Reliability of family maltreatment diagnostic criteria: 41 site dissemination field trial.

R. E. Heyman and A. M. S. Slep (see record 2006-10939-007) developed and conducted an effectiveness trial of a diagnostic system for child and partner maltreatment. The current investigation tested the widespread dissemination of the diagnostic system at 41 child and partner maltreatment services sites (n = 549 partner maltreatment cases and n = 342 child maltreatment cases). Agreement between field and master reviewers’ decisions was good for partner physical and emotional abuse (κ = 0.83–0.84). Agreement was also good for child physical, emotional, and sexual abuse (κ = 0.73–0.89) but lagged slightly for child neglect (κ = 0.66). Thus, multifaceted and content valid family maltreatment diagnostic criteria can be disseminated reliably. Replication studies of interrater agreement of the diagnostic system in typical clinical and agency settings are necessary; however, the high levels of agreement in myriad field sites imply that consistency of maltreatment determinations is achievable in widespread use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coparental and family group-level dynamics during infancy: early family precursors of child and family functioning during preschool

This study examines longitudinal correlates of coparental and family group-level dynamics during infancy. Thirty-seven couples observed at play with their 8-11-month-old infants (15 boys, 22 girls) rated their child's internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and their own coparenting behavior 3 years later. Teachers also rated child behavior at the 3-year follow-up. Several significant relationships emerged between observed family process (high hostility-competitiveness, low family harmony, and high parenting discrepancies in the triad) at Time 1, and subsequent reports of child and coparenting behavior at Time 2. Larger parenting discrepancies at Time 1 predicted greater child anxiety as rated by teachers; greater hostility-competitiveness and lower harmony forecast higher child aggression. Time 1 family process continued to predict Time 2 aggression even after controlling for individual and marital functioning. Several links were also found between distressed family process and later parental reports of negative coparenting behavior. These parental reports of coparenting also explained unique variance in concurrent child behavior ratings. The significance of coparenting as a distinct family construct is discussed.     

Congruence in nondirective play and filial therapy: Response to Ryan and Courtney.

Differences in the training of nondirective play therapists between University of York (U.K.) approach and the Guerney and Landreth approaches (U.S.) has been raised by Ryan and Courtney (2009). York-trained therapists are encouraged to initiate expression of their own feelings at selective times to assure that therapists are congruent in their relationship with children in nondirective play-therapy. Congruence, an important component of the necessary and sufficient conditions for therapeutic personality change (Rogers, 1957), is based on the importance of therapist genuineness to maintain a trustful and safe therapeutic relationship. This article compliments Ryan and Courtney (2009) for introducing the importance of congruence in play therapy. The assumptions of nondirective play therapy in the Guerney approach was influenced significantly by their development of filial therapy and to the training of parents and therapists, This article asserts that congruence, in the Guerney approach, is incorporated by therapists expressing their own feelings only when this is initiated overtly or covertly by the child. Responding to a child in this way is dependent on the empathic attunement to a child's emotional motivation by a skillful parent or therapist. This raises questions about whether a nondirective stance is maintained in the York approach. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interview with Anni Bergman.

Anni Bergman is among a cadre of child analysts who entered into the field after many years of educational work with children. Before her training in child therapy, she taught music, directed a school orchestra, and co-authored a book on how to teach very young children to play the recorder. Her psychoanalytic work, spanning more than two decades, considers abnormal processes within the context of typical developmental patterns. Karen Roser (KR), a doctoral candidate and beginning student of psychoanalysis, interviewed her former teacher of play therapy and supervisor at the City University Child Center to gather insights into the past and present of child analytic work and some intimate details of her association with Margaret Mahler. Excerpts from the interview with Anni Bergman (AB) follow. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Integrative family therapy for disputes involving child custody and visitation.

