bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychopharmacology and Aggression
Authors: Connor Daniel F. , Boone R. Thomas , Steingard Ronald J. , Lopez Ivan D. , Melloni Richard H.
Published: May 2008

The authors used meta-analysis to determine the effect size for nonstimulant medications on symptoms of overt aggression-related behaviors in referred children and adolescents with serious emotional and behavioral disturbances.A review of the literature between 1970 and 2001 revealed 33 studies meeting exclusion/inclusion criteria and yielding 37 independent effects for neuroleptic, atypical antipsychotic, mood stabilizer, antidepressant, and adrenergic agents on symptoms of overt aggression.To acquire statistical power, two groups of medications were created and analyzed.The first group consisted of medications for more severely ill children and included neuroleptics, atypical antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers.The second group consisted of medications for less severely ill children and included antidepressants and adrenergic agents. Overall weighted mean effect sizes were moderate to large for overt aggression within a heterogeneous group of psychiatric disorders. Moderators of effect size included drug group, study design, and the interaction between drug group and study design.The results support the common clinical practice of including medications as part of a comprehensive psychoeducational treatment plan for some youth with maladaptive overt aggression within a variety of psychiatric disorders; however, not all referred youth respond to medication for overt aggression-related behavior, supporting the use of additional nonmedication interventions. Future pharmacological research should attempt to identify specific classes of psychiatric medications that are effective for specifically defined types of aggression in distinct psychiatric disorders.
The Effect of Varying Rates of Opportunities to Respond to Academic Requests on the Classroom Behavior of Students with EBD
Authors: Sutherland Kevin S. , Alder Nora , Gunter Philip L.
Published: May 2008

This study examines the effect of an increased rate of opportunities to actively respond to academic requests on the classroom behavior of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Nine elementary school students with EBD served as participants. Results suggest that increases in opportunities to respond were associated with increased correct responses and task engagement and decreased disruptive behavior. Implications for research and practice, as well as limitations of the present study, are discussed.
The Prevention of Violent Behavior by Chronic and Serious Male Juvenile Offenders
Authors: Eddy J. Mark , Bridges Whaley Rachel , Chamberlain Patricia
Published: May 2008

Over the past several decades, an increasing number of youth have been incarcerated for violent offenses. Existing interventions for serious offenders target the prevention of subsequent delinquent behavior in general, rather than the prevention of violent behavior in particular. Within the context of a randomized clinical trial of 79 adolescent males involved in the juvenile justice system, we examine the ability of multidimensional treatment foster care (MTFC) to prevent subsequent violent offending relative to services-as-usual group home care (GC). Data on offending were collected every 6 months for a 2-year period following entry into the study. The method of generalized estimating equations was used to analyze the data. Results indicate that MTFC youth were significantly less likely to commit violent offenses than youth placed in services-as-usual group care. The group effect held even after control variables, including age at placement, age at first arrest, official and self-reported prior offenses, and time since baseline,were introduced into the model. Twenty-four percent of GC youth had two or more criminal referrals for violent offenses in the 2 years following baseline versus only 5% of MTFC youth. The rates of self-reported violent offending for MTFC youth were in the normative range following baseline, whereas rates for GC youth were 4 to 9 times higher. MTFC youth were also significantly less likely to report incidents of common violence, such as hitting.
Improving Mathematics Homework Completion and Accuracy of Students with EBD Through Self-Management and Parent Participation
Authors: Cancio Edward J. , West Richard P. , Young K. Richard
Published: May 2008

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) who are educated in integrated settings are often at risk for school failure because of their inability to remain attentive, complete tasks and assignments, and accomplish homework. In other words, they are characterized by their inability to manage their academic and social behavior. The authors of this study investigated the feasibility of teaching parents of students with EBD to establish and maintain a homework completion program based on teaching the students to manage their own behavior. They investigated whether parents of students with EBD can facilitate use of a homework program containing various components of a student self-management program to increase the homework completion and accuracy of their children. In addition, the effect of parent participation in the homework program was investigated on students' academic achievement and perceived homework problem ratings. Six middle school students with EBD and their parents participated in this study. A multiple baseline design across participants was used to assess treatment effects.The parents received training and implemented the program's strategies. Homework completion and homework accuracy increased for all students. In addition, mathematics achievement increased and perceived homework problem ratings diminished.
Background and Psychosocial Variables Associated with Recidivism Among Adolescent Males
Authors: Katsiyannis Antonis , Dalun Zhang  , Barrett David E. , Flaska Tracy
Published: May 2008

