Behavioral Assessment Of Children Research Articles

Behavioral assessment of children and adolescents with Graves' disease: A prospective study.

Previous studies have identified frequent comorbid neuropsychiatric disorders and conditions in adults with thyrotoxicosis. These studies are scarce or even lacking in pediatric population. This work aimed to study the behavior of children and adolescents with Graves' disease (GD). This study included 35 children with GD (boys = 15; girls = 25; mean age: 11.45±1.50yrs) and 40 healthy children (boys = 20; girls = 20; mean age: 12.54±1.62yrs). Behavior was assessed using Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Children with GD were assessed during periods of thyroid hormone elevation (active disease) and normalized thyroid hormones (with anti-thyroid drugs or ATDs). Compared to healthy children, patients during periods of thyroid hormone elevation (74.29%) and normalized thyroid hormones (31.43%) had higher frequencies of behavioral abnormalities and scorings of total CBCL scale (P = 0.01; P = 0.04, respectively) and its subscales' [Anxious/Depressed (P = 0.02; P = 0.04), Withdrawn/Depressed (P = 0.03; P = 0.04) and Somatic Complaints (P = 0.03; P = 0.127) and Social (P = 0.01; P = 0.225), Thought (P = 0.01; P = 0.128) and Attention (P = 0.01; P = 0.01) problems], indicating internalizing and externalizing problems. The majority of patients had at least two different behavioral problems. Marked improvement was found during period of normalized thyroid hormones (P = 0.001). Correlation analyses showed significant associations between total CBCL scoring and age at onset (P = 0.01; P = 0.001) and lower concentrations of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) (P = 0.001; P = 0.04) and higher concentrations of free thyroxine (fT4) (P = 0.01; P = 0.02), triiodothyronine (fT3) (P = 0.01; P = 0.03) and thyrotropin receptor antibodies (TRAbs) (P = 0.001; P = 0.01) during periods of thyroid hormone elevation and normalized thyroid hormones, respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that "at presentation" lower concentrations of TSH (P = 0.001; P = 0.03) and higher concentrations of fT4 (P = 0.001, P = 0.01), fT3 (P = 0.01; P = 0.06) and TRAbs (P = 0.001; P = 0.001) were predictors of behavioral problems during periods of active disease and normalized thyroid hormones. We conclude that GD is associated with higher frequencies and severities of anxiety, depression and inattention during periods of thyroid hormone elevation as well as normalized thyroid hormones with ATDs. Therefore, early diagnosis and optimizing management are required to improve children's social life.

Facing the real time challenges of the COVID-19 emergency for child neuropsychology service in Milan

BackgroundIn Italy, due to the COVID-19 emergency, hospitals and health services were required to undergo rapid changes in organization and assistance delivery in order to control the epidemic outbreak. The confinement of the population and the outbreak impact on health care systems disrupted the routine care for non COVID-19 patients. Particular challenges have been faced for services working with neurodevelopmental disabilities and pediatric neurological disorders. We present the adaptation of our Child Neurology and Developmental Neuropsychology Service at the Developmental Neurology Unit, which is responsible for cognitive and behavioral assessment of children with neurodevelopmental disorders and neurological diseases, on an inpatient/outpatient basis, to the epidemic outbreak. In particular, we describe the introduction of telehealth in clinical practice and provide qualitative and quantitative data regarding the feasibility of the telemedicine protocol and the level of satisfaction experienced by families. OutcomesPatients admitted on an inpatient basis are limited to non-deferrable cases; all patients do pre-admission screening to exclude COVID-19 infection. Child neurologists and psychologists have switched the out-patient visits to telemedicine sessions, despite they had little to no previous experience in telemedicine. Families’ response to the proposal of video-sessions has been positive with 93 % of families accepting it, preparing appropriate devices and conditions to participate at home. Main barriers to tele-sessions access were socio-economic and linguistic disadvantage, together with familiar health issues. The Telemedicine Satisfaction Questionnaire revealed high level of agreementi between expected care and actual care received by patients and caregivers. ConclusionsThe experience of our Service confirms the importance of an inclusive response to emergency with respect to people with disabilities, ensuring the quality and continuity of care in times of population quarantine. Our experience could be useful worldwide to evaluate the feasibility of the Italian emergency response applied to the assistance of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

THE RESULTS OF A STUDY OF THE BRAIN IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS USING PROTON MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY

