Klaus Minde

McGill University | McGill · Department of Psychiatry

Negative emotionality (NE) was evaluated as a candidate mechanism linking prenatal maternal affective symptoms and offspring internalizing problems during the preschool/early school age period. The participants were 335 mother-infant dyads from the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment project. A Confirmatory Bifactor Analysis (CFA...

Background: Efforts to understand the developmental pathways for disorganized attachment reflect the importance of disorganized attachment on the prediction of future psychopathology. The inconsistent findings on the prediction of disorganized attachment from the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene, birth weight, and maternal depression as well as th...

Disorganized attachment is an important early risk factor for socioemotional problems throughout childhood and into adulthood. Prevailing models of the etiology of disorganized attachment emphasize the role of highly dysfunctional parenting, to the exclusion of complex models examining the interplay of child and parental factors. Decades of researc...

Background and objectives: Sleep problems are frequent in young children; however, children vary in the degree to which they are affected by poor sleep quality. We investigated whether a polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene, which is linked to emotional function, is a potential moderator of the influences of sleep duration on infant temp...

Introduction: Sleep problems are frequent in young children, however, children vary in the degree to which they are affected by poor sleep quality. We investigated wether a polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene, which is linked to emotional function, is a potential moderator of the influences of sleep duration on infant temperament using l...

Background: The current paper aimed to explore the effects of birth weight and the 7-repeat allele in Exon III of the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene on the development of disorganized attachment, a potential endophenotype of depression. Infants born with low birth weight have been shown to be at higher risk for later neurological impairments, ps...

The development of sleep-wake regulation in infants depends upon brain maturation as well as various environmental factors. The aim of the present study was to evaluate sleep duration and quality as a function of child attachment to the mother. One hundred and thirty-four mother-child dyads enrolled in the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability and Neur...

Background Childhood dysregulation, which reflects deficits in the capacity to regulate or control one's thoughts, emotions and behaviours, is associated with psychopathology throughout childhood and into adulthood. Exposures to adversity during the prenatal period, including prenatal depression, can influence the development of dysregulation, and...

The author reviews the experiences of infants who are hospitalized for prematurity or other serious medical conditions. At first, this seems to provide an opportunity to consider the potential effects of biological adversity on infant development. The author demonstrates, however, that prematurity is associated with a variety of psychosocial risk f...

Introduction and Objectives: As bedtime involves a separation from the mother, attachment style appears to be an important factor in the establishment of the sleep-wake cycle during infancy. A few studies found an association between sleep patterns and attachment, reporting more sleep problems in insecure infants. The aim of the present study was t...

Introduction and Objectives: Maternal well-being associates with children temperament. For instance, children of women who suffer from depression and/or anxiety tend to display behavioural, social, and emotional impairments such as increased negative emotionality. Children with difficult temperament also show an increased prevalence of parasomnias...

While CBT has been found to be an effective treatment for anxious older children, it has not been empirically validated in children younger than 8 years. In this study we report on an open pilot trial to establish whether a modified form of CBT can benefit young children. Participants were 37 anxious children aged 37-89 months attending a universit...

To determine whether oral language, working memory, and social anxiety differentiate children with selective mutism (SM), children with anxiety disorders (ANX), and normal controls (NCs) and explore predictors of mutism severity. Children ages 6 to 10 years with SM (n = 44) were compared with children with ANX (n = 28) and NCs (n = 19) of similar a...

The objective of our work is to study the possible relevance nonwestern cultural traditions have on the concordance of attachment patterns assessed in mothers and their young children. The attachment of 46 toddlers and their mothers, living in a black township in Johannesburg, South Africa, was assessed using scores derived from mother-child observ...

To provide a historical review of transcultural child psychiatry in Canada and discuss its future mandate within traditional mental health services. To present a summary of some key papers and chapters in the literature which describe the history and present status of transcultural child psychiatry since its inception 30 years ago. There is a virtu...

Little is known about the family relationships of adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Thus, the marital adjustment and family functioning of 33 married adults with ADHD and their spouses was compared to 26 non-ADHD control participants and their spouses. Results revealed that married adults with ADHD reported poorer overall...

In summary, I see an urgent need to work on further differentiating the phenomenology, epidemiology and etiology of a range of clinically observed attachment difficulties. This will assist in developing more goal specific treatment options and help families and clinicians in assuring a more meaningful life for these unfortunate children.

