bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Recognition Memory for High and Low Associative Stimuli in Autistic Individuals with Outstanding Memory Skill
Authors: Neumann Nicola , Braun Christoph , Dubischar-Krivec Anna M. , Bölte Sven 
Published: June 2016

Abstract
Background: Individuals with autism exhibit typical recognition memory performance, but they show a reduced use of context and relational processing in more complex memory tasks. It is unclear whether the same is true for autistic individuals with exceptional memory skill for whom superior rote memory skill has been assumed.
Objective: In this study, we investigated recognition memory for high and low associative stimuli in autistic memory experts. In accord with the rote memory notion, we expected an equal recognition performance for high and low associative stimuli and superior memorizing of nonsense material compared to control participants.
Method: Seven autistic memory experts and seven typically developed control subjects, matched according to age, sex, handedness, and full-scale intelligence quotient (IQ), were examined on a continuous old-new recognition paradigm, including high or low associative pseudowords and shapes. Memory expertise was characterized as a currently present outstanding memory skill above the subject’s general level of ability and above the general population and was validated through direct clinical observation or some form of credible evidence.
Results: Our hypotheses were partially corroborated with autistic memory experts recognizing high and low associative shapes equally well in contrast to control participants who showed superior recognition of high associative shapes. However, memory experts did not outperform control participants in the recognition of low associative shapes. There were no differences for the recognition of pseudowords.
Conclusions: Findings do not indicate enhanced memory for nonsense material, but a failure to make use of semantic features of abstract stimuli as assumed for autism as a whole.
Child Abuse Management Units: How can Mental Health Services be Further Improved?
Authors: Greger Hanne K. , Jozefiak Thomas , Myhre Arne K. 
Published: June 2016

Abstract
Background: Child abuse is a broad term that includes physical, sexual, and emotional (e.g., psychological, verbal) abuse. There are huge variations with regard to the level of severity and the consequences of abuse. Because child abuse is such a sensitive topic, it is a challenging task to conduct studies concerning this subject.
Objective: The aim of the study was to identify areas that could be improved to offer better health care services to patients. Therefore, routine assessments, the characteristics of the cases, and the types of follow up were emphasized.
Method: The Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services provided an exception from the principle of informed consent so that this study could be conducted. We had access to the medical records of all children between the ages of 0 and 14 years old who were referred to the regional child abuse management unit in 2006 and 2007. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed.
Results: One hundred and six children were referred to the child abuse management unit. For the majority of these patients (80.2%), sexual abuse was the only concern. The children presented diverse psychological and somatic symptoms and problems. Psychosocial functioning was in general not properly described in the records. Four out of five of the children were referred to services for follow up after the first examination in the child abuse management unit. Only 36% of the children were referred to child protective services.
Conclusion: This study revealed that psychosocial functioning is seldom documented and that psychological symptoms could be described more reliably and in more detail. A systematic approach may be helpful for health care providers, and we suggest the implementation of valid evidence-based instruments, such as the Child Behavior Checklist and the Children’s Global Assessment Scale.
Modeling Patterns of Negative Life Events and Mental Health in Faroese Adolescents
Authors: Petersen Tóra , Armour Cherie , Elklit Ask 
Published: June 2016

Abstract
Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify naturally occurring typologies of Faroese adolescents on the basis of their exposure to traumatic and negative life events. It was hypothesized that underlying typologies of trauma and negative life events would be uncovered. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that males would be overrepresented in classes characterized by the endorsement of a wide range of trauma and negative life events. On the basis of prior research, it was also hypothesized that females had endorsed more traumas of a sexual nature and that males had endorsed more traumas of a violent nature. Finally, post-traumatic stress, negative affectivity, and somatization were examined in the different typologies.
Methods: Latent class analyses were conducted with the use of data collected from a self-report questionnaire survey from 687 Faroese eighth graders (85% response rate). The questionnaire included a traumatic and negative life event list, the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire—Part IV, and the Trauma Symptom Checklist.
Results: Three classes of adolescents were identified on the basis of their exposure to potentially traumatic and negative life events. The baseline class (81.3%) had a low probability of the endorsement of all potentially traumatic and negative life events, except threats of violence and bullying. This group had low scores for post-traumatic symptoms, negative affectivity, and somatization. Class 2 (13.7%) comprised mainly males and had the highest probability of endorsement of threats of violence, physical assault, and bullying; this group also had high scores for post-traumatic stress symptoms, negative affectivity, and somatization. Finally, Class 1 (5.0%) consisted of adolescents with a relatively high risk of exposure to all potentially traumatic events and negative life events, except threats of violence. This group had the highest scores for post-traumatic stress symptoms, negative affectivity, and somatization.
Conclusions: The present study can be said to be a concise picture of trauma exposure and its consequences among Faroese adolescents, and it is thereby a valuable tool for the national planning of preventive and interventional strategies and for empirically founded economic prioritization. These results emphasize the importance of choosing a trauma-informed strategy in various disciplines, such as pediatrics, child and adolescent psychiatry, social work, and school psychology when the aim is to provide the appropriate intervention.
A multicenter, randomized, controlled study of Training Executive, Attention, and Motor Skills (TEAMS) in Danish preschool children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Rationale and description of the intervention and study protocol
Authors: Vibholm Helle Annette , Pedersen Jesper , Holm Anne , Krue Søren 
Published: June 2016

