A Study of the Effectiveness of a Small-Group Intervention on the Vocabulary and Narrative Development of At-Risk Kindergarten Children

This study investigated the effect of a small-group storybook-based intervention on kindergarten students’ vocabulary and narrative development, which is important to later reading achievement. Twenty-eight kindergarten children from a high-poverty urban school, all significantly behind their peers on standardized measures of language development (semantic and syntactic) and narrative (understanding and production), were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. The intervention students engaged in three 30-minute storybook-based lessons per week for 12 weeks, focused on vocabulary and narrative development. The intervention students made greater gains on both standardized and nonstandardized measures of vocabulary and narrative achievement than did control-group children.     

Effects of a Motivational Interviewing–Based Counseling Program on Classroom Behavior of Children in a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program

A multiple single‐case research design was used to explore changes in teacher‐reported behaviors of 15 children who completed a motivational interviewing–based counseling program in a disciplinary alternative education school. Findings indicated that 7 children made a moderate to large improvement in their classroom behaviors while participating in the program. Students’ self‐motivational statements and self‐reported readiness to change were related to actual teacher‐rated behavioral changes. Implications for future research and counseling practice were discussed.     

Response Facilitation and Inhibition in Manual,Vocal, and Oculomotor Performance: Evidence for a Modality-Unspecific Mechanism

In 2 experiments (N = 10, Experiment 1; N = 16, Experiment 2), the authors investigated whether evidence for response facilitation and subsequent inhibition elicited by masked prime stimuli can be observed for output modalities other than manual responding. Masked primes were followed by target stimuli that required a 2-choice manual, saccadic, or vocal response. Performance was measured for compatible trials in which primes and targets were identical and for incompatible trials in which they were mapped to opposite responses. When primes were presented centrally, performance benefits were obtained for incompatible trials; whereas for peripherally presented primes, performance benefits were found in compatible trials. That pattern of results was obtained for manual responses and for saccadic eye movements (Experiment 1), demonstrating that those effects are not mediated by specialized dorsal pathways involved in visuomanual control. An analogous pattern of effects was found when manual and vocal responses were compared (Experiment 2). Because vocal responding is controlled by the inferotemporal cortex, that result shows that prime-target compatibility effects are not primarily mediated by the dorsal stream, but appear to reflect modality-unspecific visuomotor links that allow rapid activation of motor responses that may later be subject to inhibition.     

Camping Programs for Children with Chronic Illness as a Modality for Recreation, Treatment, and Evaluation: An Example of a Mission-Based Program Evaluation of a Diabetes Camp

Summer camps have been recognized as a valuable means of delivering services to children with chronic illnesses. Although these camps exist in abundance across the United States, they have been largely underrepresented in the clinical psychology literature. Particularly, there is a staggering discrepancy between the number of camps in existence and the number of published articles pertaining to the systematic evaluation of these camps. We outline the potential benefits of camping programs for children who are chronically ill, describe the importance of systematically evaluating them, and provide a model for this evaluative process. We describe an evaluation of a diabetes summer camp and present implications of this study for camp decision makers and clinical psychologists working in pediatric medical settings.     

Behavioral versus Behavioral and Pharmacological Treatment in ADHD Children Attending a Summer Treatment Program

As part of the behavioral treatment in the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA), children participated in an intensive summer treatment program (STP). This study examined the differences between 57 children in the combined treatment (Comb) group, who were medicated, and 60 children in the behavioral treatment (Beh) group, who were unmedicated throughout the STP. Comb children were significantly better than Beh on 5 measures: rule following, good sportsmanship, peer negative nominations, and STP teacher posttreatment ratings of inattention/overactivity. Groups did not differ on any of the other 30 measures, and responded similarly to the STP over time. Comparisons to normative data revealed that Comb children were more likely to fall within the normative range on 6 measures. The differences between these results and the main MTA results, in which Comb was always superior to Beh, are discussed in terms of the relative intensity of combined treatments. The implications for future studies of pharmacological and behavioral treatment for ADHD are discussed.     

