OBJECTIVE: To examine the differences between independent and behavior-dependent stressful life events and chronic adversities in child psychiatric patients, community controls, and children with asthma. METHOD: The Psychosocial Assessment of Childhood Experiences was used to assess recent severe events (life events with high long-term threat) and major adversities (long-term experiences with high negative impact on child) in children attending a psychiatric clinic (n = 99), community controls (n = 26), and children with chronic asthma (n = 94). RESULTS: In the previous year, the psychiatric patients had, on average, experienced significantly more independent and behavior-dependent severe events and major adversities than either the controls or the asthmatic patients. The differences were most pronounced in relation to behavior-dependent high-threat life events and long-term-experiences. Among the psychiatric patients, one third of all severe events and one quarter of all major adversities were dependent on the child's behavior. The corresponding proportions in the controls and children with asthma were between one fifth and one twelfth. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatrically disturbed children have an increased risk of experiencing behavior-dependent life events and long-term adversities compared with their peers in the community at large and compared with children suffering from a chronic physical illness such as asthma. Future studies need to examine the possible contributions of such experiences to the development and maintenance of psychiatric and physical illness in children.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the differences between independent and behavior-dependent stressful life events and chronic adversities in childpsychiatricpatients, community controls, and children with asthma. METHOD: The Psychosocial Assessment of Childhood Experiences was used to assess recent severe events (life events with high long-term threat) and major adversities (long-term experiences with high negative impact on child) in children attending a psychiatric clinic (n = 99), community controls (n = 26), and children with chronic asthma (n = 94). RESULTS: In the previous year, the psychiatricpatients had, on average, experienced significantly more independent and behavior-dependent severe events and major adversities than either the controls or the asthmatic patients. The differences were most pronounced in relation to behavior-dependent high-threat life events and long-term-experiences. Among the psychiatricpatients, one third of all severe events and one quarter of all major adversities were dependent on the child's behavior. The corresponding proportions in the controls and children with asthma were between one fifth and one twelfth. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatrically disturbed children have an increased risk of experiencing behavior-dependent life events and long-term adversities compared with their peers in the community at large and compared with children suffering from a chronic physical illness such as asthma. Future studies need to examine the possible contributions of such experiences to the development and maintenance of psychiatric and physical illness in children.
Authors: Emma E Mumper; Margaret W Dyson; Megan C Finsaas; Thomas M Olino; Daniel N Klein Journal: J Child Psychol Psychiatry Date: 2019-09-18 Impact factor: 8.982
Authors: Frits Boer; Monica T Markus; Ragna Maingay; Ingeborg E Lindhout; Sophie R Borst; Thea H G Hoogendijk Journal: Child Psychiatry Hum Dev Date: 2002
Authors: Jennifer L Allen; Seija Sandberg; Celine Y Chhoa; Tom Fearn; Ronald M Rapee Journal: Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2017-08-08 Impact factor: 4.785