Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comprises a deficit in behavioral inhibition. A theoretical model is constructed that links inhibition to 4 executive neuropsychological functions that appear to depend on it for their effective execution: (a) working memory, (b) self-regulation of affect-motivation-arousal, (c) internalization of speech, and (d) reconstitution (behavioral analysis and synthesis). Extended to ADHD, the model predicts that ADHD should be associated with secondary impairments in these 4 executive abilities and the motor control they afford. The author reviews evidence for each of these domains of functioning and finds it to be strongest for deficits in behavioral inhibition, working memory, regulation of motivation, and motor control in those with ADHD. Although the model is promising as a potential theory of self-control and ADHD, far more research is required to evaluate its merits and the many predictions it makes about ADHD.

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Behavioral inhibition, sustained attention, and executive functions: Constructing a unifying theory of ADHD.

Attachment--and loss.

Etude de la coherence entre differentes sources (269 echantillons utilisees dans 119 etudes) concernant les evaluations des problemes affectifs et comportementaux d'enfants et d'adolescents âges de 1 1/2 a 19 ans

Child/adolescent behavioral and emotional problems: implications of cross-informant correlations for situational specificity.

Expert Panel Report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma

Asthma is a serious health problem throughout the world During the past two decades, many scientific advances have improved our understanding of asthma and ability to manage and control it effectively However, recommendations for asthma care need to be adapted to local conditions, resources and services Since it was formed in 1993, the Global Initiative for Asthma, a network of individuals, organisations and public health officials, has played a leading role in disseminating information about the care of patients with asthma based on a process of continuous review of published scientific investigations A comprehensive workshop report entitled "A Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention", first published in 1995, has been widely adopted, translated and reproduced, and forms the basis for many national guidelines The 2006 report contains important new themes First, it asserts that "it is reasonable to expect that in most patients with asthma, control of the disease can and should be achieved and maintained," and recommends a change in approach to asthma management, with asthma control, rather than asthma severity, being the focus of treatment decisions The importance of the patient-care giver partnership and guided self-management, along with setting goals for treatment, are also emphasised

https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/erj/31/1/143.full.pdf

Global strategy for asthma management and prevention: GINA executive summary.

https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(00)02715-X.pdf

The role of acute and chronic stress in asthma attacks in children

The Epidemiology of Childhood Hyperactivity

Background: A recent prospective study of children with asthma employing a within subject, over time analysis using dynamic logistic regression showed that severely negative life events significantly increased the risk of an acute exacerbation during the subsequent 6 week period. The timing of the maximum risk depended on the degree of chronic psychosocial stress also present. A hierarchical Cox regression analysis was undertaken to examine whether there were any immediate effects of negative life events in children without a background of high chronic stress. 

Methods: Sixty children with verified chronic asthma were followed prospectively for 18 months with continuous monitoring of asthma by daily symptom diaries and peak flow measurements, accompanied by repeated interview assessments of life events. The key outcome measures were asthma exacerbations and severely negative life events. 

Results: An immediate effect evident within the first 2 days following a severely negative life event increased the risk of a new asthma attack by a factor of 4.69 (p = 0.00). In the period 3–10 days after a severe event there was no increased risk of an asthma attack (p = 0.5). In addition to the immediate effect, an increased risk of 1.81 was found 5–7 weeks after a severe event (p = 0.002). This is consistent with earlier findings. There was a statistically significant variation due to unobserved factors in the incidence of asthma attacks between the children. 

Conclusion: The use of statistical methods capable of investigating short time lags showed that stressful life events significantly increase the risk of a new asthma attack immediately after the event; a more delayed increase in risk was also evident 5–7 weeks later.

https://thorax.bmj.com/content/thoraxjnl/59/12/1046.full.pdf

Asthma exacerbations in children immediately following stressful life events: a Cox’s hierarchical regression

The relationship of directly observed classroom behavior and teacher ratings on questionnaires with a judgmental (Conners Teacher Rating Scale) or operational format was examined for 33 boys aged 6 years 5 months to 7 years 7 months. Results showed a high degree of association between observed and rated behavior. This association did not vary with the format of the rating scales but did vary with the nature of the behavior being rated. Defiance was more reliably rated than hyperactivity or inattentiveness. Several behaviors exerted a halo effect on ratings of hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and behavior problems. In particular, defiance toward a teacher increased the likelihood that a child would be rated as hyperactive or inattentive regardless of his observed level of activity or attentiveness. These results support the validity of behavior rating scales as screening measures for hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and defiance and indicate that a child's defiance and disobedience are significant causes of misclassification.

Agreement between teachers' ratings and observations of hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and defiance.

The differences in apparent prevalence of childhood hyperactivity between England and North America are more than 20-fold. This paper seeks to illuminate the reasons for the difference by applying a standard measure [Conners Teacher Rating Scale] to 437 English schoolchildren, aged 6 to 9 years, and comparing them with published surveys from the United States and Australasia. The rating scale had moderate interrater reliability and stability over time; it distinguished between children referred for psychiatric treatment and normal schoolchildren. Component analysis yielded a factor of hyperactivity-inattentiveness, distinct from conduct disorder. The mean hyperactivity scores of English children were higher than in most U.S. surveys but lower than in New Zealand. The national differences in rates of diagnosed hyperactivity are likely to reflect diagnostic inconsistency rather than true differences in children's behavior.

Seija Sandberg

Papers

The role of acute and chronic stress in asthma attacks in children

The Epidemiology of Childhood Hyperactivity

Asthma exacerbations in children immediately following stressful life events: a Cox’s hierarchical regression

Agreement between teachers' ratings and observations of hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and defiance.

Hyperactive behavior in English schoolchildren: a questionnaire survey.