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This review summarizes the principal aspects of psychosocial interventions in mental health problems and in detail in Feeding and Eating Disorders. Feeding and Eating Disorders represent a major public health problem and therefore it is necessary to maximize therapeutic and preventive efforts. Social prescribing, a mechanism for linking patients in primary care with non-medical sources of support within the community social factors, may represent a good strategy to cope with social factors involved in the onset and the maintenance of the disorder in order to ensure long-term effectiveness. Arts on prescribing and Museum on prescribing defined as the use of artistic activities or museum visits for therapeutic purposes seem particularly suitable interventions in patients with Feeding and Eating Disorders.

In eating disorders, the association with other psychiatric symptoms is of particular interest. The association between anorexia nervosa and psychotic symptoms is less studied than that with affective disorders (anxiety/depression). The aim of this study is to describe a psychotic symptom (paranoia) in adolescents with anorexia nervosa looking at several potential explicative associated factors: eating disorder symptoms, body image concerns, depression and social anxiety. Our hypothesis is that paranoia in anorexia nervosa patients is better explained by the concomitant depression and social anxiety symptoms than the core symptoms of the disease (eating disorder symptoms or body image concerns).This is a retrospective study. Consecutive, help-seeking adolescents, admitted to the Eating Disorder Service of the Integrated Pediatric Care Department, Luigi Vanvitelli University Hospital, constituted the sample. Data was obtained through retrospective collection of clinical interviews and self-report questionnaires, used for the routine assessment of these patients, administered by trained and expert child and adolescent psychiatrists, they were the Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26), the Body Uneasiness Test-A (BUT-A), the Children Depression Inventory (CDI), the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale-Children and Adolescents (LSAS-CA) and the paranoia subscale of the Specific Psychotic Experiences Questionnaire (SPEQ).We obtained data from 92 adolescents with anorexia nervosa and other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED). Our regression model explained that paranoia (SPEQ-paranoia subscale) in this population was better explained by depression (CDI) (coefficient= 0.415 SD: 0.210, p=0.052) and social anxiety symptoms (LSAS-CA) (coefficient= 0.253 SD: 0.060; p0.001) than eating disorder symptoms (EAT-26) (coefficient= 0.092 SD: 0.107; p=0.398) and body image concerns (BUT-A) (coefficient= 1.916 SD: 2.079; p=0.359).This study has some theoretical, clinical and treatment implications. It is important to carrying out screening for the presence of psychotic symptoms in patients with eating or feeding disorders. These symptoms and associated factors (depression and social anxiety) may complicate the clinical picture of the disease with the need, in certain cases, of psychopharmacological drugs and, among these, anti-psychotics. Finally in the psychotherapy context, paranoid ideas may be subject of treatment for patient with anorexia nervosa.

Background Eating disorders display several psychiatric comorbidities. The aim of this study was to describe these comorbidities in a group of adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa or OSFED (Other Specified Feedind or Eating Disorder). We have evaluated the comorbidity both with a clinical interview (categorical comorbidities) and with a self-report interview (dimensional comorbidities) in order to compare the two profiles. Methods The study was carried out at the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (eating disorder service for developmental age) of the Luigi Vanvitelli University of Campania (ex Second University of Naples). Data were collected retrospectively from chart review, routinely gathered during the clinical assessment. Results Seventy-two subjects constituted the sample, 62 (86.1%) were female and 10 (13.9%) male. The most frequent categorical comorbidities were social anxiety disorder (SS: 38; 52.8%), Depression disorder (SS: 30; 41.7%) and generalized anxiety disorder (SS: 14; 19.4%). The mean scores at dimensional questionnaires were 15.5 (SD: 10.7) for the depression (Children Depression Inventory) and 34.8 (SD: 28.3) for social anxiety (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale). Conclusions Data analysis showed that social anxiety and depression were the most common categorical comorbidities in young patients with eating disorders. However, comparing the data from the clinical interview with those of the self-interviews revealed that patients well recognize social anxiety symptoms, but tend to deny depressive ones.

