ABSTRACT
UNLABELLED: Attachment proves the child's need for a presence as well as physical and psychological protection. It contributes to the development of social and emotional skills. However, the relation between attachment, cognitive development, and physical development remains to be established. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the quality of attachment on the cognitive and physical development of children placed in institutions for abandoned children in Kinshasa through a first study of this kind in the Democratic Republic of Congo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-four participants, aged 4-7 years, 42 abandoned children placed in residential institutions and 42 children living in families. The evaluation focused on the quality of attachment, cognitive performance, and physical development of these children. INSTRUMENTS: attachment story completion task (ASCT), Raven's colored progressive matrices (CPM) and growth vision. The Student t-test was used to compare the children's quality of attachment, cognitive performance, and physical development. RESULTS: For the ASCT, secure attachment was more frequently found among children living in families (66.7%) than in institutions (33.3%). The CPM showed obtained a higher mean value (19.3) for children living in a family than for children living in institutions (13.3). Moreover, for children with secure attachment, the mean CPM value and height-for-age ratio were, respectively, 83.7% in family situations and 73.1% in institutions. The mean values for children with insecure attachment were lower than for those with secure attachment in families (80.7%) and institutions (70.9%). However, despite the quality of attachment, the mean values obtained in families were higher than those obtained in institutions. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the child's development, both cognitive and physical, depends on the quality of attachment. Life in the family gives better potentialities than life in an institution regardless of the quality of attachment.
Subject(s)
Child, Abandoned/psychology , Child, Institutionalized/psychology , Cognition Disorders/diagnosis , Cognition Disorders/psychology , Developing Countries , Developmental Disabilities/diagnosis , Developmental Disabilities/psychology , Orphanages , Reactive Attachment Disorder/diagnosis , Reactive Attachment Disorder/psychology , Body Height , Body Weight , Child , Child, Preschool , Democratic Republic of the Congo , Female , Foster Home Care , Humans , Male , Neuropsychological Tests/statistics & numerical data , Personality Inventory/statistics & numerical data , Projective Techniques/statistics & numerical data , Psychometrics/statistics & numerical data , Reference ValuesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess recently alcohol-abstinent chronic alcoholic patients for selected parameters indicative of sleep quality. METHOD: Patients (n = 24, 14 male), abstinent 3-6 weeks, and healthy controls (n = 20) were admitted to a clinical sleep unit. Measurements included sleep respiratory events and periodic limb movements, using strict methodology. RESULTS: Clear signs of sleep deterioration and a high prevalence of apneic/hypopneic episodes were observed. Apneas were found at the same frequency for men and women; this has not been described before. No periodic limb movement was found. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the high degree of morbidity and mortality observed in sleep apneic syndrome, systematic screening for sleep apneas is recommended for alcoholics seeking help.
Subject(s)
Alcoholism/rehabilitation , Myoclonus/etiology , Sleep Apnea Syndromes/etiology , Sleep Wake Disorders/etiology , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Patient Admission , Polysomnography , Restless Legs Syndrome/etiology , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Chronic alcohol abuse is responsible for several organic brain disorders. However, even the most characteristic of them are largely underdiagnosed by routine procedures. Therefore, there is need for sensitive, noninvasive and low-cost diagnostic procedures. 99m-Tc-HMPAO-SPECT could be an interesting candidate in this indication, because it estimates the distribution of the cerebral blood flow and the metabolic activity of the brain with a good resolution. We used this technique in 17 healthy volunteers and in a sample of 50 patients dependent on alcohol, without other major physical or mental disorder. SPECT was performed during the attendance of these patients in an inpatient detoxification program. We observed abnormal SPECT in 34 patients, but only in 2 volunteers (p < 0.001). The main abnormality was heterogeneity of the distribution of the tracer. SPECT abnormalities appear to be due nor to withdrawal syndrome, nor to medication. On the contrary, they are correlated with stigmata of heavy alcoholism. Furthermore, a genetic vulnerability to alcohol was suspected because SPECT abnormalities are more frequent in patients with an history of drinking problems in their relatives.
