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Lithium reduces maternal child abuse behaviour: a preliminary report
P do Prado-Lima1, L Knijnik, M Juruena
1The Behaviour Neurobiology Research Group, Neuroscience Laboratory, PUC-RS and Hospital Psiquiátrico São Pedro, Porto Alegre, Brazil. paspl@conex.com.br
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.