Achenbach System Of Empirically Based Assessment Research Articles

Using the ASEBA to Screen for Callous Unemotional Traits in Early Childhood: Factor Structure, Temporal Stability, and Utility.

This study evaluated a five-item screening measure of Callous Unemotional (CU) traits using items drawn from the Preschool Form of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA). Using data from the Durham Child Health and Development study (N=178), confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that CU items could be distinguished from Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional Defiant (ODD) items. The two-year stability (N=137) of CU (ϕ=.84) was comparable to that of ADHD (ϕ=.79) and ODD (ϕ=.69). Three groups of children were selected based on parent-rated ODD and CU behaviors at the 36-month assessment (N=37; ODD+CU, N=7; ODD-only, N=12; non-ODD, N=18). Multiple measures of infant temperament predicted group membership with 84% accuracy. Consistent with Frick and Morris' (Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology 33(1):54-68, 2004) hypotheses, ODD+CU and ODD-only children exhibited temperamental profiles in infancy that were consistent with low fear and emotionally dysregulated pathways into conduct problems, respectively.

Erratum to: Screening for psychopathology in child welfare: the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) compared with the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA)

Erratum to: Screening for psychopathology in child welfare: the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) compared with the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA)

Further validation of the Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders in middle and junior high school

AbstractThe Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders (SSBD), a screening system to identify elementary students at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders, was evaluated for use in middle and junior high schools. Teachers completed SSBD Stages One and Two on students in grades 6 to 8 who had characteristics of internalizing or externalizing disorders. Teacher, parent, and self‐rating forms of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) and the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) were also completed on 66 students nominated via the SSBD as at risk for internalizing and externalizing problems. Office discipline referrals and grade point averages, for students nominated at SSBD Stage One, were compared with nonnominated students resulting in medium to large effect sizes. Small to moderate correlations were also found between SSBD Stage Two scores and ASEBA and SSRS scores, including several from the parent and student forms. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Screening for psychopathology in child welfare: the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) compared with the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA)

Whilst children in child welfare suffer more psychopathology than their community peers, only a small percentage of them actually receive mental health care. Previous literature suggested that all children entering child welfare should be screened. This study evaluated whether the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) could be used for this purpose. The extended version of the SDQ and the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) questionnaire were administered to parents and caregivers of 292 children in child welfare. Children older than 11 years also completed the SDQ self-report and the Youth Self Report (YSR). Furthermore, the child's history of service use was recorded and informants were asked if the actual care was sufficient. Inter-informant correlations for the scores from the SDQ and ASEBA were high and comparable or favoured the use of the SDQ (for parents and caregivers). Internal consistency was satisfactory to good. For all informants, high correlations were found between SDQ and ASEBA. Despite high scores on the SDQ, only 29% of the children had received mental health care. Service use was only correlated with the parent SDQ and the CBCL and TRF. Additional help, as requested by 21% of the parents and 37% of the caregivers, correlated moderately with the SDQ and ASEBA scores. Compared to the total difficulties score, the impact supplement is a better predictor of service use and the informant's request for additional help. This study illustrates that the Dutch version of the SDQ, similar to the English and German versions, has equal validity as the Dutch ASEBA for screening children. Caution is warranted when the SDQ is the only source of information for referrals to specialized care.

Multicultural assessment of child and adolescent psychopathology with ASEBA and SDQ instruments: research findings, applications, and future directions

