Developmental Psychopathology

The Systems Theory of Autistogenesis : Putting the Pieces Together

by J Patrick Malone

The systems theory of autistogenesis accounts for genetic and environmental predisposing factors for pervasive... more The systems theory of autistogenesis accounts for genetic and environmental predisposing factors for pervasive developmental disorders. During development, regions of the brain myelinate differentially, even while neuroinflammatory events induce neurological damage. Incorrect dietary ratios of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to arachidonic acid (AA) promote developmental aberration characteristic of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and commercial infant formulae possesses DHA/AA ratios unsuitable for normal brain development in those predisposed. The aromatase gene regulates DHA/AA metabolism and represents a potential biomarker for ASD. Aromatase converts testosterone to estradiol. Estradiol is neuroprotective and a modulator of oxytocin receptors deficient in autism. Neuroprotective DHA is not well synthesized in males and is regulated by estradiol. Therefore, converging evidence indicates that any disturbance to the autistogenic system linking environment to neurobiology and genetics is capable of inducing developmental disorders with gender disparity.

BRAIN SURFACE ANATOMY IN ADULTS WITH AUTISM: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SURFACE AREA, CORTICAL THICKNESS AND AUTISTIC SYMPTOMS

by Lena Palaniyappan

C Ecker*, C Ginestet, Y Feng, P Johnston, MV Lombardo, MC Lai, J Suckling , L Palaniyappan, E Daly, CM Murphy, SC Williams, ET Bullmorec, S Baron- Cohen, M Brammer, the MRC AIMS Consortium, and DGM Murphy

Archives of General Psychiatry (in press)

Suicidal ideation and self-harm in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual youth

by Richard Liu

The Adolescent Risk-Taking Questionnaire: Development and Psychometric Evaluation

by Candice Boyd

Compared to other life periods, adolescence is characterized by a heightened potential for risky behaviors. This study... more Compared to other life periods, adolescence is characterized by a heightened potential for risky behaviors. This study reports the systematic development and psychometric evaluation of a comprehensive Adolescent Risk-Taking Questionnaire (ARQ). It was developed using reports of 570 adolescents and was psychometrically evaluated with a sample of 925 adolescents between 11 and 18 years of age. Principal components analyses yielded a four-factor risk structure, and these factors were substantiated via a confirmatory factor analysis. One week test-retest and internal consistency indices were demonstrated to be sound. Age and gender differences were found to be consistent with reported trends in accident data. Older adolescents and boys reported lower risk perceptions and a higher frequency of risky behaviors than younger adolescents and girls, respectively, supporting the validity of the ARQ. Furthermore, consistent with past research, perceiving higher levels of risk typically related to lower levels of engaging in the respective behaviors.

Anxiety and visual-spatial memory updating in young children: An investigation using emotional facial expressions

by Laura Visu-Petra

published in a Special issue of Cognition & Emotion, "Emotional States, attention, and working memory", Guest Editors: Naz Derakhshan and Michael Eysenck

The present study investigated the relationship between anxiety and memory updating in a sample of high- and... more The present study investigated the relationship between anxiety and memory updating in a sample of high- and low-trait-anxious preschoolers (HA and LA, respectively). Updating of spatial locations was assessed with the original (non-emotional) Odd-One-Out task (Alloway, 2007), and with a new emotional version. Simple detection and memory updating of visual information was tested using a modified version of an adult affective memory task (Perlstein, Elbert, & Stenger, 2002). The emotional stimuli in both tasks consisted of angry, happy and neutral facial expressions. Results indicated that in the spatial task, accuracy was related to children's age and IQ, but no anxiety-related differences were found. In the visual-search task, all children were faster in the detecting versus updating condition, and slower in detecting neutral, compared to emotional faces. The two anxiety groups had similar levels of accuracy, but HA children had overall slower reaction times. Compared to LA children, HA children were slower and less accurate in detecting and updating happy faces, but more accurate in responses to angry faces. Looking at within-group differences according to stimulus valence, LA children were less accurate in response to angry (relative to happy and neutral) faces, while HA children were less accurate in response to happy (relative to neutral) facial expressions. The results are placed in a developmental context and discussed within the framework of attentional control theory (Eysenck, Derakshan, Santos, & Calvo, 2007).

Processing efficiency in preschoolers' memory span: A longitudinal investigation of individual differences related to age and anxiety.

by Laura Visu-Petra

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2009

In self-paced auditory memory span tasks, the microanalysis of response timing measures represents a developmentally... more In self-paced auditory memory span tasks, the microanalysis of response timing measures represents a developmentally sensitive measure, providing insights into the development of distinct processing rates during recall performance. The current study first examined the effects of age and trait anxiety on span accuracy (effectiveness) and response timing (efficiency) measures from word and digit span performance in a preschool sample (N = 76, mean age = 57 months, SD = 11). Children were reassessed 8 months later using the same two tasks plus a test of nonword memory span and a measure of articulation rate. The results at the second time point (T2) confirmed the effects of age on both processing effectiveness and efficiency. Trait anxiety was an additional negative predictor of span effectiveness (especially for digit span) and efficiency (in the case of word and nonword span). The findings are discussed in the context of factors contributing to early short-term memory development and attentional control theory.

