Young Adult Self Research Articles

Does mental illness in adolescence/young adulthood predict intimate partner violence?

Experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) are associated with a wide range of measures of poor mental health. While there is a body of evidence to suggest that IPV leads to poor mental health, there is some evidence to suggest the association between IPV and mental illness may be bi-directional. We take data from a long running cohort study to test the hypothesis that poor mental health experienced during the adolescent and young adult periods of the life course predict adult occurring IPV. At 14 years respondents were administered the Youth Self Report (YSR), and at 21 years they completed the Young Adult Self Report (YASR) as well as the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. At 30 years, respondents completed the Composite Abuse Scale (CAS), with five measures of IPV; Severe Combined Abuse, Physical Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Harassment and Coercive Control. After adjustment for possible confounding, measures of delinquency and substance use disorder at 21 years predicted all forms of IPV. For example, in the fully adjusted data, substance use disorders to 21 years predict Severe Combined Abuse (2.30:1.15, 4.61), Physical Abuse (1.67:1.11, 2.52), and Coercive Control (1.74:1.14, 2.65) at 30 years. The findings raise the possible benefits of early intervention programs to reduce adult occurring IPV.

Parent - Young Adult Relationship with Self-esteem among Undergraduate Students

Worldwide, there are over 1.8 billion young people living today and 90 % of who live in developing countries1. Parent–child relationships are central to psychological development and several studies have shown that suboptimal parenting is an important risk factor for psychological disorder in clinical and representative community samples.2 This study is an insight to know the Parent - Young Adult Relationship in the current generation of young adult and its impact on Self - esteem. Research results carried out on this topic suggest & promote Parents and Young Adult to have a better relationship. The aim of the study was to correlate relationship between Parent - Young Adult with Self-esteem among undergraduate students in selected college at Puducherry. Methods: A Quantitative Descriptive Research Design was used to assess the correlation between Parent - Young Adult Relationship with Self-esteem among undergraduate students in selected college at Puducherry. After taking a written consent, both male and female (117) undergraduate students (18 - 21 years) were selected using Simple Random Sampling Technique. The Parent - Young Adult Relationship among undergraduate students was assessed by Parent Adult Child Relationship Questionnaire (PACQ) and level of Self esteem was assessed by Rosenberg's Self - esteem Scale. The data was analyzed by using frequency, percentage, mean and Standard Deviation. Correlate the relationship between Parent - Young Adult Relationship and Self – esteem was analyzed by using Pearson’s correlation coefficient test. The association between the demographic variables between Parent - Young Adult Relationship and Self – esteem was analyzed by using Fisher’s exact test Result: The results show the correlation between Parent - Young Adult Relationship with Self-esteem among 117 undergraduate students. The mean self esteem score was 19.26 ± 3.791 and it ranged from 6 to 29. The level of self - esteem among nursing college students was normal, high and low, for 88.0%, 5.1% and 6.9%, respectively. There was a weak negative correlation observed between Parent - Young Adult relationship (Father) with Self - esteem in control aspect which implies greater the control by father lower the Self - esteem of the students. There was no statistically significant correlation was observed between Parent-Young Adult Relationship (Mother) with self -esteem at the significance level of p>0.05. Statistically significant association was found between Parent-Young Adult Relationship (Father - Regard) with gender, (Father -control) with Occupation, (Father - Responsibility) with feels more attached. Statistically significant association was noted between Parent-Young Adult Relationship (Mother - Responsibility) with year of studying implying B.Sc (N) - II Year and with area of residence, (Mother - Regard) with time spent every day (1-2 hours). Borderline statistically significant association was found in (Father - Control) with feels more attached & area of residence and (Mother - Responsibility) with Occupation. Conclusion: The findings of the study reflect that the Undergraduate relationship with both of their parents and majority Undergraduate students had normal self - esteem. The way parents raise their children influences the development of their self-esteem. Stronger relationship with parents boosts the self-esteem level in an individual. The study participants get benefited by participating in the study. Conducting this research in another society and with a greater sample size and in different setting may generate different results.