Background: Psychosis recognizes an interaction between biological and social environmental factors. Adversities are now recognized to be consistently associated with psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). The purpose of this study was to describe the contents of paranoid symptoms and to focus on their relationship with bullying and victimization in help-seeking adolescents. Methods: Help-seeking adolescents who screened positive for PLEs participated in the study. They performed a battery self-report questionnaire for data collection (paranoia: the Specific Psychotic Experiences Questionnaire (SPEQ), the content of paranoid thoughts: the Details of Threat (DoT), bullying victimization: the Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale (MPVS), depression: the Children&rsquo, s Depression Inventory (CDI), and anxiety: the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale (MASC)). Results: The participants were 50 adolescents (52% female, mean age: 170 months). The contents of their paranoid symptoms were related to victimization and, in particular, the certainty of threats was correlated with physical (0.394, p &lt, 0.01) and verbal bullying (0.394, p &lt, 0.01), respectively. The powerfulness of the threats correlated with verbal victimization (0.295, p &lt, 0.05). The imminence of the threats was linked to verbal (0.399, p &lt, 0.01) victimization. Hours under threat correlated with verbal (0.415, p &lt, 0.01) victimization. The sureness of the threat had a moderate correlation with physical (0.359, p &lt, 0.05) and verbal (0.443, p &lt, 0.01) victimization, respectively. The awfulness of the threat was linked to social manipulation (0.325, p &lt, 0.05). Conclusions: We described the content of the persecutory symptoms. The powerfulness, imminence, sureness, and awfulness of threats correlated with the level of physical, verbal and social manipulation victimization. Teachers and family must actively monitor early signs of bullying victimization, and school psychologists should promote preventive and therapeutic intervention. From a social psychiatry perspective, the prevention of bullying victimization is necessary.

Background: psychiatric comorbidities are of particular interest in Eating disorders. The association between anorexia nervosa and psychotic disorders is less studied than that with affective disorders (anxiety/depression). The aim of this study is to describe a psychotic symptom (paranoia) in adolescents with Eating Disorders looking at several potential explicative associated factors: eating disorder symptoms, body image concerns, depression and social anxiety. Our hypothesis is that paranoia in AN patients is more explained by the concomitant depression and social anxiety symptoms than core symptoms of the disease (eating disorder symptoms or body image concerns). Methods: this is a retrospective cross sectional study and consecutive, help-seeking adolescents admitted to the Eating Disorder service of the Integrated Pediatric Care Department, Luigi Vanvitelli University Hospital constituted the sample. Data was obtained trough retrospective collection of clinical interviews and self – report questionnaires administered by trained and expert child and adolescent psychiatrists. Results: We obtained data from 92 adolescents with Eating Disorders. Paranoia was dimensionally distributed in the sample (mean: 22,17 SD: 17,7; median 18 IQR: 7/36; range: 0-62). Our regression model explained that paranoia in this population was better explained by depression (coefficient= 0,415 SD: 0,210, p=0,052) and social anxiety symptoms (coefficient= 0,253 SD: 0,060; p

Il lavoro si propone di prendere in esame alcuni dei processi inconsci che orientano la relazione docente-discente. Tali processi formano un medium naturale che sostiene utilmente la relazione d’apprendimento. Essi possono, talora, assumere la qualita di elementi tossici non elaborati, diventando un ostacolo all’insegnare e all’apprendere. A partire da uno studio di Kaes, l’autrice descrive alcune configurazioni delle dinamiche inconsce tra docente e discente e l’influenza di fantasmi d’onnipotenza e immortalita sulla qualita della relazione. La presentazione di materiale clinico e utilizzata a supporto delle ipotesi formulate dall’autrice, anche in riferimento ad un gruppo di lavoro svolto con studenti che si preparano a diventare insegnanti.

The cooccurrence of Marfan syndrome and psychiatric disorders has been reported for many years. Furthermore, neuropsychological deficits have been shown to be associated with Marfan syndrome. The aim of the present article is to summarize findings from the sparse studies and case reports available. The results hold clinical and therapeutic implications and suggest that psychological and neuropsychological domains in Marfan syndrome patients should be carefully assessed. In particular, some patients may require specific rehabilitation programs. On this basis, a multidisciplinary approach to Marfan syndrome treatment seems mandatory.

In questo lavoro l’autrice esplora le caratteristiche della relazione alimentare precoce madrebambino in vari contesti e ipotizza che nutrire un figlio solleciti fantasie distruttive e depressive che coinvolgono i genitori e la famiglia. Viene presentato il materiale tratto da osservazioni psicoanalitiche di due bambine, svolte a casa, durante il pasto. Lo studio mostra che essere nutriti puo essere un’esperienza traumatica per un bambino quando la coppia genitoriale o la famiglia non sono capaci di contenere ed elaborare l’ansia e i fantasmi.

