Assessment Of Psychopathology In Children Research Articles

The effects of maternal depression on their perception of emotional and behavioral problems of their internationally adopted children

BackgroundEven though child psychopathology assessment guidelines emphasize comprehensive multi-method, multimodal, and multi-informant methodologies, maternal-report symptom-rating scales often serve as the predominant source of information. Research has shown that parental mood symptomatology affects their reports of their offspring’s psychopathology. For example, the depression-distortion hypothesis suggests that maternal depression promotes a negative bias in mothers’ perceptions of their children’s behavioral and emotional problems. We investigated this difference of perception between adoptive mothers and internationally adopted children. Most previous studies suffer from the potential bias caused by the fact that parents and children share genetic risks.MethodsData were derived from the Finnish Adoption (FinAdo) survey study (a subsample of adopted children aged between 9 and 12 years, n = 222). The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to assess emotional and behavioral problems and competences of the adopted children. The CBCL was filled in by the adopted children and the adoptive mothers, respectively. Maternal depressive symptoms were measured using the short version of the General Health Questionnaire.ResultsOn average, mothers reported less total CBCL symptoms in their children than the children themselves (0.25 vs 0.38, p-value < 0.01 for difference). Mothers’ depressive symptoms moderated the discrepancy in reporting internalizing symptoms (β = − 0.14 and p-value 0.01 for interaction) and the total symptoms scores (β = − 0.22 and p-value < 0.001 for interaction) and externalizing symptoms in girls in the CBCL.LimitationsThe major limitation of our study is its cross-sectional design and the fact that we only collected data in the form of questionnaires.ConclusionsThe results of our research support the depression-distortion hypothesis concerning the association of maternal depressive symptoms and child internalizing symptoms and externalizing symptoms in girls in a sample without genetic bias

The Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire – Child (SPQ-C): Psychometric properties and relations to behavioral problems with multi-informant ratings

The Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) is one of the most widely used screening tools for schizotypy in adults. The Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Child version (SPQ-C) was recently developed to assess schizotypy in children and has a similar three-factor structure to the adult SPQ (i.e., Cognitive-Perceptual, Interpersonal-Affective, and Disorganization). However, few studies to date have reported on the psychometric properties and the usefulness of the SPQ-C in Eastern populations, including Mainland China. This study presents the first psychometric assessment of the Chinese SPQ-C in Mainland China. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess the factor structure of the SPQ-C in 1668 children (M = 12.10, SD = 0.60 years) from the China Jintan Child Cohort Study. Our findings document a three-factor structure and partial measurement invariance across residential location and gender, replicating the psychometric properties of the SPQ-C in English. The Chinese SPQ-C further correlates with standard behavioral problems (i.e., Child Behavior Checklist, Youth Self-Report and Teacher Report Form), demonstrating construct validity and utility as a child psychopathology assessment tool. Our findings provide the first robust psychometric evidence for a three-factor structure of the Chinese SPQ-C in a large Mainland Chinese sample, and suggest that the SPQ-C is suitable as a screening tool for schizotypy in community children who may be at risk for behavioral problems and later psychosis.

Children of the postwar years: A two-generational multilevel risk assessment of child psychopathology in northern Uganda.

In postconflict settings risk factors at multiple levels of the social ecology, including community, family, and relationship factors, potentially affect children's mental health. In addition, intergenerational risk factors such as guardians' history of childhood family violence, war exposure, and psychopathology may contribute to children's psychopathological symptoms. In this study, we aimed to identify risk constellations that predict child internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, depression, and posttraumatic stress symptoms in the postconflict setting of northern Uganda. In a cross-sectional epidemiological study, 513 second-grade students and their female guardians were interviewed using standardized clinical questionnaires. A higher exposure to traumatic events, more witnessed or experienced violence within the family, and lower child-reported care from female guardians independently predicted psychopathological symptoms in children. While controlling for intergenerational risk factors in female guardians, serial mediation modeling revealed that the effect of trauma exposure on children's psychopathological symptoms was partially mediated by higher exposure to family violence and lower child-perceived care from female guardians. The mediation appeared to be stronger for children's depression symptoms and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems than for posttraumatic stress symptoms. The current findings support the need for targeted interventions at the individual and family system levels that are matched to children's psychopathological symptoms.

Assessment of adolescent mental health and behavioral problems in institutional care: discrepancies between staff-reported CBCL scores and adolescent-reported YSR scores.

