Father Reports Research Articles

Longitudinal pathways between parent depression and child mental health in families of autistic children

Abstract Autistic children and their parents are at risk for mental health problems, but the processes driving these connections are unknown. Leveraging three data cycles (spaced M = 11.76 months, SD = 2.77) on 162 families with autistic children (aged 6–13 years), the associations between parent–child relationship quality (warmth and criticism), child mental health problems, and parent depression symptoms were examined. A complete longitudinal mediation model was conducted using structural equation modeling. Father depression mediated the link between child mental health problems and father critical comments (β = −0.017, p = 0.018; CI [−.023 – −.015]). Father report of child mental health problems mediated the association between father depression and father critical comments (β = 0.016, p = 0.040; CI [0.003–0.023]) as well as the association between father positive remarks and father depression (β = −0.009, p = 0.032; CI [−0.010 – −0.009]). Additionally, father positive remarks mediated the connection between father depression and child mental health problems (β = 0.022, p = 0.006; CI [0.019–0.034]). No mediation effects were present for mothers. Findings highlight that the mental health of parents and autistic children are intertwined. Interventions that improve the parent–child relationship may reduce the reciprocal toll of parent and child mental health problems.

Psychometric Properties of the Japanese Translation of the Parent Overprotection Measure for Mother and Father Reports.

The Parent Overprotection Measure (POM) is a promising scale to measure parent overprotection toward a child from the parent's perspective. However, no Japanese translation of the scale has been developed, and whether the POM can be applied to a Japanese population is unknown. This study translated the POM into Japanese and examined its psychometric properties. Parents of 380 children aged 4 to 7years (including 190 mothers and 190 fathers) completed online questionnaires. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) indicated that the Japanese translation of the POM has a bi-factor structure, including one general factor (general overprotection) and two specific factors (care/attention and control/prevention). The measurement invariance of reports from mothers' and fathers' perspectives was confirmed by multiple group CFA. The McDonald's Omega was acceptable for all factors, but the general overprotection factor explained most scale variance. Pearson's correlation coefficients were more than .20 between the control/prevention factor and child anxiety symptoms in both mother and father reports. The correlation between the control/prevention factor and parent anxiety according to fathers' reports also exceeded .20. These results provided the factor structure and supported the reliability of the POM among a Japanese population; however, further investigation of the validity of the scale is needed.

Concordance of Mother and Father Reports of Intimate Partner Violence and Observed Interactions in Unmarried Black Coparents Expecting Their First Child.

Concordance between partner reports of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is generally low, but self-reporting of IPV and concordance between partners among expectant parents in marginalized communities has not been explored, nor have associations among each partner's reports of IPV and their behaviors in observed conflict discussions. This study will examine these gaps. One hundred and thirty-eight low-income, unmarried, Black, coparenting dyads expecting their first child together (136 mothers and 136 fathers) completed the Revised-Conflict Tactics Scale and a video recorded and coded conflict discussion. There was low concordance between parent's reports of IPV overall with moderate levels of concordance for coparents who were living together and had more harmonious relationships. Linear regression analyses indicated only mothers' reports of fathers' psychological and physical IPV but not fathers' reports of IPV were significantly associated with observed negative communication. Neither coparents' reports of psychological or physical IPV were associated with positive communication during a conflict discussion. These findings suggest that at the time of parenthood transitions, mothers' reports of fathers' IPV behaviors may be more robust in their association with negative/unhealthy couple communication patterns than fathers' reports and should be used when making safety determinations with families.

Cultural values, parenting and child adjustment in Thailand.

The purpose of this study was to understand the associations of Thai parents' cultural values (i.e., individualism, collectivism and conformity) with parenting behaviour (i.e., warmth, autonomy granting, rules/limit-setting, knowledge solicitation and expectations regarding children's family obligations) and children's adjustment (i.e., internalising and externalising problems). These data were collected via child, mother and father reports when the children were 10 years old, on average. Mothers' individualism was correlated with more parental autonomy granting. Fathers' individualism was correlated with higher maternal expectations regarding children's family obligations. Parents' higher collectivism was correlated with more with parental warmth. Mothers' higher collectivism was also correlated with more parental knowledge solicitation, and fathers' higher collectivism was also associated with mothers' and fathers' higher expectations regarding children's family obligations. Fathers' higher conformity values were correlated with more parental autonomy granting and with fewer child internalising and externalising behaviours. However, after controlling for child gender, parent education and the other cultural values, mothers' and fathers' collectivism remained the only significant cultural value predicting parenting behaviours. Results advance understanding of relations between cultural values of Thai mothers and fathers and their parenting behaviours and children's adjustment.

