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Biomedical subjects

G Esser

Publications and source records attributed to G Esser.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Contrasting infant predictors of later cognitive functioning.

The predictive power of early visual attention in terms of later cognitive functioning was compared to standard developmental test scores and further early predictors of later development. In a longitudinal study of 226 infants at risk visual attention in a habituation-dishabituation paradigm was assessed at 3 months and cognitive development was measured at 3, 24 and 54 months. The results indicated that response decrement and response recovery measures are related to cognitive outcome in later childhood, but failed to support their superiority over standard developmental test scores or early biological and psychosocial predictors of later IQ. Methodological shortcomings of previous studies and theoretical weaknesses of the habituation concept were discussed as a possible explanation.

Attention↗
PubMed1994

Children with specific reading retardation--early determinants and long-term outcome.

In a prospective epidemiological longitudinal study of children (n = 399) from age 8 to 18 years, children with specific reading retardation (n = 37) were identified by the modified Research Diagnostic Criteria of ICD-10. The group with specific reading retardation was compared with a group with other specific developmental disorders (n = 62), a group of children with normal intelligence (n = 285) and a group of children with below average intelligence (n = 15). No correlation was found between reading retardation and pre- and perinatal complications. Children with reading retardation suffered from environment-related stress factors in early childhood and adverse familial conditions at 8 years and the educational level of the mother was significantly lower. The number of additional psychiatric symptoms was increased at ages 8, 13 and 18. Conduct disorders, in particular, were more frequent in children with specific reading retardation and the rate of juvenile delinquency was increased (25%). The non-verbal intelligence remained constant between ages 8 and 13, and spelling performance developed parallel to the control group with normal intelligence. Only one out of three showed a significant improvement in spelling ability.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Category system for microanalysis of early mother-child interaction].

As part of a prospective longitudinal study on the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders in children at biological and psychosocial risk, a system of categories was developed for the assessment of early mother-child interaction. A computer program for recording observational data in synchrony with video images by online coding was developed for this purpose. It permits second-by-second recording of basic categories and complex interactional behavior of mother and child. An evaluation of instrumental validity, interrater reliability and the validity of the system with 48 mother-child dyads yielded positive results. Measures of interaction (synchrony, reciprocity, elicit) and of disturbed interactions were defined.

Child↗
PubMed1993

[Importance and determinants of early mother-child relations].

In a prospective longitudinal study on child development from birth to age eight 362 first-born infants and their families were investigated. The subjects were distributed across the nine cells of a two-factorial design, factor 1 representing the degree of organic, factor 2 the degree of psychosocial risk. At age 3 months mother-child interaction was videotaped and evaluated with microanalytic technique. The quality of MCI could be demonstrated to be as predictive for later cognitive development as early developmental tests. Social-emotional problems of the toddler and preschool child was predicted better by parameters of early MCI than by temperament. Disturbed interactions were associated with later cognitive retardation and enhanced behavior problems. MCI is significantly determined by neglect and rejection, which showed typical behavioral patterns. The early separation of mother and high risk newborn itself did not lead to alterations in maternal attachment. Compared with mother daughter dyads early interaction of mother and son was characterized by more reactivity and positive emotion.

Affect↗
PubMed1993

[Diagnosis and therapy of functional encopresis].

Males clearly dominate within this diagnostic category with an overall prevalence rate between 1 and 2%. Functional encopresis is often connected with other emotional and behavioural problems. After excluding an organic incontinence the main aim of the diagnostic procedure is to search for stressors that may have caused the encopresis and now contribute to the stability of the disturbance. Usually indications of an early disturbed parent-child relation are found. Techniques of behavioural therapy are superior to psychoanalytical methods that do not surpass the rate of spontaneous remissions. The therapeutic approach by Wright and Walker is recommended, which comprises systematic rewards, glycerine suppositories and enemas. 78% of the such treated children showed a lasting remission. The connection of numerous other psychic disorders with encopresis is demonstrated by a case report.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗
PubMed1993

[Effect of timing and chronicity of stressors on the emotional development of children and adolescents. Results of a prospective epidemiologic longitudinal study of 8 to 18 years].

In a prospective epidemiological study with assessments at ages 8, 13 and 18 it could be demonstrated that if all risk factors are analyzed at the same time recent stressors are more important than stressors and disturbances in early childhood. But from a chronological point of view early stressors were found to be at least as important as later ones because the early stressors play a role in the development of some of the later ones. The effects of stressors were sex-specific to some extent: Boys were more seriously affected when of elementary school age, whereas girls were more affected in early childhood and in adolescence. Chronic stress proved to be more important than acute life events, the later being not only a cause but also a consequence of emotional disturbances. Children with early disturbances sometimes even had lower rates of disorders in adolescence if they had been brought up in an overprotective manner.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Adverse temperamental characteristics and early behaviour problems in 3-month-old infants born with different psychosocial and biological risks.

