Multisystemic treatment of juvenile offenders: Effects on adolescent behavior and family interaction.

57 delinquent adolescents received family ecological treatment, 23 delinquent adolescents received an alternative treatment, and 44 normal adolescents served as developmental controls. The mean age of the adolescents at pretreatment was 14.8 yrs. Pre- and posttreatment assessments were conducted with the adolescent and his/her parents. Measures included the Behavior Problem Checklist, the Eysenck Personality Inventory, and self-report and observational measures of family relations. Ss who received family ecological treatment evidenced significant decreases in conduct problems, anxious-withdrawn behaviors, immaturity, and association with delinquent peers. The mother–adolescent and marital relations in these families were significantly warmer, and Ss were significantly more involved in family interaction. In contrast, the families who received the alternative treatment evidenced no positive change and showed deterioration in affective relations. The normal families manifested relationship changes that were consistent with those identified by investigators of normal adolescent development. Findings support a multisystemic model of behavior disorders and treatment. (59 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Young adolescent and maternal depression: Assessment, interrelations, and family predictors.

The present study examined (a) the relation between self-report and behavioral ratings of depression for young adolescents and their mothers; (b) the relation between adolescent and maternal depression; and (c) family correlates and predictors of adolescent and maternal depression. Sixty-nine nonclinic adolescents and their mothers completed self-report measures and participated in two behavioral observations 1 year apart. Self-report and behavioral-rating measures of depression were related for mothers but not for adolescents, and maternal depression and adolescent depression were not related to one another. In addition, marital conflict predicted maternal depression as measured by both self-reports and behavioral ratings, whereas parent–adolescent conflict predicted only self-reported adolescent depression. The differences found between maternal and adolescent depression are discussed, and the findings are contrasted with those reported for clinically depressed mothers and children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

External validation of the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC) profile and factor scales: Parent, teacher, and clinician ratings.

Attempted to expand the construct validity of the standard profile and the recently developed factor scales for the PIC by determining the relationship of these scales to empirically derived dimensions of problem behaviors in children and adolescents. Extensive behavioral ratings of 398 2–12 yr old children and 293 13–18 yr old adolescents were obtained on 3 criterion checklists completed by parents, teachers, and clinicians. Ratings on these 3 forms were submitted to iterative common factor analysis with varimax rotation and yielded 5, 7, and 7 problem-behavior dimensions, respectively. T scores on the 16 clinical profile and the 4 PIC factor scales were correlated with the problem behavior dimensions separately for male children, male adolescents, female children, and female adolescents. The resulting correlation matrices permitted identification of scale correlates and estimates of their generalizability across age and sex. Results provide evidence of convergent and discriminant validity for both broad-band factor and narrow-band profile scales. The increased utility of the PIC accruing from the availability of both broad- and narrow-band measures of psychopathology is discussed, and suggestions for clinical and research application are noted. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dimensions of moral interaction and moral judgment in delinquent and nondelinquent families.

Investigated the intrinsic relationship of parental morality to the development of delinquent behavior in the child. Ss were 8 delinquent and 8 nondelinquent male adolescents and their mothers. The level of moral maturity for mother and son was established through individual administration of L. Kohlberg's structured moral dilemmas, and each adolescent delinquent and nondelinquent and his mother were presented jointly with additional moral dilemmas and instructed to reach mutual agreement on their solution. Analysis of moral discussion between mother and son revealed significant differences between delinquent and nondelinquent families on a variety of interaction dimensions. The relationship of these dimensions to moral judgment and to delinquent behavior is explored. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parenting behaviors and the occurrence and co-occurrence of adolescent depressive symptoms and conduct problems.

This study of 388 adolescents found a significant covariation between the elevated depressive symptoms and conduct problems. Observer ratings of family interaction indicate that (a) parents of 10th graders with and without later adjustment problems differed in their parenting behaviors when the adolescents were in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades; (b) parents of 10th graders with elevated conduct problems were more hostile than parents of 10th graders with elevated depressive symptoms when the adolescents were in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades; (c) parents of 10th graders with both elevated depressive symptoms and conduct problems were the most hostile and the least warm when these adolescents were in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. Observed parenting behaviors predicted the occurrence and co-occurrence of these adjustment problems among 10th graders after controlling for 7th grade (Time 1) depressive symptoms and delinquent behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Studies of behavior modification and juvenile delinquency: A review, methodological critique, and social perspective.

