Search

Children with experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) are at risk. Not all children, however, display symptoms, and differences connected to gender and age have been demonstrated. In this exploratory study, children's own reports of symptoms were used. The 41 recruited children, between 7 and 19 years old, were entered into a group program specially directed toward children with experiences of IPV. These children reported experiencing more symptoms overall when compared with non-exposed children. The relationship to the abuser and children's symptoms related differently for boys and for girls. Girls who had continued contact with the abusive father described more mental health problems than did other girls exposed to IPV and more than did boys with continued contact. Among children with experiences of custody disputes or other judicial processes, age rather than gender was connected to differences in self-reported symptoms. Younger children with experiences of judicial processes reported more mental health problems than did those with no experience.

As a basis for theories of psychopathology, clinical psychology and related disciplines need sound taxonomies that are generalizable across diverse populations. To test the generalizability of a statistically derived 8-syndrome taxonomic model for youth psychopathology, confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were performed on the Youth Self-Report (T. M. Achenbach & L. A. Rescorla, 2001) completed by 30,243 youths 11-18 years old from 23 societies. The 8-syndrome taxonomic model met criteria for good fit to the data from each society. This was consistent with findings for the parent-completed Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001) and the teacher-completed Teacher's Report Form (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001) from many societies. Separate CFAs by gender and age group supported the 8-syndrome model for boys and girls and for younger and older youths within individual societies. The findings provide initial support for the taxonomic generalizability of the 8-syndrome model across very diverse societies, both genders, and 2 age groups.

This study was the first to examine relations between attachment and religion-spirituality in adults using a developmentally validated attachment assessment, the Adult Attachment Interview. Security of attachment was expected to be linked to a religiosity-spirituality that is socially based on the parental relationships and reflects extrapolation of attachment experiences with sensitive parents to perceived relationships with a loving God. Insecurity of attachment was expected to be related to religiosity-spirituality via emotional compensation for states of insecurity. Participants (N = 84; 40% men; mean age = 29 years) were drawn from religious-spiritual groups. Religiousness-spirituality was assessed with questionnaires. Results generally supported the hypotheses ( ps = 0.05). Estimates of parental loving were linked to socially based religiosity, loving God images, and gradual religious changes occurring at early ages and in life contexts indicating a positive influence of close relationships. Estimates of parental rejection and role reversal were related to New Age spirituality and sudden-intense religious changes occurring in life contexts of turmoil. Current attachment state of mind was generally unrelated to traditional religiosity, but current preoccupation, unresolved- disorganized, and cannot classify states were associated with New Age spirituality.

Background: On October 29, 1998, around 400 young people were gathered in an old warehouse in Goteborg, Sweden, for a discotheque party. A fire erupted and spread explosively. Adolescents were exposed to dreadful scenes inside and outside the building. In all, 63 young people were killed and 213 physically injured. An 18-month follow-up with 275 adolescents (126 girls) who survived the fire, regarding the effects of the fire on symptoms of posttraumatic stress, school adjustment and performance, is reported. Methods: Impact of Events Scale (IES), Clinician Administered Posttraumatic Stress Scale (CAPS) and an interview concerning background factors and issues of public and personal support. Results: The level of posttraumatic stress was generally high, and highest among adolescents with an immigrant background. In all, 25% of the participants met DSM-IV criteria for PTSD. Twenty-three percent of the participants reported having either dropped out of school or repeated a class because of the fire. Students' ratings of how their own school handled the situation, and school absenteeism, were related to ratings of their own performance in school as well as to the level of posttraumatic stress. Conclusions: Traditional talking cures were more sought out by girls than boys. Broad-scale interventions must be complemented with special treatment opportunities for the most severely afflicted. Victims who suffer from high levels of posttraumatic stress need special support for a long period of time to minimise the effects on scholastic achievement and adjustment. Studies of the effects of traumatic events on child and adolescent development should measure school-related effects better than has hitherto been the case.

