Judith Streb

The Association between Parenting Behavior and Executive Functioning in Children and Young Adolescents

Executive functioning (EF) is associated with various aspects of school achievement and cognitive development in children and adolescents. There has been substantial research investigating associations between EF and other factors in young children, such as support processes and parenting, but less research has been conducted about external factors relating to EF in older children and adolescents. Therefore, the present study investigates one possible factor that could correlate with EF in school-age children and adolescents: parenting behavior. The cross-sectional study design gathered data from 169 children in primary schools, middle-schools, and Gymnasien, and their corresponding parents. All children underwent a standardized task to measure EF, the computer-based Erikson Flanker task, which evaluates EF as a function of error rates and response time. A self-report questionnaire was used to assess parenting behavior. Multilevel analysis was implemented to test the effects of parenting behavior on EF in school-age children. The results show significant associations between various parenting behaviors and childrens EF: High scores on parental involvement or parental responsibility are associated with low error rates on the Erikson Flanker task, whereas high parental scores on inconsistent discipline are associated with high error rates. These correlations between parenting behavior and EF remained significant despite controlling for child age, maternal education, family income, and baseline performance (i.e., congruent trials on the Erikson Flanker task). No associations were found between parental behavior and reaction time on the Erikson Flanker task. These results indicate the important association between parenting behaviors and EF skills in school-age children, and foster the necessity to inform parents about ways in which they can optimally support their childrens cognitive development.

Extremely Reduced Motion in Front of Screens: Investigating Real-World Physical Activity of Adolescents by Accelerometry and Electronic Diary

This paper reports accelerometer and electronic dairy data on typical daily activities of 139 school students from grade six and nine. Recordings covered a typical school day for each student and lasted on average for 23 h. Screen activities (watching television and using the computer) are compared to several other activities performed while sitting (e.g., playing, eating, sitting in school, and doing homework). Body movement was continuously recorded by four accelerometers and transformed into a motion sore. Our results show that extremely low motion scores, as if subjects were freezing, emerge to a greater extent in front of screens compared to other investigated activities. Given the substantial amount of time young people spend in front of screens and the rising obesity epidemic, our data suggest a mechanism for the association of screen time and obesity.

Anhaltender sexueller Missbrauch in der Kindheit und Langzeitfolgen für die Entwicklung

ZusammenfassungHintergrundDie psychischen Langzeitfolgen der sexuellen Traumatisierungen in der Kindheit sind mit vielschichtigen Symptomen assoziiert, werden jedoch noch häufig nicht erkannt oder fehldiagnostiziert. Diagnostisch werden sie verstärkt unter dem Konzept der komplexen posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung (PTBS) subsumiert.Ziel der ArbeitUnter Einbeziehung eines prototypischen Falls wird eine Übersicht über dieses vielschichtige Krankheitsbild in unterschiedlichen Altersstufen gegeben, und die evidenzbasierten Therapieoptionen werden aufgezeigt.Material und MethodenEs erfolgen die Darstellung eines prototypischen Falls, die narrative Übersicht über die aktuelle Literatur und eine vergleichende Analyse der diagnostischen Kriterien in den unterschiedlichen Klassifikationssystemen.Ergebnisse und DiskussionDie Symptome einer komplexen Traumatisierung im Erwachsenenalter können auch während der längeren und multiplen stationären Behandlungen im multidisziplinären Setting einer Universitätsklinik verkannt werden. Für die Praxis erscheint die Erhebung einer spezifischen Traumaanamnese bei multiplen Beschwerden, wechselnden Diagnosen und gescheiterten Therapieansätzen in der Vergangenheit notwendig, da die richtige Bewertung und Einordnung von großer Bedeutung für das weitere psychotherapeutische Vorgehen ist, das eine weitere Chronifizierung der Beschwerden verhindern kann.AbstractBackgroundThe psychological long-term effects of sexual abuse in childhood are typically associated with diverse symptoms. To date, these symptoms may be best conceptualized as complex posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).ObjectivesBased on a prototypal case, we overview multiple facets of complex PTSD during child- and adulthood, as well as associated diagnostic challenges particularly regarding symptom overlap with borderline personality disorder and current evidence-based psychotherapeutic options. With the present work, we aim to sensitize clinicians to trauma-related disorders.MethodsCase report, narrative review of the current literature, and comparable analysis of the diagnostic criteria in the different classification systems.Results and conclusionsAlthough epidemiological studies report high rates of childhood sexual abuse, the symptoms of a subsequently developing complex PTSD are still frequently unidentified or falsely diagnosed by practitioners. Therefore, the specific trauma history should be reviewed if multiple, diverse, or varying symptoms and diagnoses are on hand. Trauma- and confrontation-oriented psychotherapeutic approaches might prevent further chronic manifestations of the symptoms.

The impact of motivation and teachers’ autonomy support on children’s executive functions

The present study investigates the interplay of executive functions, motivation, and teacher’s autonomy support in school context. In a cross-sectional study design 208 students from different school types completed a standardized motivation questionnaire and processed two executive function tasks. All teachers who teach these students were asked about their autonomy supporting behavior by a standardized test. Multilevel analyses assessed the effects of the student’s motivation and their teachers’ autonomy support on student’s executive functions. Our results show considerable relationships between these variables: high executive function capacities came along with teacher’s autonomy support and student’s intrinsic motivation styles, whereas low executive function capacities were related to external regulation styles. The results indicate the importance of autonomy support in school instruction and disclose the need to popularize the self-regulation approach.