For children residing in institutional settings, staff act as primary caregivers and often provide assessment of child psychopathology. Minimal research exists on how and when staff-caregivers are best positioned to report on youth mental health. This study examines differences between 60 staff-reported and 60 adolescent-reported Child Behavioral Checklist/Youth Self-Report (CBCL/YSR) scores in Jordanian care centers, and the associations between adolescent-staff agreement, demographic characteristics and child-caregiver relationship factors. Results indicated small to modest correlations between informant scores. Additionally, staff-caregivers who know the child over 1 year and have a high perceived fit are better able to approximate the adolescent's self-report of psychopathology.

Using the strengths and difficulties questionnaire as a screening tool for psychopathology in a sample of Singaporean children

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a measure for predicting psychopathology in children and adolescents (Goodman, Ford et al., 2000). A significant association between the SDQ scores and the International Classification of Disease – version 10 (ICD-10) diagnoses has also been reported (Becker et al., 2004). The SDQ has been adopted in many countries outside of its country of origin, Britain. It has been used in research and clinical assessment of child psychopathology. Satisfactory psychometric properties within the European populations have been reported (Rothenberger & Woerner, 2004). To date, the SDQ has been translated into 40 languages. However, the cross- cultural validity of the SDQ in non-European countries is limited. Psychopathology is defined by presence of abnormal behaviour, and perception of behaviour varies across cultures (Kleinman, 1978). Cross-cultural validity of any psychological measure is therefore vital. The current study examines the clinical utility and predictive values of the SDQ in a sample of Singaporean students.

Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents: Factorial Validity Generalization with Hispanic/Latino Youths

Replication of the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA) core syndrome factor structure with a sample of 124 randomly selected Hispanic/Latino youths is reported. The six ASCA core syndromes produced the identical two-factor solution observed in other samples. Principal-axis exploratory factor analysis using multiple factor extraction criteria and varimax, direct oblimin, and promax rotations produced nearly identical factor structure coefficients. Consistent with earlier studies, the ASCA was observed to measure two independent dimensions of youth psychopathology (Overactivity and Underactivity) that are similar to the conduct problems/ externalizing and withdrawal/internalizing dimensions typically found in the child psychopathology assessment literature.

Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents: Factorial Validity in a Canadian Sample

The core syndrome factor structure of the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA) was examined with a sample of 375 randomly selected Canadian youths in a large western city. The 6 ASCA core syndrome raw scores produced an identical two-factor solution as observed in samples of American youths. Principal axis exploratory factor analysis with varimax and promax rotations produced similar factor structure coefficients. It was concluded that the ASCA measures two independent dimensions of youth psychopathology (overactivity and underactivity), similar to the conduct problems/externalizing and withdrawal/internalizing dimensions commonly found in the child psychopathology assessment literature.

The validity of questionnaire‐based assessment of psychopathology in children with epilepsy

The validity of questionnaire‐based assessment of psychopathology in children with epilepsy

Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents and Native American Indians

The present study reports on the replication of the core syndrome factor structure of the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA) for a sample of 229 Native American Indian (Yavapai Apache) children and adolescents from rural north-central Arizona. The six ASCA core syndromes produced the identical two-factor solution as the standardization sample, an independent sample, and a sample of Native American Indians (Ojibwe) from north-central Minnesota. Principal-axis analysis using multiple criteria for the number of factors to extract and retain was used with varimax, direct oblimin, and promax rotations producing identical results and nearly identical factor structure coefficients. As with earlier studies, it was concluded that the ASCA measures two independent global dimensions of youth psychopathology (Overactivity and Underactivity) that are similar to the conduct problems/externalizing and withdrawal/internalizing dimensions commonly found in the child psychopathology assessment literature.

Adjustment scales for children and adolescents and Native American Indians: Factorial validity generalization for Ojibwe youths

Replication of the core syndrome factor structure of the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA; P.A. McDermott, N.C. Marston, & D.H. Stott, 1993) is reported for a sample of 183 Native American Indian (Ojibwe) children and adolescents from North Central Minnesota. The six ASCA core syndromes produced an identical two-factor solution as the standardization data through principal axis analysis using multiple criteria for the number of factors to extract and retain. Varimax, direct oblimin, and promax rotations produced identical results and nearly identical factor-structure coefficients. Coefficients of congruence resulted in an excellent match to the factorial results of the ASCA standardization sample and a large, independent sample. It was concluded that for these Ojibwe students, the ASCA measures two independent dimensions of psychopathology (i.e., Overactivity and Underactivity) that are similar to the conduct problems/externalizing and withdrawal/internalizing dimensions commonly found in the child psychopathology assessment literature. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 43: 685–694, 2006.

