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Childhood behavior problems: a comparison of twin and non-twin samples.

This study compares standardized measures of childhood behavior problems in a community-based twin sample with those for normative samples from the general population. Maternal parent ratings on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) for 1824 twins were compared with the CBCL normative sample. The results indicated that twins showed small but consistently higher levels of problem behaviors. These elevations were significant for older children on both internalizing and externalizing behaviors; for younger children the elevations were significant for externalizing but not internalizing behaviors.

Adolescent

Childhood peer rejection, aggression, withdrawal, and perceived competence as predictors of self-reported behavior problems in preadolescence.

Childhood peer rejection, aggression, withdrawal, and perceived competence were compared as predictors of self-reported behavior problems. Peer sociometric status (Coie, Dodge, and Coppotelli, 1982), teacher ratings of behavior problems (Lorion, Cowen, & Caldwell, 1975), and perceived competence ratings (Harter, 1982) were obtained for 613 second- through fourth-grade children. Two years later, these students completed a modified version of the Youth Self-Report from (Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1987). Rejected children and neglected girls were more likely to have a self-reported nonspecific negative outcome than others. Neglected girls were at heightened risk for depression. A varied set of predictors obtained from different informants emerged for each sex for each of the specific self-reported outcomes of depression, unpopularity, delinquency, aggression, and self-destructive/identity problems. Results are discussed in terms of future directions for longitudinal research on the consequences of poor peer relationships in childhood.

Aggression

Similarities and differences in correlates of alcohol consumption and problem behaviors among male and female adolescents.

This study examined similarities and differences in correlates of alcohol consumption and problem behaviors among a random household sample of male and female adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17. Several similarities emerged between the two gender groups which were consistent with previous research, including a pattern of convergence among the variables of alcohol consumption, times drunk in the last year, and delinquent behavior; the salience of the peer context in alcohol-related behavior; and high associations between reasons, or motives, for drinking and alcohol consumption and problem behaviors. With respect to reasons for drinking, excitement-seeking, or pleasurable, reasons were highly related to outcome variables. Gender differences were reported for relationships between two indices of affective functioning, namely distress symptoms and escapist, tension-reducing reasons for drinking, and outcome variables related to delinquent behavior, school functioning, and aspects of self-concept. These differences are discussed with respect to possible differential socialization experiences among males and females.

Adolescent

Teacher race, student race, and the Behavior Problem Checklist.

The ratings of 458 fourth- and fifth-grade boys were investigated to determine whether or not scores on the Behavior Problem Checklist vary systematically with teacher or student race. Analyses of the data for conduct problems, inadequacy-immaturity, and socialized delinquency indicated that white teachers demonstrate a strong tendency to rate black children as more deviant and white children as less deviant when contrasted with the ratings of black teachers. The ratings of black teachers were found not to vary with student race. No differences among any of the variables were found with regard to personality problems. Possible explanations for the results are discussed, along with implications for the use of the Behavior Problem Checklist in the field.

Attitude

Specialized treatment for behavior problems of institutionalized persons with mental retardation.

The extent of use and effectiveness of special treatment options (in-house behavior shaping units, specialized outside referral agencies, and mobile intensive treatment teams) in dealing with behavior problems of persons with mental retardation was determined. A survey was completed by 144 institutions throughout the United States; 86% of all facilities recognized a need for special treatment options to deal with clients who had severe behavior problems. Sixty-eight percent of the institutions had presently or in the recent past used at least one of the three treatment options. Comparisons of these options in terms of perceived effectiveness, length of intervention, and type of problem addressed were reported.

Affective Symptoms

Parent-teacher agreement on kindergarteners' behavior problems: a research note.

The present study investigated parameters of agreement as well of disagreement among mothers' and teachers' ratings of the behavior of kindergarten boys and girls. Findings indicated a generally low to moderate level of agreement between these two types of informants. They also suggested that demographic and background characteristics can effect size and direction of level of agreement. Although proportions of children rated as having the listed behavior problems varied in magnitude according to mothers and teachers, the rank order of the proportion of children with those behavior problems was rather similar for both informants. Such similar rankings of prevalence rates may reflect parents' and teachers' agreement on the consistency of children's behavior across the home and school settings.