Sixth Graders Benefit from Educational Software when Learning about Fractions: A Controlled Classroom study

This study analyses the effectiveness of an educational web-based software package for teaching mathematics in schools. In all, 864 sixth graders and their teachers took part in the controlled study. Students learned the addition and subtraction of fractions with (intervention group; n = 469) or without (control group; n = 395) the support of the educational software. Compared to the controls, students who used the software showed better results in the post-test. Gains were dose dependent and particularly marked in high-ability students and students with lower scores of math anxiety.

FACTORIAL VALIDITY OF THE SHORT FORM OF THE CHILDHOOD TRAUMA QUESTIONNAIRE (CTQ-SF) IN GERMAN PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS, INMATES, AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS.

For the purpose of retrospective assessment and characterization of childhood trauma in adults, the factorial validity of the short form of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ–SF) in Germany was evaluated by conducting confirmatory factor analyses for three samples including 1,524 adult psychiatric patients, 224 inmates, and 295 university students. In addition, sex-specific confirmatory factor analyses were performed within each sample. Because several authors have suggested a different factor structure than that originally proposed in the manual, two competing models focusing on the Physical neglect subscale were examined. In psychiatric patients and inmates, the fit indices were reasonable to good. Among the students, factor loadings were markedly lower, and fit indices were poor. Sex-specific analyses did not indicate sex differences. Comparing the original and the alternative models revealed better fit indices of the original factor structure. The present findings indicate that the German version of the CTQ–SF has factorial validity in psychiatric patients and inmates, but not in students.

Psychopharmacologic treatment of in-patients with schizophrenia: comparing forensic and general psychiatry

Abstract Patients with schizophrenia constitute a substantial proportion of patients hospitalized in forensic psychiatry. Antipsychotic medication is an essential part of evidence-based treatment and can significantly improve both the medical and legal prognosis. In this study, we compared psychopathological features, psychopharmacological treatment, and the neurologic and metabolic side effects of treatment in demographically comparable in-patients with schizophrenia being treated in either forensic or general psychiatry. Megalomanic ideations, animosity, affect flattening, weak will, social passivity, apathy, uncooperative behavior, and poor impulse control were more pronounced in the forensic psychiatry sample. Nevertheless, patients in the forensic setting were prescribed less antipsychotic medication than the general psychiatry patients. Polypharmacy was pronounced in both samples. There were no significant differences in prescription rates of depot antipsychotics, movement disorders, or metabolic parameters. Our preliminary findings suggest a number of differences in the symptomatology and antipsychotic drug treatment of forensic and general adult psychiatry patients with schizophrenia. These differences deserve reexamination with more sophisticated designs.

Different yet similar? Prisoners versus psychiatric patients – A comparison of their mental health

BACKGROUND Previous research indicates that prisoners have severe psychological distress. To assess their distress level and potential need for treatment, the present study compared the subjective psychological distress of long- and short-term prisoners with that of psychiatric and forensic patients. METHODS Long- (n=98) and short-term prisoners (n=94) and forensic (n=102) and psychiatric (n=199) patients completed the German versions of the Symptom Checklist Revised (SCL-90-R) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). RESULTS In general, long-term prisoners showed the same level of mental distress as psychiatric patients and more than that reported by forensic patients. Short-term prisoners reported the least level of distress. Long- but not short-term prisoners showed clinically significant results on the scales for depression, paranoid ideation, and psychosis. CONCLUSIONS The improvements in psychiatric treatment for inmates demanded by many stakeholders need to differentiate between long- and short-term prisoners. Because depression seems to cause the most psychological distress among inmates, suicide prevention seems to be an important issue in prisons.

The association of adverse childhood experiences and appetitive aggression with suicide attempts and violent crimes in male forensic psychiatry inpatients

Although previous studies in inmates, forensic and psychiatric samples suggest the relation between childhood trauma and suicide behavior as well as between childhood trauma and violent delinquency, the understanding of possible underlying mechanisms is still fragmentary. In a naturalistic study design, we tested if suicidal attempts and violent crimes are differently associated with adverse childhood experiences and levels of appetitive aggression in male forensic psychiatry inpatients. Adverse childhood experiences and appetitive aggression styles were collected by means of self-report measures, suicide attempts were taken from the medical history and violent crimes were appraised by official court records. The data were analyzed by the means of generalized linear models. Results revealed that appetitive aggression and adverse childhood experiences were significant predictors of suicide attempts, whereas violent crimes were associated solely with appetitive aggression. Suicide attempts and violent delinquency in forensic patients seem to be both positively associated with high levels of appetitive aggression, whereas their etiological pathways might differ with regard to adverse childhood experiences. Considering these interrelations to a greater extent might improve both diagnostics and treatment of forensic patients.

Psychopathy, the Big Five and empathy as predictors of violence in a forensic sample of substance abusers

Abstract It is widely recognized that substance abuse increases the general risk of delinquency and violent offenses in particular. Substance-related disorders are the primary cause of offenders being sentenced to mandatory treatment in forensic psychiatry. However, instead of a mono-causal link between addiction and violence, additional risk factors must be assumed. The current study examined the relations between psychopathy, empathy and general personality traits and their role in statistically predicting violent crimes of substance-abusing offenders. The sample consisted of 164 male and female forensic inpatients with substance-related disorders. They were administered the German versions of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI-R), the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (SPF). The psychopathy factor Impulsive Antisociality (IA) emerged as a positive statistical predictor of violent offenses, while Fearless Dominance (FD) served as a negative predictor. The Big Five factors and empathy domains failed to statistically predict violence, despite showing significant correlations with the psychopathy factors. Hence, substance-abusing violent offenders display a distinct pattern of personality characteristics with IA being associated with high Neuroticism, low Agreeableness and low Conscientiousness, as well as high Personal Distress and low Perspective Taking. IA therefore reflects a maladaptive trait that is overrepresented in forensic settings.