Investigation of the Heterogeneity of Disruptive Behaviour in Elementary-Age Children.

We evaluated parent and teacher ratings of a large sample (N=1579) of elementary-school children in Canada to determine how different conceptualizations of disruptive behaviour are co-related and related to other measures of functioning. Parent and teacher ratings were consistent, and suggested three separate but correlated aspects of disruptive behaviour in children: (1) reactive/oppositional behaviour, (2) proactive/callous behaviour; and (3) inattention-impulsive-overactive behaviour. These were uniquely and significantly related to DSM-IV diagnostic scores and to other measure of impairment, indicating that they measure distinct aspects of disruptive behaviour in children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Criterion validity and the utility of reactive and proactive aggression: comparisons to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and other measures of functioning

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated nephropathy (HIVAN) is a clinicopathologic entity that includes proteinuria, azotemia, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis or mesangial hyperplasia, and tubulointerstitial disease. The incidence of HIVAN is increased in black patients and variable depending on the age and geographic area. The objective of this study was to describe relevant clinical and pathological findings in 30 children with HIVAN followed at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Our experience of the last 12 years showed a spectrum of HIVAN that seems to be coincident with the degree of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) symptomatology. By renal sonograms and frequent urinalysis, we identified children undergoing the early stages of HIVAN with enlarged echogenic kidneys, proteinuria, and "urine microcysts". HIVAN did not necessarily progress rapidly to end-stage renal disease. Nephrotic syndrome or chronic renal insufficiency were late manifestations of HIVAN. Children with HIVAN were likely to develop transient electrolyte disorders, heavy proteinuria, and acute renal failure due to systemic infectious episodes or nephrotoxic drugs. HIVAN was associated with other HIV-induced illnesses and high mortality rates. Early detection and careful clinical follow-up of children with HIVAN may reduce the incidence of renal-cardiovascular complications and improve their quality of life.     

Generalization of behavioral and psychostimulant treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): discussion and examples

Assessment and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are reviewed in order to highlight the importance of examining individual differences in treatment response. It is emphasized that treatment response in children often varies as a function of the domain measured, the setting evaluated, and intensity of the treatment. Three case studies are presented to illustrate this point. The first case study is an example of a child who showed a consistent response to medication across settings and domains and treatment intensities. The second case study is an example of a child who showed differential treatment response as a function of setting and/or treatment intensity, but was consistent across domain. The third case study is an example of a child who showed a differential response to treatment as a function of domain, but was consistent across settings and treatment intensities. These case studies highlight the need for systematic, comprehensive, individualized treatments for children with ADHD.     

Academic task persistence of normally achieving ADHD and control boys: Self-evaluations, and attributions.

The authors examined academic task persistence, pretask expectancies, self-evaluations, and attributions of boys with attention-dcficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as compared with control boys. Participants were 83 ADHD boys and 66 control boys, all normally achieving. Prior to the task, performance expectancies were assessed. After a success-failure manipulation with find-a-word puzzles, performance on subsequent trials, self-evaluations, and attributions were evaluated. Compared with controls, ADHD boys solved fewer test puzzles, quit working more often, and found fewer words on a generalization task. Consistent with these behavioral findings, research assistants rated ADHD boys as less effortful and less cooperative than control boys. Although ADHD boys did not differ significantly from controls in their posttask self-evaluations, they did differ significantly from controls in some aspects of their attributions. Attributional data indicated that ADHD boys endorsed luck as a reason for success more strongly and lack of effort as a reason for failure less strongly than controls. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of methyphenidate and expectancy on children with ADHD: Behavior, academic performance, and attributions in a summer treatment program and regular classroom settings.

Pharmacological and expectancy effects of 0.3 mg/kg methylphenidate on the behavior and attributions of boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were evaluated. In a within-subject, balanced-placebo design, 136 boys received 4 medication-expectancy conditions. Attributions for success and failure on a daily report card were gathered. Assessments took place within the setting of a summer treatment program and were repeated in boys' regular classrooms. Expectancy did not affect the boys' behavior; only active medication improved their behavior. Boys attributed their success to their effort and ability and attributed failure to task difficulty and the pill, regardless of medication and expectancy. Results were generally equivalent across the two settings; where there were differences, beneficial effects of medication were more apparent in the school setting. The findings were unaffected by individual difference factors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A meta-analytic examination of comorbid hyperactive-impulsive-attention problems and conduct problems.