Anxiety

Child maltreatment, stressful life events, and behavior problems in school-aged children in residential treatment.

This study examined the prevalence of child maltreatment, stressful life events, and behavior problems in school-aged children in residential treatment. The sample included 44 children, ages 5-13 years; 61% were male and 39% female. Results indicated that the entire sample had experienced one or more types of maltreatment, with physical abuse being more prevalent. Seventy-four percent of subjects scored in the clinical range on the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1983). Proportionally more physically abused children scored in the clinical range when compared to nonphysically abused children. The number of stressful life events experienced after admission to the treatment facility was found to be related to increased behavior problems.

Child

Counseling parents of children with behavior problems: the use of extinction and time-out techniques.

The pediatrician is the professonal most frequently sought out for advice concerning disciplinary problems with children in the home. Behavioral psychologists have advocated the use of contingent ignoring and time-out procedures to help reduce problem behaviors; however, practicing pediatricians have found that these two procedures are often not successful. In fact, sometimes the two procedures seem to exacerbate inappropriate behavior. This paper documents the difficulties found in using the ignoring and/or time-out procedures in the home setting. Ptential pitfalls in the use of ignoring, including not specifying the target behavior, not taking a baseline, inadvertently, intermittently reinforcing the inappropriate behavior, response bursts, spontaneous recovery, and not reinforcing an appropriate alternative behavior, are described. In addition, several pitfalls in the use of the time-out procedure, including selection of isolation area, inappropriate selection of time intervals, interference from others in the family, and escape attempts on the part of the child are discussed. For each potential problem a remedy is suggested.

Behavior Therapy

Problem behavior and psychiatric impairment within a developmentally disabled population. III: Psychotropic medication.

This report is the third in a series on problem behavior and psychiatric impairment in a population of 35,000 individuals receiving developmental disabilities services. Young and middle-aged adults were found to receive psychotropic medication at higher rates than children, adolescents, or elderly persons. Psychotropic receipt rates were found to increase with increasing severity of mental retardation, but most evidently with increasing restrictiveness of residential setting, increasing rated severity of problem behaviors, and presence of a psychiatric impairment. Rates of medication receipt also varied as a function of psychiatric diagnostic category. Discussion remarks emphasize the need to include information relative to clinical and social aspects of program settings and the roles and decision-making performance of physicians and psychologists in research on settings serving persons with developmental disabilities.

Adolescent

Elective mutism in a first grader: the remediation of a complex behavioral problem.

Teachers frequently deal with unusual and perplexing behavioral problems in their classes. This study demonstrates how spontaneous and prompted speech were produced in a six-year-old mute by a first-grade teacher and her aide. A reinforcement system for peer-prompted speech and spontaneous speech was employed in three separate school classes in a multiple-baseline fashion. The reinforcement system produced prompted and spontaneous speech in each situation. Postchecks in the second grade indicated the child was still speaking and conversing spontaneously with his peers. This study suggests a method that teachers can use in the classroom to deal with this severely handicapping condition.

Behavior Therapy

Parental and family predictors of behavior problems in inner-city black children.

Studied contributions of maternal psychological distress, family stress load, maternal and family risk factors, and family coping strategies in predicting behavior problems in 441 inner-city black primary-grade children. Results indicated maternal psychological distress and high family stress load were associated with high child behavior problems. Family coping strategies offered no protection against risk, while coping with life difficulties by reframing them was detrimental to child behavioral adjustment. Active help-seeking strategies (i.e., family mobilization, acquiring social supports) served to moderate the effects of maternal psychological distress and family risk attributes for boys, but exacerbated the effects of dysfunctional maternal social and psychiatric histories for girls. Implications for understanding vulnerability and resilience in inner-city black children and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological

Primary prevention of behavior problems in Mexican-American children.

