BEHAVIORAL AND EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE IN INDIVIDUALS WITH WILLIAMS-SYNDROME

Behavioral and emotional disturbance was assessed in 70 children and a dolescents with Williams syndrome. They were compared with an epidemio logical control population, which was statistically controlled for age , gender, and level of mental retardation. Those with Williams syndrom e were more likely to be diagnosed as suffering psychiatric disorder. The disorder was characterized by anxiety, hyperactivity, preoccupatio ns, and inappropriate interpersonal relating. Significantly increased rates of other individual symptoms were also found, including sleep di sturbance and hyperacusis. These results, considered with earlier find ings, suggest that there is a valid behavior phenotype of Williams syn drome. This is frequently associated with sufficient impairment to con sider inclusion of the behavior phenotype in future official taxonomie s of mental disorders.