The authors present the conceptual framework of the development and transmission of anxiety in the family system based on M. Bowen and general system theories. Anxiety is conceptualized as the reaction of family members to the disturbance in relational balance within the family system. The hypothesis that blurred boundaries within the family system are responsible for development, transmission and maintenance of anxiety in the family system is presented and supported with clinical examples. The ways of transmission of anxiety within the nuclear family and the phenomenon of transgenerational transmission are described. At the end the authors discussed practical implications of the presented theory for family therapy. Work with families with high level of anxiety should support the development of clear boundaries within the family system which leads to processes of separation and autonomy of family members.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Premorbid adjustment of 100 hospitalized adolescent patients].

Premorbid adjustment of 100 hospitalized adolescent patients and its correlation with some clinical variables was assessed and compared with a group of 100 healthy adolescents. The hospitalized group of patients was divided into four diagnostic subgroups according to the diagnostic criteria of ICD 9: psychoses, neuroses, conduct and personality disorders and anorexia nervosa. The following assessment tools were used: Premorbid Adjustment Scale in Polish adaptation of A. Grzywa, List of demographic variables, List of Organic Risk Factors, Inventory of Developmental Psychopathology and the Brief Psychiatric Research Scale (BPRS). SPSS was used to analyze the results. The results confirmed the hypothesis of different levels of premorbid adjustment in hospitalized and healthy adolescents as well as in hospitalized adolescents and original control group of the research of A. Grzywa. Contrary to our expectations and data from the literature premorbid adjustment was lowest in the group of patients with conduct disorders and not as was expected in the group of psychotic adolescents. It was also confirmed that the differences in the level of premorbid adjustment between the group of hospitalized adolescents and control groups were smaller in the period of early childhood than in later developmental periods. Pronounced difficulties in adjustment were observed in all diagnostic subgroups in the period of late adolescence.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Organic risk factors and developmental psychopathology in a group of 100 hospitalized adolescents].

In the Psychiatric Clinic for Children and Adolescents, a group of 100 hospitalized adolescents were assessed with respect to organic risk factors and developmental psychology, using original questionnaires drawn up by the clinic. Pathology during infancy, early childhood and the results of psychological tests assessing changes in the C.N.S. differentiated 4 diagnostic subgroups: psychoses, neuroses, anorexia and conduct and personality disorders. Organic risk factor indicators were most frequent in the subgroup of conduct and personality disorders. Some indicators of developmental pathology such as speech impediments, eating disorders and conduct disorders, correlated highly with psychiatric diagnosis during adolescence.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Chronic depression and marital relations].

Authors analyzed the relation between dysfunctional marital interactions and chronic depressive symptoms.

Depressive Disorder↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Family characteristics, organic risk factors, psychopathological picture and premorbid adjustment of hospitalized adolescent patients].

The relation of some family characteristics such as cohesion and adaptability with organic risk factors, developmental psychopathology, clinical picture and premorbid adjustment was assessed in the group of 100 hospitalized adolescent patients and families. We found correlation between: some of organic risk factors (pathology of neonatal period, pathology of early childhood), some of indicators of developmental psychopathology (eating disorders, conduct disorders), some of clinical signs (mannerism, grandiosity, hostility, suspciousness, disturbances of content of thinking), premorbid adjustment, and variables related to families, described before. We think that biological variables characterizing child (pathology of neonatal period, pathology of early childhood) have an influence on some family characteristics as independent variable. General system theory and circular thinking support these conclusions. In order to verify them, it is necessary to undertake further investigations, based on other methodology, using this results as preliminary findings.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Research on siblings of mentally ill and retarded persons. Review of literature].

Author describes the developmental tasks of the siblingship from the family life cycle perspective. Next, research on physical and mental health eg. psychopathological symptoms of siblings of mentally ill and retarded persons as well as research on their difficulties, perception of the brother's or sister's illness and its significance for their development is presented. In the last part of the paper research conducted by D. Reiss from the University of G. Washington is discussed. The main goal is the assessment of the relationship of shared and nonshared environmental factors in the development of adolescents. Research on siblings is of special significance for the understanding of the relation between genetic and environmental factors in the development of the person, as well as for the theory of mental disorders, especially the role of the family.

Family↗