The term Phantom Phone Signals (PPS) refers to the perception of a mobile phone ringing, vibrating and blinking when in fact it did not. Data in youth are lacking, and controversies exist on whether PPS is related to psychopathology. In the present study, we showed data on the prevalence of PPS in a population (N = 2959) of students aged 10 to 14 years. We also explored the possible association between PPS and emotional or behavioural problems. Our results showed that PPS is a relatively common phenomenon with a prevalence rate of 58.9%, being more frequent in females. In univariate and multivariate analyses, we also found an association between the presence of PPS and emotional problems and temper tantrums, after accounting for relevant covariates. PPS is a relevant phenomenon to be considered in youth. It is common and may be a signal for emotional problems.

"Background: Migraine without aura (MoA) is a primary headache frequent and disabling in developmental age. No reports concerning the prevalence and the degree of maternal stress and the impact of migraine in the parent-child interaction . The aim of study is to evaluate the prevalence of parental stress in a large pediatric sample of individuals affected by migraine without aura.. Methods: The study population consisted of 218 children (112 M, 106 F) aged between 6 and 13 years (mean 8.32 ± 2.06 years) and the control group was composed by 405 typical developing children (207 M, 198 F; mean age 8.54 ± 2.47 years). To assess the parental stress all individuals (MoA and comparisons), parents filled out the Parent Stress Index- Short Form (PSI-SF) test. . Results: The two study groups were matched for age (p=0.262), gender (p=0.983) and z-BMI (p=0.106). Mothers of MoA children reported an higher PSI-SF mean scores related to parental distress (PD, p

Maria Esposito,1 Antonio Pascotto,1 Beatrice Gallai,3 Lucia Parisi,2 Michele Roccella,2 Rosa Marotta,4 Serena Marianna Lavano,4 Antonella Gritti,5 Giovanni Mazzotta,6 Marco Carotenuto11Center for Childhood Headache, Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Second University of Naples, Naples, 2Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychology, University of Palermo, Palermo, 3Unit of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, University of Perugia, Perugia, 4Department of Psychiatry, “Magna Graecia” University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, 5Suor Orsola Benincasa University, Napoli, 6Unit of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Azienda Sanitaria Locale 4, Terni, ItalyBackground: The purpose of this study was to assess the cognitive functioning of children affected by headache, pinpointing the differences in intelligence style between subjects affected by migraine without aura and subjects with tension-type headache.Methods: The study population consisted of 147 children (mean age 10.82 ± 2.17 years) with headache, recruited from the Headache Center for Developmental Age, Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Clinic, Second University of Naples. Cognitive profiling was performed using Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children Third Edition throughout the sample. According to the International Classification of Headache Disorders II criteria for pediatric age, subjects were divided into a migraine without aura group (n = 75; 43 boys, 32 girls) and a tension-type headache group (n = 72; 49 boys, 23 girls). The results were compared with the findings obtained from a sample of 137 healthy control subjects recruited from schools in the Campania region, matched for age and gender.Results: No difference in full intelligence quotient was found between the groups, but the children with tension-type headache had a lower verbal intelligence quotient and a higher performance intelligence quotient than the healthy controls and children with migraine. Factor analysis data showed that the children with migraine seemed to have lower perceptual organization than the children affected by tension-type headache.Conclusion: To our knowledge, studies on cognitive functioning in children affected by headache in the interictal phase are scarce, and our results suggest a new perspective in understanding of the neuropsychological aspects of young patients affected by headaches.Keywords: childhood headache, intelligence quotient, Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children Third Edition, intelligence, migraine

During the past decade, a substantial increase in the use of second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) has occurred for a number of juvenile psychiatric disorders, often as off-label prescriptions. Although they were thought to be safer than older, first generation antipsychotics, mainly due to a lower risk of neurological adverse reactions, recent studies have raised significant concerns regarding their safety regarding metabolic, endocrinological and cardiovascular side effects. Aim of this paper is to update with a narrative review, the latest findings on safety of SGAs in youths. Results suggest that different SGAs may present different safety profiles. Metabolic adverse events are the most frequent and troublesome, with increasing evidences of heightened risk for type II diabetes mellitus. Results are discussed with specific emphasis on possible strategies of an active monitoring, which could enable both paediatricians and child psychiatrists to a possible prevention, early detection, and a timely management of such effects.

