Temperament in velocardiofacial syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS) is a microdeletion syndrome caused by a 22q11.2 chromosomal deletion.


METHODS
In this study, parents reported on their own temperament as well as the temperament of their child. Sixty-seven children with VCFS (mean age = 10.8, SD = 2.8; range 6-15), and age-, race- and gender-ratio matched samples of 47 community control participants (mean age = 10.4, SD = 2.6; range 6-15), and 18 sibling control participants (mean age = 12.1, SD = 1.9; range 9-15) took part in the current project.


RESULTS
Children with VCFS have a temperament that may best be described as modestly difficult; while participants with VCFS were not more difficult across all temperamental domains, children with VCFS were rated by their parents as being: (1) less regular in their daily habits (e.g. eating at the same time each day, etc.); (2) less able to focus/sustain attention; (3) less cheerful/pleasant; (4) less likely to stay with an activity for a long time; and (5) less able to respond flexibly to changes in the environment.


CONCLUSIONS
The best predictors of parent report of behavioural symptoms in children with VCFS were poor concordance between parent and child temperament across general activity level and mood domains.
Antshel
K M
KM
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York - Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA. antshelk@upstate.edu
Stallone
K
K
Abdulsabur
N
N
Shprintzen
R
R
Roizen
N
N
Higgins
A M
AM
Kates
W R
WR
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D004062:DiGeorge Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament; D014888:Wechsler Scales