This article describes integrative multilevel family therapy for disputes involving child custody and visitation, a multiple-level systems-based treatment specifically targeted at those engaged in intractable conflicts over child custody and visitation. Parents and children engaged in these conflicts are at risk for a variety of difficulties. Key aspects of the approach include the articulation of clear therapy contracts, the utilization of multiple therapy session formats, the maintenance of a systemic perspective, intervention on multiple system levels, the tailoring of intervention strategy based in an assessment of the locus of difficulty in each case, planning for intervention over time, and working at the interface of the legal system in order to impact on these problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Play therapy outcome prediction: An exploratory study at a university-based clinic.

In this study we investigated the prediction of child centered play therapy (CCPT)/nondirective play therapy on emotional and behavioral problems using archival data from 82 child clients at a university-based counseling clinic. Statistically significant predictions were found on the Internalizing and Externalizing Problems scales on the Child Behavior Checklist. Termination and family relationship concerns variables were found to be strong contributors to predicting greater improvement. Results are discussed concerning implications for clinical practice and further research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Improving parenting in families referred for child maltreatment: A randomized controlled trial examining effects of Project Support.

Project Support is an intervention designed to decrease coercive patterns of aggressive discipline and increase positive parenting. This research evaluates Project Support in a sample of families reported to Children's Protective Services (CPS) for allegations of physical abuse or neglect; 35 families with a child between 3- and 8-years-old participated. In all families, CPS allowed the children to remain in the family home while the family received services. Families were randomly assigned to receive either Project Support or services as usual, which were provided by CPS or CPS-contracted service providers. To evaluate intervention effects, a multimethod, multi-informant assessment strategy was used that included data from mothers' reports, direct observation of parents' behavior, and review of CPS records for re-referrals for child maltreatment. Families who received Project Support services showed greater decreases than families who received services as usual in the following areas: mothers' perceived inability to manage childrearing responsibilities, mothers' reports of harsh parenting, and observations of ineffective parenting practices. Only 5.9% of families in the Project Support condition had a subsequent referral to CPS for child maltreatment, compared with 27.7% of families in the comparison condition. The results suggest that Project Support may be a promising intervention for reducing child maltreatment among families in which it has occurred. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Public health approaches to family maltreatment prevention: Resetting family psychology's sights from the home to the community.

The authors review recent trends within the family maltreatment research field toward a public health approach, discuss the rationale for community-level interventions for family maltreatment, and sketch the history and development of community-level prevention approaches. Next, to illustrate the both the logistic and the scientific challenges of such work, the authors discuss the development and testing of an empirically guided, research-community partnership for the prevention of family maltreatment, the United States Air Force's NORTH STAR initiative (New Orientation to Reduce Threats to Health From Secretive Problems That Affect Readiness). Finally, recommendations are made for effective and disseminable family maltreatment prevention interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A retrospective study of risk to siblings in abusing families.

Relatively little research has considered the risk to siblings within maltreating families. The sample in the present study consisted of the 795 siblings from a cohort of 400 "index" children who had been referred to police child protection units in England for abuse and/or neglect. In 44% of families (valid cases), the index child was scapegoated, in 37% maltreatment was nonspecific to all siblings, and in 20% maltreatment was specifically directed at some but not all siblings. Scapegoated children were more likely to be older and to experience physical or sexual abuse, whereas younger children and index child referrals for neglect, emotional abuse, or mixed abuse were associated with risk to some or all siblings. Parental difficulties and family stressors increased the risk of maltreatment to all siblings. There was no evidence of increased risk to stepsiblings or children with difficulties, suggesting that the special victim model has limited application. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting parent and child outcomes of a filial therapy program.

The present study investigated parent and child factors that predict outcome in a filial therapy program for parents (N = 27) and young children (ages 2–10). Higher levels of parent distress and poorer child regulation of emotion at pretest were predictive of greater reductions in child behavior problems; poorer parent regulation of emotion at pretest was predictive of greater increases in parent acceptance; and less parent satisfaction with social support from family and friends at pretest was predictive of greater increases in parent communication of acceptance in parent–child play. Implications and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parents' hostility in dyadic marital and triadic family settings and children's behavior problems.

