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Lithium reduces maternal child abuse behaviour: a preliminary report
Author(s) -
Do PradoLima P.,
Knijnik L.,
Juruena M.,
Padilla A.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.622
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1365-2710
pISSN - 0269-4727
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2710.2001.00357.x
Subject(s) - lithium (medication) , child abuse , medical emergency , medicine , suicide prevention , psychology , poison control , psychiatry
Objective: To find out in child abusing mothers whether aggressiveness in general, but which is directed towards their children in particular, could be reduced by giving lithium. Method: An open trial of lithium in eight child‐abusing mothers. Assessment of aggression using Yudofsky’s Overt Aggression Scale. Results: There was a statistically significant reduction ( P < 0·05) in aggressiveness to the children and to inanimate objects. Conclusion: Lithium could be an effective adjunct in the social and psychological treatment of parents who abuse their children. An adequately powered controlled study testing lithium against placebo over a longer period of treatment and observation would be useful.