Child maltreatment and attentional problems: A longitudinal birth cohort study

ObjectiveTo examine whether child maltreatment is associated with attentional problems in adolescence (14 years) and young adulthood (21 years), and whether outcomes depend on the type of maltreatment (sexual vs non-sexual). MethodsData from a population based cohort study involving 3778 mother-child pairs were linked with data from the state child protection agency to examine associations between child abuse and neglect and attention problems, measured using the Achenbach Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) and the Achenbach Young Adult Self Report (YASR). Results245 (6.5%) participants had been the subject of notification for non-sexual maltreatment (one or more of neglect, emotional or physical abuse) compared with only 54 (1.4%) who had been subject of notification for suspected sexual abuse. After adjusting for potential confounding variables including maternal, participant and sociodemographic factors, we found those exposed to non sexual maltreatment were likely to experience attentional problems at 14 years (p < .001) and 21 years of age (p = .044), compared with those participants who had not experienced non sexual maltreatment. By contrast, at age 14 years, sexual abuse was associated with attentional problems only as reported by the participant, not their carer. Results at 21 years of age for those exposed to sexual child maltreatment (p=.655) were again in contrast to the observed association between attentional problems and non sexual child maltreatment (p = .035). ConclusionIn this study, non-sexual maltreatment in childhood is associated with attentional problems at both 14 years and 21 years of age. These findings highlight the need for targeted research to better understand the longer term mental health outcomes for children exposed to non-sexual maltreatment. Potential implications for mental health services include the need for broader screening at presentation and importantly, greater collaboration with schools, general practitioners and paediatricians, given the greatest impact would arguably be within these settings.

For My Teacher, Stanley Cavell

I AM HONORED TO BE HERE, with members of the Cavell family, with friends and with colleagues, to celebrate the life and work of Stanley Cavell, to whom I owe inestimably large debts of gratitude and whom I remember with the greatest affection and admiration.&#x0D; Cavell’s role in my life was that of a philosophical parent. He is well known to have held that “philosophy is the education of grownups,” and the sort of parenting I am talking about involved opening the door of philosophy for my young adult self. This was not a matter of induction into a theoretical research program of the type that then already dominated academic philosophy. Cavell’s way was to prompt students to confront and interrogate our own intellectual responses, leading us to ask “why we do what we do, judge as we judge,” and positioning us to think for ourselves. This is a demanding pedagogical enterprise, and Cavell devoted singular amounts of time and energy to supporting the young thinkers around him. What I am going to recount is the story of two extraordinary things that he did as my teacher, circumstances all the more arresting in that I was not officially his student.

The Default Mode Network Mediates the Impact of Infant Regulatory Problems on Adult Avoidant Personality Traits

BackgroundInfant regulatory problems (RPs), i.e., problems with crying, feeding, and/or sleeping, are associated with behavioral and emotional problems in childhood. It is unclear, however, whether these behavioral and emotional problems persist into adulthood. The default mode network (DMN) and salience network (SN) support both interoceptive regulation and social and emotional abilities. We thus hypothesized that adults who had experienced RPs in infancy have more behavioral and emotional problems, which are mediated by DMN and/or SN alterations. MethodsWithin the scope of the Bavarian Longitudinal Study, adults (mean age 28 years; 50% female subjects) with (n = 79) and without (n = 254) a history of multiple and/or persistent infant RPs were assessed by the Young Adult Self Report to measure behavioral and emotional problems, and—in a subsample (n = 49 with and n = 71 without a history of infant RPs)—by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure DMN/SN integrity via intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC). ResultsCompared with adults with no history of infant RPs, adults who had experienced infant RPs had more total problems (p = .002), more internalizing problems (p = .005), and more avoidant personality traits (p < .001). They showed decreased iFC of the DMN and SN. DMN iFC decreases were strongest in adults with multiple and persistent RPs, and they were linked with avoidant personality traits (r = −.42, p = .006). Remarkably, DMN iFC decrements fully mediated the association between infant RPs and adult avoidant personality traits. ConclusionsAdults who had experienced infant RPs have more avoidant personality traits that are mediated by the DMN. Persistent and/or multiple infant RPs and the DMN may be targets to attenuate behavioral and emotional problems.

