title: Depression and self-concept: the role of self perceptions in understanding, assessing, and intervening with depressed adolescents

authors: Fitzgerald, John

abstract: In 1994 the World Health Organization published statistics which identified New Zealand youth, and males in particular, as being the most likely to die by suicide compared to young people in 22 other economically developed countries (WHO 1993). A review of the literature suggests that depression in adolescents is a highly significant precursor to suicidal behaviour. For the most part, models of depression that have been applied to adolescents fail to acknowledge the unique social context within which adolescents function, and tend not to be sensitive to developmental considerations.
This thesis explores key aspects of the adolescent depression literature, focussing particular attention on the core adolescent task of the development of a sense of self. The literature review prompted two research studies.
The first study examined qualitative data from clinical interviews with depressed youth. Three major themes were drawn out of these interviews, the importance of relationships, perceptions of power and agency, and the sense that the young people had of themselves, their self-concept. These themes were present when the participants talked about their lives in general, and depression in particular. Depression impacted on their relationships with families and peers, rendered them less able to manage their lives, and negatively effected their self conceptions.
The second study was a survey of a community sample of non-referred adolescents. The focus here was to explore the correlates of teenage depression, again with particular reference to variables that were likely to be related to self-conceptions. As well as a measure of self-concept, I also explored attributions for everyday events and depression on the basis that the way a person thinks about themselves (self-concept) is likely to influence their reasoning about the world and depression, and vice versa. The data reflected a statistically significant relationship between depression and self-concept, as well as supporting the associations with attributions and the importance of life experiences. The process of interpreting the various associations highlighted the importance of adopting an adolescent frame of reference when thinking about factors influencing the development of depression in adolescents.
These first two studies were completed to complement each other, focussing on similar variables, but using different methodologies. The third study utilised the data from the first two to generate a clinical intervention based on the enhancement of self-concept as a route to achieving symptomatic and clinically relevant change in a small number of depressed adolescents. The psychometric data suggested that depressive symptoms reduced as self-concept became more positive, this was confirmed by the clinical presentation of the young people. Despite the small sample size, both the quantitative and qualitative data suggest that an intervention aimed at promoting positive self-conceptions may be a useful adjunct to mainstream cognitive-behavioural intervention programmes.

text: Depression and self-concept: the role of self perceptions in understanding, assessing, and intervening with depressed adolescents In 1994 the World Health Organization published statistics which identified New Zealand youth, and males in particular, as being the most likely to die by suicide compared to young people in 22 other economically developed countries (WHO 1993). A review of the literature suggests that depression in adolescents is a highly significant precursor to suicidal behaviour. For the most part, models of depression that have been applied to adolescents fail to acknowledge the unique social context within which adolescents function, and tend not to be sensitive to developmental considerations.
This thesis explores key aspects of the adolescent depression literature, focussing particular attention on the core adolescent task of the development of a sense of self. The literature review prompted two research studies.
The first study examined qualitative data from clinical interviews with depressed youth. Three major themes were drawn out of these interviews, the importance of relationships, perceptions of power and agency, and the sense that the young people had of themselves, their self-concept. These themes were present when the participants talked about their lives in general, and depression in particular. Depression impacted on their relationships with families and peers, rendered them less able to manage their lives, and negatively effected their self conceptions.
The second study was a survey of a community sample of non-referred adolescents. The focus here was to explore the correlates of teenage depression, again with particular reference to variables that were likely to be related to self-conceptions. As well as a measure of self-concept, I also explored attributions for everyday events and depression on the basis that the way a person thinks about themselves (self-concept) is likely to influence their reasoning about the world and depression, and vice versa. The data reflected a statistically significant relationship between depression and self-concept, as well as supporting the associations with attributions and the importance of life experiences. The process of interpreting the various associations highlighted the importance of adopting an adolescent frame of reference when thinking about factors influencing the development of depression in adolescents.
These first two studies were completed to complement each other, focussing on similar variables, but using different methodologies. The third study utilised the data from the first two to generate a clinical intervention based on the enhancement of self-concept as a route to achieving symptomatic and clinically relevant change in a small number of depressed adolescents. The psychometric data suggested that depressive symptoms reduced as self-concept became more positive, this was confirmed by the clinical presentation of the young people. Despite the small sample size, both the quantitative and qualitative data suggest that an intervention aimed at promoting positive self-conceptions may be a useful adjunct to mainstream cognitive-behavioural intervention programmes.

year: 2002

title: Designs with a priori information for nonmarket valuation with choice experiments: A Monte Carlo study

authors: Ferrini, Silvia

subjects: experimental design

abstract: Good practice in experimental design is essential for choice experiments used in nonmarket valuation. We review the practice of experimental design for choice experiments in environmental economics and we compare it with advances in experimental design. We then evaluate the statistical efficiency of four different designs by means of Monte Carlo experiments. Correct and incorrect specifications are investigated with gradually more precise information on the true parameter values. The data generating process (DGP) is based on estimates from data of a real study. Results indicate that D-efficient designs are promising, especially when based on Bayesian algorithms with informative prior. However, if good quality a priori information is lacking, and if there is strong uncertainty about the real DGP—conditions which are quite common in environmental valuation—then practitioners might be better off with shifted designs built from conventional fractional factorial designs for linear models.