Given the limitations of existing “prediction models” regarding recidivism among juvenile offenders, psychosocial variables were added to background variables to investigate the contributions of these factors to the prediction of recidivism. Psychosocial variables included alcohol abuse, depression, levels of parent and peer attachment, and personality traits.The participants for the present study were 299 adolescent males incarcerated from July 1998 to July 1999 in a midwestern correctional facility. Follow-up data on recidivists were collected in 1999—2000, 2000—2001, and 2001—2002. Findings differentiating recidivists from nonrecidivists were consistent with earlier studies regarding age at first commitment and parole violation. Personality variables such as cognitive structure and succorance ( Personality Research Form; Jackson, 1989) improved the prediction of recidivism, even with age of commitment, educational achievement, and measures of psychopathology accounted for. Continued efforts to improve the validity of prediction models are recommended, particularly by considering psychosocial and postrelease-related variables in addition to background and educational factors.
Teacher Resistance to School-Based Consultation with School Psychologists
Authors: Gonzalez Jorge E. , Nelson J. Ron , Gutkin Terry B. , Shwery Craig S.
Published: May 2008

This study investigated teacher resistance to real-world school-based consultation services delivered by school psychologists. In 2 analyses, the predictive power of both proximal and distal variables was examined with regard to the reported use of consultation over the course of the 1998—1999 school year by elementary school teachers. In the primaryfindings,factor analysis of survey items yielded 8 proximal variable factors: School Psychologist Characteristics, Principal Support for Consultation, Personal Teaching Efficacy, Teacher—School Psychologist Similarity, Classroom Management/Discipline Efficacy, Adequacy of Time Availability for Consulting, Opportunity to Reciprocate, and Teacher Consultation Insight. However, stepwise regression of actual reported teacher consultations on the factors revealed they were not significant. In the secondary analysis of distal variables, using stepwise regression, the number of hours the school psychologist is in the building was the only variable to make a significant, albeit small, contribution to the prediction of number of actual reported consultations. Several important methodological and conceptual differences between the present study and the literature on consultation are identified. Implications, study limitations, and future research directions are discussed.
Risk, Reinforcement, Retention in Treatment, and Reoffending for Boys and Girls in Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care
Authors: Smith Dana K.
Published: May 2008

In this study, the author examined the impact of youth and family preplacement risk factors on multidimensional treatment foster care (MTFC) parent—youth interactions,youth treatment completion, and outcomes for boy and girl adolescents who have problems with chronic delinquency. In particular, she looked at (a) how levels of preplacement youth and family risk factors for chronically delinquent boys and girls who were treated with MTFC affect parent—youth interactions during treatment, (b) how these interactions and preplacement youth and family risk factors relate to treatment completion for boys and girls, and (c) how treatment completion for girls and boys affects reoffending behavior during the 12 months postplacement. As hypothesized, results indicated higher levels of preplacement youth and family risk for girls compared with boys; however, contrary to the author's hypothesis, levels of preplacement youth and family risk were not found to have a significant impact on MTFC parent—youth interactions.As expected, MTFC parent—youth interactions were significantly related to treatment completion, and treatment completion was significantly related to lower rates of reoffending behavior for both boys and girls.Treatment components specific to MTFC are reviewed and directions for future research are suggested.
General and Specific Predictors of Behavioral and Emotional Problems Among Adolescents
Authors: Windle Michael , Mason W. Alex
Published: May 2008

Based on a sample of 1,218 students in the 10th and 11th grades, 14 variables measuring behavioral and emotional problems were modeled as four factors via confirmatory factor analysis.The factors were labeled Polydrug Use, Delinquency, Negative Affect, and Academic Orientation. A similar four-factor structure was supported 1 year later, and a cross-lagged autoregressive structural equation model indicated high stability but also some significant cross-lagged predictions. For instance, higher levels of Delinquency at Wave 1 predicted higher levels of Wave 2 Polydrug Use and Negative Affect and lower levels of Academic Orientation. Significant predictors common to the four factors included stressful life events and family social support. Specific predictive relations were indicated for particular temperament attributes and specific problem factors (e.g., high Activity Level predicted Delinquency; Behavioral Inflexibility predicted Negative Affect), and for peer substance use variables and specific problem factors (e.g., Peer Drug Use predicted Polydrug Use).The findings are discussed with regard to the need to use research designs and statistical models that facilitate the evaluation of the generality and specificity of influences on behavioral and emotional problems during adolescence.
Sustained Effects of the PATHS Curriculum on the Social and Psychological Adjustment of Children in Special Education
Authors: Kam Chi-Ming , Greenberg Mark T. , Kusché Carol A.
Published: May 2008