Keywords: Short-term memory span; Preschoolers; Response timing; Trait anxiety; Attentional control theory

Effects of anxiety on memory storage and updating in young children

by Laura Visu-Petra

Article details:
Visu-Petra, L., Cheie, L., Benga, O., & Packiam Alloway, T. (2010). Effects of anxiety on memory storage and updating in young children International Journal of Behavioral Development DOI: 10.1177/0165025410368945

The relationship between trait anxiety and memory functioning in young children was investigated. Two studies were... more The relationship between trait anxiety and memory functioning in young children was investigated. Two studies were conducted, using tasks tapping verbal and visual-spatial short-term memory (Study 1) and working memory (Study 2) in preschoolers. On the verbal storage tasks, there was a detrimental effect of anxiety on processing efficiency (duration of preparatory intervals) on Word Span. Performance effectiveness (memory span) did not differ between high-anxious and low-anxious children. In the second study, evaluating memory updating in a dual-task context, high-anxious children performed worse than low-anxious children on two verbal working memory tasks. Therefore, when simple verbal storage is required, high-anxious children show only efficiency deficits; when executive demands are higher (i.e., verbal updating) both accuracy and efficiency are impaired. However, on the visual-spatial storage and updating measures, performance did not differ between the two anxiety groups. The results are discussed in the context of the attentional control theory (Eysenck, Derakshan, Santos, & Calvo, 2007).

SOCIOMETRIC STATUS, PEER-PERCEIVED POPULARITY, BULLYING, AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES

by Rob Gommans

Developing Minds for Pathology and Musicality: The Role of Theory of Development of Personality and Pathology in Clinical Thinking Illustrated by the Effect of Taking an Evolutionary Perspective.

by Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair

Nordic Journal of Music Therapy, 2000, 9, 26 – 37

Subtypes of social phobia in Spanish adolescents

by Jose A. Piqueras

Reference:
Piqueras, J.A., Olivares, J. y López-Pina, J.A. (2008). A new proposal for the subtypes of social phobia in a sample of Spanish adolescents. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 22, 67-77.

The Contribution of Early Education to Vulnerable and Resilient Developmental Pathways

by James Hall

D.Phil/Phd Thesis - 2009.

This study investigates the relationship between early education and cognitive and social development in young British... more This study investigates the relationship between early education and cognitive and social development in young British children between the ages of 3-7 years. It is hypothesised that pre-school education might facilitate resilience in children’s developmental pathways that have proved vulnerable due to the significant impact of risks. This study aimed to provide a systematic examination of the relationship between cognitive and social development, child or family specific developmental risks, and the structures and processes of early education.

Adopting the methodology of secondary analysis, this study re-examined the data of the Effective Provision of Pre school Education (EPPE) project that followed the developmental progress of nearly 3,000 British young children as they experienced different kinds of early education from 1997 to 2001 and later primary school. Three sets of longitudinal statistical analyses were carried out. First, a new method was developed for measuring the relative weight of different kinds of risks as they predict development. Second, the impact of different kinds of risks upon development during the pre school period (ages 3-5) was examined to see whether it was lessened by high quality early education. Third, the developmental skills and abilities of children at exit from early education were studied in terms of their prediction of developmental pathways during the first two years of school (ages 5-7).

Results from these three sets of analyses suggested the following: (1) validity of the new method of measuring developmental risks, (2) strong evidence of partial protection of young children’s general cognitive ability when examining child level developmental risks and the quality of the processes that take place in programmes of early education, (3) that high quality early education can contribute to resilient developmental pathways during the first two years of school by boosting the vital cognitive and social skills of children at entrance to primary school.

In policy terms, high quality early education programmes have the potential to serve as interventions within normal populations. Further, high quality early education programmes also have the potential to act as a type of primary prevention in a manner similar to targeted Early Interventions for children already at risk.

