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EVALUATING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MINIMAL BRAIN DYSFUNCTION—RESULTS OF AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY
Author(s) -
Schmidt M. H.,
Esser G.,
Allehoff W.,
Geisel B.,
Laught M.,
Woerner W.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1987.tb00670.x
Subject(s) - psychology , neuropsychology , epidemiology , clinical psychology , independence (probability theory) , developmental psychology , cognitive psychology , psychiatry , cognition , medicine , statistics , pathology , mathematics
An epidemiological field investigation of 399 8‐yr‐old children was unable to support basic assumptions of the clinical MBD concept (existence of a homogeneous syndrome, specific psychopatholgy, evidence of increased perinatal risks). Using a multi‐level case definition procedure and factor‐analytic data aggregation, nearly complete independence was found among the diagnostical levels of neurophysiology, neuropsychology and specific skills. Main results were replicated after the application of several alternative models of case definition and were further confirmed by data from a clinical sample. Present findings emphasize the necessity to reconsider the concept of MBD and its practical consequences.