In this study, the authors examined the long-term effectiveness of the PATHS (Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies) curriculum on the adjustment of school-age children with special needs. The PATHS curriculum focuses on promoting children's emotional development, self-regulation, and social problem—solving skills. Eighteen special education classrooms were randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions in this controlled trial. Teachers received both training and ongoing consultation and provided PATHS to students in Grades 1 through 3. Data were collected before the intervention and for 3 successive years. Growth curve analysis indicated that the intervention reduced the rate of growth of teacher-reported internalizing and externalizing behaviors 2 years after the intervention and produced a sustained reduction in depressive symptoms reported by the children. Discussion focuses on the need for social—emotional learning (SEL) programs in special education and factors that can promote SEL among children with special needs.
Assessing Fidelity to a Community-Based Treatment for Youth
Authors: Bruns Eric J. , Burchard John D. , Suter Jesse C. , Leverentz-Brady Kristen , Force Michelle M.
Published: May 2008

In this article, the authors describe the development, psychometric characteristics, and potential utility of the Wraparound Fidelity Index (WFI), a multi-informant measure designed to assess providers' adherence during service delivery to the essential elements of wraparound. Results from 408 families across 16 sites in nine states indicated adequate psychometrics for use of the WFI as an overall fidelity measure. The psychometrics for individual element scores were less reliable, however. The authors discuss the implications for research and practice, identifying specific items to be revised and potential uses for the WFI. They also cover policy implications, including how to overcome challenges observed in implementing the wraparound approach nationally.
The Impact of Maternal Depressive Symptomatology on Ratings of Children with ADHD and Child Confederates
Authors: Baumann Barbara L. , Pelham William E. , Lang Alan R. , Jacob Rolf G. , Blumenthal Jonathan D.
Published: May 2008

ome researchers who have studied children with behavior problems have suggested that depressed mothers distort reports of deviance in their children, perhaps contributing to misdiagnoses; howSever, investigations studying mothers with current or past depression have not clearly indicated such a bias. Because some of this equivocation may be due to the confounding effects of the mother—child history, the present study examined maternal ratings of the standardized behavior of child confederates, thereby providing an objective standard from which bias could be determined. Maternal lifetime diagnoses of depression and contemporary reports of depressive symptomatology were also evaluated. Mothers of 4- to12-year-old sons with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) interacted with and rated boys in the same age range whose behavior was carefully scripted to represent either ADHD or the absence of any disorder. Forty-four of these mothers had a history of clinical depression, and the entire sample represented a range of depressive symptomatology. Analyses revealed no significant differences in ratings of the child confederates' behaviors as a function of maternal history of depression or current depressive symptomatology. These findings thus call into question at least some of the prior assertions of maternal bias in the reporting of behavior problems in children.
Outcomes for Children with Problematic Behavior in School and at Home Served By Public Mental Health
Authors: Hodges Kay , Xue Yange , Wotring Jim
Published: May 2008

The authors report outcomes for 4,777 youth served by the public mental health system in Michigan who had problems in school, at home, in interpersonal relationships, or in modulating their mood. Cluster analysis identified five subgroups: Pervasive Problems with Mood Disturbance (i.e., severe or moderate impairment in school, at home, in behavior toward others, and in mood); School Problems with Mood Disturbance; Home Problems with Mood Disturbance; School and Home Problems; and Mild Behavior/Mood Problems. Outcome was defined as the proportion of youth whose functioning changed from severe or moderate impairment to mild impairment or no impairment on each of the relevant subscales of the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS).The results indicated that youth with pervasive impairment across domains (i.e.,the Pervasive Problems with Mood cluster) had the poorest outcomes.The authors present recommendations for research protocols that match evidence-based treatments to type and extent of impairment, as reflected by cluster membership, which in turn corresponded to differential profiles of scores on the CAFAS.
Enhancing Grammar Assignment Perceptions by Increasing Assignment Demands
Authors: Teeple Donna Ford , Skinner Christopher H.
Published: May 2008

In the current experiment, 32 students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in Grades 7 through 12 worked on 2 grammar assignments for 15 minutes each. Control assignments contained 15 target tasks (i.e., multisentence paragraphs) that students were required to rewrite and for which they had to provide appropriate punctuation. Experimental (i.e., interspersal) assignments contained 15 matched target tasks and 8 additional brief 1-sentence paragraphs interspersed following every 2nd target paragraph.After working on both assignments, students ranked assignments and then were allowed to choose a new assignment for homework.Although experimental assignments required students to complete more work, no significant differences were found for time and effort rankings and significantly more students chose the interspersal assignment for homework.In addition, discrete task completion rates were significantly higher on the interspersal assignment.
Level and Change in Reading Scores and Attention Problems During Elementary School as Predictors of Problem Behavior in Middle School
Authors: Fleming Charles B. , Harachi Tracy W. , Cortes Rebecca C. , Abbott Robert D. , Catalano Richard F.
Published: May 2008

