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 Ss who received family ecological treatment evidenced significant decreases in conduct problems, anxious-withdrawn behaviors, immaturity, and association with delinquent peers.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)     

Course of psychological symptoms in sexually abused young children.

Assessed 8 sexually abused (SA) children (aged 3–7 yrs) repeatedly with the Child Behavior Checklist during a 10–18 mo period to explore the course of psychological symptoms that emerged in response to the abuse. Their individual courses were linked to whether treatment was provided and pathology in the parents. In some Ss, symptoms reflected a similar pattern of resolution. Symptomatology included depression and somatic complaints, aggressiveness, and the emergence of sexualized behavior. Parent–child interactions and the impact of therapy are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of knowledge of social learning principles on enhancing treatment outcome and generalization in a parent training program.

Examined the efficacy of incorporating formal training in social learning principles into a behavioral parent training program as a means of enhancing treatment outcome and generalization. Two groups of parents (n?=?20) received behavioral skill training designed to modify child noncompliance. One group also received formal training in social learning principles throughout the program. Children had a mean age of 61.75 mo. Outcome measures collected prior to and after treatment and at a 2-mo follow-up included home observations by independent observers, parents' perceptions of child adjustment, and a parent consumer-satisfaction measure. Results indicate that after treatment, the group receiving social learning principles tended to perceive their children as better adjusted and tended to be more satisfied with treatment. At follow-up, parents in this group perceived their children as better adjusted and rewarded their children more. Furthermore, their children were significantly more compliant. Results suggest that temporal and setting generality are enhanced by the inclusion of social learning principles into parent training procedures. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavior therapy for obesity: A comparative investigation of long-term efficacy.

Both individual and group behavior therapies were compared to a stringent social pressure program in the treatment of 72 obese females (mean age, 41.5 yrs) with a long-standing history of obesity (mean, 15.9 yrs) and inability to lose weight or maintain a weight loss. Following an 8-wk treatment phase, half of each treatment condition received 4 additional booster sessions and the remaining half simply reported for regularly scheduled follow-up weigh-ins at 3, 6, 9, and 12 mo, respectively. Both behavioral treatments were significantly superior to the social-pressure therapy at posttreatment. However, whereas the 2 group treatments resulted in successful maintenance of treatment-produced weight reduction, Ss treated with individual behavior therapy showed substantial relapse at long-term follow-up. It is hypothesized that initial treatment success and subsequent maintenance of weight loss are governed by partially different processes. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effectiveness of a psychoeducational approach to HIV risk behavior reduction.

The effectiveness of a psychoeducational treatment program for reducing high-risk HIV transmission behaviors was compared with that of an information only group evaluated in a sample of 127 inpatients (aged 22–62 yrs), mostly African-American, on a drug abuse treatment unit. Both treatments were effective in increasing factual knowledge about AIDS, proficiency at demonstrating correct procedures for needle cleaning and condom use, and perceived susceptibility to and response efficacy for avoiding HIV infection. At posttreatment, Ss in the psychoeducation condition obtained higher scores on the condom demonstration test; however, at 1-mo follow-up, the performance of both groups on this test was equivalent. In terms of HIV knowledge, the psychoeducation group was superior at follow-up, but not at posttreatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of diet plus exercise on weight change in parents and children.

Obese children (aged 8–12 yrs) and parents from 53 families were randomly assigned to 3 groups: diet, diet plus exercise, and no-treatment control. At 6 mo, parents and children in both treatment groups had equal and significantly better weight change than members of the control group. At 1 yr, however, parents given diet plus exercise showed better weight losses than parents given diet alone. No treatment group differences were found for children after 1 yr. Parent and child weight changes observed during the 1st 6 mo of treatment were highly correlated, but those observed during Months 6–22 were uncorrelated. Discriminant analyses showed that initial relative weight was the best predictor of 12-mo relative weight for both parents and children but that exposure to the exercise program during treatment was a predictor of maintenance of nonobesity. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Long-term effects of behavioral versus insight-oriented therapy with inpatient alcoholics.

Assessed the relative effects of behavioral treatment involving both covert sensitization and relaxation training vs insight-oriented treatment consisting of transactional analysis (TA) with 113 male and female alcoholic inpatients (21–73 yrs). Ss were assigned in randomized blocks to 1 of 4 groups: (a) milieu treatment control group or 1 of 3 experimental groups, each of which included the milieu treatment, (b) behavioral group, (c) TA group, (d) combined group, involving both TA and behavioral treatment. Four-year follow-up interviews yielded data on the Quantity Frequency Index scale, abstinence, and an overall clinical adjustment scale for 5 posttreatment periods. Differences between behavioral and TA treatment were significant or approached significance at 6 mo and 1? yrs after treatment, but not thereafter. Strong and consistent trends were evident favoring the behavioral approach on all 3 measures across all 5 follow-up periods. The strength of the milieu treatment was also supported, and the need for long-term follow-up studies beyond 6 mo is stressed. (70 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Therapist and group contact as variables in the behavioral treatment of obesity.

