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Biomedical subjects

A L von Knorring

Publications and source records attributed to A L von Knorring.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Traumatic experiences and posttraumatic stress reactions in children and their parents from Kurdistan and Sweden.

This study was conducted to assess trauma scores and posttraumatic stress symptoms among Kurdistanian refugee children and their parents in Sweden and a comparable group of Swedish children and their parents. Comparative Kurdistanian and Swedish samples composed of 32 children each and their parents were interviewed by means of a specially devised trauma instrument (HUTQ-C), to identify traumatic events and to measure trauma scores, and with (PTSS-C) and (HTQ) to diagnose posttraumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) among children and adults, respectively. Although Kurdistanian parents reported considerably more traumatic events than Swedish parents, children in both samples showed more similarities than differences, both with regard to types and levels of traumatic events. Kurdistanian parents showed higher PTSD frequencies than Swedish parents. However, these differences proved to be significant with regard to both the mother's and the father's lifetime and current PTSD symptom scores. Kurdistanian parents have experienced more war traumas and differ with regard to trauma exposure and its consequences when compared with Swedish parents. Children from the two samples showed more similarities than differences with regard to reported trauma and PTSD-related symptoms. These results underline the significance of child-specific factors in trauma and PTSD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Traumatic experiences and post-traumatic stress reactions in children from Kurdistan and Sweden.

UNLABELLED: This paper examines the types and scores of traumatic experiences, post-traumatic stress symptom and behavioural disorders among Kurdistanian refugee children in Sweden and a comparative Swedish group. The Harvard-Uppsala Trauma Questionnaire for Children (HUTQ-C), the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder for Children (PTSS-C) and the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) were administered in interview form to 32 children from each sample, controlled for age, gender and trauma levels. No significant differences were found between the 2 samples regarding types of traumatic events, frequencies of post-traumatic stress disorder, post-traumatic stress symptom scores or behavioural problem scores, except in 3 aspects: Kurdistanian children reported more war experience and being lost, while Swedish children presented higher frequencies of leisure-time accidents. CONCLUSION: This study supports the assumption that children differ from adults by showing more similarities than differences regarding traumatic experiences and post-traumatic stress reactions, after being exposed to an equivalent number of reported traumatic events. The refugee children's stay in Sweden can be considered as a healing factor.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Posttraumatic stress disorder in children after the military operation "Anfal" in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Five years after the military operation "Anfal" in Iraqi Kurdistan, 45 families were randomly selected among the survivors in two displacement camps. The Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms for Children (PTSS-C) and the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) were administered to the oldest child and the caregiver in each family, respectively. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was reported in 87% of children and 60% of their caregivers. While childhood PTSD was only significantly predicted by child trauma score and the duration of captivity, it was neither predicted by maternal PTSD nor did it disappear after the reunion with the PTSD-free father. However, the small sample size makes the results hypotheses rather than conclusive.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Reliability and validity of a child-specific cross-cultural instrument for assessing posttraumatic stress disorder.

The Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Children (PTSS-C) was developed as a cross-cultural semi-structured interview to diagnose posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to identify PTSD-non-related posttraumatic stress symptoms in children after various traumatic experiences. The psychometric properties were studied in two different child populations in Iraqi Kurdistan (the survivors of the military operation "Anfal", and the orphans), in a sample of Kurdistanian refugee children in Sweden, and in a comparison sample of Swedish children. The instrument yielded satisfactory internal consistency, high interrater agreement, and excellent validity on cross-validation with the Child Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (CPTSD-RI) and the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents (DICA) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Psychometric properties of a Swedish version of the "Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire".

A new English instrument for screening mental health in children and adolescents, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), was translated into Swedish and used for parental ratings of 900 children aged 6-10 years from the general population. The SDQ which comprises 25 items, divided into 5 subscales (prosocial, hyperactivity, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, and peer problems) was developed from the Rutter scales. An earlier English validation study has shown the two instruments to have equal ability to identify child psychiatric cases, but the SDQ also provides screening on empathy and prosocial behaviour which are aspects of child development emphasized in current child psychiatry. The design of the SDQ with both strengths' and difficulties' items supposedly increases acceptability of the instrument on behalf of informants and makes the questionnaire especially suitable for studies of general population where the majority of children are healthy. Our results, which are novel findings on the instrument, confirmed the postulated factor structure and showed significant gender-differences in results on the total scale, prosocial and hyperactivity subscales and on some of the single items. Moreover, our investigation showed that a Swedish translation of the parental version of the SDQ worked well.

