Research update: CrossCurrents Spring 2004

CrossCurrents

Hema Zbogar

Link found between maternal smoking and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

Maternal smoking during pregnancy may be associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in offspring, according to researchers at the University of Wales College of Medicine. Families of 1,452 twin pairs, age 5 - 16, were sent a package of questionnaires, asking the mother about children's ADHD symptoms, maternal smoking during pregnancy, conduct disorder symptoms and family adversity. Teachers were also asked to complete an ADHD rating scale on each twin. Although genetic factors accounted for most of the variance in ADHD, the current study is the first to find that maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with ADHD symptoms, even after the results were adjusted for social adversity, birth weight and antisocial symptom scores.

American Journal of Psychiatry, November 2003, v. 160: 1985-1989. Anita Thapar et al, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, Wales.

Road rage related to psychiatric distress

Road rage is related to psychiatric distress, according to research at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto. Researchers studied data on road rage involvement, demographic characteristics and mental health among 2,610 Ontario adults, age 18 and over. Data were drawn from the CAMH Monitor, a repeated cross-sectional telephone survey of Ontario adults. The General Health Questionnaire was used to indicate current psychiatric distress. The study found five groups of people affected by road rage: those with little or no involvement, verbal-threat offenders, verbal victims, verbal victim-offenders and hard-core road rage perpetrators (individuals noted for frequent involvement in serious aggressive and violent conduct). Only the hard-core road rage perpetrators had significantly higher scores on the GHQ, indicating greater psychiatric distress among this group. The researchers recommend that further research be conducted to determine whether psychiatric problems lead to road rage, whether road rage leads to psychiatric problems or whether both processes are occurring.

Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, November 2003, v. 48: 681-688. Reginald G. Smart et al, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario.

Multiple psychiatric disorders found among detained youth

About one-half of juvenile detainees in the United States have at least two mental health disorders and more than one in 10 have both a psychiatric disorder and a substance use problem. The findings are based on screenings of 1,829 residents, age 10-18, at a detention centre in Cook County, Illinois. All detainees were awaiting trial or serving out a sentence of less than 30 days. Criteria for two or more psychiatric disorders were met by 56 per cent of females and 46 per cent of males. Fourteen per cent of females and 11 per cent of males had both a major psychiatric disorder and a substance use problem. Previous research has shown that young people in detention centres have a high rate of mental health problems, but the researchers note that having more than one psychiatric disorder raises special concerns, particularly since most treatment programs are set up to handle only people with one disorder. The researchers recommend that officials in the justice system team up with mental health experts to help with diagnoses and finding appropriate treatment upon release.

Archives of General Psychiatry, November 2003, v. 60: 1097-1108. Karen M. Abram et al, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.