In a prospective longitudinal study the influence of biological and psychosocial risk on early emotional and behaviour problems was investigated in a high-risk sample. Adverse characteristics of temperament and psychosomatic symptoms were assessed in 362 infants aged 3 months by observation of behaviour and parent interview instruments. Results showed cumulative negative effects of nearly equal significance of both biological and psychosocial risk on the severity and number of behavioural disturbances. No sex differences and no interaction of risk factors were found. Detailed analysis revealed that single risk factors were related to different patterns of infant behaviour problems.

Brain Damage, Chronic↗
PubMed1992

["Risk children": the importance of biological and psychosocial risks for child development in the first two years of life].

In a prospective longitudinal study the development of N = 362 children will be followed over four time points (T1-T4) from birth to school age utilizing a comprehensive battery of instruments. Aims of the study are the description of the developmental course of children born at differing degrees of biological and psychosocial risk, the identification of early predictors of developmental disorders and their compensation, as well as the analysis of the processes and mechanisms underlying differential developmental patterns. The results of waves 1 and 2 show that early development from 3 to 24 months is quite unstable. Depending on the examined domain of development up to 3/4 of the disturbances of infancy have remitted by the later age, whereas nearly a fifth of the hitherto well children developed new disturbances. Both risks have a marked negative effect on development. While biological risks go hand in hand with impaired motor functioning, psychosocial risks adversely affect cognitive and social-emotional competence. However, the relative weight of risk factors changes during the first two years with biological risks becoming less important and psychosocial risk factors gaining influence. Single risk factors identified as being prognostically very unfavourable are very low birth weight and neonatal seizures. Of the psychosocial risks a pattern of unfavourable family characteristics such as low educational level, history of broken home or mental health problems of parents and chronic difficulties is related most strongly to poor outcome.

Affective Symptoms↗
PubMed1992

Marital discord and early child development.

As part of a prospective study on the neuropsychiatric development of children born at varying degrees of organic and psychosocial risk, the effect of marital discord on the cognitive and social-emotional development of 315 first-born children into two parent households was investigated. Both the children and the quality of the parental relationship were evaluated when the children were 3 months and 2 years of age. The findings show that marital discord at 3 months does not affect child performance at 3 months, or at 24 months. Marital discord at 2 years does affect the emotional well-being of the 2 year olds, i.e. it is accompanied by a significant rise in psychopathological symptoms. When the effect of the stability of marital strife from the first assessment to the second was studied, a significant increase of behaviour problems and decrease in cognitive performance was found in the group of children whose parents' marital situation had deteriorated and failed in the meantime but surprisingly not in the group with chronic discordant relationships. Conversely, poor child performance and emotional adjustment improved with a positive change in the parental relationships. Analysis shows that negative marital change goes hand in hand with a decrease in parenting skills which affect children more adversely than their counterparts whose parents had a history of marriage and child-rearing problems. Further study of the course of marital relationships and child development at the next research waves (4.5 and 8 years) will show which results are of long-term versus short-term relevance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Prevalence and follow-up of psychiatric disorders in childhood and adolescence. Results of a prospective epidemiologic longitudinal study from ages 8-18 years].

In a prospective longitudinal epidemiological study with assessments at age 8, 13 and 18 the prevalence rate for psychiatric disorders remained constant at about 16%. The sex ratio for severe disorders was male dominated even in adolescence, which was a consequence of the high rate of unsocialized disturbances of conduct in boys. Persistence of psychiatric disorders between age 13 and 18 was about 50%, as had previously been the case between age 8 and 13. One child in four suffered from a psychiatric disorder for at least 10 years. In childhood, conduct disorders had a very poor prognosis and emotional disorders a very good one. In adolescence, the course of disorders depended on an interaction between diagnosis and gender. Boys with unsocialized disturbances and girls with emotional problems had a poor prognosis.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1992

[The effect of life change events on cognitive and socio-emotional development in early childhood].

The present study investigates the role of life events of differing durations in the cognitive and social-emotional development of infants. A total of 354 children were examined at the ages of 3 and 24 months and the children's parents were interviewed about the occurrence of live events in this interval. The total number of life events was a significant predictor of changes in the level of cognitive and social-emotional functioning. Changes in the caregiver and marital discord were the best predictors of a child's social-emotional development, and serious illness in the child and changes in the caregiver were the best predictors of a child's cognitive development.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1992

[Behavioral disorders in infants and young children: a contribution to psychopathology of early childhood].