The author quantitatively reviewed prevalence rates, defining features, associated features, developmental trajectory, and etiology to examine 3 taxonomic questions about comorbid hyperactive-impulsive-attention problems (HIA) and conduct problems (CP): Do HIA and CP co-occur randomly? Does comorbid HLA-CP differ from HIA-only and CP-only? Do HIA and CP combine synergistically? Results showed that HIA and CP co-occur at a greater than random rate, that comorbid HIA-CP differs from HIA-only and CP-only in multiple ways, and that there is little evidence that HIA and CP combine synergistically. However, sample type, grouping definition, age, gender, and subtype of disruptive behavior often moderated these findings. Overall, the review suggests that HIA-CP is best conceptualized as an additive combination of HIA and CP rather than as a distinct category. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Developing a measure of sluggish cognitive tempo for children: Content validity, factor structure, and reliability.

Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is a construct that some researchers believe may be extremely useful in understanding the inattentive subtype of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and may even help define a completely new disorder. However, the construct of SCT is as yet inadequately operationally or theoretically defined. The authors took the first steps toward developing an empirically supported measure of SCT in children. In Study 1, potential items to measure SCT were identified from a literature review, content validity of the items was evaluated by a group of experts, and a preliminary set of SCT items were selected. In Study 2, ratings completed by parents and teachers of 335 children (ages 4–13) were used to further develop and evaluate the SCT items by computing factor analyses, item-level analyses, reliability analyses, and preliminary validity analyses. The final SCT scale (14 items) produced a total scale score and 3 subscale scores: Slow, Sleepy, and Daydreamer. These scales were constructed with good content validity and were found to have strong reliability. Future directions include replication, extension into a clinical population, and further examination of validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of methylphenidate and expectancy on performance, self-evaluations, persistence, and attributions on a social task in boys with ADHD.

This study examined the effects of 0.3 mg/kg methylphenidate (MPH) and expectancy regarding medication on the performance and persistence of 137 boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a get-acquainted dyadic interaction with a peer, using a balanced-placebo design. Boys in 4 groups—administered placebo or MPH crossed with being told they received placebo or MPH—interacted with child confederates in experimental situations in which social success and failure were manipulated. In contrast with studies of academic persistence, MPH did not affect boys' task persistence or performance. Boys gave more positive self-evaluations and talked more in the success condition as compared with the failure condition. Boys attributed success to effort and ability and failure to task difficulty, and neither MPH nor expectancy affected this pattern. These findings are consistent with other studies in failing to find debilitating effects of MPH or medication expectancies on ADHD boys' attributions or self-evaluations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Partnerships for Prevention: The Story of the Highfield Community Enrichment Project.

Reviews the book, Partnerships for Prevention: The Story of the Highfield Community Enrichment Project by Geoffrey Nelson, S. Mark Pancer, Karen Hayward, and Ray Dev. Peters (see record 2006-03465-000). The authors of this text set out to tell the story of the Highfield Community Enrichment Project, which was one of eight sites for a universal, community-wide initiative in primary prevention and health promotion (Better Beginnings, Better Futures) for young children and their families living in a low-income suburb of Toronto, Ontario. This text provides the reader with a thorough and impressive evidence-base for the project as well as rich qualitative detail regarding the development, implementation, and outcome of the program. Central to the content of this work is the attention the interventions gave to involving community residents in all aspects of prevention programming, from inception through delivery. By discussing at great lengths the positive impact of the ideas and efforts of community residents within this community-wide prevention program, this text has the potential to reinforce the relations between researchers, practitioners, and community members towards similar partnerships in the future. Taken together, this text should undoubtedly serve as a road map for others interested in devising and establishing effective community-wide prevention programs focusing on enhancing the quality of life for children and families residing in low-income areas. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Should sex-specific norms be used to assess attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or oppositional defiant disorder?

The authors investigated whether sex-specific norms should be used to assess symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) in girls. It was hypothesized that (a) there would be a group of girls who exhibit ADHD or ODD symptoms using sex-specific norms but not using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) criteria; (b) these girls would be significantly impaired relative to typically developing girls. These hypotheses were examined using behavior ratings completed by mothers and teachers of 1,491 elementary school students. Results showed that there was a small group of girls who did not meet DSM-IV criteria for ADHD or ODD but who had elevated ADHD and ODD scores when sex-specific norms were used. The same was not true for boys. The girls identified with sex-specific norms were more impaired than other girls. These results suggest that there may be a small number of girls who have behaviors and impairment that are consistent with ADHD and ODD, but they are not currently being identified by DSM-IV criteria. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)