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Biomedical subjects

Franz Petermann

Publications and source records attributed to Franz Petermann.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Perceived stress, coping, and adjustment in adolescents.

PURPOSE: To investigate age and gender effects on perceived interpersonal stress, coping with interpersonal stressors, and psychological adjustment among early and middle adolescents. Furthermore, the associations of perceived stress and coping with adjustment were examined. METHODS: The sample included 286 Austrian adolescents aged 10 to 14 years who attended the fifth to seventh grade. Self-report data on perceived stress, coping, as well as emotional and behavioral problems, were assessed. RESULTS: Fifth graders scored lower on maladaptive coping strategies and externalizing problems and reported more adaptive coping strategies than sixth and seventh graders. Compared with boys, girls evaluated a higher amount of perceived interpersonal stress and used more social support. Additionally, girls scored higher on maladaptive coping strategies and emotional distress and scored lower on distraction than boys. Problem-focused and emotion-focused coping were negatively related to emotional and behavioral problems, whereas perceived stress and maladaptive coping was positively associated with adjustment problems. These relations were stronger in female than in male adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluating multidimensional coping patterns is supported. Particularly, implementation of primary preventive programs during late childhood is suggested.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Prospective evaluation of inpatient and outpatient bladder training in children with functional urinary incontinence.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate, in a prospective study, the effectiveness of a bladder training program. Daytime and/or nighttime wetting as a consequence of functional urinary incontinence is a common problem in childhood. Various treatment options are available, including with cognitive-behavioral "bladder training." METHODS: Sixty patients (age 8 to 12 years) with urge incontinence or dysfunctional voiding were evaluated. After a no-treatment control period (average 6 months), patients underwent a 6-day bladder training course, which was offered either as inpatient or outpatient training, leaving the choice to the patients' parents. Clinical assessments were recorded at the beginning of the control period, at training entry and training completion, and after 1 (inpatient training group only), 3, and 6 months. RESULTS: Six months after training completion, 64.1% and 64.7% of the inpatient and outpatient groups with daytime wetting and 51.5% and 17.7% of the inpatient and outpatient groups with nighttime wetting were cured or had improved, respectively. The spontaneous cure rate during the 6-month control period was 0% to 20.5%. Of the inpatient group with urge incontinence, the functional bladder capacity increased by 15%. The children aged 9 to 12 years in the inpatient group had significantly greater cure rates than the 8-year-old children. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the control period, the bladder training program evaluated in this study resulted in significantly greater success rates. The results lead to the assumption that children with nighttime wetting treated in the inpatient training will succeed better than those in outpatient training. The cure and improvement rates of daytime wetting were greater than those for nighttime wetting.

Ambulatory Care↗

[Behavioural inhibition and emotion regulation among boys with ADHD during a go-/nogo-task].

Current literature suggests an executive and/or motivational deficit to explain the deficit in behavioural inhibition of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, results of neuropsychological and psycho-physiological studies are inconsistent (Nigg 2001). Although in his earlier work in 1997 Barkley postulated an association between behavioural inhibition and emotion regulation, this subject has been widely neglected so far. First studies suggest an impaired emotion regulation of children with ADHD (e. g. Braaten a. Rosén 2000). The present study was aimed to scrutinize the results of experimental studies on an executive and/or motivational deficit in response inhibition and impairments in emotion regulation with a newly developed go-/nogo-task. A three factorial design (group x age x condition) with repeated measurements on the last factor was used to examine differences between 19 boys with ADHD and 19 male normal controls of two age groups (8-10 years old and 11-12 years old). A go-/nogo-task modified from the Testbattery for Attentional Performance (Zimmermann a. Fimm 1994) with five conditions was administered: neutral, feedback, reward only, response cost only, reward, and response cost. Apart from performance (commissions, omissions, reaction time, and its variability) emotional well-being and coping were recorded. Boys with ADHD showed a deficit in behavioural inhibition as well as reduced attention independent of condition. Young children with ADHD showed a higher reaction time variability than older ADHD-children. Additionally, all boys with ADHD reported increased challenge and more rumination but also enhanced situation control. Finally, response inhibition of all children was improved by feedback. First hints were given that especially the emotion regulation of the younger ADHD children seemed to be impaired. Thus, the study contributes to the fundamental discussion on an executive or motivational deficit in behavioural inhibition. But the results also draw attention to the importance of emotion regulation for the development of effective treatments of ADHD.

Adolescent↗

[Inpatient treatment of mother and child in psychiatry: relevant data of mother and child].