The authors examined the relation between parents' hostility during conflict-focused discussions and child behavior problems. Parents engaged in 3 discussions: a dyadic marital discussion of marital disagreements, a dyadic marital discussion of child-related disagreements, and a triadic family discussion with the child about the child-related disagreements. Eighty-nine 2-parent community families with a child aged 9–13 years participated. A significant 3-way interaction between interparental hostility, parent-to-child hostility, and child sex accounted for variance in children's behavior problems. Among boys, higher levels of parent-to-child hostility during family discussions exacerbated the effects of interparental hostility on boys' adjustment. Thus, exposure to higher levels of both interparental and parent-to-child hostility may put boys at risk for developing internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Integrating play and family therapy methods: A survey of play therapists' attitudes in the field.

The researchers surveyed 295 members of the Association for Play Therapy on their attitudes related to working with families when treating children. The results indicated the majority of play therapists held attitudes conducive to involving families in their approaches with children. However, mixed findings were found in specific areas related to the implementation of play therapy with families, suggesting barriers may exist. These mixed findings included a decreased percentage of play therapists that felt like play therapy was effective in family therapy when compared with the high level who felt that play and family therapy approaches could be integrated. Moreover, the respondents were divided on issues such as parents' willingness to be involved in therapy with their children and if parents were actually resistant to being included in sessions with their children. These mixed findings suggest that a wide range of attitudes and experiences about parental involvement exist among play therapists in the field. The authors raise key questions for the play therapy field to consider in more depth and suggest improvements that may be needed in play therapy education to increase the efficacy of play therapists' skills in working with families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Look, up in the sky! Using superheroes in play therapy.

Fantasy and fantasy play are key elements in healthy child development, and as such, are potentially important resources for play therapy. The multi-media genre of superhero mythology has long provided children (and adults) with rich fantasies serving a number of important developmental functions, including emotional release, a sense of power, instillation of hope, a resource for problem solving and identity formation. Whether Captain America, Superman, Spiderman, the Justice League of America, X-Men, or Powerpuff Girls, these mythological figures have flown from the pages of comics, television and the silver screen into the imaginations and play of generations of children. Considering their ubiquity in popular children's culture, a paucity of research or clinical literature has addressed the incorporation of superheroes into child counseling and play therapy. The purpose of this article is to first describe the relationship between fantasy, superhero mythology, and play therapy, and to then provide examples from clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Structural family versus psychodynamic child therapy for problematic Hispanic boys.

Structural family therapy, psychodynamic child therapy, and a recreational control condition were compared for 69 six-to-twelve-year-old Hispanic boys who presented with behavioral and emotional problems. The results suggest that the control condition was significantly less effective in retaining cases than the two treatment conditions, which were apparently equivalent in reducing behavioral and emotional problems as well as in improving psychodynamic ratings of child functioning. Structural family therapy was more effective than psychodynamic child therapy in protecting the integrity of the family at 1-year follow-up. Finally, the results did not support basic assumptions of structural family systems therapy regarding the mechanisms mediating symptom reduction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Creating and field-testing diagnostic criteria for partner and child maltreatment.

An integrated set of diagnostic criteria for partner abuse and child abuse and neglect were developed and tested in 4 studies conducted with a branch of America's largest family maltreatment protection agency (i.e., the U.S. military's Family Advocacy Program). Maltreatment criteria then in force were found to have adequate levels of content validity, but experts' and users' feedback indicated ambiguities and poorly specified criteria that undermined reliable application. Criteria incorporating elements of the best existing civilian and military operationalizations were developed and evaluated in two field trials. The final definitions were found to support very high levels of agreement (92%) between base adjudicating committees and master reviewers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mother–child play and maltreatment: A longitudinal analysis of emerging social behavior from infancy to toddlerhood.

