Deficits In Adaptive Behavior Research Articles

Cognitive deficits in long-term survivors of childhood brain tumors

Improvements in survival for patients who had childhood brain tumors has led to an increasing emphasis on the quality of life for these long-term survivors. Initial survival studies relied on global descriptions of functional abilities to assess cognitive deficits and reported that from 20% to 40% of long-term survivors had obvious partial disability and less than 10% were severely disabled. Formal neuropsychological testing has revealed that from 40% to 100% of long-term survivors have some form of cognitive deficit in various intelligence quotients, visual/perceptual skills, learning abilities, and adaptive behavior. Prospective, controlled studies have found a younger age at diagnosis, radiotherapy, methotrexate chemotherapy, tumor location and time interval to testing to be important (alone or in combination) and related to a high risk of subsequent cognitive deficits. Some variables play an as yet unresolved role. However, despite the progress of the last decade, future prospective studies are needed to define the role of certain variables in the development of cognitive deficits that maximize survival while minimizing cognitive deficits.

The medical and psychosocial needs of children entering foster care

The estimated three to four hundred thousand children in foster care represent a population at high risk for medical and psychosocial problems. Their problems are compounded by the lack of adequate resources available to them while in foster care. This study provided a medical and psychosocial screening of 149 abused and neglected children entering the foster care system. The goal was to generate a profile of the medical and psychosocial needs of children entering the foster care system as a first step toward development of a better health care delivery system. Results indicated that these children have a much greater incidence of chronic medical conditions, are likely to weigh significantly less and be significantly shorter than the general population. require significant amounts of medical sub-specially care, have a high incidence of developmental delays, and major deficits in adaptive behavior and have a large number of behavioral problems often associated with psychiatric disorders. Results are discussed in terms of the development of a regional model to effectively manage the health care needs of children entering foster care.

Adaptive Behavior and the Psychologically Disturbed Child

In this report, we discuss recent research and clinical issues relevant to the adaptive functioning of psychologically disturbed children. We focus upon the overall and specific adaptive behavior patterns of several types of emotional disorders, some diagnosed before, others after, the advent of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) criteria (American Psychiatric Association, 1980). Disorders include Atypical Mild and Reactive conditions (pre-dating DSM-III) as well as the following DSM-III diagnostic categories: Anxiety Disorder, Atypical Pervasive Developmental Disorder, and Infantile Autism. In general, results indicate that (1) the severity of adaptive behavior deficits tends to increase with the severity of the psychological disturbance; (2) the usual pattern for disturbed children relative to appropriate controls is highest deficits in both socialization and maladaptive areas of assessment; and (3) patterns of deficit in other major areas (i.e., Communication, Daily Living Skills) tend to be less predictable.

Physical and behavioral sequelae of low birthweight in spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus).

Physical and behavioral sequelae of low birthweight (LBW) were investigated in spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus). When raised by their biological mother, pups whose Day-2 weights were 1 SD or more below the population mean remained smaller through the first 30 days postpartum than pups born within normal (N) weight ranges. LBW pups fostered onto mothers who gave birth to N pups gained weight more rapidly than LBW pups remaining with their own mother. Similarly, N pups fostered onto mothers of LBW pups displayed reduced weight gain relative to N siblings raised by their biological mother. It appears that rate of weight gain is influenced by an interaction between birthweight and maternal rearing environment. LBW pups also were less responsive than N pups to maternal chemical cues, indicating that low birthweight is correlated with deficits in adaptive behavior.

A measure of adaptive behavior of learning disabled students.