Child↗
PubMed1999

Adolescent depression: prevalence in Swedish high-school students.

A total population of high-school students aged 16-17 years in a Swedish town was screened for depression and previous suicide attempts, and 2300 students (93.3%) participated. Those with high depression scores (12.3%) and previous suicide attempts (2.4%), as well as controls matched for gender and education, were interviewed for diagnosis (DICA-R-A), and 88.8% participated. The 1-year prevalence of major depression was 5.8% and the lifetime prevalence was 11.4%, with four girls being represented for every boy. A depression lasting for at least 1 year was the most common type. Dysthymia was found in 2% (two girls for every boy). Short hypomanic episodes were present in 13.2% of those with a lifetime diagnosis of major depression.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Adolescent depression: social network and family climate--a case-control study.

In a study of a total high-school population, 2300 students aged 16-17 years were screened for depression (BDI, CES-DC). Those with a self-evaluation indicating depression, together with controls matched for sex, age, and class were interviewed (DICA-R-A). The 177 pairs, where both individuals were interviewed and the control had no lifetime diagnosis of depression, were analysed in the form of paired differences for psychosocial factors and compared within diagnostic groups. The psychosocial factors were measured with the ISSI subscales and six attitude questions about family climate (KSP). Adolescents with an episode of major depression during part of the last year did not differ from their controls. Those with long-lasting depressive symptoms, i.e. dysthymia with or without episodes of major depression, had a more limited social interaction and were not satisfied with it. They also evaluated their family climate and attachment network as being more inadequate than did their controls. Depressed adolescents with comorbid conduct disorder had a more negative evaluation of availability and adequacy of both social interaction and attachment network than their controls. This group had a very negative view of their family climate. Since this is a case-control study conclusions cannot be drawn about cause and effect.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Long-term stimulant treatment of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: We wanted to study the effects of amphetamine on symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) over a longer period than has been reported in previous studies of central stimulants in this condition. METHODS: Sixty-two children, aged 6 to 11 years, meeting DSM-III-R symptom criteria for ADHD participated in a parallel-group design, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of amphetamine treatment. Treatment was not restricted to children with "pure" ADHD, ie, some had comorbid diagnoses. In the amphetamine group, children received active treatment for 15 months. RESULTS: Amphetamine was clearly superior to placebo in reducing inattention, hyperactivity, and other disruptive behavior problems and tended to lead to improved results on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Revised. Treatment failure rate was considerably lower and time to treatment failure was longer in the amphetamine group. Adverse effects were few and relatively mild. CONCLUSION: The results of this long-term, placebo-controlled study of the central stimulant amphetamine in the treatment of ADHD indicate that there are remaining positive effects of the drug 15 months after starting treatment.

Abdominal Pain↗
PubMed1997

Depression among Swedish adolescents measured by the self-rating scale Center for Epidemiology Studies-Depression Child (CES-DC).

The self-report questionnaire Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Child (CES-DC) was used for screening depression in Swedish 16-17 year olds during their first year in high school. Completed questionnaires were produced by 2272 students (92% of the population). The mean score was 13.2 (boys 9.9; girls 16.5). Factor analysis gave the same factors for boys and girls with a strong main factor for depressed mood. High scores of 30 or above were found in 240 cases (10.3%). Of those, 204 (85%) and the same number of controls with low scores were interviewed with the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents (DICA-R-A). Depressive diagnosis during the last year was confirmed in 71% of high scores and 15% of low scorers. Beck's depression inventory with cut off at score 16 was used in the same material with equal result. Used with high cut off scores the CES-DC was specific enough for discovering depressive disorder.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Possible effects of tetrahydrobiopterin treatment in six children with autism--clinical and positron emission tomography data: a pilot study.

Six children, between 3 and 5 years of age, having infantile autism according to DSM-III-R, were treated for 3 months with 6R-L-erythro-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (R-BH4), a cofactor for tyrosine hydroxylases in the biosynthetic pathway of catecholamines and serotonin. A criterion for inclusion in the study was a relatively low level of R-BH4 in the cerebrospinal fluid. For clinical evaluation, the Parental Satisfaction Survey (PASS) was used every fourth week and the Griffiths Developmental Scales were used before starting and 3 months after completing the treatment. During the treatment period, all parents reported improvements in the child's social functioning-mainly eye contact and desire to interact-and in the number of words or sounds which the child used. Small positive changes were noted on the Griffiths Developmental Scales between the two testing occasions. R-BH4 levels in CSF increased significantly after treatment. The positron emission tomography (PET) study showed that the high value of dopamine D2 receptor binding in the caudate and putamen decreased by about 10% towards the normal level after treatment with R-BH4. The observations in this open study indicate that the drug might be useful for a subgroup of children with autism, but there is a need for a larger double-blind study with a longer treatment period.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed1997

Beck's Depression Inventory as a screening instrument for adolescent depression in Sweden: gender differences.