Adult Mental Health Outcomes of Preterm Survivors Experiencing Suicidal Ideation in Adolescence

The aim of this study was to examine the link between suicidal ideation in adolescence (age 12–16) and symptoms of psychopathology in adulthood (age 22–26) in a birth cohort of extremely low birth weight (ELBW; <1000g) survivors and matched normal birth weight (NBW; >2500 g) control participants. This study utilized data from a longitudinally followed cohort of 129 ELBW survivors and 116 NBW individuals born in Ontario, Canada between the years 1977 and 1982. Participants self-reported suicidal ideation via questionnaire during adolescence (age 12–16). The depression, anxiety, inattention, and antisocial behavior subscales of the Young Adult Self Report (YASR) were used to assess symptoms of psychopathology during adulthood (age 22–26). Associations were examined in each birth weight group separately prior to and after adjustment for covariates. Before and after adjustment for covariates, suicidal ideation in NBW adolescents predicted symptoms of depression, anxiety, inattention, and antisociality in adulthood. Suicidal ideation among ELBW adolescents predicted inattentive and depressive symptoms, and antisocial behavior only before adjustment. Adolescents born at NBW who endorse suicidal ideation are at elevated risk for developing symptoms of anxiety, depression, inattention, and antisocial problems in adulthood even after adjustment. Among ELBW survivors, the risks were lower and appear to be due to confounding factors.

Self-Reported Mental Health Problems Among Adults Born Preterm: A Meta-analysis.

Preterm birth increases the risk for mental disorders in adulthood, yet findings on self-reported or subclinical mental health problems are mixed. To study self-reported mental health problems among adults born preterm at very low birth weight (VLBW; ≤1500 g) compared with term controls in an individual participant data meta-analysis. Adults Born Preterm International Collaboration. Studies that compared self-reported mental health problems using the Achenbach Young Adult Self Report or Adult Self Report between adults born preterm at VLBW (n = 747) and at term (n = 1512). We obtained individual participant data from 6 study cohorts and compared preterm and control groups by mixed random coefficient linear and Tobit regression. Adults born preterm reported more internalizing (pooled β = .06; 95% confidence interval .01 to .11) and avoidant personality problems (.11; .05 to .17), and less externalizing (-.10; -.15 to -.06), rule breaking (-.10; -.15 to -.05), intrusive behavior (-.14; -.19 to -.09), and antisocial personality problems (-.09; -.14 to -.04) than controls. Group differences did not systematically vary by sex, intrauterine growth pattern, neurosensory impairments, or study cohort. Exclusively self-reported data are not confirmed by alternative data sources. Self-reports of adults born preterm at VLBW reveal a heightened risk for internalizing problems and socially avoidant personality traits together with a lowered risk for externalizing problem types. Our findings support the view that preterm birth constitutes an early vulnerability factor with long-term consequences on the individual into adulthood.

Transient hypothyroxinemia of prematurity and problem behavior in young adulthood

IntroductionPreterm newborns are at risk of developing transient hypothyroxinemia of prematurity (THoP), which has been associated with subsequent neurodevelopmental impairments. Behavioral outcomes at adult age after THoP have never been reported. AimTo examine whether there is an association between THoP and problem behavior at young adult age. MethodsThis study was part of the follow-up of 19-year-old subjects born very preterm (i.e., <32 weeks) and/or with a very low birth weight (i.e.,<1500g) from the Project On Preterm and Small-for-gestational-age infants (POPS) cohort. We included 468 subjects of the POPS cohort; of whom 123 had THoP. Thyroxine (T4) concentrations were obtained through the national neonatal screening program for congenital hypothyroidism. THoP was defined as a T4 concentration <-3 SD (approximately 60nmol/L).At age 19, behavior was assessed using the Young Adult Self Report and the Young Adult Behavioral Checklist for parents. ResultsTHoP was associated with a 1.8 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01–3.4) −fold increased odds of self-reported Internalizing behavior, as well as with a 1.9 (95% CI: 1.1–3.1) −fold increased odds of parent-reported Total problem behavior. These relations persisted after correction for demographic and perinatal variables. Similar associations were absent for the other self-reported and parent-reported syndrome and problem scales. ConclusionsTHoP was associated with more internalizing and total problem behavior at age 19. While our observations warrant more awareness of problem behavior in preterm infants, at present, it is unclear whether these associations are causal and screening for THoP does not seem necessary.