The aim of the study was to determine the diagnostic significance of metabolites of N-acetyl aspartate, choline and creatine according to proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the brain in children with autism spectrum disorders. Material and methods. Using routine MRI and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we examined 20 children with a diagnosis of «pervasive developmental disorders» (F 84) aged 1–10 years (average age 5,05 years (SD 2,502); 13 boys; 7 girls). In 12 patients (from 17 children) aged 2 to 10 years, the average age was 5,75±0,827 years (Me 6.00 (3,00; 8,75); 8 boys; 4 girls) the «The Autism Treatment Evaluation Scale» and «Behavioral Assessment of Children» (version for patients with developmental disabilities) «The Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form». Results. We found a significant decrease in the ratio of NAA/Cr (p<0,05) in the postcentral gyrus of the right hemisphere of the brain, in the inner capsule on the left and the hippocampus on the right. Increased Cho/NAA ratio (p<0,05) in the temporal lobes on both sides and the hippocampus on the right. Increased Cho/Cr ratio (p<0,05) in the inner capsule on both sides. Conclusions. These data allow us to identify in patients with autism spectrum disorders some specific metabolic changes in the brain. Perhaps this is caused by damage to neurons.

Parental styles and coparenting in families with children with autism: cluster analysis of children’s behavior

Abstract Research on atypical developing parenting usually investigates only the mother. This happens even if the investigation outcome points to the influence of the parenting style and the child’s relationship with the father on his/her perception of well-being. This investigation aimed to understand the relationships between the behavior of children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, parenting styles and coparenting of 45 biparental families with children aged, on mean, 59 months, according to defined profiles based on children’s behavioral differences. Data was reviewed by hierarchical clustering. Among the four profiles found, those characterized by behavioral difficulties showed more authoritarian/permissive parenting styles and negative impacts on coparenting; profiles with greater prosociability had a more authoritative parenting style and better coparenting quality. The behavioral assessment of children should drive the formulation of interventions/public policies to promote positive parenting in this population.

Behavioral assessment of children with Spondylo-epi-metaphyseal dysplasias using the child behavior checklist

Behavioral assessment of children with Spondylo-epi-metaphyseal dysplasias using the child behavior checklist

Unsupervised feature selection for interpretable classification in behavioral assessment of children

AbstractIn this paper, we consider a data set taken from the administration of the Behavior Assessment System for Children test to 157 subjects, and we approach the problem of clustering and classify the subjects in an interpretable fashion. Because the Behavior Assessment System for Children test is originally composed of 149 questions (152 in the particular version used for this experiment), we first propose a feature selection wrapper model composed by a multi‐objective evolutionary algorithm, the iterative clustering method expectation–maximization, and the classifier C4.5 for the unsupervised feature selection towards the classification of the data with two objectives: maximizing the likelihood of the clustering model and maximizing the accuracy of the obtained classifier. We propose a methodology to integrate feature selection for unsupervised classification, model evaluation, decision‐making (to choose the most satisfactory model according to an a posteriori process in a multi‐objective context), and testing. The selected data set that is the result of this process, where each instance is labeled with its class, is then used for supervised learning via both C4.5 and a novel evolutionary computation‐based fuzzy classifier to obtain interpretable rules. We discuss and compare the behavior of two different evolutionary algorithms (ENORA (Evolutionary NOn‐dominated Radial slots based Algorithm) and NSGA‐II (Non‐dominated Sorted Genetic Algorithm)) at different levels: as search strategies for feature selection, as search strategies for fuzzy classification, and in terms of quality of the results. It turns out that ENORA behaves better in terms of quality of the result in the feature selection phase (obtaining a selection that shows higher accuracy under C4.5 after cross‐validation), and again in the fuzzy classification phase, from both points of view: hypervolume evolution and interpretability of results. During the entire process, the solutions are validated by the psychologists who collected the data.

Cross-informant and cross-national equivalence using item-response theory (IRT) linking: A case study using the behavioral assessment for children of African heritage in the United States and Jamaica.

Cross-national study of adolescents' psychological adjustment requires measures that permit reliable and valid assessment across informants and nations, but such measures are virtually nonexistent. Item-response-theory-based linking is a promising yet underutilized methodological procedure that permits more accurate assessment across informants and nations. To demonstrate this procedure, the Resilience Scale of the Behavioral Assessment for Children of African Heritage (Lambert et al., 2005) was administered to 250 African American and 294 Jamaican nonreferred adolescents and their caregivers. Multiple items without significant differential item functioning emerged, allowing scale linking across informants and nations. Calibrating item parameters via item response theory linking can permit cross-informant cross-national assessment of youth.

