Problem behaviors and personality of children and adolescents with Prader-Willi Syndrome

Objective: Compare behavioral and emotional problems of children and adoles cents with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) and clients consulting mental health centers (MHC) and related behavioral and emotional problems to the childre n's personality in the PWS group. Methods: Participants were 39 children with PWS and 585 matched MHC clients . Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) syndromes were related to the Big-Five pe rsonality factors measured with the California Child Q-sort (CCQ) Results: Mean CBCL Total Problems scores were not different for the PWS and MHC groups, but differences were found for several of the CBCL subscales. Patterns of correlations among CBCL scales were similar in both groups, alt hough coefficients were generally higher in the PWS group, indicating highe r comorbidity or co-absence of CBCL syndromes in children and adolescents w ith PWS. Personality profiles were specific for Internalizing and Externali zing problems of children and adolescents with PWS.