《儿童元认知问卷》的编制与修订

通过对现有元认知概念体系的分析与整合,初步确立《儿童元认知问卷》的六个基本维度:自我认知、动机信念、策略、计划、监控、调节。以此为基础编制原始问卷,对小学四~六年级学生取样测试。结果表明:修订后的问卷各题目在对应潜变量上有较高的负荷,数据与理论模型拟合良好,问卷具有较好的信度和效度。     

Effects of a Danish Student‐Centered Prosocial Intervention Program Among Japanese Children

Japan and Denmark represent two different educational cultures. Where Danish students in general report high scores on self‐esteem, Japanese children report low. A student‐centered and interaction‐based prosocial intervention program that was designed according to Danish educational culture was administered to children aged 11–12 years in Japan. Questionnaires measuring the children's quality of life (QoL) and metacognitive awareness were applied. Overall, the results showed that the student‐centered intervention improved the emotional well‐being aspect of QoL among Japanese boys. In contrast, Japanese boys’ scores on the declarative knowledge of metacognitive regulation declined. The teachers’ attitudes towards the intervention program were analyzed by use of interviews. The effect of the student‐centered intervention program is discussed with respect to the educational cultures in Japan.     

Effectiveness of a Group Therapy Program for Children with Psychosocial Deficits: Benefits of Concurrent Participation in Organized Activities

Prior research suggests children’s involvement in organized activities predicts positive outcomes, although benefits for youth with psychosocial deficits remain unclear. This study examines if activity participation predicts response to a group therapy program for children with psychosocial deficits and if improvements depend on children’s functioning within the organized activity context. Participants were 178 children (M age?=?9.6 years) enrolled in a group therapy program. Greater activity participation significantly predicted improvements in family functioning and social skills, suggesting the value of participation in organized activities for youth with psychosocial deficits.     

Effectiveness of a Community-Based Advocacy and Learning Program for Hmong Refugees

The effectiveness of a community-based advocacy and learning intervention for Hmong refugees was assessed using a comprehensive, multi-method strategy, which included a within-group longitudinal design with four data collection points and in-depth qualitative recruitment and post-intervention interviews. The intervention's impact on five aspects of refugee well-being was examined: Participants' psychological well-being, quality of life, access to resources, English proficiency, and knowledge for the U.S. citizenship exam. Twenty-eight Hmong adults and 27 undergraduate students participated together in the intervention, which had two major components: (1) Learning Circles, which involved cultural exchange and one-on-one learning opportunities for Hmong adults, and (2) an advocacy component that involved undergraduates advocating for and transferring advocacy skills to Hmong families to increase their access to resources in their communities. Undergraduate paraprofessionals and Hmong participants worked together for 6–8 hr per week for 6 months. Growth trajectory analysis revealed promising quantitative findings. Participants' quality of life, satisfaction with resources, English proficiency, and knowledge for the U.S. citizenship test increased and their levels of distress decreased over the course of the intervention. Mediating analyses suggested that participants' increased quality of life could be explained by their improved satisfaction with resources. Qualitative data helped to support and explain the quantitative data, as well as providing insight into other outcomes and processes of the intervention. Policy, practice, and research implications are discussed.     

An Evaluation of a Holistic Program for at-Risk Teens and Their Parents

Increasing evidence indicates that adolescent behavior problems are related to family functioning. In general, findings have demonstrated the family’s critical role in facilitating developmental outcomes. This study evaluated a 6-week holistic program for at-risk teens and their parents entitled Creating a Responsible Thinker at baseline, post-test, and 3-month follow-up. Results demonstrated gender differences in the program’s effects on self-efficacy, specifically increased self-efficacy for females and reduced self-efficacy among males. Follow-up results suggested that teens reported better communication with their parents. These results underscore the appropriateness of a family-based approach to treatment for at-risk teens and their parents.     