This study examined heterogeneity in change in reading test scores and attention problems during middle childhood and whether heterogeneity in change in these variables predicted later problem behavior. Our sample consisted of 783 students recruited from 10 Pacific Northwest schools. For both reading scores and teacher report of attention problems, latent growth curve models of annual data from Grades 3 to 6 showed statistically significant heterogeneity in initial level and change. Level and change factors for both variables were statistically significant predictors of problem behavior in 7th grade. In a combined model that included growth factors for both reading and attention problems, only level of attention problems had a unique and statistically significant association with problem behavior.
Functional Behavioral Assessment
Authors: Newcomer Lori L. , Lewis Timothy J.
Published: May 2008

This study investigated (a) the efficacy of using descriptive and experimental assessment methodologies to generate hypotheses regarding the function of problem behavior and (b) the efficiency and efficacy of function-based interventions compared to traditional intervention approaches that focus on the topography of behavior. Functional assessments were conducted with three elementary school students identified as at risk for failure due to problem behavior. Agreement among indirect measures, direct observation, and experimental manipulation of environmental variables supports the value of using convergent data from indirect assessment methods to develop valid hypotheses. In addition, behavioral interventions based on functional assessment were found to be more effective than alternative intervention approaches across all three case studies. Implications, study limitations, and future research directions are discussed.
Practice and Process in Wraparound Teamwork
Authors: Walker Janet S. , Schutte Kathryn M.
Published: May 2008

Collaborative family—provider teams have become an increasingly popular mechanism for creating and implementing individualized service and support plans for children and families with complex needs. In the context of children's mental health,this type of individualized service planning is most often known as wraparound, and it has become one of the primary strategies for implementing the system of care philosophy. A consensus has been reached about the values that underlie wraparound; however, less agreement exists regarding the specific techniques or procedures that translate the value base into practices at the team level. Difficulties in reaching agreement about guidelines or standards for wraparound practice are exacerbated by the lack of a theory describing how the wraparound process produces positive outcomes. This article brings together theory and research from a variety of sources in proposing a model of effectiveness for wraparound. The model specifies relationships between team practices, processes, and outcomes. The model is then used as a basis for recommending specific practices for wraparound teamwork.
Maintenance Effects of an Evidence-Based Prevention Innovation for Aggressive Children Living in Culturally Diverse Urban Neighborhoods
Authors: August Gerald J. , Lee Susanne S. , Bloomquist Michael L. , Realmuto George M. , Hektner Joel M.
Published: May 2008

The present study assessed the ability of the Early Risers' Skills for Success Program to maintain program effects 1 year post intervention. Participants were 327 kindergarten and first-grade children who screened positive for aggressive behavior and who were randomized to program and control conditions. Program children participated in 2 continuous years of active intervention followed by 1 year of no formal intervention activities. Following the active intervention phase, program children, compared to controls, showed significant gains in school adjustment and social competence but not in academic achievement (August, Lee, Bloomquist, Realmuto, & Hektner, 2003). At the 1-year follow up, program effects were not maintained using intent-to-intervene analyses. Level-of-dosage analyses, however, revealed significant relationships between children's level of participation and measures of their social competence, externalizing problems, and academic achievement. We discuss discrepancy in findings by type of analyses within the context of transporting well-controlled efficacy trials to effectiveness trials in real-world settings.
Diversity of Outcomes Among Adolescent Children of Mothers With Mental Illness
Authors: Mowbray Carol T. , Bybee Deborah , Oyserman Daphna , Allen-Meares Paula , Macfarlane Peter , Hart-Johnson Tamera
Published: May 2008

Children of parents with mental illness are an at-risk population according to research on psychiatric outcomes using White, middle-class samples of depressed parents and infants and preschool children.The current study expands this evidence byexploringwithin-group heterogeneity across psychosocial outcomes, in a racially diverse, low-income sample of adolescent children of mothers with mental illness ( N = 166). Using measures of mental health, academics, behavior problems, and social relationships—and employing cluster analysis methodology—we identified five meaningful subgroups of these youth. Two of five identified clusters evidenced mental health symptoms (15%) or possible behavioral problems (27%).The largest cluster (30%) appeared quite socially and academically competent; another cluster (22%) presented as average in their functioning but adult-oriented. A final small cluster (4.8%) was distinguished by members' social isolation. Cluster membership related to maternal substance abuse history, father's relationship to youth, and social support available to mothers. Implications for planning preventive interventions are discussed.
Rational Emotive Therapy With Children and Adolescents
Authors: Gonzalez Jorge E. , Nelson J. Ron , Gutkin Terry B. , Saunders Anita , Galloway Ann , Shwery Craig S.
Published: May 2008

