[Early mother-infant care, definition and effectiveness: A review of the literature]. / Soins précoces mère-enfant, définition et efficacité : revue de la littérature.

OBJECTIVE: Professionals agree on the need for early joint mother-baby care, but its effectiveness remains poorly studied. The aim of our work is to propose a review of the literature on this subject. METHODS: We included randomized or non-randomized controlled clinical trials of interventions targeting the mother-baby dyad which can begin during pregnancy or during the first three years of life. RESULTS: Forty-one studies met the inclusion criteria and focused on mother-baby psychotherapy, educational or guidance programs, care for premature infants, infant massage, and home visits. The results show an improvement of the quality of the interactions whatever the type of approach, but according to different indications or modalities. The heterogeneity of intervention methods and indications make the comparison of results almost impossible. CONCLUSION: This work highlights the lack of consensus on mother-child care methods, both for their indications and their effectiveness. The isolated evaluation of interactions is an insufficient criterion for judging the effectiveness of care. Finally, whatever the theoretical models, the interventions must take into account the environment of the child.

[Observation and comparison of social abilities in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder children]. / Étude des altérations des habilités sociales chez des enfants ayant un Trouble Déficit de l'Attention/Hyperactivité : comparatif avec des sujets contrôles et des sujets présentant un Trouble du Spectre de l'Autisme.

OBJECTIVES: Different studies centered on social relationship issues among ADHD children struggled to provide a unicist explanation between primary social cognition process alteration on the one hand and a mere symptomatic outcome of the disorder triad on the other. Some authors support the idea of a potential "social phenotype" shared at a different intensity by Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The point of the study is to characterize this possible social disability in a French ADHD population and compare it to control subjects and subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). METHODS: Three groups, composed of 319 subjects aged 6 to 12 years, were recruited in Bordeaux: 88 untreated ADHD subjects, 24 ASD subjects and 207 control subjects. The main measure was the social skill disruption through the rating of the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). The ADHD-RS-IV, WFIRS-P and CBCL scales were also used. RESULTS: Asignificant alteration in social abilities in ADHD children in comparison with controls was noted, with an average raw total SRS score intermediary between the control group and the ASD group (respectively 65.31±20.99, 37.15±16.37 and 95 75±30.83, P<0.05). When the 5 sub-scores of the SRS were taken into account, if the ASD subjects showed the highest average scores, the alteration pattern appeared qualitatively similar between the ADHD and TSA groups, with also an intermediate dispersion for the ADHD group between the control group and the group with ASD. Finally, more severe impairment of social skills in children with ADHD was associated with increased severity of the disorder (on ADHD-RS-IV scale cotation), higher daily functional impact (WFIRS-P scale), and more frequent behavioral issues (according to CBCL). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest the presence of social disturbances in ADHD and characterize a symptomatic profile qualitatively similar to that of ASD, but of less intensity. Overall results promote a need for a systematic dimensional assessment of social disability in ADHD.

[Study of parental bonding in childhood in children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa]. / Étude du lien parental dans l'enfance chez les enfants et adolescents avec anorexie mentale.

INTRODUCTION: Anorexia nervosa constitutes a severe and complex eating disorder occurring principally in adolescence. It is one of the most deadly psychiatric disorders. Considering the multifactorial nature of anorexia nervosa, the important place of the family and the growing interest in the theory of attachment in eating disorders, parental bonding is questioned in anorexia nervosa. The main study goal is to analyze parental bonding in a population of children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa. The secondary objective is to study differences according to the age group. METHOD: We realized an observational pilot study in Bordeaux over a period from June 2015 to April 2017. Twenty five young girls with anorexia nervosa, aged 10 to 17 years, hospitalized in the department of child and adolescent psychiatry and department of eating disorders have been included and divided into two groups: peripubertal for children under 14 and pubertal for children aged 14 to 17 years. We met them individually to complete a series of questionnaires including the Parental Bonding Instrument (for assessing attachment), the Mini International Neuropsychiatry Interview for Children and Adolescent (for detecting the presence of comorbidity) and a structured questionnaire for collecting general information on anorexia nervosa. RESULTS: Results revealed high parental care, high maternal and paternal overprotection with predominantly "optimal" parenting style followed by "affectionate constraint" style. Significant differences were observed in anorexia nervosa patients with maternal (P=0.011) and paternal (P=0.085) overprotection in pubes compared to peripubertal. In correlation analysis, there was a positive correlation between maternal protection and age of diagnosis and a negative correlation between parental care and duration of illness. Furthermore, the maternal overprotection tended to be correlated significantly and positively with the age of the diagnosis and the paternal overprotection with the body mass index. CONCLUSION: Our study shows a rating by the parents of warm and understanding parents, an over-protective mother and a father encouraging autonomy. There is maternal and paternal overprotection in pubertal anorexia nervosa compared with peripubertals. Our results suggest the importance of analyzing parenting style in addition to Parental Bonding Instruments results and of supporting the importance of the development of family therapy in the anorexia nervosa.