Studies of the use of behavior modification techniques with delinquent youth are reviewed according to the type of behavior to be modified: educational, program, and delinquent behavior per se. While these investigations indicate an overall pattern of positive results, the definitiveness of the conclusions is restricted by methodological weaknesses. Issues regarding the relevance of this literature to the area of social policy decisions, and its impact on the various social systems that affect the lives of the youth who become labeled as delinquent, are discussed. (64 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Convergence and concurrent validity of DSM-III diagnoses and the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC).

Evaluated the relations of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) diagnoses and the parent-informant PIC within a sample of 839 behaviorally disturbed children and adolescents. In addition, the ability of DSM-III diagnoses and the PIC to predict teacher and clinician behavior ratings was compared. High proportions of children assigned specific DSM-III diagnoses obtained elevated scores on related PIC scales, although the overlap was imperfect. Also, covariation of the teacher and clinician behavior ratings was much stronger with the PIC than with DSM-III diagnoses. Implications of these findings for clinical practice with children are discussed. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Caretaking behaviors by adolescent children of mothers with and without a history of depression.

In a sample of 72 mothers with and without a history of depression and their adolescent children, maternal depression history, current maternal depressive symptoms, intrusive and withdrawn parental behavior, and adolescent caretaking behaviors were examined as predictors of adjustment in these youth. Two types of caretaking behaviors were examined: emotional (e.g., caring for a parent's emotional distress) and instrumental (e.g., looking after younger siblings). Although adolescents of mothers with and without a history of depression were comparable on levels of both types of caretaking, caretaking was associated with adolescents' reports of anxiety–depression and mothers' reports of social competence only for adolescents of mothers with a history of depression. Moreover, regression models showed that among children of mothers with a history of depression, emotional, but not instrumental, caretaking was related to adolescents' anxiety–depression symptoms and social competence after controlling for current parental depressive symptoms and stressful parenting behaviors. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Marital and severe parent-to-adolescent physical aggression in clinic-referred families: Mother and adolescent reports on co-occurence and links to child behavior problems.

This study examined the interplay of marital and severe parental physical aggression, and their links to child behavior problems, in 232 families of clinic-referred adolescents. Combined reports from mothers and adolescents indicated that two thirds of adolescents exposed to marital aggression in the past year had also experienced parental aggression. Mothers and fathers who used and/or were victims of marital aggression were both more likely to direct aggression toward their adolescent. Mother and youth reports of marital aggression were tied to each party's report of greater externalizing problems and to youth reports of greater internalizing problems. Severe parental aggression uniquely predicted maternal reports of both behavior problems, after controlling for marital aggression; the reverse was not true. Also, adolescents exposed to both types of family aggression did not display greater maladjustment than those subjected to only one type of family aggression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Delinquent behavior, future divorce or nonmarital childbearing, and externalizing behavior among offspring: A 14-year prospective study.

In a longitudinal study of a national sample, more externalizing behavior problems were found among 222 children from never-married and 142 children from divorced families than among 840 children from married families. However, delinquent behavior reported when future mothers were single, childless adolescents prospectively predicted their future marital status and behavior problems among their offspring 14 years later. Maternal history of delinquent behavior accounted for much, but not all, of the relationship between marital status and children's externalizing behavior. Divorce and nonmarital childbirth do not occur at random, and these findings demonstrate that marital status is predicted by individual characteristics as well as by demographic factors. These findings highlight the importance of cautiously interpreting the much-discussed correlation between marital status and children's behavior problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Covariation of the anxious-depressed syndrome during adolescence: Separating fact from artifact.