text: Designs with a priori information for nonmarket valuation with choice experiments: A Monte Carlo study Good practice in experimental design is essential for choice experiments used in nonmarket valuation. We review the practice of experimental design for choice experiments in environmental economics and we compare it with advances in experimental design. We then evaluate the statistical efficiency of four different designs by means of Monte Carlo experiments. Correct and incorrect specifications are investigated with gradually more precise information on the true parameter values. The data generating process (DGP) is based on estimates from data of a real study. Results indicate that D-efficient designs are promising, especially when based on Bayesian algorithms with informative prior. However, if good quality a priori information is lacking, and if there is strong uncertainty about the real DGP—conditions which are quite common in environmental valuation—then practitioners might be better off with shifted designs built from conventional fractional factorial designs for linear models.

year: 2007

title: Does within-treatment change on dynamic risk factors and psychopathology predict recidivism for men graduating from Tai Aroha?

authors: Tanner Dempsey, Arden

subjects: dynamic risk factors

abstract: Dynamic risk factors are modifiable aspects of justice-involved people and their environment that can change over time and are associated with criminal behaviour. Because they are considered changeable, they are therefore typically the focus of rehabilitative treatment (Bonta & Andrews, 2024). Research shows that correctional rehabilitation that targets dynamic risk factors effectively reduces recidivism, and psychometric tools assessing these factors generally show improvements during treatment. However, there is a missing link; current research lacks consistent evidence linking changes on dynamic risk factors during treatment to recidivism. Relatedly, there are few studies assessing within-treatment changes in psychopathology and how they may affect recidivism, though they are commonly assessed alongside dynamic risk factors in correctional settings. 
This study, involving 164 people with violent offence convictions who completed the Tai Aroha community treatment programme, aimed to address this missing link. A battery of tests measured pre- and post-programme included dynamic risk factor measures, the Anger Disorders Scale (ADS), Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS), Criminal Attitudes to Violence Scale (CAVS), and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-III and IV) which is designed to assess personality and clinical psychopathology. Standardised residual change scores were used to account for variance in pre-treatment scores, and Cox regression hazard ratios to test prediction of general and violent recidivism.
Most subscales for dynamic risk factor measures and the MCMI-III and IV showed substantial improvements during treatment, however, this did not translate to predicting the probability of recidivism. While several hazard ratios indicated effects in a positive direction, none were significant when adjusted for multiple comparisons, and controlling for actuarial risk did not improve predictive accuracy. There was some evidence of increased socially desirable responding which increased at the end of treatment, this included responses on the MCMI-III and IV consistent with the “Normal Quartet.” Interpretations of these findings and both theoretical and empirical implications are discussed.

text: Does within-treatment change on dynamic risk factors and psychopathology predict recidivism for men graduating from Tai Aroha? Dynamic risk factors are modifiable aspects of justice-involved people and their environment that can change over time and are associated with criminal behaviour. Because they are considered changeable, they are therefore typically the focus of rehabilitative treatment (Bonta & Andrews, 2024). Research shows that correctional rehabilitation that targets dynamic risk factors effectively reduces recidivism, and psychometric tools assessing these factors generally show improvements during treatment. However, there is a missing link; current research lacks consistent evidence linking changes on dynamic risk factors during treatment to recidivism. Relatedly, there are few studies assessing within-treatment changes in psychopathology and how they may affect recidivism, though they are commonly assessed alongside dynamic risk factors in correctional settings. 
This study, involving 164 people with violent offence convictions who completed the Tai Aroha community treatment programme, aimed to address this missing link. A battery of tests measured pre- and post-programme included dynamic risk factor measures, the Anger Disorders Scale (ADS), Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles (PICTS), Criminal Attitudes to Violence Scale (CAVS), and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-III and IV) which is designed to assess personality and clinical psychopathology. Standardised residual change scores were used to account for variance in pre-treatment scores, and Cox regression hazard ratios to test prediction of general and violent recidivism.
Most subscales for dynamic risk factor measures and the MCMI-III and IV showed substantial improvements during treatment, however, this did not translate to predicting the probability of recidivism. While several hazard ratios indicated effects in a positive direction, none were significant when adjusted for multiple comparisons, and controlling for actuarial risk did not improve predictive accuracy. There was some evidence of increased socially desirable responding which increased at the end of treatment, this included responses on the MCMI-III and IV consistent with the “Normal Quartet.” Interpretations of these findings and both theoretical and empirical implications are discussed.

year: 2024-01-23