This article systematically reviews the available research on rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) with children and adolescents. Meta-analytic procedures were applied to 19 studies that met inclusion criteria. The overall mean weighted effect of REBT was positive and significant. Weighted zr effect sizes were also computed for five outcome categories: anxiety, disruptive behaviors, irrationality, self-concept, and grade point average. In terms of magnitude, the largest positive mean effect of REBT was on disruptive behaviors. Analyses also revealed the following noteworthy findings: (a) there was no statistical difference between studies identified low or high in internal validity; (b) REBT appeared equally effective for children and adolescents presenting with and without identified problems; (c) non-mental health professionals produced REBT effects of greater magnitude than their mental health counterparts ; (d) the longer the duration of REBT sessions, the greater the impact, and (e) children benefited more from REBT than adolescents.The findings are discussed in terms of several important limitations along with suggestions for future research.
Characteristics of Urban and Nonurban Youth Enrolled in a Statewide System-of-Care Initiative Serving Children and Families
Authors: Dierker Lisa C. , Solomon Tynette , Johnson Peter , Smith Susan , Farrell Alice
Published: May 2008

Central goals of system-of-care initiatives for children and families have been to decrease the use of restrictive services while increasing the use of community-based resources. However, the menu of appropriate community services must in part be based on characteristics of children and families presenting within a particular community and may differ by urban and nonurban residence. The present study aimed to compare characteristics of child and adolescent clients from urban and nonurban communities in an attempt to begin to inform the development of appropriate community programming. Using intake data from all referrals to the 23 systems of care in Connecticut from July 1, 2001, to June 30, 2002, comparisons were made between youth from urban and nonurban areas. Analyses demonstrated lower rates of bipolar disorder, hospital and foster-home placement and higher levels of caregiverreported intrapersonal strength and general child functioning among urban compared to nonurban youth. That these differences could not be attributed to correlates of urban residence, such as income, ethnicity, child poverty, high school dropout rates, and crowding, suggests the possibility that as yet unexamined variables might mitigate these risk factors.The continued examination of group differences meant to inform this important issue is warranted.
Effects of Child Gender and Symptom Type on Referrals for ADHD by Elementary School Teachers
Authors: Sciutto Mark J. , Nolfi Cara J. , Bluhm Carla
Published: May 2008

In this study, the authors investigated the effects of child gender and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptom type on elementary school teachers' referral decisions. Participants ( N = 199) read a profile of a fictional child's academic record and rated the likelihood of referring the child for an evaluation.The profiles varied by the child's gender and the type of symptoms the child was exhibiting (inattention, hyperactivity, or hyperactivity plus aggression). Results indicated that teachers were more likely to refer boys than girls, regardless of symptom type, but that the largest gender difference in referrals was for children who exhibited hyperactivity without inattention or aggression. These results suggest that differences in teacher perceptions of boys' and girls' behaviors may contribute to gender differences in ADHD referrals.
An Investigation of the Effects of a Prereading Intervention on the Early Literacy Skills of Children At Risk of Emotional Disturbance and Reading Problems
Authors: Ron Nelson J. , Benner Gregory J. , Gonzalez Jorge
Published: May 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a cohesive and intensive preventive prereading intervention on the phonological awareness, word reading, and rapid naming skills of children at risk of emotional disturbance and reading problems.Thirty-six children were assigned randomly to an experimental or comparison condition. Children in the experimental condition received Stepping Stones to Literacy. Stepping Stones includes 25 lessons designed to teach children pivotal prereading skills (e.g., phonological awareness, letter identification). Children in the experimental condition showed statistically significant improvements in their phonological awareness, word reading, and rapid naming skills relative to children in the comparison condition. Effect size estimates indicate that the improvements were moderate to large across all of the phonological awareness, word reading, and rapid naming measures. Treatment nonresponder analyses indicated that a relatively small number of children in the experimental group failed to show satisfactory gains in their phonological awareness ( n = 3),word reading ( n = 1), and rapid naming ( n = 3) skills.
A Randomized Trial of Multisystemic Therapy With Hawaii's Felix Class Youths
Authors: Rowland Melisa D. , Halliday-Boykins Colleen A. , Henggeler Scott W. , Cunningham Phillippe B. , Lee Terry G. , Kruesi Markus J.P. , Shapiro Steven B.
Published: May 2008