Used maternal beliefs, emotions, and experiences of Canadian and Swedish mothers to predict hypothetical physical punishment of preschoolers. Found that Canadians were more likely than Swedes to suggest physical punishment and demonstrate stronger support for spanking. Support for physical punishment and rating target misbehaviors as stable predicted Canadians' physical punishment use. None of the models predicted Swedes' physical punishment. (KB)

Children 9 to 13 years old exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) reported on their violence exposure, attachment to both parents, temperament (negative emotionality and emotion regulation), perceived quality of life, and health complaints. Half of the children perceived their quality of life as good and did not have recurrent health complaints. When controlling for socioeconomic status, health complaints were associated with higher IPV exposure and negative emotionality, whereas quality of life was associated with attachment security, higher capacity for emotion regulation, and lower negative emotionality. These results underscore the importance of increasing and supporting the capacity of children exposed to IPV to handle and express their emotions, as well as making school nurses and other primary care practitioners more attentive to IPV as a possible background factor in children's health complaints. Keywords Intimate partner violence * Subjective health * Health complaints * Quality of life * Well-being Attachment * Negative emotionality * Emotion regulation, The family is generally thought of as a safe place where one can recuperate from the ups and downs of the outside world. However, major sources of stress and worry [...]

Background: Clinicians increasingly serve youths from societal/cultural backgrounds different from their own. This raises questions about how to interpret what such youths report. Rescorla et al. (2019, European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 28, 1107) found that much more variance in 72,493 parents' ratings of their offspring's mental health problems was accounted for by individual differences than by societal or cultural differences. Although parents' reports are essential for clinical assessment of their offspring, they reflect parents' perceptions of the offspring. Consequently, clinical assessment also requires self‐reports from the offspring themselves. To test effects of individual differences, society, and culture on youths' self‐ratings of their problems and strengths, we analyzed Youth Self‐Report (YSR) scores for 39,849 11–17 year olds in 38 societies. Methods: Indigenous researchers obtained YSR self‐ratings from population samples of youths in 38 societies representing 10 culture cluster identified in the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavioral Effectiveness study. Hierarchical linear modeling of scores on 17 problem scales and one strengths scale estimated the percent of variance accounted for by individual differences (including measurement error), society, and culture cluster. ANOVAs tested age and gender effects. Results: Averaged across the 17 problem scales, individual differences accounted for 92.5% of variance, societal differences 6.0%, and cultural differences 1.5%. For strengths, individual differences accounted for 83.4% of variance, societal differences 10.1%, and cultural differences 6.5%. Age and gender had very small effects. Conclusions: Like parents' ratings, youths' self‐ratings of problems were affected much more by individual differences than societal/cultural differences. Most variance in self‐rated strengths also reflected individual differences, but societal/cultural effects were larger than for problems, suggesting greater influence of social desirability. The clinical significance of individual differences in youths' self‐reports should thus not be minimized by societal/cultural differences, which—while important—can be taken into account with appropriate norms, as can gender and age differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children's exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) and child abuse (CA) is strongly related to later psychological problems. Few studies exist on patients in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) who have been singly or doubly exposed to IPV and/or CA. The overall aim of the current study was to compare self-reported psychiatric symptoms, post-trauma impact, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnoses among CAMHS patients who had been singly or doubly exposed or had reported no family violence (NoFV). We expected to find more severe symptoms in both singly and doubly exposed patients than in the NoFV group and that double exposure was associated with more severe symptoms than single exposure (to IPV or CA). Finally, we expected to find that higher frequencies of exposure to IPV or CA were related to more psychiatric symptoms, greater post-trauma impact, and a higher likelihood of PTSD diagnosis. We compared psychiatric symptoms, post-trauma impact, and PTSD diagnosis in 578 patients aged 9–17 years with NoFV (n = 287), single exposure (n = 162), and double exposure (n = 129). The influence of gender, age, age of onset, frequency, and traumatic interpersonal events outside the family (IPE) were regressed on psychiatric symptoms, post-trauma impact, and PTSD diagnoses. Patients with double exposure had more severe symptoms than the NoFV group, and patients with single exposure had more trauma-related symptoms than the NoFV group. Double exposure was associated with more severe symptoms than single exposure, and frequency (of exposure to IPV and/or CA) and IPE influenced trauma symptoms and psychiatric symptoms, respectively. Exposure to more than one type of violence is associated with more severe symptoms, but other factors such as frequency of violent acts and IPE are important factors to focus on in future studies and clinical assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A school-based model for early detection and intervention among 4-12-year-old children who displayed externalizing behavior problems was developed and examined. The results were encouraging and demonstrated that it is possible to work effectively with many children who display externalizing behavior problems in a nonclinical setting.