Abstract

Background:
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder that is often detected during the preschool years. Neuroimaging data indicate that children with ADHD have brains that are characterized by growth and functional anomalies. Data suggest that the diminution of ADHD symptoms is correlated with improved neural functioning and growth. On the basis of these findings, interventions that target neural growth, which indicates neural development, can possibly lead to a more enduring treatment for ADHD. Training Executive, Attention, and Motor Skills (TEAMS) is a non-pharmacological neurocognitive intervention program that targets preschool children with ADHD. The program is designed to stimulate neurocognitive growth through physical activity and play in combination with psychoeducation and guidance for the parents.

Population:
Children between the ages of three and six years from Region Zealand in Denmark who have been diagnosed with ADHD are offered participation in the trial. According to a calculation of the strength needed to result in a statistically significant outcome, the estimated group size should be, at minimum, 87 children. On the basis of Region Zealand’s visitation history records, the cohort is expected to include approximately 100 to 120 children.

Method:
The intervention groups participate in eight weekly group sessions that consist of separate parent and children’s groups. The control groups receive the standard treatment program as outlined by the clinical guidelines of Region Zealand. The ADHD Rating Scale-IV and the Danish version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire are used to assess ADHD symptom severity before and after the intervention and to monitor the duration of the outcome. A comparative analysis of data from the intervention and control groups will illustrate the study’s results.

Study aim:
This is a multicenter, randomized, controlled, single-blind, parallel-group study with the primary aims of testing the TEAMS concept and investigating whether the intervention significantly lowers ADHD symptoms and increases the functionality level after the intervention as compared with the control group. A secondary aim is to monitor the duration and endurance of the outcome for six months after the intervention. This study is currently in progress. Full results and conclusions will be reported after the study’s completion in 2015.
Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and Indirect Self-Harm Among Danish High School Students
Authors: MAhl Bo , la Cour Peter , Skandsen Annika 
Published: June 2016

Abstract

Background:
Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and indirect self-harm are prevalent among adolescents, but it is rare to see them described as related topics.

Objective:
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is a correlation between the frequencies of NSSI and indirect self-harm (e.g., eating problems, alcohol and drug use) and how this may be influenced by gender.

Method:
Questionnaires about NSSI (e.g., cutting, burning, scratching, hitting oneself) and indirect self-harm were distributed to high school students in the Copenhagen area (N = 5650; response rate 53%; females 60.8%).

Results:
A total of 21.5% of the survey respondents had engaged in NSSI (lifetime prevalence), and 16.2% had practiced NSSI within the previous year. Gender differences in NSSI methods were identified. A total of 53.9% of the students had engaged in one or more types of indirect self-harm. The correlation between NSSI and indirect self-harm is twice as high for males (0.44; P ` .001) as compared with females (0.20; P ` .001).

Conclusions:
Clinicians must be aware of both NSSI and indirect self-harm. A positive correlation is seen, especially among young males. Males often perform other kinds of NSSI as compared with females, and clinicians must look for gender-specific signs of NSSI. It is argued that NSSI can be perceived as a “social pathology,” but it is also indicated that NSSI and indirect self-harm can be evaluated as an expression of ordinary behavior among modern high school students that must not be medicalized.
Latent Classes of Symptoms related to Clinically Depressed Mood in Adolescents
Authors: Blom Eva Henje , Forsman Mats , Yang Tony T. , Serlachius Eva , Larsson Jan-Olov 
Published: June 2016

Abstract

Background:
The diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD), according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, is based only on adult symptomatology of depression and not adapted for age and gender. This may contribute to the low diagnostic specificity and validity of adolescent MDD. In this study, we investigated whether latent classes based on symptoms associated with depressed mood could be identified in a sample of adolescents seeking psychiatric care, regardless of traditionally defined diagnostic categories.