Mother–child play of maltreating and nonmaltreating families was analyzed when infants were 12 months old (Time 1), and 2 years old (Time 2), as a context to examine children's developing cognitive and social skills. At Time 1, infants from abusing families demonstrated less independent and more imitative behavior during play than did infants from neglecting and nonmaltreating families, suggesting a delay in emerging social behaviors. In this longitudinal follow-up, mother–child play was reassessed 1 year later (N = 78), with a focus on children's engagement in nonplay and pretend play and on children's abilities to initiate social exchanges and respond to parental requests. Play and social behavior were coded from semistructured and unstructured play paradigms at both time points. Maternal attention-directing behavior and limit setting also was assessed. At Time 2, children from abusing, neglecting, and nonmaltreating families did not differ in cognitive play complexity. However, children from abusing families engaged in less child-initiated play than did children from neglecting and nonmaltreating families, demonstrating less socially competent behavior. Longitudinal analyses revealed child initiated play at Time 2 was negatively associated with abuse and with maternal physical attention directing behavior at Time 1. Child negative reactivity at Time 2 was positively associated with Time 1 maternal physical behavior and child imitation and with Time 2 maternal controlling behavior. Implications for early intervention efforts are emphasized. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Economic pressure in African American families: A replication and extension of the family stress model.

This study of 422 two-caregiver African American families, each with a 10-11-year-old focal child (54% girls), evaluated the applicability of the family stress model of economic hardship for understanding economic influences on child development in this population. The findings generally replicated earlier research with European American families. The results showed that economic hardship positively relates to economic pressure in families. Economic pressure was related to the emotional distress of caregivers, which in turn was associated with problems in the caregiver relationship. These problems were related to disrupted parenting practices, which predicted lower positive child adjustment and higher internalizing and externalizing symptoms. The results provide significant support for the family stress model of economic hardship and its generalizability to diverse populations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Intensive filial therapy with child witnesses of domestic violence: A comparison with individual and sibling group play therapy.

The rationale for utilizing filial therapy as a treatment intervention with child witnesses of domestic violence while residing with their mothers in a shelter facility is explored and the effectiveness of an intensive 12-session filial therapy parent training group, conducted within 2-3 weeks, is described (n=11; aged 4-10 yrs). Results of analysis of covariance revealed that child witnesses in the experimental group significantly reduced behavior problems prevalent in child witnesses and significantly increased their self-concept as compared to child witnesses in the non-treatment comparison group. In addition, t-test results showed that mothers who facilitated treatment of the experimental group scored significantly higher after training on both their attitudes of acceptance and their empathic behavior. Comparative analysis revealed that intensive filial therapy as facilitated by the children's mothers was as effective in reducing behavior problems as was intensive individual play therapy and intensive sibling group play therapy as facilitated by professionally trained therapists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Family functioning in families of children with anxiety disorders.

The authors examined maternal and paternal reports of family functioning and their relationship with child outcomes as well as the association between anxiety and depression in family members and family functioning. Results reveal that maternal and paternal reports of family functioning were both significantly associated with worse child outcomes, including child anxiety disorder (AD) severity, anxiety symptoms, and child global functioning. Maternal and paternal anxiety and depression predicted worse family functioning, whereas child report of anxiety and depression did not. Parents of children with ADs reported significantly worse family functioning and behavior control, but only fathers reported worse problem solving and affective involvement compared with fathers of children with no psychological disorders. Findings from this study suggest that paternal as well as maternal anxiety and depression play a role in worse family functioning in children with ADs and that unhealthier family functioning is associated with worse child outcomes in this population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Play, aggression, the preschool child, and the family: A review of literature to guide empirically informed play therapy with aggressive preschool children.

Preschool-aged children displaying high levels of aggression repeatedly have been shown to be at significant risk for continued behavior problems and other social and emotional challenges throughout their lifetimes. The present literature review seeks to summarize and integrate findings across the fields of developmental psychology, family studies, child development, and play therapy to inform play therapists' practices with this population. Specifically, findings from research in these fields hold substantial implications for empirically informed ways in which play therapists can include parents within play therapy processes. Affective quality of parent- child interactions emerges as the common theme across all existing literature and is emphasized as a critical focus for play-based therapeutic intervention. Topics for future research by play therapists focusing on this population are suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)