Cultural values, parenting and child adjustment in Italy.

The present study examined the association of mothers' and fathers' individualism, collectivism and conformity values with parenting behaviours and child adjustment during middle childhood in an Italian sample. Children (n = 194; 95 from Naples and 99 from Rome; 49% girls) were 10.93 years old (SD = .61) at the time of data collection. Their mothers (n = 194) and fathers (n = 152) also participated. Mother and father reports were collected about parental individualism and collectivism, conformity values, warmth, family obligations expectations and their children's internalising and externalising problems. Child reports were collected about their parents' warmth, psychological control, rules/limit-setting, family obligations expectations and their own internalising and externalising behaviours. Multiple regressions predicted each of the parenting and child adjustment variables from the value variables, controlling for child gender and parent education. Results showed that maternal collectivism was associated with high psychological control, parental collectivism was associated with high expectations regarding children's family obligations and fathers' conformity values were associated with more child internalising behaviours. Overall, the present study shed light on how parents' cultural values are related to some parenting practices and children's internalising problems in Italy.

Parental microprotections: Testing measurement equivalence in Black, Latinx, and White families

AbstractObjectiveThis study examined measurement equivalence of parental microprotections in Black, Latinx, and White families.BackgroundMicroprotections refer to the small daily caring, supportive, and loving behaviors Black parents engage in to counteract the negative effects of racism and discrimination. It is possible that this parenting practice applies to other families in which adolescents are at risk for discrimination because of social identities and/or membership in a stigmatized group (e.g., Latinx adolescents, sexual minority adolescents).MethodsParticipants were parent–adolescent dyads (N = 395) from across the United States. Adolescents were in Grades 9 through 12, and approximately one third of the families identified as Black/African American (n = 131), one third as Hispanic/Latinx (n = 132), and one third as White (n = 132).ResultsMeasurement equivalence was evaluated through a series of multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. Results showed strict measurement invariance in parent reports of parental microprotections across all three racial/ethnic groups. Adolescent reports of mothers' microprotections demonstrated strict measurement invariance and adolescent reports of fathers' microprotections achieved configural measurement invariance.ConclusionThese results support the use of the Parental Microprotections Scale in African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and White families.ImplicationsParental microprotections are one way that parents can nurture hope, happiness, and health despite discrimination that adolescents may face. The Parental Microprotections Scale may be useful for family science practitioners and researchers who are interested in evaluating potential supports in adolescents and their families.

Psychological functioning of childhood cancer survivors: Longitudinal associations with the parental context.

The long-term psychological effects of childhood cancer vary, with childhood cancer survivors reporting depressive symptoms, fear of cancer recurrence, and benefit finding. As cancer is considered a family disease, investigating the parental context may provide insight into such individual differences in psychological functioning of survivors. This study examined the directionality of effects among parental sense of incompetence, parenting dimensions (responsiveness, psychological control, and overprotection), and survivor psychological functioning (depressive symptoms, fear of cancer recurrence, and benefit finding). This three-wave longitudinal study (covering 2 years) included 125 Dutch-speaking childhood cancer survivors (ages 14-24, 95.2% diagnosed < 18 years, and time since diagnosis 2-22 years), 114 mothers, and 91 fathers. Survivors reported (SR) about their psychological functioning and perceived parenting. Mothers reported (MR) and fathers reported (FR) about parenting and sense of incompetence. Cross-lagged panel models were estimated for each informant's perspective on parenting separately. Different relations were obtained for each informant. Primarily unidirectional relations were found from parental sense of incompetence to maladaptive parenting (psychological control across informants and maternal overprotection SR) and from parenting to survivor functioning. Maternal and paternal responsiveness SR positively predicted survivors' benefit finding and negatively predicted survivors' depressive symptoms, respectively. Responsiveness MR and overprotection MR positively predicted survivors' fear of cancer recurrence and depressive symptoms, respectively. One consistent reverse pathway emerged: maternal and paternal responsiveness SR negatively predicted maternal and paternal sense of incompetence, respectively. The results support parent-driven processes impacting survivors' psychological functioning and stress the need to focus on multiple perspectives when investigating family dynamics. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

