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Biomedical subjects

W R Stanton

Publications and source records attributed to W R Stanton.

66 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Indices of perinatal complications, family background, child rearing, and health as predictors of early cognitive and motor development.

An index of adversity is a measure of risk that can be considered independently of individual risk factors. This study examined four areas of adversity in early childhood, namely perinatal complications, family background, child-rearing practices, and the child's physical health, and their relationship to developmental outcomes. Four indices of adversity in these areas were examined as predictors of cognitive ability and motor ability for 476 girls and 510 boys at age 5 years. Results of the study indicated that indices of family background and child-rearing practices were highly related to these developmental outcomes. An index of health problems was found to be significantly related to motor ability. The perinatal complications index was significantly related only to specific cognitive ability scores for boys. Previously, developmental outcomes have been assessed in terms of the magnitude of individual risk factors, but more effective screening procedures may need to take account of the additive effect of the number of relevant adverse risk factors.

Child Development↗
PubMed1990

Is there an association between lateral preference and delinquent behavior?

Results of recent research suggests an association between left lateral preference and delinquent behavior. In this study the lateral preferences of 881 seven-year-old children were determined using behavioral indicators of hand and foot use. Mixed-handedness was associated with parent-reported problem behavior scores and self-reported delinquency scores at ages 13 and 15. However, preference for left hand and foot use was found to be unrelated to the delinquency measures. The distribution of lateral preferences in an identified delinquent group was not significantly different from the distribution in the sample remainder. The lack of an association between left preference and delinquency may be accounted for by an increased cultural acceptance of individual preference.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

The relative value of reading ability and IQ as predictors of teacher-reported behavior problems.

Measures of early family adversity, pre-school-age IQ, school-age IQ, and reading ability were obtained from 779 Dunedin children. The data were used to examine the role of reading ability in the relationship between intellectual performance and teacher-reported behavior problems. Results of regression analyses showed that family adversity and pre-school-age IQ predicted problem behavior during the first year at school. However, reading scores accounted for a larger proportion of the variance in the later behavior problem scores than did school-age IQ scores, and when reading ability was entered in the regression equation before IQ, then reading but not IQ significantly predicted change in problem behavior during the primary school years. The results indicated that the association between IQ scores and problem behavior was mediated by reading ability and that a measure of school-age IQ has limited usefulness for models of primary school-age problem behavior.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Prevalence of smoking in a Dunedin sample followed from age 9 to 15 years.

A longitudinal study of a Dunedin cohort through to adolescence showed that by age 15 years, 80 percent of the adolescents had tried smoking. There was a steep rise in the prevalence of smoking from age 13 to age 15 years. At age 13 years 1% of the adolescents smoked every day, compared with 15% of them at age 15 years. At age 15 years this group of daily smokers consisted of 18% of the girls and 11% of the boys. The majority of adolescents who had never smoked by 13 years of age, but had smoked by 15 years of age were girls. Prevalence rates from the present study (1987-88) are similar to those reported in the 1960s and 1970s. A large decrease in the number of boys who smoke every day has been offset by a large increase in the number of girls who smoke every day.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

A longitudinal study of the interactive effects of perinatal complications and early family adversity on cognitive ability.

The effects of high, medium and low levels of perinatal complications and family adversity on intelligence quotient (IQ) scores were examined in a large sample of Dunedin children tested every second year in the age group 3-13 years. The aim was to test the hypothesis that favourable environmental circumstances attenuate the effects of perinatal complications on later cognitive ability. The results did not support this hypothesis but rather suggested that perinatal complications and family adversity have independent adverse effects on the development of children's cognitive ability.

Family↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Reasons for smoking or not smoking in early adolescence.

Previous studies of smokers' and nonsmokers' reasons have not compared their reasons for smoking and their reasons for not smoking, or examined the extent of change or stability in these reasons over time. We examined reasons for smoking and not smoking in a large sample of 13-year-olds from the general population. Factor structures of reasons differed according to whether adolescents were smokers or nonsmokers. Nonsmokers were found to be less discriminating than smokers about the reasons for smoking. Smokers and nonsmokers tended to show more agreement about the reasons for not smoking. Recency of smoking was differentially related to the factors for smoking and the factors for not smoking. "Image" was a more important reason for smoking at age 11 than at age 13. "Friends" as a reason for smoking showed a small degree of consistency across age, whereas reasons involving relaxation and pleasure showed a relatively higher degree of consistency. Health, as a reason not to smoke, showed only a small degree of consistency, while social context, effects and access were moderately consistent as reasons not to smoke at ages 11 and 13.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

DSM-III-R tobacco dependence and quitting during late adolescence.

