Social Adjustment Inventory For Children And Adolescents Research Articles

A follow-up study of peer relationships in autistic and non-autistic youths: Mediating effects from autistic, emotional and behavioral symptoms

BackgroundLittle is known about how clinical features prospectively influence peer relationships in autistic populations. AimsThis study investigated the clinical symptoms mediating the link between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis and peer relationships at follow-up, i.e. the second time evaluation of this study. MethodsThe sample consisted of 366 autistic youths and 134 non-autistic comparisons. The autistic traits and emotional/behavioral problems were measured at baseline by Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The interactions and problems with peers were assessed by the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents (SAICA) at follow-up. ResultsEach subscore of SRS and CBCL showed significant mediation effects. Multiple mediation analyses showed atypical social communication, social awareness problems, and delinquent behaviors mediated the link from ASD to less active peer interactions after controlling for sex, age, and IQ. Moreover, atypical social communication, social-emotional problems, and attention difficulties predicted problems with peers. After considering these mediation effects, the diagnosis of ASD still demonstrated a significantly direct effect on peer relationships at follow-up. Conclusions and implicationsOur findings support that social-related autistic features, attention problems, and delinquent behaviors mediated a link between ASD and peer relationships. These mediators are potential measures for improving interactions and decreasing difficulties with peers in the autistic population.

Psychiatric comorbidity and social adjustment difficulties in children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder: A national epidemiological study

BackgroundWe examined correlates, psychiatric comorbidities, and social adjustment difficulties in children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) from a national epidemiological study in Taiwan. MethodsThe sample consisted of 4816 children, who were 3rd, 5th, and 7th graders from schools randomly chosen based on the urbanization level in a recent national survey of childhood mental disorders. Among the 4816 children (2520 boys, 52.3%) interviewed using the Kiddie epidemiologic version of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS-E) for the DSM-5, 30 children were diagnosed as DMDD (23 boys, 76.7%). They and their parents also reported on the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents (SAICA). We conducted regressions for survey data that controlled for stratification and clustering. ResultsThe weighted prevalence of DMDD was 0.3~0.76% in Taiwanese children. Lower parental educational levels, male predominance, higher psychiatric comorbidities, and worse self-report school functions (e.g., more behavioral problems with peers) were observed in children with DMDD than those without. Additional analyses revealed that oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) but not DMDD was related to conduct disorder. Children with ODD with or without DMDD had more problems regarding attitudes toward school, academic performance, and parent-child interaction at home than those with DMDD-only. LimitationsSmall sample size of DMDD. ConclusionsDMDD is a rare disorder in the community. Children with DMDD had more psychiatric comorbidities, and subjectively experienced more difficulties than those without. DMDD and ODD both resulted in severe impairment yet in different domains.

Irritability and Maladaptation Among Children: The Utility of Chinese Versions of the Affective Reactivity Index and Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Irritability Subscale.

Irritability is among the most bothersome emotional symptoms in children. It often leads to mental health services referral, significant impairment, and distress to their families. Although there is increasing scientific evidence supporting the existence of extreme irritability in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. (DSM-5) diagnosis of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, few studies have investigated the measurement of irritability in children. This pilot study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Affective Reactivity Index (ARI) and the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC)-irritability subscale. In addition, we investigated adaptive difficulties among children with irritability. A total of 97 children and adolescents 6 to 17 years of age (M = 10.20, SD = 2.70) were recruited from the psychiatric outpatient department of a university hospital in Taipei. The participants completed the Chinese version of the ARI self-report form and the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents (SAICA). Their parents completed the ARI parent report form, the Chinese version of the ABC-irritability subscale, and the Child Behavior Checklist. Diagnostic interviews were administered based on diagnostic criteria of DSM-5 to confirm the participants' psychiatric diagnoses. The Chinese ABC-irritability subscale and the parent and self-report scales of the Chinese ARI showed good test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and concurrent validity. Scores from the ABC-irritability subscale and two forms of the ARI were all significantly correlated with aggressive behaviors, anxious/depressed symptoms, and social problems. In addition, irritability among children was significantly associated with maladjustment in school, with peer problems, and with problems at home. Our findings suggest that irritability may be associated with impaired social adaptive functioning among children and adolescents. The Chinese version of the ARI and the ABC-irritability subscale are useful for measuring irritability in both clinical and research settings in the Chinese population.

The Effectiveness of Aripiprazole for Tics, Social Adjustment, and Parental Stress in Children and Adolescents with Tourette's Disorder.

