NCJ Number
179239
Date Published
1998
Length
13 pages
Annotation
Forty-eight Danish children diagnosed as having early emotional frustration (EEF) and thus as likely to develop a psychopathic character as adults were compared to a control group 24 Danish children with respect to maternal-child contact and other factors and their impacts on the WISC-R verbal and performance tests.
Abstract
The EEF children were admitted between January 1985 and December 1989 to a Danish institution specializing in EEF treatment. The criteria for admission were severe and longstanding behavior problems; these were often combined with severe family problems, including criminality, alcoholism, drug abuse, violence, sexual abuse, or some combination of problems. The EEF children were tested 2 months after admission; 24 were retested an average of 21 months later. The 24 children in the control group were tested in schools. Information on birth weight and birth complications came from institutional records for the EEF group and from interviews of parents of the members of the control group. Children with the EEF syndrome often seemed to experience stresses during pregnancy and birth that were known to cause organic dysfunction. The two groups of children differed on their WISC-R profiles, which included a generally lower IQ result in the EEF children. Findings suggested the need to consider early preventive measures aimed at minimizing the chances of neurological damage in fetuses and supporting mothers at risk. Appended psychopathy risk checklist and 35 references