Around the world, cultural blending and conflict pose challenges for assessment and understanding of psychopathology. Economical, evidence-based, culturally robust assessment is needed for research, for answering public health questions, and for evaluating immigrant, refugee, and minority children. This article applies multicultural perspectives to behavioral, emotional, and social problems assessed on dimensions describing children's functioning, as rated by parents, teachers, children, and others. The development of Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) forms and their applications to multicultural research are presented. A primary aim of both questionnaires is to identify children at high risk of psychiatric disorders and who therefore warrant further assessment. The forms are self-administered or administered by lay interviewers. ASEBA problem items are scored on 6 DSM-oriented scales and 3 broader band scales, plus 8 syndromes derived statistically as taxonomic constructs and supported by uniform confirmatory factor analyses of samples from many populations. Comparisons of ASEBA scale scores, psychometrics, and correlates are available for diverse populations. SDQ forms are scored on one broad-band scale and 5 a priori behavioral dimensions supported by data from various populations. For both instruments, factor analyses, psychometrics, and correlates are available for diverse populations. The willingness and ability of hundreds of thousands of respondents from diverse groups to complete ASEBA and SDQ forms support this approach to multicultural assessment. Although particular items and scales may have differential relevance among groups and additional assessment procedures are needed, comparable results are found in many populations. Scale scores vary more within than between populations, and distributions of scores overlap greatly among different populations. Ratings of children's problems thus indicate more heterogeneity within populations than distinctiveness between populations. Norms from multiple populations can be used to compare children's scores with relevant peer groups. Multicultural dimensional research can advance knowledge by diversifying normative data; by comparing immigrant children with nonimmigrant compatriots and with host country children; by identifying outlier findings for elucidation by emic research; and by fostering efforts to dimensionalize DSM-V diagnostic criteria.

Self- and Parent Assessment of Mental Health: Disagreement on Externalizing and Internalizing Behaviour in Young Refugees from the Middle East

Self- and parent assessment of mental health problems yield a limited degree of cross-informant agreement in adolescent populations. Working with data from 122 refugee children, adolescents and young adults from the Middle East, the aims of this study were to analyse levels of agreement and disagreement between self- and parent ratings of externalizing and internalizing behaviour and to identify predictors for the differences between the two sets of ratings. Parents and children were interviewed separately using structured questionnaires. Mental health was assessed using the Achenbach System of Empirically-based Assessment. Self- and parent-rated scale scores correlated moderately. The mean score differences between self- and parent-rated internalizing and externalizing behaviour were 2.0 and 2.7, p < 0.005, respectively. A larger mean difference was found among boys concerning externalizing behaviour and among girls concerning internalizing behaviour. Individual (age, and sex) family (father's health situation) and ethnic background predicted this difference. This could indicate that parent ratings and children's self-ratings are two, qualitatively different constructs and not just a result of expected inter-observer disagreement. When assessing young refugees for possible treatment, this difference needs to be understood and taken into consideration.

Prenatal smoking exposure and psychiatric symptoms in adolescence

AimExplore associations between smoking in pregnancy and psychiatric symptoms in the adolescent offspring.Design/subjectsA prospective population based follow-up of 84 adolescents at 14 years of age, of whom 32 of the mothers reported smoking during pregnancy.Main outcome measuresThe Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA), ADHD-Rating Scale IV, Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ), Children's Global Assessment Scale (CGAS), estimated IQ based on four subscales of WISC-III.ResultsAdolescents who were born by smokers had significantly more rule-breaking and aggressive behaviour, externalizing and total problems on the ASEBA than adolescents of non-smokers (p < 0.01), when reported by mothers, fathers and teachers. ADHD symptoms were reported more frequently (p < 0.05), and mothers also reported more internalizing symptoms (p < 0.05) and social problems (p < 0.001). The ASSQ sum score was higher (p < 0.001), and overall function as measured by the CGAS was lower (p < 0.01) for the smoking-exposed group. Associations were still present after controlling for possible confounding factors.ConclusionAdolescents exposed to prenatal smoking had higher scores for both externalizing and internalizing psychiatric symptoms, which could not be explained by a broad range of possible psychosocial confounders. Thus, smoking in pregnancy may be a marker for increased risk of psychiatric symptoms in the offspring.