A mentally ill mother may directly increase the probability for the child to develop clinically relevant psychiatric disorders during lifetime. To avoid separation and to support attachment relationships in-patient treatment of mother and child on the psychiatric ward is recommended. The records of 64 cases of (in retrospect) inpatient treatment of mother and child have been categorized and analysed and the relevant data have been evaluated. The results of the evaluation showed that all of these mothers and their children were confronted with numerous difficult living conditions and psychosocial stress in the past and in the present. These findings are similar to and comparable with results from studies of women with postnatal depression.

Child↗

[Social support in suicide forums].

Suicide forums--interactive forums on the Internet--are attractive to suicidal youth. The question if participation in these forums might be dangerous (because of imitation and contagion) or if it should be considered as helpful (being a chance to talk openly with others) is still discussed controversely. Mutual social support seems to be an important factor. By means of an online survey in German suicide forums and a content analysis of forum postings, we gathered information about this subject. Selected results from our study are presented in this paper. Social support in suicide forums is rated as high as support from friends and higher than support from family. Social support is higher in suicide forums where discussion of suicide methods does not occur. Higher social support in suicide forums correlates with participants' ratings of reduction of suicidality. Furthermore, some information about the contents of communication in suicide forums will be given, based on the results of the content analysis. Results are discussed regarding the potential risks of these forums.

Adolescent↗

[Obesity and coping in childhood].

The aim of this study was to investigate everyday coping styles in obese children in comparison to healthy controls in dependence of gender. Furthermore, the correlations of eating behavior with coping styles were examined. In addition, groups with highest and lowest extremal scores in eating behavior were compared. Patients (N = 58) aged from 11 to 13 years, who took part in an in-patient education program, were asked to complete the German Coping Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (Hampel et al. 2001) and the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire for Children (Franzen u. Florin 1997). Healthy controls were matched by age and gender and were asked to fill out the SVF-KJ. No differences between coping styles of obese children and adolescents and healthy controls were found. In obese children and adolescents, emotional and external eating behavior were positively correlated with maladaptive coping strategies. In comparison to previous findings in chronically ill children, differences in obese children and adolescents and healthy controls on coping styles could not be confirmed in the present study. However, results support that the eating behavior of obese children and adolescents is influenced by coping styles.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

[Enuresis: pathogenesis, diagnostics, and interventions].

This review summarizes the current scientific knowledge on enuresis. Enuresis is one of the most common disorders in childhood. New conclusions on classification, aetiology, clinical diagnostics and therapy could be drawn in the past years. Thus, recent results have shown that the previous classification of enuresis into nocturnal, diurnal and diurnal and nocturnal forms which is suggested by DSM-IV and ICD-10 is not sufficient. Daytime wetting consists of a heterogeneous group of syndromes, which should be considered as functional urinary incontinence. Primary nocturnal enuresis is mainly caused by biological factors. In contrast, psychosocial factors play an important role in the manifestation of the disease, especially in secondary enuresis. Diagnostical and therapeutical concepts have to consider the heterogeneity of this disorder. Evaluation studies were supported by effective intervention programs for nocturnal enuresis. But beneficial effects of treatments for functional urinary incontinence were not confirmed.

Child↗

Evaluation of health-related quality of life using the MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Status Survey in patients receiving noninvasive positive pressure ventilation.

OBJECTIVE: To collect benchmark data on the MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Status Survey (SF-36) in patients receiving noninvasive positive pressure ventilation and to examine whether health-related quality of life is influenced by the underlying disease or by physical parameters. DESIGN AND SETTING: Multicentric clinical cross-sectional trial in four general wards specialized in noninvasive positive pressure ventilation. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS: 226 patients (78 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 57 kyphoscoliosis, 20 posttuberculosis sequelae, 17 Duchenne muscular dystrophy, 13 polyneuropathy, 13 myopathy, 6 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, 12 obesity-hypoventilation syndrome, 4 poliomyelitis sequelae, 3 phrenic nerve lesion, 3 central hypoventilation syndrome) who used noninvasive positive pressure ventilation for home mechanical ventilation. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Health-related quality of life as assessed by the SF-36 was lower than in the general population. Overall the Physical Component Summary (PCS) was significantly lower than the general population norm; the Mental Component Summary (MCS) was also reduced but less markedly. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were more impaired in MCS than those with kyphoscoliosis. PCS was significantly associated with age. Gender, lung function, and arterial blood gas values were not significant predictors of health-related quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Benchmark SF-36 data in patients receiving noninvasive positive pressure ventilation are given. Although physical health is significantly impaired in these patients, this does not necessarily lead to mental limitation, and mental health is influenced by the underlying disease, but not by physical parameters.

