title: Psychological and adjustment problems due to acquired brain lesions in pre-school-aged patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe and compare psychological, behavioural and adjustment problems in pre-school patients with acquired brain lesions of different aetiology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three groups of patients with acquired brain lesions (14 patients post-TBI, 18 brain tumour survivors and 23 patients with vascular or infectious brain lesions), ranging in age between 24-47 months, received a psychological evaluation, including the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 2-3 (CBCL) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  About half of the total sample (47.2%) showed psychological and behavioural problems. Difficulties vary according to the aetiology of the brain lesions. Brain tumour survivors showed more marked internalizing problems, whereas children with vascular or infectious brain lesions scored higher on the CBCL externalizing scales. Children with traumatic brain injury reported intermediate scores on most of the CBCL scales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychological and behavioural difficulties are very common, not only among school-aged children and adolescents, but also among pre-schoolers with acquired brain lesions. The relevance and the impact of these difficulties must necessarily be considered when developing psychological treatment and rehabilitation plans and planning for social re-entry.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Eugenio Medea , Bosisio Parini (LC) , Italy. valentina.pastore@bp.lnf.it
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pastore
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galbiati
authors.forename: Annarita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adduci
authors.forename: Geraldina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poggi
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massimino
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Recla
authors.forename: Mariarosaria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liscio
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strazzer
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data