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Objectives: The aim of the study is the description of subjective morbidity, health care system utilisation and complaints of ethnic German migrants from the former Soviet Union at the beginning of migration. At present no data are... more
Objectives: The aim of the study is the description of subjective morbidity, health care system utilisation and complaints of ethnic German migrants from the former Soviet Union at the beginning of migration. At present no data are available concerning aspects of health behaviour among this largest immigrant population in Germany. Methods: 300 ethnic German migrants and their families (mean age 37.2 and 51% female) were interrogated shortly after migration to Germany. They answered questions about prevalence of diseases, health care system utilization, actual health status and completed the Giessen Subjective Complaints List (GSCL- 24). German standards exist for all questionnaires. Results: 237 ethnic German migrants report to have suffered from at least one disease during the course of the last year. They see the gynaecologist and dentist as often as the German population, pay fewer visits to practitioners and specialists but seek more medical advice from the medical lay system. The majority of subjects are satisfied with their health. Migrants describe their health status as lower than the German population compared to which they also report more complaints (Overall distress in GSCL-24:17.2 for migrants and 14.0 for Germans) and different complaints (headaches, fatigue). Conclusions: The different medical care system and differences in the treatment of patients could account for the less frequent use of medical services by ethnic German migrants. Actual stressors like language differences and acculturation problems are discussed as possible reasons for the increased rate of complaits among ethnic German migrants. Although they suffer from more complaits the German migrants do not seem to modity their help-seeking behaviour.
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ZusammenfassungSeit einigen Jahren hat die wissenschaftliche Beschäftigung mit der interkulturellen Öffnung im Gesundheitswesen zunehmend an Bedeutung gewonnen. Es bestehen vielfältige Bestrebungen, die Behandlung von Patienten mit... more
ZusammenfassungSeit einigen Jahren hat die wissenschaftliche Beschäftigung mit der interkulturellen Öffnung im Gesundheitswesen zunehmend an Bedeutung gewonnen. Es bestehen vielfältige Bestrebungen, die Behandlung von Patienten mit Migrationshintergrund zu verbessern. Für die stationäre psychiatrische Versorgung gab es nur wenige, belastbare Daten. Zusammenfassend beschrieben werden die Ergebnisse wichtiger Erhebungen. Die dargestellte Umfrage der Bundesdirektorenkonferenz erlaubt tiefere Einblicke in aktuelle Rahmenbedingungen und Strukturen psychiatrischer Krankenhäuser bezogen auf ihre interkulturelle Öffnung. Auf Entwicklungsperspektiven kultursensibler Diagnostik und Therapie von Patienten mit Migrationshintergrund sowie auf eine zukünftige Versorgungsforschung in diesem Bereich wird eingegangen.
Research Interests: Psychology and Gynecology
The effects of gender on physical and psychological well-being and life satisfaction among an adult population. ... Furnham, AF and Kirkcaldy, B and Siefen, R (2011) The effects of gender on physical and psychological well-being and life... more
The effects of gender on physical and psychological well-being and life satisfaction among an adult population. ... Furnham, AF and Kirkcaldy, B and Siefen, R (2011) The effects of gender on physical and psychological well-being and life satisfaction among an adult population. International Journal of Child Health and Human Development. (3) 307 - 320. ... Full text not available from this repository. ... The effects of gender on physical and psychological well-being and life satisfaction among an adult population.
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In Alkoholiker-Familien erfordert die familienrechtliche Begutachtung eine sehr breite Diagnostik bei den Kindern bezuglich Entwicklungsrisiken sowie Copingmoglichkeiten, bei alkoholkranken Eltern bezuglich konkreten Aspekten von Sucht... more
In Alkoholiker-Familien erfordert die familienrechtliche Begutachtung eine sehr breite Diagnostik bei den Kindern bezuglich Entwicklungsrisiken sowie Copingmoglichkeiten, bei alkoholkranken Eltern bezuglich konkreten Aspekten von Sucht und Begleiterkrankungen, beim nicht abhangigen Elternteil im Hinblick auf dessen Beeintrachtigungen. Uber die Begutachtung hinaus sind langfristige Hilfen fur Kinder und Eltern durch interinstitutionelle Kooperation sicherzustellen.
