Prevention groups: The shape of things to come.

This introductory article by the editors summarizes the intent, content, and procedures of the special issue and makes a supportive case for the future of effective prevention groups that draws from the pioneer research contained within it. Researchers are summoned to prioritize prevention groups as an important and viable focal area, journals are encouraged to welcome research of this topic (without altering acceptance criteria), concurrence about definitions of key processes and concepts (i.e., how to define prevention groups) is urged, and others are encouraged to draw lessons from the research of the authors contained in the special issue. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Incremental Validity in the Psychological Assessment of Children and Adolescents.

Incremental validity in the process of psychological assessment of children and adolescents is explored. The authors highlight the dependence of the incremental validity of assessment information on factors such as goal of assessment, other information available, base rate of the problem or outcome, age or gender of the child, and type of problem being assessed. The authors discuss the incremental validity of assessment information from alternate sources, methods, and constructs. In view of the limited number of studies directly relevant to incremental validity in child clinical assessments, the authors call for more clinically relevant research. To have the greatest impact on child and adolescent services, this research must be readily generalized and immediately relevant to actual clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Enhancing Resilience in Children: A Proactive Approach.

Many clinical practitioners today are interested in helping children be more resilient. The authors briefly review the literature and identify protective factors that are related to or foster resilience in children. After discussing individual and family intervention strategies currently in use, the authors present a practical, proactive, resilience-based model that clinicians may use in a group intervention setting. The model entails interactive identification of protective factors with children, free play and behavioral rehearsal, training in relaxation and self-control techniques, practice in generalizing skills acquired, and active parent involvement. Implications of this group intervention model are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Investing in Children, Youth, Families, and Communities: Strengths-Based Research and Policy.

Investing in Children, Youth, Families, and Communities: Strengths-Based Research and Policy edited by Kenneth I. Maton, Cynthia J. Schellenbach, Bonnie J. Leadbeater and Andrea L. Solarz (see record 2003-88390-000). This book advocates a strengths-based approach to family-based research and social policy. Instead of deficit-based models of social problems, resiliency models are advocated in which factors associated with competence and positive developmental outcome are identified and promoted (see Masten & Coatsworth, 1998). Instead of an emphasis on diagnostic issues for existing problems, prevention is stressed so that negative outcomes do not arise and positive outcomes do. This book consists of 19 chapters and provides excellent reviews of strength-based approaches to children and families, and would have a broad appeal to family- relevant practitioners and policy-makers. Although some of the material seems most germane to an American audience, there is substantial relevance to the Canadian context of children and families. In academic settings, the book could be useful in advanced courses in either applied developmental or community psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Preventing substance abuse among children and adolescents.

Reviews the book, Preventing substance abuse among children and adolescents by Jean E. Rhodes and Leonard Jason (see record 1988-98428-000). This text is a recent volume in Pergamon Press's Psychology Practitioner Guidebooks series. The volumes in the series are reflective of the current trend to "manualize" various intervention approaches to specific behavior problems. The present volume is potentially valuable in that the content and implementation of various school-based prevention programs carried out in recent years (primarily in the context of research protocols) have not been disseminated widely to psychologists through the traditional means of professional texts. When the results of these investigations are presented in scholarly journal articles and chapters, the focus is usually on research aspects (e.g., methodological issues and outcome) and not the "nuts-and-bolts" of actually developing and implementing interventions. Furthermore, the need for materials of this type appears to be increasing. Many local organizations are actively attempting to develop substance abuse prevention programs and recently there have been major increases in federal funding for these activities. Thus, the publication of the text is clearly timely. Despite the shortcomings, the present text certainly fills an existing need. For the professional interested in educating him or herself in substance abuse prevention in adolescence, it is a good place to start. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Couples' groups for parents of preschoolers: Ten-year outcomes of a randomized trial.