Analysis of Variance↗

Multimodal patient education program with stress management for childhood and adolescent asthma.

The present study aimed to evaluate a multimodal patient education program carried out during inpatient rehabilitation. The program included cognitive-behavioral stress management training as a main component. The efficacy was examined in comparison to an education program without stress management. In total N=68 patients aged between 8 and 16 years were included in the post-treatment and N=46 patients in the 6 months follow-up assessment. Short- and long-term intervention effects of the multimodal education program were observed in relation to patients' age. The experimental treatment elicited significant improvements in adaptive coping in adolescents aged from 14 to 16 years. In contrast, substantial effects were not yielded for the control treatment. The results suggest that the multimodal patient education training has beneficial effects on stress management in adolescents with asthma. Results are discussed with regard to predictive factors for rehabilitation outcome.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

An educational program for parents of asthmatic preschool children: short- and medium-term effects.

Parent education has proven to be effective in improving parents coping with their child's asthma. Little is known about its effectiveness neither during inpatient rehabilitation nor about the different effectiveness of different approaches. A controlled clinical trial was conducted with 242 parents of asthmatic children aged less than 8 years. The aims were to develop a cognitive-behavioral training program for parents and compare its differential effectiveness with an information-centered standard-program as part of rehabilitation. Both groups reported a highly significant increase in their knowledge, self-efficacy and quality of life over time in a follow-up just after the end of their inpatient stay. There was a further increase from discharge to the 6-month follow-up for self-efficacy and quality of life. In respect to the functional severity of asthma, children of both groups showed a significant improvement. Whether these effects have long-term stability and which parents benefit from which type of intervention will be the objective of an ongoing 12-month follow-up.

Adult↗

The Severe Respiratory Insufficiency (SRI) Questionnaire: a specific measure of health-related quality of life in patients receiving home mechanical ventilation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to develop a specific instrument for measuring health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients receiving home mechanical ventilation (HMV). METHODS: The Severe Respiratory Insufficiency (SRI) Questionnaire was developed and tested for its psychometric properties following a multicentric clinical trial including 226 patients receiving HMV (mean age 57.3+/-14.0 years). RESULTS: Forty-nine items passed the selection process and were allocated to seven subscales: Respiratory Complaints, Physical Functioning, Attendant Symptoms and Sleep, Social Relationships, Anxiety, Psychologic Well-Being, and Social Functioning. Cronbach's alpha was >0.7 in all subscales and >0.8 in four subscales indicating high internal consistency reliability. Construct validity was confirmed by factor analysis, indicating one summary scale that accounts for 59.8% of the variance. Concurrent validity was confirmed by correlating subscales of the SRI and the SF-36 (0.21<r<0.79). Item-scale correlations revealed a high item discriminant validity. In addition, different diagnostic groups could be discriminated by the SRI. Here, the overall best HRQL was measured in the following order: patients with kyphoscoliosis, miscellaneous disorders, neuromuscular diseases, post-tuberculosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P<.05). CONCLUSION: The SRI is a new multidimensional instrument with high psychometric properties designed to measure specific HRQL in patients with SRI receiving HMV.

Home Care Services↗

Health-related quality of life in children assessed by their parents: evaluation of the psychometric properties of the CHQ-PF50 in two German clinical samples.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the German translation of the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ). Parents of two clinical samples were asked to rate the quality of life of their children using the German version of the CHQ. Item internal consistency (item-scale correlation) and internal consistency of scales were tested; quartiles and factor analysis were conducted. The results of the German clinical samples were compared with US clinical samples (t-test). The two clinical German sub-groups were compared using multivariate analysis (MANOVA). The psychometric testing of the CHQ showed good results. Internal consistency of the hypothesized scales were all higher than 0.70. The results of the factor analysis confirmed the results of the US norm sample: As expected, the subscales loaded on two factors explaining 57.4% of the total variance. The group comparison supported the discriminative properties of the CHQ. Preliminary psychometric findings support use of the German version of the CHQ. The next step will be the testing of healthy German samples and development of norm scores.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Interstitial deletion on chromosome 5q33.3q35.1 in a 6-year-old girl -- neuropsychological findings and follow-up in an extremely rare chromosomal aberration.

