562名医务人员子女心理行为状况调查

目的 了解儿童心理行为状况,为改善儿童心理行为问题提供依据。方法 针对本院医务人员子女采用整群随机抽样的方法,通过手机端发放长处和困难问卷(Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire,SDQ)电子版进行调查,收集儿童心理行为健康相关信息。结果 本研究纳入观察病例共562份,年龄均值(8.06±3.251)岁。其中,男275名(48.9%),女287名(51.1%);学龄期儿童311名(55.3%),学龄前期儿童251名(44.7%)。SDQ困难总分评定异常者12.9%,边缘状态者18.1%,正常者69%。情绪问题 、品行问题 、同伴关系问题 、多动问题 、困难总分、亲社会行为各因子异常检出率分别为9.6%、9.8%、19.2%、18.1%、12.9%、7.8%。不同性别儿童SDQ困难总分、情绪症状、亲社会行为、品行问题差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。男生多动问题、同伴关系问题评分分别为(3.87±1.471)分、(4.53±1.542)分,分别高于女生的(3.65±1.415)分、(4.31±1.554)分,差异有统计学意义(t=0.96、7.65,P<0.05)。学龄前期儿童与学龄期儿童情绪症状、品行问题、亲社会行为差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。学龄期儿童同伴关系问题、多动问题、困难总分评分分别为(4.53±1.507)分、(3.85±1.298)分、(12.15±3.613)分,分别高于学龄前期儿童的(4.26±1.652)分、(3.54±1.402)分、(11.45±4.39)分,差异有统计学意义(t=5.36、6.57、14.32,P<0.05)。结论 调查发现,本院医务人员子女心理行为问题发生率较高。应进一步核实诊断,根据不同的心理特征及年龄分类,及早给予心理支持和干预,并由心理医生对这一群体进行长期随访。     

Electrophysiological evidence for changes in attentional orienting and selection in functional somatic symptoms

ObjectiveWe investigated changes in attention mechanisms in people who report a high number of somatic symptoms which cannot be associated with a physical cause.MethodBased on scores on the Somatoform Disorder Questionnaire (SDQ-20; Nijenhuis et al., 1996) we compared two non-clinical groups, one with high symptoms on the SDQ-20 and a control group with low or no symptoms. We recorded EEG whilst participants performed an exogenous tactile attention task where they had to discriminate between tactile targets following a tactile cue to the same or opposite hand.ResultsThe neural marker of attentional orienting to the body, the Late Somatosensory Negativity (LSN), was diminished in the high symptoms group and attentional modulation of touch processing was prolonged at mid and enhanced at later latency stages in this group.ConclusionThese results confirm that attentional processes are altered in people with somatic symptoms, even in a non-clinical group. Furthermore, the observed pattern fits explanations of changes in prior beliefs or expectations leading to diminished amplitudes of the marker of attentional orienting to the body (i.e. the LSN) and enhanced attentional gain of touch processing.SignificanceThis study shows that high somatic symptoms are associated with neurocognitive attention changes.     

Psychometric properties of the Arabic self-report version of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire

Students in middle school tend to display emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBDs) compared to other forms of psychopathology. Early identification of EBDs is therefore a priority in order to prevent the chronic co-morbidity with other forms of psychopathology which may affect students’ academic achievement. Assessment of EBDs has been traditionally undertaken via proxy reporting; but psychometrically rigorous instruments are needed so that children and adolescents can report on their own emotions and behaviours. Such need increases in the Omani context given the lack of EBDs adequate assessment instruments. In the current study the factor structure of the Arabic self-report version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (A-SDQ) was examined in a sample of 815 middle school students (mean age = 14 years). The study tested the SDQ original five-factor model which received considerable empirical support. Responses on the A-SDQ were compared to responses obtained via proxy reports from teachers and parents through confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs). Results showed a reasonable fit for the three informant forms. Nevertheless, there were differences in item loadings across the three informant forms. Additionally, participants’ self-report responses were tested for invariance across gender. CFAs provided support to the invariance hypothesis for item loadings, indicating that the items were similarly valid indices of the five factors for males and females. Factor correlations, factor variances and item residuals were not invariant across gender.What this paper addsThis paper, to our knowledge, is the first research paper that provides empirical evidence on the Arabic self report version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (A-SDQ) within a school-based sample. Though the focus was on the self-report version we collected data from the proxy versions for parents and teachers to provide additional evidence on the construct validity of the (A-SDQ) through cross informant data.     

