Emotional symptoms in Prader-Willi syndrome adolescents

Clinical observations and parental reports on the behavior of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) patients suggest the development of a wide variety of psychiatric disorders as the PWS child enters adolescence. Documentation of these emotional disorders remains unsystematic. Here we describe the results of administering the Survey Diagnostic Instrument (SDI) to the parents of 35 PWS adolescents. The questionnaire data were supplemented by additional selected demographic and clinical data. The SDI is a 134 item questionnaire filled out by one parent. It screens for the DSM-III criterion-based diagnostic categories of neurosis (dysphoric, compulsive, anxious), somatization, conduct disorder (antisocial, violent), and hyperactivity. The following diagnostic pattern resulted: neurosis, dysphoric, (1 probable); neurosis, compulsive, 3 (6 probable); neurosis, anxious, 4 (and 10 probable); somatization, 0; conduct disorder, violent 0; conduct disorder, antisocial, 0; hyperactivity, 1 (and 1 probable). An odds ratio algorithm is used to uncover possible predisposing factors, and the results are discussed in the context of organic versus psychiatric causes.