Randomly assigned 29 obese females (average age 48.7 yrs), to 1 of 3 experimental conditions: (a) a "standard" behavioral treatment (SBT) group emphasizing self-management techniques (Ss attended group therapy meetings weekly for 10 wks, then monthly for 6 mo and were given a weight control manual); (b) a group receiving the weight control manual via mail with little professional contact (MMC); and (c) a waiting list control condition. Results reveal a superiority of both treatment conditions over the control condition at posttreatment. SBT Ss did significantly better than MMC Ss at posttreatment but not at the 6-mo follow-up. Weight loss for MMC Ss was minimal. The use of "do-it-yourself" treatment manuals is challenged. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interparental agreement on child behavior problems.

Interparental agreement (IA) on child behavior problems was studied by having parents in 137 families complete the Child Behavior Checklist (CBC) for their children (aged 3–13 yrs). IA on specific behavior problems was low. Mothers consistently reported more problem behavior than fathers, but parents did not show different levels of agreement for boys and girls. Discrepancies between parental reports of problem behavior, but not kappa scores, increased as the distress level of the family increased. CBC items rated high for objectivity, observability, molecularity, disturbance, and social undesirability generally obtained higher levels of parental agreement than items rated low for these qualities. Some evidence indicated that items on the externalizing scale of the checklist achieve higher agreement and are more objective, observable, and socially undesirable than items on the internalizing scale. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An evaluation of parental problem-solving training in the behavioral treatment of childhood obesity.

The current investigation evaluated the efficacy of including parental problem-solving training in a behavioral weight-reduction program for obese children. Children and their parents were randomly assigned to a problem-solving, behavioral, or instruction-only weight-loss group. Children in the problem-solving group lost significantly more weight and decreased their percent overweight and body-mass indices significantly more during the 8-week treatment program than either behavioral or instruction-only subjects. These differences were maintained at the 3- and 6-month follow-up sessions. Only those parents in the problem-solving group significantly increased their problem-solving skills during the program. Child weight loss was significantly correlated with increases in parental problem-solving ability from pretreatment to posttreatment and from posttreatment to the 6-month follow-up. This evidence supports the conclusion that problem-solving training is a desirable addition to a behavioral weight-loss program for children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychometric properties of a French-Canadian translation of Achenbach's Youth Self-Report.

Examined internal consistency, concurrent validity, and test-retest reliability of a French-Canadian translation of T. M. Achenbach's (1991) Youth Self-Report (YSR) in a nonreferred sample, aged 13-18 yrs. 48 bilingual and 64 English-speaking adolescents and their parents participated. Analysis of variance comparing the standard English YSR and Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach, 1991) indicated no main effects for adolescent gender or language, but adolescents reported more pathology than did their parents. The standard and French YSR scales were highly correlated (r=.96-.98), and parallel items elicited similar responses. Cronbach's coefficient alpha for the French YSR scales ranged from 0.83 to 0.92, and test-retest correlations were robust (r=.85-.88). Bilinguals who spoke predominantly French at home reported more internalizing pathology on the French than on the English YSR, but external validation is necessary to determine which report is more valid. Further investigation of the French YSR in referred samples is recommended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Worksite smoking intervention with nursing professionals: Long-term outcome and relapse assessment.

Evaluated the long-term effectiveness of a worksite smoking cessation program with 29 nurses (mean age 31 yrs) who were assigned to either a treatment (nicotine fading and abstinence training) or a waiting list control condition. The treatment condition also included daily carbon monoxide feedback provided in the wards, extended to a 3-mo follow-up, and gradually faded to unannounced days through 12 mo. 86% completed treatment and follow-up. At 6 mo, the treatment group had a superior abstinence rate (33 vs 0%). This 33% rate was maintained at 9 and 12 mo. Negative affect, the ready availability of cigarettes, and the presence of others played prominent roles in both 1st and 2nd relapses. Initial relapses led to a resumption of smoking 50% of the time, and 100% of those who relapsed twice eventually resumed smoking. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social support and smoking cessation and maintenance.

Examined the role of social support in smoking cessation and maintenance in 2 longitudinal, prospective studies with 64 Ss each (mean ages 38.4 yrs and 38.8 yrs). Three kinds of support factors were assessed: support from a partner directly related to quitting, perceptions of the availability of general (i.e., nonsmoking) support resources, and the presence of smokers in Ss' social networks. Ss were smokers in cessation programs. Corroborated smoking status was obtained through 12 mo posttreatment. There was evidence for all 3 support factors, but they operated at different points in the process of cessation and maintenance. High levels of partner support and of the perceived availability of general support were associated with cessation and with short-term (to 3 mo posttreatment) maintenance of abstinence. The presence of smokers in Ss' social networks was a hindrance to maintenance and significantly differentiated between relapsers and long-term (12-mo) abstainers. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The prevention of depressive symptoms in rural school children: A randomized controlled trial.

