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Biomedical subjects

J W Bamburg

Publications and source records attributed to J W Bamburg.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Characteristics of schizophrenia among persons with severe or profound mental retardation.

The symptoms of schizophrenia were examined in a residential sample of adults with severe or profound mental retardation. Three groups were compared: those with a significant elevation on the schizophrenia subscale of the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped (DASH-II) and a psychiatric diagnosis of schizophrenia; those with a significant elevation on the same subscale but no formal diagnosis of schizophrenia; and those with no elevation on any of the DASH-II subscales. A one-way analysis of variance showed statistically significant differences between the groups. Symptoms of schizophrenia among those in the first group were found to fall mainly into the categories of reality distortion and disorganization, with less evidence of negative symptoms.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Seizure disorders in people with intellectual disability: an analysis of differences in social functioning, adaptive functioning and maladaptive behaviours.

The present study is an investigation into the effects of seizure disorders/epilepsy on psychopathology, social functioning, adaptive functioning and maladaptive behaviours using a sample of 353 people diagnosed with a seizure disorder, and either severe or profound intellectual disability. People with a diagnosis of seizure disorder were found to have significantly less social and adaptive skills when compared to developmentally disabled controls with no seizure disorder diagnosis. Additionally, patterns of maladaptive behaviours were identified for individuals with seizure disorders and found to be similar to those found in people without seizure activity. The implications of the present findings are discussed.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1996

Rehearsal of positive self-statements and restructured negative self-statements to increase self-esteem and decrease depression.

Rehearsal of self-statements was used to modify scores on self-esteem and depression of 60 undergraduates low in self-esteem. Subjects in the rehearsal group were instructed to read 15 self-statements to themselves three times a day for two weeks. These self-statements were derived from a combination of the most frequently occurring negative thoughts and least frequently occurring positive thoughts given by the subject on the Automatic Thought Questionnaire-Revised. Negative thoughts endorsed by subjects on the questionnaire were restructured into more adaptive self-statements, and endorsed positive thoughts were modified into self-statements which accentuated the positive aspect of the thought. This procedure significantly increased scores on self-esteem and decreased depression scores. The questionnaire was effective in identifying positive and negative self-statements which were significantly related to scores on self-esteem and depression after 2 weeks.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Psychopharmacology and mental retardation: a 10 year review (1990-1999).

We conducted a 10 year review of the literature pertaining to psychopharmacology and mental retardation. Studies were included or excluded from the review based on meeting one or more of the methodological criteria normally considered fundamental for sound scientific research. The vast majority of studies conducted in the last 10 years in this area had major methodological flaws. While a large number of medications were prescribed for various psychological disorders and behavior problems, most drug administrations were not based in science, were not evaluated appropriately, and generally did not follow best practices for treatment of persons with mental retardation. Very few medications prescribed were behavior or psychiatric symptom specific; that is, most medications were given to suppress a myriad of aberrant behaviors thus chemically restraining the individual in question. Practices such as these present serious problems for service providers due to the deleterious side effects of many psychotropic medications and the federal government's intervention into the care-provision practices of developmental centers, community homes, and other living arrangements for persons with mental retardation. Implications of our review are discussed.

Aggression↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of stereotypies on adaptive skills as assessed with the DASH-II and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales.

The relationship of the Stereotypy subscale of the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped-II (DASH-II) to adaptive functioning was investigated. Differences in adaptive skills measured with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) for individuals scoring at or above the cutoff of the Stereotypy scale and below the cutoff of the scale were analyzed. Individuals with high stereotypy scores had significantly lower VABS scores. Implications of these findings for assessment and treatment are discussed.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Reliability of the assessment of dual diagnosis (ADD).

Emotional and behavioral problems are a major source of additional handicap for children, adolescents, and adults with mental retardation. To address these problems, clinicians need psychometrically sound instruments for assessing psychopathology in individuals with mental retardation. The initial psychometric properties of the Assessment for Dual Diagnosis (ADD), a new scale designed to screen for psychopathology in individuals with mild and moderate mental retardation, was examined. The authors conducted a preliminary evaluation of the interrater and test-retest reliability of the ADD. It was determined that the ADD had high stability across raters and high stability over time. In addition, good internal consistency was established with coefficient alpha. Potential uses for the scale and directions for future research are discussed.

Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry)↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The convergent validity of the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills for individuals with Severe Retardation (MESSIER).

The convergent validity of the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills for Persons with Severe Retardation (MESSIER) was examined. We administered the MESSIER and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) to 892 individuals with severe and profound mental retardation residing in a residential state facility. The MESSIER subscales were compared to equivalent subdomains from the VABS that have been demonstrated through research to be both reliable and valid. Significant positive correlations were found between corresponding MESSIER subscales and VABS subdomains on social behaviors. The findings also indicated that this pattern of positive correlation remained constant when comparing both verbal and nonverbal social behaviors. The implications and clinical utility of the findings are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Reliability of the Matson Evaluation of Drug Side Effects Scale (MEDS).

The potential negative effects of psychoactive medication are well documented. Given the high rate of their use in persons with mental retardation, the need to assess and identify these negative effects is great. The Matson Evaluation of Drug Side Effects (MEDS) was designed to evaluate commonly identified side effects with a psychometrically sound checklist. The initial psychometric properties of this scale are presented and discussed. An examination of interrater reliability and internal consistency revealed that the MEDS has excellent consistency across raters and good internal consistency. Potential uses for the scale and directions for future research are reviewed as well.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A validity study on the Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF) Scale: predicting treatment success for self-injury, aggression, and stereotypies.

We investigated the validity of the Questions About Behavioral Function (QABF), a checklist designed to assess antecedent behavior, using a sample of 398 persons with mental retardation and a targeted maladaptive behavior of self-injurious behavior, aggression, or stereotypies. The QABF was used successfully to derive clear behavioral functions for most individuals (84%) across all three target behaviors. Further, subjects with treatments developed from functional assessment (QABF results) improved significantly when compared to controls receiving standard treatments not based on functional analysis. Implications of the present findings for assessing and treating maladaptive behaviors are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Characteristics of depression as assessed by the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped-II (DASH-II).

Fifty-seven individuals with severe and profound mental retardation (18 with a DSM-IV diagnosis of depression, 19 with a Diagnostic Statistical Manual, 4th edition diagnosis of autism, and 20 who meet no criteria for an emotional disorder) were studied. The validity of the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped II depression subscale was evaluated to determine its value in categorizing individuals in these two groups. Suggestions were made for diagnosing depression in persons with severe and profound mental retardation. In a second study the above individuals were compared on symptomology to assess comorbidity with related symptoms. These "core," peripheral, or associated features of depression were identified. Implications of the findings for describing and defining depression in these persons are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The development of a reinforcer choice assessment scale for persons with severe and profound mental retardation.

Reinforcement is a cornerstone for treating adaptive skills and eliminating problem behaviors for persons evincing mental retardation. To effectively use reinforcement, professionals must find reinforcers that are most effective for each individual. Establishing reinforcers is particularly important for persons functioning in the severe and profound ranges of mental retardation as reinforcers are often difficult to identify in this population. The current study aimed at developing a reinforcer rating scale that-would have applicability on a broad clinical basis, looking specifically at the psychometric properties of the scale.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The relationship of self-injurious behavior and aggression to social skills in persons with severe and profound learning disability.

In this study, we investigated differences in social skills among four groups of individuals with severe and profound learning disabilities. The comparison groups were composed of individuals engaging in self-injurious behavior, aggression, both behaviors, or neither of the behaviors. We measured social skills using the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills for Individuals with Severe Retardation, a standardized assessment of social skills in persons with severe or profound learning disability. The results indicated that individuals displaying maladaptive behaviors exhibited a restricted range of social behaviors compared to controls. Also, group membership based on self-injury and aggression was predicted based on profiles of scores on the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills for Individuals with Severe Retardation. These findings are consistent with reports in other studies that note social skills deficits in aggressive and self-injurious persons with learning disabilities. However, in this case a standardized assessment of these deficits was possible and specific skills problems were identified. Implications of the findings for identification and treatment of self-injury and aggression are discussed.

Adolescent↗