Multi-Informant Assessments of Individual Differences in Adolescents’ Socio-Evaluative Fears: Clinical Correlates and Links to Arousal within Social Interactions

Abstract

Objectives

Socially anxious adolescents often display fears of negative evaluation (FNE) and fears of positive evaluation (FPE). The Bivalent Fear of Evaluation model posits that FNE and FPE represent two poles of socio-evaluative fears, and that individuals may simultaneously display high levels of FNE and FPE (high FNE/FPE). To what degree do adolescents who display high FNE/FPE differ in psychosocial functioning from adolescents who display high concerns on one domain and not the other (either high FNE/low FPE, or low FNE/high FPE), or low concerns on both domains (i.e., low FNE/FPE)? We tested this broader question (a) across multiple psychosocial domains, (b) using multiple informants’ reports to identify adolescents’ patterns of socio-evaluative fears, and (c) in relation to adolescents’ reactions to anxiety-provoking social situations with unfamiliar peers.

Methods

One-hundred twenty-seven 14–15-year-old adolescents and their parents completed measures of adolescents’ FNE, FPE, and domains of psychosocial functioning (i.e., social anxiety, safety behaviors, depressive symptoms, psychosocial impairments). Adolescents participated in several social interaction tasks with unfamiliar peers. Adolescents self-reported on their arousal during these tasks and the unfamiliar peers with whom they interacted completed measures of social anxiety about the adolescent.

Results

High FNE/FPE adolescents tended to display poorer psychosocial functioning relative to adolescents who displayed other patterns of socio-evaluative fears. Based on adolescent-classified groups, high FNE/FPE adolescents displayed greater self-reported arousal during social interactions, relative to the other groups.

Conclusions

Identifying adolescents’ patterns of socio-evaluative fears may inform interpretations of the individual differences among adolescents’ clinical presentations of social anxiety.

High School Dropout: Association with Family Structure, Maternal Employment, and Health-risk Habits Among Female Mexican Adolescents

Abstract

Objective

To determine whether dropping out of high school is associated with living in a non-intact family household, having an employed mother, active smoking, alcohol use, sexual activity at an early age and pregnancy in a broad population sample of female Mexican adolescents between 17 and 19 years old.

Methods

We studied 765 adolescents from a total sample of 2034 young people who were high-school dropouts using a cross-sectional study and applying a self-administered questionnaire. The association between the independent variables and the outcome variable was determined by multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results

The prevalence of non-intact families was 34.8%. The percentages of active smoking and drinking alcohol were 18.3% and 52.0%, respectively. Sexual activity at an early age was reported by 59.8% of the female adolescents, and 33.5% of the participants were pregnant during adolescence. The multivariate logistic regression analysis shows that living in a household with an incomplete family, engaging in sexual activity at an early age, and being pregnant during adolescence are associated with dropping out of high school, but having an employed mother, active smoking and alcohol use are not.

Conclusions

Living in a non-intact family household, engaging in sexual activity at an early age and being pregnant during adolescence are associated with dropping out of high school. According to the analysis, having an employed mother appears to prevent dropping out of high school among adolescents. The results of this study have important implications for parents, educators, researchers and adolescents.

Do Parental Behaviours Predict Anxiety Symptom Levels? A 3 Year Follow Up

Abstract

Objectives

Our study investigated the association between parental behaviour and anxiety in children and adolescents in a longitudinal 3-year follow-up design. Our study supplements widely used self-reports on parental behaviour with observations of the parent-child interactions.

Methods

A community sample of 101 children and their mothers were included in the study. We hypothesized that anxiety symptoms in the child and mother at intake would influence levels of anxiety in the child at three-year follow-up. We also hypothesized that negative maternal behaviour both self-reported and observed would provide a unique variance in predicting increased levels of anxiety symptoms in the child after three years above and beyond child and maternal levels of anxiety symptoms at intake.

Results

We found that children’s anxiety symptom levels at intake, as well as female gender were significant and the most important contributors to the development of higher levels of anxiety symptoms at follow-up. Furthermore, observed maternal tension at intake significantly predicted child’s anxiety levels at follow-up.

Conclusion

Although maternal tension also significantly predicted higher levels of anxiety symptoms, the maternal variables were of less importance than child anxiety level at intake and female gender in predicting anxiety levels at follow-up.

Examining Toddlers’ Problem Behaviors: The Role of SES, Parenting Stress, Perceived Support and Negative Intentionality

Abstract

Objectives

We aimed to explore profiles of mothers with respect to two key risk factors, SES and parenting stress, and then examine the role of maternal perceived social support and negative intentionality in toddlers’ internalizing and externalizing behaviors in these mother profiles.

Method

A sample of 463 mothers with 1–3 years old non-clinical toddlers completed scales. First, in Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), we identified two distinct mother profiles, as high SES–low stress (low-risk) and low SES–high stress (high-risk) groups. Then, we tested the pattern of associations among maternal perceived social support, negative intentionality, and child internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors in a multi-group SEM analysis based on these two profiles.