Replication of the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents core syndrome factor structure

AbstractIndependent examination and replication of the core syndrome factor structure of the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA; McDermott, Marston, &amp; Stott, 1993) is reported. A sample of 1,020 children were randomly selected from their classroom and rated on the ASCA by their teacher. The six ASCA core syndromes produced a two‐factor solution through principle axis analysis using multiple criteria for the number of factors to extract and retain. Varimax, direct oblimin, and promax rotations produced identical results and nearly identical factor structure coefficients. It was concluded that the ASCA indeed measures two independent dimensions of psychopathology (Overactivity and Underactivity) that are similar to the conduct problems/externalizing and withdrawal/internalizing dimensions commonly found in the child psychopathology assessment literature (Cicchetti &amp; Toth, 1991; Quay, 1986). © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 41: 191–199, 2004.

A new approach to integrating data from multiple informants in psychiatric assessment and research: mixing and matching contexts and perspectives.

When there exists no single source of information (informant) to validly measure a characteristic, it is typically recommended that data from multiple informants be used. In psychiatric assessment and research, however, multiple informants often provide discordant data, which further confuse the measurement. Strategies such as arbitrarily choosing one informant or using the data from all informants separately generate further problems. This report proposes a theory to explain observed patterns of interinformant discordance and suggests a new approach to using data from multiple informants to measure characteristics of interest. Using the example of assessment of developmental psychopathology in children, the authors propose a model in which the choice of informants is based on conceptualizing the contexts and perspectives that influence expression of the characteristic of interest and then identifying informants who represent those contexts and perspectives in such a way as to have the weaknesses of one informant canceled by the strengths of another. Applications of this approach to several datasets indicate that when these principles are followed, a more reliable and valid consensus measure is obtained, and failure to obtain a reliable, valid measure is indicative of some deviation from the principles. In obtaining a consensus measure, the issue is not determining how many informants are needed but choosing the right set of informants.

Issues in parent-child agreement: the case of structured diagnostic interviews.

There are three primary purposes of this review. First, the review distinguishes among three types of reliability and describes the importance of evaluating the reliability of child psychopathology assessment instruments for clinical practice and research. Second, parent-child reliability findings from 5 of the more carefully studied and frequently used Structured (semi and highly) diagnostic interviews (The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-age Children, The Child Assessment Scale, The Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children. The Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents, and the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children) are examined. Finally, this review explores factors that have been implicated in terms of their potential effect on parent-child agreement. In addition, future directions for research and clinical practice within this area are identified and potential resolutions to the conundrum of parent-child discordance are discussed.

PSYCHIATRY SELECTION Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (1999, 2000) P. Jensen, J. Brooks-Gunn &amp; J. Graber. Introduction. Dimensional scales and diagnostic categories: Constructing crosswalks for child psychopathology assessments. Vol. 38, pp.118–120.

PSYCHIATRY SELECTIONJournal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (1999, 2000) P. Jensen, J. Brooks-Gunn &amp; J. Graber. Introduction. Dimensional scales and diagnostic categories: Constructing crosswalks for child psychopathology assessments. Vol. 38, pp.118–120. E. J. Costello, A. Angold &amp; G. Keeler. Adolescent outcomes of childhood disorders: The consequences of severity and impairment. Vol. 38, pp. 121–128. A. Angold, E. J. Costello, E. Farmer, B. Burns &amp; A. Erkanli. Impaired but undiagnosed. Vol. 38, pp. 129–137. P. Jensen &amp; H. Watanabe. Sherlock Holmes and child psychopathology assessment approaches: The case of the false positive. Vol. 38, pp. 138–146. - Volume 6 Issue 1

Sherlock Holmes and Child Psychopathology Assessment Approaches: The Case of the False-Positive