Subject at Risk for Eating Disorders: Study of a Population of Children Aged between 8 and 13 Years Background: early onset eating disorders (EOED) are increasing. Epidemiological studies provided that the overall prevalence is estimated at around 10% in the school population. The present study aims to evaluate those at risk for EOED in a population of students from Campania Region, Italy and to identify some correlated factors associated with the disorder (BMI, age, gender, sport/activities involvement, meal-time characteristics). Method: sample consisted of the students of the primary and secondary schools in six municipalities near the city of Caserta (Campania-Italy). Children eating attitude test-26 (Ch-EAT-26) has been used to collect data on eating disorder behaviors and attitudes. Results: 137 subjects, 61 female and 76 male composed the sample. Mean age was 115,38 months (SD: 10,4). Mean BMI was 20 (SD: 5). The means score at the ChEAT was 13.25 (SD: 9) and 30 children exceeded the clinical cut-off score (>20). There was no correlation between ChEAT score and BMI and age. Sport/activities outside the school and key figure for the child at meal time were significantly different between the clinical and non-clinical group (Ch-EAT score). Conclusion: data showed that our sample had a higher risk for EOED compared to the overall prevalence. Dance and physical exercise were confirmed such as risk factors for eating disorders. Finally according to the results of our research, the presence of the mother at the meal- time may be a protective factor for the risk of developing and eating disorder in childhood.

Recently, social anxiety disorder (SAD) and paranoia have been demonstrated to be closely related. However, data were primarily drawn from adult community samples or patients with schizophrenia. The present study used a cross-sectional design to evaluate a sample of adolescents with SAD (n = 30, mean age 15.3 ± 0.9 years) compared with an age- and sex-matched group of healthy controls (n = 26, mean age 15.9 ± 1.6 years). The SAD group displayed more frequent and intense paranoid thoughts than the control group (t = 4.16, p

[Author Affiliation]Simone Pisano. 1 Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.Gennaro Catone. 1 Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.Antonio Pascotto. 1 Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.Antonella Gritti. 2 Faculty of Education Sciences, Department of "Scienze Formative, Psicologiche e della Comunicazione, " Suor Orsola Benincasa University, Naples, Italy.Address correspondence to: Pisano Simone, MD, Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division, Second University of Naples, Via Pansini 5, 80100 Naples, Italy, E-mail: pisano.simone@gmail.comTo The Editor:Two rigorous meta-analyses have recently shed a new light on the use of second generation antipsychotics (SGA) in anorexia nervosa (AN) (Kishi et al. 2012; Lebow et al. 2013). Both agree that SGA are not superior to placebo regarding weight recovery, and some dimensions of psychopathology (specifically, drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction). One of these even recognized a higher level of anxiety and overall eating disorder (ED) psychopathology in SGA groups than in placebo groups (Lebow et al. 2013). On the other hand, patients treated with SGA experienced more sedation/somnolence. It has to be said that the two meta-analyses described only included placebo-controlled trials. Moreover, authors agree that all included studies were limited by low sample sizes and some methodological limitations. Studies involving children and adolescents are rare and, at the moment, only one placebo-controlled trial exists for olanzapine and one (with mixed population) exists for risperidone (limiting the possibility to extract meta-analytic data from this specific population), both without encouraging results (Hagman et al. 2011; Kafantaris et al. 2011). This is at the same time intuitive, because it is undoubtedly harder to perform placebo-controlled studies in younger populations (for ethical and technical reasons), but also challenging, because it is well known that the more frequent period of onset is adolescence, and that early-onset ED could be even harder to treat than late-onset ones. Difficulties in psychopharmacology research for AN are well explained in a recent articles, which described the large amount of resources spent to plan and to start a placebo-controlled trial that is never concluded (Norris et al. 2010). Despite these findings, psychotropic drugs in AN are widely used off label, and SGA are the most used class. Rationales for using SGA could be that body misperception is believed to be a body-focused delusional thought, or that the weight gain often occurring during SGA exposure could be exploited. Moreover, SGA use fits well with some neurobiological models of AN, focusing on monoamine dysfunction (Kishi et al. 2012). It is particularly challenging to understand why SGA are being more and more used (Fazeli et al. 2012), given their side effects, such as metabolic and hormonal disturbances, extrapyramidal side effects (EPS), somnolence, and hypotension, all occurring mainly at beginning of treatment, and potentially threatening the therapeutic alliance. In this article, we will present clinical data from a set of AN adolescents, followed up naturalistically for at least 6 months, who were much improved after adding olanzapine to usual clinical management. Data will specifically focus on baseline characteristics of these patients in order to drive a hypothesis regarding which kind of adolescent AN patients could improve with psychotropic medications.Clinical DataWe present a set of data, retrospectively collected, of five AN adolescent patients treated with olanzapine followed up for 6 months (four restrictive, one binge/purging subtype). …

