[Truncated abstract] The overall aim of the research reported in this thesis was to explore the viability and utility of the construct of psychopathy and aggression in children and adolescents. Specifically, by taking a developmentally informed approach it sought to develop new instrumentation which measured psychopathic-like-traits, and verbal proactive and reactive aggression in non-referred mainstream school children and adolescents. To achieve this, four separate yet interrelated studies were conducted. Study One comprised three phases relating to the development and validation of two new instruments. In Phase One the instruments currently used to measure psychopathy were reviewed and items relevant to young persons were selected for inclusion in a draft version of the new psychopathy screening instrument. Phase Two, which sought to further explore the construct of psychopathy in children and adolescents, comprised a series of interviews with school principals, deputy principals, psychologists, and education officers at the main juvenile detention centre in Perth, Western Australia. These interviews provided information relating to the behaviour and characteristics of children and adolescents who present with psychopathic-like-traits. As a consequence of the feedback from the Phase Two data, Phase Three reviewed the instrumentation currently used to measure aggression in children and adolescents. From this items were selected for possible inclusion in an aggression questionnaire. The data gathered over these three phases resulted in 117 psychopathy related items being generated for the new instrument, which were subsequently reduced to 56 when duplicated items were identified and the extant knowledge of the construct applied. The 56 items were retained in a draft version of the newly developed instrument, which was named the Child and Adolescent Psychopathy Screening Instrument (CAPSI). The Study One data revealed the instrumentation used to date provided few measures of physical and verbal aggression - a characteristic of psychopathic-like behaviour. Thus, a review of instrumentation together with the information from the interviews resulted in 63 aggression items being generated. ... Study Four utilised information from the CAPSI and the CASA in conjunction with in-depth interviews to generate case studies to further elucidate the characteristics of children and adolescents with psychopathic-like-traits and extreme aggression. Case studies were undertaken with seven male students ranging in age from 8 to 15 years who had been suspended from mainstream schools. All boys scored very highly on the new instruments. All presented with extreme aggression, with some exhibiting proactive or premeditated aggression combined with a superficially engaging personality, insincere charm, lack of remorse, and lack of empathy. The findings from all four research studies are discussed in the light of the literature reviewed and the aims of the research. Implications are then drawn for researchers and clinicians, and directions for further research are suggested.

The aim of this study was to explore temperament, psychopathology and quality of life (QOL) in adolescents born at extremely low birth weight (ELBW), i.e., < 1000g. ELBW adolescents (N = 15) completed the Revised Cheek and Buss Scale and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview 5.0.0 (M.I.N.I.), while their legal guardians completed a biographical questionnaire and the Short Form 12 version 2. The median age of the sample was 13 SD = 2.526 years (60% male) and all participants spoke English. ELBW adolescents with social phobia (n = 6) were more shy (p = .041) and had poorer mental health-related QOL (p = .041) than those without such symptoms. The results suggest that ELBW could be a predisposing factor for increased shyness and psychological disorders including social phobia. Planning of interventions for ELBW individuals should therefore include strategies to prevent or mitigate the effects of these factors in adolescence / Psychology / M. A. (Clinical Psychology)

Cette recherche s’intéresse à la façon singulière dont l’adolescent ou le jeune adulte suicidant se représente ses liens familiaux et extra-familiaux. Elle explore la façon dont ces jeunes s’inscrivent dans leur histoire familiale, se repèrent dans leur généalogie, mais aussi la façon dont ils construisent, dans le monde qui les entoure, leur réseau d’appartenance. Comprenant l’accès aux transmissions familiales et la possibilité de tisser un réseau de lien extra-familiaux, comme un élément capital de la construction identitaire, ce travail envisage l’hypothèse selon laquelle l’acte suicidaire de l’adolescent traduirait une revendication de l’unicité et de l’authenticité de son existence. L’intention de se faire exister serait plus prégnante que l’intention de se donner la mort. De telles conduites, à valeur ordalique, témoigneraient d’un affrontement avec le monde, dont l’enjeu serait de vivre plus. Elles amèneraient l’adolescent à s’imposer, inconsciemment, de frôler la mort pour se transformer, renaître, revivre après le traumatisme, pour enfin exister. A l’aide d’entretiens cliniques et d’outils d’évaluation systémique comprenant la réalisation de génogrammes