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ZusammenfassungMorbus Pompe ist eine schwerwiegende lysosomale Stoffwechselerkrankung, die sich von frühester Kindheit bis ins Erwachsenenalter klinisch manifestieren kann. Ihre Diagnose wird durch ein breites Symptomspektrum erschwert.... more
ZusammenfassungMorbus Pompe ist eine schwerwiegende lysosomale Stoffwechselerkrankung, die sich von frühester Kindheit bis ins Erwachsenenalter klinisch manifestieren kann. Ihre Diagnose wird durch ein breites Symptomspektrum erschwert. Eine frühe Diagnose mittels Enzymaktivitätsbestimmung aus Trockenblut und humangenetischer Sicherung ist insbesondere seit Einführung der Enzymersatztherapie (in Deutschland 2006) entscheidend für das Behandlungsergebnis und die Lebensqualität der Patienten. Bei unklaren muskulären Erkrankungen ist daher auch ein M. Pompe in Erwägung zu ziehen. Dieser Artikel gibt einen Überblick über die Erkrankung und konzentriert sich auf die Diagnostik ihres spätmanifestierenden Typs, der sowohl im Kindes- und Jugendalter als auch im Erwachsenenalter auftreten kann. Die relevantesten Aspekte der interdisziplinären Versorgung Betroffener werden dargestellt. Darüber hinaus beleuchtet er die psychosozialen Belastungen bei Kindern mit M. Pompe und ihren Familien, welche von psychischen Störungen bis hin zu sozialem Rückzug reichen können und gibt Hinweise zum Umgang mit Eltern betroffener Kinder.
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Legal testimony in families with alcohol abusing parents requires extensive psychological assessment concerning developmental risks and coping resources of the children, specific characteristics of abuse, abuse related behaviour and... more
Legal testimony in families with alcohol abusing parents requires extensive psychological assessment concerning developmental risks and coping resources of the children, specific characteristics of abuse, abuse related behaviour and comorbidity of the alcohol abusing parent als well as morbidity of the non-alcoholic parent. Children of alcoholics and their parents themselves need long-term help beyond the process of divorce and legal activities which demands close cooperation between social institutions involved.
Research Interests: Psychology, Expert testimony, Child Welfare, Adolescent, Medicine, and 11 moreGermany, Humans, Child, Alcoholism, Female, Pubmed, Divorce, Male, Infant, Child custody, and Child preschool
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ZusammenfassungMorbus Pompe ist eine schwerwiegende lysosomale Stoffwechselerkrankung, die sich von frühester Kindheit bis ins Erwachsenenalter klinisch manifestieren kann. Ihre Diagnose wird durch ein breites Symptomspektrum erschwert.... more
ZusammenfassungMorbus Pompe ist eine schwerwiegende lysosomale Stoffwechselerkrankung, die sich von frühester Kindheit bis ins Erwachsenenalter klinisch manifestieren kann. Ihre Diagnose wird durch ein breites Symptomspektrum erschwert. Eine frühe Diagnose mittels Enzymaktivitätsbestimmung aus Trockenblut und humangenetischer Sicherung ist insbesondere seit Einführung der Enzymersatztherapie (in Deutschland 2006) entscheidend für das Behandlungsergebnis und die Lebensqualität der Patienten. Bei unklaren muskulären Erkrankungen ist daher auch ein M. Pompe in Erwägung zu ziehen. Dieser Artikel gibt einen Überblick über die Erkrankung und konzentriert sich auf die Diagnostik ihres spätmanifestierenden Typs, der sowohl im Kindes- und Jugendalter als auch im Erwachsenenalter auftreten kann. Die relevantesten Aspekte der interdisziplinären Versorgung Betroffener werden dargestellt. Darüber hinaus beleuchtet er die psychosozialen Belastungen bei Kindern mit M. Pompe und ihren Familien, wel...
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... Pillai's trace=0.983, F(14,727)=2,954.94, p<0.001) indicating that the overall profiles were significantly ... and attitudes of these adolescents differ little from those of their non-Muslim peers. ... drinking... more
... Pillai's trace=0.983, F(14,727)=2,954.94, p<0.001) indicating that the overall profiles were significantly ... and attitudes of these adolescents differ little from those of their non-Muslim peers. ... drinking behaviours: a test of hypotheses between Canada and the USA", British Journal of ...