Several uncertainties regarding psychological problems in children who underwent liver transplantation and the need to differentiate these disturbances from those related to the underlying previous chronic liver disease itself exist. This background triggered the present pilot study to investigate, using quantitative assessment methods, the incidence and the type of emotional and behavioral disturbances after liver transplantation. Sixteen liver transplant recipients (aged 5.7-14.4 yr) and 12 age-matched controls with stable chronic liver disease were assessed through the parent report form of Child Behavior Checklist/ 4-18. The mean time elapsed since transplantation was 8.1 yr. No patient or family had received psychological support during chronic liver disease or at any phase of the transplantation process. Transplanted children scored within borderline range for Internalizing and Total Behavioral Problems and within pathological range for Competences, except for the Activity Scale. Transplanted children showed more Total Behavioral (p = 0.005) and Externalizing Problems (p = 0.0005) than controls. Both groups scored within the pathological range for Total Competences with no significant differences between the two groups. Our findings suggest that in the absence of support programs a psychological risk does exist for a long period of time, after transplantation. Regarding Total Behavioral Problems and Externalizing Problems, this risk is higher than in children with chronic liver disease.

We report the case of a 12.4-yr-old boy who presented Klinefelter syndrome (KS) mosaicism (46,XY/47,XXY), associated with mental retardation and anorexia nervosa (AN). KS was undiagnosed before hospitalization in a psychiatric unit. The patient was referred to a child psychiatric unit for restrictive eating. The medical history showed long standing feeding difficulties and failure to thrive. The patient was pre-pubertal and other clinical characteristics were: microcephaly, short stature and dysmorphic traits. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a mosaicism, 46,XY[11] and 47,XXY[19] karyotype. The psychiatric assessment demonstrated the presence of AN and low mood. No specific pathophysiological links between the alterations of KS and the development of AN should be hypothesized on the basis of this case report. In pre-pubertal boys with mental disorders, the possibility of KS should be considered, independently of the presence of eating disorders. Nevertheless, the case shows that KS can be first detected during an assessment for eating disorders. Few cases of the association of KS with AN have been previously reported in literature. This is the first description of KS, mosaicism (46,XY/47,XXY), associated with AN and mental retardation. This case report illustrates the need, for clinicians who work with eating disorders, to investigate the possible association between AN and KS, a rare but intriguing one.

Background: Delusions are usually considered core symptoms of schizophrenia, but they are in fact associated with a wide range of psychiatric disorders. The content of a delusion is often related to stressful life experiences that preceded the delusion. Objective: The aim of this study is to detect whether there is a link—specifically, a thematic link—between past experiences and delusion content that connects the two events via thematic analogy. Method: The sample population evaluated for this study consisted of 16 consecutive patients with delusions between the ages of 9.9 and 16.5 years. All patients were experiencing their first psychotic episodes and were not taking any medications. Data were obtained from transcribed clinical sessions. Results: The data suggested the presence of a thematic link between previous experiences and the contents of delusions for 15 patients (93%). Humiliating events, including bullying, are more likely to be linked to persecutory delusions (p = .004). Conclusions: If a thematic link between past experiences and delusion content does exist, this may provide a means of greater psychotherapeutic understanding.

Head growth rates are often accelerated in autism. This study is aimed at defining the clinical, morphological, and biochemical correlates of head circumference in autistic patients.Fronto-occipital head circumference was measured in 241 nonsyndromic autistic patients, 3 to 16 years old, diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria. We assessed 1) clinical parameters using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, Vineland Adaptive Behavioral Scales, intelligence quotient measures, and an ad hoc clinical history questionnaire; 2) height and weight; 3) serotonin (5-HT) blood levels and peptiduria.The distribution of cranial circumference is significantly skewed toward larger head sizes (p.00001). Macrocephaly (i.e., head circumference97th percentile) is generally part of a broader macrosomic endophenotype, characterized by highly significant correlations between head circumference, weight, and height (p.001). A head circumference75th percentile is associated with more impaired adaptive behaviors and with less impairment in IQ measures and motor and verbal language development. Surprisingly, larger head sizes are significantly associated with a positive history of allergic/immune disorders both in the patient and in his/her first-degree relatives.Our study demonstrates the existence of a macrosomic endophenotype in autism and points toward pathogenetic links with immune dysfunctions that we speculate either lead to or are associated with increased cell cycle progression and/or decreased apoptosis.

