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Vol. 19, No. 3, March 2003
1. Keep Your Eye On ...mental illness
2. Parents' beliefs about guns and children studied

Keep Your Eye On ...mental illness
Recent findings published in the Lancet indicate that growing up in a single-parent family may increase the likelihood of developing a psychiatric illness later in life, the Associate Press reported. Researchers from Sweden's National Board for Health and Welfare found that children raised by a single parent were twice as likely to develop a psychiatric illness to attempt suicide and to develop an alcohol-related disease. Girls who grew up in a single-parent family were three times more likely to become addicted to drugs, while boys were four times more likely to become addicted. Researchers used the Swedish national registries to track children, ages 6 to 18, into their mid-20s. Children who were living with the same single parent in the 1985 and 1990 housing census were considered to be from a single-parent family regardless of the reason for the parent's single status. About 60,000 children lived with their mother, about 5,500 lived with their father and 921,257 lived with both parents. The researchers concluded that financial hardship was a factor in the findings, but some experts questioned the financial influence.

Keep Your Eye On ...mental illness

Recent findings published in the Lancet indicate that growing up in a single-parent family may increase the likelihood of developing a psychiatric illness later in life, the Associate Press reported. Researchers from Sweden's National Board for Health and Welfare found that children raised by a single parent were twice as likely to develop a psychiatric illness to attempt suicide and to develop an alcohol-related disease. Girls who grew up in a single-parent family were three times more likely to become addicted to drugs, while boys were four times more likely to become addicted. Researchers used the Swedish national registries to track children, ages 6 to 18, into their mid-20s. Children who were living with the same single parent in the 1985 and 1990 housing census were considered to be from a single-parent family regardless of the reason for the parent's single status. About 60,000 children lived with their mother, about 5,500 lived with their father and 921,257 lived with both parents. The researchers concluded that financial hardship was a factor in the findings, but some experts questioned the financial influence.

Parents' beliefs about guns and children studied
Most parents believe their children would not touch a gun if they found one, according to the results of a randomized telephone survey. Researchers analyzed data collected from 628 urban and rural Ohio residents who had children between the ages of five and 15 living or regularly spending time in their homes. Parents were asked what they thought their children would do if they found a gun, and their rationale for believing their children would or would not touch guns. The study found that 87 percent of respondents believed their children would not touch a gun if they found one, compared with 13 percent of respondents who believed their children would touch a gun. Respondents with younger children in the home were more likely than those with older children to believe their children would touch guns. The study found 15 percent of respondents with children ages five to nine predicted their children would touch guns, compared with 11 percent of those with children 10 to 14 years old and 7 percent of those with 15-year-olds. Gun ownership, geographic area, race, education level, income level and respondent gender did not account for respondents' predictions. The new study also found that only 15 of the 122 respondents who reported having guns in the home stored their guns unloaded and locked. Having children five to nine years old, having at least a four-year college education and having an income of at least $65,000 a year were associated with safe gun storage. Geographic area, having children 10 to14 years of age, having a 15-year-olds child, type of gun owned, reasons for having a gun, predicting children were likely to touch guns they found, rationale for believing children would or would not touch guns, or respondent race, gender, or age group were not associated with safe gun storage. According to the study, the three categories that accounted for over 90 percent of all responses were: My children would not handle guns because "they're too smart for that" (46%). My children would not handle guns because "I've told them not to" (35%). My children would probably handle guns they found because "that's just what kids do" (11%). The researchers contend that if the majority of parents believe their children are already safe, they may not interpret outreach efforts or interventions as applying to them or their children. They recommend physicians and other public health officials who address gun safety topics consider the issue not only in terms of what parents believe about guns, but also in terms of what they believe about their children. Connor SM, Wesolowski KL: "They're too smart for that": predicting what children would do in the presence of guns. Pediatrics 2003; 111: e109-e114. Correspondence to: Dr. Connor, Rainbow Pediatric Trauma Center, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, 11100 Eucid Ave., WRN B43, Cleveland, OH 44106-6039; e-mail: susan.connor@uhhs.com.

Parents' beliefs about guns and children studied

Most parents believe their children would not touch a gun if they found one, according to the results of a randomized telephone survey.

Researchers analyzed data collected from 628 urban and rural Ohio residents who had children between the ages of five and 15 living or regularly spending time in their homes. Parents were asked what they thought their children would do if they found a gun, and their rationale for believing their children would or would not touch guns.

The study found that 87 percent of respondents believed their children would not touch a gun if they found one, compared with 13 percent of respondents who believed their children would touch a gun. Respondents with younger children in the home were more likely than those with older children to believe their children would touch guns. The study found 15 percent of respondents with children ages five to nine predicted their children would touch guns, compared with 11 percent of those with children 10 to 14 years old and 7 percent of those with 15-year-olds. Gun ownership, geographic area, race, education level, income level and respondent gender did not account for respondents' predictions.

The new study also found that only 15 of the 122 respondents who reported having guns in the home stored their guns unloaded and locked. Having children five to nine years old, having at least a four-year college education and having an income of at least $65,000 a year were associated with safe gun storage. Geographic area, having children 10 to14 years of age, having a 15-year-olds child, type of gun owned, reasons for having a gun, predicting children were likely to touch guns they found, rationale for believing children would or would not touch guns, or respondent race, gender, or age group were not associated with safe gun storage.

According to the study, the three categories that accounted for over 90 percent of all responses were:

My children would not handle guns because "they're too smart for that" (46%).
My children would not handle guns because "I've told them not to" (35%).
My children would probably handle guns they found because "that's just what kids do" (11%).

The researchers contend that if the majority of parents believe their children are already safe, they may not interpret outreach efforts or interventions as applying to them or their children. They recommend physicians and other public health officials who address gun safety topics consider the issue not only in terms of what parents believe about guns, but also in terms of what they believe about their children.

Connor SM, Wesolowski KL: "They're too smart for that": predicting what children would do in the presence of guns. Pediatrics 2003; 111: e109-e114. Correspondence to: Dr. Connor, Rainbow Pediatric Trauma Center, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, 11100 Eucid Ave., WRN B43, Cleveland, OH 44106-6039; e-mail: susan.connor@uhhs.com.

The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, March 2003
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