77 Development of Parent- and Teacher-Reported Executive Dysfunction and Inattention in Youth with Spina Bifida

Objective:Youth with spina bifida (SB) are at increased risk of neuropsychological deficits, including executive dysfunction and inattention. While these deficits are well-documented cross-sectionally, little research has considered the development of these difficulties longitudinally. The limited research on executive dysfunction over time in youth with SB has been mixed, with some studies suggesting stable, elevated executive dysfunction (Tarazi et al., 2008) and others demonstrating improvements in inhibition and shifting in particular (Zabel et al., 2011). In contrast, no research has examined inattention over time in SB. Understanding the development of these constructs is critical for early identification of dysfunction and intervention development. This study thus aims to characterize the development of executive dysfunction and inattention in youth with SB.Participants and Methods:One hundred forty youth with SB were recruited as part of a larger, longitudinal study. Mothers, fathers, and teachers of participants (Time 1: Myouth age = 11.4 years, 53.6% female) completed questionnaire-based measures of executive dysfunction (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, BRIEF; inhibit, shift, working memory, plan/organize subscales) and inattention (Swanson, Nolan, and Pehlam Teacher and Parent Rating Scale - Fourth Edition, SNAP-IV). Data were collected over five time points occurring at two-year intervals. Growth curves were estimated using linear mixed effects models to estimate development over time.Results:Difficulties with inhibition decreased across age in youth with SB according to mother, father, and teacher reports (p=.000-.007). Mother and father reports of shifting problems decreased across age (p=.009), while teacher reports showed no significant change (p=.799). Working memory problems also significantly decreased over time, but only according to fathers and teachers (p=.004-.005). Difficulties with planning/organizing remained stable across age for all reporters (p=.076-.935). With regards to inattention, symptoms decreased across age according to mothers and teachers (p=.000-.017), but not fathers.Conclusions:Overall, inhibition, shifting, and inattention improved across age in this sample of youth with SB according to at least two reporters. Contrary to existing literature, working memory also improved over time in this sample. Planning/organizing was the only area of executive functioning that remained stable over time across reporters. These results support previous findings of improvements in behavioral regulation (i.e., inhibition, shifting), and stable, elevated planning/organizing difficulties. These findings also highlight the importance of considering different contexts and reporters’ perspectives when examining change over time. Predictors of the development of executive dysfunction and inattention should be considered, as this information may aid with increased understanding of neuropsychological function in SB and identifying which individuals may be most likely to benefit from early intervention. Examining predictors may also help explain differences in working memory development demonstrated in the current study compared to extant literature.

Stepfamily Variation in Parent-Child Relationship Quality in Later Life.

We use a family systems approach to examine how stepfamily structure is associated with both positive and negative parent-child relationships while considering mothers' and fathers' discrepant reports. Two in five older couples with children are in stepfamilies. Past research on later-life stepfamily dynamics has focused mainly on positive aspects of relationships and compared reports of mothers and fathers from different families. Using the U.S. Health and Retirement Study, we estimated multilevel models with data from married couples in which both spouses reported living children and answered all questions about positive and negative parent-child relationships (N = 2,150). Couples in stepfamilies reported less positive and more negative relationships with their children than did couples in non-stepfamilies. Mothers reported more positive relationships than fathers, but there was no gender difference in reports of negative relationships. The patterns of perceived parent-child relationships and divergent reports between mothers and fathers also varied by stepfamily structure. Structural complexity was not consistently related to positive or negative relationships. This study underscores the importance of considering mothers' and fathers' different points of view in the same family and examining both positive and negative parent-child interactions as negative relationships are not merely the reverse of positive relationships.

Fathers' marital conflict and children's socioemotional skills: A moderated-mediation model of conflict resolution and parenting.

