Resource Tag: DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS

This chapter begins by discussing the difference between suicide & self-mutilation. Culturally sanctioned & pathological forms of self-mutilation are described. An extensive discussion classifies self-injurious behavior into the following categories: major self-mutilation, stereotypic self-mutilation, superficial-to-moderate self-mutilation (further divided into compulsive type, episodic type, & repetitive syndrome). Treatment strategies are discussed & clinical implications are addressed.

This study examined suicidality in a clinically referred sample of children & adolescents with developmental disorders. 47 patients (20%) experienced either suicidal ideation, threats or attempts with hanging being the most frequent method considered. Suicidality was more often encountered in individuals with oppositional defiant disorder, depressive disorders, & posttraumatic stress disorder, & less often in […]

The current literature on pathological gambling & psychiatric comorbidity was critically reviewed. 3 of the studies reviewed found high rates of suicide ideation or suicide attempts in the study sample. Patients with pathological gambling frequently have comorbid substance use disorders & to a lesser extent, antisocial personality & major mood disorder upon presenting for treatment. […]

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The increased risk of premature death from natural & unnatural causes for the common mental disorders is described. 152 studies were reviewed. Standardised mortality ratios were calculated for all causes of death, all natural & all unnatural causes. This ratio was also calculated for suicide, other violent causes & specific natural causes. Highest risks of […]

The intent of this paper is to stir interest in doing research in the area of adult children of suicide as well as long-term follow-through of children who are treated or not treated for the loss. From a viewpoint of how suicide might developmentally impact a child, Piaget’s four stages of development from birth to […]

This presentation describes the development & implementation of a brief neuropsychological screening battery. Preliminary findings suggest that a sample of depressed & suicidal adolescents may manifest nonverbal learning disabilities as a group, with the weight of this finding being carried by those subjects who did not present with a high number of neurological soft signs. […]

11 children with pervasive development disorders & depression were compared to 11 children with pervasive development disorders without depression. Data was collected on the occurrence of unpleasant life events in the 12 months prior to the onset of depression. Depressed children experienced significantly more life events during this time. 8 patients in the depressed group […]

The prospective technique, previewing, may be used for communicating metaphors about future change to individuals regardless of developmental level. Previewing provides knowledge about development & stimulates the cognitive skills necessary for viewing the present as a metaphor for the future. The case of a 37-year-old father, his 12-year-old daughter & 4-year-old son, referred for therapy […]

Literature on the long-term sequelae of child sexual abuse is reviewed. Evidence suggests that sexual abuse does have serious long-term sequelae; but the specific effects are still to be clarified. The evidence does not support a link between suicidality & child sexual abuse in the absence of force or threat of force. However, suicidality does […]

An adolescent who was simultaneously dependent on cocaine & treated for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder developed symptoms of severe depression followed by suicidal behaviour. Suicidal behaviour, as it is related to cocaine abuse, is discussed. The author cautions that clinicians who use drug therapies to treat adolescents for cocaine craving should be aware that substance […]

A 7-yr-old boy with Tourette’s disorder & a history of self-injurious behavior was treated for 21 months with clonidine transdermal patches at doses ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 mg weekly. When withdrawn from clonidine over 4 weeks to assess the need for continued therapy, the patient developed multiple self-destructive behaviors. The importance of careful clinical […]

Describes the estimated extent of forms of violence to which children are commonly exposed as well as a framework for understanding the posttraumatic & grief responses of children to violent events. Forms of violence discussed include suicide. Symptomatic reactions to violent circumstances can be grouped under PTSD, grief reactions, separation anxiety & exacerbation or renewal […]

This story is written by a psychiatrist & based largely on the life & suicide of a patient. It is about a seriously disturbed man, & it is written from his point of view. The man lost his leg in an accident, but was mentally ill long before this incident. A short, traumatic childhood history […]

After reviewing the various diagnoses covered by the DSM-III, the authors review what is known about the psychiatric problems found among American Indian & Alaska Native children. Many of the DSM-III categories have not been covered in the Indian literature. Problems that the literature have identified among Indians include things such as abuse, delinquency, & […]

In this study, the Structured Interview for DSM-III Personality Disorders was given to 23 affectively ill adolescents & their parents. There was evidence of convergent validity for Cluster II traits & disorders (borderline, histrionic, narcissistic). Cluster II patients had higher rates of attention deficit disorder, bipolar disorder, & suicidal gestures among 2nd-degree relatives. There was […]

“Jeremy’s Owl” is a poignant story of a learning disabled boy who is mislabelled & misunderstood, & who finally gives up in despair. (LH)

Treatment outcome for a group of severely disturbed (mostly black) children in a psychodynamic, hospital-based program over several years is assessed. The study indicates that day treatment may be effective for certain children from chaotic homes & who present with behavior problems, attention deficit disorder, & compulsivity. Factros associated with poor outcome in day treatment […]

Assessed understanding of death & knowledge of suicide in 85 hospitalized children & adolescents, mental ages 8-14, & in 26 nonpsychiatrically referred school children. The least mature children were least convinced about death’s finality & least certain of method & motivation for suicide. Most school age children were surprisingly knowledgeable. In adolescents, unlike children, there […]

A particular subtype of learning disability (nonverbal learning disability) is described. This subtype of learning-disabled individual is seen to be at particular risk for depression & suicide. The origins of the study of this subtype, its incidence in various forms of neurological disease, disorder, & dysfuntion, & its behavioral & socio-emotional manifestations are described. A […]

Emphasizes the need to know more about the psychological functioning of children & suggests that epidemiological studies of childhood disorders should be sensitive to cultural factors. Diagnostic categories should be empirically defined & standardized, & conceptualization of disorders should relate to developmental stages. It is imperative to secure culture appropriate input from various levels & […]

A group of suicidal children is discussed with emphasis on the abnormalities of the families and the behavioral characteristics of the children. The meaning of suicidal behavior in children is considered and the importance of childhood depression stressed.

Clinical examples are utilized to demonstrate how the child calls for help in nonverbal behavioral ways, & further, in ways that are counter to what is acceptable in a given community. The examples have 1 important aspect in common in that they each tended to force intervention by some outside agency. The need for a […]