A primary prevention program, the Houston Parent-Child Development Center, directed towards infants and their parents, has effectively reduced the frequency of behavior problems for these children 5 to 8 years after the program's completion. Teacher ratings showed significantly fewer acting-out, aggressive behaviors for program children. Ratings of classroom behaviors found program children significantly less hostile and more considerate than control boys. This appears to be the first primary prevention program to have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing behavior problems over such a long time.

Aggression

The Nursing Home Behavior Problem Scale.

Nursing home patients frequently have serious disturbances of behavior that can lead to use of chemical or physical restraints. To support research into better management of these problems, we developed the Nursing Home Behavior Problem Scale (NHBPS), a 29-item inventory of serious behavior problems designed to be completed by nurses and nursing assistants. NHBPS scores were obtained for two samples of nursing home residents: 431 in Tennessee and 122 in Texas. The interrater correlation was .754 in the Tennessee sample and .827 in the Texas sample. The NHBPS had a correlation of -.747 with the NOSIE scale and .911 with the CMAI. There was a pronounced association of increased NHBPS scores with mental impairment and use of sedative drugs or restraints. These data suggest the NHBPS is a useful research instrument for measuring serious behavior problems in nursing home residents.

Behavior

A multivariate risk model for childhood behavior problems.

In a study of 306 children whose parents have a mental illness, the relationship between coping skills and environmental assets and deficits determined the degree of behavior problems among these high-risk children. Two environmental stressors (proportion of mentally ill family members and mother-child discord), two coping skills (activity competence and school competence), and an interaction (between proportion of mentally ill family members and activity competence) were found to explain 40% of the variance in child behavior problems.

Adaptation, Psychological

Behavior problems in children requiring inpatient rehabilitation treatment for asthma.

Forty-eight asthmatic children (age 6-16 years), inpatients at the Hugh McMillan Medical Centre, were rated by their parents on their behavior using Achenbach's Child Behaviour Checklist. Completed checklists were used to determine normalized T scores for behavior syndromes, and these were compared against norms for clinically referred and nonreferred children. Behavior problems were elevated compared with nonreferred children for both boys and girls, with boys scoring at a clinical level. While many behavior problems were recognized, somatic complaints was a prominent syndrome, particularly for those in the 6-11-year age group.

Adolescent

Adoption and children with learning and behavior problems.

One representative case study is used to illustrate the complex interaction of factors that can lead to tragic family dysfunction when an adopted child has learning and behavior problems. The presence of neurodevelopmental problems in an adopted child, special adoption issues and interparental and intraparental conflicts combine to place the child and his family at high risk. The child's neurodevelopmental difficulties are expressed primarily as subtle learning and behavior problems which make him a focus for parental conflict. In addition, the adoption issues of difference, impermanence, feelings of mutual obligation and fear of abandonment are generally poorly understood and form the basis for the development of unique interactional patterns of communication. Finally, in the families studied, it was often found that the adopting parents had serious personal and/or marital difficulties.

Adolescent

A follow-up study of preschool children evaluated for developmental and behavioral problems.

Parents and teachers of preschool children evaluated for developmental and behavioral problems in a tertiary pediatric clinic were surveyed an average of 15 months after the initial visit to determine whether they thought the original presenting problem(s) were still present. In 46 percent of cases in which there was an initial concern about behavior, parents continued to be concerned. In contrast, only 24 percent of responding parents continued to be concerned about developmental problems. In more than half of the cases in which parents were no longer concerned, especially about behavior, teachers indicated that there continued to be problems. Age and sex of children were not related to outcome. The higher the socioeconomic status of parents, the more likely the parents were to report persistent developmental problems. Children with persistent problems tended to have difficult temperament characteristics. This study suggests that it is difficult to predict which problems will persist and that there are varying viewpoints as to the nature and existence of these problems.

Child