Marital conflict is common in many families. The effects of marital conflict may often spill over to parent-child dyads and affect children's development via their parenting practices. However, couples handle their marital conflict in different ways, and conflict resolution strategies may play a role in children's outcomes. Although mother-reported marital conflict has been a primary focus in most prior studies, little is known about fathers' perspectives. To that end, we examined the mediating effect of fathers' parenting in the association between the frequency of marital conflict and mother-reported children's socioemotional skills in preschool, as well as the moderating role of father constructive conflict resolution frequency in the association between father reports of the frequency of the marital conflict and parenting. Results indicate that father parenting warmth and parenting stress mediated the association between the frequency of marital conflict and children's socioemotional skills. We also found that father reports of the frequency of the marital conflict was positively associated with involvement and negatively associated with warmth at higher levels of constructive conflict resolution frequency. Fathers who reported higher constructive conflict resolution frequency showed higher father involvement and warmth. Finally, the moderated-mediation analysis revealed that, after accounting for mothers' parenting variables, father warmth was the moderated mediator, such that there was a negative indirect effect between the frequency of marital conflict and children's socioemotional skills through father warmth at average and higher levels of constructive conflict resolution frequency. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Longitudinal analysis of exchanges of support between parents and children in the UK

Abstract We consider how exchanges of support between parents and adult children vary by demographic and socio-economic characteristics and examine evidence for reciprocity in transfers and substitution between practical and financial support. Using data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study 2011–19, repeated measures of help given and received are analysed jointly using multivariate random effects probit models. Exchanges are considered from both a child and parent perspective. In the latter case, we propose a novel approach to account for the correlation between mother and father reports and develop an efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm suitable for large datasets with multiple outcomes.

Padres Preparados, Jóvenes Saludables: A Randomized Controlled Trial to Test Effects of a Community-Based Intervention on Latino Father’s Parenting Practices

Parenting practices have been associated with adolescent lifestyle behaviors and weight status. Evidence is limited regarding the efficacy of interventions to address father influences on adolescent lifestyle behaviors through availability and modeling practices. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in father parenting practices after Latino families with adolescents participated in the Padres Preparados Jóvenes Saludables (Padres) program. Time-1 (baseline) and Time-2 (post-intervention) data were used from Latino father/adolescent (10-14 years) dyads enrolled in the Padres two-arm (intervention vs. delayed-treatment control group) randomized controlled trial in four community locations. The program had eight weekly, 2.5-h experiential learning sessions on food preparation, parenting practices, nutrition, and physical activity. Two types of parenting practices (role modeling and home food availability) were assessed by father report via questionnaire for each of 7 lifestyle behaviors, for a total of 14 parenting practices. Linear regression mixed models were used to evaluate the intervention effects. A total of 94 father/adolescent dyads completed both Time-1 and Time-2 evaluations. Significant positive intervention effects were found for frequencies of fruit modeling (p = 0.002) and screen time modeling (p = 0.039). Non-significant results were found for the other 12 father parenting practices.

A longitudinal examination of the family stress model of economic hardship in seven countries

The Family Stress Model of Economic Hardship (FSM) posits that economic situations create differences in psychosocial outcomes for parents and developmental outcomes for their adolescent children. However, prior studies guided by the FSM have been mostly in high-income countries and have included only mother report or have not disaggregated mother and father report. Our focal research questions were whether the indirect effect of economic hardship on adolescent mental health was mediated by economic pressure, parental depression, dysfunctional dyadic coping, and parenting, and whether these relations differed by culture and mother versus father report. We conducted multiple group serial mediation path models using longitudinal data from adolescents ages 12–15 in 2008–2012 from 1,082 families in 10 cultural groups in seven countries (Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Thailand, and the United States). Taken together, the indirect effect findings suggest partial support for the FSM in most cultural groups across study countries. We foundassociations among economic hardship, parental depression, parenting, and adolescent internalizing and externalizing. Findings support polices and interventions aimed at disrupting each path in the model to mitigate the effects of economic hardship on parental depression, harsh parenting, and adolescents’ externalizing and internalizing problems.

Parental meta-emotion, attachment to parents, and personal agency in adolescents.

Guided by attachment theory, we explored in the present study the links between parental emotion-coaching, attachment to parents, and adolescent's sense of agency. Further, we examined a possible mediating role of adolescent's attachment to parents in the association between parental emotion-coaching and sense of agency. All models control for cumulative psychosocial risk, and adolescents' sex and age, and take into account the reports of both mothers and fathers. The sample included 501 Portuguese families comprising adolescents, their mothers, and their fathers. Adolescents (ages ranged from 15 to 18) reported on their attachment to parents, personal agency, and cumulative psychosocial risk, whereas mothers and fathers independently completed a questionnaire assessing their meta-emotion skills. The results indicate that both mothers' and fathers' emotional-coaching are positively associated with the quality of adolescent's attachment to parents. Nonetheless, parental emotion-coaching are not directly associate with sense of agency. The quality of emotional bond with father is linked to a more positive sense of agency, while relationships characterized by mother's inhibition of adolescent's exploration are associated with less positive perceptions of agency. Parental emotion-coaching seems to be associated with the sense of personal agency through the quality of attachment to parents. These results are discussed according to attachment theory taking into account the parents' importance to adolescents' development. Our findings provide a first attempt to unravel the possible links between parental emotion-coaching, attachment to parents, and sense of agency; nevertheless, they need to expand. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Agreement Between Mother and Father Reports of IPV in a Sample of Child Protection Referred Coparents.