Effectiveness of a Social Skills Training Program with School Age Children: Transition to the Clinical Setting

Interventions that mobilize the parents to coach and reinforce their children's social skills have been shown to improve children's social functioning and decrease inappropriate social behaviors in the home and at school. However, few studies have examined whether these treatment outcomes can be successfully transferred from the research to the clinical setting. We examined the effectiveness of a 12-session manualized social skills intervention involving parent participation. As part of regular clinical practice, measures of children's social skills, self-control, and psychopathology were collected pre- and post-treatment. Findings suggest that parent ratings of children's social skills and self-control improved and aggressive behavior decreased.     

Effectiveness of mentoring programs for youth: a meta-analytic review

We used meta-analysis to review 55 evaluations of the effects of mentoring programs on youth. Overall, findings provide evidence of only a modest or small benefit of program participation for the average youth. Program effects are enhanced significantly, however, when greater numbers of both theory-based and empirically based best practices are utilized and when strong relationships are formed between mentors and youth. Youth from backgrounds of environmental risk and disadvantage appear most likely to benefit from participation in mentoring programs. Outcomes for youth at-risk due to personal vulnerabilities have varied substantially in relation to program characteristics, with a noteworthy potential evident for poorly implemented programs to actually have an adverse effect on such youth. Recommendations include greater adherence to guidelines for the design and implementation of effective mentoring programs as well as more in-depth assessment of relationship and contextual factors in the evaluation of programs.     

Investigating the Effectiveness of an Arts-Based and Mindfulness-Based Group Program for the Improvement of Resilience in Children in Need

We discuss preliminary findings from a study that investigated the effectiveness of a Holistic Arts-Based Group Program (HAP) for the development of resilience in children in need. The HAP teaches mindfulness using arts-based methods, and aims to teach children how to understand their feelings and develop their strengths. We assessed the effectiveness of the HAP by using comparison and control groups, and standardized measures. We hypothesized that children who participated in the HAP would have better scores on resilience and self-concept compared with children who took part in an Arts and Crafts group (the comparison group), and children who were waiting to attend the HAP (the control group). A total of 36 children participated in the study; 20 boys aged 8–13?years and 16 girls aged 8–14?years. A mixed-designed MANOVA was conducted using scores from 21 participants. We found evidence that the HAP program was beneficial for the children in that they self-reported lower emotional reactivity (a resilience measure) post-intervention. No changes were noted for perceptions of self-concept. Consideration should be given to how we can attend to young people’s needs in relevant ways as resilience is a condition of a community’s ability to provide resources as much as it is part of an individual’s capacity for growth. Programs such as the HAP can engage children in a creative and meaningful process that is enjoyable and strengths-based.     

Accuracy of a Rationally Derived Method for Identifying Treatment Failure in Children and Adolescents

Psychotherapy outcome can be enhanced by early identification of potential treatment failures before they leave treatment. In adults, compelling data are emerging that provide evidence that an early warning system that identifies potential treatment failures can be developed and applied to enhance outcome. The present study reports an analysis of early warning algorithms to identify treatment failures among child/adolescent patients (ages 3–18). The progress of 300 patients who had completed treatment was analyzed to see if algorithms could identify those children who ultimately had a negative outcome. Results indicated that the rationally derived method had a 77% success rate for identifying child/adolescent patients who were reliably worse or had deteriorated by the time that therapy was terminated.     

