Glue sniffing: A description of social, psychological and neuropsychological factors in a group of South African ‘street children’

Abstract

Twenty-two black South African boys who had histories of prolonged glue sniffing, but who were currently not abusing solvents, were evaluated by means of neuropsychological and neurological procedures. On the neuropsychological procedures the group demonstrated multiple deficits which included visual-spatial difficulties, visual scanning problems, language deficiencies, motor incoordination, memory deficits, and attention and concentration problems. The neurological examination showed that two boys had cerebellar signs. Nine of the recorded electroencephalograms were found to be abnormal. The backgrounds and personality profiles of the group together with the circumstances which led to their glue-sniffing activities are discussed.