Blueprints in Sweden. Symptom load in Swedish adolescents in studies of Functional Family Therapy (FFT), Multisystemic Therapy (MST) and Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC)

The purpose of the present study was to compare symptom load in youth groups treated with three Swedish Blueprint programmes—Functional Family Therapy (FFT), Multisystemic Therapy (MST) and Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC)—to see if symptom load matches the intensity of the treatment model as expected. These youth groups were also compared with in- and outpatients from child and adolescent psychiatry, and a normal comparison group. In addition, we compared the symptom load of their mothers. Symptom load was measured by the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) in the adolescents, and by the Symptom Checklist 90 in their mothers. The results showed that youth in the MST and MTFC studies had a higher symptom load than in the FFT study, and the same pattern of results was found in their mothers. It is concluded that there seems to be a reasonable correspondence between the offered resources and the symptom load among youth and parents; treatment methods with higher intensity have been offered to youth with higher symptom load. The correlation between internalized and externalized symptoms was high in all study groups. The MST and MTFC groups had an equally high total symptom load as the psychiatric inpatient sample.

From CBCL to DSM: A Comparison of Two Methods to Screen for DSM-IV Diagnoses Using CBCL Data

The screening efficiency of 2 methods to convert Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) assessment data into Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed. [DSM-IV]; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) diagnoses was compared. The Machine-Aided Diagnosis (MAD) method converts CBCL input data directly into DSM-IV symptom criteria. The Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) proceeds more indirectly and uses DSM-oriented scales. The power of the 2 methods to predict DSM-IV diagnoses obtained via administration of the structured Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC-IV) interview in a clinical sample was examined. DISC-IV interviews and CBCL reports from parents of 44 children, 25 boys, and 19 girls, ages 6 to 17 were used. The results showed comparable levels of predictive power for the 2 methods. Both methods were able to predict DSM-IV diagnoses and therefore can be used for screening DSM-IV diagnoses.

Assessment of young children using the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA)

After providing a brief review of three other approaches to assessment of preschool children (DSM-IV diagnoses, "Zero to Three" diagnoses, and temperament scales), this paper focuses on the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA). The empirically based assessment paradigm provides user-friendly, cost-effective, reliable, and valid procedures for assessing children's behavioral/emotional problems from the perspectives of multiple informants. The ASEBA preschool forms, the Child Behavior Checklist for ages 1.5-5 (CBCL/1.5-5) and the Caregiver-Teacher Report Form (C-TRF), are usable by many different kinds of professionals in diverse settings. The CBCL/1.5-5 also includes the Language Development Survey (LDS), which provides a quick screen for delays in vocabulary and word combinations. The problem items of the CBCL/1.5-5 and the C-TRF are scored on both empirically based syndromes and DSM-oriented scales, which are normed on the same general population sample. Variations in children's functioning across contexts and interaction partners make it essential to obtain and integrate data from multiple sources. Therefore, ASEBA software provides side-by-side comparisons of item and scale scores from up to eight assessment forms per child. Clinical and research applications of ASEBA preschool forms are summarized in the paper, and strengths and limitations are discussed.

Psychiatric symptoms in low birth weight adolescents, assessed by screening questionnaires

The aim of this study was to explore psychiatric symptoms in low birth weight adolescents, and the usefulness of questionnaires compared with psychiatric interview. DESIGN/STUDY GROUPS: A population-based follow-up study of 56 very low birth weight (VLBW), 60 term small for gestational age (SGA) and 83 control adolescents at 14 years of age was made. The Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were rated by adolescents, parents and teachers. The results were compared with diagnostic assessment based on the semi-structured interview, Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Aged Children (K-SADS). VLBW adolescents had more psychiatric symptoms than controls, especially attention deficit, emotional, behavioural, social and also academic problems. Although less consistent, the SGA group had more emotional, conduct and attention deficit symptoms than controls. Results remained essentially the same when adolescents with low estimated IQ were excluded, and persisted after controlling for possible confounders. The sensitivity and specificity of ASEBA and SDQ differed between informants and groups. VLBW adolescents are at risk of developing psychiatric symptoms, and reduced social and academic skills by the age of 14. Term SGA adolescents may have discrete emotional, behavioural and attention deficit symptoms. ASEBA and SDQ provide a useful supplement to psychiatric interview.