Perceptions of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and its treatment among children and adolescents

Little is known about how children and adolescents conceptualize psychiatric disorders and psychiatric treatment. In the current study, children and adolescents diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were interviewed about their understanding of ADHD and the medication used to treat their disorder. The participants were all taking Ritalin and ranged in age from 5 to 16 years. With increasing age, children improved in their ability to name their condition and the medication. Latency-aged children often did not perceive Ritalin as helpful while adolescents recognized some value in taking medication. Some of the adolescents were also able to describe medication side effects. The implications of these findings for patient education are discussed.     

Consistency in individual and family theoretical orientation from assessment to therapy: Its impact on the effectiveness of therapy

Abstract

The effect of consistency in theoretical orientation, whether individual or family, from assessment to therapy on the effectiveness of psychotherapy was examined in archival data. All identified patients (N=131) were ages 5-18 and comprised four groups according to the orientation of their assessment and therapy: the individual-individual (n=49) and family-family (n=49) groups and the individual-family (n=21) and family-individual (n=12) groups. Theoretical consistency was positively associated with therapy duration and participation, as well as with outcome. This association was attributable to the significant relation between family assessment prior to family therapy and the dependent variables of continuation in therapy, percent of sessions attended, nature of termination, and percent of missed sessions. Results support the theoretical position of family therapists that family assessment is the assessment method of choice.     

Relation of cognitive functioning to daily living skills in a geriatric population

A modified version of the Community Competence Scale was administered along with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Revised (WAIS--R) to 40 geriatric patients with suspected dementia. Scores on the Competence Scale, a measure of functional daily living skills, were correlated .72 with Full Scale IQs and .77 with Verbal IQs and moderately correlated (.55) with Performance IQs. A number of significant correlations were found between WAIS--R subtests and subscales of the competence instrument. Means and standard deviations for the 10 Competence subscale and total scores are presented.     

The reliability of the Family-of-Origin Scale for adolescents

The Family-of-Origin Scale (FOS), a 40-item, ten-subscale measure of family processes, exhibits promise for assessing adolescents' perceptions of family health. While initial research has suggested that the instrument demonstrates factorial validity, the reliability of the FOS for adolescents has not been established. The present study involved administering the FOS to 88 adolescents on two occasions, with a two-week interval between testings. The global FOS index and ten subscale scores demonstrated high test-retest reliability. Internal consistency reliability for the instrument was also high. When taken together with previous research, the current study's results suggest that the FOS for adolescents is psychometrically sound.