Preschool and School Age Children Under Welfare Reform

This study compared the behavioral and school problems of young children whose mothers participated in two different income support programs, Jobs First and AFDC. The analyses also included measures of maternal education, maternal health, maternal psychological factors, and family environment. There were no differences in child school or behavioral problems across the income support programs. Children, however, were more likely to have school problems if they were older or if their mothers received less than a high school education, reported child behavioral problems or made criteria for depression on the CIDI. Behavioral problems were more likely to occur if mothers reported violence in the home, many depressive symptoms on the CES-D, few child positive qualities, or if the child had repeated a grade. Several familial factors, then, must be addressed in order to ensure that children excel both academically and behaviorally.     

Epilepsy in Rural Kentucky: Prevalence in a Population of School Age Children

Seizure prevalence among school age children residing in a rural western Kentucky area (Hardin County) was determined utilizing a method designed to minimize false positives and to allow estimation of false negatives. The observed prevalence of epilepsy is 5.7/1,000 and of febrile seizures 17/1,000. Because of the high rate of false negative responses detected by random sample interview, the true rate of febrile seizures is believed to be closer to a projected rate of 31/1,000.     

Epidemiology of Different Types of Epilepsy in School Age Children of Modena, Italy

An epidemiologic study of epilepsy in school age children has been carried out in Modena, Italy, during the period 1968 to 1973. The prevalence of epileptics aged 5 to 14 years varied between 3.98% and 4.91%. The accession rate varied between 60 and 98 cases /100,000. The primary generalized epilepsies represent 30.8%, the epilepsies with rolandic spike foci 23.9%, the other types of partial epilepsy 42.1%, and the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome 3.2%. Of the 178 epileptics diagnosed during school age, 159 have been followed for at least 4 years, with recovery in 55% of the cases and tendency to improve in 24%.     

Maternal Rigidity in Infancy and Level of Intelligence at School Age in Children Born Preterm

Forty-four children who had been born preterm and their mothers participated in the follow-up study. At 3 and 14 months (corrected age) cognitive development was assessed using the BOS 2-30, the Dutch version of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. The BOS yields measures of mental and motor development. At 7.5 years, intelligence was measured using the WISC-RN, the Dutch version of the WISC-R. A composite measure of maternal rigidity, tapping rigidity as a personality trait and rigid attitudes to child-rearing was used. The results of a multiple regression analysis indicated that maternal rigidity, measured in the first year of the child's life, was not associated with mental performance at 3 or 14 months. At 7.5. years, however, it was strongly associated with cognitive development, contributing uniquely to performance IQ.     

School Age Outcomes of Children Diagnosed Early and Later with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Early diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder is considered best practice, increasing access to early intervention. Yet, many children are diagnosed after 3-years. The current study investigated the school age outcomes of children who received an early and later diagnosis of ASD. The cognitive and behavioural outcomes of children diagnosed early (n?=?48), were compared to children diagnosed after 3-years (n?=?37). Children diagnosed early accessed more intervention, demonstrated better verbal and overall cognition at school age, were more likely to attend mainstream school and required less ongoing support than children diagnosed later. Behavioural differences were not found between groups. Earlier diagnosis is important and is likely to promote more positive outcomes at school age due to increased opportunity for EI.     

Father's Involvement and Psychological Adjustment in Indian and White British Secondary School Age Children

Background:  The study aimed to explore the relationship between father's involvement and psychological adjustment in Indian and White British secondary school age children.
Method:  Psychological adjustment in the 360 White British and 222 Indian children of the study was measured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). All children lived in biological two-parent families and attended the same secondary school in South England.
Results:  Indian girls and White British girls reported similar levels of adjustment and father's involvement, although compared to White British boys Indian boys reported both lower total difficulties scores and higher prosocial behaviour scores, as well as higher levels of father's involvement. Multiple regression analyses showed that even after controlling for age, sibship size, family's socio-economic status, and inter-parental conflict, father's involvement was positively associated with prosocial behaviour in both genders in both ethnic groups. Father's involvement was not related to Indian boys' or girls' difficulties. However, in White British boys father's involvement was negatively related to peer problems, whereas in White British girls father's involvement was negatively related to total difficulties, conduct problems, and peer problems.
Conclusions:  There would be merit in future studies extending our knowledge about differences in the relationship between father's involvement and child outcomes.     