This paper reports the results of a 10-year follow-up of two variations of a couples' group preventive intervention offered to couples in the year before their oldest child made the transition to kindergarten. One hundred couples were randomly assigned to (1) a low-dose control condition, (2) a couples' group meeting for 16 weeks that focused more on couple relationship issues among other family topics, or (3) a couples' group meeting for 16 weeks that focused more on parenting issues among other family issues, with an identical curriculum to condition (2). Earlier papers reported that both variations of the intervention produced positive results on parent-child relationships and on the children's adaptation to kindergarten and first grade, and that the groups emphasizing couple relationships also had additional positive effects on couple interaction quality. The present paper uses growth curve analyses to examine intervention effects extending from the children's transition to kindergarten to the transition to high school—10 years after the couples groups ended. There were 6-year positive effects of the pre-kindergarten interventions on observed couple interaction and 10-year positive effects on both parents' marital satisfaction and the children's adaptation (hyperactivity and aggression). Discussion includes a focus on the implications of these results for family policy, clinical practice, and the need to include a couples focus in preventive interventions to strengthen family relationships and enhance children's adaptation to school. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Serious Emotional Disturbance in Children and Adolescents: Opportunities and Challenges for Psychologists.

Approximately 4.5 to 6.3 million children and adolescents in the United States have a serious emotional disturbance that undermines their present functioning and imperils their future. However, at least two thirds of young people with a diagnosable mental disorder receive no services at all. Responding to this unmet need, psychologists are assuming new roles in a changing mental health marketplace and are adopting new intervention strategies to work with these children, adolescents, and their families. This article addresses the scope of the problem, opportunities and challenges for practitioners, the larger context of professional practice, future directions, and suggestions for psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Improving Mental Health Service Utilization for Children and Adolescents.

Approximately 10% of children and adolescents have mental health problems necessitating intervention, but well below 50% of these children receive needed services, and far fewer receive the quality of care required to effectively reduce their impairments. Although system reform is needed to improve service utilization and quality of care for all children, preschoolers, girls, individuals of minority status, and the uninsured are most at risk for being underserved. Factors contributing to poor service utilization can be classified into two broad sets: sociopolitical factors referring to issues related to funding and access, and cultural/familial factors including beliefs about mental health services, providers, and treatments. This article describes the help-seeking process and focuses on cultural and familial factors that contribute to movement through these stages, with a particular focus on variables that are amenable to change by practitioners in the school and community, including school psychologists. Guidelines for understanding and changing the help-seeking behavior of families, including suggestions for creating service options, providing family education, and offering individualized family services, are described. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Head injury rehabilitation: Children and adolescents.

Reviews the book, Head injury rehabilitation: Children and adolescents edited by M. Ylvisaker (1985). This is an edited text written by an interdisciplinary team of clinicians that provides a consolidated source of medical, psychological, and educational information pertaining to traumatic head injury (THI) in youth of use to a wide range of professionals. Part I deals with the pathophysiology and outcome of THI in children and adolescents. Part II addresses the family response to THI. Part III deals with the medical management of THI during the acute phase of hospitalization. Part IV addresses the physical rehabilitation of THI youngsters. Part V focuses upon cognitive rehabilitation and "cognitive retraining." Part VI covers behavioral and psychosocial issues and interventions. Finally, Part VII deals specifically with the educational and vocational rehabilitation of THI children and adolescents. This text comes close to painting a comprehensive picture of THI. The inclusion of practical data and specific recommendations makes this text relevant. The text also does a fine job of distinguishing THI youngsters from other classes of exceptional children while clearly pointing out that appropriate educational programs often do not exist for this unique group of learners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An Investigation of Therapeutic Factors in Children's Groups.