Previous studies of tobacco dependence have tended not to examine adolescent samples. In a cohort of 18-year-olds, the 12-month prevalence rate of dependence based on DSM-III-R criteria was found to be 19.3%. Cotinine levels in saliva were positively related to level of cigarette consumption but not to tobacco dependence and may not be a suitable measure of dependence. Measures of behavioral and psychological aspects of smoking supported the utility of DSM-III-R criteria for tobacco dependence among young smokers. As a large number of young smokers are dependent on tobacco. the results support the development of treatment programmes for youth that take into consideration their degree of dependence.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Adolescents' promotion of nonsmoking and smoking.

Previous studies of the influence of friends on adolescent smoking have adopted the approach of asking adolescents about their friends. However, studies in which the friends were also approached have shown that adolescents' reports of friends behavior were not accurate (more closely resembled their own behavior). In order to gauge the level of active social influence among adolescents we asked 14-15 year old students what they did to influence others not to smoke or to smoke. Across two surveys, a quarter of the Form 4 students were promoting antismoking messages or activities and 3% were promoting smoking by encouraging or forcing friends, siblings and acquaintances to smoke. Relatively more positive beliefs about smoking identified those students who actively promoted smoking whereas some positive beliefs about the adverse effects of cigarette advertising tended to identify those who were actively antismoking. Use of this approach to examine the issue of social influence provided information about the antismoking activities which students conducted, and could be used to further examine which messages students do not believe or do not use. For example, students believed that smoking reduces fitness but did not promote this message to others, and the reasons for such disparity need to be investigated and should be addressed in the content of prevention programs.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of two commercial test kits for quantification of serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin.

Serum levels of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) were measured in subjects of two independent studies using two different commercial kits. The kits measure CDT either as a percentage of total transferrin (AXIS %CDT, AXIS Biochemicals AS, Norway), or as the absolute amount (CDTect, Pharmacia, Sweden). In a population of males (mean age 41 years) consisting of alcoholics, heavy, moderate and non-drinkers, a strong correlation was found between AXIS %CDT and CDTect results (r = 0.92, n = 58, P < 0.001). Sensitivity and specificity in detecting chronic alcoholic drinking of over 60 g/day were 78 and 94% for the AXIS assay, and 83 and 88% for the CDTect assay, respectively. In a population from a birth cohort study, consisting of 21-year-old males and females with less excessive alcohol consumption, the correlation between AXIS %CDT and CDTect CDT was weaker but still statistically significant (r = 0.46, n = 212, P < 0.001). In this population, with specificities > 83% in detecting alcohol consumption levels of > or = 6 drinks per week, the sensitivities were low with both CDT assays (< 43% for > or = 6 drinks per week, and < 44% for > or = 16 drinks per week). These results suggest that (a) both assays are equally effective in detecting chronic drinking over 60 g/day in older alcoholic males, and (b) both assays are similarly ineffective in detecting less excessive regular drinking in young males and females.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Disability in late adolescence. II: Follow-up of perceived limitation.

The disabilities experienced by a large cohort of 18-year-olds have been reported in the previous paper of this series. In this paper, we present the results of a detailed examination of the extent to which the disabilities caused limitation in the everyday activities of this group of young people. The results showed that nearly three-quarters of the members of the sample reported having one or more difficulties in performing activities in their daily lives, though the extent of limitation on their activities was low for most adolescents. Of this group who reported any type of disablement, 23% indicated it imposed very little general limitation on their lives (on a five point scale) and 6% rated it at the highest degree of limitation. Approximately half those with a disability felt the condition was improving, but 28% required an aid or help from another person. From 8% to 11% of those with a disability rated it as serious in relation to aspects of their daily living (education, leisure, social and work) and about half of those with a serious degree of limitation had sought help. The most common disabilities related to behaviour, communication and situations, for example environmental factors. As part of an ongoing study, the results provide a base from which to examine the extent and severity of disability among young people and change in disability as a result of the ageing process.

Activities of Daily Living↗