2003

The Tower of Hanoi (ToH) task was given to 238 children aged from 7 to 15 years, and 20 adults. Individual variation within an age band was substantial. ToH score did not correlate significantly with Verbal IQ, nor with ability to inhibit a prepotent response. We readministered the ToH to 45 children after 30 to 40 days. The test‐retest correlation of .5 is low in relation to accepted psychometric standards, though at least as high as reliability of the related Tower of London (ToL) in adults. The reasons for low reliability remain unclear; task novelty did not seem to be involved, as children did not improve on retest. We conclude that it is not safe to use this test to index integrity or maturation of underlying neurological systems in children. We compared our results with three published studies using the ToL with children, and found similar levels of performance on problems involving the same number of moves. Another study using automated ToL obtained much poorer scores, suggesting that computerised presentation may impair children's performance.
Annotation: Recent Research Examining the Role of Peer Relationships in the Development of Psychopathology
Authors: Deater‐Deckard Kirby
Published: October 2003

This Annotation highlights recent research on the role of peer group and friendship factors in the development of psychopathology in childhood and adolescence. Several processes are considered, including peer rejection (e.g., exclusion and victimization), social withdrawal and avoidance of peer interaction, and the socialization of deviant behavior and internalizing problems. The mediating influences of several proximal components are examined, including cognitive‐perceptual factors and emotion regulation. In addition, the moderating ifluences of close friendship, age, gender, ethnicity, and group norms are considered. Several promising avenues for future directions in research are highlighted, including the examination of heterogeneity in developmental processes, further investigation of gender‐based norms, and the application of multi‐level modeling techniques and gene‐environment process models.
The Long‐term Stability of Sociometric Status Classification: A Longitudinal Study of Included Pupils Who Have Moderate Learning Difficulties and Their Mainstream Peers
Authors: Frederickson Norah L. , Furnham Adrian F.
Published: October 2003

This study investigated the longitudinal stability of sociometric classification in two groups of children aged 8 to 10 years over a 2‐year period. Two simple, but sensitive and valid forced‐choice sociometric measures were completed by 41 children with moderate learning difficulties (MLD) and 375 mainstream children. On both occasions and on both measures (one using a “work with” and one a “play with” sociometric criterion) MLD pupils were significantly less likely to be classified as popular and more likely to be classified as rejected. Over the 2‐year period just over half of the children, whether MLD or mainstream, were classified in the same sociometric category. However, the stability coefficients for the rejected and popular sociometric status groups were found to be higher in the included sample than in the mainstream sample. The results of this study are compared with previous longitudinal studies in the area that have focused on mainstream pupils, and implications for the use of sociometric measures in evaluating the outcomes of inclusion are discussed.
Prospective 10‐year Follow‐up in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa—Course, Outcome, Psychiatric Comorbidity, and Psychosocial Adaptation
Authors: Herpertz‐Dahlmann Beate , Müller Bodo , Herpertz Sabine , Heussen Nicole , Hebebrand Johannes , Remschmidt Helmut
Published: October 2003

The aim of the present study was to follow up the long‐term course of adolescent‐onset anorexia nervosa by repeated assessment, to analyze the association between the course of the eating disorder and psychiatric comorbidity, and to evaluate psychosocial outcome. The sample consisted of 39 inpatients who were reinvestigated 3, 7, and 10 years after discharge. The patients and 39 controls matched for age, gender, and occupational status were assessed with structured interviews on DSM‐III‐R eating disorders, additional axis I and axis II psychiatric disorders, and psychosocial functioning. Results showed that 69% of the original subjects met the criteria for full recovery at the 10‐year follow‐up. One patient (3%) still exhibited the full syndrome of restrictive anorexia nervosa, two patients (5%) the full syndrome of bulimia nervosa. None of the patients had died. Of the subjects, 51% currently had an axis I psychiatric disorder and 23% met the full criteria for a personality disorder. Apart from the eating disorder, anxiety disorders and avoidant‐dependent and obsessive‐compulsive personality disorders were the most common psychiatric diagnoses. There was a significant association between psychiatric comorbidity and the outcome of the eating disorder and between outcome and psychosocial adaptation. With regard to psychiatric morbidity and psychosocial functioning, long‐term recovered patients did not differ significantly from normal controls. It is concluded that in most patients adolescent anorexia nervosa takes a prolonged course, although it seems to be more favorable than in adult‐onset forms. Those who achieve complete recovery from the eating disorder have a good chance of overcoming other psychiatric disorders and to adapt to social requirements.
Effects of Maternal Depression on Cognitive Development of Children Over the First 7 Years of Life
Authors: Kurstjens Sophie , Wolke Dieter
Published: October 2003

