TY - JOUR
T1 - Behavioral phenotype in children with 22q11Ds
T2 - Agreement between parents and teachers
AU - Klaassen, Petra W J
AU - Duijff, Sasja N.
AU - Sinnema, Gerben
AU - Beemer, Frits A.
AU - Swanenburg de Veye, Henriëtte F N
AU - Vorstman, Jacob A S
PY - 2015/1/1
Y1 - 2015/1/1
N2 - Patients with the 22q11-deletion syndrome (22q11DS) are at an increased risk of developing schizophrenia. Besides the effects of genetic variation, environmental factors could also be important in modifying the risk of schizophrenia in 22q11DS patients. In particular, previous studies have shown the importance of stress as a precipitating factor of psychosis. An incongruence between the perceived and actual severity of behavioral and cognitive domains could lead caregivers, and even the children themselves, to make demands that are insufficiently adapted to the child's abilities, causing stress and anxiety. Here, we investigate whether such diagnostic discrepancies are indeed present by comparing parent and teacher reports on behavioral concerns in children with 22q11DS. Behavioral questionnaires (CBCL and TRF) were prepared for both parents and teachers of 146 children with 22q11DS. We found that in line with previous reports, internalizing behavior was more frequently reported than externalizing behavior. While the behavioral profiles reported by parents and teachers were remarkably similar, the teachers' ratings were significantly lower (Total problem score p = .002). Age and IQ were not significantly associated with the severity of reported concerns. Our results indicate that indeed a disparity often exists between parents' and teachers' perceptions of the severity of a child's behavioral deficits. This may result in (substantially) different demands and expectations being placed on the child from the two fronts. We speculate that the stress resulting from this lack of cohesion between parents and teachers could precipitate, at least in some 22q11DS children, the emergence of psychosis.
AB - Patients with the 22q11-deletion syndrome (22q11DS) are at an increased risk of developing schizophrenia. Besides the effects of genetic variation, environmental factors could also be important in modifying the risk of schizophrenia in 22q11DS patients. In particular, previous studies have shown the importance of stress as a precipitating factor of psychosis. An incongruence between the perceived and actual severity of behavioral and cognitive domains could lead caregivers, and even the children themselves, to make demands that are insufficiently adapted to the child's abilities, causing stress and anxiety. Here, we investigate whether such diagnostic discrepancies are indeed present by comparing parent and teacher reports on behavioral concerns in children with 22q11DS. Behavioral questionnaires (CBCL and TRF) were prepared for both parents and teachers of 146 children with 22q11DS. We found that in line with previous reports, internalizing behavior was more frequently reported than externalizing behavior. While the behavioral profiles reported by parents and teachers were remarkably similar, the teachers' ratings were significantly lower (Total problem score p = .002). Age and IQ were not significantly associated with the severity of reported concerns. Our results indicate that indeed a disparity often exists between parents' and teachers' perceptions of the severity of a child's behavioral deficits. This may result in (substantially) different demands and expectations being placed on the child from the two fronts. We speculate that the stress resulting from this lack of cohesion between parents and teachers could precipitate, at least in some 22q11DS children, the emergence of psychosis.
KW - 22q11-deletion syndrome
KW - Agreement
KW - Behavior
KW - Informant
KW - Intelligence
KW - Velo-cardio-facial-syndrome
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84925690948&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/a0038102
DO - 10.1037/a0038102
M3 - Article
C2 - 25436664
AN - SCOPUS:84925690948
SN - 1040-3590
VL - 27
SP - 272
EP - 279
JO - Psychological Assessment
JF - Psychological Assessment
IS - 1
ER -