Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP
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J Dev Behav Pediatr · Apr 2007
Psychometric properties of the Peer Interactions in Primary School (PIPS) Questionnaire.
Recently, national and international scientific and popular press has focused on bullying and victimization. Unfortunately, many interventions that address bullying and victimization are yet to be empirically validated. One problem is the lack of a psychometrically sound instrument for the measurement of bullying and victimization. ⋯ With these data, the PIPS is the first self-report bullying and victimization measure designed for elementary school use determined reliable (internally consistent and reproducible) and valid. The PIPS is a tool that could be used in the design and evaluation of school-based bullying/victimization interventions.
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J Dev Behav Pediatr · Feb 2007
Pain, disability, and symptoms among siblings of children with functional abdominal pain.
To examine reports of pain, disability, and somatic and psychological symptoms among siblings of children with functional abdominal pain (FAP) and siblings of "healthy" comparison children. ⋯ This investigation suggests that siblings of children with FAP experience more emotional/behavioral symptoms than peers and that their symptoms are not readily identified by parents. These findings highlight the importance of considering the psychological functioning of "unaffected" siblings and family stressors when children present with recurrent pain complaints.
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J Dev Behav Pediatr · Apr 2006
Autism spectrum disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in boys with the fragile X premutation.
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is caused by a full mutation expansion (>200 CGG repeats) in the FMR1 gene that results in a deficiency of the fragile X mental retardation protein. Although most individuals with the premutation (55-200 CGG repeats) are considered unaffected by FXS, recent case studies have documented children with the premutation who have cognitive deficits, behavioral problems, and/or autism spectrum disorders. The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in boys with the premutation who presented as probands, in brothers with the premutation who did not present as probands, and in normal brothers of premutation and/or full mutation carriers. ⋯ Developmental problems have been observed in premutation carriers, particularly those who present clinically with behavioral difficulties. Although this study is based on a small sample size, it suggests that premutation carriers, even those who do not present clinically, may be at increased risk for an ASD and/or symptoms of ADHD. If the premutation is identified through cascade testing, then further assessment should be carried out for symptoms of ADHD, social deficits, or learning disabilities.
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J Dev Behav Pediatr · Feb 2006
ReviewLessons from fragile X regarding neurobiology, autism, and neurodegeneration.
The fragile X mental retardation 1 gene (FMR1) mutation causes two disorders: fragile X syndrome (FXS) in those with the full mutation and the fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) in some older individuals with the premutation. FXS is caused by a deficiency of the FMR1 protein (FMRP) leading to dysregulation of many genes that create a phenotype with ADHD, anxiety, and autism. ⋯ This causes an RNA gain of function toxicity leading to brain atrophy, white matter disease, neuronal and astrocytic inclusion formation, and subsequent ataxia, intention tremor, peripheral neuropathy, and cognitive decline. The neurobiology and pathophysiology of FXS and FXTAS are described in detail.