title: The association between behavioural and emotional problems and age in adults with Down syndrome without dementia: Examining a wide spectrum of behavioural and emotional problems.
abstract: The literature on the association between behavioural and emotional problems and ageing in adults with Down syndrome (DS) without dementia is limited and has generally not reported on a wide range of behavioural and emotional problems. This research aimed to extend the field by examining the associations between age and a wide spectrum of behavioural and emotional problems in adults with DS without dementia. A preliminary analysis of the association between potential covariates and behavioural and emotional problems was also undertaken. Parents and caregivers completed a questionnaire on behavioural and emotional problems for 53 adults with DS aged between 16 and 56 years. Twenty-eight adults with DS and their caregivers were part of a longitudinal sample, which provided two time points of data approximately four years apart. Additionally, 25 participants with DS and their caregivers were from a cross sectional sample, which provided one time point of data. Random effects regression analyses were used to examine the patterns in item scores for behavioural and emotional problems associated with age. No significant associations between age and the range or severity of any behavioural and emotional items were found. This suggested a more positive pattern for ageing adults with DS than has been previously described. Given that behavioural and emotional problems were not associated with age, investigation into other factors that may be associated with the behavioural and emotional difficulties for adults with DS is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Early in Life Mental Health Service, Monash Medical Centre. Electronic address: anna.makary@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Anna T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Makary
authors.affiliation: Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Early in Life Mental Health Service, Monash Medical Centre; Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Parkville, P.O Box 294, St Albans, VIC, 3021, Australia. Electronic address: renee.testa@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Renee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Testa
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences and Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, 100 Mallet Street, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia. Electronic address: stewart.einfeld@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Stewart L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Einfeld
authors.affiliation: Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Early in Life Mental Health Service, Monash Medical Centre. Electronic address: bruce.tonge@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Bruce J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Tonge
authors.affiliation: Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Early in Life Mental Health Service, Monash Medical Centre. Electronic address: caroline.mohr@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mohr
authors.affiliation: Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Early in Life Mental Health Service, Monash Medical Centre. Electronic address: kylie.gray@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Kylie M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014825:Vocabulary; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Age; Behavioural problems; Down syndrome; Emotional problems; Intellectual disability