PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A M La Greca

Publications and source records attributed to A M La Greca.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Parent reports of child behavior problems: bias in participation.

This paper compares the characteristics of 274 children whose parents agreed to provide information about their children's functioning in research with children whose parents did not. Parents had provided permission for child participation in school-approved research. Measures included self-, peer, teacher, and parent ratings. Parents of minority children were less likely to participate than parents of nonminority children. Among nonminorities, children of parent participants were viewed as more socially skilled and liked by their peers; teachers rated them as having less attention problems, less depression, and better academic skills than children of nonparticipating parents. Among minorities, no differences emerged. Implications for research involving the use of parent ratings are discussed.

Achievement↗
PubMed1992

Peer influences in pediatric chronic illness: an update.

Examined research on peer relations of children with chronic illness. In general, scant attention has been devoted to this topic. A recent review (La Greca, 1990) highlighted this oversight and suggested several avenues for further research and clinical endeavors. This paper updates the earlier review, and provides examples from current literature regarding the role of peer relations in adjustment to chronic disease. Data are presented from an ongoing investigation of the ways in which friends and family members provide support for adolescents with diabetes. Adolescents' friends were more oriented toward companionship support than were family members; both family and friends were reported to provide emotional support for diabetes care, although the types of emotional support varied. Findings are discussed in the context of the important and varied role that peers play in youngsters' disease adaptation.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1992

Adolescent smoking.

This article reviewed the major personal, interpersonal, environmental, attitudinal, and physiological variables that contribute to adolescent smoking. As stated at the outset, multiple factors interact in complex ways to determine the cause and development of smoking among adolescents. No single factor or influence is either sufficient or necessary in and of itself. Given the substantial continuity of smoking status across the period from adolescence to adulthood and the fact that most adults began their smoking careers as teenagers, antismoking campaigns and other preventive strategies for reducing adolescent smoking are critical areas for future health promotion efforts. Efforts to prevent adolescent smoking have shown appreciable success in reducing the rate of "uptake." A frequent intervention strategy has focused on protecting adolescents against peer influence through teaching them skills for refusing or counteracting such influence and posing counterinfluence by recruiting high-status peers as leaders of prevention programs. Although these interventions have shown success, their scope appears limited in light of this article's emphasis on the multiple influences on adolescent smoking. For instance, further prevention research might address factors such as family influences and group and self-identity. It might also address the complex set of risk behaviors of which smoking may often be a member.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Social consequences of pediatric conditions: fertile area for future investigation and intervention.

Very little systematic research has examined the peer relations and social functioning of youngsters with chronic illness. In order to stimulate empirical and clinical interest in this potentially important area of pediatric psychology, the present paper discusses several pertinent tissues. These include (a) the role of peers in disease adaptation and treatment management, (b) specific aspects of diseases or treatments that are likely to have implications for youngsters' social functioning, (c) guidelines for further investigation in this area, and (d) suggestions for incorporating peer/social issues into educational programs and intervention efforts for youngsters with chronic disease. Throughout the discussion, the complex interplay between peer relations and adaptation to chronic illness is highlighted.

Child↗
PubMed1990

The social status of children with learning disabilities: a reexamination.

Although the low social status of children with learning disabilities (LD) has been well documented, little is known about the specific types of peer status problems that characterize these children. The present study utilized current sociometric procedures in order to clarify the nature of social status difficulties encountered by children with LD. Consistent with previous studies, results revealed that children with LD obtain significantly lower sociometric scores relative to their nondisabled peers. Moreover, children with LD were found to be disproportionately overrepresented in the rejected and neglected sociometric groups, and underrepresented in the popular and average groups. Over half of the total LD sample was classified into one of the low status categories, with approximately equal numbers in the rejected and neglected groups. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Child↗
PubMed1990