Spotlight on the October 29 Issue

Patients with newly diagnosed childhood absence epilepsy had neuropsychological testing, including assessments of general intellectual functioning, attention, memory, executive function, and achievement. These children had a higher rate of pretreatment attentional deficits that persisted despite seizure freedom. Vigilant cognitive and behavioral assessment of children with absence epilepsy is warranted. See p. 1572; Editorial, p. 1564 Fatigue is common following stroke and may hinder rehabilitation. This longitudinal study found that fatigue during the acute phase after stroke predicted self-reported …

Behavioral and Emotional Problem Scales of the Behavioral Assessment for Children of African Heritage (BACAH)

Using extensive African American community input, Black researchers developed the Behavioral Assessment for Children of African Heritage (BACAH). Information regarding its strength dimensions is published but not its behavioral and emotional problem scales. Rational (i.e., expert opinion and mathematical) procedures grouped BACAH problem item responses from 1,465 youth, parent, and teacher informants into eight cross-informant scales labeled Anxiety-, Attention/Hyperactive-, Conduct-, Depression-, Hypomania/Mania-, Oppositional-Defiance-, Self-Destructive-, and Reality-Contact-Problems. Data analyses showed no response bias across child gender, socioeconomic status, or age groupings, but bias emerged across informant type, referral status, and rating scale type (i.e., presence and magnitude vs. concern levels regarding problems). Item linking reduced this bias. Items on each BACAH scale discriminate well for problem levels they assess and capably measure children’s problem levels, ranging from moderately below to above the mean. This study’s foundation and findings provide professionals and their test respondents with culturally valid, user friendly, economical, and highly flexible, clinical/research tools to assess Black children’s functioning.

Relationship of insulin resistance to psychobehavioral characteristics of overweight and obese African American children

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to evaluate the relationships of insulin resistance to positive as well as negative dimensions of the child's emotions, behavior and personality (hereafter referred to as “psychobehavioral characteristics”) in a convenience sample of inner-city, overweight and obese, African American children. MethodsA secondary analysis was performed on a sample of 127 children ages 9–12yr old who were participating in a community-based, Type 2 diabetes prevention program. Psychobehavioral characteristics of children were assessed using both child and parent ratings derived from the Behavioral Assessment for Children, 2nd edition (BASC-2). Body fatness was evaluated using anthropometric techniques, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated from fasting glucose and insulin concentrations. Hierarchical multiple linear regression models were employed with BASC scales as dependent variables and HOMA-IR as the independent variable of interest. ResultsAfter adjusting for child age, pubertal stage, gender, family socioeconomic index, and intervention group assignment, child HOMA-IR was related at p<0.05 to less favorable scores for parent-report of behavioral symptoms and externalizing problems composites, and to content scales for bullying and negative emotionality. Additionally, child HOMA-IR was related at p<0.01 to less favorable scores for child-report inattention/hyperactivity composite. Body fatness suppressed the unfavorable relationship between HOMA-IR and these and other psychobehavioral characteristics as the degree of significance was higher following adjustment for body fatness in this cohort. ConclusionMore than one psychobehavioral characteristic were associated with body fatness and insulin resistance in the overweight children of this study. Whether the associations are due to several, or only one, of these psychobehavioral characteristics could not be determined. A much larger and future study will be needed to determine which, if any, of these psychobehavioral characteristics are independently associated with insulin resistance in overweight children.

The Behavioral Assessment for Children of African Heritage

The Behavioral Assessment for Children of African Heritage

Behavioral assessment of children with Down syndrome using the Reiss psychopathology scale.

The behavior of 60 children with Down syndrome (cDS), aged 4 to 21 years, was assessed by parent and teacher report using the Reiss psychopathology rating scale for dual diagnosis (mental disability plus mental illness). Standard forms contained 12 categories of abnormal behavior (e.g., Psychosis), each with five descriptive items (e.g., bizarre ideas) that could be scored as no problem, problem, and major problem (0, 1, or 2 points). Total scores for individual cDS (mean of two raters) ranged from 3 to 43 out of a potential 120 points, with a mean of 14.8 points and a standard deviation of 9.5. There were no significant differences by sex, age, or ethnicity. The highest aggregate scores among the 60 cDS were in the psychometric categories of Attention-Deficit (156 points), Anger/Self Control (154.5), and Psychosis (109) and for component items such as communication problems (55 points) under the Psychosis category; distracted (48.5) or disobedient (42.5) under the Attention-Deficit category; and temper tantrums (36.5), impulsive (32), or impatient (31.5) under the Anger/Self-Control category. Agreement between parent and teacher raters was over 75% for 38 of the 60 items and above 60% for an additional 15. Selection of cDS with scores over 10 points yielded 24 families who chose parental guidance and 14 who chose professional referral. The structure of the Reiss instrument was useful for cDS, distinguishing behaviors potentially related to medical problems from true psychopathology.

The Predominately Inattentive Subtype—Not a Subtype of ADHD

The history of the classification of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is rife with controversies, none more longstanding than the validity of the inattentive subtype. Prior to the introduction of this disorder with the publication of DSM–III in 1980 (American Psychiatric Association, 1980), the literature had not raised the possibility that children may have significant attentional problems without the concomitant overactivity and impulsivity. Since the introduction of the inattentive subtype, a large number of studies have appeared that examine the validity of this subtype of ADHD by identifying commonalities and differences between the two subtypes of ADHD—those with concomitant hyperactivity and impulsivity (ADHD/C) and those with attention problems alone (ADHD/I). As the literature addressing this issue grew, a number of reviews appeared that argued for the validity of the inattentive subtype (e.g. Lahey & Willcutt, 2000). A special issue of The ADHD Report (February, 2001) was devoted to this topic.