The effects of postnatal depression on cognitive test scores at 20 months and 4;8 years of age as well as the timing (onset in the early postnatal period versus later), severity, number of episodes, duration of longest phase, recency, and chronicity of material depression on children's cognitive scores at 6;3 years was investigated. In South Bavaria, Germany, 1329 mothers of singletons were screened when the children were 6;3 years of age for the presence of depressive symptoms since the birth of their infant. A standard interview (SADS‐L) was used to ascertain DSM‐IV diagnosis and details of depressive episodes. Ninety‐two mothers were diagnosed as having suffered DSM‐IV defined depression (7%). Seven hundred and twenty‐one mothers had no depressive episodes or symptoms from their children's birth until 6;3 years and were used as control group. The children had been assessed with the Griffiths Scales of Babies’ Abilities (20 months), the Columbia Mental Maturity Scales (CMM) at 4;8 years, and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K‐ABC) at 6;3 years. No significant main effects of severity, timing of onset, duration, or chronicity of depression of the child's cognitive development were found. Significant interactions of gender with chronicity of maternal depression (i.e. early‐onset major and repeated episodes) were detected. Low SES boys or boys born at neonatal risk of mothers with chronic depression had lower Achievement Scores in the K‐ABC at 6;3 years than children of mothers with less severe depression or controls. It is concluded that maternal depression per se has negligible effects on children's cognitive development. Long‐term effects may be found when maternal depression is chronic, the child is a boy and neonatal risk‐born, or the family suffers other social risks.
Issues in Measuring Quality of Life in Childhood Cancer: Measures, Proxies, and Parental Mental Health
Authors: Vance Yvonne H. , Morse Rachel C. , Jenney Meriel E. , Eiser Christine
Published: October 2003

The relationship between child‐ and parent‐reported quality of life (QOL) and the effects of parental mental health, illness stressors, and child vulnerability was explored using two measures of QOL: the Pediatric Cancer Quality Life‐32 (Varni et al., 1998a) and the Disquol (Eiser, Cotter, Oades, Seamark, & Smith, 1999). Thirty‐two children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (mean age = 8.92 years) and 36 parents completed measures of QOL when attending routine clinic. In addition, parents also completed the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ‐28), perception of the child's vulnerability, and illness‐related stressors. Significant correlations were found between the overall scores on the two child‐completed QOL measures, with a range of poor, moderate to good correlations found between the individual subscales. Poor to moderate concordance was found between child and parent reports. Children who self‐reported poorer QOL had mothers who were more depressed. Parents who reported poorer QOL for their child reported more illness stressors and perceived their child as being more vulnerable. Assumptions that concordance between child and parent ratings of QOL is a necessary requirement for new measures of QOL are challenged.
Body Image, Psychosocial Functioning, and Personality: How Different Are Adolescents and Young Adults Applying for Plastic Surgery?
Authors: Simis Kuni J. , Verhulst Frank C. , Koot Hans M.
Published: October 2003