Effectiveness of an Educational and Support Program for Family Members of a Substance Abuser

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between marital adjustment and congruency of couple preference regarding wife employment. Implications for marriage and family therapists are emphasized. Husband, wife, and couple scores were obtained on the Marital Status Inventory and Dyadic Adjustment Scale for eight work pattern categories. The first four (Dual-Career, Dual-Work, Pre-Dual-Career, Traditional Single-Career) were current couple work patterns perceived as desirable by both spouses. The last four categories (Incongruent Dual-Career, Incongruent Dual-Work, Incongruent Pre-Dual-Career, Incongruent Traditional Single-Career) were current couple work patterns that one spouse, in conflict with the other spouse, perceived as undesirable. In addition, number and ages of children and number of wife work hours were analyzed for their effects on marital adjustment in these couples. The results of this study indicate that marital adjustment is negatively influenced only when the wife wants to work in her career, is not employed, and her husband does not want her to be employed now or in the future. Possible reasons for these findings and suggestions for further research are included.     

Effectiveness of a Classroom Mindfulness Coloring Activity for Test Anxiety in Children

To evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based structured versus unstructured coloring on test anxiety, 52 participants (53.8% female; M_age = 10.92 years, SD =.82) were randomly assigned to either a structured mandala (n = 26) or free coloring condition (n = 26), and completed a standardized anxiety measure to assess anxiety before and after coloring, immediately before a spelling test. Results revealed an overall decrease in anxiety for both groups. However, a significant gender by group interaction demonstrated that while both genders experienced anxiety reduction in the mandala condition, males reported a greater anxiety reduction in the free coloring condition while females only benefited from the mandala condition. Possible explanations for these gender effects are explored and future directions discussed.     

Characteristics of Children Presenting to a Behavioral Treatment Program for Pediatric Headache

This study examined headache characteristics and psychological variables associated with pediatric headache in a specialty treatment clinic. Children were referred by pediatric neurologists to a hospital-based pediatric behavioral medicine clinic for behavioral treatment in conjunction with medical management of the pain. Headache typology of the children indicated that 1/3 of the sample reported at least daily headaches, and a large percentage of patients described experiencing headaches that lasted for more than a day (26%). Child and parent report of pain revealed a fairly high level of correspondence for headache activity. Regarding other psychological characteristics, children in this study endorsed higher than expected levels of somatization even after adjusting for headache symptoms. Compared with children's report, parents' report showed only slightly higher levels of secondary gain experienced by children because of pain. Gender differences were not found. The implications of these findings for improving our understanding of pediatric headache are discussed.     

Psychometric properties of the Big Five Questionnaire for Children (BFQ-C) in a Dutch sample of young adolescents

This study examined the reliability and validity of the Big Five Questionnaire for Children (BFQ-C), a recently developed self-report measure for assessing the basic personality dimensions of energy/extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional instability, and intellect/openness in youths (Barbaranelli, Caprara, Rabasca, & Pastorelli, 2003). A sample of adolescents (N = 222) completed the BFQ-C, the Junior version of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (JEPQ), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Results showed that the BFQ-C had a clear-cut factor structure, good internal consistency, and sufficient validity as evidenced through its associations with the JEPQ and the measure of strengths and difficulties. An additional finding was that there was little overlap between children’s and parents’ Big Five personality.     

A Research Program Testing the Effectiveness of a Preventive Intervention for Couples with a Newborn

Noxious family environments are associated with a wide range of adverse child outcomes. In order to prevent couple and parent–child relationship problems, a number of programs have been developed for couples with newborns. The current paper describes a program of research evaluating the American version of couple CARE for parents of newborns. This version of CCP was administered to low‐income, unmarried couples with a new baby in an uncontrolled demonstration project (Study 1), compared with a waitlist control condition in a randomized controlled trial (Study 2), and evaluated with low‐income parents recruited from urban hospitals in two major metropolitan areas of the United States (Study 3 and Study 4). Despite participant satisfaction with CCP, preventive effects of the program were limited and there was one potential iatrogenic effect. Results were likely impacted by major challenges with recruiting participants and maintaining their engagement in CCP for the duration of the program. We discuss methodological differences between this series of studies and previous trials of prevention programs and make recommendations for improving service delivery to at‐risk new parents. These results have implications for public policies that aim to benefit children and families.