Febrile seizures and parental anxiety: does information help?

Flury T, Aebi C, Donati F.

Children's Hospital Wildermeth, Biel.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the effect of febrile seizures on the behaviour and emotional situation of parents in order to improve our attitude towards these children and parents in future. METHODS: We analysed 135 questionnaires on parents' behaviour and emotional situation during and after a febrile seizure in their children. RESULTS: Febrile seizures were unknown to 44% of the parents. 121 parents (91%) reported severe anxiety on witnessing the first febrile seizure. In 69% the anxiety was so strong, that the parents believed their child would die. Severe anxiety was significantly associated with lack of knowledge about febrile seizures: 79% (no knowledge of febrile seizures) versus 59% (with knowledge). The level of anxiety appeared to be associated with low educational level, but not with ethnic background or income. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that knowledge of febrile seizures among concerned parents in our region remains insufficient. The results are ambiguous. On the one hand we found an association between severe anxiety and lack of knowledge on febrile seizures, suggesting that information prior to the first febrile seizure might reduce the anxiety level and thus lead to appropriate reactions in case of recurrence. On the other hand although parents knew about febrile seizures, they still had very high anxiety levels and would react inappropriately in case of recurrence. Therefore if information is provided to parents, it must be specific, especially about which measures are to be taken or avoided respectively. A prospective study to observe positive and negative effects of preventive information is needed.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11759176&dopt=Abstract anxiety medicine




The connection between cognitive development and specific fears and worries in normal children and children with below-average intellectual abilities: a preliminary study.

Muris P, Merckelbach H, Luijten M.

Department of Medical, Clinical, and Experimental Psychology, Maastricht University, The Netherlands. p.muris dep.unimaas.nl

The present study explored the relationship between cognitive development and anxiety phenomena in 4-12-year-old children. Fears and worries of normal children (n=176) were compared to those of children with below-average intellectual abilities (children with BAIA; n=105). We evaluated to what extent level of cognitive development as indexed by a Piagetian conservation task was associated with the presence of fears and worries. While normal children and children with BAIA did not differ with regard to the content of their fears and worries, normal children more frequently reported such anxiety phenomena during the semi-structured Anxiety Interview than did children with BAIA. Furthermore, in normal children, evidence was found to suggest that level of cognitive development contributes to the experience of fears and worries. That is, anxiety phenomena were more prevalent among those children who passed a Piagetian conservation task. However, when anxiety phenomena were assessed by means of the Koala Fear Questionnaire (KFQ), a different picture emerged. KFQ data suggested that fears were less frequent in normal children and those children with BAIA who had a higher level of cognitive functioning. Apparently, the Anxiety Interview and the KFQ tap quite different aspects of anxiety. The KFQ seems to measure primitive fears that are likely to be prevalent among children with limited cognitive capacity, whereas the Anxiety Interview assesses more sophisticated anxiety phenomena that probably depend on high levels of cognitive functioning.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11762426&dopt=Abstract anxiety medicine




Parental bonding and anxiety: differences between African American and European American college students.

Carter MM, Sbrocco T, Lewis EL, Friedman EK.

Department of Psychology, American University, Washington, DC 20016-8062, USA. mcart american.edu

Empirical evidence suggests that early home environments characterized by low care and high overprotection are positively associated with the adult expression of anxiety. While available evidence supports this position for European Americans, there has been no examination of the relationship between perceived parental rearing practices and anxiety among African Americans despite the theoretical assertion that African American parenting environments may be characterized as somewhat more overprotective than European Americans. This study investigated the relationship between maternal rearing patterns and trait and state measures of anxiety and depression among a sample of 59 African American and 55 European American college students. Results indicated that both groups reported similar levels of anxiety, depression, perceived care, and perceived overprotection. European Americans exhibited the typical pattern of a negative relationship between anxiety, depression, and care and a positive relationship between anxiety and overprotection. African Americans evidenced a similar negative relationship between anxiety, depression, and care, but no relationship between anxiety, depression, and overprotection. Furthermore, specific aspects of ethnic identity (i.e., ethnic achievement, ethnic behaviors) were found to be negatively associated with measures of trait anxiety among African Americans but not European Americans.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11764312&dopt=Abstract anxiety medicine




Anxiety sensitivity and drug or alcohol use in individuals with anxiety and substance use disorders.