Facial emotion recognition in children with or without Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Impact of comorbidity.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to assess facial emotion recognition deficit in children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and to test the hypothesis that it is increased by comorbid features. METHOD: Forty children diagnosed with ADHD were compared with 40 typically developing children, all aged from 7 to 11years old, on a computerized facial emotion recognition task (based on the Pictures of Facial Affect). Data from parents' ratings of ADHD and comorbid symptoms (on the Conners' Revised Parent Rating Scale) were also collected. RESULTS: Children with ADHD had significantly fewer correct answer scores than typically developing controls on the emotional task while they performed similarly on the control task. Recognition of sadness was especially impaired in children with ADHD. While ADHD symptoms were slightly related to facial emotion recognition deficit, oppositional symptoms were related to a decrease in the number of correct answers on sadness and surprise recognition. CONCLUSION: Facial emotion recognition deficit in children with ADHD might be related to an impaired emotional process during childhood. Moreover, Oppositional Defiant Disorder seems to be a risk factor for difficulties in emotion recognition especially in children with ADHD.

[What do virtual reality tools bring to child and adolescent psychiatry?] / Qu'apportent les outils de réalité virtuelle en psychiatrie de l'enfant et l'adolescent ?

Virtual reality is a relatively new technology that enables individuals to immerse themselves in a virtual world. It offers several advantages including a more realistic, lifelike environment that may allow subjects to "forget" they are being assessed, allow a better participation and an increased generalization of learning. Moreover, the virtual reality system can provide multimodal stimuli, such as visual and auditory stimuli, and can also be used to evaluate the patient's multimodal integration and to aid rehabilitation of cognitive abilities. The use of virtual reality to treat various psychiatric disorders in adults (phobic anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, addictions…) and its efficacy is supported by numerous studies. Similar research for children and adolescents is lagging behind. This may be particularly beneficial to children who often show great interest and considerable success on computer, console or videogame tasks. This article will expose the main studies that have used virtual reality with children and adolescents suffering from psychiatric disorders. The use of virtual reality to treat anxiety disorders in adults is gaining popularity and its efficacy is supported by various studies. Most of the studies attest to the significant efficacy of the virtual reality exposure therapy (or in virtuo exposure). In children, studies have covered arachnophobia social anxiety and school refusal phobia. Despite the limited number of studies, results are very encouraging for treatment in anxiety disorders. Several studies have reported the clinical use of virtual reality technology for children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). Extensive research has proven the efficiency of technologies as support tools for therapy. Researches are found to be focused on communication and on learning and social imitation skills. Virtual reality is also well accepted by subjects with ASD. The virtual environment offers the opportunity to administer controlled tasks such as the typical neuropsychological tools, but in an environment much more like a standard classroom. The virtual reality classroom offers several advantages compared to classical tools such as more realistic and lifelike environment but also records various measures in standardized conditions. Most of the studies using a virtual classroom have found that children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder make significantly fewer correct hits and more commission errors compared with controls. The virtual classroom has proven to be a good clinical tool for evaluation of attention in ADHD. For eating disorders, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) program enhanced by a body image specific component using virtual reality techniques was shown to be more efficient than cognitive behavioural therapy alone. The body image-specific component using virtual reality techniques boots efficiency and accelerates the CBT change process for eating disorders. Virtual reality is a relatively new technology and its application in child and adolescent psychiatry is recent. However, this technique is still in its infancy and much work is needed including controlled trials before it can be introduced in routine clinical use. Virtual reality interventions should also investigate how newly acquired skills are transferred to the real world. At present virtual reality can be considered a useful tool in evaluation and treatment for child and adolescent disorders.