This study investigated the level of adaptive behavior among groups of learning disabled and mildly mentally retarded students. Definitions of learning disabilities usually emphasize discrepancies in academic performance and intellectual functioning without concern for chronological age-appropriate adaptive behavior. Deficits in adaptive behavior are accepted as an integral component for identification of mental retardation. Concern for deficits in adaptive behavior among learning disabled students has focused on perceiving nonverbal social cues ( I ) , continuum of development of social skills ( 3 ) , rate of social interaction ( 2 ) , and parental reactions ( 4 ) . To ascertain levels of adaptive behavior among groups of learning disabled and mildly mentally rearded students, The Coping Inventory ( 5 ) was used. The term coping is used to describe the adaptive behaviors a child uses to meet personal needs and to adapt to environmental demands. This observational instrument was field tested on 1,119 children, aged 3 to 16 yr., and included 513 (45 .8%) handicapped children. Reliability was established using measures of internal consistency-alpha coefficient, interrater reliability, and standard error of measurement. The 48 items are scored on a continuum from maladaptive ( 1 ) to adaptive ( 5 ) . The subjects were 10 learning disabled students in a resource room and 10 mildly mentally retarded students in a self-contained class with limited interaction with normal students. There were equal numbers of 12and 13-yr.-olds in each group. For pooled variance a t-test estimated significance of ratings by the two teachers. The format used was prescribed by SPSSX. None of the t ratios reached 2.1, necessary for significance at p f .05. Values for the respective six factors and adaptive behavior index were: Self-productive ( t ~ = .08, learning disabled M = 3.35, SD = .50, mentally retarded M = 3.33, SD = . 6 2 ) ; Self-active ( t ~ = -.55, learning disabled M = 3.19, SD = 3 7 , mentally retarded M = 3.38, SD = . 6 7 ) ; Self-flexible ( t ~ = .41, learning disabled M = 3.3, SD = .69, mentally retarded M = 3.19, SD = . 4 9 ) ; Environment-productive (& = .66, learning disabled M = 3.72, SD = .43, mentally retarded M = 3.57, SD = . 5 8 ) ; Environment-active ( t ~ = 1.50, learning disabled M = 3.79, SD = .94, mentally retarded M = 3.25, SD = . 6 3 ) ; Environment-flexible ( t ~ = .84, learning disabled M = 3.35, SD = .75, mencally retarded M = 3.10, SD = . 56 ) ; Over-all adaptive behavior index (t18 = .65, learning disabled M = 3.5, SD = .63, mentally retarded M = 3.33, SD = . 5 2 ) . The lack of statistically significant differences in the adaptive behavior skills of the groups as rated by teachers requires cross-validation with larger numbers of subjects. Deficits in the adaptive behavior repertoire of the learning disabled students ought to be considered in terms of appropriate placement, instructional strategies and goals, and evaluation.

Introduction to Mini-Series on Schizophrenia

It is fitting that the first mini-series issue of Behaviour Change should be devoted to an exposition of current cognitive-behavioural treatments for various aspects of schizophrenia. The disorder has a surprisingly high incidence in the population. Approximately 1 in 100 people will develop schizophrenia during the course of their life-time (Cancro, 1980). Arieti (1981) observes that more hospital beds are occupied by individuals suffering from schizophrenia than from any other psychiatric or medical problem, including cancer or cardiovascular disease.The introduction of the phenothiazines in the 1950s resulted in dramatic increases in hospital discharges for schizophrenic patients but did little to change the “revolving-door” phenomenon. This chronic relapsing population is characterized as “the patient's having been admitted to an inpatient mental health facility several times and/or having been hospitalized for a period of at least a year on a single admission,” as well as possessing “a number of deficits in adaptive behavior” (Matson, 1980, p. 169). Indeed, whilst the schizophrenic individual's most florid symptoms e.g. delusions, hallucinations and thought disorder, may be well controlled on even minimal dosages of the neuroleptics (generally leading to that person's discharge from hospital), other social and self-care deficits may remain prominent reminders of the patient's difficulties in everyday living.The chronic schizophrenic patient's deficits are characterized by an ambivalent relationship with the outside world. On the one hand he displays a lack of willingness or ability to interact appropriately with other people, and on the other hand, he depends on significant others such as a parent, other relative, or even a health professional. Despite this, he has a poor social network. He has reduced expectations of himself, is unable to effectively problem-solve, and his lifestyle reflects a desire to have an uneventful existence, free from harrassment. He becomes alienated from society, and may be unable to seek and gain employment, live independently, or manage routine responsibilities, e.g. financial budgeting.