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Although there is an enormous amount of literature demonstrating socio-psychological determinants of suicide and self-injurious behaviour among adults or clinical samples of children and adolescents, there is a scarcity of studies... more
Although there is an enormous amount of literature demonstrating socio-psychological determinants of suicide and self-injurious behaviour among adults or clinical samples of children and adolescents, there is a scarcity of studies focussing on non-clinical adolescent samples. The current study examined associations between self-reported data on self-image, physical and psychological health and suicidal cognitions, self-injurious behaviour and suicidal intent in a large representative sample of German high-school students. Almost 1000 German adolescents (aged 14-18 years) were administered a comprehensive series of questionnaires aimed at assessing anxiety-depression, trait addiction, smoking and drinking behaviour, physical ill-health reports and self-perception of self-image, parental acceptance and educational attainment. Several statements were incorporated to assess self-injury and suicidal ideation. An attempt was made to identify risk and offer preventative factors of adolescent suicide. Suicidal ideation is significantly more endorsed among female than male adolescents: twice as many female adolescents tend to have wishes about being dead or have contemplated suicide than males. Girls also tended to have implemented significantly more self-destructive behaviour than boys. Over one-third of the variance observed in subjective reported suicidal ideation was explained by the socio-psychological variables. The common general significant predictor was anxiety-depression, and for males the specific somatic factor was general colds. In contrast, females displayed several specific significant determinants of suicidal ideation, including educational threat and the somatic variable, circulatory ailments. Conversely, tiredness, social problems and maternal rejection were statistically significant predictors of suicidal ideation but again the direction of impact was opposite to what was anticipated.
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Data from 30 nations on the relationship between educational performance in reading, mathematical, and scientific literacy as assessed in the PISA survey and the health performance indicators of the World Health report are analyzed.... more
Data from 30 nations on the relationship between educational performance in reading, mathematical, and scientific literacy as assessed in the PISA survey and the health performance indicators of the World Health report are analyzed. Health level was unrelated to any of the three educational performance variables, but disability-related life expectancy was significantly related to reading literacy and educational attainment. Specifically, mathematical and reading literacy were related to such health care indicators as goal ...
Research Interests: Psychology, Cognitive Science, Health Care, Economic Growth, Health, and 13 moreScientific Literacy, Comparative Study, Psychological Well Being, Socio Economics, Human development index, Life Expectancy, Educational Attainment, Socioeconomic Status, Health Care System, Correlation Analysis, Subjective Well Being, European Psychologist, and Performance Indicator
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Like many other countries, Germany has an increasing number of children who originate from migrant families. Medical facilities are required to care for people from a diverse range of social and cultural backgrounds. A study-specific... more
Like many other countries, Germany has an increasing number of children who originate from migrant families. Medical facilities are required to care for people from a diverse range of social and cultural backgrounds. A study-specific questionnaire was used to ask 100 child and adolescent psychiatrists about their impressions of how well the mental health needs of the children of migrants are identified and managed by child and adolescent psychiatric practices in Germany. There was a generally positive attitude towards migrant families and their needs, with most of the respondents indicating that they enjoyed working with migrant children and adolescents and their families. However, there was a tendency to focus more on language than on other aspects of culture. Most of the respondents felt satisfied with their training in this area. Individual difference variables, such as age, gender and familiarity with migration, affected their awareness of and sensitivity to migrant family healt...
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The work group on psychiatry and migration of the Conference of Directors of Psychiatric Hospitals in Germany conducted a study on the use of inpatient psychiatric services by migrants in 12 psychiatric and psychotherapeutic hospitals and... more
The work group on psychiatry and migration of the Conference of Directors of Psychiatric Hospitals in Germany conducted a study on the use of inpatient psychiatric services by migrants in 12 psychiatric and psychotherapeutic hospitals and hospital departments. In contrast to previous studies the proportion of migrants in psychiatric hospitals (17.4%) equaled that of migrants in the general population. However there still was a high rate of diagnostic and treatment problems resulting from cultural differences and, to a lesser extent, from language problems. A high proportion of migrants suffered from delusional and schizophrenic disorders, while there were considerable differences in the distribution of diagnoses between different groups of migrants, e.g. those from Turkey and eastern Europe, respectively. Roughly half of all migrants studied had German citizenship. Among the migrants of Turkish background, a high proportion was born in Germany. The number of asylum seekers and refugees was disproportionately high.
