Parents' use of friendship facilitation strategies and the formation of friendships in early adolescence: A prospective study.

On the basis of semistructured discussions among 40 adolescents and their parents regarding family involvement in friendship formation, the authors identified 46 possible strategies parents could use to help adolescents establish new friendships after relocation to a new community. A total of 157 mother–adolescent pairs reported how often the parents used each strategy during the prior 3 mo. Principal-components analysis identified 4 groups of strategies: met other parents, enabled proximity to peers, talked to adolescent, and encouraged activity. Prospective analyses using 138 mother–adolescent pairs who completed 3 home interviews over an 8-mo period indicated that parents' more frequent use of strategies predicted adolescents' greater companionship and intimacy with new friends. Strategies that required active parental engagement in the adolescent's social world seemed particularly helpful. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Symptoms of posttraumatic stress in children after Hurricane Andrew: A prospective study.

The authors examined symptoms of posttraumatic stress in 3rd–5th grade children during the school year after Hurricane Andrew. From a conceptual model of the effects of traumatic events, 442 children were evaluated 3, 7, and 10 months postdisaster with respect to (a) their exposure to traumatic events during and after the disaster, (b) their preexisting demographic characteristics, (c) the occurrence of major life stressors, (d) the availability of social support, and (e) the type of coping strategies used to cope with disaster-related distress. Although symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) declined over time, a substantial level of symptomatology was observed up to 10 months after the disaster. All 5 factors in the conceptual model were predictive of children's PTSD symptoms 7 and 10 months postdisaster. Findings are discussed in terms of the potential utility of the model for organizing thinking about factors that predict the emergence and persistence of PTSD symptoms in children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Using fine-grained indexes of therapists' experience and training to predict treatment outcomes in a university-based training clinic for children and families.

Over several decades, researchers have debated whether a clinician's training and experience are associated with treatment outcome. Recent studies have suggested that fine-grained variables representing training or experience are better predictors of clinical effectiveness than broader measures, such as level of education. The present study addressed whether a therapist's number of direct client contact hours, days in doctoral training, and number of settings in which services were delivered were positively associated with meeting treatment goals in a university-based training clinic serving children and families. Results suggested each of these variables significantly predicted successful treatment completion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prediction of posttraumatic stress symptoms in children after Hurricane Andrew.

The authors used an integrative conceptual model to examine the emergence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in 568 elementary school-age children 3 months after Hurricane Andrew. The model included 4 primary factors: Exposure to Traumatic Events, Child Characteristics, Access to Social Support, and Children's Coping. Overall, 62% of the variance in children's self-reported PTSD symptoms was accounted for by the 4 primary factors, and each factor improved overall prediction of symptoms when entered in the analyses in the order specified by the conceptual model. The findings suggest that the conceptual model may be helpful to organize research and intervention efforts in the wake of natural disasters. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The future of psychotherapy with children: Developmental psychotherapy.

Discusses the concept of developmental psychotherapy for children as a way of integrating information about human development, basic biological processes, and psychopathology with knowledge gained from studies of therapeutic change. In developmental psychotherapy, rather than trying to provide a permanent cure, the therapist tries using a variety of methods to help the child regain a footing on a developmental pathway more likely to lead to adequate adaptation in subsequent periods of life. Research in this field should concentrate on continuing refinement of models for developmental pathways leading to specific outcomes in a number of domains, particularly those involving externalizing disorders and substance abuse. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

99mTc-HMPAO SPECT of the brain in mild to moderate traumatic brain injury patients: compared with CT--a prospective study

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with Technetium-99m hexamethyl propylenamine oxime (Tc-99m-HMPAO) was used in 20 patients with mild to moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) to evaluate the effects of brain trauma on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). SPECT scan was compared with CT scan in 16 patients. SPECT showed intraparenchymal differences in rCBF more often than lesions diagnosed with CT scans (87.5% vs. 37.5%). In five of six patients with lesions in both modalities, the area of involvement was relatively larger on SPECT scans than on CT scans. Contrecoup changes were seen in five patients on SPECT alone, two patients with CT alone and one patient had contrecoup lesions on CT and SPECT. Of the eight patients (50%) with skull fractures, seven (43.7%) had rCBF findings on SPECT scan and five (31.3%) demonstrated decrease in rCBF in brain underlying the fracture. All these patients with fractures had normal brain on CT scans. Conversely, extra-axial lesions and fractures evident on CT did not visualize on SPECT, but SPECT demonstrated associated changes in rCBF. Although there is still lack of clinical and pathological correlation, SPECT appears to be a promising method for a more sensitive evaluation of axial lesions in patients with mild to moderate TBI.     

The effect of dredging in a polluted estuary on the physiology of larval zooplankton

The effect of water samples from three dredging locations in Charleston Harbor and its tributaries upon the physiology of larval or juvenile zooplankton was determined, Daphnia were used for Location 1 with a salinity of 0‰, Paleomonetes for Location II with intermediate salinities and Polydora for Location III with highest salinities. Water from the disposal area of each location was most toxic. Samples from 200 yd downstream were intermediate in effect, and the dredge site sample was least toxic.     

Innovations in disaster mental health: Psychological first aid.

Professional psychologists are called upon to deal with a broad array of crises and traumatic events. However, training and expertise in crisis response varies widely among practitioners, and there has been considerable controversy about the value of widely disseminated mental health crisis intervention protocols that include "debriefing" as an essential feature. This article gives an overview of the developmental process, guiding principles, and core actions of the Psychological First Aid Field Operations Guide (PFA Guide), which provides guidance for practitioners in responding to immediate mental health needs of children, adults, and families who have recently experienced a disaster or terrorist event. Issues in training, provider self-care, and evaluation research are also presented. The PFA Guide presents approaches thought to be most consistently supported by current research and practice so that they can be taught, used, and evaluated in field settings. Although we expect further refinement as more systematic research becomes available, the PFA Guide represents a sustained collaborative effort to define current evidence-informed best practices that can be utilized now by practitioners involved in disaster mental health responses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parenting Style of Mexican, Mexican American, and Caucasian-Non-Hispanic Families: Social Context and Cultural Influences.

To begin accounting for cultural and contextual factors related to child rearing in Mexican-descent (MD; Mexican American and Mexican immigrant) families in the United States, the current study examined parenting practices in 2-parent families of Mexican, MD, and Caucasian-non-Hispanic (CNH) parents. Parents in all groups reported using authoritative practices more often than authoritarian strategies. MD parents reported greater use of authoritarian practices than Mexican and CNH parents. Results suggest that previously found cultural variations in parenting between MD parents and CNH parents may be more related to the ecological context of MD families than to an affiliation with Mexican culture. Clinicians should explore the positive qualities of authoritative parenting in MD families along with the potential motivations for using authoritarian strategies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treating children with serious emotional disturbances in schools and community: The intensive mental health program.

Children with serious emotional disturbances pose challenges to psychologists and school personnel to find optimal ways to improve functioning. An intensive mental health program (IMHP) is described for providing comprehensive psychological services in a school-based therapeutic environment. Case vignettes illustrate the type and severity of the children's problems served in the IMHP with both successful and less successful outcomes. The article describes the principles and organization of services, including individual and group psychotherapy and behavioral management systems, and service coordination with caregivers, agencies, and the children's neighborhood schools. Challenges facing psychologists working with children, such as resolving turf issues and working collaboratively with other involved providers, are also addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)