A lack of perseverance, attention and poor modulated behaviour are important criterions of handicapped children (Dilling et al. 1993). Therefore, instructions have to be repeated quite often, sometimes even by different family members. For this reason, good family coherence might reduce symptoms significantly (Döpfner and Lehmkuhl 1995). The handicapped child might cause less disagreement in families with good coherence, which improves family;s features (Saile et al. 1995). Families of 15 handicapped children were included for evaluation and compared with a matched, healthy control group. Parents were asked to complete a form assessing the family;s features ("Familienklima-Testsystem", Schneewind et al. 1985), "Erziehungspraktiken", (Schneewind et al. 1985). Group comparison was made by the Mann-Whitney-U-Test. Our results strongly suggest, that good coherence seems to have positive effects on family;s features, especially by handicapped children. So we think, that on the one hand good coherence might reduce symptomatology and that on the other hand family's features have protective effects on handicapped children.
Niederhofer showed in 1994 that maternal stress during pregnancy seemed associated with development of personality in early childhood. This study examined the correlation between maternal stress during pregnancy for 121 women, its ultrasound objectivation by observation of intrauterine fetal movements, child's temperament in early childhood, and child's marks at the age of 6 years while controlling for possible confounding variables. Only intrauterine fetal movements were not associated either with stress during pregnancy or early personality.
Standardized assessment of family features is not used routinely, although these factors may play an important role in the course of children's psychological disorders. The present study investigated the association among relationships within the families of 115 healthy children ( M = 8.2 yr., SD = 2.13; 70 boys, 45 girls). 115 mothers and fathers were asked to complete a standardized questionnaire assessing the family features (Familienklima-Testsystem by Schneewind, et al.) and another asking for their estimation of emotional relationships of the members of the family (Subjektives Familianbild-Test System by Mattejat). Analysis showed that the parents’ ratings indicated significantly more empathic fathers as well as significantly more autonomous mothers in well-organized, conflict-free families. Our results indicate an association between families’ organization and measured scores for fathers’ empathy and mothers’ autonomy. Sufficient intrafamilial communication is associated with roles of the parents within the family. Psychotherapeutic interventions might focus on the families’ organization.
<i>Objective:</i> Because of the hypotonic side effect of clonidine, the use of tianeptine was studied as an alternative because of its longer excretion half-life, decreased sedative side effects and more selective binding profile. <i>Method:</i> We rated sixty-eight psychiatric outpatients diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at baseline and while taking tianeptine to determine its efficacy as a treatment for ADHD and used comparisons of Conners’ parent ratings within each subject to measure behavioral changes in the subjects. <i>Results:</i> During tianeptine treatment, patients’ mean scores improved significantly overall, and also for Conners’ Hyperactivity, Inattention and Immaturity factors. <i>Conclusions:</i> This preliminary study indicates that tianeptine might be a slightly effective beneficial and useful treatment for ADHD, reducing hyperactive behaviors and enabling greater attentional ability with minimal side effects.
Niederhofer (1994) found that maternal stress during pregnancy was significantly associated with development of personality in early childhood. This study examined the correlation between maternal stress (self-report) during pregnancy for 22 women, its ultrasound objectification by observation of intrauterine fetal movements, child's temperament in early childhood, and child's Independence and social behavior at the age of 2 years while controlling for possible confounding variables. Only intrauterine fetal movements (head/arm/leg) were not associated with stress during pregnancy, temperament, or independence.
It was the purpose of our double-blind, placebo-controlled study to verify the efficacy of cyanamide in the treatment of adolescent alcohol abusers (Niederhofer et al., 2003).Cyanamide is registered for the treatment of alcohol misusers; we therefore thought it would be appropriate to ascertain its efficacy, and in particular its safety, in adolescents.Disulfiram
