This study examined the utility of cognitive and behavioral constructs (AIDS information, motivation, and behavioral skills) in explaining sexual risk taking among 172 12-20-year-old ethnically diverse urban youths in outpatient psychiatric care. Structural equation modeling revealed only moderate support for the model, explaining low to moderate…

In this article we examine the ability of contextual information to enhance assessment of behavior problems in schools. Capitalizing on the multisituational structure of the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents, exploratory and confirmatory analyses with a representative national sample (N = 1,400, ages 5-17 years) revealed three unique…

This case control study examined the relationship between psychopathological profiles and self reported suicide attempts among rural adolescents of China. Cases consisted of 142 adolescents who reported a suicide attempt in the past 6 months in a questionnaire survey (n = 1,365). An equal number of adolescents without reporting a suicide attempt,…

A sample of 126 consecutively admitted residential treatment children (mean age = 9.86, SD=1.84; 70.6% male; 42.1% African American; 50% Caucasian) were studied over a five-year period to identify predictors of length-of-stay. Cox regression was the primary statistical method used to analyze psychiatric and behavioral rating data for children…

Thirty-four to 41% of third through sixth-grade children suffer from test anxiety. In surveying large samples, assessments of the school subjects and exams were found to be major stressors for the children. In its most extreme form, test anxiety can even be a contributing factor to school refusal. Empirical studies show that test anxiety is a…

Objective: To study associations between comorbid psychopathology and long-term outcomes in a large birth cohort sample from age 8 to early adulthood. Method: The sample included long-term outcome data on 2,556 Finnish boys born in 1981. The aim was to study the impact of early childhood psychopathology types (externalizing versus internalizing…

Objectives: Physical punishment, as a means of disciplining children, may be considered a mild form of childhood adversity. Although many outcomes of physical punishment have been investigated, little attention has been given to the impact of physical punishment on later adult psychopathology. Also, it has been stated that physical punishment by a…

A constructive debate over the classification of child psychopathology can be stimulated by investigating the validity of different classification approaches. We examined and compared the short-term predictive validity of cluster analytic and dimensional classifications of child behavioral adjustment in school using the Behavior Assessment System…

Background: We examined the therapeutic alliance in evidence-based treatment for children (N = 77, 19 girls, 58 boys, ages 6-14) referred clinically for oppositional, aggressive, and antisocial behavior. Method: Different alliances (child-therapist, parent-therapist) were assessed from each participant's perspective at two points over the course…

This research examines mental health correlates of different victim-perpetrator relationships among adolescent victims of interpersonal violence. A large and nationally representative sample of adolescents (N = 4,023) responded to structured telephone interviews concerning mental health functioning (posttraumatic stress disorder--PTSD, major…

This paper reviews literature on the adult outcomes for children diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). It critiques methodological issues, including diagnostic definitions, research designs, sample characteristics, and assessment instruments. It examines the relationship of AD/HD to a variety of adult disorders and…

An investigation was conducted to assess parental and family characteristics of boys who displayed competence when exposed to a set of stressful circumstances expected to impair and/or retard their development. Participating children and families were involved in the University of Rochester Child and Family Study, a prospective developmental…

Labeling bias is the distortion of diagnostic judgment as a function of prior diagnostic information. University students (N=102) were assigned to 16 treatment groups, with variables of: prior diagnosis attributed to a videotaped target person ("psychotic" versus none), setting in which the observed sample of his behavior was said to…

Experiences in prenatal life and early childhood that may cause personality disorders or criminal behavior in later life are examined in these proceedings of the Subcommittee on Childhood Experiences as Causes of Criminal Behavior of the Standing Committee on Health, Welfare and Science, Senate of Canada. This issue, the third in a series of 19…

Experiences in prenatal life and early childhood that may cause personality disorders or criminal behavior in later life are examined in these proceedings of the Subcommittee on Childhood Experiences as Causes of Criminal Behavior of the Standing Committee on Health, Welfare and Science, Senate of Canada. This issue, the fourth in a series of 19…