Children’s Risky Play from an Evolutionary Perspective: The Anti-Phobic Effects of Thrilling Experiences

by Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair

With Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter
In www.epjournal.net – 2011. 9(2): 257-284

Abstract: This theoretical article views children’s risky play from an evolutionary perspective, addressing specific... more Abstract: This theoretical article views children’s risky play from an evolutionary perspective, addressing specific evolutionary functions and especially the anti-phobic effects of risky play. According to the non-associative theory, a contemporary approach to the etiology of anxiety, children develop fears of certain stimuli (e.g., heights and strangers) that protect them from situations they are not mature enough to cope with, naturally through infancy. Risky play is a set of motivated behaviors that both provide the child with an exhilarating positive emotion and expose the child to the stimuli they previously have feared. As the child’s coping skills improve, these situations and stimuli may be mastered and no longer be feared. Thus fear caused by maturational and age relevant natural inhibition is reduced as the child experiences a motivating thrilling activation, while learning to master age adequate challenges. It is concluded that risky play may have evolved due to this anti-phobic effect in normal child development, and it is suggested that we may observe an increased neuroticism or psychopathology in society if children are hindered from partaking in age adequate risky play.

Keywords: anxiety, fear, development, risky play, etiology

Behold the Paradigm Shift!

by Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair

In Human Nature Review 3 (2003) 196-209

The Problem of Defining Psychopathology and Challenges To Evolutionary Psychology Theory

by Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair

In Buss & Hawley (Eds). (2010). The Evolution of Personality and Individual Differences. New York: Oxford University Press.

Caso Jennifer

by Jesús Antonio García Casal

Publicado en: III Jornadas de Psicología del Área de Psicopatología. Facultad de Psicología. Universidad de la República. Publicaciones de la Comisión Sectorial de Investigación Científica. Montevideo, octubre 2006.

En el marco de la Pasantía en Escuelas Especiales del área, docentes y estudiantes atendemos niños, niñas y... more En el marco de la Pasantía en Escuelas Especiales del área, docentes y estudiantes atendemos niños, niñas y adolescentes derivados por la institución educativa. Muchas veces esta derivación se produce a punto de partida de la percepción por parte del maestro o director de que estos niños “no son para esta escuela”. Presentamos este caso clínico con el objetivo de ilustrar el trabajo que realizamos en el marco de esta pasantía y reflexionar sobre las complejidades propias de la clínica con niños en instituciones.

Invitamos a pensar la pregunta ¿Qué es lo que desconcierta en estos niños que no parece encontrar un lugar en las instituciones educativas?, que surge del encuentro en el campo clínico con cuadros que desbordan las categorías psicopatológicas clásicas y requieren de abordajes e intervenciones más integrales que den cuenta de la complejidad del sujeto que viene (o es enviado) a nuestro encuentro.

Taller de casos clínicos de discapacidad intelectual

by Jesús Antonio García Casal

Publicado en: III Jornadas de Psicología del Área de Psicopatología. Facultad de Psicología. Universidad de la República. Publicaciones de la Comisión Sectorial de Investigación Científica. Montevideo, octubre 2006.

Se presenta un caso clínico de una adolescente con discapacidad intelectual. Estos niños nos cuestionan, llevando... more Se presenta un caso clínico de una adolescente con discapacidad intelectual. Estos niños nos cuestionan, llevando muchas veces a que olvidemos la especificidad de nuestra tarea. Hacen ruido en la institución, desdibujando el objetivo por el cual están en la escuela. Así maestras, psicólogos y directora comenzamos a preocuparnos por qué les pasa, por sus carencias alimentarias, problemática familiar, etc., quedando en un segundo plano la función eje de la escuela: que estos niños aprendan en la medida de sus posibilidades. Los psicólogos también corremos el riesgo de empezar a preocuparnos por realizar pericias diagnósticas que ayuden a “encontrar el verdadero lugar” para estos niños, que siempre es otro, dejándolos en un no lugar simbólico que se suma a su conflictiva.

Esta situación no es patrimonio de las escuelas especiales, todo el sistema educativo está siendo habitado por niños que lo exceden, lo cuestionan y lo desafían. Proponemos en este taller pensar en estas subjetividades infantiles que pueblan las aulas y que nos interpelan a los adultos a crear nuevos dispositivos desde nuestro campo disciplinar que les den una inscripción simbólica que los incluya en la sociedad.

¿Qué escuela para qué niños?

by Jesús Antonio García Casal

Publicado en: Libro de las VII Jornadas de Psicología Universitaria. Facultad de Psicología, Montevideo, 2006.

En el marco de la Pasantía en Escuelas Especiales del área, docentes y estudiantes atendemos niños, niñas y... more En el marco de la Pasantía en Escuelas Especiales del área, docentes y estudiantes atendemos niños, niñas y adolescentes derivados por la institución educativa. Se busca que los estudiantes tengan un acercamiento a la psicopatología que presenta esta población, en el marco de una práctica supervisada. Por otra parte los docentes, atendemos aquellos niños que por diferentes motivos no han tenido una atención regular y para los cuales la Institución requiere una orientación por parte de los técnicos. Muchas veces la derivación se produce a punto de partida de la percepción por parte del maestro o director de que estos niños “no son para esta escuela”, sensación que suele ser compartida por los estudiantes al inicio de las pasantías. Presentamos este caso clínico con el objetivo de ilustrar el trabajo que realizamos en este marco y reflexionar sobre las complejidades propias de la clínica con niños en instituciones hoy.