Cognitive styles and psychological functioning in rural South African school students: Understanding influences for risk and resilience in the face of chronic adversity

Adverse childhood experiences can show lasting effects on physical and mental health. Major questions surround how children overcome adverse circumstances to prevent negative outcomes. A key factor determining resilience is likely to be cognitive interpretation (how children interpret the world around them). The cognitive interpretations of 1025 school children aged 10–12 years in a rural, socioeconomically disadvantaged area of South Africa were examined using the Cognitive Triad Inventory for Children (CTI-C). These were examined in relation to psychological functioning and perceptions of the school environment. Those with more positive cognitive interpretations had better psychological functioning on scales of depression, anxiety, somatization and sequelae of potentially traumatic events. Children with more negative cognitions viewed the school-environment more negatively. Children living in poverty in rural South Africa experience considerable adversity and those with negative cognitions are at risk for psychological problems. Targeting children's cognitive interpretations may be a possible area for intervention.     

Sleep disorders and depression in patients with Parkinson''s disease

OBJECTIVES: Sleep disorders and depression are frequent in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the exact prevalence and the causality are still unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We interviewed 56 consecutive PD patients and 59 age-matched healthy controls concerning sleep disorders and depression. Sleep Disorders Questionnaire (SDQ) and Zung Depression Scale (ZDS) were used as standardized valid and reliable psychometric tests. RESULTS: Patients with PD had significantly higher values in the clinical-diagnostic scale narcolepsy (P=0.01), correlating with the L-dopa dose (P=0.007). Concerning sleep apnea (P=0.49), psychiatric sleep disorder (P=1.00) and periodic limb movement disorder (P=0.12), no significant difference could be identified. PD patients showed significantly higher depression scores than healthy control subjects (P=0.01), increasing with the duration of PD (P=0.04). CONCLUSION: The significant higher narcolepsy score in PD patients must be seen due to dopaminergic medication and PD-specific neurodegeneration and immobility rather than due to narcolepsy. This leads to the conclusion that extreme caution is advised when carrying out the SDQ and interpreting the results in various persons and patient groups with motor problems. The strong association of depression, disease severity and sleep disorders in PD patients underlines the importance of identifying and treating both conditions in these patients.     

Chronic physical illness and mental health in children. Results from a large-scale population study

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in detecting emotional and behavioural problems among children with chronic illness (CI). METHODS: Parents and teachers of a population of primary school children in Norway (n = 9430) completed a questionnaire including the SDQ, and a question about chronic illness. A total of 74% (n = 7007) of the parents participated. A sub-sample (n = 1040) was given a psychiatric diagnostic evaluation according to the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA). RESULTS: According to parent reports, 537 (8%) children had a CI. The SDQ revealed an increased risk of emotional and behavioural problems in children with CI as compared with non-CI peers, both among boys (OR = 2.10 CI 95% 1.56-2.83) and girls (OR = 2.11 CI 95% 1.49-2.99). Children with CI also showed an increased risk of psychiatric disorder as assessed by the DAWBA (OR = 1.70 CI 95% 1.04-2.85). Both the sensitivity and specificity of the SDQ in predicting a psychiatric diagnosis were high, even when only information from parents was included. CONCLUSION: Children with CI in the general population are at increased risk of behavioural and emotional problems and psychiatric disorders. Given its high sensitivity and specificity the SDQ might work well as a screening instrument for behaviour/emotional problems and psychiatric disorder in children with CI.