Nosological (symptom overlap) and methodological (informant) artifact in the covariation of an empirically derived syndrome of anxious-depressed symptoms with 7 other syndromes of emotional and behavior problems was examined in reports by parents, teachers, and adolescents on a nationally representative sample of 908 adolescents. Although minor symptom overlap was observed and the effects of informant were significant, the anxious-depressed syndrome covaried significantly with all other syndromes after controlling for these effects. Indices of covariation controlling for informant effects were all significant and ranged for all syndromes except for delinquent behavior from .619 to .681, reflecting significant covariation of the anxious-depressed syndrome with both externalizing and internalizing syndromes. Covariation of the anxious-depressed syndrome and delinquent behavior was .470. Implications for research on the comorbidity-covariation of depressive syndromes during childhood and adolescence are highlighted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescent mothers' cognitions and behaviors as at-risk indicators.

Examined how qualities of adolescent mothers (AMs) are related to their child's socioemotional development and the relationship between maternal characteristics and the AM's ratings of her child's behavior. Ss included 39 AMs (mean age 17.9 yrs) and their children (aged 4–22 mo). Multiple measures of parental characteristics were used, including self-report measures of parenting expectations and mood orientation, and a qualitative behavioral measure of involvement. Analyses compared these measures with ratings of the child's coping behavior by trained observers and mothers' ratings of their child using the Parenting Stress Index (PSI). Findings indicate that parenting expectations had a unique and differential power in explaining both objective child observation ratings and the mothers' PSI ratings of their children. Interactions involving maternal positive behavior were related significantly to mothers' PSI ratings of the child's acceptability or reinforcement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Unresolved states of mind, disorganized attachment relationships, and disrupted interactions of adolescent mothers and their infants.

The links between unresolved maternal attachment status, disrupted maternal interaction in play situations, and disorganized attachment relationships were examined in a study of 82 adolescent mother-infant dyads. Maternal interactive behavior was measured using the Atypical Maternal Behavior Instrument for Assessment and Classification coding system. Additional rating scales were developed to correspond to the 5 dimensions of disrupted maternal behavior outlined by E. Bronfman, E. Parsons, and K. Lyons-Ruth (1999). A robust association was observed between disrupted maternal behavior and disorganized attachment. Ratings of disrupted maternal behavior revealed that disorganized attachment relationships were strongly related to ratings of fearful/disoriented behavior. Moreover, mothers who were unresolved were more likely than not-unresolved mothers to show disrupted patterns of interaction with their infants. Regression analyses suggested that disrupted behavior statistically mediated the association between unresolved status and disorganized attachment relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relation between 3-year-old children's skills and their hyperactivity, inattention, and aggression.

This study examines the relation between 3-year-old children's (N = 280) symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and aggression and their cognitive, motor, and preacademic skills. When the authors controlled for other types of attention and behavior problems, maternal ratings of hyperactivity and teacher ratings of inattention were uniquely and moderately associated with children's lower cognitive and preacademic skills. The few modest, simple associations between maternal ratings of aggression and children's skills were no longer significant when hyperactivity and inattention were controlled. This suggests that cognitive and preacademic problems among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms may begin to emerge as early as age 3. The results highlight the importance of examining the association between different types of behavior problems and young children's skills. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attachment and autonomy as predictors of the development of social skills and delinquency during midadolescence.

This study examined adolescent attachment organization as a predictor of the development of social skills and delinquent behavior during midadolescence. Delinquent activity and skill levels were assessed for 117 moderately at-risk adolescents at ages 16 and 18, and maternal and adolescent attachment organization and autonomy in interactions were assessed at age 16. Adolescent attachment security predicted relative increases in social skills from age 16 to 18, whereas an insecure-preoccupied attachment organization predicted increasing delinquency during this period. In addition, preoccupied teens interacting with highly autonomous mothers showed greater relative decreases in skill levels and increases in delinquent activity over time, suggesting a heightened risk for deviance among preoccupied teens who may be threatened by growing autonomy in adolescent-parent interactions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A PIC profile typology of children and adolescents: I. Empirically derived alternative to traditional diagnosis.

