The assessment of type a behavior in children and adolescents: An overview

The present article presents an overview of the instruments that have been used to assess the Type A behavior pattern in children and adolescents. The development, usage, and psychometric properties of each assessment technique are discussed, with methodological concerns being addressed whenever appropriate. The Matthews Youth Test for Health is the assessment of choice for children, because of its brevity, ease of administration, and adequate psychometric properties. The Hunter-Wolf A-B Rating Scale is desirable only for older, highly literate children. The Adolescent Structured Interview appears to be the most promising device for the adolescent age range. The other adolescent assessment devices are relatively unpopular, difficult to administer, and not always conceptually parallel to existing research on Type A behavior. Recommendations for future research are presented.     

Modified Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics: Treating Children With Tic Disorders,Co-Occurring ADHD,and Psychosocial Impairment

Our objective was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a modified comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (MCBIT) therapy for youth with chronic tic disorders (CTDs), co-occurring attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and associated psychosocial impairment. Seventeen youth ages 10–17 with CTD and co-occurring ADHD were randomly assigned to the MCBIT group (n = 9) or to a control group where they received traditional comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT) therapy (n = 8). Both groups received ten 55-minute weekly treatment sessions, and two 55-minute biweekly relapse prevention sessions. Sixteen of the 17 participants completed the study, and acceptability ratings in both treatment groups were high with no significant differences in expectation of improvement. The MCBIT and CBIT groups in combination showed significant improvement in tic severity, ADHD symptom severity, and tic-related impairment. Group differences were not significant. The results indicate that MCBIT treatment is feasible and acceptable for youth with CTD and ADHD, and is similarly well tolerated relative to traditional CBIT. Results were not sufficiently superior to recommend MCBIT over CBIT for this population. However, given the demonstrated benefit of behavioral treatments that target co-occurring conditions concurrently, continuing to examine novel behavioral approaches that can target tics and related conditions simultaneously and successfully is recommended.     

Child and adolescent services research at the national institute of mental health: Research opportunities in an emerging field

This article describes an important new area of research on services for children and adolescents with mental disorders at the National Institute of Mental Health, the parameters of mental health services research for youth, and the opportunities that are available for grant-funded investigations in this area.     

Ethnic differences in psychiatric disorders among adolescent substance abusers in treatment

The present study describes the diagnostic profile of over 800 adolescents admitted to residential therapeutic community programs for treatment of drug abuse and related problems. The relationship between race/ethnicity and psychiatric disturbance is examined, and the association among these factors to outcome is investigated. Over 90% of the sample had a DSM-III-R nonsubstance diagnosis. There were significant differences among the race/ethnic groups on attention deficit-hyperactivity and the disruptive behavior and affective disorders. In general, African-American adolescents yielded the lowest rates of disturbance across all categories of disorders. There was no relationship among race/ethnicity, psychiatric disturbance, and 1-year posttreatment outcomes.     

Adolescents' attitudes toward suicide, and a suicidal peer: A comparison between Swedish and Turkish high school students

The present paper first presents the attitudes toward suicide and a suicidal classmate among 98 female and 69 male (N = 167) Swedish high school students. Secondly, the Swedish sample was compared with 167 (89 female and 78 male) Turkish high school students from a previous study. Among Swedish students, more males than females said that people have the right to commit suicide and suicide can be a solution to some problems. More females than males expressed a belief in life after death. Swedish adolescents were found to be holding more liberal attitudes toward suicide than Turkish adolescents. However, Turkish adolescents showed greater acceptance for a suicidal peer than Swedish adolescents. The results are discussed in terms of socio-cultural factors and related literature. The need for educational programs to provide basic knowledge about suicide and, effective ways of dealing with and helping suicidal peers is implicated.     

Effects of parental alcoholism and life stress on hispanic and non-hispanic caucasian adelescents: A prospective study

Investigated ethnicity and parental alcoholism as factors that might influence the stress vulnerability of adolescents. It extended an initial cross-sectional study of this same sample by adding two annual assessments which allowed for additional cross-sectional analyses and longitudinal tests. Hispanic and Caucasian adolescents (N=306 at Time 1) completed measures of their own life stress, family conflict, and alcohol use. Their parents reported on adolescents' internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Cross-sectional analyses at Time 2, and prospective analyses involving Time 1 and Time 2 measures were, for the most part, consistent with the original study's results. Caucasian adolescents and children of alcoholic parents appeared to be more vulnerable to stress than Hispanic adolescents and children of nonalcoholic parents. Family conflict was a partial explanation for this increased vulnerability. This research was supported by National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant DA05227 to Laurie Chassin (pricipal investigator) and Manuel Barrera, Jr. (coprincipal investigator). Susan Li was supported by an American Psychological Association Minority Fellowship Award. Portions of this research were presented at the conference, “Resiliency in Families: Racial and Ethnic Minority Families in America” that was held at the University of Wisconsin, May 31–June 2, 1994.     

Exploring the sexual world of the unemployed adolescent

Unemployed adolescents may be at substantial risk of the negative consequences of sexuality. This study investigated the sexual perceptions and practices of 125 unemployed adolescents. Gender, but not age, differences were found in sexual perceptions and practices. Overall, this sample was engaging in high levels of sexual activity with a low rate of condom use.     

Specificity of Dating Aggression and Its Justification Among High-Risk Adolescents

Ninety-five high-risk adolescents were studied to determine whether their dating aggression and its justification as a response to interpersonal problems were specific to the current partner, general to dating relationships, or part of a global age-mate (same-sex peers and opposite-sex dating partners) aggression problem. Approximately one-third of males and two-thirds of females reported physical aggression against their current dating partner. Males' aggression (and its justification) toward their current dating partner was part of a generalized pattern of dating aggression, whereas for females, physical aggression against a current dating partner (and its justification) was partner-specific and unrelated to aggression in other relationships. Findings are discussed with regard to intervention and future research on adolescent dating aggression.     

An Ecologically Differentiated, Multifactor Model of Adolescent Network Orientation

The paper presents a test of an ecologically differentiated model of social network orientation for adolescents that distinguished between different social network reference groups (family, peers, and nonfamily adults). The model was tested in two consecutive studies. Study 1 describes initial model development (N = 120). Study 2 presents a confirmatory factor analysis with a second sample (N = 430) to replicate the factor structure developed in Study 1. Results supported a three-factor model of network orientation that differentiated between network reference groups. Analyses of concurrent and predictive validity indicated that orientation to network reference groups was differentially related to the perceived quality and frequency of support from members of respective social network groups. Group differences (gender, race) regarding network orientation to different network reference groups were consistent with studies of other social network processes. Implications for the study of the network orientation and the study of social networks more generally are discussed.