libres et imaginaires, seize études de cas ont été réalisées. Ces données ont permis d’effectuer une analyse qualitative individuelle et groupale et, plus particulièrement une exploration familiale tri-générationnelle. Sans confirmer la valeur ordalique de la conduite suicidaire, nos résultas suggèrent que les jeunes rencontrés tentent de se faire exister en cherchant une enveloppe généalogique mais aussi affiliative, contenante au sein de laquelle ils se sentent inscrits et reconnus. Le sentiment d'appartenance qui permet la différenciation et qui donne sens à l’existence fait défaut chez tous. Ces résultats ouvrent une piste de réflexion sur la signification du geste suicidaire à l’adolescence: il s’agit d’une quête de sens, mais aussi de reconnaissance, qui passe par l’épreuve personnelle et le fait d’y survivre. <p> / Doctorat en Sciences Psychologiques et de l'éducation / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Individuals evidencing psychopathic personality traits have been shown to have problematic attachment to others. Moreover, research suggests that culture affects attachment style as well as the expression of various psychopathic traits using the four-factor model of psychopathy. However, the majority of this research has included only white college students, which is a limiting factor. The current study assessed the relations among attachment representations and psychopathic features across two independent samples (one adult & one adolescent) from different world regions (adults only), ethnicity (adolescents only), and gender. Using similar assessments of attachment and psychopathic traits for both samples, dismissing attachment was related to aspects of psychopathic traits in nearly all cultures and ethnicities sampled. In the world sample, secure attachment was found to positively relate to impulsive and parasitic lifestyle traits in all regions. Culture and gender were found to moderate several relations between specific attachment styles and psychopathic features. Overall, the patterns of data indicated that many of the differences found between groups may be rooted in individualistic versus collectivistic values, and were consistent with previous research assessing these constructs across diverse samples.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This assignment provides a description of the cognitive, social and emotional developmental tasks of adolescence. In addition a summary of the most prevalent social, emotional and behavioural problems reported during this developmental phase is provided. With this information as a context, a school-based, curricula-integrated prevention programme is then introduced as a possible tool to facilitate the development of positive mental health among adolescents. The programme discussed, namely Programme Achieve (2nd ed.) by Dr. M.E. Bernard of California State University, is unique in its aim to both enhance academic achievement and social-emotional well-being. Programme Achieve (2nd ed.) is based on Bloom's school learning theory, rational-emotive therapy and rationalemotive education and various cognitive-behavioural and socialleaming research findings. With its sound theoretical and research base Programme Achieve (2nd ed.) offers students the opportunity to learn a mindset that will help them develop their full academic, emotional and interpersonal potential. Within the South African "Draft Revised National Curriculum Statement" (2001), provision is made for lessons pertaining to the students' personal development. In response to this, the author explores the suitability of Programme Achieve (2nd ed.) as a means to attain the specific Learner Outcomes and Assessment Standards as specified in the "Draft Revised National Curriculum Statement" (2001). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die werkstuk gee 'n beskrywing van die kognitiewe, sosiale en emosionele ontwikkelingstake kenmerkend van adolessensie. Verder word 'n oorsig gegee van die belangrikste sosiale, emosionele en gedragsprobleme, kenmerkend van hierdie ontwikkelingsfase. Teen hierdie teoretiese agtergrond word 'n skool-uitkoms, kurrikula-geïntegreerde voorkomingsprogram voorgestel as 'n moontlike hulpmiddelom die ontwikkeling van geestesgesondheid onder adolessente te fasiliteer. Programme Achieve (2de ed.) is uniek in sy doelwit om akademiese prestasie sowel as sosiale-emosionele welsyn te bevorder. Programme Achieve (2de ed.) is gebaseer op Bloom se skoolleer teorie, rasioneel-emosionele terapie en rasioneel-emosionele onderrig en verskeie ander kognitiewe gedrags- en sosiale-leer navorsingsbevindinge. Programme Achieve (2de ed.), met sy stewige teoretiese en navorsingsbasis, gee leerders die geleentheid om 'n denkpatroon aan te leer wat hul sal help om hulle volle akademiese, emosionele en interpersoonlike potensiaal te bereik. Voorsiening word in die Suid Afrikaanse "Draft Revised National Curriculum Statement" (200 1) gemaak vir onderrig ten opsigte van leerders se persoonlike ontwikkeling. Met verwysing hierna, word die toepaslikheid van Programme Achieve (2de ed.) ondersoek as 'n middelom spesifieke Leerder-Uitkomste en Evalueringstandaarde, soos vervat in die "Draft Revised National Curriculum Statement" (200 1), te bereik.

