Biomedical subjects

R Didden

Publications and source records attributed to R Didden.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Preferences in individuals with Angelman syndrome assessed by a modified Choice Assessment Scale.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with Angelman syndrome (AS) seem to have a strong preference for water-related items. Until present, preference assessment in AS has not been reported. METHODS: An adapted Dutch version of the Choice Assessment Scale (CAS) was administered by parents and other caregivers to 105 individuals with AS. The CAS was adapted by adding several items related to water and by adding a sub-scale describing activities and materials that individuals may avoid or escape. RESULTS: The five sub-scales and total scale of the modified CAS had good internal consistency. Water-related items were more often scored as preferred than non-water-related items. No associations were found between sub-scale and total scale scores and demographic characteristics (e.g. genetic subtype, age). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that people with AS often have strong preferences for water-related items. The modified CAS is a reliable and sensitive instrument to assess client preferences.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Sleep problems and daytime problem behaviours in children with intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: Sleep problems are common among children with intellectual disability (ID). METHOD: The present study assessed the prevalence of severe sleep problems in a sample of children (n=286) with mild to profound ID who lived at home with their parents(s) in the Netherlands. It also explored relationships between severe sleep problems, and family and child variables. Demographic information, data on children's sleep behaviours and parent variables were collected using questionnaires. RESULTS: Severe settling problems, night waking and early waking were present in 4.2%, 10.8% and 4.2% of cases, respectively; 16.1% of children had at least one type of sleep problem. Children with a severe sleep problem had more severe levels of ID, used medication more often, had a greater frequency of epilepsy, were younger, had a greater frequency of cerebral palsy, and showed more daytime drowsiness and daytime napping than children without a severe sleep problem. Furthermore, children with a severe sleep problem showed more severe levels of daytime problem behaviours; for example, aggression, non-compliance and hyperactivity. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study are discussed with regard to the assessment and treatment of sleep problems in children with ID.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

The blocking effect of pictorial prompts on sight-word reading.

This study replicates and extends previous work showing that pictorial prompts can interfere with the learning of sight words by students with moderate mental retardation. Effects of training with 6 students were assessed during five conditions using an alternating treatments design. In four conditions, words were presented either alone or with a corresponding picture. In a fifth condition, pictures were used to provide feedback. The results showed that acquisition was achieved fastest during the word-alone conditions with 5 students.

Child↗

PubMed1999

Assessing needs for interdisciplinary team training in children's rehabilitation: a pilot study.

Although ideally children's rehabilitation is a matter of teamwork, in actual practice its quality may differ widely between teams. This study describes the first step in a procedure for the improvement of interdisciplinary team functioning. In this step, assessment of team members' specific needs for additional training is conducted. Detailed information about training needs of a nonoptimally functioning rehabilitation team is given. Key concepts concerning team development, such as role extension, role exchange, and role release, are discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Management of sleeping problems in Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome: a case study.

Sleeping problems are common among children with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Extinction may be effective if sleeping problems have been shaped and are positively reinforced by parental attention. The present study shows that extinction was effective in the treatment of severe sleeping problems in a six-year old girl with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Effects were maintained during follow-up.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

PubMed1998

Functional assessment and treatment of sleeping problems with developmentally disabled children: six case studies.

Sleeping problems are common among developmentally disabled children of young age and they may have adverse effects on the well-being of both child and parents. In the present study, results from functional assessment with four children suggested that sleeping problems were reinforced by parental attention whilst an undiagnosed seizure disorder was associated with nighttime crying with one child. Conditioned anxiety resulted in problems in settling to sleep with a sixth child. Behavioral (i.e., extinction, desensitization) and pharmacological (i.e., anticonvulsant) treatment resulted in a substantial reduction in sleeping problems with all children. Follow-up data indicate that effects were maintained.

Anticonvulsants↗

PubMed1997

Meta-analytic study on treatment effectiveness for problem behaviors with individuals who have mental retardation.

Meta-analysis of 482 empirical studies on treatment of problem behaviors of individuals with mental retardation was conducted. A metric of treatment effectiveness was computed for 1,451 comparisons between baselines and treatments, 34 topographies of problem behavior, and 64 treatment procedures. Analysis of variance with percentage of nonoverlapping data as the dependent variable and comparison as the basic unit of analysis revealed that treatment of externally destructive behaviors had significantly lower mean percentage of nonoverlapping data scores than did treatment of socially disruptive and internally maladaptive behaviors. Response contingent procedures were significantly more effective than were other procedures. No significant interactions were found. Results of a stepwise regression showed that only performing a functional analysis made a significant contribution. These results may lead to more objective assignment of treatment procedures to problem behaviors.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A review of the nature and treatment of sleep disorders in individuals with developmental disabilities.

This paper describes research on the prevalence, correlates, and treatment of sleep disorders in individuals with developmental disabilities. A significant number of individuals with developmental disabilities have disordered sleep, although prevalence estimates vary from 13% to 86%. Constitutional variables, including age, presence of physical and sensory impairments, and certain genetic syndromes and medical conditions appear to be related to sleep disturbance, but the evidence is mainly correlational and therefore cannot be said to show a causal relation. While a number of behavioral interventions have proven effective in the treatment of sleep disturbance, and drug therapy involving melatonin appears promising, epidemiologic work on the correlates of sleep disorders appear to have had little impact on treatment. Consideration of the nature of sleep disorders may enhance treatments for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Behavior Therapy↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Communicative functioning in individuals with Angelman syndrome: a comparative study.

PURPOSE: To assess expressive communication in individuals with Angelman syndrome. METHOD: Communicative functioning of individuals with Angelman syndrome (AS) (n = 109) was compared with individuals with mixed etiologies (n = 117) using the Verbal Behaviour Assessment Scale (VerBAS). RESULTS: Within-group analyses of those with AS revealed that the communicative function of manding was significantly more developed than tacting and echoing, and that tacting was significantly more developed than echoing. Low mean total VerBAS-scores were found with individuals who had epilepsy and used anticonvulsant medication, and with those who had profound developmental disabilities. In the comparison group, the function of manding was significantly more developed than both tacting and echoing, while tacting did not differ from echoing. Between-groups analyses revealed that individuals with AS had significantly lower scores on tacting and echoing, but not on manding. CONCLUSION: The overall pattern of VerBAS scores for individuals with AS suggests a possible communicative phenotype.

Adolescent↗