Young Adult Follow‐up of Adolescent Girls in Juvenile Justice Using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale

This study focused on the reliability and validity of the Columbia Suicide Severity Scale (C‐SSRS). Severely delinquent adolescent girls (n = 166) participated in a treatment trial and repeated assessments over time. Lifetime suicide attempt history was measured using the C‐SSRS in early adulthood (n = 144; 7–12 years postbaseline). Nonclinician raters showed strong interrater reliability using the C‐SSRS. Self‐reports, caseworker reports, and caregiver reports of girls' suicide attempt histories collected at baseline correlated with adult participants' recollections of their baseline attempt histories. Suicidal ideation measured prospectively across a 7‐ to –12‐year period was associated with retrospectively reported suicide attempt across the same period.     

PTSD Symptom Clusters Are Differentially Associated with Components of the Acquired Capability for Suicide

Previous research has established the link between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicidal behavior. In the current study, constructs proposed to explain this relationship were examined, applying the framework of the interpersonal‐psychological theory of suicide (IPTS). Relationships between acquired capability for suicide (ACS; i.e., fearlessness about death [FAD] and pain tolerance) and specific PTSD symptom clusters were explored. In a sample of 334 trauma‐exposed undergraduates, anxious arousal and FAD were negatively associated, and numbing and pain tolerance were positively associated. Results establish a foundation for investigating the role of ACS in understanding observed relationships between suicidal behavior and PTSD symptoms.     

The impact of family and peer differentiation levels on adolescent psychosocial development and problematic behaviors

This study examined the impact of family differentiation and peer differentiation levels on adolescent problematic behaviors and psychosocial maturity. Differentiation levels were assessed dyadically in both the family and peer systems. Results revealed family differentiation to be the sole predictor of adolescent problematic behavior. Additional regression analysis indicated that peer differentiation was a significant predictor of psychosocial maturity, along with the significant impact of adolescent gender and age. Family X Peer interaction terms were not significant predictors of either adolescent personal adjustment variable. Results, whichdisplay both consistencies and variations with the findings of previous research, are discussed in terms of their clinical implications.Salary and support provided in part by grants from The Kettering Fund (OSURF #727033) and by The Ohio State University (OSURF #221424 and OSURF #241501).     

Beyond home-based family intervention: A multi-family approach toward change

A growing specialty area in the mental health field involves working with emotionally disturbed youth and families-at-risk by providing services in the context of the home environment. A review of the literature provides documentation for family systems, social learning, and ecological interventions with at-risk families receiving home-based intervention but there is an absence of material on the use of multi-family groups with this population. The purpose of this article is to outline the implementation of a multi-family therapy (MFT) component for home-based programs serving at-risk families. Advantages and disadvantages when using MFT are also addressed.The authors are grateful to Linda Pannell for her helpful comments on drafts of this article.     

Adult perceptions of the infant as a function of gender labeling and observer gender

Four hundred sixty four adults rated a videotape of the activities of a 22-month-old infant whose gender was labeled differently with different subject groups. One group was told that the infant was male, a second group was told that the infant was female, and a third group was told that the infant was hermaphrodite, i.e., appeared to have the genitals of both sexes. Some subjects rated each activity as being either masculine or feminine (forced-choice method) while other subjects rated each activity with a neutral choice also available (free-choice method). The data indicate that, for both methodological groups, labeling the infant “male” resulted in significantly more activities being rated masculine than feminine, whereas the converse was true when the infant was labeled “female.” A label of “hermaphrodite” resulted in an approximately equal ratio of activities being rated as masculine and as feminine. There were no significant interaction (Gender Label × Observer Gender) for the forced-choice group, but for the free-choice group, significant interaction between child's gender label and observer's gender was found.