To evaluate the efficacy of methylphenidate in treating adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), using subjective (self-report) and objective (computerized test) measures. This double-blind crossover trial of placebo vs methylphenidate included subjects with childhood and current ADHD symptoms, IQs above 80, no other psychiatric...

There is increasing evidence that some key symptoms, including excessive inhibition and indiscriminate sociability, previously thought to characterize attachment disorders lack validity. Aggression and other psychosocial difficulties also appear not to be an essential aspect of the disorder. This article summarizes current thinking on the clinical...

It is unclear what the impact of parental ADHD is on the day-to-day life of the rest of the family and how it contributes to the intergenerational transmission of this disorder. The psychosocial functioning of 23 spouses and 63 children of 33 families with an ADHD parent and 20 spouses and 40 children of 26 comparison families was examined. Both ad...

To examine the degree to which physicians and nurses use their first postnatal contact with mothers and babies to learn about their psychosocial strengths and problems. Forty-two consecutively born infants and their mothers were observed during their initial postnatal visit with a public health nurse and their physician in Montreal. Both visits wer...

Examines the effect that a chronic medical illness in young children can have on the children's attachment pattern and discusses ways in which specific clinical interventions may assist families and the medical personnel in maintaining adequate attachment patterns in such children. The cases of a 1.5-yr-old, a 3.8-yr-old, and a 6-yr boy showing sig...

This case presentation describes the assessment of an infant at age 3 weeks who had a highly unusual birth experience, and the subsequent 18-month treatment of this infant and his family. The case documents the clinical benefit derived by obtaining an Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) as part of the assessment process. It also discusses the role suc...

The present paper describes the development of a university-based infant psychiatry program. The paper initially highlights the organizational structure of the program that involves some 20 professionals, then reports on 57 infants who presented with disruptive behavior disorders and ends by describing an innovative treatment program for fathers an...

A case highlighting the association of epilepsy with psychopathology is reported. The patient suffered a rare and extreme behavioral disturbance, characterized by persistent disruptive behavior and intermittent bizarre and violent outbursts. These outbursts often appeared purposeful, but some of them were later diagnosed as ictal manifestations of...

To provide an overview of the use of psychotropic drugs in preschoolers. Literature review. Although controversy persists, the evidence suggests that preschool children are being given an increasing number of psychotropic drugs, especially by general practitioners and pediatricians. There is an urgent need to formally evaluate the efficacy of psych...

These practice parameters describe the psychiatric assessment of infants and toddlers (0-36 months) and support the growth of infant and toddler psychiatry, a rapidly developing field. Infants and toddlers are brought to clinical attention because of concerns about emotional, behavioral, relational, or developmental difficulties. It is axiomatic th...

These practice parameters describe the psychiatric assessment of infants and toddlers (0–36 months) and support the growth of infant and toddler psychiatry, a rapidly developing field. Infants and toddlers are brought to clinical attention because of concerns about emotional, behavioral, relational, or developmental difficulties. It is axiomatic th...

To examine the type of psychiatric disorders found in 100 Cree children living in a Native community in northern Quebec. Standardized semi-structured interviews were given to all children and their caregivers, collecting 24 items of information. 51% of the children did not qualify for a DSM-III-R diagnosis but their frequently severe behavioural sy...

This study investigated the effects of a treatment program for severely sleep-disturbed children on their daytime interaction with their mothers. Twenty-eight children with serious sleep problems and 30 matched controls, aged 12 to 36 months, were compared on behavior rating scales, on sleep patterns, and during play and feeding interactions with t...

This article reviews some concepts the author believes will guide scientific and clinical work in child psychiatry during the next 25 years. Specifically, it is postulated that the traditional biopsychosocial model may have to be expanded to look at ways we can understand transactional events versus nonshared family characteristics, the development...

ABSIRACT: The authors examine the growth and role of child psychiatry in the developing world over the last 25 years. They review national epidemiologi cal studies of the prevalence of child psychiatric disorders, culture-specific symptoms of maladjustment and the evidence for culture-specific parenting patterns. They consider the impact of social...

This study examines the accuracy of parents' reports about their children's sleep behavior and their response to a behavioral treatment. Twenty-eight sleep-disordered and thirty control children aged 12-36 months were filmed during three nights using an infrared camera and their sleep behavior compared with parental reports. There were significant...