Children of School Age: The Influence of Antiepileptic Drugs on Behavior and Intellect

Summary: The role of antiepileptic drugs in behavior and cognitive function in children is well documented in the literature. In general, behavioral problems occur most frequently with phenobarbital and clonazepam, and appear least often with valproate and carbamazepine. Cognitive impairments occur with phenytoin, are less evident with valproate, and minimal with carbamazepine. Monotherapy, as with adults, leads to improvements in both cognitive abilities and behavior.     

A Screening Questionnaire for Asperger Syndrome and Other High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders in School Age Children

The high-functioning Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) is a 27-item checklist for completion by lay informants when assessing symptoms characteristic of Asperger syndrome and other high-functioning autism spectrum disorders in children and adolescents with normal intelligence or mild mental retardation. Data for parent and teacher ratings in a clinical sample are presented along with various measures of reliability and validity. Optimal cutoff scores were estimated, using Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis. Findings indicate that the ASSQ is a useful brief screening device for the identification of autism spectrum disorders in clinical settings.     

Children With Preschool Minor Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Iv: Behaviour And School Achievement At Age 13

A cohort of children with deficits in attention, motor control and perception at seven years, drawn from a total population sample of such children in G?teborg, Sweden, was compared at 13 years with a group of normal children with regard to behaviour and school achievement. The index group showed persisting high rates of severe behavioural problems, as judged by teachers', parents' and self-rating questionnaires. None had been treated with stimulants or other drugs to reduce the symptoms of their neurodevelopmental disorders. It seems that these children's problems were slightly less in the early teen years than they were at 10 years, but the rates were still much in excess of those in the comparison group.     

Epilepsy in Bristol Secondary School Children

The recent report of the British Advisory Committee on the Health and Welfare of Handicapped Persons entitled People with Epilepsy (1969) deserves study far beyond British shores as a framework within which to restructure our thinking about epilepsy. In their "Envoi" the Committee makes the comment that, "There were many areas of the life of those with convulsive disorders about which we would have liked to have factual information." They made a firm plea for further clinical and social research. With the active support of the British Epilepsy Research Fund we are attempting in Bristol—a typical North European city—to answer some of their questions in order to find out more about the life and needs of school children with epilepsy.     

Comparison of Psychosocial Correlates in Primary School Age Children with Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder- Combined Type, with and without Dysthymic Disorder

In this study, standardized assessments of maternal psychopathology, family functioning and marital adjustment were compared between 115 medication naïve, clinically referred primary school age children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder combined type (ADHD-CT) alone and 29 children with comorbid dysthymic disorder (DD) and ADHD-CT. The mothers of children with ADHD-CT and DD reported higher rates of anxiety and depression than those of children with ADHD-CT alone. These results reinforce the need for early recognition of comorbid DD when working with children with ADHD-CT. Increased rates of maternal anxiety and depression in children with ADHD-CT and DD may contribute to the children’s symptoms, require specific psychological and/or medication treatments and careful ongoing monitoring of these specific treatments.     

Age and Gender Effects on Resilience in Children and Adolescents

This cross-sectional, population-based study explores the effects of age and gender on resilience and protective factors for mental health in primary school aged children in Brisbane, Australia. Surveys were administered to 1109 male and 1163 female students (N = 2492) in 2004 to assess self-perception of resilience and associated protective factors. Female students are found to be more likely to report higher levels of communication, empathy, help-seeking and goals for future and aspirations. They also report more positive connections with parents, teachers and adults in the community, and peers in school and outside school, as well as sense of autonomy experience. These differences, however, show changes over time. The interaction between age and gender is significant for empathy and help-seeking, and for adult support at home, at school and in the community, peer support at school and outside schools, and autonomy experience. This is largely explained by the sharp decline in scores for Year 7 girls. The gender differences in individual characteristics and protective factors for primary school children deserve further investigation, in view of their potential implications for mental health prevention and promotion.