DeHaas RA, Calamari JE, Bair JP, Martin ED.

Department of Psychology, Finch University of Health Sciences, The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA.

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) has been linked to both pathological anxiety and substance use problems. We evaluated relations between AS and substance use situations among individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) and concurrent DSM-IV anxiety disorders. We predicted that AS would be most strongly associated with substance use in situations involving negative emotions and interpersonal conflict in substance abusers with anxiety disorders. This group was compared to substance abusers with concurrent mood disorders and substance abusers without other disorders (N=88). AS was positively related to negative emotion situations substance use for substance abusers with anxiety disorders and for substance abusers without other disorders. Contrary to predictions, significant differences between these groups were not found. The relationship between AS and negative emotion situations substance use remained after controlling trait anxiety in a combined group (anxiety disorders and substance abuse only groups). AS did not predict substance use for participants with concurrent mood disorders. Identification of factors that place anxious patients at risk for substance use problems will have implications for treatment and for the prevention of this form of maladaptive coping.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11768545&dopt=Abstract anxiety medicine




Parental problem drinking and anxiety disorder symptoms in adult offspring: examining the mediating role of anxiety sensitivity components.

MacPherson PS, Stewart SH, McWilliams LA.

Department of Psychology, Dalhousie University, Life Sciences Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Preliminary studies have implicated childhood exposure to parental problem drinking as a possible factor in the development of anxiety sensitivity (AS). The present retrospective study was designed to examine the role of exposure to distressing parental problem drinking behaviors, over and above the role of parental alcoholism, in the development of various AS components (psychological, physical, and social concerns) in the offspring. We also examined the possible mediating role of AS components in explaining relations between parental drinking problems and anxiety-related symptoms in the adult offspring. A sample of 213 university students provided retrospective reports of both distress related to parental drinking [Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST)] and parental alcoholism [maternal and paternal forms of the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (SMAST)]. Participants also reported on their own current AS levels [AS Index (ASI)], general anxiety symptoms [State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait subscale (STAI-T)], and lifetime history of uncued panic attacks [Panic Attack Questionnaire-Revised (PAQ-R)]. Scores on the CAST predicted AS psychological and physical concerns (but not social concerns) over and above participant gender and parental alcoholism measured by the SMASTs. Moreover, AS psychological concerns proved a consistent modest mediator of the relations between parental problem drinking on the CAST and both general anxiety and uncued panic outcomes in the offspring. Thus, exposure to distressing parental problem drinking behavior may be one factor that contributes to elevated AS psychological concerns in the child, which in turn may contribute to the development of anxiety disorder symptoms in the offspring.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11768552&dopt=Abstract anxiety medicine




[Effect of psychological factors on success of in vitro fertilization]

[Article in Czech]

Koryntova D, Sibrtova K, Klouckova E, Cepicky P, Rezabek K, Zivny J.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the influence of psychological factors on outcome of in vitro fertilisation (IVF). DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. SETTING: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Charles University School of Medicine and General University Hospital Prague. METHODS: Sixty-six couples undergoing IVF treatment were administered psychometric tests: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck's Depression Inventory, Interpersonal Check List and Dusin Frustration Test. Results of pregnant and non-pregnant group were compared. RESULTS: We found statistically significant differences only in women. Women from the pregnant group had significantly lower scores of trait anxiety then women from the non-pregnant group (P < 0.05). Pregnant women evaluated themselves (P < 0.01) and their partners (P < 0.01) as more hostile then the non-pregnant women in the ICL. In the scores of trait anxiety, depression and frustration were not any differences. In the non-pregnant group were the women significantly more anxious (state anxiety P < 0.02, trait anxiety P < 0.01) and depressed (P < 0.05) then their partners. We didn't find these differences in the pregnant group. CONCLUSION: Women from the pregnant group had significantly lower scores of trait anxiety then women from the non-pregnant group. Those women react in IVF treatment with higher stress and this stress response decreases their chance of conception. They were not any differences between the two groups of man. We found significant differences in the interpersonal interaction. In the non-pregnant group had the women significantly higher scores of depression and both state and trait anxiety. In the ICL evaluated themselves and their partners as more affiliate then the women in the pregnant group. According our opinion adequate hostility protects the women for depression and anxiety and is better coping style.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11569423&dopt=Abstract anxiety medicine




Anxiety in Japanese women after elective abortion.