In a study on the psychological development of children born at biological and psychosocial risk adverse temperamental characteristics and psychopathological symptoms of 362 children were determined at the ages of 3 and 24 months. Adverse temperamental characteristics were measured with the help of behavioral observations in standardized situations. Symptoms were assessed in a highly structured parent interview. The results showed a higher-than-average rate of disturbed children, which increased from 15.5% at the age of 3 months to 19.5% at two years. Hyperkinesis was the most prevalent disturbance. Whereas no sex effect was found among infants, the 2-year-old boys manifested more symptoms and had more adverse temperamental characteristics than the 2-year-old girl. Sex differences in symptom patterns were similar to those seen in later childhood. The course of early disturbances was characterized by low persistence and stability. Four fifths of all infant disturbances had remitted by the age of two years. A small number of early problems (i.e. eating disorders) turned out to be predictive of later disorders.

Child Behavior Disorders↗
PubMed1992

[Marital disharmony of the parents and child development in infancy and early childhood].

As part of a prospective study currently being conducted in the Mannheim-Heidelberg region of Germany on the neuropsychiatric development of 362 children born at varying degrees of organic and psychosocial risk, the effect of marital discord on the cognitive and social-emotional development of 315 children born into two-parent households was investigated. Both the children and the quality of the parental relationship were evaluated when the children were 3 months and two-years of age. Assessment of the children included performance on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, observed and reported temperament characteristics and measures of infant and child psychopathology. Evaluation of the relationship was based on pertinent information provided by the parents about their marriage within a standardized interviews as well as on the basis of a questionnaire. Results show that marital discord at 3 months does not effect child performance at 3 months, nor at 24 months. Marital discord at 2 years does affect the emotional well-being of the two-year-old i.e. is accompanied by a significant rise in psychopathological symptoms. When the effect of the stability of marital strife from the first assessment to the second was studied a significant increase in behavior problems and decrease in Bayley performance was found in the group of children whose parents' marital situation had deteriorated and failed in the meantime but surprisingly not in the group with chronic discordant relationships. Conversely, poor child performance and emotional adjustment improved with a positive change in the parental relationships. An increase, although not significant, was also found among the children whose parents' marriage had deteriorated but had not lead to separation.

Affective Symptoms↗
PubMed1991

Familial adversities and child psychiatric disorders.

The well known association between child and adolescent psychiatric disorders and chronic adversities was proved in a field sample. Children (356) were investigated at the ages of 8 and 13 years. The association between child psychiatric disorders and chronic adverse conditions in the familial environment--measured by the FAI--was analysed with respect to the variables: age, sex, psychiatric diagnoses, and course (stability) of disorder. The FAI proved to be predictive of psychiatric disorder, in particular of early onset disorder, of disorders in boys, and of conduct disorders. According to the results, the common assumption that chronic adversities cause child psychiatric disorders must be viewed cautiously.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Current status of liver surgery].

Resection of subsegments, segments of lobes of the liver in anatomic borders are possible. Extensive mobilisation of the liver, operation with blood inflow interruption by a tourniquet, and apparative aids for liver dissection make this easier. Intraoperative ultrasound scanning is helpful. Early and late outcome in the management of benign and malignant tumors and metastases of the liver is described. The rupture of the liver requires well-defined therapy and determination. Packing of the liver or other operative procedures in the treatment of rupture depend on the experience of the surgeon.

Echinococcosis, Hepatic↗
PubMed1991

[Follow-up of hyperkinetic syndrome in clinical and field samples].

Retrospective studies and short prospective studies in clinical samples are rarely helpful in elucidating the course of hyperkinetic syndromes. So far prospective longitudinal data have been published only on client populations. The results of such studies are summarized. They are compared with the data on a field sample (n = 399) followed from age 8 until 18. Initially 4.2% of the children had hyperkinetic syndrome. Over the 10-year period the symptoms of the syndrome decreased. In 40% of the cases the syndrome persisted, but with a general shift in the symptoms profiles toward antisocial behavior. Beyond this, the study showed that the symptoms temper tantrums, distractability and hyperkinesis are very important in connection with psychiatric morbidity in children and adolescents. There is a need for further analysis of such symptoms in the context of other symptoms of psychiatric disorder in youngsters not diagnosed as having hyperkinetic syndrome.

Adolescent↗