Where are you from?: locating the young adult self within and beyond the text

This article explores the interconnections between young adult (YA) fiction and three YA readers’ constructions of place within and beyond the text. It employs a qualitative, multiple case study design, and utilizes discussion groups, semi-structured interviews, and the creation of place-journals to interpret some of the ways in which three YA readers, from two contrasting Canadian communities, respond to how place and place-identity are construed within their own lives, and within two YA fiction texts. Drawing on geography theory and reader-response criticism, it offers a critical description of the moment in time when these texts, these readers, and the researcher met as part of a reading transaction, within a particular time and space. I argue that these YA readers are aware of the role of place within their own lives, and that they use these individualized constructions to shape their encounters with these texts.

Antenatal glucocorticoid treatment and polymorphisms of the glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors are associated with IQ and behavior in young adults born very preterm.

Preterm survivors exhibit neurodevelopmental impairments. Whether this association is influenced by antenatal glucocorticoid treatment and glucocorticoid sensitivity is unknown. This study aimed to study the effects of antenatal glucocorticoid treatment and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) polymorphisms on behavior and intelligence quotient (IQ). This study was part of the 19-year follow-up of the Project On Preterm and Small-for-gestational-age birth cohort. Multicenter study. Three hundred forty-four 19-year-olds born very preterm (gestational age < 32 wk), of whom 71 had received betamethasone antenatally. Single antenatal treatment course of betamethasone. Behavior (Young Adult Self Report and Young Adult Behavior Checklist for parents) and IQ (digital Multicultural Capacity Test-intermediate level). Data were analyzed by linear regression and presented as regression coefficient (95% confidence interval [CI]). Sex ratio, GR (R23K; N363S) and MR (-2G/C; I180V) genotypes were equally distributed between treated and nontreated subjects. Independent of treatment, R23K carriers had improved IQ scores (β 9.3; 95% CI, 3.4 to 15.1) and a tendency toward more favorable total problem behavior scores (β -8.5; 95% CI, -17.3 to 0.2) ; -2G/C CC carriers had poorer IQ scores (β -6.2; 95% CI, -10.5 to -1.9); I180V carriers had more favorable internalizing behavior scores (β -2.0; 95% CI, -3.9 to -0.1). Antenatal glucocorticoid treatment was associated with more unfavorable behavior scores, especially internalizing behavior (β 2.4; 95% CI, 0.3 to 4.5). Interaction between GR and MR polymorphisms and antenatal glucocorticoid treatment was observed, with poorer IQ scores for exposed N363S carriers; poorer intellectual subdomain scores for exposed I180V-carriers; more favorable total problem behavior scores for exposed R23K carriers. Genetic variations in glucocorticoid sensitivity and antenatal glucocorticoid treatment are associated with IQ and behavior in young adult preterm survivors.

Do young people with comorbid mental and alcohol disorders experience worse behavioural problems?

This article examines whether young individuals in the general population with comorbid alcohol use and mental health disorders experience worse internalizing and externalizing behaviour problems than those with single disorders. A large cohort of women at the Mater Misericordiae Hospital in Brisbane, Australia, was enroled during pregnancy in a longitudinal study. Mother/offspring dyads were followed over 21 years. At age 21, offspring behaviour problems were examined using the Young Adult Self Report, alcohol and mental health disorders with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Associations between comorbidity and behaviour problems were assessed using multinomial logistic regression, accounting for life-course factors. Twelve per cent of young adults had alcohol/mental health DSM-IV disorders with significant temporal overlap. A further 16% had alcohol disorders only and 23% mental health disorders only. The comorbid group scored significantly higher on total and externalizing behaviour problems but not internalizing behaviour problems. Stronger associations of aggression/delinquency with comorbidity were not fully accounted for by factors known to influence separate development of mental health and alcohol disorders. Young adults with comorbid alcohol/mental health disorders experience more, and more severe, behavioural problems than those with single disorder types, indicating an increased burden from comorbidity, with implications for treatment and public order.