Kishida Y.

School of Nursing, Shimane Medical University, Japan. kishida shimane-med.ac.jp

OBJECTIVE: To examine women's anxiety levels after elective abortion. DESIGN AND SETTING: Women seeking elective abortion at six clinics in Japan were solicited to participate in a questionnaire survey. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-six Japanese women requesting abortion participated in this survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: State anxiety was measured using Spielberger's State Trait Anxiety Inventory before and after abortion. RESULTS: Multiple regression analyses using predictor variables with a significant link to postabortion anxiety level showed that among potential predictors, a conservative attitude toward abortion was the most significant predictor of postabortion anxiety after controlling for the level of preabortion anxiety. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that a woman's attitude toward abortion and reproductive rights is an important but neglected factor influencing postelective abortion anxiety. Medical and nursing professionals should, therefore, take note of a woman's attitude toward abortion as a part of her mental health care.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11572529&dopt=Abstract anxiety medicine




Alcohol use disorders and anxiety disorders: relation to the P300 event-related potential.

Enoch MA, White KV, Harris CR, Rohrbaugh JW, Goldman D.

Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-8110, USA. maenoch dicbr.niaaa.nih.gov

BACKGROUND: The robust association of alcoholism with reduced P300 event-related potential amplitude has been largely established in severely affected alcoholics and their offspring. Few studies have examined the relationship of increased arousal, anxiety, and P300. In this study, we sought to determine whether P300 group differences could be discerned in well functioning individuals with less severe forms of alcohol use disorders and anxiety disorders. We were particularly interested in looking at the subgroup of alcohol use disorders accompanied by anxiety disorders. This subgroup has previously been found to have diminished alpha amplitude in the resting EEG. METHODS: Male and female community volunteers (99 unrelated index participants and 78 relatives) and 21 unrelated volunteers from an anxiety disorder clinic were interviewed by using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, Lifetime version. Blind-rated lifetime psychiatric diagnoses were assigned according to DSM-III-R criteria. Auditory and visual P300 event-related potentials were elicited with an oddball paradigm and were recorded at the midparietal (Pz) site. RESULTS: As expected, auditory P300 amplitudes were significantly reduced in participants with alcohol use disorders and significantly increased in participants with lifetime anxiety disorders. However, more detailed analysis revealed that, in an apparent paradox, auditory P300 amplitudes were lowest in individuals with comorbid alcohol use and anxiety disorders and highest in individuals with anxiety disorders alone. Visual P300 amplitudes followed the same trends but were generally not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Even in a sample of largely community-ascertained individuals, auditory P300 amplitude is reduced in alcoholics, particularly those with anxiety disorders, and is highest in nonalcoholics with anxiety disorders.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11584148&dopt=Abstract anxiety medicine




Stress in the relation between trait and state anxiety.

Meijer J.

SCO-Kohnstamm Institution for Educational Research, Department of Educational Science, Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of Amsterdam. joost educ.uva.nl

The relations of stress, trait anxiety, and state anxiety with cognitive performance are the central focus. Stress is conceived of as an external manipulation, trait anxiety as a relatively stable personality characteristic, and state anxiety as transient manifest feelings of insecurity. The influence of these factors on cognitive performance is considered. It was argued that the apparent interaction of stress and trait anxiety with cognitive performance can be traced to the interaction among stress, trait anxiety, and state anxiety. It was hypothesized that state anxiety increases more rapidly as a function of trait anxiety under stressful circumstances than neutral or rel atively reassuring circumstances. The negative relation between state anxiety and cog nitive performance is assumed to be constant irrespective of stress. Experimental evi dence supporting the latter supposition is presented. However, doubts are cast on classical intervention methods for invoking stress. Rather than assuming that these methods invoke stress, it is proposed that feelings of insecurity, associated with ambiguity, are determinants of experienced stress.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11597086&dopt=Abstract anxiety medicine