Investigated the utility of a multidimensional instrument, the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC), to serve as the database for an empirically derived typology of child and adolescent psychopathology. A cluster-analytic technique was applied to T-score ranges of the 12 PIC full-length substantive profile scales for 2 independent samples of emotionally and behaviorally disturbed children and adolescents that included 6 criterion marker samples (hyperactive, psychotic, retarded, cerebral dysfunction, somatic, delinquent), for a total of 1,782 Ss. 11 profile clusters replicated across samples and classified 82% of these profiles. Further analyses indicated that these replicated clusters differed in age, sex, and criterion marker sample composition, as well as on 18 of the 19 ratings of pathology dimensions obtained from parents, teachers, and clinicians. Results support the conclusion that the PIC may be valuable in the development of an empirically based classification system. (58 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Infants at social risk: Relations among infant maltreatment, maternal behavior, and infant attachment behavior.

Fifty-six 12-mo-old infants, including 10 maltreated infants, 18 nonmaltreated high-risk infants, and 28 matched low-income controls, were videotaped in naturalistic settings at home with their mothers for 40 min and were observed 2 weeks later in the Ainsworth Strange Situation. Maltreating mothers were rated higher than nonmaltreating mothers on covertly hostile and interfering behaviors toward their infants at home. Maltreated infants were more avoidant of their mothers in the Strange Situation than nonmaltreated infants. Correlations between maternal behaviors at home and infant behaviors in the Strange Situation revealed that mothers whose infants displayed resistant behavior on reunion were rated at home as less verbally communicative and mothers whose infants displayed avoidant behavior on reunion were rated at home as more covertly hostile. Infants showing mixed avoidance and resistance were more likely to have extremely uncommunicative mothers than were infants who showed avoidance alone. Use of the behavioral rating scales for avoidance and resistance produced clearer findings than use of the final attachment classifications. Reasons for the discrepancies between analyses of classifications and analyses of behavior ratings were identified. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The reliability and validity of the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV) in nonincarcerated adolescent males.

Current knowledge about the validity of the psychopathy syndrome in youth is limited largely to studies relying on parent-teacher rating scales or slight modifications of adult measures. Recently, the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV) was designed for use with adolescents. However, most studies that have used this measure examined incarcerated mates and addressed only validity criteria related to antisocial behavior. We investigated the generality and construct validity of the psychopathy syndrome in an adolescent sample by assessing 115 adolescent males on probation with the PCL:YV. Reliability of measurement was high. PCL:YV ratings predicted not only antisocial behavior but also other indices of childhood psychopathology, interpersonal behaviors associated with adult psychopathy, and a lack of attachment to parents. These findings suggest that the PCL:YV identifies a syndrome in adolescence consistent with theory and research on adult males. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sibling conflict in middle childhood predicts children's adjustment in early adolescence.

Associations between sibling conflict in middle childhood and psychological adjustment in early adolescence were studied in a sample of 80 boys and 56 girls. Parents and children provided self-report data about family relationships and children's adjustment. Parents' hostility to children was assessed from videotaped interactions. Results showed that sibling conflict at Time 1 predicted increases in children's anxiety, depressed mood, and delinquent behavior 2 years later. Moreover, earlier sibling conflict at Time 1 accounted for unique variance in young adolescents' Time 2 anxiety, depressed mood, and delinquent behavior above and beyond the variance explained by earlier maternal hostility and marital conflict. Children's adjustment at Time 1 did not predict sibling conflict at Time 2. Results highlight the unique significance of the earlier sibling relationship for young adolescents' psychological adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adapting the MMPI for use in assessing late adolescents in Trinidad and Tobago

In this study, the original Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was modified slightly by rewording ten items to fit the vernacular of English employed by young men and women in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The response alternatives were extended to include a "don't understand" answer in addition to "true" and "false." To determine the effectiveness of the MMPI for use in this cultural setting, 202 male and 246 female high school students between the ages of 15 and 20 years were examined. Two clinical groups also were studied: 26 male and 32 female adolescents in psychiatric treatment, as well as 49 male and 14 female juvenile offenders incarcerated for various delinquent acts. The retest stability of the basic MMPI scores was evaluated by readministering the MMPI one week later to samples of normal males and females. Validity scale data indicated that these late adolescents were responding to the MMPI in ways comparable to normal and clinical groups in the United States. The results of this investigation support the use of the MMPI in the appraisal of emotional problems of adolescents seen in both the mental health and criminal justice systems in Trinidad and Tobago.