Methods:
Self-reports of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Development and Well-Being Assessment were collected consecutively from all new patients between the ages of 13 and 17 years at two psychiatric outpatient clinics in Stockholm, Sweden. Those who reported depressed mood at intake yielded a sample of 21 boys and 156 girls. Latent class analyses were performed for all screening items and for the depression-specific items of the Development and Well-Being Assessment.

Results:
The symptoms that were reported in association with depressed mood differentiated the adolescents into two classes. One class had moderate emotional severity scores on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and mainly symptoms that were congruent with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for MDD. The other class had higher emotional severity scores and similar symptoms to those reported in the first class. However, in addition, this group demonstrated more diverse symptomatology, including vegetative symptoms, suicidal ideation, anxiety, conduct problems, body dysmorphic symptoms, and deliberate vomiting. The classes predicted functional impairment in that the members of the second class showed more functional impairment.

Limitations:
The relatively small sample size limited the generalizability of the results of this study, and the amount of items included in the analysis was restricted by the rules of latent class analysis. No conclusions about gender differences between the classes could be could be drawn as a result of the low number of boys included in the study.

Conclusions:
Two distinct classes were identified among adolescents with depressed mood. The class with highest emotional symptom severity score and the most functional impairment had a more diverse symptomatology that included symptoms that were not congruent with the traditional diagnostic criteria of MDD. However, this additional symptomatology is clinically important to consider. As a result, the clinical usefulness of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders during the diagnostic process of adolescent depression is questioned.
Psychological Difficulties among Children and Adolescents with Ethnic Danish, Immigrant, and Refugee Backgrounds
Authors: Leth Ingrid , Niclasen Janni , Ryding Else , Baroud Yasmine , Esbjarn Barbara H. 
Published: June 2016

Abstract

Objective:
This study investigated and compared the prevalence of psychological difficulties among Danish, immigrant, and refugee children.

Methods:
We enrolled 332 children between the ages of 8 and 18 years (148 Danish children, 81 immigrant children, and 67 children with refugee backgrounds), all from low-income areas of residence. The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Symptoms Checklist, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the Revised Childrenâ€™s Anxiety and Depression Scale were applied.

Results:
We found significant differences among the groups, with Danish children reporting lower levels of conduct problems than both immigrant children (P ` .01) and refugee children (P ` .05). Refugee children also reported more peer problems (P ` .05), more symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (P ` .01), and more separation anxiety symptoms (P ` .05) than the Danish children. No significant differences with regard to age or gender were found among the groups.

Conclusions:
Our data suggest that, although immigrant children had higher levels of conduct problems than ethnic Danish children, they did not suffer from higher levels of internalizing psychological difficulties. However, refugee children were at higher risk for psychological difficulties associated with both externalizing and internalizing.
Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Severity of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Preschoolers: A Pilot Investigation
Authors: Tandon Mini , Lessov-Schlaggar Christina N. , Tillman Rebecca , Hovell Melbourne F. , Luby Joan 
Published: June 2016

Abstract

Background:
Less is known about the effects of secondhand smoke (SHS) on mental health as compared with other medical disorders.

Objective:
The aims of this study were to examine the following: 1) the association of SHS exposure with childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) and disruptive disorders; and 2) the association of maternal recall of a child’s SHS exposure and that child’s exposure as measured by bioassay.

Method:
Sixty children had their saliva collected and assayed for cotinine when they were 4 years old and again when they were 6 years old. Phone interview data were collected to assess maternal recall of the children’s exposure to SHS at these ages. The children were assessed annually for ADHD and disruptive disorders. Repeated measures analysis of exposure level by child characteristics was performed.

Results:
Greater ADHD and conduct disorder severity scores were associated with greater child smoke exposure (ADHD severity, P = .043; conduct disorder severity, P = .035). A large proportion of mothers reported that their children had no exposure to SHS, despite high levels of measured cotinine in the children’s saliva.

Conclusions:
An association between SHS exposure and ADHD and conduct disorder symptoms was found. Children and parents may benefit from parent education regarding the deleterious effects of SHS.
How do Girls with Low Functioning Autism Compare to Boys with Autism and Typically Developing Girls with regard to Behavior, Cognition, and Psychopathology?
Authors: Nguyen Camilla , Ronald Angelica 
Published: June 2016

Abstract

Background:
The female autism spectrum disorder (ASD) phenotype is currently underresearched. Girls with ASD may differ from boys with ASD, yet few studies have tested this hypothesis, particularly among low functioning individuals. This study compared girls and boys with predominantly low functioning ASD and typically developing girls during middle and late childhood across autism symptoms, cognition, sensory overresponsivity, and co-occurring psychopathology.