A controlled trial was conducted to evaluate a prevention program aimed at reducing depressive and anxious symptoms in rural school children. Seventh-grade children with elevated depression were selected. Nine primary schools (n=90) were randomly assigned to receive the program, and 9 control schools (n=99) received their usual health education classes. Children completed questionnaires on depression, anxiety, explanatory style, and social skills. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (T. M. Achenbach, 1991). No intervention effects were found for depression. Intervention group children reported less anxiety than the control group after the program and at 6-month follow-up and more optimistic explanations at postintervention. Intervention group parents reported fewer child internalizing and externalizing symptoms at postintervention only. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Consistency of posttreatment alcoholics' drinking patterns.

Tested the clinical assumption that the posttreatment drinking of alcoholics is consistent and predictable over fairly substantial periods of time by studying the intercorrelations between control-over-drinking ratings made in 10 follow-ups. 98 males (mean age 40.1 yrs) released from an abstinence-oriented program were rated on control over drinking by a person with whom they would be in contact. Raters (e.g., wives, parents, siblings) were interviewed postdischarge at Week 2 and Months 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18. Results show low intercorrelations, particularly for periods beginning during the 1st mo after discharge. Thus, it appears that control among treated alcoholics is generally inconsistent and only marginally predictable. Recidivism for the entire sample increased up to the 9th-mo follow-up, after which it stabilized and even seemed to decline slightly. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Skill training with alcoholics.

Evaluated a short-term skill-training intervention that taught male alcoholics generation of appropriate behaviors in problematic situations. 40 alcoholics (mean age, 45.6 yrs) engaged in inpatient treatment were divided into 3 groups—a skill-training group, a discussion group, and a no-additional-treatment control group. A verbal role-playing measure of responses to situations associated with drinking behavior and relapse (Situational Competency Test, SCT) showed significant performance improvement of the training group as compared to the control groups. All Ss also completed the Shipley-Institute of Living Scale for measuring Intellectual Impairment and the Drinking Profile prior to treatment. A 1-yr posttreatment follow-up indicated that skill training decreased the duration and severity of relapse episodes. Behavior on the SCT predicted posttreatment adjustment. Although there are some limitations to skill training as implemented, results suggest its utility as one component of a multimodal behavioral approach to relapse in problem drinking and other problem areas such as drug addiction, smoking, obesity, and crime. (36 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influence of client preparation and problem severity on attitudes and expectations in child psychotherapy.

Assessed the effects of client preparation and problem severity on children's and parents' understanding, attitudes, and expectations of child psychotherapy. 38 children (aged 6–12 yrs) with 1 of their parents served as Ss. Half of the children and parents received preparation information, and the other half were not prepared. Following preparation vs no-preparation procedures, children and parents completed questionnaires assessing problem severity, knowledge of and attraction to therapy, and prognostic expectations. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist, and therapists rated problem severity and expectations for treatment outcome. Results indicate that preparation increased children's and parents' knowledge of therapy, attraction–receptivity to therapists and treatment, and expectations for therapy outcome. Children and parents were found to be quite attracted and receptive to psychotherapy and to have very positive expectations for treatment outcome. Findings indicate that therapists saw the children's problems as more severe and had lower prognostic expectations than did children and parents. No relation was found between problem severity and attraction–receptivity to treatment or expectations for treatment outcome. (36 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Five-year follow-up to a behavioral weight-loss program.

60 participants in a behavioral weight-loss program were followed up 4.5 yrs posttreatment. An inexpensive follow-up class was associated with the recruitment of the majority of participants, and 97% of the target sample ultimately volunteered. Ss lost 4.5?±?4.7 kg from pre- to posttreatment and 3.32?±?13 kg pretreatment to follow-up. The most successful weight-loss maintainers reported adhering to behavioral procedures and being more physically active. Ss also reported pursuing 3.0?±?1.8 different types of weight-loss programs after the behavioral treatment and wished to lose a further 25?±?18 kg at follow-up. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Emotion regulation in mother–child narrative co-construction: Associations with children's narratives and adaptation.

The associations were studied between early mother-child co-construction of a separation–reunion narrative and children's concurrent and later (a) emotion narratives and (b) behavior problems. 51 children and their mothers were observed during a co-construction task when the children were aged 4.5 yrs. At ages 4.5 and 5.5 yrs, children's narratives were elicited using the MacArthur Story-Stem Battery (MSSB), and mothers completed the Child Behavior Checklist. Results showed that children who were more emotionally coherent during the co-constructions had MSSB narratives that were more coherent, had more prosocial themes, and had fewer aggressive themes at ages 4.5 and 5.5 yrs. Moreover, such children had fewer behavior problems at both ages. The relations between narrative processes and emotion regulation are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effectiveness of filial therapy for Korean parents.

Explored the effectiveness of filial therapy in enhancing the parent–child relationship of Korean parents (aged 30–42 yrs) of kindergartners (aged 4–8 yrs). The experimental design of the study was a pretest–posttest, control group design in which all of the parents (32 Ss) completed 3 instruments, the Porter Parental Acceptance Scale, the Parenting Stress Index, and the Filial Problem Checklist. The parents were also videotaped playing with their child before and after the training as a means of measuring empathic behavior in parent–child interactions. Results of quantitative and qualitative analyses indicate that Korean parents can learn basic skills of play therapy and improve the relationship with their children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)