The British Journal of Psychiatry (2007) 191: 360. doi: 10.1192/bjp.191.4.360a
© 2007 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Sekar, M. K.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Sekar, M. K.

Correspondence

Psychiatric disorder and looked after status

M. K. Sekar

176 Soho Hill, Handsworth, Birmingham B19 1AG, UK. Email: drmurali98{at}yahoo.com

EDITED BY KIRIAKOS XENITIDIS and COLIN CAMPBELL

Ford et al (2007) investigated the possible explanations for the increased prevalence of psychiatric disorder in children looked after by local authorities and linked looked after status with higher levels of psychopathology, educational difficulties and neurodevelopmental disorders. They suggested that services should bear in mind that a change of environment might be appropriate in providing help, at least in some cases.

After carefully reading the article, I think that Ford et al have missed an important aetiological factor: the influence of genetics. Studies (e.g. Howard et al, 2001) have shown that children of parents with mental disorder are likely to be looked after by another person or organisation. Biological factors which caused mental illness in the parents of children currently looked after by services might operate to cause the increased prevalence of psychiatric disorder in these children. Hence by neglecting the biological component of the bio-psychosocial model of mental illnesses, Ford et al have failed to provide a comprehensive assessment of causative factors in these children.

The authors could have included psychiatric disorder in the parents as a variable and divided the looked after group into children of parents with or without mental disorder. Ford et al have identified that neurodevelopmental disorders and learning difficulties are associated with increased prevalence of psychiatric disorder. Both are also associated with the future development of mental illnesses such as schizophrenia (Done et al, 1994; Lawrie et al, 2001) in which genetic factors play an important aetiological role (Cardno et al, 1999).

REFERENCES

  1. Cardno, A. G., Marshall, E. J., Coid, B., et al (1999) Heritability estimates for psychiatric disorders: the Maudsley twin psychosis series. Archives of General Psychiatry, 56, 162 –168.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  2. Done, D. J., Crow, T. J., Johnstone, E. C., et al (1994) Childhood antecedents of schizophrenia and affective illnesses: social adjustment at ages seven and eleven BMJ, 309, 699 –703.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  3. Ford, T., Vastanis, P., Meltzer, H., et al (2007) Psychiatric disorder among British children looked after by local authorities: comparison with children living in private households. British Journal of Psychiatry, 190, 319 –325.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  4. Howard, L. M., Kumar, R. & Thornicroft, G. (2001) Psychosocial characteristics and needs of mothers with psychotic disorders. British Journal of Psychiatry, 178, 427 –432.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  5. Lawrie, S. M., Byrne, M., Miller, P., et al (2001) Neurodevelopmental indices and the development of psychiatric symptoms in subjects at high risk of schizophrenia. British Journal of Psychiatry, 178, 524 –530.[Abstract/Free Full Text]




This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Sekar, M. K.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Sekar, M. K.