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T H Ollendick

Publications and source records attributed to T H Ollendick.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Panic disorder in children and adolescents: new developments, new directions.

Reviewed panic attacks and panic disorders in children and adolescents critically and highlighted new developments. It is concluded that panic attacks and panic disorder are common in adolescence and that they are responsive to cognitive-behavioral treatment regimens. It is also concluded that although panic attacks and panic disorder are less common in children, they are nonetheless present. It is important to note, however, that their expression in childhood may vary from the clinical features seen in adolescence and adulthood. Specifically, it is suggested that most panic attacks in childhood are associated with particular events and are not unexpected or "out of the blue." Moreover, noncatastrophic interpretations of the symptoms of panic prevail. A developmental model for the onset, course, and correlates of panic in children is put forth.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

The etiology of childhood dog phobia.

This study evaluated Rachman's theory of fear acquisition in a sample of 30 children with dog phobia. The children were on the waiting list of a university-based clinic. Parents were asked to indicate the most influential factor in the onset of their child's dog phobia. Nearly all parents were able to attribute their child's phobia to one of the fear pathways: direct conditioning, modelling or transmission of information.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Children's nighttime fears.

Some children experience persistent night-time fears that interfere with their daily functioning. Initially, we present developmental considerations necessary to an understanding of severe night-time fears. We postulate that severe night-time fears are probably due to a complex interaction of biological, environmental, and cognitive-mediational processes. Several assessment procedures are outlined: behavioral interviews, diagnostic interviews, fear survey schedules for children, home monitoring on the part of parents, and darkness toleration tests. Traditional behavioral interventions, and more recent cognitive-behavioral interventions, are evaluated in terms of their research foundations. Cognitive-behavioral strategies appear to have the more empirical support, although we draw attention to several methodological limitations.

Child↗
PubMed1997

Assessment of childhood phobias.

Childhood phobias can be successfully treated using a variety of behavioral strategies, provided there has been a psychometrically sound assessment. Measures are also important for the evaluation of treatment efficacy and the testing of hypotheses generated by new ideas and theories of children's phobias. This paper outlines broad-based assessment procedures used in the evaluation of children's phobias, including the behavioral or problem-focused interview, the diagnostic interview, self-report inventories, caregiver completed instruments, behavioral observations, self-monitoring and physiological assessment. Reflecting recent theoretical and clinical advances in the study of childhood internalizing disorders, we also explore laboratory-based measures and family assessment measures. Particular attention is given to psychometric issues and developmental sensitivity in our discussion of these assessment procedures.

Arousal↗
PubMed1997

Children's cognitive responses to the somatic symptoms of panic.

The purpose of this study was to test Nelles and Barlow's (1988) hypothesis that spontaneous panic attacks are rare or nonexistent prior to adolescence as children lack the ability to make the internal, catastrophic attributions (i.e., thoughts of losing control, going crazy, or dying) characteristic of panic according to the cognitive model (Clark, 1986). Conceptions of panic attacks, including the understanding of symptoms and causes, and cognitive interpretations of the somatic symptoms of panic were examined in children from Grades 3, 6, and 9. A significant main effect for grade was found for conceptions of panic attacks, with third graders receiving significantly lower scores than sixth and ninth graders. However, the majority of all children, regardless of age, tended to employ internal (e.g., "I'd think I was scared or nervous") rather than external (e.g., "I'd think I was feeling that way because of the temperature or the weather") explanations of panic attacks. No significant grade differences were found for the tendency to make internal versus external and catastrophic versus noncatastrophic attributions in response to the somatic symptoms of panic. When presented with panic imagery in a panic induction phase, children, regardless of age, made more internal and noncatastrophic attributions. Finally, internal attributional style in response to negative outcomes and anxiety sensitivity were found to be significant predictors of internal, catastrophic attributions. The challenge that these findings pose to Nelles and Barlow's hypothesis, and their relevance for understanding children's cognitive interpretations of panic symptomatology are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Fears in American, Australian, Chinese, and Nigerian children and adolescents: a cross-cultural study.

The fears of childhood and adolescence may differ from one cultural context to another. We explored this possibility in 1200 American, Australian, Chinese, and Nigerian children and adolescents between 7 and 17 years of age. Responses to a standard fear survey schedule revealed significant differences in the number, content, pattern, and level of fears. Nigerian children and adolescents endorsed fears at higher levels than American, Australian, or Chinese youth who did not differ from one another. However, differences in the pattern and content of fears for boys and girls of different ages were noted across the countries. Results were interpreted within a cultural context, which suggested that cultures which favor inhibition, compliance, and obedience serve to increase levels of fear. Alternative interpretations are offered and limitations of cross-cultural research are explored.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Perceptions of fear in other children and adolescents: the role of gender and friendship status.