Atypical antipsychotic agents, specifically those with a high hyposerotonergic activity such as clozapine and clothiapine, have been associated with de novo obsessive–compulsive symptoms. We report the case of a 16-year-old adolescent male with severe mental impairment and disruptive behaviour who developed a compulsive head and body turning disorder on clothiapine. Such a symptom had to be distinguished from epileptic partial seizures; it promptly disappeared with the drug discontinuation.

The authors studied the stereotyped movements presented by a group of 20 autistic children, evaluating the patient observation protocols according to a psychodynamic model of autism. The stereotyped movements were analysed considering ten different parameters: type, site, morphology, frequency, association, complexity, active sensory channel, trigger event, affect during stereotyped movement, and function. The results indicate that each autistic child possesses highly idiosyncratic "stereotypical behavioural equipment", which includes behaviours ranging from simple, reflex-like actions, to much more complex movement patterns. Stereotyped movements were found to appear, in response to different stimuli, at moments when the subject's psychophysical state needed "resetting". Eight possible functions of stereotyped movements were identified. These correspond to two main purposes: reinforcement or weakening of the autistic barrier. The need for rehabilitation is questioned, since not all stereotyped behaviours interfere with explorative and cognitive activities.

We carried out an in-depth evaluation of psychosocial status in a sample of 18 children (mean age 6.8 yr, range 4.4-10.8 yr) who had suffered from severe liver disease and undergone orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Mean age at OLT was 3.4 yr. The assessment was psychoanalytically oriented and included individual sessions and testing procedures for children--the Children Apperception Test (CAT), the Weschsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-R), the Weschsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WIPPSI), and the Human Figure Test--and a semi-structured interview with a separate questionnaire for parents. Patients were compared with an age- and gender-matched control group. The main findings in patients compared with controls were: IQ 91.6 (range 70-117) vs. 118 (range 94-135) (p

Background Achieving a good health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is currently one of the main aims in long term survival of liver transplanted children (PLT). Purpose of our study is to compare HRQoL of PLT patients (N = 33, mean age 12.8 y) vs. sex and age matched patients with compensated and clinically stable chronic liver disease (CLD) (N = 25, mean age 11.9 y). Methods HRQoL was measured from both patient and parental perspectives using the CHQ-CF87 and CHQ-PF50 questionnaires, respectively. Results General Health Perception scores of PLT subjects resulted significantly lower than those of CLD both at self- and parental report (p

Background: The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of behavioural and emotional problems in a sample of school children living in Campania, a region of South Italy. Methods. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) Parent Report Form (PRF) and the CBCL Teacher Rating Form (TRF) were administered to parents and teachers of a sample of school children aged 8-9 yr. Results: The subjects (SS) eligible for the study were 3072. In 2137 (69.5%) cases parents returned the envelopes back. 1228 (57.4%) subjects were excluded because of lack of signed consensus, unfilled or incomplete forms. Parents reported children's behavioural or emotional Total Problems in 14.7% of the SS. (5.2% borderline, 9.5% clinical), Internalizing Problems in 18.5% (8.0% borderline, 10.5% clinical), and Externalizing Problems in 8.5% (3.8% borderline, 4.7% clinical) respectively. At the Competence Scale of CBCL more than 2/3 of the sample show high rate for Total Competence Problem (24.3% borderline, 47.3% clinical.) Teachers reported 8.7% of SS having Total Problems, (4.3% borderline, 4.4% clinical), Internalizing problems were detected in 13.3% of the sample (4.9% borderline and 8.4% clinical), while Externalizing problems were reported for 9.6% of SS (4.1% borderline and 5.5% clinical). In the sub-scale of Academic Performances teachers report a high number of subjects with problems, 18.7%, whose 4.3% had a "borderline" score, and 14.4% had a "clinical" score. Conclusion: Concerning Total Problems (clinical and borderline SS, 14.7% as reported by parents, 8.7% as reported by teachers) we obtained a prevalence similar to that reported in the rest of the country, with differences in gender (males 13.2%, females 16.0% as reported by parents; males 7.4%, females 9.7% as reported by teachers). The difficulties in social and relationship competencies area were higher (4/10 children). This datum should be cautiously evaluated because the possible inadequacy of CBCL competences scale. © 2014 Gritti et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.