Study of Correlations Between Electroen-cephalographic and Psychological Patterns in Emotionally Disturbed Children

The present investigation was undertaken to examine the possible relationships of severe emotional and behavioral disorders in children with their EEG's, and to determine whether certain variables of psychological testing and a history of serious diseases or head injuries could be correlated with EEG findings. The subjects consisted of two groups: (1) the abnormal group of 195 children, consisting mostly of schizophrenics and children with primary behavior disorders, ages 51⁄2 to 121⁄2 and (2) the control group, consisting of 44 children matched for age and sex but with no demonstrable emotional disturbance. All these subjects were tested with the Rorschach test, Bender Gestalt test, and Figure Drawings; various intellectual functions were also tested. It was attempted to correlate deviations in these tests, especially in the perceptual and perceptual-motor spheres, with abnormal EEG findings. The conclusions of the study are as follows: The high percentage of abnormal EEG's in childhood schizophrenia (78.6 per cent) suggests an organic basis or component in this particular condition. An EEG abnormality rate of 73.4 per cent in the group of primary behavior disorders is in agreement with the findings of previous similar studies, and also suggests the probability of a defect or developmental retardation in the cerebral structure. There is no apparent relationship between abnormality of the EEG and specific types of behavioral patterns such as extreme passivity, aggressiveness, or hyperactivity. Early head trauma and serious illness were also found with the same incidence among children of the emotionally disturbed group with normal EEG's as among the abnormal. Neither is there any apparent relationship between the EEG and specific emotional traits as suggested in the Rorschach test, with the possible exceptions of the apperceptive approach and form quality. The greater the cerebral dysfunction, as indicated by the EEG, the more abnormal do we find specific psychological variables dealing with perception, perceptual-motor functions, and the body image. Gross distortions in visual motor Gestalt functions, in body image, and in perceptual and motor functions in general appear related to foci and asymmetries in the EEG, most notably in the occipital areas. The alpha percentage may be related to the accuracy of form perception as reflected by the Rorschach test. This accuracy of perceptual association appears to become impaired in the presence of foci in the EEG, especially occipital foci. The results of the study tend to support Schilder's contention that organic damage to the brain causes a disturbance in perception and motility and therefore adversely affects the body image

Abnormality · Aggression · Audiology · Bender-Gestalt Test · Developmental psychology · Electroencephalography · Projective test · Psychiatry · Rorschach test · Schizophrenia (object-oriented programming) · Clinical Psychology · Medicine · Personality Disorders and Psychopathology · Psychological Testing and Assessment · Psychology · Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments

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