Young adults' trajectories of Ecstasy use: A population based study

Young adults' Ecstasy use trajectories have important implications for individual and population-level consequences of Ecstasy use, but little relevant research has been conducted. This study prospectively examines Ecstasy trajectories in a population-based sample. Data are from the Natural History Study of Drug Use, a retrospective/prospective cohort study conducted in Australia. Population screening identified a probability sample of Ecstasy users aged 19–23years. Complete data for 30months of follow-up, comprising 4 time intervals, were available for 297 participants (88.4% of sample). Trajectories were derived using cluster analysis based on recent Ecstasy use at each interval. Trajectory predictors were examined using a generalized ordered logit model and included Ecstasy dependence (World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Instrument), psychological distress (Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale), aggression (Young Adult Self Report) and contextual factors (e.g. attendance at electronic/dance music events). Three Ecstasy trajectories were identified (low, intermediate and high use). At its peak, the high-use trajectory involved 1–2days Ecstasy use per week. Decreasing frequency of use was observed for intermediate and high-use trajectories from 12months, independently of market factors. Intermediate and high-use trajectory membership was predicted by past Ecstasy consumption (>70 pills) and attendance at electronic/dance music events. High-use trajectory members were unlikely to have used Ecstasy for more than 3years and tended to report consistently positive subjective effects at baseline. Given the social context and temporal course of Ecstasy use, Ecstasy trajectories might be better understood in terms of instrumental rather than addictive drug use patterns.

Anxious/Depressed Symptoms are Linked to Right Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortical Thickness Maturation in Healthy Children and Young Adults

The relationship between anxious/depressed traits and neuromaturation remains largely unstudied. Characterizing this relationship during healthy neurodevelopment is critical to understanding processes associated with the emergence of child/adolescent onset mood/anxiety disorders. In this study, mixed-effects models were used to determine longitudinal cortical thickness correlates of Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Young Adult Self Report Anxious/Depressed scores in healthy children. Analyses included 341 subjects from 4.9 to 22.3 year-old with repeated MRI at up to 3 time points, at 2-year intervals (586 MRI scans). There was a significant "CBCL Anxious/Depressed by Age" interaction on cortical thickness in the right ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), including the medial orbito-frontal, gyrus rectus, and subgenual anterior cingulate areas. Anxious/Depressed scores were negatively associated with thickness at younger ages (<9 years), but positively associated with thickness at older ages (15-22 years), with the shift in polarity occurring around age 12. This was secondary to a slower rate of vmPFC cortical thinning in subjects with higher scores. In young adults (18-22 years), Anxious/Depressed scores were also positively associated with precuneus/posterior cingulate cortical thickness. Potential neurobiological mechanisms underlying this maturation pattern are proposed. These results demonstrate the dynamic impact of age on relations between vmPFC and negative affect in the developing brain.

Childhood and adolescent psychopathology and subsequent tobacco smoking in young adults: findings from an Australian birth cohort

To examine whether child and adolescent psychopathology predicts subsequent tobacco use at 14 and 21 years of age. Prospective birth cohort study. Data are taken from the Mater Misericordiae Hospital and University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy and its outcomes (MUSP), a prospective longitudinal study which recruited women at their first antenatal visit in Brisbane, Australia. A 5-, 14- and 21-year follow-up of children whose mother's were recruited into the MUSP birth cohort study at their first antenatal visit. Psychopathology exposure was measured using the Achenbach's Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) at 5 years, the Youth Self Report (YSR) at 14 years and the Young Adult Self Report (YASR) at 21 years. Outcome measures were the children's tobacco smoking status at the 14 and 21 years' follow-up and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) based DSM-IV nicotine dependence at 21 years' follow-up. Externalizing symptoms had the strongest association with subsequent tobacco use. Children who met the criteria for CBCL aggression at 5 years were more likely to be tobacco smokers at the 14-year follow-up. YSR externalizing behaviours at the 14-year follow-up predicted tobacco smoking, but not DSM-IV nicotine dependence at the 21-year follow-up. Internalizing behaviour (anxiety/depression) was associated with a reduced rate of smoking at the 14- and 21-year follow-ups, but externalizing behaviour and attention problems at 14 and 21 years were associated separately and cumulatively with nicotine dependence at the 21-year follow-up. Childhood and adolescent psychopathology predict tobacco smoking, but some forms of psychopathology predict increased (aggression/delinquency; attention problems) and other forms decreased (anxiety/depression) smoking. There may be some benefits in targeting children with early onset aggressive/delinquent behaviour problems with tobacco smoking prevention initiatives.