To explore the relative value of various methods of assessing childhood psychopathology, the authors compared 4 groups of children: those who met criteria for one or more DSM diagnoses and scored high on parent symptom checklists, those who met psychopathology criteria on either one of these two assessment approaches alone, and those who met no psychopathology assessment criterion. Parents of 201 children completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), after which children and parents were administered the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (version 2.1). Children and parents also completed other survey measures and symptom report inventories. The 4 groups of children were compared against "external validators" to examine the merits of "false-positive" and "false-negative" cases. True-positive cases (those that met DSM criteria and scored high on the CBCL) differed significantly from the true-negative cases on most external validators. "False-positive" and "false-negative" cases had intermediate levels of most risk factors and external validators. "False-positive" cases were not normal per se because they scored significantly above the true-negative group on a number of risk factors and external validators. A similar but less marked pattern was noted for "false-negatives." Findings call into question whether cases with high symptom checklist scores despite no formal diagnoses should be considered "false-positive." Pending the availability of robust markers for mental illness, researchers and clinicians must resist the tendency to reify diagnostic categories or to engage in arcane debates about the superiority of one assessment approach over another.

Developmental Psychopathology and the Notion of Culture: Introduction to the Special Section on 'The Fusion of Cultural Horizons: Cultural Influences on the Assessment of Psychopathology in Children and Adolescents'

(1997). Developmental Psychopathology and the Notion of Culture: Introduction to the Special Section on 'The Fusion of Cultural Horizons: Cultural Influences on the Assessment of Psychopathology in Children and Adolescents' Applied Developmental Science: Vol. 1, No. 3, pp. 108-112.

Parent-Child Agreement in Prepubertal Depression: Findings with a Modified Assessment Method

Lack of or low parent-child (P-C) agreement is a well-documented problem in child psychopathology assessment. This study proposed to improve this agreement by using a modified assessment approach. Ninety-three depressed prepubertal children, aged 6 to 12 years, and their mothers underwent an assessment procedure that combined multiple assessment measures given separately to child and mother (Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present Episode [K-SADS-P], Children's Depression Inventory, and traditional psychiatric interviews), confrontation of either and/or both informants with intra- and interinformant discrepancies, and senior clinician's "best estimate" clinical judgment to solve discrepant ratings. Correlational statistics (r, kappa, and z) were used to compare child's with mother's ratings on 20 K-SADS-P depressive symptoms. The major hypothesis, that using our assessment procedure, P-C agreement would be significant and moderately high (r and kappa = .40 or higher), was confirmed. The second hypothesis on dissociation of P-C agreement on behavioral versus ideational symptoms was partially confirmed; the third hypothesis on adverse effects of maternal "depression" on P-C agreement was not confirmed. Our assessment method has potential clinical application in enhancing diagnostic reliability of childhood depression assessment.

Assessment of child psychopathology: relationships between different methods, different informants and clinical judgment of severity

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships between information on children's problem behavior obtained by different methods (rating scales and clinical interviews) and from different sources (adolescent, parents and teacher). From a sample of 132 14-year-old international adoptees and their parents, information was obtained via the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Youth Self-Report and the Teacher's Report Form, the Child Assessment Schedule, and the Graham and Rutter Parent Interview. Agreement between the CBCL and the clinical judgment of the severity of psychopathology was substantial. Assessment procedures providing data on the adolescents' functioning derived from different sources revealed less agreement than those derived from the same informant. Agreement was higher for externalizing than for internalizing behaviors. Data from different sources made unique contributions to clinicians' judgments of the severity of psychopathology.

The computer-assisted child diagnostic system: A research and development project

Two studies were conducted in a clinical setting on the development and evaluation of a Computer-Assisted Child Diagnostic System (CDS). The CDS uses a computer interpreted parent questionnaire to produce a child psychopathology assessment report that is capable of 40 DSM-III (or III-R) child diagnoses. The present studies of the CDS revealed that the interparent diagnosis reliability, criterion-related validity (clinician agreement with the computer-assisted parent diagnoses) and consumer satisfaction with the system appear to be adequate for outpatient school aged children. These reliability, validity, and consumer satisfaction results were cross-validated on a second sample of outpatient school aged children.

Behavioral assessment of psychopathology in children: infantile autism.

The utility of a subtest of 14 items from the Children's Psychiatric Rating Scale (CPRS) for evaluating psychopathology in autistic children was examined. A series of 180 autistic children, who satisfied the DSM-III criteria for Infantile Autism, Full Syndrome Present, were rated on the CPRS. A series of children with conduct disorder diagnoses were added to provide a contrast group for investigating specificity of behavioral manifestations with regard to autism. Multivariate analysis was used to elucidate major behavioral dimensions, to identify distinct subtypes, and to evaluate discriminant validity of the CPRS behavioral ratings.