Hostname: page-component-6bf8c574d5-mcfzb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-03-11T21:32:16.166Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Adults with Williams syndrome

Preliminary study of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Mark Davies ,
Patricia Howlin  and
Orlee Udwin
Mark Davies
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, St George's Hospital Medical School, London
Patricia Howlin
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, St George's Hospital Medical School, London
Orlee Udwin
Affiliation:
Mary Sheridan Centre for Child Health, Lambeth Healthcare NHS Trust, London
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

In recent years there has been an upsurge of interest in the study of distinctive patterns of behavioural and psychological characteristics associated with specific, biologically determined, intellectually disabling conditions. This study investigates whether such a profile can be identified in adults with Williams syndrome.

Method

Parents and other care-givers were interviewed about the social, emotional and behavioural characteristics of 70 adults with Williams syndrome, aged 19 years to 39 years 9 months.

Results

The adults were reported to have high rates of behavioural and emotional difficulties, particularly in terms of poor social relationships, over-friendliness and social disinhibition, preoccupations and obsessions, and high levels of anxiety and distractibility.

Conclusions

The findings provide preliminary support for the existence of a specific pattern of behavioural and personality characteristics and associated difficulties in adults with Williams syndrome, which persist from childhood and often require intervention from mental health professionals. Implications for clinical practice are considered.

Type
Preliminary Report
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 172 , Issue 3 , March 1998 , pp. 273 - 276
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bradley, E. A. A. Udwin, O. (1989) Williams' syndrome in adulthood: a case study focusing on psychological and psychiatric aspects. Journal of Mental Deficiency Research, 33, 175–184.Google ScholarPubMed
Davies, M. T., Howlin, P. A. & Udwin, O. (1997) Independence and adaptive behavior in adults with Williams syndrome. American Journal of Medical Genetics. 70, 188–195.3.0.CO;2-F>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dilts, C. V., Morris, C. A. & Leonard, C. O. (1990) Hypothesis for development of a behavioural phenotype in Williams syndrome. American Journal of Medical Genetics, suppl. 6, 126–131.Google Scholar
Ewart, A. K., Morris, C. A., Atkinson, D., et al (1993) Hemizygosity at the elastin locus in a developmental disorder. Williams syndrome. Nature Genetics, 5, 11–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Howlin, P. A., Davies, M. T. & Udwin, O. (1998) Cognitive functioning in adults with Williams syndrome. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 39, in press.Google Scholar
Lord, C., Rutter, M. & LeCouteur, A. (1994) Autism Diagnostic Interview: a revised version of the diagnostic interview of caregivers of individuals with possible pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 24, 659–685.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Morris, C. A., Leonard, C. O., Dilts, C, et al (1990) Adults with Williams syndrome . American Journal of Medical Genetics, suppl. 6#. 102–107.Google Scholar
Sparrow, S. S., Balla, D. & Cichetti, D (1984) Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.Google Scholar
Udwin, O. (1990) A survey of adults with Williams syndrome and idiopathic infantile hypercalcaemia. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 32, 129–141.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Udwin, O., Yule, W. & Martin, N. (1987) Cognitive abilities and behavioural characteristics of children with idiopathic infantile hypercalcaemia. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 28, 297–309.Google Scholar
Wechsler, D. (1981) Wechsler Adults Intelligence Scale – (UK edn). London: Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.