Examined 6-month post-recruitment clinical and placement outcomes for 31 youths with serious emotional disturbance (SED) at imminent risk of out-of-home placement in the Hawaii Continuum of Care (COC). Youths were randomly assigned to multisystemic therapy (MST) adapted for SED populations or to Hawaii's existing COC services.Assessments were conducted at intake and 6 months after referral. In comparison with counterparts in the comparison condition, youths in the MST condition reported significant reductions in externalizing symptoms, internalizing symptoms,and minor criminal activity; their caregivers reported near significant increases in social support; and archival records showed that MST youths experienced significantly fewer days in out-of-home placement. The findings generally replicate the favorable short-term outcomes observed previously for MST with youths experiencing SED.
The Effect of a Psychiatric Diagnosis on School Psychologists' Special Education Eligibility Decisions Regarding Emotional Disturbance
Authors: Della Toffalo Douglas A. , Pedersen Jason A.
Published: May 2008

In this analogue investigation, 215 practicing Pennsylvania school psychologists reviewed hypothetical referral forms and related data (vignettes). Vignettes represented children who met eligibility criteria for special education as well as children who did not. Participants were most likely to recommend,as eligible due to emotional disturbance,children who met eligibility criteria and carried a psychiatric diagnosis; they were least likely to recommend children who neither met criteria nor carried a diagnosis. Participants were just as likely to consider children eligible by virtue of emotional disturbance when they carried a diagnosis but did not meet eligibility criteria, as when they met criteria but had no diagnosis.These results suggest that school psychologists may allow the presence of a psychiatric diagnosis in referral information to inappropriately influence their recommendations regarding eligibility under the special education category of emotional disturbance.
A Controlled Evaluation of Behavioral Treatment With Children With ADHD Attending a Summer Treatment Program
Authors: Coles Erika K. , Pelham William E. , Gnagy Elizabeth M. , Burrows-Maclean Lisa , Fabiano Gregory A. , Chacko Anil , Wymbs Brian T. , Tresco Katy E. , Walker Kathryn S. , Robb Jessica A.
Published: May 2008

Individual treatment response to behavior modification was examined in the context of a summer treatment program. Four children ages 11 to 12 and diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were examined in a BABAB design in which a comprehensive behavioral program was utilized and withdrawn across an 8-week period. Dependent measures included frequency counts of negative behaviors, rule violations in recreational and classroom settings, and academic seatwork completion and accuracy. Results documented the effectiveness of the behavioral intervention with all 4 children. Some children showed consistent responses regardless of setting,while others showed differential responses in classroom and recreational settings. In general, behavior worsened progressively over days during the withdrawal weeks.The second withdrawal of treatment produced deleterious effects for several children that persisted for a time even when behavior modification was reinstated.The individual response patterns of each of the 4 children are discussed.
Histories of Developmental Task Attainment in Aggressive Children and Their Relationship to Behavior in Middle Childhood
Authors: Bowen Natasha K.
Published: May 2008

Many developmental theories that emphasize the importance of developmental task attainment imply that there is a degree of homogeneity in the developmental histories of children with serious disorders. From the perspective of developmental psychopathology, however, children identified as having serious emotional or behavioral disorders are likely to have followed diverse paths to those conditions.This study examined developmental task attainment histories of 554 children (ages 6 to 12) receiving mental health services and their association with aggressive behavior in middle childhood.The children, in spite of their common eligibility status for intensive services, had diverse experiences with 6 commonly cited developmental tasks. In addition, difficulties accomplishing specific tasks—poor bonding with a caregiver in infancy and poor behavioral regulation in early childhood—and patterns of difficulties with task attainment over time were associated with assaultive/threatening behavior in middle childhood. Children who did not encounter difficulty attaining any of the examined tasks or who had difficulty with tasks only in middle childhood had better functioning than children with task difficulties that began in infancy or early childhood.The diversity of developmental histories observed in the clinical population and their association with functioning suggest that research is warranted into how interventions may need to vary for children with similar presenting problems but different developmental histories.
Athletic Performance and Social Behavior as Predictors of Peer Acceptance in Children Diagnosed With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Lopez-Williams Andy , Chacko Anil , Wymbs Brian T. , Fabiano Gregory A. , Seymour Karen E. , Gnagy Elizabeth M. , Chronis Andrea M. , Burrows-Maclean Lisa , Pelham William E. , Morris Tracy L.
Published: May 2008