Gender differences in fear were examined in 693 Chinese children and adolescents. Subjects were asked to rate their own fears, the fears of their best friends, and the fears of "other" classmates using the Fear Survey Schedule for Children--Revised (Ollendick, 1983). Consistent with previous investigations in Western and Eastern countries, girls rated themselves as more fearful than boys. In addition, both girls and boys rated their best friends as similar in number, content, and intensity of fears. However, girls rated their classmates as less fearful than themselves or their best friends, while boys rated their classmates as more fearful then themselves or their best friends. Findings are discussed in terms of gender role expectations and similarity-attraction hypotheses.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Obsessive-compulsive behaviour in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional Australian study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the reliability of the survey form of the Leyton Obsessional Inventory-Child Version (LOI-CV), ascertain the prevalence of self-reported obsessive-compulsive behaviour together with age and sex differences and identify the most common obsessive-compulsive behaviours and their associated level of interference. METHODOLOGY: The survey form of the LOI-CV was administered to a large sample of children and adolescents attending regular schools. Participants were aged between 8 and 16 years (n = 1602). RESULTS: We found the survey instrument to have adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability. There was an age-related decline in self-reported obsessive-compulsive behaviour and girls reported a higher level of obsessive-compulsive behaviour than boys. The most common obsessive-compulsive behaviours included: repeated thoughts or words, having trouble making decisions, having to do certain things and doing things in the exact manner and having a bad conscience. For the most part, these behaviours were associated with low levels of interference. However, for a significant minority of youth (5 to 14%), these behaviours did cause problems and significantly interfered with their lives. CONCLUSIONS: Although many obsessive-compulsive behaviours are part of normal development, they may still be problematic for some children and adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

The stability and prediction of fears in Chinese children and adolescents: a one-year follow-up.

The stability in number, level, content, and pattern of fears over a one-year period was examined in Chinese children and adolescents aged 7-17. In addition, perceptions of fear in friends and parents as well as perceptions of the controllability and modifiability of fears were explored as predictors of subsequent fear level. Evidence for moderate stability of fears was obtained. However, stability was qualified by age and sex interaction effects. A developmental-cultural hypothesis was put forth to account for those findings. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that perceptions of fears in friends and parents, along with perceptions of the controllability and modifiability of fears, were predictive of fear level at follow-up. Limitations of the study are noted.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Only children and children with siblings in the People's Republic of China: levels of fear, anxiety, and depression.

In 1979, China implemented its one-child-per-family policy in order to control its burgeoning population. Subsequently, concern has been raised about the policy and its potentially negative effects on children. In the present study, we examined these presumed effects on 202 adolescents born before the policy went into effect, 290 preadolescents born during the period in which the policy was being implemented, and 239 children who were born after the policy went into effect. Measures of fear, anxiety, and depression were obtained. Contrary to our hypotheses, based on concerns raised by the one-child policy, children with siblings reported significantly higher levels of fear, anxiety, and depression than only children, regardless of when they were born. For depression, this effect was qualified by a sibling status x age interaction. Children with siblings born after the policy went into effect, or during its implementation, reported higher levels of depression than did only children; however, only children and children with siblings born before the policy went into effect did not differ significantly from one another. Sociocultural factors associated with these findings are explored.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

An examination of the validity of social subtypes in autism.

The validity of a social subtyping scheme forwarded by Wing and her colleagues is examined in a sample of 53 autistic individuals. Clinical ratings of subtype (aloof, passive, active-but-odd), IQ estimates, and measures of adaptive functioning and level of autism were obtained. Subjects were individually administered the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) by the principle examiner, who was blind to subtype assignment. The general findings supported the validity of aloof and active-but-odd subtypes as predictors of behavior across language/communication, reciprocal social interaction, and stereotyped behavior/restricted interest domains and suggested that individuals assigned to these respective groups differed in a number of important ways (e.g., level of autism, IQ, adaptive behavior). Partial support for an intermediate, passive subtype was garnered. The clinical utility of social subtypes is discussed as an important implication of this work.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Fears and their level of interference in adolescents.