The therapeutic factors present in children's groups were examined in this study for the first time. Using recorded interviews and the Group Counseling Helpful Impacts Scale (D. M. Kivlighan, K. D. Multon, & D. F. Brossat, 1996), the authors examined 4 categories: emotional awareness-insight, relationship-climate, other- versus self-focus, and problem identification-change. The sample consisted of 64 10-year-old boys and girls, in all-female or mixed-gender groups (n = 10). Results indicated that group relationship-climate was the therapeutic factor most frequently mentioned by the children and that problem identification-change was least appreciated. One difference was found between boys and girls, and one between all-female and mixed-gender groups. The discussion focuses on the importance and meaning of relationship-climate for children in group therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evidence-based family-school interventions with preschool children.

Fifteen studies of family-school interventions with preschool children conducted between 1980 and 2002, and published in peer-reviewed journals, were reviewed and evaluated according to the criteria developed by the Task Force on Evidence-Based Intervention in School Psychology (Division 16 and Society for the Study of School Psychology Task Force, 2003). Results indicate that family-school interventions with preschool children have taken many forms, have targeted a variety of problems and behaviors, and have generally shown positive effects. Efficacious interventions included parent and teacher training, parent education, and behavioral family therapy. Recommendations for future research include increased methodological rigor, replication and extension of current studies, and the completion of longer-term, follow-up investigations to determine whether gains that are made post-treatment are maintained over time. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prevention groups: Today and tomorrow.

This closing article for the special issue lists some of the challenges facing group psychologists as they seek to expand prevention group theory. The role of reading failure in early elementary is highlighted, as are the Spartan Mentor Program with high school students and the group model to promote prevention of HIV/AIDS with adolescents. To aid in workplace prevention, this article also describes the Coping with Work and Family Stress Project. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of depression in children and adolescents.

Reviews the book, Handbook of depression in children and adolescents by John R. Z. Abela and Benjamin L. Hankin (see record 2008-01178-000). The editors of this book embraced the ambitious objective of assembling a comprehensive review of the burgeoning literature on the etiology, prevention, and treatment of depression in children and adolescents. The book is divided into five parts. In an unusually brief introductory chapter, the editors emphasise the need for a critical analysis of the research on diverse theories of the etiology of depression in young people and coverage of interventions based on current theories. It is clear that this objective is met throughout the book. Abela and Hankin warn the reader that the reviews may generate more questions than answers. They hope the book will inspire the development of integrative and developmentally sensitive models. The book provides a comprehensive overview that clearly conveys the vibrancy of research in this area. The current format separates research on etiology from that on intervention. The authors of individual chapters do a good job of briefly highlighting the etiological factors on which the interventions are based. In a future edition, it would be very helpful for the editors to play a more explicit role in providing integrative syntheses to weave the themes together. In addition, to lay the foundation for the inclusion of positive psychotherapy and positive youth development programs, it would be useful to include a chapter addressing resilience and protective factors. In conclusion, this book will be appreciated by clinical scientists and scientist-practitioners alike. Abela and Hankin are to be congratulated for editing a book that convinces the reader that this is an exciting research area with great promise for further development of prevention and treatment of depression in children and adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive-Behavioral and Humanistic Group Treatment for Children With Learning Disabilities: A Comparison of Outcomes and Process.

The authors of this study examined the outcomes and processes of 2 types of group treatment--cognitive-behavioral treatment groups (CBTG) and humanistic group therapy (HGT)--offered to 200 elementary schoolchildren in a center for students with learning disabilities in Israel. Results indicated that the addition of either type of group treatment to individual academic assistance was more effective than the latter alone on most measures. In fact, on the majority of measures, group treatment without academic assistance was more effective than just individual assistance. Finally, HGT was more effective than CBTG on most measures. Most of the outcomes were sustained at follow-up, and some even increased from termination to follow-up, although effect sizes were quite low. Process measures included the Client Behavior System and the therapist Helping Skills System, which were measured at 5 points in time. Differences between the 2 treatment types were revealed on both process measures, including differences in the growth curve of these behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive Strengths and Weaknesses in Children and Adolescents Homozygous for the Galactosemia Q188R Mutation: A Descriptive Study.