Tourette's syndrome (TS) frequently results in a negative impact on multiple functional domains. This prospective open-label study investigated the potential effectiveness of aripiprazole for tics, social adjustment, and parental stress in children and adolescents with TS. Study participants consisted of 26 patients (mean age 10.4 ± 3.0 years; 22 boys and 4 girls) who were prescribed aripiprazole, with each dose ranging from 2.5 to 15 mg/day. At baseline and 2, 4, and 8 weeks from baseline, tic symptoms, social adjustment, and parenting stress were assessed using the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS), the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents (SAICA), and the Parenting Stress Index (PSI). Aripiprazole could be optionally titrated from 2.5 to 30 mg/day at each visit. Of the 26 patients at the initial visit, 22 (84.6%) completed the study. The mean dose of aripiprazole at the endpoint was 8.0 ± 4.0 mg/day. During the 8-week aripiprazole treatment period, motor tics, phonic tics, and impairment on the YGTSS all showed significant improvement. Home behaviors on the SAICA and child domain on the PSI also showed significant improvement. Patients' phonic tics, but not motor tics, showed a positive correlation with their school function and peer relationships. The child domain on the PSI was positively correlated with motor tics, phonic tics, and impairment, as measured by the YGTSS. An 8-week aripiprazole treatment program for children and adolescents with TS was beneficial to their tic symptoms, behaviors at home, and caregivers' stress with regard to fulfilling parenting roles. A long-term placebo-controlled trial with larger samples is warranted to confirm the effectiveness of aripiprazole for social adjustment and parental stress.

Is Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy a Risk Factor for Cigarette Smoking in Offspring? A Longitudinal Controlled Study of ADHD Children Grown Up

Objective: This study examined whether exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy in children with and without ADHD is associated with smoking in offspring and whether this association is selective to ADHD children. Method: Ninety-six exposed and 400 unexposed participants were derived from two longitudinal studies of boys and girls with and without ADHD. Maternal smoking during pregnancy was defined by interviews with participants’ mothers. Results: A significant association was observed between exposure to maternal smoking in pregnancy and cigarette smoking in offspring (p = .02). Exposed offspring were also more likely to have higher rates of major depression (p = .04), bipolar disorder (p = .04), and conduct disorder (p = .04), and lower IQ (p = .01), lower Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score (p = .02), and more impaired Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents (SAICA) scores versus unexposed offspring, adjusting for social class. Conclusion: Maternal smoking during pregnancy was found to increase the risk for smoking and a wide range of adverse psychiatric, cognitive, and functional outcomes in youth.

Improving Visual Memory, Attention, and School Function with Atomoxetine in Boys with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Atomoxetine is efficacious in reducing symptoms of attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but its effect on visual memory and attention needs more investigation. This study aimed to assess the effect of atomoxetine on visual memory, attention, and school function in boys with ADHD in Taiwan. This was an open-label 12 week atomoxetine treatment trial among 30 drug-naíve boys with ADHD, aged 8-16 years. Before administration of atomoxetine, the participants were assessed using psychiatric interviews, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 3rd edition (WISC-III), the school function of the Chinese version of the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents (SAICA), the Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CPT), and the tasks of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) involving visual memory and attention: Pattern Recognition Memory, Spatial Recognition Memory, and Reaction Time, which were reassessed at weeks 4 and 12. Our results showed there was significant improvement in pattern recognition memory and spatial recognition memory as measured by the CANTAB tasks, sustained attention and response inhibition as measured by the CPT, and reaction time as measured by the CANTAB after treatment with atomoxetine for 4 weeks or 12 weeks. In addition, atomoxetine significantly enhanced school functioning in children with ADHD. Our findings suggested that atomoxetine was associated with significant improvement in visual memory, attention, and school functioning in boys with ADHD.

Effects of autistic traits on social and school adjustment in children and adolescents: The moderating roles of age and gender

This study examined the associations between children's and adolescents' autistic-like social deficits and school and social adjustment as well as the moderating roles of age and gender in these associations. The sample consisted of 1321 students (48.7% boys) in Grade 1 to Grade 8 from northern Taiwan. Children's and adolescents' autistic-like social deficits were assessed using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and their school and social adjustment (i.e., academic performance, negative attitudes toward schoolwork/teachers/classmates, behavioral problems at schools, negative peer relationships, and problems with peers) were assessed using the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents (SAICA). Both measures were completed by the mothers of the participants. Results from the linear mixed models demonstrated that autistic-like social deficits were associated with poor academic performance, negative attitudes toward schoolwork, teachers, and classmates, behavioral problems at schools, negative peer relationships, and problematic peer interactions. Moreover, gender and/or age moderated the associations between autistic-like social deficits and school and social adjustment problems. For example, autistic-like social deficits were more strongly related to negative school attitude, school social problems, and negative peer relationships in boys than in girls. Further, autistic-like social deficits were more strongly related to problems with peers in older girls than in older boys or younger children (regardless of gender). In conclusion, the present study suggests that autistic-like social deficits may place children and adolescents at increased risk for social and school maladjustment and that the extent of maladjustment may vary with the child's age and gender and the domains of adjustment under discussion.