This study addressed three questions: (1) Do adolescents undergoing plastic surgery have a realistic view of their body? (2) How urgent is the psychosocial need of adolescents to undergo plastic surgery? (3) Which relations exist between bodily attitudes and psychosocial functioning and personality? From 1995 to 1997, 184 plastic surgical patients aged 12 to 22, and a comparison group of 684 adolescents and young adults from the general population aged 12 to 22 years, and their parents, were interviewed and completed questionnaires and standardised rating scales. Adolescents accepted for plastic surgery had realistic appearance attitudes and were psychologically healthy overall. Patients were equally satisfied with their overall appearance as the comparison group, but more dissatisfied with the specific body parts concerned for operation, especially when undergoing corrective operations. Patients had measurable appearance‐related psychosocial problems. Patient boys reported less self‐confidence on social areas than all other groups. There were very few patient‐comparison group differences in correlations between bodily and psychosocial variables, indicating that bodily attitudes and satisfaction are not differentially related to psychosocial functioning and self‐perception in patients than in peers. We concluded that adolescents accepted for plastic surgery have considerable appearance‐related psychosocial problems, patients in the corrective group reporting more so than in the reconstructive group. Plastic surgeons may assume that these adolescents in general have a realistic attitude towards their appearance, are psychologically healthy, and are mainly dissatisfied about the body parts concerned for operation, corrective patients more so than reconstructive patients. Introverted patients may need more attention from plastic surgeons during the psychosocial assessment.
Sensitivity to Reward Delay in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Authors: Tripp G. , Alsop B.
Published: October 2003

The present study compared the sensitivity to pre‐ and post‐reward delays of children with and without DSM‐IV combined type ADHD. Thirty‐six children with DSM‐IV combined type ADHD and 36 controls completed a signal‐detection task. Correct identification of one stimulus produced an immediate reward and then a 3.5 s delay before the next trial (immediate reward). Correct identification of the other stimulus was associated with a 3.5 s delay before reward was delivered (delayed reward). Group differences emerged in response bias toward the immediately rewarded alternative. Children in the ADHD group showed a greater bias toward immediate reward than the controls. Children in the control group showed different patterns of response bias and discriminability following immediate and delayed rewards. For these children discriminability was lower and response bias was greater on trials following delayed reward. Both groups responded more slowly on trials following delayed reward. These findings support the hypothesis that children with ADHD are unusually sensitive to pre‐reward delays.
Annotation: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Face Recognition: Implications for Developmental Disorders
Authors: Elgar Kate , Campbell Ruth
Published: October 2003

Face recognition is often considered to be a modular (encapsulated) function. This annotation supports the proposal that faces are special, but suggests that their identification makes use of general‐purpose cortical systems that are implicated in high‐level vision and also in memory and learning more generally. These systems can be considered to function within two distinct cortical streams: a medial stream (for learning and salience of faces encountered) and a lateral stream (for distributed representations of visual properties and identities of faces). Function in the lateral stream, especially, may be critically dependent on the normal development of magnocellular vision. The relevance of face recognition anomalies in three developmental syndromes (Autism, Williams syndrome, and Turner syndrome) and the two‐route model sketched above is considered.
Learning to Read in Williams Syndrome: Looking Beneath the Surface of Atypical Reading Development
Authors: Laing Emma , Hulme Charles , Grant Julia , Karmiloff‐Smith Annette
Published: October 2003

In this paper, we make a fundamental distinction between literacy attainment scores and the actual process of learning to read, and examine these two aspects of reading in atypical development. Reading skills in a group of children and adults with the genetic disorder Williams syndrome (WS) were compared to a group of typically developing children matched for reading age and receptive vocabulary scores. Study 1 focused on the product of reading and explored the relationship between reading, general cognition, and phonological skills. Phonological skills were shown to be related to individual differences in reading attainment in both groups, although more weakly in the WS group. Experiment 2 examined the process of learning to read. The two groups were taught to associate abbreviated spellings (cues) with spoken words. The cues differed in their phonetic closeness to the target words, whereas the target words differed on the semantic variable of imageability. Compared to controls, the WS group showed slower learning, less sensitivity to the phonetic quality of the cue, and reduced influence from the imageability of words. The results support the hypothesis that although reading levels in WS depend on phonological skills, the full development of their reading is compromised by weak semantics. The studies highlight the importance in atypical populations of examining both reading levels and the actual process of learning to read.