Children and adolescents (n = 25) with galactosemia homozygous for the common Q188R mutation (substitution of glutamine codon 188 with arginine) were group matched for sex and age with healthy control participants (n = 20). Participants were administered an abbreviated neuropsychological battery by a doctoral-level psychologist. Results indicate that children and adolescents with galactosemia function generally within the low average IQ range, with a small standard deviation (indicating a relatively homogeneous IQ profile), and have many features suggestive of left-hemisphere dysfunction. Word retrieval difficulties are a primary component of the galactosemia profile. In addition, participants with galactosemia have less well-developed executive functions. Child and parental reports of behavioral symptoms differ; parents reported that their children had more internalizing symptoms than the children with galactosemia self-reported. Cognitive complications in galactosemia appear to emerge even in well-treated children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evidence-based parent involvement interventions with school-aged children.

This paper reviewed 24 studies of parent involvement for school-aged children conducted between 1980 and 2002 and evaluated them according to the criteria developed by the Task Force on Evidence-Based Interventions in School Psychology. The parent involvement component of all studies had parents helping children learn at home, with most targeting a change in academic performance, including reading skills, mathematics skills, spelling, and homework completion. Results yielded a wide range of treatment effectiveness. The strongest evidence for parent involvement was provided for programs that implemented parent tutoring in the home and targeted a single academic problem of the elementary school-aged child, primarily reading and mathematics skills. Despite promising evidence for the effectiveness of parent home tutoring, it was concluded that the evidence base for the effectiveness of parent involvement as an intervention for children's academic problems is inconclusive due to methodological weaknesses in the studies reviewed. Recommendations for future empirical research are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prevention and remediation through group interventions.

Reviews the book, The handbook of group intervention for children and families edited by Karen C. Stroiber and Thomas R. Kratochwill (see record 1998-07256-000). This book addresses current needs of psychologists and other mental health practitioners who are working across ecologies to address problems of children and youth. As such, this text is an excellent resource for school psychologists, school counselors, and others who are attempting to broaden service delivery systems and procedures. Although this handbook is appropriate for practitioners across a variety of mental health disciplines, it also meets the current needs of school psychologists by addressing gaps often found in school psychology service delivery and training models. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Helping Bereaved Children, Second Edition: A Handbook for Practitioners.

Reviews the book, Helping Bereaved Children, Second Edition: A Handbook for Practitioners edited by Nancy Boyd Webb (see record 2002-02276-000). When health policy decision-makers understand the greater societal benefits of providing evidence-based bereavement support to children and adolescents, our country will have coordinated, accessible, and comprehensive Loss Support programs for every family member. Until then, we are fortunate to have this guide to educate us on how to best support our most vulnerable family members when someone loved dies. Although the title specifically targets practitioners, I believe that the plain language and holistic approach would assist parents and other adults in supporting these children and teens. I am pleased to endorse this book as an excellent resource for professionals and lay people alike as we all strive to ensure that our children receive the best support for the grief they experience in their young lives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The prevention of depressive symptoms in children and adolescents: A meta-analytic review.

Research on the prevention of depressive symptoms in children and adolescents was reviewed and synthesized with meta-analysis. When all 30 studies were included, selective prevention programs were found to be more effective than universal programs immediately following intervention. Both selective and indicated prevention programs were more effective than universal programs at follow-up, even when the 2 studies with college students were excluded. Effect sizes for selective and indicated prevention programs tended to be small to moderate, both immediately postintervention and at an average follow-up of 6 months. Most effective interventions are more accurately described as treatment rather than prevention. Suggestions for future research include testing potential moderators (e.g., age, gender, anxiety, parental depression) and mechanisms, designing programs that are developmentally appropriate and gender and culturally sensitive, including longer follow-ups, and using multiple measures and methods to assess both symptoms and diagnoses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)