Social functioning in young people at risk for schizophrenia

Deficits in social functioning are potential risk factors for schizophrenia. Social functioning was assessed in 55 individuals “at risk” for schizophrenia, 16 first episode patients with schizophrenia and 45 normal comparison subjects. The Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents (SAICA) was administered to adolescents < 18 and the Social Adjustment Scale (SAS-SR) to young adults > 17. The at risk and first episode groups significantly differed from the normal subjects on measures of social functioning in the domains of peer, family, work and school relationships. Individuals at risk for schizophrenia have significant functional deficits which may be potential indicators of increased vulnerability for psychosis.

Impact of early onset bipolar disorder on family functioning:: Adolescents’ perceptions of family dynamics, communication, and problems

Objective: This research investigated the impact of adolescent onset bipolar illness on perceived family functioning in stabilized bipolar I (B) and unipolar (U) probands, and normal controls (C). Method: Sample N=119: 44 bipolar 1(17 M, 27 F), 30 unipolar (9 M, 21 F), and 45 controls (19 M, 26 F). Mean ages: 19.9, 18.5 and 18.2 years, respectively. Instruments: Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale (FACES II), Parent–Adolescent Communication Scales (PACS), Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents (SAICA). Results: There were no significant group or sex differences between controls and mood disordered youth – assessed intermorbidly – in ratings of relationship with either parent. Bipolars acknowledged significantly more minor conflicts with parents than either unipolars or controls. Ratings by mood disordered subjects were significantly less positive in terms of shared activities and communication with siblings. Mood disordered youth and controls were not differentiated on the basis of family adaptability, and all family cohesion scores were within population norms. No significant group differences were observed in communication with parents. Limitations: This self-report study was conducted intermorbidly, does not include objective measures of family functioning, nor does it assess the effect of psychiatric illness in other family members on family functioning. Conclusions: Assessed intermorbidly, bipolar adolescents’ perceptions of family dynamics do not seem to diverge significantly from controls. Further research is needed to investigate the impact of adolescent bipolar illness on family life during acute phases of the illness, as well as the effect on family functioning of psychiatric disorders in other family members.

Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents: Concurrent Validity in ADHD Children

The assessment of children's adaptive functioning has broad-range implications for clinical practice, research, and public health, and relatively few well-developed assessment instruments are available. The validity of the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents (SAICA), a semistructured interview schedule that assesses adaptive functioning in children and adolescents, was examined. Two groups of index children were examined: 140 attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children (both psychiatric and pediatric referrals) and 120 normal comparisons. Concurrent validity was found for the SAICA in its significant association with the social competence scales of the Child Behavior Checklist and DSM-III-R's Global Assessment of Functioning. It was also found that among ADHD children, psychiatric comorbidity conferred an increased risk for worse adaptive functioning. These findings suggest the SAICA is an effective way to assess adaptive functioning. Moreover, its ability to discriminate ADHD from control children and its association with psychiatric comorbidity indicate the SAICA measures adaptive functioning within a range relevant for studies of psychopathology.

The Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents (SAICA): Testing of a New Semistructured Interview

AbstractRecently, a number of authors have concluded that there are few suitable instruments for the systematic assessment of children's adaptive functioning. The Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents (SAICA) is a new semistructured interview that was designed for administration to school‐aged children as a self‐report, or to parents about their children, for use in clinical and epidemiological studies. The SAICA provides an evaluation of children's functioning in school, in spare time activities, and with peers, siblings, and parents. Data from a study of 124 children, ages 6 to 18, of parents with and without a history of major depression support the construct, convergent, and discriminant validity of the instrument. The children's own histories of DSM‐III, Axis I diagnoses, rather than major depression in their parents, were found to reliably distinguish their patterns of social functioning. Children with dysthymia had the poorest functioning in all areas by both children's and mothers' reports. These results suggest that the SAICA is a promising instrument for the assessment of social adjustment among children and adolescents.