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Little is known about the extent to which minor self-harm in the general population is associated with psychiatric disorder. A population-based sample of 980 young adults was interviewed independently about past-year suicidal and self-harm behavior and thoughts, and psychiatric disorders. Self-harm included self-harmful behaviors such as self-battery, as well as traditional methods of suicide (ICD [International Classification of Diseases] self-harm). All with ICD self-harm and most with other self-harmful behavior met the criteria for DSM-IV disorder. Suicidal/self-harmful thoughts increased the odds for self-harm, even in men without psychiatric disorder (odds ratio 4.9, 95%confidence interval 1.3 ? 17.9). Young adults engaging in even minor self-harm warrant screening for psychiatric disorder.

Left-handedness has historically had certain negative implications. The Latin world for left-sided is 'sinister' and left-handed individuals were once thought to have been unlucky. The relationship between lateral preference and various mental disorders has been examined in recent years and some studies have found an association between lateral preference and antisocial and delinquent behavior. The results of other studies have not substantiated this relationship. To better clarify the relationship, if any, between lateral preference and delinquency, a group of children were assessed for lateral preferences of hand and foot use. The children were initially tested at age seven for lateral preference. Follow-up evaluations were performed at ages 13 and 15 using self-reported delinquency and problem behavior scores based on parent reports. The distribution of lateral preference was not related to sex. Of the 954 children who were initially tested, 85 percent had a right-hand preference, 7 percent had a left preference, and 8 percent were ambidextrous. Seventy-four percent of the children favored the use of the right foot, 9 percent favored the left, and 17 percent had a mixed preference of foot use. This distribution was similar to what has been observed in the general population. Follow-up data for delinquency was available for 850 of the sample members at 13 or 15 years of age. Of this group, 11 percent were categorized as delinquent. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the independent factors involved. The results indicated there was no significant association between the children who were delinquent and those with a lateral hand or foot preference. No support for the hypothesis that links lateral preference and delinquent behavior was found. It is suggested that increased cultural acceptance of individual preferences may be related to the lack of antisocial behaviors in the lateral preference group. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Clinical and epidemiologic studies have established that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly comorbid with other mental disorders. However, such studies have largely relied on adults' retrospective reports to ascertain comorbidity. The authors examined the developmental mental health histories of adults with PTSD using data on mental disorders assessed across the first 3 decades of life among members of the longitudinal Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study; 100% of those diagnosed with past-year PTSD and 93.5% of those with lifetime PTSD at age 26 had met criteria for another mental disorder between ages 11 and 21. Most other mental disorders had first Onsets by age 15. Of new cases of PTSD arising between ages 26 and 32, 96% had a prior mental disorder and 77% had been diagnosed by age 15. These data suggest PTSD almost always develops in the context of other mental disorders. Research on the etiology of PTSD may benefit from taking lifetime developmental patterns of comorbidity into consideration. Juvenile mental-disorder histories may help indicate which individuals are most likely to develop PTSD in populations at high risk of trauma exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Estimates of who is most at risk from violence by people with mental illness rest mainly on identified patient samples. This study, without such selection bias, examined the targets of violence committed by young adults with as-yet untreated alcohol dependence, marijuana dependence, or schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, to determine the extent to which their victims were co-residents or non-household members.Methods: In a total birth cohort of 21-year-olds (n=956), past-year prevalence of alcohol dependence, marijuana dependence and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders were diagnosed using standardized DSM-III-R interviews. None of the people with schizophrenia-spectrum disorder has been hospitalized in the past year. Past-year violence and victim targets were measured using self-reports.Results: Compared with controls, cohort members with substance dependence or schizophrenia-spectrum disorders had higher prevalence and frequency rates of assault against co-residents, against non-household members, and also robbery and gang fights. Out of 39, five individuals with schizophrenia-spectrum disorder committed violent street crimes. Persons with substance dependence had similar proportions of violence against co-resident and non-household members, but persons with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders tended to victimize co-residents more than others.Conclusions: At the age when they are most likely to contribute to the community's violence burden, young untreated offenders with alcohol or marijuana dependence or with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders assault not only co-residents, but others as well, and commit violent street crimes. Families, schoolteachers and primary care physicians have an important potentially preventive role in early identification and treatment of the disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]