Buchbesprechungen / Book Reviews

Buchbesprechungen / Book ReviewsBuchbesprechungen / Book ReviewsH. RemschmidtH. Remschmidt Marburg Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:November 17, 2006https://doi.org/10.1024//1422-4917.29.4.326bView Full Text ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInReddit SectionsMoreFiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byTiefgreifende Entwicklungsstörungen Volume 29Issue 4November 2001ISSN: 1422-4917eISSN: 1664-2880 InformationZeitschrift für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und Psychotherapie (2001), 29, pp. 326-327 https://doi.org/10.1024//1422-4917.29.4.326b.© 2001Verlag Hans Huber

A behavioral assessment scale for attention deficit disorder in Brazilian children based on DSM-IIIR criteria.

A teacher scale based on DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was developed for the behavioral assessment of children in Brazil. A total of 2,082 children (782 males and 1,300 females) with a mean age of 11.2 years who were attending a public school in the greater Rio de Janeiro area were the subjects of this study. Two factors (Hyperactivity-Impulsivity and Inattention) were extracted from a principal-factor analysis conducted on the data, and the factor structure of the scale was found to be stable. Ratings of boys were higher than ratings of girls, and younger children had higher ratings than older children for both factors. Test-retest reliability for each item of the scale ranged from .56 to .70. The data are discussed in view of current controversies in the factor structure of teacher ratings of DSM-III-R ADHD symptoms.

Book Reviews

Pathways of Growth: Essentials of Child Psychiatry. Volume 1, Normal Development. Volume 2, Psychopathology. By Joseph Noshspitz and Robert King Child‐centred Play Therapy. By Janet West When a Baby Dies: Psychotherapy for Pregnancy and Newborn Loss. By I. G. Leon Advances in Behavioral Assessment of Children and Families: a Research Annual—Volume 5. Edited by R. J. Prinz The Clinical Detective, Techniques in the Evaluation of Sexual Abuse. By A. N. Hoorwitz Strategic Family Play Therapy. By Shlomo Ariel Case Management in Mental Health. By S. Onyett Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing with Children and Adolescents. By Patricia West and Christina L. Sidoff Evans Special Problems in Counseling the Chemically Dependant Adolescent. Edited by Eileen Smith Sweet Eating and Growth Disorders in Infants and Children. By Joseph Woolston Resolving Sexual Abuse: Solution‐Focused Therapy and Ericksonian Hypnosis for Adult Survivors. By Yvonne M. Dolan

Advances in Behavioral Assessment of Children and Families (Book)

Advances in Behavioral Assessment of Children and Families (Book)

Book reviews

British Journal of PsychologyVolume 83, Issue 4 p. 549-559 Book reviews First published: November 1992 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8295.1992.tb02458.xAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Abstract Book reviewed in this article: The Pursuit of Mind. Edited by Raymond Tallis & Howard Robinson. The Mind in Sleep: Psychology and Psychophysiology, 2nd ed. Edited by S. J. Ellman & J. S. Antrobus. Memory Mechanisms: A tribute to G. V. Goddard. Edited by C. Wickliffe, M. C. Corballis & K.G. White. Advances in Behavioral Assessment of Children and Families, vol. 5. Edited by R. J. Prinz. Counselling Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse. By C. Sanderson. The Multi-Professional Handbook of Child Sexual Abuse: Integrated Management, Therapy and Legal Intervention. By T. Furniss. Trauma and The Vietnam War Generation. Report of findings from the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study by Richard A. Kulka, William E. Schlenger, John A. Fairbank, Richard L. Hough, B. Kathleen Jordan, Charles R. Marmar & Daniel S. Weiss, with a chapter by David A. Grady. Strangers at Home. Vietnam Veterans since the War. Edited by Charles R. Figley & Seymour Leventman. Advances in Personal Construct Psychology, volume 1. Edited by G. J. Neimeyer & R. A. Neimeyer. Human Resource Management in Aviation. Edited by E. Farmer. Volume83, Issue4November 1992Pages 549-559 RelatedInformation

Behavioral Assessment of Children and Adolescents

Primary care visits provide opportunities for behavioral assessment of children and adolescents. Screening checklists, interviewing, behavioral observations, and parent and child monitoring of behavior are feasible assessment techniques for ongoing assessment of the child's behavioral and developmental status. The incorporation of behavioral assessment in primary care will result in better identification of children's behavioral and developmental problems and an improved health care system that is responsive to all aspects of children's health.

Advances in Behavioral Assessment of Children and Families (Book)

Advances in Behavioral Assessment of Children and Families (Book)