The present article discusses developmental changes of aggression seen in preschool children and reports on an 18-month short-term prospective study of three preschool populations: a group referred for aggressive behavior problems, a normal control group, and a group of youngsters who had lived in violent homes, but showed no aggressive behaviors....

Psychological, family, and social characteristics relating to attachment relationships were measured in mothers of 20 sleep-disordered toddlers, comparing them with 21 mothers of toddlers without sleep problems. The groups were matched on measures of socioeconomic status, child and maternal age, maternal education, marital status, and family size....

This case presentation delineates one possible role the infant psychiatrist can play in the care of infants suffering from severe medical illnesses who are hospitalized for long periods. It describes the process of liaison with many professional groups who treat such children, highlights some of the difficulties inherent in this work and provides s...

The study of infancy can provide us with new models for the genesis and treatment of psychiatric disorders. It allows us to observe development and can elucidate the contribution the internal and external world make to mental health and disorder. It can also help to define and describe developmental pathways which may be instrumental in creating a...

This paper describes methods of measuring a preference a mother develops for one twin over the other and describes the effect such preference has on the intellectual functioning and behavior of 24 twin pairs over 4 years. Results indicate that the majority of mothers develops a preference for one premature twin within 2 weeks after birth and mainta...

Longitudinal follow-up data for 69 very low birthweight preterm infants were used to assess the influence of four factors (neonatal medical complications, infant temperament, mother-child relationships, and family environment) on mother and teacher reports of behavior problems at 4 years. The proposed model of such influences being tested assumed t...

The psychiatric, psychological, school and overall family functioning of 64 very small premature infants was assessed from birth up to 48 mnths of age. Results indicated that 43% of infants scored in the abnormal range on a behaviour rating scale filled in by the mothers and 24% on a teacher rating scale at age 4. However, only 11% of the children...

Assessed the psychiatric, psychological, school, and overall family functioning of 64 very small premature infants from birth to age 4 yrs. Measures included the Toddler Temperament Scale, the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, and the Preschool Behavior Questionnaire. Intellectually normal Ss transferred to...

Most behavioral abnormalities in infants up to 36 months reflect a disturbance in the relationship between the caretaking environment and the infant. This does not allow their inclusion in present-day classification manuals. The present paper gives a brief description of twelve behavioral conditions frequently seen by the practicing infant psychiat...

This paper reports on a grand round presentation of a psychiatric case history of a young woman who showed frequently changing symptoms compatible with a major depressive disorder. She also presented with auditory hallucinations and grand mal seizures. All her symptoms were refractory to a wide range of pharmacotherapy and ECT. In the paper, senior...

This paper reviews the evidence linking social change to psychological problems in school-aged children and their families. Specific mediating factors associated with social change are examined and their impact on behavior discussed. Factors which make children and families more vulnerable or more resilient toward external stresses and social chang...

We examined events that precede a diagnosis of developmental delay by comparing 16 very low birth weight premature infants whose condition was diagnosed as developmental delay at 18 months corrected age with 16 matched developmentally normal infants. All infants were observed with their mothers during maternal visits to the nursery and during home...

This paper examines the relevance recent findings in Infant Psychiatry may have for the understanding of adult psychopathology. For example, evidence of both continuity and discontinuity within development is cited as one way in which the continuity of specific psychiatric conditions from childhood to adulthood can be understood. Another example ar...

A sample of low birthweight preterm infants was assessed for temperamental characteristics at 3, 6 and 12 months of age by parent report. Results indicate that this sample contains a significantly higher percentage of “difficult‘’ infants (p < 0.02) than reported in full-term samples. Infant characteristics such as severity of perinatal and postnat...

Early mother-infant interaction and later security of attachment were assessed for 17 pairs of twins, 5 singleton survivors of twin pairs, and 20 singletons, all low-birth-weight preterm infants. Mother and infant behavior during home observations at 6 weeks and 3, 6, and 9 months was rated on scales developed by Ainsworth and Egeland and Brunquell...

The contribution of past psychological experiences of the mother and medical complications of the infant to differences in caretaking of pre- and full-term infants are examined. Twenty full- and 20 pre-term matched mother-infant dyads were studied during a feed and play 1, 2 and 3 months after the expected date of birth. Full-term infants were more...