LD status and achievement: confounding variables in the study of children's social status, self-esteem, and behavioral functioning.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of achievement in explaining the poor social and behavioral functioning associated with LD status, and to evaluate potential gender differences in patterns of interpersonal functioning among youth with learning disabilities (LD) and nondisabled (NLD) youth. Thirty-two students with learning disabilities (21 boys, 11 girls) were matched with same-sex, same-race classmates whose reading achievement was low (LA) or average (AA), and these groups were compared on peer ratings of liking and disliking, perceptions of self-worth and social acceptance, and teacher ratings of conduct problems, anxiety-withdrawal, and attention problems. Students with learning disabilities were less accepted and less well-liked than children in the LA or AA groups and also perceived their self-worth and social acceptance to be lower than LA or AA students. Group by Sex interactions were apparent for several of the peer rating and behavioral variables, indicating that different patterns of social and behavioral functioning distinguished LD boys and LD girls from their NLD peers. The findings highlight the potential role of low achievement in peers' dislike of LD girls and suggest the importance of investigating well-defined subgroups of youth with LD in future research.

Achievement↗
PubMed1990

Issues in adherence with pediatric regimens.

Adherence to recommendations for health care is an area of serious concern for pediatric psychologists. The present article highlights several key issues affecting research and clinical work in this area. They include: difficulties defining and measuring adherence; developmental aspects of adherence; special concerns with low income populations; and limitations of intervention research. In addition, several directions for future investigation in the area of pediatric adherence are addressed.

Child↗
PubMed1989

Pediatric psychology training: an analysis of graduate, internship, and postdoctoral programs.

The field of pediatric psychology is in the early stages of formulating its own identity relative to other areas, such as clinical child and health psychology. This paper complements other recent efforts to delineate training practices and guidelines. Questionnaires regarding doctoral, internship, and postdoctoral training experiences were obtained from 89% of the membership of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. From this information, rankings of the most commonly attended programs at each training level were derived. Some overlap was apparent between doctoral programs that were conducive to training in pediatric and clinical child psychology; however, differences between programs in these areas also were noted. The most commonly attended internship and postdoctoral settings were those in major medical centers or children's hospitals. Suggestions for investigating the current status of predoctoral, internship, and postdoctoral programs that may be facilitative of training in pediatric psychology are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Diabetes in adolescence: effects of multifamily group intervention and parent simulation of diabetes.

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is a complex, chronic disease that is difficult to control during adolescence. This study evaluated the effects of a 6-week, family-oriented, group intervention on adolescents' metabolic control and psychosocial and family functioning. Thirty-two families were randomly assigned to one of three groups: multifamily (MF), multifamily plus parent simulation of diabetes (MF + S), and control (C). Outcome measures included glycosylated hemoglobin (Hb Al); perceptions of diabetes; estimates of youngsters' self-care; and family functioning. Adolescents in the MF + S group displayed significant decrements in Hb Al, and adolescents in both intervention groups reported more positive perceptions of a "teen-ager with diabetes" at posttreatment, relative to controls. Adolescents participating in smaller family groups demonstrated clinically significant improvements in Hb Al that were maintained at 6-month follow-up. Parent reports suggested that adolescents in the intervention groups improved their diabetes care. Findings support the use of multifamily groups plus parent simulation of diabetes as an intervention strategy for adolescents with IDDM.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Correlates of child abuse potential.

Coercion theory provided the theoretical rationale for the present study. The hypothesis was that mothers' reports of child behavior problems and mothers' reports of external locus of control would be related to abuse potential. A total of 95 mother-child pairs were screened for child abuse potential during visits to a hospital-based pediatric clinic. Following brief interviews, mothers completed three measures: Milner's Child Abuse Potential Inventory, Levenson's Locus of Control Scales, and the Revised Behavior Problem Checklist. Perceptions of control by powerful others and by chance were related to abuse potential for mothers of both sexes. Mothers' reports of their sons' anxiety-withdrawal and conduct-disorder behavior problems were related to abuse potential. There was a significant association among lie scores, internality, and abuse potential for mothers of female children. Mothers with high abuse potential reported significantly more behavior problems in their children. The findings were discussed in relation to coercion theory.

Child↗
PubMed1984

Comprehension of nonverbal communication: a reexamination of the social competencies of learning-disabled children.