Social cognition in autism is associated with the neurodevelopment of the posterior superior temporal sulcus.

OBJECTIVE: The posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) plays a critical role in the 'social brain'. Its neurodevelopment and relationship with the social impairment in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are not well understood. We explored the relationship between social cognition and the neurodevelopment of the pSTS in ASD. METHOD: We included 44 adults with high-functioning ASD and 36 controls. We assessed their performances on the 'Reading the mind in the eyes' test (for 34 of 44 subjects with ASD and 30 of 36 controls), their fixation time on the eyes with eye tracking (for 35 of 44 subjects with ASD and 30 of 36 controls) and the morphology of the caudal branches of the pSTS (length and depth), markers of the neurodevelopment, with structural MRI. RESULTS: The right anterior caudal ramus of the pSTS was significantly longer in patients with ASD compared with controls (52.6 mm vs. 38.3 mm; P = 1.4 × 10-3 ; Cohen's d = 0.76). Its length negatively correlated with fixation time on the eyes (P = 0.03) in the ASD group and with the 'Reading the mind in the eyes' test scores in both groups (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the neurodevelopment of the pSTS is related to the ASD social impairments.

Evaluation of the French version of the multidimensional scale of perceived social support during the postpartum period.

In the presence of physical and psychological disturbances in the postpartum period, perceived social support is often regarded as a protective factor in women's mental health. This work evaluates the psychometric properties of the French version of a questionnaire widely used internationally to measure perceived social support, which has not been yet validated in French: the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). This study collected data from 148 women (30.5 ± 5.12 years) who agreed to complete the MSPSS and a scale assessing symptoms of postpartum depression (Edinburgh Post-Natal Depression Scale, EPDS) 1 and 4 months after childbirth. The results confirm the original three-factor structure of the scale. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients are excellent. The total scale score is correlated with all three dimensions and a significantly negative correlation is found between MSPSS and EPDS. The results suggest that the French tool has generally good internal reliability. The MSPSS can provide useful data helping to identify French-speaking people at risk for negative feelings (e.g., mood disorders of perinatal period).

[Examination of the psychometric properties of the French translation of the Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale (MAAS)]. / Examen des propriétés psychométriques de la traduction française de la Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale (MAAS).

BACKGROUND: Prenatal attachment (PA) is defined as the relationship that develops between a woman and her foetus. Three measurements exist for evaluating PA: the Maternal Foetal Attachment Scale (MFAS), the Maternal Antenatal Attachment Scale (MAAS) and the Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI). Of these three, only the PAI has been used in French. OBJECTIVES: The overall objective of the current study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of this second measure of PA: the MAAS. This scale was developed in 1993 by Condon. The MAAS is a 19-item self-report questionnaire which allows for calculating a total attachment score and two subscale scores; one score estimating the quality of the affective attachment experience and the other that estimates the intensity of concern about the foetus. For each item, the future mother provided an appreciation on a 5-point Likert scale (1=absence of feelings for the foetus; 5=very strong feelings for the foetus). METHOD: The sample was composed of 117 primiparous French females (27.5 ± 4.27 years) in the third trimester of pregnancy (32.84 ± 3.77 weeks of amenorrhea). The study was carried out over a period of 5 months (January-May 2012). Each woman was asked to provide demographic data, a French version of the MAAS, a validated French version of the PAI, and a scale evaluating depressive symptoms (Edinburgh PostNatal Depression Scale, EPDS). RESULTS: The MAAS demonstrated moderately good psychometric properties. Condon's two-factor structure of MAAS was not supported in our sample. Four factors were identified with exploratory factor analysis. Internal consistency was satisfactory for the global scale and for the factor 1 but not sufficiently adequate for the other factors. Concurrent validity was indicated by moderate correlations between the global MAAS scores with the total PAI score. A weak but significant inverse correlation was found between the MAAS and the EPDS suggesting good divergent validity. CONCLUSION: The authors suggest that additional research be conducted on the measurement before confirming the validity of the French version.

[A study of temperament and personality in children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)]. / Étude du tempérament et de la personnalité chez l'enfant souffrant d'un trouble déficit d'attention/hyperactivité (TDAH).