Interstitial deletion on chromosome 5q33.3q35.1 is an extremely rare chromosomal aberration for which a characteristic syndrome could not yet be delineated. In most patients with 5q deletions severe mental retardation is described. Recently, Spranger et al. (2000) described the case of a 4-year-old girl with a de novo deletion on 5q33.3q35.1 presenting only with mild psychomotor delay, minor facial anomalies, and seizures. The patient was admitted for outpatient neuropsychological assessment when she was 6.2 years old. Neurocognitive tests revealed an overall developmental delay of about 32 months and an intelligence score in the range of mild mental retardation. Her cognitive phenotype was characterized by a considerable visual-spatial deficit in the form of disorganized drawings or block designs indicating a profound lack of cohesion and overall global organization (decay of gestalt). The patient's behavioral phenotype was dominated by a distinct disinhibition syndrome demonstrating severe hyperactivity, utilization behavior, and aggressive behavior.

Child↗

Quality of life in women with idiopathic scoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN: The health-related quality of life of 226 female patients with idiopathic scoliosis was compared with that in age-matched general population norms. OBJECTIVES: To describe and characterize health-related quality of life in women with idiopathic scoliosis, taking into account age, Cobb angle, and brace use. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Scoliosis may lead to multiple physical and psychosocial impairments depending on its severity. Previous studies have assessed generic health measures, functional status, body image, and self-image. Health-related quality of life data from patients with idiopathic scoliosis are still lacking. METHODS: Women with idiopathic scoliosis completed an age-appropriate health-related quality of life questionnaire (either the 36-Item Short-Form Health Status Survey, SF-36, or the Berner Questionnaire for Well-Being). The results from this sample were compared with general population norms. In univariate and multivariate analyses it was determined whether age, Cobb angle, and brace use had an impact on health-related quality of life. RESULTS: Compared with the age-matched general population norm, juvenile patients with idiopathic scoliosis were unhappier with their lives (P = 0.001). They reported more physical complaints (P < 0.001) and had lower self-esteem (P = 0.01) and higher depression scores (P = 0.021). Adult patients reported more psychologic (P < 0.001) and physical impairment than in the population norm (P < 0.001). These results were largely independent of age and Cobb angle. CONCLUSION: The results show that health-related quality of life can be impaired in patients with idiopathic scoliosis. Therefore, the psychosocial situation should be taken into account in the treatment of these patients.

Adolescent↗

Course and outcome of anxiety disorders in adolescents.

The aim of this article was to examine the course and outcome of anxiety disorders in German adolescents. Anxiety and other psychiatric disorders were coded based on DSM-IV criteria using the computerized Munich version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. About 22.6% of the adolescents who fulfilled DSM-IV criteria of any current anxiety disorders at the index investigation (T1) continued to have anxiety at the follow-up investigation (T2), 17.7% had depression, 27.4% somatoform, 6.5% substance use disorders, and 41.9% had no disorders. The factors that were significantly associated with the persistence of anxiety disorders included older age, presence of somatoform and substance use disorders, as well as a high number of negative life events at the T1-interview. Adolescents with "chronic" compared to "transient" anxiety disorders and those without any disorders were significantly more impaired in various life domains. Despite these high levels of psychosocial impairment, only a few of them did seek professional help in the last 12 months before the T2-interview.

Adolescent↗

Idiopathic scoliosis and quality of life.

Scoliosis may lead to multiple impairments depending on its seriousness. Here we have to make the distinction between direct impairments in the physical field and indirect impairments in the psychosocial field. The findings of different studies indicate that the psychosocial situation in juvenile and adult scoliotic patients is characterized by increased strain. The present study is meant to answer the question in which fields of quality of life female scoliotic patients are impaired and if these impairments are dependent of age or seriousness of illness (Cobb angle). Between May 1998 and February 1999, 226 female patients with idiopathic scoliosis were surveyed in a special clinic for spinal deformities with the help of different quality of life measuring instruments (SF-36, BFW, STAIK) and were compared with norm values. Women with idiopathic scoliosis were questioned with the help of an age adapted set of questionnaires containing questions referring to the health related quality of life (SF-36, BFW, STAIK). The results were compared to the norm values and examined in uni- and multivariat procedures (MANOVA) in order to find out if age and seriousness of illness (Cobb angle) have any impact on the quality of life. In comparison to the norm random sample, the juvenile female scoliosis patients showed a less positive point of view towards life (p = .001) and were easier subject to depressive moods (p = .021). The increased strain of adult patients was shown both in the psychic field (p < .001) and in the physical field (p < .001) (SF-36). These results are largely independent of the seriousness of illness (Cobb angle) and of the patients' age. The results indicate that idiopathic scoliosis in children, adolescents and adults can be regarded as a risk factor for the impairment of health related quality of life and thus stress the importance of psychosocial offers during a patient-orientated scoliosis treatment in order to improve the management of scoliosis.

Adaptation, Psychological↗