Young adults' gambling and its association with mental health and substance use problems

To examine the socio-demographic characteristics of young adults' gambling and its association with mental health and substance use behaviour. The study is based on 3,512 young adults (1648 males) for whom data from the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP) were available on self-report gambling, gambling expenditure, Achenbach's Young Adult Self Report and substance use at the 21-year follow-up of the MUSP. The participants' age ranged between 18.2 and 23.6 (mean = 20.6, standard deviation = 0.8) years. Two-fifths of the young adults reported gambling. Males reported more money spent on gambling and were significantly more likely to be at risk of problem gambling. Gambling and problem gambling were significantly more common in less-educated individuals, those who had higher income or those who had a paid job. Individuals who reported gambling were more likely to smoke cigarettes, drink more than a glass of alcohol per day, use illicit drugs, or exhibit high levels of externalising behaviour than non-gamblers. The findings confirm the high prevalence of gambling and gambling expenditure in young adults. Individuals who are involved in gambling are more likely to report cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and use of illicit drugs. There is a need for further research to explore the mechanisms of association between gambling behaviour and individuals' mental health and substance use. Substance abuse and mental health services are recommended to consider co-morbid gambling problems in treatment-seeking patients.

ETIOLOGIC RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ANXIETY AND DIMENSIONS OF MALADAPTIVE PERFECTIONISMIN YOUNG ADULT FEMALE TWINS

Theory and research suggest that maladaptive perfectionism, specifically, concerns about mistakes (CM) and doubts about actions (DA), may be important etiologic and maintenance mechanisms for anxiety and its disorders. However, no studies speaking directly to the origins of the relationship, i.e. what etiologic factors underlie the phenotypic association between anxiety and maladaptive perfectionism, exist. The current study aimed to address this gap in the literature by exploring genetic and environmental relationships between anxiety symptoms and maladaptive perfectionism. The sample consisted of 292 young adult same-sex female twins from the Michigan State University Twin Registry. Anxiety symptoms were assessed by the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait version and an anxiety problems scale derived from the Young Adult Self Report. Maladaptive perfectionism was measured using the CM and DA subscales of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale. Anxiety and maladaptive perfectionism were both moderately heritable, with estimates ranging from. 45 to .66. Moreover, multivariate analyses revealed that genetic factors were primarily responsible for associations between anxiety and maladaptive perfectionism (r(g) =.59-.88). This is the first study to demonstrate the role of genetic factors in the relationship between anxiety and maladaptive perfectionism. Future studies are needed to uncover the specific biologic and genetic factors that contribute to this relationship and to evaluate whether maladaptive perfectionism represents an intermediate trait or risk factor for anxiety.

Intergenerational Profiles of Socioeconomic (Dis)advantage and Obesity During the Transition to Adulthood

Investigations of socioeconomic status (SES) and health during the transition to adulthood in the United States are complicated by the later and more varied transitions in residence, employment, schooling, and social roles compared with previous generations. Parental SES is an important influence during adolescence but cannot sufficiently capture the SES of the independent young adult. Typical, single SES indicators based on income or education likely misclassify the SES of young adults who have not yet completed their education or other training, or who have entered the labor force early with ultimately lower status attainment. We use a latent class analysis (LCA) framework to characterize five intergenerational SES groups, combining multidimensional SES information from two time points-that is, adolescent (parental) and young adult (self) SES data. Associations of these groups with obesity, a high-risk health outcome in young adults, revealed nuanced relationships not seen using traditional intergenerational SES measures. In males, for example, a middle-class upbringing in adolescence and continued material advantage into adulthood was associated with nearly as high obesity as a working poor upbringing and early, detrimental transitions. This intergenerational typology of early SES exposure facilitates understanding of SES and health during young adulthood.

THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S CONSULTATION SERVICE: AN EVALUATION OF A CONSULTATION MODEL OF VERY BRIEF PSYCHOTHERAPY

The Young People's Consultation Service (YPCS) is a four-session, self- referral, psychodynamically-oriented psychotherapeutic consultation service for young people aged between 16 and 30, at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust in London. Aim: It was hypothesized that clients would show an improvement on outcome measures at the end of the four sessions. It was also hoped that the data would identify character- istics of the clients who show the most benefit. Method: A review of the case-notes of all clients attending the service between January 2003 to April 2006 was carried out, and details were entered into a database, including demographic information, presenting issues and attendance. Clients were given the Youth Self-Report form (YSR) (Achenbach, 1991) or the Young Adult Self Report form (YASR) (Achenbach, 1997), according to age, before the start of the intervention and at the end of the four sessions. Outcome data were analysed, comparing pre- and post- treatment scores on the YSR/YASR. Results: A total of 236 clients attended the service during the study period. Pre- to post-comparison data on the YSR/YASR was available for 24 clients. Of those, YSR/ YASR scores reduced significantly on all subscales and severity reduced over time in all cases. In addition, there was a trend towards moving from the clinical to the non-clinical range, reaching statistical significance on the Internalizing and Total subscales. A number of YPCS clients showed both statistically significant and clinical improvement on the Internalizing and Externalizing scales of the YSR/YASR, with a greater number showing improvement on the Internalizing scale. Conclusions: Improvements were found on all subscales of the YSR/YASR at the end of the four session intervention. A greater number of clients showed improvement on the Internalizing subscale, suggesting that this form of very brief psychotherapy is most effective for clients with emotional problems.

Collecting Routine Outcome Data in a Psychotherapy Community Clinic for Young People: Findings from an Ongoing Study.

The paper reports on the collection of routine outcome data from an ongoing audit at a voluntary sector psychotherapy service for young people aged 12 to 21 years in London offering once-weekly psychotherapy. The study uses intake and follow-up data from an ongoing audit of the psychotherapy service that started in 1993; 1608 young people were included in the study. Measures and areas of interest include the Youth Self Report Form, a significant other (SO) version of the Teacher's Report Form, the Young Adult Self Report Form, and the Young Adult Behaviour Check List. Percentage returns at intake were 94% (self), 66% (SO) and 80% (therapist), but became 35%, 21% and 38% at 3-month follow-up, and decreased further at 6- and 12-month follow-up. At all time points, significant other report rates were lower than self or therapist report rates. Young people who did not provide data at intake were more likely to have dropped out of treatment. Over the 15-year period of the audit, intake self-report data rates remained stable (about 94%) whereas SO and especially therapist report rates increased. However, there was a reduction in self, significant other and therapist report rates at 3- and 6-month follow-up. Collecting routine outcome data was compromised by a variety of factors, and systematic efforts, including introducing initiatives for participation are needed to increase follow-up data rates and improve their quality.

Genetic Factors Underlie Stability of Obsessive–Compulsive Symptoms

The contribution of genetic and environmental factors to the stability of obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms has not yet been established in adult population based samples. We obtained the Young Adult Self Report Obsessive-Compulsive Subscale in mono- and dizygotic twins from the population-based Netherlands Twin Register in 1991, 1995 and 1997 and the Padua Inventory Revised Abbreviated in 2002. Stability of OC symptoms was analyzed as a function of genetic and environmental components. Heritability of OC behavior was around 40% at each time-point, independent of the instrument used. OC behavior was moderately stable with correlations ranging between r = .2 (for 11-year intervals), .4 (for 4-5 year intervals) and .6 (for 2 year intervals). Genetic correlations across time were higher, varying between .4 and .9, indicating that the stability of OC symptoms is mainly due to stable genetic factors. This study showed a moderate heritability and stability for OC behavior in adults. Genetic stability across time is high.