BACKGROUND: The study of children's personality and its development has generated several theoretical models in psychology. In a developmental approach, Buss and Plomin elaborated a genetic model of temperament that involves four dimensions: emotionality (refers to the negative quality of the emotion and the intensity of the emotional reactions), activity (intensity and frequency of a person's energy output in motor movements and speech), sociability (search for social relationships and preference for activities with others) and shyness (behavioural inhibition and feelings of distress when in interaction with strangers). The psychobiological approach postulates a biological model of personality. Thus, in Gray's first model, there are two brain systems that explain behaviours: the Bbehavioural Activation System (BAS) related to impulsivity and the Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS) linked to anxiety. Finally, dispositional theories seek to identify functional units of the normal personality from the factorial approach. Accordingly, Barbaranelli et al. build a questionnaire, the big five questionnaire for children (BFQ-C), which is intended to estimate the emergence of five fundamental dimensions (energy/extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional instability and intellect/openness) in children from 8 to 18 years. The clinical study we will present concerns the personality of children suffering from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). STUDY 1: METHODS AND RESULTS: In a first study, we compared the ratings of 33 children with ADHD regarding their personality, as well as the ratings of their parents, over a one-year interval. The EAS questionnaire tapping into the genetic model put forth by Buss and Plomin evaluates four dimensions: emotionality, activity, sociability and shyness. The BIS/BAS scales for children correspond to Gray's first psychobiological model of personality. The BIS scale is unidimensional and the BAS scale is divided into three subscales (drive, fun-seeking and reward responsiveness). The answers collected from parents at the two moments of completion of the EAS were comparable and the correlations were all higher than 0.70. Concerning the children, there were no significant differences between the two time periods but the correlations were rather low. On the BIS/BAS scales, they varied from 0.22 (fun-seeking BAS scale) to 0.51 (BIS scale), whereas the obtained correlations on the EAS ranged from 0.32 (emotionality) to 0.58 (activity and shyness). Finally, to compare the answers of the children with their parents on the EAS questionnaire, we used a correlation coefficient test. For time 1, the correlations varied from 0.54 (emotionality) to 0.69 (sociability), and for time 2, they varied from 0.18 (sociability) to 0.50 (shyness). The concordance between the parents' and children' answers was thus higher than in a group from the general population. STUDY 2: METHODS AND RESULTS: In the second study, we compared the personality of children with ADHD (n=35) with a sample from the general population (n=35). The two groups of subjects were matched on age (mean: 12.7 years) and made comparable for gender. Participants with ADHD were comparable with control participants on the BIS, as well as on the reward responsiveness subscale of the BAS. Furthermore, participants with ADHD and controls were comparable concerning the tendency to avoid and the anxiety. However, as expected, those with ADHD obtained higher scores on two subscales of the BAS. Concerning the traits of temperament, participants with ADHD reported being more active and having greater emotionality than did control subjects. On the other hand, there were no group differences for the two other aspects of temperament (sociability and shyness). Finally, participants with ADHD obtained higher scores on the BFQ-C than did control participants. It is interesting to note that children with ADHD obtained higher scores on the extraversion scale of the BFQ-C and the activity scale of the EAS. Our findings parallel the existing literature concerning the neuroticism scale of the BFQ-C and the BAS, but not the agreeableness and conscientiousness scales of the BFQ-C. DISCUSSION: It is interesting to note that children have a less stable representation of their own temperament as compared to the evaluation of their parents. This study replicates the findings of previous research on adults with ADHD regarding neuroticism (emotional instability), but contrary to findings in adults with ADHD, children obtained elevated scores on the conscientiousness and agreeableness subscales. In accordance with our hypotheses, children with ADHD could be distinguished from control participants on the BAS, particularly for the drive and reward responsiveness subscales. Furthermore, they also obtained higher scores on the extraversion subscale of the BFQ-C and the on the EAS activity subscale.

[Understanding social interaction in children with autism spectrum disorders: does whole-body motion mean anything to them?]. / Compréhension des interactions sociales chez des enfants atteints de troubles du spectre de l'autisme : le langage du corps leur « parle ¼-t-il ?

