Search

Background/Aim. According to currently available data, there is no research dealing with evaluating empathy in adolescents with conduct disorders in our region. The aim of the research was to examine the differences in the severity of cognitive and affective empathy in adolescents with and with no conduct disorder, as well as to examine the relationship between cognitive and affective empathy and the level of externalization in adolescents with conduct disorder. Methods. This research was conducted on 171 adolescents, aged 15 to 18, using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, Youth Self- Report and a Questionnaire constructed for the purpose of this research. Results. The results showed that adolescents with conduct disorder had significantly lower scores for Perspective Taking (t = 3.255, p = 0.001), Fantasy (t = 2.133, p = 0.034) and Empathic Concern (t = 2.479, p = 0.014) compared to the adolescents in the control group, while the values for Personal Distress (t = 1.818, p = 0.071) were higher compared to the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant. The study showed a statistically significant negative correlation between Perspective Taking and aggression (r = - 0.318, p = 0.003) and a negative correlation between Perspective Taking and the overall level of externalizing problems (r = -0.310, p = 0.004) in the group of adolescents with conduct disorder. Conclusion. This research contributes to better understanding of behavioral disorders in terms of individual factors, especially empathic reactivity. Preventive work with young people who have behavioral problems associated with empathy deficit disorder proved to be an important tool in preventing the development, or at least relieving the symptoms, of this ever more common disorder.

Background/Aim. Conduct disorder is characterized by repetitive and persistent presence of dissocial, aggressive and defiant behavioral patterns, thus represents important public issue with comprehensive and far-reaching consequences both for the individual and society. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in sociodemographic family characteristics and the prominence of parental acceptance/rejection dimensions in groups of adolescents with and without conduct disorder, as well as to examine the connection between parental acceptance/rejection dimensions and externalizing symptoms in the group of adolescents with conduct disorder. Methods. This research was conducted on 134 adolescents, aged 15 to 18, using the Parental Acceptance/Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ child), Youth Self-Report (YSR), and a questionnaire constructed for the purpose of this survey. Results. The results showed that the number of adolescents with conduct disorder coming from divorced families was significantly higher than from complete families (44.8% vs 13.4%, respectively; p < 0.001). Also, in this group of adolescents there was a statistically significantly higher number of parents suffering from psychiatric disorders compared to the controls (31.3% vs 8.9%; respectively; p = 0.001). The perceived rejection dimension and the total index of maternal acceptance/ rejection were significantly higher in adolescents with conduct disorder than in those with no such disorder (132.30 ± 38.05 vs 93.91 ± 26.29 respectively; p < 0.001). Similar results were found for paternal acceptance/rejection dimension (129.40 ± 39.58 vs 86.10 ± 15.95 respectively; p < 0.001). Adolescents with conduct disorder and severe perceived maternal and paternal rejection showed a significantly higher average score on the subscale of externalizing symptoms (14.55 ± 4.45 and 13,27 ± 5,05) compared to adolescents with conduct disorder and lower total index of parental acceptance/rejection (8.32 ± 5.05 and 8.28 ± 5.08). Conclusion. The results suggest that adolescents with conduct disorder perceive their parents as more rejecting and less warm and supportive compared to adolescents without conduct disorder. The perception of significant and severe parental rejection was associated with a significantly higher averaged score on the subscale of externalizing symptoms in the group of adolescents with conduct disorder compared to those with no such disorder. It was found that adolescents with conduct disorder most often come from large families, have divorced parents or parents with multiple psychiatric disorders.

The influence of intensive acute hypoxia on the frequency-amplitude formant vocal O characteristics was investigated in this study. Examinees were exposed to the simulated altitudes of 5 500 m and 6 700 m in climabaro chamber and resolved Lotig’s test in the conditions of normoxia, i.e. pronounced the three-digit numbers beginning from 900, but in reversed order. Frequency and intensity values of vocal O (F1, F2, F3 and F4) extracted from the context of the pronunciation of the word eight (osam in Serbian), were measured by spectral speech signal analysis. Changes in frequency values and the intensity of the formants were examined. The obtained results showed that there were no significant changes of the formant frequencies in hypoxia condition compared to normoxia. Though significant changes of formant’s intensities were found compared to normoxia on the cited altitudes. The rise of formants intensities was found at the altitude of 5 500 m. Hypoxia at the altitude of 6 700 m caused the significant fall of the intensities in the initial period, compared to normoxia. The prolonged hypoxia exposure caused the rise of the formant intensities compared to the altitude of 5 500 m. In may be concluded that due to different altitudes, hypoxia causes different effects on the formants structure changes, compared to normoxia.