In this study, we first explored the prevalence of self-reported fears in 648 Australian adolescents and then determined the extent of interference associated with those fears. Consistent with other studies, fears were highly prevalent. An average of 9 fears was reported. Girls reported more fears than boys and younger adolescents reported more fears than older adolescents. A majority of the youth reported that their fears caused them considerable distress and that their fears interfered significantly with their daily activities. The limitations of the study were acknowledged and directions for future research were suggested.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1994

Diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of internalizing problems in children: the role of longitudinal data.

This review examines the role of longitudinal data in the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of internalizing disorders in children and adolescents. On the basis of the limited longitudinal data available, it is suggested that internalizing disorders in children and adolescents are highly prevalent, frequently comorbid with other childhood disorders, and, arguably so, persistent over time. However, it is also noted that a considerable amount of instability characterizes these disorders and that the developmental course is not fully understood at this time. In addition, these disorders are responsive to treatment, at least on a short-term basis. Finally, a plea is made for longitudinal studies that use a developmental perspective in examining internalizing disorders in children and adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Panic in children and adolescents: a review.

Based on our review of the available data, we conclude that panic attacks are common among adolescents, while both panic attacks and Panic Disorder appear to be present, but less frequent, in children. Furthermore, it is evident that both adolescents and children who report panic attacks describe the occurrence of cognitive symptoms, although with less frequency than physiological ones. Consistent with the cognitive model of panic, it seems that at least some youngsters are capable of experiencing the physiological symptoms of panic accompanied by the requisite catastrophic cognitions. However, a more complete understanding of the cognitive manifestation of panic attacks/disorder among children awaits further investigation. Future research should aim to explore the developmental progression in children's cognitive responses to specific panic symptomatology. Risk factors (e.g. anxiety sensitivity, depression) which may contribute to the likelihood of misinterpreting physiological sensations in a catastrophic manner throughout the course of development should also be assessed: Finally, we are in general agreement with Abelson and Alessi (1992) who argue that we must begin to ask ourselves how panic disorder may be manifested in children. That is, rather than assessing the frequency with which children experience symptoms of adult panic, we should explore what panic would look like in children. They propose that the study of panic in children would be facilitated by a reformulation of separation anxiety as a childhood expression of panic disorder. Although this reformulation makes intuitive sense and is appealing from a developmental perspective, we would insert a strong caveat. Although the research is yet to be conducted, it is probable that childhood separation anxiety is only one of many routes to panic disorder outcome. It is improbable that such direct and continuous pathways are present for the majority of children, adolescents and adults who experience panic disorder. More probably, the pathways are multiple, complex, and discontinuous (Robbins & Rutter, 1990). Much work remains to be done before we are able to ferret out the linkages between developmental processes and clinical outcomes for panic disorder in children and adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Fears in Chinese children and adolescents and their relations to anxiety and depression.

In the present study, we examined the pattern and intensity of fear in 825 Chinese children and adolescents. Although many of the fears paralleled those reported in Western samples (Australia, England and the United States), some differences were noted. In particular, Chinese children and adolescents reported heightened levels of social-evaluative fears. This pattern was especially evident for children between 11 and 13 years of age. A developmental-cultural hypothesis was put forth to account for these findings. In addition, modest relations were found between our measure of fear and measures of anxiety and depression. Results were explored in terms of the uniqueness of the constructs of fear, anxiety and depression and their contributions to a more global construct of negative distress, labeled 'negative affectivity'.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Assessing the fears of children with disability using the Revised Fear Survey Schedule for Children: a comparative study.

This study compared the self-reported fears of children with disability using the Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised (FSSC-R). Children with intellectual disability reported a significantly greater number of fears than children with no disability, children with hearing impairment and children with visual impairment. Also the children with intellectual disability reported more idiosyncratic fears related to the unknown, injury and small animals. Consistent with normative findings (King et al., 1989b; Ollendick, King & Frary, 1989), girls reported significantly more fears than boys. Methodological issues are discussed including the reliability and validity of self-reported fears for children with disability.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Self-reports of panic attacks and manifest anxiety in adolescents.

A recent paper by Nelles and Barlow (1988; Clinical Psychology Review, 8, 359-372) provided the rationale for an investigation of panic attacks in adolescents. A panic attack questionnaire and the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale were administered to an unselected sample of Australian adolescents. Of 534 adolescents, 42.9% reported having at least one panic attack. Other data are reported on the characteristics of panic attacks, life interference and avoidance behaviour. Panickers reported significantly higher anxiety levels than nonpanickers. Differences between the findings of Australian and American samples were noted and directions for future research were identified. Several methodological issues were also discussed including the reliability and validity of self-report data on panic attacks.

Adolescent↗