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by difficulties in social interaction and verbal and non verbal reciprocal communication. Face and gaze direction, which participate in non verbal communication, are described as atypical in ASD. Also body movements carry multiple social cues. Under certain circumstances, for instance when seeing two persons from far, they constitute the only support that allows the grasping of a social content. Here, we investigated the contribution of whole-body motion processing in social understanding. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate whether children with ASD make use of information carried by body motion to categorize dynamic visual scenes that portrayed social interactions. METHODOLOGY: In 1973, Johansson devised a technique for studying the perception of biological motion that minimizes static form information from the stimulus, but retains motion information. In these point-light displays, the movement figure, such as a body, is represented by a small number of illuminated dots positioned to highlight the motion of the body parts. We used Johansson's model to explore the ability of children with ASD to understand social interactions based on human movement analysis. Three-second silent point-light displays were created by videotaping two actors. The two actors were either interacting together or moving side by side without interacting. A large range of social interaction displays were used to cover social scenes depicting social norms (conventional gestures and courteous attitudes), emotional situations (carrying positive or negative valences) and scenes from games (sports, dance, etc.). Children were asked to carefully watch the stimuli and to classify them according to the question "Are the two persons communicating or not?". Four sessions of 3 minutes were performed by each child. Children with ASD were compared with typically developing control children matched with either non verbal mental age or chronological age. Response and reaction time were recorded in this force-choice categorization task. RESULTS: The performance of children with ASD suggested that they were able to extract a social content from body motion. However, they were significantly less efficient than typically developing control children, either matched for non verbal mental age or chronological age. This was especially the case for the social interaction displays. Neither impaired global perceptual processing, nor cognitive development, nor emotional content could explain these lower performances. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The results are discussed in the context of an action representation deficit and a dysfunction of the mirror mechanism in ASD. In conclusion, this behavioural study highlights the potential of point-light displays as a rehabilitation tool in ASD.

[Aggregation of social deficits and psychiatric disorders in parents of children with autism: toward a temperamental link?]. / Agrégation de déficits sociaux et de troubles psychopathologiques chez les parents de personnes avec autisme : vers une implication du tempérament ?

BACKGROUND: Autism is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with heterogeneous phenotypic expression. Twin and family-based studies have demonstrated the importance of genetic factors in the etiology of these disorders. The pioneering work of Folstein and Rutter (1977), showing concordance - 82 % in non affected monozygotic twins and 10 % in non affected dizygotic twins - for cognitive deficits (mostly affecting language), has directed work towards family-based studies aiming at demonstrating the existence of a "broad autism phenotype" (BAP), corresponding to the extension of the "autistic" phenotype in the relatives of affected children (Bailey et al., 1998). This notion of a broad phenotype makes it possible to take into account abnormalities in one or more of the three domains of the syndrome: communication, socialization and restrained and obsessive interest in a succession of subjects, with qualitatively similar but quantitatively smaller difficulties observed in the relatives. LITERATURE FINDINGS: We review here previous studies investigating the broad phenotype in the relatives of children with autism. We focus specifically on the hypothesis of a link between the aggregation of social deficits and of psychopathological problems, such problems being more frequently observed in these families than in families with other types of handicap (Abbeduto et al., 2004). Although the difficulties observed in these families may be partly explained by the stress of having to raise a heavily disabled child, genetic susceptibility factors may play a role in the occurrence of these problems in the families of autistic children. Constantino and Todd (2003) support the hypothesis that a single factor is transmitted in families - social reciprocity - and may be responsible for the overall dysfunction in the various domains of the syndrome in affected individuals. However, this susceptibility factor may be linked to other deficits observed in certain psychiatric disorders (e.g., attention deficit in ADHD), consistent with the hypothesis that there is a link between the broad phenotype and psychopathological problems. CONCLUSION: This paper reviews this issue in the two domains of study described and presents a hypothesis to account for the possible link between the presence of the broad phenotype - or more specifically, of social deficits - and the more frequent occurrence of psychological problems in the families of autistic individuals. The notion of temperament (Garon et al., 2009) is proposed and considered to present essential characteristics that might account for this relationship: indeed, temperament is associated with notions of IQ, psychopathology and social function and could potentially be used as a predictive variable in affected individuals. Finally, the link between temperament and psychopathology in the relatives of affected individuals may be reflected in the presence of cognitive peculiarities more specifically linked to socioemotional dysfunction (Losh and Piven, 2007).

