Chronic Behavioral Disorder Research Articles

Outlasting disruption: the process of reinvestment in families with ADHD children.

The goal of the research described in this article was to generate a grounded theory of how parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) coped with this chronic behavioral disorder. Interview data from 15 families with ADHD children (N = 59) were analyzed using the grounded theory method. Data analysis revealed that parents outlasted the disruption of ADHD through three subprocesses of "reinvesting": making sense, recasting biography, and relinquishing the "good ending." Findings suggest that there is a developmental trajectory of how parents adjust to the disorder over time and that there is a need for increased social and mental health services for all members of the family over the course of the disorder.

Drugs for Management of Acute and Chronic Behavioral Disorders

Of all pharmacologic methods used to treat movement disorders following traumatic brain injury, none are without side effects. When deciding to treat a movement disorder, weigh the potential risks and benefits. If pharmacologic management is deemed necessary, an attempt should be made periodically to wean the patient from the medications, because a spontaneous remission may occur.

Language Abilities in Boys With Chronic Behavior Disorders

Oral language abilities in 20 boys with chronic behavior disorder (CBD) were investigated using 20 standardized language measures. As a group, boys with CBD performed significantly more poorly than the normative population, with 16 of the subjects scoring in the below-average range on at least four of the language measures. Compared to expected language levels based on IQ scores, 10 of the subjects presented inconsistent language skills. It appears that boys with CBD display a much higher prevalence of language disorders than the population at large. Overall, abstract language and concepts, as well as linguistically complex structures, were shown to be difficult for the boys with CBD.

The Management of Chronic Behavior Disorders in Mentally Retarded Adults with Lithium Carbonate

The authors review the medical literature and present two case histories regarding the efficacy of lithium carbonate in the treatment of chronic behavior disorders in mentally retarded adults. They conclude that the available data lend tentative support for the use of lithium to manage behavior disorders in retarded individuals which are characterized by lifelong hyperactivity, aggressiveness, and/or self-mutilation. They recommend that, when lithium is used for this indication, a blood level of approximately 1.0 mEq/1 is necessary, and that all patients be given a drug-free trial once a therapeutic effect has been achieved in order to assess the continued need for treatment. Etiological issues, a possible mechanism of action involving lithium's effect on CNS serotonergic activity, and areas for future research are discussed.

Lithium carbonate treatment of select behavior disorders in children suggesting manic-depressive illness

Twelve children with severe chronic behavior disorders who benefited from treated with lithium carbonate over an extended period of time (6 to 33 months) are described. Behavioral features common to all included hostility, aggressiveness, and distractibility. Nine had cyclic mood swings, with periods of withdrawal and periods of manic excitement; six of these had neurovegetative disorders. These nine children may have manic-depressive disease of childhood. Three children had no cyclic symptoms, though their hostile and aggressive behavior was similar to that of the cyclic group; they responded similarly to lithium. Family histories were strongly positive for manic-depressive disease, depression, and alcoholism. A double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study in four patients supported the specific behavioral effect of lithium.