xiv, 105 p. ill. (some col.) / Depression during adolescence is highly prevalent with as many as 20% experiencing a major depressive episode by the age of 18. Adolescent depression causes significant impairment across life areas including school functioning, such as poor academic performance and decreased academic achievement. Despite the existence of many evidence-based treatment options, merely 25% of depressed adolescents receive treatment. For this reason, it is essential that easily accessible preventive interventions for adolescent depression be developed and made available. Computerized interventions could broaden the reach of prevention efforts and preliminary results indicate that they have the potential to successfully prevent adolescent depression. The Coping with Depression course is an empirically validated cognitive-behavioral depression treatment and prevention program that is well-suited for computerized delivery. This dissertation reports on the development and evaluation of a web-based interactive multimedia version of the adolescent Coping with Depression course with students experiencing subclinical levels of depression. The Blues Blaster program includes the following six modules, with five mini-sessions in each: (a) defining depression, (b) mood monitoring, (c) increasing fun activities, (d) increasing positive thinking, (e) recognizing negative thinking, and (f) decreasing negative thinking. Key concepts are presented and reinforced in a variety of engaging ways within each session, including video, animation, comic strips, graphics, interactive exercises, and games. The Blues Blaster program was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial with 161 adolescents who were randomly assigned to either the Blues Blaster or informationonly control conditions. Participants were assessed at baseline, post-treatment (six weeks after baseline), and six-month follow-up. Results demonstrated greater improvement for the Blues Blaster condition in depression levels, negative thoughts, behavioral activation, knowledge, self-efficacy, and school functioning compared to the information-only control condition. These findings suggest that this targeted prevention program is appropriate for use with middle school students to decrease depression levels and therefore the risk that they will develop major depression in the future. / Committee in charge: Christopher Murray， Chairperson； Deanne Unruh， Member； Jeffrey Sprague， Member； John R. Seeley， Member； Sara Hodges， Outside Member

Ce travail de thèse repose sur une recherche qui s'est intéressée à un groupe de 151 adolescents de 15 à 18 ans bien différenciés au départ. Nous avons recruté un groupe de jeunes « hospitalisés » en unité pédopsychiatrique, un groupe d'adolescents délinquants institutionnalisés dans une institution publique de protection de la jeunesse et un groupe d'adolescents « contrôles » recrutés dans un lycée bruxellois.<p><p>Ces groupes ont été comparés en fonction de trois concepts importants de la pédopsychiatrie du développement. Il s'agit du parenting, de la séparation individuation, et de l'attachement.<p>Les outils utilisés sont des auto-questionnaires mesurant d’une part, le parenting, la séparation-individuation et l’attachement et, d’autre part, les aptitudes socio-émotionnelles des jeunes (résilience, empathie, intelligence émotionnelle). Nous avons aussi fait passer une interview diagnostic (Kiddie- Sadds) ainsi qu’un test d’évaluation intellectuelle (WISC IV ou WAIS III).<p><p>La première partie de la recherche a consisté à évaluer si les outils utilisés étaient suffisamment fiables et valides pour un usage en langue française dans un échantillon plus important. Au cours de la deuxième étape, nous avons comparé les trois groupes en fonction des trois concepts définis auparavant. <p><p>Ce sont surtout les résultats de la comparaison des trois groupes qui ont été développés dans le travail qui suit. L’autre partie des résultats peut être retrouvée dans les articles publiés.<p><p>\ / Doctorat en Sciences médicales / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Experiencing the death of a family member at a young age is a confusing time for many children. Some clinicians have reported that parental death is the most stressful life event for children, and some studies have traced adults' mental health difficulties to unresolved childhood grief (Balk, 1983; Krahnstoever, 2006). Despite the hardships endured after a family member's death, some children manage to endure the pain of loss better than others because they are resilient due to a variety of protective factors (Masten, 2003; Bonanno, 2004). The present study examined the relationships between childhood grief, potential protective factors (social support, physical and academic self-concept, parent-child relationship quality) and