Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-02T20:04:53.588Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Is there a Syndrome of Pure Hyperactivity?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Gerald J. August  and
Mark A. Stewart
Gerald J. August
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77550
Mark A. Stewart
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

A comparison of hyperactive boys with and without associated conduct disorder was made to determine the validity of a narrowly defined concept of pure hyperactivity. Although clinical differences between the two sub-groups supported the diagnostic distinction, few differences appeared with respect to various possibly causal background factors. A small group of boys with pure hyperactivity was separated, however, on the basis of subnormal IQ scores. In contrast to the hyperactive boys with normal IQ, these boys showed a more serious history of developmental disturbances which appeared to be linked to organicity. It was concluded that pure hyperactivity is an elusive concept and probably defines a heterogeneous group of children whose primary problems are cognitive in nature.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 140 , Issue 3 , March 1982 , pp. 305 - 311
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1982 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Graham, P. & Rutter, M. (1968) Organic brain dysfunction and child psychiatric disorder. British Medical Journal, 3, 695–700.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ingram, T. T. S. (1956) A characteristic form of overactive behaviour in brain damaged children. Journal of Mental Science, 102, 550–8.Google Scholar
Loney, J., Langhorne, J. E. & Paternite, C. E. (1978) An empirical basis for subgrouping the hyperkintetic/ minimal brain dysfunction syndrome. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 87, 431–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ounsted, C. (1955) The hyperkinetic syndrome in epileptic children. Lancet, ii, 303–11.Google Scholar
Rutter, M. (1967) Psychotic disorders in early childhood. In Recent Developments in Schizophrenia (edited by Coppen, A. and Walk, A.). British Journal of Psychiatry, Special Publication Number 1.Google Scholar
Sandberg, S. T., Rutter, M. & Taylor, E. (1978) Hyperkinetic disorder in psychiatric clinic attenders. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 20, 279–99.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shaffer, D., McNamara, N. & Pincus, J. H. (1974) Controlled observations on patterns of activity, attention, and impulsivity in brain damaged and psychiatrically disturbed boys. Psychological Medicine, 4, 4–18.Google Scholar
Stewart, M. A., Cummings, C., Singer, S. & DeBlois, C. S. (1981) The overlap between hyperactive and unsocialized aggressive children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 22, 35–45.Google Scholar
Stewart, M. A., DeBlois, C. S. & Cummings, C. (1980) Psychiatric disorder in the parents of hyperactive boys and those with conduct disorder. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 21, 283–92.Google Scholar
Stewart, M. A., DeBlois, C. S., Meardon, J. & Cummings, C. (1980) Aggressive conduct disorder of children: the clinical picture. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disorders, 168, 604–10.Google Scholar
Waldrop, M. F. & Goering, J. D. (1971) ‘Hyperactivity and minor physical anomalies in elementary school children’. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 41, 602–7.Google Scholar
Werner, E. E., Bierman, J. M. & French, F. E. (1971) The Children of Kauai. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.