[Washing, checking, and rumination: are the belief domains, obsessions and compulsions specific to OCD subtypes?]. / Laveurs, vérificateurs, ruminateurs: spécificité des croyances dysfonctionnelles, des obsessions et des compulsions?

AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of the present study is to explore the validity of the Padua inventory and two belief questionnaires: the obsessive beliefs questionnaire (OBQ) and the interpretation of intrusions inventory (III). BACKGROUND: The Padua inventory is a 60-item self-report measurement of obsessive compulsive symptoms that measures both classic compulsive checking and cleaning behaviour as well as various types of obsessions, including impulses. Studies in several countries have provided support for the reliability and validity of the Padua inventory, including Italy, the Netherlands, North America, and the UK. The obsessive beliefs questionnaire assesses belief domains related to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD): inflated responsibility, importance of thoughts, control of thoughts, overestimation of threat, perfectionism, and intolerance of uncertainty. It consists of 87 items representing dysfunctional assumptions covering these six domains. The interpretation of intrusions inventory consists of 31 items that refer to interpretations of intrusions that have occurred recently. Three of the above domains are represented: importance of thoughts, control of thoughts and responsibility. Data from clinical or non-clinical samples are used to study the factor structure, reliability, and convergent and divergent validity of these two questionnaires. METHODOLOGY: The three questionnaires were administrated to two groups of people as follows: 96 patients with OCD and 53 non-clinical subjects. The patients were selected from Rhone Alpes clinics and hospitals using DSM-IV criteria for diagnosis, prior to treatment. Diagnosis was based on semi-structured interview (MINI) and clinical interview by a trained psychiatrist using DSM-IV criteria. The second aim of the study was to investigate generality and congruence criterion of the subscales of the Padua inventory and beliefs domains in OCD symptom subtypes (rumination, washing, checking). The present study investigates whether specific OCD symptom subtypes are associated with specific symptom subscales and belief domains in an OCD sample. The criteria for categorizing a participant into an OCD symptom subtype was a score greater or equal to 75% of one main ritual. Fifty participants (52%) met these criteria: washing (n=20), rumination (n=16), checking (n=8), hoarding (n=1), perfectionism (n=3), and repeating (n=2). The other 46 subjects formed a non-specific symptom subtype (two or more rituals). Participants in the precision (perfectionism), the hoarding, and repeating symptom subtypes were excluded because of a small sample. RESULTS: The Padua inventory and the two questionnaires OBQ and III discriminated between French OCD and non clinical controls. In the OCD sample, the three subtypes (washers, rumination and checkers) did not differ from each other on total YBOCS score and total Padua score. The "washer" subjects scored higher than both "checker" subjects and subjects with rumination on the washing scale of the Padua inventory. The "checker" subjects scored higher than the two other subtypes on the checking scale. The impaired mental control and urges and worries of losing control scales failed to discriminate between the subjects with rumination and the two other (checking and washing) subtypes. The OBQ total and the six subscale scores failed to discriminate between the three OCD subtypes. These results were replicated with the III. The ANOVAs revealed that the participants in the rumination symptom subtype scored higher only on the importance/control of thoughts of the OBQ-44 than the participants in the checking subtype. Implications for future research are discussed.

[A study on the abbreviated form of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Abbreviated (EPQR-A) in a student population]. / Étude du questionnaire de personnalité d'Eysenck révisé et abrégé (EPQR-A) dans une population d'étudiants.

The aim of this paper is to examine the short questionnaire of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised (the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Abbreviated [EPQR-A]) among a student population. University students were invited, in groups, to fill in the forms proposed. Three sites were compared, representing a sample of 346 participants (Chambéry=118 subjects [44 males and 74 females]; Lille=110 subjects [50 males and 60 females] and Toulouse=118 subjects [60 males and 58 females]). The three groups of students have comparable scores on the EPQR-A wherever they live (Chambéry, Lille or Toulouse). Moreover, neither the age nor the gender allowed the detection of differences between subjects. Our sample of students is situated in the range of a "normal" group of students. Regarding the internal consistency coefficients, the French version we used of the neuroticism and the extraversion scales of the EPQR-A obtained a satisfactory result. The internal consistency coefficient of psychoticism was rather low (<70). This unsatisfactory level of internal reliability for the psychoticism is also found in the English version [7]. The four-factor model of the EPQR-A is judged to be an adequate explanation of the data. In the end, self-esteem correlated positively with extraversion and negatively with neuroticism. On the other hand, there is no link between psychoticism and self-esteem.

