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Multilevel confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the factor structure underlying the 12-item, three-factor "Interagency Collaboration Activities Scale" (ICAS) at the informant level and at the agency level. Results from 378 professionals (104 administrators, 201 service providers, and 73 case managers) from 32 children's mental health service agencies supported a correlated three-factor model at each level and indicated that the item loadings were not significantly (p greater than 0.05) different across levels. Reliability estimates of the three factors (Financial and Physical Resource Activities, Program Development and Evaluation Activities, and Collaborative Policy Activities) at the agency level were 0.81, 0.60, and 0.72, respectively, whereas these estimates were 0.79, 0.82, and 0.85 at the individual level. These multilevel results provide support for the construct validity of the scores from the ICAS. When the ICAS was examined in relation to Level 1 and Level 2 covariates, results showed that participants' characteristics (i.e., age, job role, gender, educational level, and number of months employed) and agency characteristics (i.e., state location and number of employees) were not significantly (p greater than 0.05) related to levels of interagency collaboration. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

Latent class analysis was conducted on the psychosocial problems experienced by truant youths. Data were obtained from baseline interviews completed on 131 youths and their parents/guardians involved in a NIDA-funded, Brief Intervention Project. Results identified two classes of youths: Class 1(n=9) - youths with low levels of delinquency, mental health and substance abuse issues; and Class 2(n=37) - youths with high levels of these problems. Comparison of these two classes on their urine analysis test results and parent/guardian reports of traumatic events found significant (p<.05) differences between them that were consistent with their problem group classification. Our results have important implications for research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflective of interest in mental health and substance abuse issues among youths involved with the justice system, we performed a latent class analysis on baseline information collected on 100 youths involved in two diversion programs. Results identified two groups of youths: Group 1: a majority of the youths, who had high levels of delinquency, mental health, and substance abuse issues; and Group 2: youths with low levels of these problems. Comparison of these two groups on a variety of psychosocial measures and parent/guardian reports found differences between them that were consistent with their problem group classification. Follow-up analysis confirmed problem behavior that was consistent with the youths’ latent class placement. Implications of the findings for research and practice are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rates of change in strength- and deficit-based behaviors in relation to community adjustment were examined for 292 participants in the 7-year longitudinal National Adolescent and Child Treatment Study (NACTS; Greenbaum et al., 1996) as they transitioned from adolescence to the adult world. Scores from 6 domains including education, employment, residence, social support network, self-reported and caretaker-reported satisfaction were combined to form the Index of Community Adjustment (ICA). Participants with higher social-adaptive behavior upon entry into NACTS and whose social-adaptive behavior improved over time attained higher ICA scores. These results underscore the need to provide comprehensive and integrated services that promote development of social-adaptive skills associated with successful transition to adulthood for individuals with emotional challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proposes the need for studies on co-occurring addictive and mental disorders among adolescents. Special problems in the assessment of dual diagnosis in adolescents; Parallelism in the prevalence of dual diagnosis in adults and in adolescents; Future research studies.

The National Adolescent and Child Treatment Study (NACTS) was designed to study children identified and served by the public mental health and special education systems as seriously emotionally disturbed. Children (N = 812) and their parents (N = 740) participated in the first wave of data collection in this longitudinal study. Subjects lived in six states, with approximately half in psychiatric residential treatment centers and the other half in public school special education programs. A multi-method, multi-source methodology was employed. The sample is characterized by externalizing problems, poor adaptive functioning and substantial academic deficits. Residential children were more likely to have blended families, were more likely to have previously received residential treatment, and had higher rates of conduct disorder, anxiety, and attention deficit disorder, as measured by the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children. The two groups did not differ on intelligence, age of onset, or rates of schizophrenia or depression. The data suggest the presence of greater at-risk factors in the residential group and different paths of entry into special education and residential treatment programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]