This study was designed to determine whether learning-disabled (LD) children differed from nondisabled (NLD) children in their ability to comprehend nonverbal communication when potential attentional differences between the groups were controlled. In addition, the relationship between nonverbal comprehension and social competence was assessed. Thirty LD and 30 NLD boys between 9 and 12 years of age were administered a short form of the Profile of Nonverbal Sensitivity (PONS) to assess nonverbal comprehension; social competence measures included teachers' ratings of aggressive and withdrawn behaviors using the Behavior Problem Checklist, and "blind" judges' ratings of performance on a role-play of friendship-making skills. Under attention-incentive conditions, no performance differences between LD and NLD children were found on the PONS; however, LD children were judged to be more withdrawn and less socially skilled. While PONS scores were not related to other social competence measures, they were associated with academic achievement and IQ. Results emphasize the importance of considering the presence of attentional problems in LD children that may interfere with an accurate assessment of their skills.

Achievement↗
PubMed1983

Facilitating the vocational-interpersonal skills of mentally retarded individuals.

A program was designed to teach interpersonal skills to mentally retarded individuals in order to facilitate their vocational adjustment and prevent job termination. Thirty-five retarded young adults were randomly assigned to a skills-training, coaching, or no-treatment control group. The skills-training and coaching groups met for 12 sessions and 6 follow-up meetings. The skills-training group learned appropriate ways of responding to difficult work-related interpersonal situations. Modeling, coaching, and behavioral rehearsal were the treatment procedures. The coaching group discussed the same interpersonal situations; however, modeling and behavioral rehearsal were not employed. Results indicated that the skills-training group improved their interpersonal skills, social competence, vocational problem behavior, and length of employment. Some positive changes were noted for the coaching group. The results provide support for training interpersonal skills prior to community vocational placement.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Assessing the problematic interpersonal skills of mentally retarded individuals in a vocational setting.

The present paper reports on two studies which were designed to assess specific interpersonal situations and behaviors which interfere with a mentally retarded individual's adjustment to a vocational setting. In the first study, lists of problematic interpersonal situations and problematic behaviors were generated based on (a) interviews with prevocational teachers, school personnel, and work supervisors in a sheltered workshop setting, and (b) behavioral observations of workers in prevocational classes and a workshop setting. The list of problematic behaviors was further evaluated by work supervisors to determine the frequency and seriousness of each behavior. This information provided a basis for establishing training priorities in an interpersonal skills training program for mentally retarded individuals. In a second study, problem behavior ratings were obtained from prevocational teachers and residential supervisors for 40 mentally retarded individuals. Teachers additionally rated each individual using several standardized assessment scales (Behavior Problem Checklist, AAMD Adaptive Behavior Scale, Vocational Competency Scale). After placement in a sheltered workshop setting, problem behavior ratings were obtained from work supervisors for each individual, and the length of successful employment was assessed. Intercorrelations among measures and across raters provided initial support for the validity and reliability of the problem behavior list. Implications for future researching and training on interpersonal-vocational skills are discussed.

Aggression↗
PubMed1981

Peer acceptance: the correspondence between children's sociometric scores and teachers' ratings of peer interactions.

In view of the current interest in children's peer relationships and social skills, and the need for valid assessment procedures for children's peer problems, the intent of the present study was to examine the correspondence between peer ratings of acceptance and teacher ratings of a child's social behavior and likability. The 92 children were males and females from the third, fourth, and fifth grades. Classroom teachers rated each of the children on withdrawal, aggressive, and likable behavior using the Pupil Evaluation Inventory. Peer ratings of the child's acceptance in play and work situations were obtained from same-sex classmates. The teacher rating of likability was the best predictor of peer acceptance scores for males; withdrawn behavior was the best predictor of peer acceptance scores for females. Ratings of withdrawn and aggressive behavior contributed to the prediction of peer acceptance scores for males; for females, only withdrawn behavior contributed to the prediction of peer acceptance. In terms of the clinical utility of teacher ratings for assessing children with peer problems, the use of the withdrawn and/or aggressive ratings scales appeared to offer promise as a means of identifying such children. Implications for the area of children's social skills and directions for future research were discussed.

Aggression↗