Sixty-three children between ages 6 and 12 who were enrolled in a summer treatment program for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) participated in a study designed to measure the relationship between social behaviors, athletic performance, and peer acceptance. Children were assessed on sport-specific skills of three major sports (basketball,soccer,and softball),general fitness tests (i.e., 50-yard dash and sit-ups), and social behavioral measures. Predictors were standardized and separated into three broad domains:athletic performance, negative social behavior, and positive social behavior. Both negative behavior and athletic performance significantly predicted children's sociometric status regardless of outcome measure. Positive behavior was a significant predictor only when considering positive peer nominations.The direction and magnitude of the predictor varied by type of outcome measured. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.
Differences in Strength Assessment Scores for Youth With and Without ED Across the Youth and Parent Rating Scales of the BERS-2
Authors: Uhing Brad M. , Mooney Paul , Ryser Gail R.
Published: May 2008

The authors' studies evaluated the discriminative ability of the youth and parent forms of the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale—Second Edition (BERS-2; Epstein, 2004). The BERS-2 is a standardized rating scale system that assesses the emotional and behavioral strengths of children and youth. Separate studies compared the perceptions of youth and parents of youth with emotional disturbance (ED) to youth and parents of youth without ED. Participants in Study 1 included 71 children verified with ED according to state special education guidelines and 386 children without ED. Participants in Study 2 included 82 parents of children with ED and 411 parents of children without ED. Results of Study 1 indicated statistically significant differences in the scores of youth with and without ED on four of five BERS-2 Youth Rating Scale subscales and the overall strength index. Results of Study 2 indicated statistically significant differences in the scores of parents of youth with and without ED on all five of BERS-2 Parent Rating Scale subscales and the strength index.The limitations, future research, and implications of the studies are discussed.
Participation in the Paid Labor Force by Caregivers of Children With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Authors: Brennan Eileen M. , Brannan Ana María
Published: May 2008

We explored the relationship between school-age children's emotional and behavioral symptoms and workforce participation of their family caregivers using structural equation modeling. Secondary analysis of data from the national evaluation of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program was performed with a subsample of 2,585 caregivers. Findings from structural equation modeling indicated that higher levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms were significant predictors of more frequent school absences, less adequate childcare, and greater caregiver strain related to missing work. In turn, more adequate childcare and greater caregiver strain from missed work were associated with lower likelihood of workforce participation. Further research on labor force participation and increased family support is necessary to improve work—life integration for caregivers of children with emotional and behavioral disorders. Future investigations should examine caregiver employment as a standard family outcome.
Gender Comparisons of Service Use Among Youth With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Graetz Brian W. , Sawyer Michael G. , Baghurst Peter , Hirte Craig
Published: May 2008

The authors compared service-use patterns and factors associated with service use for 279 boys and 119 girls who met the criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—Fourth Edition ( DSM-IV).The participants had been identified from a nationally representative sample of Australian youth. Boys and girls with ADHD did not differ in their rates of service use, the types of services they attended (school/education or health-based services), the types of help they received, and the main problems for which they received help, with the exception that boys had higher rates of medication use. However, the factors associated with service use were not uniform across gender. For boys, problems with schoolwork or grades and number of ADHD symptoms were the main predictors of service use,whereas for girls the main predictor was the presence of depressive disorders.These findings suggest there are gender differences in the factors associated with service use among children with ADHD that are likely to have implications for assessment and treatment of the disorder.
Early Affiliation and Social Engagement With Peers
Authors: Schrepferman Lynn M. , Eby Jane , Snyder James , Stropes Jennifer
Published: May 2008

The authors of this article sought to determine how poor peer social relationships are related to children's future depressive behaviors. They used direct observations of disengagement in a peer social setting, a peer nomination measure of peer affiliates, and teacher reports of depressive behaviors during kindergarten and first grade to model risk for depressive behaviors in the third/fourth grades. Dependable and enduring peer affiliations in kindergarten were significantly negatively associated with a multi-informant construct of depressive behaviors at the higher grade for both girls and boys. Disengagement was positively related to depressive behaviors for girls but not for boys.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder Rating Scale
Authors: Hommersen Paul , Murray Candice , Ohan Jeneva L. , Johnston Charlotte
Published: May 2008

In this article, the authors report the psychometric properties of a parent-completed rating scale based on the criteria for oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders— Fourth Edition—Text Revision ( DSM-IV-TR). Mothers of 294 boys and 48 girls with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 53 boys and 45 girls without behavior problems completed the Oppositional Defiant Disorder Rating Scale (ODDRS). Fathers of 44 boys with ADHD also completed the scale,and 71 mothers of boys with ADHD provided 1-year test—retest data.The ODDRS had high internal consistency, high interrater reliability, and moderate 1-year test—retest reliability.The scale had one principal component and correlated as expected with related subscales from the Child Behavior Checklist and with overreactive parenting. Scores were not significantly correlated with parent or child age or with socioeconomic status.The strong psychometric properties indicate that this measure holds considerable promise for briefly assessing ODD in a manner consistent with the DSM-IV-TR.
Idle Hands
Authors: Bullis Michael , Yovanoff Paul
Published: May 2008