Childhood and adolescent hyperactivity-inattention symptoms and academic achievement 8 years later: the GAZEL Youth study.

BACKGROUND: Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at risk of negative academic outcomes. However, relatively few studies in this area have been based on long-term longitudinal designs and community-based settings. This study examined the link between childhood hyperactivity-inattention symptoms (HI-s) and subsequent academic achievement in a community setting, controlling for other behavioural symptoms, socio-economic status (SES) and environmental factors at baseline. METHOD: The sample consisted of 1264 subjects (aged 12 to 26 years at follow-up) recruited from the longitudinal GAZEL Youth study. Psychopathology, environmental variables and academic outcomes were measured through self-reports. Multivariate modelling was performed to evaluate the effects of childhood HI-s and other risk factors on academic achievement 8 years later. RESULTS: HI-s independently predicted grade retention [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.38-5.39], failure to graduate from secondary school (adjusted OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.43-4.05), obtaining a lower-level diploma (adjusted OR 3.00, 95% CI 1.84-4.89), and lower academic performance. These results remained significant even after accounting for school difficulties at baseline. Negative academic outcomes were also significantly associated with childhood symptoms of conduct disorder (CD), even after accounting for adjustment variables. CONCLUSIONS: This longitudinal survey replicates, in a general population-based setting, the finding of a link between HI-s and negative academic outcomes.

Hyperactivity-inattention symptoms in childhood and suicidal behaviors in adolescence: the Youth Gazel Cohort.

OBJECTIVE: Although a link has been suggested between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and completed suicide, little is known about the association with suicidal behaviors in community settings. This study addresses the relationship between childhood hyperactivity-inattention symptoms (HI-s) and subsequent suicidal behaviors. METHOD: Nine hundred sixteen subjects aged 7-18 were recruited from the general population and surveyed in 1991 and 1999. Parent and adolescent self-reports provided psychopathology and suicidal behavior pattern measures. Multivariate modeling was used to evaluate the effects of childhood HI-s and other risk factors on adolescent suicidal behaviors. RESULTS: In males, HI-s independently accounted for the risk of lifetime suicide plans/attempts (OR=3.25, P = 0.02) and adolescent 12-month prevalence rates of suicide plans/attempts (OR=5.46, P = 0.03). In females, HI-s did not independently heighten the likelihood of suicidal behaviors. CONCLUSION: This survey suggests a possible specific link between HI-s and suicide plans/attempts in males.

Rule change incidence on physiological characteristics of elite basketball players: a 10-year-period investigation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate, by examining data collected on professional basketball players during a 10-year period, the differences in aerobic capacity in function of the playing position and the impact on these parameters of the change in time regulation of 2000, which shortened the time allowed to attempt a field goal by 6 s and divided the duration of play in four quarters. METHODS: Twice a year between 1994 and 2004, professional basketball players (n = 68) were studied for anthropometric characteristics and were submitted to an incremental exercise test on a cycle ergometer. Statistical analyses were carried out to determine the interaction between the playing position and the effect of the change in time regulation on the physiological characteristics of the players. RESULTS: Anthropometric measurements were different in function of the playing position, the centres being taller and heavier than the forwards and the guards. Guards exhibited the highest Vo(2)max (54.0 (SE 1.6) ml/min/kg) and were the most affected by the change in time regulation of 2000 with a 19.5% increase. Significant main effects of "before" versus "after" rule changes were found for maximal and submaximal O(2) consumption, which were increased by 12.8% at ventilatory threshold, 7.3% at respiratory compensation point and 7.8% at Vo(2)max. CONCLUSION: While anthropometric characteristics remained constant during the last decade, the change in rule of 2000 may have contributed in modifying the physiological profile of basketball players, by generally increasing their level of fitness.

