African Journals Online
Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health

Volume 15 Issue 2, 2003
ABSTRACTS

The developmental profiles of children with idiopathic tonic-clonic epilepsy as measured on the Griffiths Mental Development Scales

DIS Magongoa¹ and André Venter²*

¹ Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Medunsa, Durban, South Africa

² Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of the Free State, PO Box 339 (G69), Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa

* Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract:

The effect of epilepsy on the development of children with well-controlled tonic-clonic epilepsy was assessed using the Griffiths Mental Development Scales. Twenty-five participants identified as tonic-clonic epilepsy sufferers and twenty-five participants without epilepsy, matched for age, sex, location and socio-economic status were tested. Their ages ranged from three to six and a half years. There were significant differences between the mean general quotient scores and the mean quotient scores on all sub-scales. The epileptic children performed at a significantly lower level than the control group. This was true even when the pairs, where the subjects had had status epilepticus, were excluded from the analyses. Subjects in the lower socio-economic group performed significantly poorer than their peers, which suggests that their social environment acts as a further deterrent in optimalising their development.

Perceived vulnerability to aids among rural Black South African children: a pilot study

Karl Peltzer¹* and Supa Promtussananon²

¹ Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS, Human Sciences Research Council, Private Bag X9182, Cape Town 8000, South Africa and University of Durban-Westville, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa

² Health Behaviour Research Unit, University of Venda for Science and Technology, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa

* Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract:

The aim of the study was to examine Black primary school age children’s perception of vulnerability to AIDS in rural South Africa. Data were collected from 100 children chosen by two-stage cluster sampling in a rural community in the central region of the Northern Province, in the age range between 6–11 years: ages 6–8, 45 (23 boys and 22 girls) and ages 9–11, 55 (24 boys and 31 girls). Results indicate that a minority of children (30%) overall felt that anyone can get AIDS and that they themselves (17%) can get AIDS. When asked to identify who gets AIDS, most children believed that people with specific group membership such as sick people, homosexuals or strangers get AIDS, and especially older children associated behaviours or actions such as multiple partners or unsafe sex with getting AIDS. When the children were asked why they could get AIDS most, especially older, children excluded themselves as vulnerable to contracting AIDS due to avoiding risky behaviour and group membership. However, some, especially younger, children included themselves as vulnerable to contracting AIDS. Fear of possibly having AIDS was equally prevalent across the different age groups but it was more prevalent in girls than boys, especially in the older age group, yet few children in the younger age group thought they had AIDS. Almost a third (30%) worried about getting AIDS and even more (40%) thought they will get AIDS. There were important age- and gender-related differences regarding vulnerability and fears about AIDS, which have relevant implications for AIDS education addressing developmentally appropriate concerns.

Reliability of the Beck Depression Inventory and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale in a sample of South African adolescents

Catherine L Ward¹*, Alan J Flisher¹, Chrisostomos Zissis¹, Martie Muller² and Carl Lombard²

¹ Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory 7925, South Africa

² Biostatistics Unit, Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa

* Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract:

Objective — This study aimed to assess the reliability of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale for epidemiological investigations of adolescents’ symptoms.

Method — Self-report questionnaires were administered on two occasions to 104 students in four private high schools in Cape Town, South Africa. Test-retest reliability was assessed using Cohen’s kappa and observed agreement. Internal consistency of each scale was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha.

Resuls — All items of the BDI and all but four of the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale had at least fair Kappa scores. The remaining four items of the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale had reasonable observed agreement and reflect more transient states that are likely to change between administrations.

Conclusions — The results give encouraging indication that these instruments may be reliable in developing contexts. However, the study is limited by a sample that is small and not sufficiently representative of the broader South African population. Future studies should include larger and more representative samples, in order to explore item bias in different race and gender subgroups. Validity also needs investigation.

A young parent’s anxieties in raising her infant in a non-traditional family structure

Matshidiso Maseko

Benoni, South Africa

e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract:

In this paper I describe a 2-year observation of an infant from a young modern family who comes from a more traditional background. I will attempt to indicate how the young mother tended to re-enact with her child unresolved conflict stemming from her own childhood memories and other experiences in her own mothering. These were more pronounced in times of sickness, cultural beliefs, rituals and modern versus traditional ways of child rearing.

The rhythmical dimension of the mother–infant relationship — transcultural considerations

Suzanne Maiello

Via Dalmazia 16°, 00198 Rome, Italy

e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract:

The paper describes the importance of experiences of shared rhythmicity in the mother–infant relationship and their meaning for primary mental development. Rhythmical elements are already present throughout prenatal life and research has shown responsiveness of the foetus to modifications in the area of auditory perception. The author’s concept of a prenatal ‘sound object’, which results from the foetus’s experience of the maternal voice, includes rhythmical elements. Premature birth brings about a disruption of all apsects of prenatal experience including rhythmicity.

Two infant observations of preterm infants from birth to one year of age show how deeply the rhythmical aspects of existence and their expression in the primary relationship can be affected, and how these children struggle to restore rhythmical aspects of experience.