Recently, due to the wide spread of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), it has been the subject of research by medical, psychological and pedagogical specialists.
Fifty five children aged 6 to 7 years participated in the survey. Of these, the main group consisted of 25 children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, of whom 20 (80 per cent) suffered from perinatal damage to the central nervous system in the form of small brain dysfunction (MMD). In 5 children of this group (20%) no consequences of perinatal damage of the CNS in the form of small brain dysfunction were revealed. The comparison group consisted of 30 children from socially safe families, of whom 10 (33%) children had consequences of perinatal CNS lesion in the form of MMD. In 20 children of this group (67%) no consequences of perinatal damage of the CNS in the form of small brain dysfunction were revealed.
The following methods and techniques were used to achieve the goal of the study:
- Observation;
- Toulouse-Pieron test;
- J. Svanson's questionnaire;
- M. Lusher's projective test;
- Projective test House, tree, man
The results of the study showed that in the main group the consequences of perinatal damage of the central nervous system in the form of MMD are 2.4 times more frequent and amount to 80% in relation to 33% of the group with the equation.
The Toulouse-Pieron test allowed to obtain profile variants typical for children with perinatal CNS lesion in the form of small brain dysfunction. Thus, in the main group of 20 (80%) children with the consequences of perinatal CNS lesion in the form of MMD, the following types of profiles are the most common:
- Subnormal type. This type of MMD is found in 4 (20%) children, including boys - 3 (75%), girls - 1 (25%). In children with this type of profile, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (according to the results of J. Swanson's questionnaire) occurs in 40% of cases;
- Reactive type. The number of subjects with this type of MMD is 15 (65%) of the total sample, of whom 10 (77%) are boys and 5 (23%) are girls. At the same time, according to the results of J. Swanson's questionnaire, attention deficit and hyperactivity syndrome in children with this type of profile is found in 100% of cases;
- Rigid type. The number of subjects with this type of profile is 2 (15%) of the total sample, of which 2 (100%) are boys and no girls. In turn, no cases of ADHD were found in children with this type of profile.
In the comparison group, it was found that among children with the consequences of perinatal CNS MMD lesion, the reactive type was also predominant and children with this type of MMD were 60% (6 people), of whom 60% were boys and 40% were girls. At the same time, among children with this type of ADHD profile, 100% of cases were registered (according to the results of the questionnaire of J. Swanson).
The subnormal type of MMD accounted for 40% (4 people) of those surveyed. Of these, 50% were boys and 50% were girls. No cases of ADHD were found in children with this type of profile. In turn, there was no stiffened type of MMD in the comparison group.
The reactive type of MMD prevailed in both the main group and the comparison group (the main group was 65%, the comparison group was 60%), which in 100% of cases coincided with ADHD.
Since the reactive type of MMD in 100% of cases was combined with attention deficit and hyperactivity deficit syndrome, we focused our further research on the study of emotional state and personal characteristics of children with perinatal CNS lesion in the form of reactive type of MMD with attention deficit and hyperactivity deficit syndrome.
Socially well off families as well as in the main group, impulsivity was the most frequent (45%). Aggressiveness in the comparison group was found in 5%, which is two times less often than in the main group, the manifestation of negativism occurred in 10% of cases, which is 2.6 times less frequent in relation to 26% of the main group.
The results of the study showed that in the comparison group of children with no perinatal CNS lesions in the form of MMD and ADHD (67%), such features as the need to be in the spotlight (45%), extroversion (20%) developed imagination (15%), sociability (10%), openness (5%), high activity (5%) prevailed.
Conclusions
The main reason for the formation of attention deficit and hyperactivity syndrome is perinatal damage to the CNS in the form of small brain dysfunction.
In children with the consequences of perinatal damage to the CNS from both socially disadvantaged and socially disadvantaged families, the most common type of reactive profile of small brain dysfunction, which in 100% of cases is combined with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder.
Children with perinatal CNS lesion in the form of small brain dysfunction with attention deficit and hyperactivity deficit syndrome from socially unfavorable and socially disadvantaged families are characterized by the prevalence of negative emotional state.
The most characteristic personal features for children with the consequences of perinatal CNS lesions in the form of reactive type of small brain dysfunction from socially disadvantaged and socially disadvantaged families are: impulsivity of behavioral reactions, aggressiveness and negativism.
At the same time, in children with the consequences of perinatal damage of the central nervous system in the form of reactive type of small brain dysfunction from socially well-to-do families, manifestations of aggressiveness and negativism are 2 times less frequent.
Consequences of perinatal damage of the central nervous system in the form of small brain dysfunction lead to the development of attention deficit and hyperactivity syndrome, which has a negative impact on the development of emotional and personal sphere of the child, which is aggravated by the impact of social factors.