In this study, the authors examined the facility-to-community transition experiences—focusing specifically on employment—of 531 incarcerated youth following their release from Oregon's juvenile correctional system. They gathered data on the sample while these youth were still in custody and then every 6 months through phone interviews to describe the participants' community work, educational, and living and social experiences of the study participants.The authors documented the participants' return to the juvenile correctional system and entry into the adult correctional system from extant state databases. In this study, being employed at 6 months postexit was related in a marginally statistically significant manner ( p = .07) to remaining in the community and out of the correctional system at that same point in time. Generally,young men, participants without special education disabilities, those youth committed to the juvenile correctional system for person-related crimes, and individuals who were not gang members exhibited better employment outcomes. Services provided by mental health agencies and other social service agencies were inversely related to employment rate, but substance abuse treatment and completion of career/vocational classes while in custody were positively related to selected employment outcomes. The results suggest that individualized job placement and support services should be offered to members of this population upon their parole to the community—with special attention paid to distinct subgroups, such as young women, juvenile offenders with special education disabilities, gang members, and those with a history of property crimes.
How Are We Preparing Students With Emotional Disturbances for the Transition to Young Adulthood?
Authors: Wagner Mary , Davis Maryann
Published: May 2008

The authors describe five principles they identified from the literature on exemplary practices to help students with emotional disturbances (ED) have positive secondary school experiences and successful trajectories into early adulthood.The five are relationships, rigor, relevance, attention to the whole child, and involving students and families in goal-driven transition planning.The authors evaluated implementation of these practices for middle and secondary school students with ED by using data from a nationally representative longitudinal study of students receiving special education services. The results suggest that exposure to best practices has improved since the 1980s and is similar to that for students with other disabilities, but significant opportunity for improvement remains. The authors also identify implications for school programming.
Twenty-Four Months After High School
Authors: Zigmond Naomi
Published: May 2008

The author located students with severe emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) who had been assigned to separate day schools with partial hospitalization treatment facilities because their public school programs did not sufficiently meet their needs, then conducted interviews at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months postsecondary school as part of a large 5-year study of factors influencing the transition process for students with serious emotional disturbance (SED).The findings were consistent with those from previous reports on the employment and schooling participation rates of students with EBD despite the fact that this sample had more severe disabilities and were educated in more restrictive environments than most previously reported samples of students with SED/EBD. Most revealing, however, were the unstable employment and schooling patterns of individual participants over the course of the 2 years of the study, which were illustrated by their career paths after high school.The author speculates as to whether it is appropriate to judge the success of school programs by the long-term outcomes for former students with SED/EBD in their adult worlds.
Psychosocial Outcomes of Adult Children of Mothers With Depression and Bipolar Disorder
Authors: Mowbray Carol T. , Mowbray Orion P.
Published: May 2008

Research has established that children of parents with mental illness, compared with normative samples, are more likely to have emotional/ behavioral problems or psychiatric diagnoses themselves. Few studies have examined these children at adulthood, however, to document their diverse psychosocial outcomes and the parenting and contextual variables that predict differences.This study addressed this gap through interviews with 61 adult children of mothers with major depression or bipolar disorder. Outcomes were extremely heterogeneous, ranging from few problems with alcohol use or behavioral health to high incarceration rates and mental health services usage. In examining children at adulthood, race/ethnicity, mother's diagnosis, and contextual factors such as family and social environment were significant predictors of satisfaction with life. Diagnosis was only marginally predictive of life satisfaction. Self-reported risk factors such as a serious injury to parents, family members' having trouble with the law, and experiencing abuse or neglect as a child were not predictive of adult outcomes.
Impact of Maltreatment on Children Served in Community Mental Health Programs
Authors: Walrath Christine M. , Ybarra Michele L. , Sheehan Angela K. , Holden E. Wayne , Burns Barbara J.
Published: May 2008

Despite a decline in the incidence of child abuse over the last decade, victimization rates remain troubling.This study used a subset of data from the national evaluation of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program to investigate and compare the demographic, psychosocial, and service use characteristics and outcomes of children with varying abuse histories referred into community-based mental health services. The lifetime estimate of abuse histories—physical, sexual, or both—among these children is 36.5%.A high level of clinical need across abuse subtypes and a gradient of increasing child and family risk factors differentiated children with and without an abuse history. Children with a reported history of both physical and sexual abuse consistently presented a more troublesome picture of personal and family challenges. Implications for the assessment of clinical needs and the identification of evidence-based interventions to meet the unique needs of these children are discussed.