Research Interests: Psychotherapy, Multilingualism, Schizophrenia, Treatment Outcome, Cultural Diversity, and 16 moreAdolescent, Refugees, Germany, Cross-Cultural Comparison, Humans, Hospitalization, Female, Male, Mental Disorders, Clinical Sciences, Aged, Middle Aged, Adult, Utilization review, Pilot Projects, and Cross Sectional Studies
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Abstract Germany is one of many nations characterized by an increasing number of children originating from families with a migration background. Medical treatment modalities will be required to adjust for diversity of social and cultural... more
Abstract Germany is one of many nations characterized by an increasing number of children originating from families with a migration background. Medical treatment modalities will be required to adjust for diversity of social and cultural background. Initiated by the Federal Society of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (BKJPP), representing mainly those psychiatrists working in private practice, and by the Federal Working Commission of Medical Directors employed in Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics (BAG), a questionnaire was constructed to identify mental health professionals' (psychiatrists') evaluation of the needs and quality of diagnosis and treatment for migrant families. The current study focused on medical directors and deputy chief physicians in clinics for child and adolescent psychiatry. Preliminary results of this survey - implementing descriptive statistics as well as univariate and multivariate statistical analyses - permitted an assessment of the current state of identification and treatment of migrant offspring attending child and adolescent psychiatric practices in Germany. Recommendations and concrete steps are offered, which aim to promote "cultural opening", and assist in health and social policy makers' decisions for improved mental health care.
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Research Interests: Creativity, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD, Clinical Neuroscience, Creative thinking, and 16 moreCognitive Neuroscience, Adolescent, Executive Function, Information Processing, Cognitive Inhibition, Thinking, Divergent Thinking, Humans, Child, Female, Male, Creative Cognition, Conduct Disorder, Inhibitory Control, Child Neuropsychology, and Severity of Illness Index
Background: Three out of ten children in Germany have an immigrant background and this proportion will increase further. While immigrant youth has been found more vulnerable to developing symptoms of depression and anxiety, the underlying... more
Background: Three out of ten children in Germany have an immigrant background and this proportion will increase further. While immigrant youth has been found more vulnerable to developing symptoms of depression and anxiety, the underlying mechanisms of how such disparities develop across youth development are still understudied. Some previous research has found that immigrant youth are at risk of experiencing a less positive self-concept compared to non-immigrant youth. We investigated whether the self-concept is a mediator for such mental health disparities. Moreover, we explored variability in such associations from middle childhood to late adolescence.Methods: Overall 1907 children and adolescents aged 5-18 years (M=14 years, SD=3.03, 49.8% female, n=782 with immigrant status) participated in a cross-sectional self-report survey in school settings using scales from the Beck’s Youth Inventories II [1] to assess self-concept and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Links between the...
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The incidence of ‘pure’ obsessive—compulsive disorders in the clinical population was found to be around 1.2 percent for a clinical sample record — stretching over a 2.5-year period — of around 2500 adolescents in a German child and... more
The incidence of ‘pure’ obsessive—compulsive disorders in the clinical population was found to be around 1.2 percent for a clinical sample record — stretching over a 2.5-year period — of around 2500 adolescents in a German child and adolescent psychiatry clinic. Over a 3-month period (time-frame) a sample of 350 new entries to the clinic were given a comprehensive series of questionnaires [Child Behaviour Checklist (YSR), Achenbach, 1991; Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R)] and clinical assessment measures of socio-psychological, medical and educational attitudes (Englert and Poustka, 1995). Two groups of low and high trait compulsive individuals were generated (using the Symptom Check List, SCL-90-R) and socio-demographic and individual differences examined between these groups. Females were more likely than males to display high compulsive scores. Self-injurious behaviour was higher among the high compulsive group. There was no difference found in cognitive functioning, nor in family fu...
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ABSTRACT
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Background: Although there are a vast array of studies which have demonstrated the psychological and physical health benefits of regular aerobic exercise for adults, few studies have focussed on children and adolescents. The current study... more
Background: Although there are a vast array of studies which have demonstrated the psychological and physical health benefits of regular aerobic exercise for adults, few studies have focussed on children and adolescents. The current study examined associations between the extent of participation in endurance sport, and self-report data on self-image, physical and psychological health and overall lifestyle in a large representative sample of German high-school students. Method: Almost 1000 German adolescents (aged 14–18 years) were administered a comprehensive series of questionnaires aimed at assessing anxiety-depression, trait addiction, smoking and drinking behaviour, physical ill-health reports, and self-perception of self-image, parental acceptance and educational attainment. Results: Regular practice of endurance exercise was related to a more favourable self-image. There was a strong association between participation in sports and the type of personality that tends to be resis...