Beck's Depression Inventory was administered in a study of all students aged 16-17 years in the first year of high school in a Swedish town, and was completed by 93% of them (n = 2270). Cronbach's reliability coefficient alpha was 0.89, and there were strong correlations between item scores and total scores. A diagnostic interview focused on depressive diagnosis during the last year was conducted with 88% (n = 199) of all students with high scores (> or = 16), and with the same number of controls with low scores. A depressive diagnosis was confirmed in 73% of high scorers and 13% of low scorers. The questionnaire performed better with girls than with boys. The mean score was significantly higher for girls, and the proposed limit for moderate depression (a score of 16) was reached by 14.2% of girls and 4.8% of boys. All symptoms were significantly more frequent and more severe in girls. It was found that 20% of girls and 6% of boys reported suicidal ideation. In a factor analysis the strongest factor that emerged differed between the sexes. For boys it included sadness, crying and suicidal ideation, and for girls it included failure, guilt, self-dislike and feeling unattractive, combined with suicidal ideation. The gender differences are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

[Depression in children and adolescents].

Depression in children and adolescents seems to be more common than it was 50 years ago. Figures of 0.5 to 2 per cent have been reported for the prevalence of prepubertal depression. After puberty, the prevalence increases and there is a marked female preponderance. In all likelihood, the prevalence of juvenile depression has also increased in Sweden as the figures for juvenile suicide increased between the 1950s and 1970s. Juvenile depression is recurrent and the risk of recurrence within 5-8 years has been determined to be 75-100 per cent. Before early adulthood, about 40 per cent of young people with depression are at risk of attempted suicide. The course of juvenile depression is chronic in at least 10 per cent of cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Platelet monoamine oxidase activity in type 1 and type 2 alcoholism.

Earlier studies have identified at least two distinct subtypes of alcoholism. Type 2 is characterised by high heritability, early onset, frequent social complications and mixed misuse. With regard to temperament, the type 2 alcoholics score high in impulsiveness and sensation-seeking behaviour. Type 1 alcoholics have a later onset, lower degree of heritability and rarely there is misuse of illegal drugs. In the present study, 37 type 1 and 62 type 2 male alcoholics were compared with 36 male controls with regard to platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity, which is a stable biological marker, inversely correlated to personality traits such as impulsiveness and sensation seeking. The platelet MAO activity was found to be lower in type 2 alcoholics when compared both with healthy controls and with type 1 alcoholics. Also, the type 1 alcoholics had lower platelet MAO activity than the controls. The result confirms a previous study and validates the subclassification of alcoholism according to the type 1 and 2 concept. This should be of value for future studies concerning etiology, epidemiology, treatment and prevention of alcoholism.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1990

Clinical characteristics of female alcoholics with low platelet monoamine oxidase activity.

The aim of the present study was to see if female alcoholics had low platelet MAO activity and whether there was a correlation between low MAO activity in female alcoholics and specific clinical characteristics often observed in type II male alcoholics. In earlier studies, male alcoholics have been subdivided into type I and type II alcoholics. Type II alcoholics were characterized by early onset, a high frequency of depression and alcoholism in first degree relatives, a high frequency of drug abuse and social complications, sensation seeking behavior, extraversion, impulsive sensation seeking psychopathy, and low platelet MAO activity. In the present series it was demonstrated that the female alcoholics had significantly lower platelet MAO activities than the female healthy volunteers. The subgroup of female alcoholics with low platelet MAO activity, however, did not differ from female alcoholics with normal platelet MAO activity in the same way as male alcoholics with low platelet MAO activity have been shown to differ from male alcoholics with normal platelet activity. They did not have early onset, higher frequency of depression or alcoholism in their first degree relatives, nor more social complications than the female alcoholics with normal platelet MAO activity. Furthermore, they did not differ from the female alcoholics with normal platelet MAO activity in any personality trait covered by the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP).

Adult↗