Children's Friendship Training Program for Israeli elementary school age children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

The present study examined whether the effectiveness of the Children's Friendship Training (CFT) in children with ADHD is maintained following treatment endpoint and whether it is effective in a different culture outside the USA. Parent reports of social skills, behavioral problems, conflict, and children's social knowledge were collected at baseline, pre-treatment (week-12), post-treatment (week-24) and follow-up (week-36) (treatment group: N = 25, waitlist: N = 20). Relative to waitlist, children's social knowledge, social skills and conflict resolution were improved at post-treatment and improvement was maintained at follow-up.

Education and employment trajectories from childhood to adulthood in individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is the most common known microdeletion in humans occurring in 1 out of 2000-4000 live births, with increasing numbers of individuals with the microdeletion living into adulthood. The aim of the study was to explore the education and employment trajectories of individuals with 22q11.2DS from childhood to adulthood in a large cohort composed of two significant samples. 260 individuals with 22q11.2DS, 134 male and 126 female, aged 5-59 years (mean age 21.3 ± 10.8 years) were evaluated at two sites, Geneva (GVA) and Tel Aviv (TA). Psychiatric comorbidities, IQ score, and adaptive functioning were assessed using gold-standard diagnostic tools. Demographic factors, such as data about education, employment, marital status, and living status, were collected. Children entering elementary school (5-12 years) were significantly more likely to attend a mainstream school, while adolescents were significantly more likely to attend special education schools (p < 0.005). Cognitive abilities, and not adaptive functioning, predicted school placement. Among adults with 22q11.2DS (n = 138), 57 (41.3%) were unemployed, 46 (33.3%) were employed in open market employment, and 35 (25.4%) worked in assisted employment. In adulthood, adaptive functioning more than cognitive abilities predicted employment. Surprisingly, psychotic spectrum disorders were not found to be associated with employment. Individuals with 22q11.2DS are characterized by heterogeneity in educational and employment profiles. We found that cognitive abilities and adaptive functioning, and not the presence of psychiatric disorders, are key factors in school placement and employment. These factors should, therefore, be taken into account when planning optimal development of individuals with 22q11.2DS.

Higher adaptive functioning and lower rate of psychotic comorbidity in married versus unmarried individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is a relatively common genetic disorder. Due to improvement in pediatric care, affected individuals live into adulthood, some of whom marry or have committed relationships, and reproduce. The current study aimed to identify the factors that discriminate between married and unmarried adults with 22q11.2DS. In the presents study, 90 adults with 22q11.2DS (48 men/42 women), aged 29.8 ± 10.3 years, were included in the analysis. Psychiatric comorbidities, IQ score, and adaptive functioning were assessed using gold-standard diagnostic tools. Demographic factors, marital status, and reproductive status were evaluated by self-reports. Of the sample 25 adults (27.7%) were married and 14 (56%) of those had children. Married, as compared to unmarried individuals, were older, had less psychotic comorbidities, showed higher adaptive functioning in all domains of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, and had higher rates of independent living and sustained employment. Unexpectedly, married individuals showed higher rates of mood disorders and full scale IQ scores did not discriminate between the groups. We propose that multiple factors are associated with marital status among individuals with 22q11.2DS. Identification of key personal, functional, and social characteristics of those who married and reproduced may help counseling health professionals and clinicians in advising affected individuals and their families.