Research Interests: Cognitive Science, Anxiety Disorders, Body Image, Adolescent, Female, and 15 moreExercise, Depressive Disorder, Energy Expenditure, Educational Attainment, Clinical Sciences, Children and Adolescents, Adult, Body Mass, Approximate Reasoning, Curriculum and Pedagogy, Body Shape, Academic, Adolescent Behavior, Aerobic Exercise, and Commercial Services
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In Alkoholiker-Familien erfordert die familienrechtliche Begutachtung eine sehr breite Diagnostik bei den Kindern bezuglich Entwicklungsrisiken sowie Copingmoglichkeiten, bei alkoholkranken Eltern bezuglich konkreten Aspekten von Sucht... more
In Alkoholiker-Familien erfordert die familienrechtliche Begutachtung eine sehr breite Diagnostik bei den Kindern bezuglich Entwicklungsrisiken sowie Copingmoglichkeiten, bei alkoholkranken Eltern bezuglich konkreten Aspekten von Sucht und Begleiterkrankungen, beim nicht abhangigen Elternteil im Hinblick auf dessen Beeintrachtigungen. Uber die Begutachtung hinaus sind langfristige Hilfen fur Kinder und Eltern durch interinstitutionelle Kooperation sicherzustellen.
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Neben der strukturellen Ausdifferenzierung des Korpers und seiner Funktionen ist die Erweiterung des Repertoires an Erlebnis- und Verhaltensmoglichkeiten Ausdruck einer sich bildenden psychischen Struktur des Kindes, die mit zunehmendem... more
Neben der strukturellen Ausdifferenzierung des Korpers und seiner Funktionen ist die Erweiterung des Repertoires an Erlebnis- und Verhaltensmoglichkeiten Ausdruck einer sich bildenden psychischen Struktur des Kindes, die mit zunehmendem Alter als ein Schatz an gelebten Erfahrungen mit sich, der Welt und den anderen verstanden werden kann. Struktur entwickelt sich anhand der Interaktionserfahrungen mit der Umwelt und wird im beobachtbaren und erlebbaren Verhalten sichtbar. Die Beschreibung der psychischen Struktur umfast drei Dimensionen (Selbst- und Objektwahrnehmung, Steuerung, Kommunikation und Bindung), die durch bestimmte Fahigkeiten beschrieben und anhand eines jeweiligen alterstypischen Ankerbeispiels, das der klinischen Veranschaulichung dient, eingeschatzt werden. Die Anpassungsleistung kann dann an einem altersunabhangigen Strukturmasstab beurteilt und einem Strukturniveau zugeordnet werden. Es zeichnet sich ab, das die beispielhafte Beschreibung alterstypischer Aufgabenfel...
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Anxiety and depression are among the disorders with highest prevalence during childhood. Previous research has substantiated that individual’s high irritability promotes the occurrence of associated symptoms while high ego-resilience... more
Anxiety and depression are among the disorders with highest prevalence during childhood. Previous research has substantiated that individual’s high irritability promotes the occurrence of associated symptoms while high ego-resilience protects against them. So far, little is known about how ego-resilience could engage with irritability for symptom development. We investigated interactional effects of irritability with ego-resilience on symptoms of anxiety and depression. Overall, 228 children from a combined clinical and nonclinical sample aged 7 to 18 years participated in a cross-sectional self-report survey. They reported on internalizing symptoms, ego-resilience, and irritability. A moderated hierarchical regression analysis showed that ego-resilience was negatively associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression, and that irritability was positively related to heightened symptom levels. Ego-resilience and irritability were overall stronger associated with symptoms of depressi...
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common pediatric psychiatric disorder, frequently treated with methylphenidate (MPH). Recently, MPH’s cardiovascular safety has been questioned by observational studies describing an... more
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common pediatric psychiatric disorder, frequently treated with methylphenidate (MPH). Recently, MPH’s cardiovascular safety has been questioned by observational studies describing an increased cardiovascular risk in adults and blood pressure alterations in children. We considered members of the L-arginine (Arg)/nitric oxide (NO) pathway as possible early cardiovascular risk factors in pediatric ADHD children. They include the NO metabolites, nitrite and nitrate, the NO precursor Arg, and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor and a cardiovascular risk factor in adults. We conducted a prospective clinical trial with 42 ADHD children (aged 6–16 years) with (n = 19) and without (n = 23) MPH treatment. Age-matched children without ADHD (n = 43) served as controls. All plasma and urine metabolites were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We observed higher plasma nitrite and lower ...