Adam M Volungis | PubMed Health

PubMed2006

Panic disorder in clinically referred children and adolescents.

The present study examined the frequency and characteristics of panic disorder in children and adolescents who had been referred to a pediatric psychopharmacology clinic. Of the 280 children and adolescents evaluated in this clinic, 35 were diagnosed with panic disorder using a semi-structured clinical interview (K-SADS) and other objective measures. Approximately half of the youngsters with panic disorder also met criteria for the diagnosis of agoraphobia. There was extensive comorbidity between panic disorder and other internalizing and externalizing disorders. Parents reported clinically significant levels of child symptomatology on the CBCL. Teacher-and child-reported symptomatology on the CBCL was within the normal range. At the same time, it was notable that no child had been referred specifically for evaluation or treatment of panic disorder or agoraphobia. Implications for clinical assessment/identification and treatment are discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Aggressive behavior in abused children.

Our objective was to investigate the relationship between a lifetime history of traumatic stress, defined as physical and/or sexual abuse and aggression and psychosocial functioning in a sample of clinically referred and nonclinically referred children and adolescents. This is a retrospective case comparison study. Three groups of children were identified, assessed, matched for age, and partially matched for gender. Children clinically referred to residential treatment with a history of abuse (N = 29) were compared with children clinically referred to residential treatment without a history of abuse (N = 29), and a nonclinical group of children residing in the community (N = 29). Variables investigating specific types of aggression, IQ, and psychopathology were assessed across the three groups. Clinically referred children scored worse on all measures compared with nonclinical community children. Clinically referred abused children scored higher on measures of aggression and significantly higher on measures of reactive aggression and verbal aggression than clinically referred nonabused children. Clinically referred abused children had significantly lower verbal IQ scores than clinically referred nonabused children, but no difference in psychopathology. Results support the importance of assessing specific types of aggression in samples of traumatized youths. Verbal information processing may be especially vulnerable in abused children and adolescents and enhance vulnerability to aggressive responding.

Adolescent↗