Psychological Functioning in Youth With Spina Bifida Living in Colombia, South America.

OBJECTIVE: No studies have examined psychological functioning among youth with spina bifida (SB) living in a developing country where access to mental health resources is often scarce. This study compared self-reported psychological functioning between youth with SB living in Colombia, South America, and a demographically matched comparison group of healthy Colombian children. METHODS: 22 children with SB and 22 comparison children completed assessments of depression and anxiety. Most (68.81%) participants were male, and the sample had a mean age of 13.25 years (SD = 2.65 years). RESULTS: Results revealed that children with SB reported greater total symptoms of depression (p < .05), but fewer worry-related symptoms of anxiety (p < .05). In addition, mean total scores for both depression and anxiety were in the nonclinical range for youth with SB. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the need for targeted mental health (i.e., depression) services for poor children with SB living in Colombia.

Assessing sensory processing problems in children with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

AIMS: This exploratory study investigated whether children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at greater risk than children without ADHD for problems with sensory processing and if certain sensory systems are more closely associated with the core symptoms of ADHD, specifically inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. METHODS: The sample included 20 children with ADHD and 27 children without ADHD, ages 5 to 10 years. Assessments included the Sensory Processing Measure-Home Form and the Conners 3rd edition-Parent Short Form. RESULTS: After controlling for age, children with ADHD exhibited more sensory processing problems on all scales of the Sensory Processing Measure with small to medium effect sizes observed (η(2) = .27 to .61). For children with ADHD, the Social Participation (r = .50) and Planning and Ideas (r = .73) subtests of the Sensory Processing Measure were significantly associated with hyperactivity/impulsivity, but not with inattention on the subtests of the Conners Parent Short Form. CONCLUSION: The results suggest the importance of assessing sensory processing issues in children with ADHD to guide in the intervention process.

Family dynamics and psychosocial functioning in children with SCI/D from Colombia, South America.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the connections between family dynamics and the psychosocial functioning of children with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D). DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Participants were recruited from communities in Neiva, Colombia. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty children with SCI/D and their primary caregiver participated. Children were between 8 and 17 years of age, and had sustained their injury at least six months prior to data collection. INTERVENTIONS: NA. OUTCOME MEASURES: Participating children completed measures assessing their own psychosocial functioning (Children's Depression Inventory, Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale-2, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory), and their primary caregiver completed measures of family dynamics (Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale- Fourth Edition, Family Communication Scale, Family Assessment Device- General Functioning, Family Satisfaction Scale, Relationship-Focused Coping Scale). RESULTS: A correlation matrix showed a number of significant bivariate correlations between child and family variables, and three multiple regressions showed that family satisfaction, empathy, and flexibility significantly explained 27% of the variance in child worry; family satisfaction and communication explained 18% of the variance in child social anxiety; and family cohesion and communication explained 23% of the variance in child emotional functioning. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of rehabilitation professionals considering the association between family dynamics and the psychosocial functioning of children with SCI/D when working with this population.

Driving behaviors in adults with autism spectrum disorders.

This pilot study investigated driving history and driving behaviors between adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as compared to non-ASD adult drivers. Seventy-eight licensed drivers with ASD and 94 non-ASD comparison participants completed the Driver Behavior Questionnaire. Drivers with ASD endorsed significantly lower ratings of their ability to drive, and higher numbers of traffic accidents and citations relative to non-ASD drivers. Drivers with ASD also endorsed significantly greater numbers of difficulties on the following subscales: intentional violations, F(1, 162) = 6.15, p = .01, η p (2)  = .04; mistakes, F(1, 162) = 10.15, p = .002, η p (2)  = .06; and slips/lapses, F(1, 162) = 11.33, p = .001, η p (2)  = .07. These findings suggest that individuals with ASD who are current drivers may experience more difficulties in driving behaviors and engage in more problematic driving behaviors relative to non-ASD drivers.

Psychosocial and pharmacological management of pain in pediatric sickle cell disease.

For children with sickle cell disease (SCD), pain is associated with significant current and future morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, few evidence-based guidelines exist for the management of pain episodes in children with SCD. To inform empirically based treatment strategies for pain management in pediatric SCD, this review integrates and evaluates the extant literature on psychosocial and pharmacological approaches to the management of pain. Findings reveal a paucity of rigorous investigations of psychosocial and pharmacological pain management interventions in children with SCD. Psychosocial interventions included were primarily cognitive-behavioral in nature, whereas pharmacological approaches targeted non-opioid analgesics (ie, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids) and opioid medications (ie, morphine and oxycodone). However, to date there is not a "gold standard" for pain management among children with SCD. Because psychosocial and physiological processes each play a role in the etiology and experience of pain, effective pain management requires multidimensional, comprehensive treatment approaches. Considering the significant impact of pain on functional outcomes and quality of life among children with SCD, additional clinical trials are warranted to ensure that interventions are safe and efficacious.

Depression and experience of vision loss in group of adults in rehabilitation setting: mixed-methods pilot study.

There is a paucity of literature regarding the relationship between the experience of vision loss and depression. Therefore, the current pilot study aimed to explore whether significant differences existed in levels of depression between adults with different vision loss experiences. A group of adults aged between 20 and 65 yr old with irreversible vision loss in a rehabilitation setting was interviewed. Semistructured interviews were conducted in order to explore patients' experience of vision loss. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was used to assess depressive levels; 39.5% (n = 15) of patients met CES-D criteria for depression. In addition, higher levels of depression (p < 0.05) were identified in patients whose interviews revealed greater self-awareness of impairment, inadequate social support, and longer rehabilitation stay. Current findings draw attention to variables such as self-awareness of impairment and perceived social support and suggest that depression following vision loss may be related to patients' emotional experiences of impairment and adjustment processes.