To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1545-5300.2006.00177.x Byline: ULF AXBERG ([dagger]), KJELL HANSSON ([double dagger]), ANDERS G BROBERG (s.), INGEGERD WIRTBERG ([dagger][dagger]) Keywords: Marte Meo; Coordination Meetings; School-Based Intervention; Externalizing Behavior Problems Abstract: Antisocial behavior is often persistent, and in addition to causing suffering to children and their families, it also poses considerable costs for society. Children who display externalizing behavior in their early years run a high risk of having severe problems later in life. There is a need for treatment methods that may be used in various settings because these children constitute a group that is hard to reach with conventional treatment methods. In addition, the dropout rate from ordinary treatment is often high. In the present study, a systemic school-based model for early detection and intervention among 4-12-year-old children who displayed externalizing behavior problems was developed and examined in a nonrandomized study in the county of Skaraborg in Sweden. The intervention was collaborative and included a combination of the Marte Meo model and coordination meetings based on systemic theory and practice. Treatment effects in the group who had received the intervention were compared with a group who had received treatment as usual in their ordinary school setting. Assessments were carried out before, and 2 years after, the intervention. For the intervention group (N=33), there was a significant decrease in the children's reported symptoms in school and in the home. No decrease in externalizing behavior was found in the comparison group (N=16). There were no dropouts in the intervention group after the intervention had begun. The results are promising; the study demonstrates that it is possible to work effectively with many children who display externalizing behavior problems in a nonclinical setting. Author Affiliation: ([dagger])Department of Psychology, Goteborg University, Child and Adolescent Pediatric Services, Hospital of Skaraborg, Sweden. ([double dagger])School of Social Work, Lund University, Sweden. (s.)Department of Psychology, Goteborg University, Sweden. ([dagger][dagger])Department of Psychology, Lund University, Sweden. Article note: Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Ulf Axberg, Department of Psychology, Goteborg University, Box 500, SE-405 30 Goteborg, Sweden. Tel: +46-31-773 58 34; Fax: +46-31-773 46 20. E-mail: Ulf.axberg@psy.gu.se