A total of 184 infants in a neonatal intensive care unit with birthweights less than 150lg were rated daily on a Morbidity Scale covering the 20 most common diseases and pathophysiological states in neonatology, the severity of each condition being rated on a scale of 0 to 3. To measure the impact of various degrees of complications on parental car...

Three groups of kindergarten-aged children referred for hyperactivity who varied with regard to symptom pervasiveness were compared to each other and to normal controls on a variety of biological, psychological and behavioural variables. The findings yielded only partial support for those of other studies addressing this issue. Biological and psych...

Several studies examining the psychosocial adjustment of child burn victims have resulted in contradictory conclusions, possibly because of their diverse methodology and poorly defined outcome measures. Using a standardized behaviour rating scale this study found that adolescent burn victims show a markedly poorer psychosocial adjustment when compa...

Characteristics of mother-child interaction in hyperactive and normal kindergarten-aged children were compared. Also, for the hyperactives the relative effects of methylphenidate and cognitive behavior modification, used alone and in combination, were evaluated. The results support some of the findings of previous studies with older children which...

This study examines 20 pairs of twins with a birthweight of less than 1500 g and their parents during weekly parental nursery visits and during home feedings at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after the twins' expected date of birth. All infants were rated daily on 19 operationally defined medical complications. During each of these visits various...

The interaction patterns of mothers and fathers of 12 small premature infants were compared during the first six months of life, using direct observations and parental reports. Few differences were found during the period of hospitalization but, at home, fathers engaged less in caretaking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved...

This study of kindergarten-aged hyperactive children evaluated the effects of three modes of treatment in relation to an untreated control group. The treatments were administered over a 3-month period and included cognitive behavior modification, methylphenidate, and the two treatments combined. A follow-up assessment was done approximately 1 year...

The present paper discusses the concept of infant psychiatry and assesses a variety of treatment approaches which have been used with psychologically disturbed infants. Psychoanalysis, behavior therapy, and various forms of parental counseling by both pediatricians and mental health professionals are evaluated critically. Short- and long-term effec...

This study examines the motor and social development of 21 very small preterm infants up to 34 weeks post-conceptional age. Seven infants were born at 26 to 27 weeks gestation, seven at 28 to 30 weeks and seven at 31 to 32 weeks. They were all physically healthy, as were their mothers. All the infants were observed for 40 minutes twice weekly, usin...

This study examined the effect discussion groups, held in a neonatal intensive care unit with parents of very small premature infants, had on various measures of later parenting competence. Twenth-eight families who met for seven to ten weeks with a nurse co-ordinator and a "veteran mother" who had given birth to a premature infant within the past...

The present paper discusses some of the questions frequently encountered in the diagnosis and treatment of hyperactive children. The author attempts to order these questions within an ecological frame of reference, using Popper and Eccles' recent book The Self and its Brain as an evolutionary model. Problems of diagnosis and treatment relating to h...

This study examines the relative contribution to early maternal behavior of the psychosocial history of the mother, perinatal events, and infant behavior. The interaction of 32 mothers and their very low birth weight infants was observed both during maternal visits to the premature nursery and feeds during the infants' first 3 months at home. It wa...

Ten low birth weight infants (all less than 1501 grams) were observed in the premature nursery to investigate the amount of contact that premature infants receive during routine care. Observations were 80 minutes long, randomly scheduled to cover a 12-hour period in the infant's day. Time sampling with a twelve-item behavior code was used to record...

The author presents a follow-up study of 34 children with cerebral palsy. Eight years previously 23 of these children were attending a special school for handicapped children, and 11 were attending regular schools. The author evaluated the children and their families through formal and informal interviews and by administering parent and teacher rat...

In view of the paucity of detailed follow-up studies on hyperactive children, the performance of 15 adolescents diagnosed hyperactive 5 years previously was compared to that of a control group of equivalent age, sex, intelligence, and social class. Eleven cognitive tests measuring sustained attention, visual-motor and motor skills, abstraction, and...

Comparisons of the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in different cultures are important in determining the degree to which particular syndromes are culture-bound in their manifestations. In this study we looked at both clinical evidence and objective measures of behavior with the Peterson-Quay and Rutter Behavior Rating Scales in Canadian and Af...