Accurate assessment of intimate partner violence (IPV) using standardized measures can be a challenge as there is often discrepancy between partner reports, with previous research indicating very poor concordance between partners using the Conflict Tactics Scale. This study examines agreement between coparent reports of IPV using the Abusive Behavior Inventory (ABI) from 282 coparent dyads referred for Fathers for Change, an IPV intervention by the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Differences in partner concordance using intraclass correlations were examined based on type of violence, marital status/cohabitation, race/ethnicity and substance misuse problems. Intraclass correlations were also calculated for eight power and control items unique to the ABI. Overall agreement between coparents was poor. However, there was greater concordance about mothers' who have used IPV toward fathers than fathers' use of IPV toward mothers. There was lower agreement between reports of physical than psychological IPV especially for white coparents. All types of coparent relationships showed low levels of agreement, but cohabiting coparents showed the highest levels of agreement when reporting fathers' IPV. In cases with one parent exhibiting substance misuse, concordance between reports of IPV increased. Results are consistent with prior findings that women report higher IPV than fathers even when assessments are done in the context of a DCF IPV treatment referral.

Mother and father depression symptoms and child emotional difficulties: a network model

IntroductionEnhancing understanding of depression symptom interactions between parents and associations with subsequent child emotional difficulties will inform targeted treatment of depression to prevent transmission within families.ObjectivesTo use a network approach to identify ‘bridge’ symptoms that reinforce mother and father depression, and whether bridge symptoms, as well as other symptoms, impact subsequent child emotional difficulties.MethodsSymptoms were examined using two unregularized partial correlation network models. The study included 4,492 mother-father-child trios from a prospective, population-based cohort in the United Kingdom. Mother and father reports of depression symptoms were assessed when the child was twenty-one months old. Child emotional difficulties were reported by the mother at ages nine, eleven and thirteen years.ResultsBridge symptoms mutually reinforcing mother and father depression symptoms were feelings of guilt and self-harm ideation, whereas anhedonia acted as a bridge from the father to the mother, but not vice-versa (fig.1, network 1). The symptom of feelings of guilt in mothers was the only bridge symptom which directly associated with child emotional difficulties. Other symptoms that directly associated with child emotional difficulties were feeling overwhelmed for fathers and anhedonia, sadness, and panic in mothers (fig.1, network 2).ConclusionsSpecific symptom interactions are central to the co-occurrence of depression symptoms between parents. Of interest, only one of the bridge symptoms associated with later child emotional difficulties. In addition, specific symptom-to-child outcomes were identified, suggesting that different symptoms in mothers and fathers are central for increased vulnerability in children.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Sex Differences in the Relationship Between Early Adverse Childhood Experiences, Delinquency, and Substance Use Initiation in High-Risk Adolescents.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to a host of subsequent negative health and behavioral problems. However, the role of sex in the ramifications of early ACEs remains unclear, particularly for delinquency and substance use initiation in adolescence. A small body of research has produced mixed findings on sex differences in the relationship between ACEs and antisocial outcomes in adolescence, resulting in uncertainty about whether and how ACEs may operate differently for boys and girls. The current study drew on a high-risk group of adolescents (N=2455; Mage=15.4; 48% female; 50% Black, 23% Hispanic) from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine the associations between accumulated ACEs across early childhood, and delinquency and substance use initiation of alcohol, cigarette, and cannabis in adolescence. We utilized mother and father reports on the exposure to seven different types of ACEs (i.e., physical abuse, psychological abuse, neglect, parental substance misuse, parental mental illness, parental intimate partner violence, and parental criminal behavior) when adolescents were ages 1, 3, and 5. Total ACEs scores and their relationships with delinquency, and lifetime use of alcohol, cigarettes, and cannabis were assessed separately for girls and boys. Results suggested that accumulated ACEs during early childhood may be implicated in boys' delinquency, while ACEs were not significantly associated with girls' self-reported delinquency or for boys' and girls' substance use initiation. Findings suggest that the enduring consequences of ACEs may be sex-specific, and have implications for the development of policies to mitigate ACEs and their harms.

