A large-scale study in Finland revealed differences by gender and by family situation in some self-reported and parent-reported behavior problems. Here’s the abstract.
Attention and behavioural problems of Finnish adolescents may be related to the family environment.
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2005 Dec;14(8):471-8
Authors: Hurtig T, Taanila A, Ebeling H, Miettunen J, Moilanen I
BACKGROUND: Adolescents’ attention and behavioural problems in relation to the family environment were studied in the Northern Finland 1986 Birth Cohort. METHOD: Fifteen-year-old adolescents (N=6888) completed the Youth Self-Report (YSR) questionnaire and their parents (N=6643) completed the Strengths and Weaknesses in ADHD and Normal Behaviours (SWAN) questionnaire. The ratings were compared in relation to gender and family characteristics. RESULTS: Girls scored higher than boys on the YSR attention problems subscale (means 4.61 vs. 3.41), the rule-breaking behaviour subscale (means 4.25 vs. 3.69) and the aggressive behaviour subscale (means 7.18 vs. 5.63). Parents reported more SWAN attention problems in their sons than in their daughters. Living in an other than intact family increased YSR and SWAN attention problems and YSR behavioural problems in both genders. Adolescents living in very large families (11-19 children) had least attention and behavioural problems. CONCLUSIONS: Attention and behavioural problems seem to be common among adolescents in Finland. For both genders, living in other than intact families increases especially behavioural problems. Additionally, a very large family seems to be a protective factor against those problems.
PMID: 16341505 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Link to PUBMED abstract shown here.
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There’s a new blog focused on Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. It’s hosted by Blogspot, is called “Behavioral Disorders,” and the url is http://teachersrus-ccs.blogspot.com. Folks identifying themselves as Courtney Tucker and Chaz have posted entries about types of behavior disorders and general recommendations for teaching.
I wonder what brought these folks together to create the blog. Is it a group of teachers banding together? Perhaps the class project of a college class on EBD? Whoever they are (the “about” entry provides no backgrounds), in the first entry they provide this (unsigned) purpose:
In this blog we will be discussing various behavioral disorders that affect children throughout their school years. We hope that this will be educational for you and help you in your teaching careers.
I look forward to these folks contributing to advancing understanding of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. Link to the new blog.
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Over on SpedPro.org, a couple of my colleage and I have posted a statement expressing dismay about the support offered by Time magazine in two May 2006 issues for Facilitated Communication.
We the undersigned register our dismay about Time magazine’s support of Facilitated Communication in the 10 May 2006 article entitled “‘Helping’ Autistic People to Speak†and 15 May issue entitled “Inside the Autistic Mind†by Claudia Wallis. Time might as well have endorsed cold fusion or phlogiston as give Facilitated Communication a favorable review.
Link to the statement.
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Sheila Crowell, a doctoral student at the University of Washington (Seattle, WA; US), and several colleagues have found that “cutting,” a parasuicidal behavior that has been much in the news lately, may have biological markers, according to a press release written by Joel Schwarz.
University of Washington psychologists have discovered that adolescent girls who engage in behaviors such as cutting themselves have lower levels of serotonin, a hormone and brain chemical, in their blood. They also have reduced levels in the parasympathetic nervous system of what is called respiratory sinus arrhythmia, a measure of the ebb and flow of heart rate along with breathing.
Link to Mr. Schwarz’s story.
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Over on LeftBrain/RightBrain Kevin Leitch posted a thoughtful analysis of Dan Olmstead’s most recent article about the hypothesis that autism is caused—or at least triggered—by mercury in the form of thimerisol that was once used as preservative in vacines for measles, mumps, and rubella.
Does MMR cause autism – its a matter of science, not propaganda. If Olmsted wishes to convince people capable of rational thought then he needs to provide the science.
Link to Mr. Leitch’s entry. Link (via Washington Times) to Mr. Olmstead’s United Press International article.
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Six months ago District Court Judge Michael A. Ponsor (MA, US) ruled that Massachusetts failed to provide appropriate health services to 1000s of children with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, according to Buffy Spencer of the The Republican, and now lawyers for the parents are claiming that the state has not complied with the ruling. Lawyers for Massachusetts, however, say negotiations are going well.
In their report, lawyers for the plaintiffs ask the court to establish a briefing and hearing schedule to establish a remedial plan “so that children can finally begin to receive the in-home support services to which they are entitled.”
They wrote, “Almost five years after the filing of this lawsuit, children with serious emotional disturbance still have not received any new programs, services or treatments that would allow them to remain in their homes and home communities.”
The lawyers wrote that after three months of intensive negotiations, including nine all-day sessions, the parties still do not agree on almost any important issue. They say that the court now must determine at least key elements of the remedy.
State Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly, representing the defendants, wrote that a court hearing is not necessary and it is the most efficient use of time to continue negotiations.
He wrote, “The parties are working well together and the remedy negotiation meetings have been productive.” He said that more negotiations are scheduled with the goal of submitting a joint proposal to the court.
Link to Ms. Spencer’s story. See earlier articles on this story, including “Judge rips state on care for mentally ill children” (by Scott Allen of the Boston Glob) and ArcMass
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