Methods:
Three mental-age–matched groups were compared: girls with ASD (N = 27), boys with ASD (N = 27), and typically developing girls (N = 17). Their ages ranged from 7 to 19 years old. The majority of individuals in the ASD sample had an intelligence quotient of less than 70. Participants were assessed on standard social cognition and attention to detail tasks. Parents completed behavior questionnaires.

Results:
Mean levels of autism symptoms were not significantly different for boys and girls with ASD, and they were significantly higher than those of typically developing girls. There were some weak trends for boys with ASD to show more compulsive behavior, inattention/hyperactivity and taste sensory overresponsivity than girls with ASD, but differences were not significant after controlling for multiple comparisons. The Block Design task, assessing attention to detail, showed a significant sex difference, with boys with ASD outperforming both girls with ASD and typically developing girls.

Conclusions:
Predominantly low functioning girls with ASD differed from typically developing girls but did not differ from boys with ASD with regard to their levels of autism symptoms, sensory overresponsivity, or co-occurring psychopathology. These data feed into debates about whether ASD assessment tools require sex-specific criteria and to what degree treatment should be tailored to the sex of the individual.
Underidentification of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Females: A Case Series Illustrating the Unique Presentation of this Disorder in Young Women
Authors: Trubanova Andrea , Donlon Katharine , Kreiser Nicole L. , Ollendick Thomas H. , White Susan W. 
Published: June 2016

Abstract

Background:
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is diagnosed more often in males than females, with the male-to-female gender ratio reported to be around 4.3:1 to 5:1. It is possible that the underrecognition of ASD in females partially contributes to this uneven ratio. Recent attention has been placed on understanding the processes that give rise to this gender difference in ASD prevalence. Socialization may contribute to the unique presentation of ASD in females, which may underlie this condition’s subsequent underidentification in this group.

Objective:
The purpose of this case series is to demonstrate how symptoms of ASD may uniquely manifest in females without co-occurring intellectual impairment.

Method:
An examination of three case examples of young women diagnosed with ASD will illustrate the processes that contribute to the atypical manifestation and underidentification of ASD in females.

Results:
Across cases, the females in this study demonstrated shared symptom presentations within three domains: 1) unique core symptom manifestation (insistence on sameness, lack of social engagement, and social processing difficulties); 2) heightened psychiatric comorbidities with internalizing disorders (anxiety, depression, and borderline personality traits); and 3) emotional dysregulation. These three domains reflect specific processes that may help to explain the underidentification of ASD in females via diagnostic overshadowing.

Conclusions:
Consideration of atypical symptom presentations, heightened comorbidities, and emotion regulation difficulties may help with the understanding of why ASD symptoms in females are commonly underidentified or identified later than they are in males. Social difficulties in combination with internalizing psychiatric disorders and emotional dysregulation may lead to the development of a specific symptom presentation in females that obscures the detection of ASD symptoms. Suggestions for clinical practice are made to promote the accurate identification of ASD and to inform case formulation and treatment planning.
Toward the Successful Employment of Adults with Autism: A First Analysis of Special Interests and Factors Deemed Important for Vocational Performance
Authors: Kirchner Jennifer Christina , Dziobek Isabel 
Published: June 2016

Abstract

Background:
Adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and with intelligence quotients in the normal range are disproportionately affected by unemployment.

Objective:
We sought to assess special interests that could bear potential for employment as well as factors deemed relevant for work performance in adults with ASD.

Method:
A newly compiled self-report online questionnaire was administered to high-functioning adults with ASD to assess special interests as well as factors that both interfere with and facilitate work performance.

Results:
Participants reported that they spent an average of 26 hours per week on their special interests, and their average level of proficiency was rated as very good. Although special interests were reported to be in the social sciences and the creative fields as often as they were in the natural sciences and technology/engineering, the most common approach taken within those fields was systemizing rather than a creative or knowledge-acquiring pursuit. Social interaction problems with coworkers and superiors as well as sensory issues were most often rated as interfering with work performance. In addition, mental underload was rated as an important factor that interfered with work performance, whereas excessive demands were not. Among the factors most often reported to facilitate work performance were employers’ and colleagues’ awareness of the individual’s ASD diagnosis.

Conclusion:
Our data suggest that special interests among individuals with ASD may bear important potential for employment. Given the focus on systemizing in this population, recent efforts to create job opportunities in the information technology sector specifically for high-functioning individuals with ASD are a promising start. However, these efforts should be expanded into other fields.