Results

There was a strong negative association between social support and both internalizing and externalizing behaviors in the low-risk profile mothers, but not in the high-risk profile mothers. Regardless of mothers’ profiles, the perceived negative intentionality in toddlers’ behaviors positively predicted both internalizing and externalizing behaviors. However, the perceived negative intentionality did not mediate the negative association between perceived social support and toddlers’ problem behaviors.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that mothers’ negative attributions about child’s behaviors can play a critical role at the early stages of problem behaviors and social support can be an important factor to decrease the child’s externalizing problem behaviors especially for the low-risk group of mothers. Intervention programs should be designed with the differential contribution of social support and negative intentionality in the onset of toddlers’ problem behaviors.

Conflict between Parents and Adolescents with ADHD: Situational Triggers and the Role of Comorbidity

Abstract

Objectives

Little is known about factors that contribute to conflict between parents and adolescents with ADHD. The current study examines the frequency and intensity of arguments between adolescents with ADHD and their parents with attention to situational triggers and adolescent and parent characteristics that predict conflict.

Method

Adolescents and parents (N = 128) completed a battery of rating scales at baseline intake into a randomized clinical trial.

Results

The most frequent and clinically significant argument topics identified by parent were homework problems, personal hygiene, and bedtime. Similarly, homework problems were rated by parents as the most intense sources of arguments. Adolescents with ADHD who displayed higher comorbid depressive or aggressive symptoms had the most frequent arguments with their parents.

Conclusions

Intervention and prevention programs targeting conflict between teens with ADHD and their parents might consider concurrent treatment of argument sources (i.e., disorganization, homework problems). Comorbid mood and behavior problems should also be addressed.

A Methodological Review of SafeCare ®

Abstract

Objectives

More than 500,000 children experience neglect each year in the United States, yet few evidence-based parent-training programs focus primarily on preventing and mitigating the risk factors for neglect. A notable exception is SafeCare®. This review focuses on the research designs used at three phases of the SafeCare model: development, evaluation, and dissemination.

Methods

Presented in chronological order, the purpose is to highlight the 40-year evidence-base of the SafeCare model and to demonstrate that certain research designs are specific to phases of intervention development.

Results

The cumulative evidence from those 40 years for the SafeCare model and its predecessor is powerful.

Conclusions

Future research with a variety of experimental designs related to dissemination and implementation research are discussed.

Safety and Risk Assessment in Child Welfare: A Reliability Study Using Multiple Measures

Abstract

Objectives

In the Netherlands, the Actuarial Risk Assessment Instrument for Youth Protection (ARIJ) is a widely used safety and risk assessment instrument in child welfare, although little is known about its reliability. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the reliability of the ARIJ by examining the inter- and intrarater reliability.

Methods

For determining interrater reliability, professionals of two Dutch agencies (child and family support, n= 39 & child protection, n = 24) and master students (n= 65) each rated a random selection of 4 out of 24 vignettes. The vignettes were based on actual cases that were handled by the two agencies. For determining intrarater reliability, the professionals rated four vignettes twice with an interval of at least 3 months. Three reliability measures were calculated for each of the three samples: percent agreement, Krippendorff’s alpha, and Gwet’s Agreement Coefficient.

Results

Overall, the items and outcome of the safety assessment instrument showed a moderate or higher than moderate interrater reliability, and a substantial to almost perfect intrarater reliability. In general, the risk assessment items showed a moderate interrater and a substantial-to-high intrarater reliability. The risk assessment outcome had a near perfect interrater reliability and a substantial to almost perfect intrarater reliability.

Conclusions

The outcome of both the safety and risk assessment of the ARIJ proved to be reliable and justifies the use of the ARIJ in the Dutch child welfare by professionals with different levels of experience.

Predictors of Better Functioning among Institutionalized Youth: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Objectives

The majority of research on youth in institutional care has focused on negative developmental outcomes. However, experiencing institutional care does not guarantee detrimental results. A growing body of literature has examined outcomes among youth who have spent a period of time in institutional care with the goal of identifying positive functioning, or development in line with children reared in more traditional family homes. The goal of this paper was to review and critique the literature examining predictors of better-than-expected adjustment of children who have experienced institutional care.

Methods

A literature search was conducted across PsycINFO, PubMed, CINAHL Complete, and Web of Science, following the PRISMA guidelines. Studies conducted with youth residing in full-time institutional care at the time of the study, and which examined at least one positive outcome were included. A rating system was used to evaluate and compare study quality across manuscripts.

Results

A systematic search of the literature returned 38 unique studies for review. Findings support the possibility of typical adjustment for youth who experience institutional care, the presence of protective factors, and the success of interventions in improving outcomes within this setting.

Conclusions

The reviewed studies suggest that better-than-expected outcomes are possible amongst youth residing in institutional care when certain factors are present. However, many limitations exist within the current research. Future directions for advancing the study of youth adjustment within institutional care are discussed.