As societies become increasingly diverse, mental health professionals need instruments for assessing emotional, behavioral, and social problems in terms of constructs that are supported within and across societies. Building on decades of research findings, multisample alignment confirmatory factor analyses tested an empirically based 8-syndrome model on parent ratings across 30 societies and youth self-ratings across 19 societies. The Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 6–18 and Youth Self-Report for Ages 11–18 were used to measure syndromes descriptively designated as Anxious/Depressed, Withdrawn/Depressed, Somatic Complaints, Social Problems, Thought Problems, Attention Problems, Rule-Breaking Behavior, and Aggressive Behavior. For both parent ratings (N = 61,703) and self-ratings (N = 29,486), results supported aggregation of problem items into 8 first-order syndromes for all societies (configural invariance), plus the invariance of item loadings (metric invariance) across the majority of societies. Supported across many societies in both parent and self-ratings, the 8 syndromes offer a parsimonious phenotypic taxonomy with clearly operationalized assessment criteria. Mental health professionals in many societies can use the 8 syndromes to assess children and youths for clinical, training, and scientific purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this naturalistic study was to explore short and long‐term outcomes of five different group‐based parenting programs offered to parents of 10 to 17‐year‐olds. Three hundred and fifteen parents (277 mothers and 38 fathers) who had enrolled in a parenting program (universal: Active Parenting, COPE; Connect; targeted: COMET; Leadership training for parents of teenagers [LFT]) answered questionnaires at three measurement waves (baseline, post‐measurement, and one‐year follow‐up). The questions concerned parenting style, parental mental health, family climate and adolescent mental health. Results revealed small to moderate changes in almost all outcome variables and in all parenting programs. Overall, parents in COMET reported the largest short and long‐term changes. No substantial differences in change were seen between the other programs. The results support the general effectiveness of parenting programs for parents of adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among children visiting child and adolescent mental health care (CAM), the prevalence of exposure to family violence (FV) is reported to exceed prevalence in community samples, as are potentially traumatic interpersonal events (IPE) outside the family. The aim of the study was to relate CAM patients’ self-reported experiences of violence exposure to their current psychiatric symptoms and to compare patients exposed to violence with patients who reported no exposure. We asked 305 consecutive 9- to 17-year-old patients in CAM about their current and previous exposure to violence in and outside of the family. Prevalence of exposure to any kind of violence was 67%. Reported exposures were 19% to IPE, 21% to FV, and 27% to both. Children exposed to both FV and IPE were more negatively affected by the events than children exposed to FV or IPE only. Children in the FV + IPE group reported more mental health symptoms than those in the no violence (33%) group. In general, IPE was related to the outcome measures only in combination with FV. Degree of violence exposure seemed to have a dose–response relationship with the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leader-led parent support groups, offered universally to parents of adolescents, are increasingly common, yet little is known of the parents who use this support. The study presented here explored the characteristics of parents of 10- to 17-year-olds ( N = 192) who had enlisted in universal support groups and their reasons for enrollment. Sociodemographic factors (parents' country of origin, educational level, long-term sick-leave or unemployment, and marital status) were compared to the general population (Statistics Sweden, ) and parents' psychological health and children's psychiatric symptoms were compared to a control group (the BITA study). Results showed that support group parents reported more psychosocial difficulties, such as higher frequency of long-term sick-leave or unemployment, more symptoms of anxiety and depression and more psychiatric symptoms in their children than parents in general. While about a fifth of the parents had problem-oriented (targeted) reasons for enrollment, most parents had general (universal) reasons. Thus, the universal approach does seem to reach its intended recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this methodological study we investigated the usefulness and reliability of a questionnaire designed to capture 4 aspects of parental dental attitudes: dental knowledge, child oral health behavior, perceived importance of dental related aims, and parental responsibility. The study was undertaken in a group of 140 parents of schoolchildren aged 8-12 years from four comprehensive schools in Sweden. Test-retest reliability, quantified by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) or by Cohen's kappa, varied from acceptable to excellent for different aspects of the questionnaire. The knowledge and responsibility-taking sections were also answered by a group of dental experts who showed a high level of internal agreement. Expert profiles, to which the parental assessments could be compared, were created. Exploration of the 4 aspects showed that this group of parents commonly had a multifocal view on the etiology and prevention of caries. Correlations between their knowledge assessments and the assessments made by the expert group varied from moderately negative to strongly positive. The parents revealed a high degree of dental-related motivation and responsibility, particularly according to oral health behaviors. In conclusion, the results indicate that this 4-part psychometric questionnaire might be a suitable instrument in investigations of priority and responsibility-taking as new aspects of parental dental attitudes, along with dental knowledge and child oral health behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the Adult Attachment Interview, we explored differences in attachment, distress, and religiousness among groups of traditionally religious, New Age spiritual, and religiously syncretistic (high on both) participants (Ps) (N = 75). Religiously syncretistic Ps showed a preponderance of insecure attachment and were raised by non-religious parents, who were estimated as relatively insensitive. Moreover, religiously syncretistic Ps perceived a personal relationship with God and had experienced increased religiousness/spirituality during difficult life periods, but did not suffer elevated distress. New Agers often mirrored the religiously syncretistic, but had a more even secure–insecure attachment distribution, typically did not perceive a personal relationship with God, and did suffer elevated distress. Traditionally religious Ps were low on distress and raised by religious parents, estimated as relatively sensitive. We conclude that religious syncretism may often express religion/spirituality as compensation. Finally, we speculate that a perceived relationship with God may attenuate distress among those at risk. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are considered to provide the most reliable evidence on the efficacy of interventions. The aim of this study was to describe the recruitment process of an RCT study set up to evaluate a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) intervention programme for adolescent patients with dental anxiety (DA). The participants were recruited from a consecutive sample of adolescent patients (12-19 yrs old) referred for DA to a specialised pediatric dentistry clinic. Age, gender, and reason for referral were recorded for the possible eligible patients as part of the drop-out analysis of the recruitment process. Participants were then randomized to the intervention (CBT integrated with dental treatment) or control (adapted dental treatment) condition. In the recruitment process, 138 possible eligible patients met inclusion criteria, of these 55 were enrolled, 44 declined participation and 39 patients were excluded.The patients enrolled in the RCT did not differ from the non-participants with regard to age, gender or cause of referral. As a result of difficulties in the recruitment process, the study period was extended. The considerable proportion of non-participants as evident from the recruitment process may pose a threat to the external validity of the clinical trial. From a clinical perspective, the reasons for the lack of motivation to participate in behavioural interventions and the failure to appear warrant further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are considered to provide the most reliable evidence on the efficacy of interventions. The aim of this study was to describe the recruitment process of an RCT study set up to evaluate a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) intervention programme for adolescent patients with dental anxiety (DA). The participants were recruited from a consecutive sample of adolescent patients (12 -19 yrs old) referred for DA to a specialised pediatric dentistry clinic. Age, gender, and reason for referral were recorded for the possible eligible patients as part of the drop-out analysis of the recruitment process. Participants were then randomized to the intervention (CBT integrated with dental treatment) or control (adapted dental treatment) condition. In the recruitment process, 138 possible eligible patients met inclusion criteria, of these 55 were enrolled, 44 declined participation and 39 patients were excluded. The patients enrolled in the RCT did not differ from the non-participants with regard to age, gender or cause of referral. As a result of difficulties in the recruitment process, the study period was extended. The considerable proportion of non-participants as evident from the recruitment process may pose a threat to the external validity of the clinical trial. From a clinical perspective, the reasons for the lack of motivation to participate in behavioural interventions and the failure to appear warrant further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a repeated measures design posttraumatic stress (PTS), psychological and behavioral problems significantly decreased following intervention in children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV), with use of traditional group analyses. Analyses using the reliable change index (RCI), however, revealed that few children were improved or recovered, implying that interventions in common use should be evaluated for their significant impact on the individual level in addition to group level statistics. Positive changes in children's behavioral problems were related to the mother's improvement of their own mental health. Direct victimization by the perpetrator was not associated with treatment changes but with higher symptom levels at study entry. Amount of contact with the perpetrator was neither related to symptom load nor to changes following treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examined the perceived effectiveness of a 15-week community-based program for 46 children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) and their mothers. Aims: The primary aims were to describe the children who entered one of the existing community-based programs in terms of behavioral problems and to evaluate the impact of the program on children's general behavioral functioning as assessed by their mothers. Results: Children's rated behavioral problems (SDQ) dropped following treatment; the effect size was in the medium range. The social impairment caused by the problems decreased as well. The effect regarding behavioral problems was not related to the degree of exposure to IPV or the mothers own changes in trauma symptoms following treatment. Results were analyzed as well at the individual level with the Reliable Change Index (RCI), which showed that the majority of children were unchanged following treatment. Conclusions: One implication from the study is the need for baseline screening and assessment. About half of the current sample had a clinical symptom picture indicating the need for specialized psychiatric/psychotherapeutic treatment. Furthermore, the reduction in behavioral problems was significant but many children still had high levels of behavioral problems after treatment, indicating a need of a more intense or a different type of intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Axberg, U. & Broberg, A. G. (2012). Evaluation of 'The Incredible Years' in Sweden: The transferability of an American parent-training program to Sweden. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 53, 224-232. Structured parent training has been proven to be effective in reducing disruptive behavior problems (DBP) in children. Most of the programs that are used in Sweden have their origin in North America, and there is an ongoing debate over the transferability to Sweden of manual-based programs developed in other contexts. The goal of the present study was to study effectiveness of the Incredible Years parent-training program (IY), developed in the US, in regular clinical work in Sweden, using a randomized controlled design. Parents of 62 four to eight-year-old children diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder participated in the study. Parents of 38 children were assigned to parent training (PT) and 24 to a waiting list (WL). The results indicate that the IYS retains the positive effects on children's disruptive behavior problems when translated and transferred to Swedish. There was a statistically significant difference in reduction of DBP in children between the groups in favor of the PT. The improvement in the PT group was sustained at the one-year follow-up. The improvement also, at least to some extent, generalized over time to the school context. There was also a statistically significant difference in mothers' report of pre to post change in parenting alliance between the PT and WL groups. The IYS program was appreciated and well received by the participating mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated a community-based treatment program in Sweden for mothers subjected to intimate partner violence. Results based on group means indicated that the mothers showed significantly reduced trauma and psychological symptoms and improved sense of coherence after participating in the program. Surprisingly, no improvement regarding perceived parental locus of control was found. Furthermore, as a complement to group statistics a reliable change index was used, which resulted in more modest results regarding the effectiveness of the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]