[An exploratory study of a personality disorders questionnaire]. / Etude exploratoire d'un questionnaire sur les troubles de la personnalité

INTRODUCTION: This exploratory study combined a preliminary evaluation of the French version of Hyler's [Hyler S.E. Personality Questionnaire (PDQ-4 plus). New York: New York State Psychiatric Institute; 1994] Personality Diagnostics Questionnaire (PDQ-4 plus) with an investigation into whether Eysenck's personality dimensions allow us to differentiate between subjects diagnosed by the PDQ-4 plus as showing at least one personality disorder (PD) and control subjects. PARTICIPANTS: A group of 129 French undergraduate students completed the PDQ-4 plus, a self-report questionnaire designed to assess the 12 PDs of the DSM-IV (10 PDs and two additional diagnoses included in the appendix of the DSM-IV), and, at the same time, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised-Abbreviated (EPQ RA). METHODS: The PDQ-4 plus diagnoses were scored using a two-stage process in which students with questionnaire scores at or above the threshold level for at least one PD (82 students=63.56%) were asked to complete individual interviews about the PDs concerning them. In order to minimize the number of false positives generated, these interviews were scored using the Clinical Significance Scale. Following these interviews, 35 students (27.13%) were classified as showing one or more PDs. The remaining 84 students (72.87%) were classified as control subjects (no PDs). In the population as a whole, studies have shown the prevalence of any DSM-IV defined personality disorder to be between 9 and 15%; however, personality disorders are much more frequently diagnosed in younger subjects (Ekselius L., Tillfors M., Furmark T., & Fredrikson M. Personality disorders in the general population: DSM-IV and ICD-10 defined prevalence as related to sociodemographic profile. Personality and Individual Differences, 2001, 30: 311-320). The second step in the study was to compare EPQ RA scores for the control subjects, subjects showing a particular PD and subjects showing the other PDs. RESULTS: For all the PDs studied, the control subjects attained lower scores on the Neuroticism scale than the subjects showing one or more PDs. Subjects showing depressive or schizotypal PDs attained particularly high scores on the Neuroticism scale: a result that differentiates these subjects from the control subjects and from subjects showing other PDs. Scores on the Extraversion scale were similar for all the subjects with the exception of those showing depressive or schizotypal PDs. Subjects with a depressive or a schizotypal PD were generally more introverted than the control subjects and the subjects showing other PDs. Significant differences between all three groups of subjects were noted on the Psychoticism scale, at least for the PDs studied here. Psychoticism scale scores were generally higher for the subjects showing one or more PDs than for the control subjects, except in the cases of the subjects showing compulsive-obsessional and paranoiac PDs, whose Psychoticism scores were not significantly different from those of the control subjects. The Psychoticism scores for the subjects with antisocial (cluster B) or schizotypal (cluster A) PDs were statistically higher than the scores for the control subjects and for the subjects showing other PDs. In summary, Neuroticism was more prevalent among the subjects showing depressive and schizotypal PDs. In terms of extraversion, only subjects showing depressive and schizotypal PDs could be differentiated from the control subjects and from the subjects showing other PDs. Psychoticism was more prevalent amongst the subjects showing depressive and schizotypal PDs. CONCLUSION: In order to verify the results of this preliminary study, which was carried out using a relatively small group of subjects, this work must be replicated using a larger and more representative group of subjects.

Victimisation in a French population of children and youths with autism spectrum disorder: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: Children and youths with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have behavioural characteristics and severe social disabilities that make them vulnerable to victimisation. The current study explores the prevalence of peer victimisation in this population in France. METHODS: We used the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire-Screener Sum Version in a French sample of 39 children and youths with ASD and 53 typically developing (TD) children and youths and tested the association of the victimisation with socio-demographic factors and clinical factors of anxiety and post-traumatic stress. RESULTS: The results indicate that 72% of the subjects with ASD had been victimised during the previous year and 94.9% during their entire lifetime. Of all students victimised at least once over the course of their lives, 75% had been victimised at school. Their peer victimisation score was significantly higher than in the TD group and was correlated to clinical factors such as a deficit in social skills and the severity of post-traumatic symptoms. Symptoms of anxiety were reported by parents of children and youths with ASD in 80% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Children and youths with ASD are particularly vulnerable to victimisation at school. Discussion focuses on the importance of considering the impacts and needs of school integration of this population in France in order to prevent these phenomena and their consequences.