Nos invitamos a pensar la pregunta ¿Qué es lo que desconcierta en estos niños que no parece encontrar un lugar en las instituciones educativas?, ¿qué surge del encuentro en el campo clínico con cuadros que desbordan las categorías psicopatológicas clásicas y requieren de abordajes e intervenciones más integrales que den cuenta de la complejidad del sujeto que viene (o es enviado) a nuestro encuentro?

Palabras Clave:
Discapacidad Intelectual – Escuelas Especiales – Psicopatología infantil

Conflicts of Interest in Research on Antipsychotic Treatment of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder, Temper Dysregulation Disorder, and Attenuated Psychotic Symptoms Syndrome: Exploring the Unholy Alliance Between Big Pharma and Psychiatry

by Brent Robbins

Journal of Psychological Issues in Organizational Culture, 1(4), 2-79.

The pharmaceutical industry, especially the sale of psychiatric drugs, is one of the most profitable businesses in the... more The pharmaceutical industry, especially the sale of psychiatric drugs, is one of the most profitable businesses in the world. Because of its large profits, these companies find themselves in a position to invest enormous amounts of resources into the sale and marketing of their products. At times, their intense marketing tactics exert an economic influence on the research and practice of psychiatry that threatens to have a deleterious effect on the credibility and validity of psychiatric interventions. The loss of credibility and validity in psychiatric science may undermine public trust in psychiatry’s ability to meet the medical and psychological needs of patients with mental disorders. By investigating the conflicts of interest in the research of psychiatric medications and exploring the recent past in which the efficacy of antidepressants has been called into question, the logic of this analysis leads us to caution psychiatric consumers about the efficacy and safety of atypical
antipsychotic medications, especially when used for psychiatric treatment of vulnerable populations such as children and the
elderly. These cautions extend also to the decision of the DSM-5 task force to consider the inclusion of pediatric bipolar disorder, attenuated psychotic symptoms syndrome (also known as psychotic risk syndrome), and temper dysregulation disorder for the forthcoming fith edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The investigation into conflicts of interest between the pharmaceutical industry and medical research in psychiatry leads us to the tentative conclusion that the DSM-5 task force should place a moratorium on consideration of any new diagnostic category that would promote the prescription of antipsychotic medications to children or other vulnerable populations, such as the elderly.

An Empirical Investigation of the Structure of Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms In Late Adolescence: Cross-Sectional Study Using the Greek Version of the Revised …

by Petros Skapinakis

Several studies in the past have examined whether the hierarchical structure of anxiety and depressive symptoms can... more Several studies in the past have examined whether the hierarchical structure of anxiety and depressive symptoms can explain the high comorbidity between them but more studies are needed from other settings and with different methods. The present study aimed to examine the structure of common anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescents 16-18years old attending secondary schools using the Greek version of the revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R), a fully structured psychiatric interview. A total of 2431 adolescents were interviewed with the computerized version of the CIS-R. The hierarchical structure of 12 depressive and anxiety symptoms was examined with confirmatory factor analytical methods. Four alternative models of increasing complexity were tested. The best-fitting model included three first-order factors, representing the dimensions of anxiety, depression and non-specific distress respectively. A model with a higher-order factor representing the broader internalizing dimension was less supported by the data. The findings of this and other studies should be taken into account in future classifications of psychiatric disorders and may have clinical practical implications.

Pathways to Inflated Responsibility Beliefs in Adolescent Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Preliminary Investigation

by Tim Williams

Co authored with P.J.P. Lawrence

Background: An inflated sense of responsibility is characteristic of obsessive-compulsive
disorder (OCD). No... more Background: An inflated sense of responsibility is characteristic of obsessive-compulsive
disorder (OCD). No previous studies have investigated its origins. Five potential pathways to
inflated responsibility beliefs have been proposed; these are tested in this study. Method: A
novel measure, the Origins Questionnaire for Adolescents (OQA), was developed to assess
experiences on these five pathways. Reliability of the OQA was investigated. The experiences
on the five pathways to inflated responsibility beliefs of sixteen adolescents with a history of
OCD were compared to sixteen adolescents with no history of OCD. Parents also reported on
adolescents’ experiences on the five pathways. Results: Inter-rater reliability was high. The
internal consistency of the subscales were only partly satisfactory. The groups differed on one
pathway; the clinical group reported a higher sense of responsibility for significant incidents with
a negative outcome prior to onset of OCD. Conclusions: An inflated sense of responsibility, in
combination with the occurrence of specific incidents, might act as a vulnerability factor for
development of OCD. Future research should consider how to measure the subtle effects of
experiences of responsibility over the course of development.
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