Father involvement and early child development in a low-resource setting

Evidence on the role of father involvement in children's development from low-resource settings is very limited and historically has only relied on maternal reports of father's direct engagement activities such as reading to the child. However, fathers can also potentially influence their children's development via greater positive involvement with the mother, such as by offering interpersonal support or sharing decision-making duties. Such positive intrahousehold interactions can benefit maternal mental health and wellbeing, and ultimately children's development. We use data collected from mothers, fathers and children in the context of the cluster randomized controlled trial evaluation of Msingi Bora, a responsive parenting intervention implemented across 60 villages in rural western Kenya, to explore the various pathways through which fathers may influence their children's outcomes. In an endline survey in Fall 2019 among a sample of 681 two-parent households with children aged 16–34 months, fathers reported on measures of their behaviors towards children and with mothers, mothers reported on their wellbeing and behaviors, and interviewers assessed child cognitive and language development with the Bayley Scales. In adjusted multivariate regression analyses we found that greater father interpersonal support to mothers and greater participation in shared household decision-making were positively associated with children's development. These associations were partially mediated through maternal wellbeing and behaviors. We found no association between fathers' direct engagement in stimulation activities with children and children's outcomes. Inviting fathers to the program had no impact on their involvement or on any maternal or child outcomes, and fathers attended sessions at low rates. Overall, our results show the potential promises and challenges of involving fathers in a parenting intervention in a rural low-resource setting. Our findings do highlight the importance of considering intrahousehold pathways of influence in the design of parenting interventions involving fathers.

Parental Relationships, Patient-Centered Communication With Healthcare Providers, and Diabetes Management Across Emerging Adulthood.

To examine whether yearly fluctuations in acceptance from and disclosure to parents were associated with fluctuations in perceptions of patient-centered communication (PCC) with the healthcare provider and whether fluctuations in PCC were associated with self-efficacy, type 1 diabetes self-care, and HbA1c across four annual assessments during early emerging adulthood (EA). A total of 228 high school seniors (M age = 17.76 years at time 1) reported on mothers' and fathers' acceptance and diabetes-related disclosure to parents, diabetes self-care, and PCC once per year for 4 years. HbA1c was collected from assay kits. Multilevel models revealed within-person associations such that in years when individuals reported greater maternal acceptance than their average, they reported higher PCC. In addition, between-person differences indicated that individuals who reported more maternal acceptance on average relative to others also perceived greater PCC. Similar associations were found for EAs' reports of fathers. No significant effects were found for disclosure to either mother or father. Yearly fluctuations in PCC were associated with self-efficacy such that in years when perceived PCC was higher, self-efficacy was higher. Between person-effects were found for self-efficacy, self-care, and HbA1c such that individuals who reported more PCC on average relative to others reported higher self-efficacy, better self-care, and lower HbA1c. Aspects of EA's relationships with parents fluctuate with perceptions of PCC with healthcare providers. Perceived PCC with the healthcare provider may be important in higher self-efficacy, diabetes self-care, and lower HbA1c across the early EA years.

Reliability and validity of the DSM-5 Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, Adolescents, and Parents-5 in externalizing disorders and common comorbidities.

The Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Adolescents and Parents (DISCAP) is a semi-structured diagnostic interview for assessing psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. Changes to diagnostic criteria introduced in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) required the DISCAP to be revised accordingly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the updated DISCAP-5 in clinic-referred children. The DISCAP-5 was administered to parents of n=60 clinic-referred children aged 2-9 years with externalizing problems and a range of comorbid disorders. Inter-rater reliability data were collected using independent ratings of video-recorded DISCAP-5 interviews, and concurrent and discriminant validity were indexed against mother and father reports on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Inter-rater reliability agreement was high for the presence and absence of any diagnosis, common externalizing (e.g., oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder) and internalizing disorders (separation anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder), and severity of primary and secondary diagnoses. Rating scale data supported the concurrent and discriminant validity of diagnoses based on the DISCAP-5. The DISCAP-5 appears to provide valid and reliable data in the diagnostic assessment of clinic-referred children with behavioral and emotional difficulties across broad ranges of severity and complexity.