adolescent outcomes (depression, social satisfaction, and academic achievement). Longitudinal data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care (SECC) was utilized in the present study. The sample consisted of 1,364 children, including 261 children who experienced the death of at least one family member in third or fifth grade. There were twelve moderation analyses that were used to examine buffering effects in the present study. Findings in the present study did not support the hypotheses that the psychosocial factors examined could be protective factors between experiencing the death of a family member and the adolescent outcomes examined. Results also revealed a significant main effect of social support, parent-child relationship quality, and physical and academic self-concept whereby those with higher levels of these psychosocial factors tend to have lower levels of depression. Having higher physical and academic self-concept was found to be positively associated with academic achievement. Contrary to what might be expected, a main effect of having higher levels of social support, parent-child relationship quality, physical self-concept, and academic self-concept were associated with lower levels of social satisfaction. Although the hypotheses were not supported in the present study, it is still important that the topic was examined and findings from the present study can guide future research in further exploring possible protective factors for children who experienced the death of a family member.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Serious emotional disturbance, including disruptive disorders (i.e., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder), affects large numbers of adolescents, with costly and tragic consequences. Adolescents with disruptive disorders are likely to be arrested, drop out of school, and have poor treatment outcomes. There is an urgent need to identify strengths-based factors associated with improvement in adolescents’ behavioral and social functioning to help them achieve their full potential. The purpose of this study was to determine whether change in adolescent personal strengths and change in family functioning over 12 months predicted changes in behavioral and social functioning for adolescents with disruptive disorders who participated in a System of Care (SOC) program and if findings varied by race. De-identified data from 179 adolescents, aged 12-17 years, with disruptive disorders and their caregivers were included in this secondary analysis. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlations, t-tests, chi-square tests, and multivariate multiple regressions. Upon admission to the program, caregiver ratings indicated that African American adolescents had greater personal strengths (p = .001), fewer behavior problems (p < .001), and less functional impairment (p < .001) compared to their Caucasian counterparts. Girls had more behavior problems (p = .05) and fewer personal strengths than boys (p < .001). Increase in caregiver-rated adolescent personal strengths was significantly associated with improvement in caregiver-rated adolescent behavioral and social functioning (p < .001). Change in caregiver-rated family functioning was not significantly associated with change in caregiver-rated adolescent behavioral and social functioning (p = .171). The strength and direction of predictors did not vary by race. The adolescents in the study participated in a SOC program that emphasized their strengths versus, primarily, focusing on their deficits. Change in caregiver ratings of adolescent personal strengths was a significant predictor of change in adolescent behavioral and social functioning over a 12 months period. Findings provide evidence for psychiatric mental health professionals to focus on enhancing adolescent personal strengths to improve behavioral and social functioning in adolescents with disruptive disorders. Future research is needed to understand the impact of family variables on adolescents’ treatment outcomes.

L’obésité pédiatrique est un phénomène en expansion croissante, amenant les professionnels de la santé à en parler en termes de phénomène pandémique. Mais au-delà de cette expansion croissante, c’est également l’augmentation de la sévérité de l’obésité chez l'enfant et l'adolescent qui apparaît inquiétante.<p>Or, la présence des déterminants sociaux,énergétiques, génétiques ne suffisent pas toujours pour expliquer son développement et principalement quand il s’agit d’obésité sévère. Dans le cadre de l'obésité sévère, il y a lieu de dépasser les théories centrées sur la compréhension de l’agir alimentaire pour envisager les théories qui considèrent l’implication de l’ensemble du corps dans le développement de l’obésité et ce principalement lorsqu’on s’intéresse à l’adolescent. <p><p>Les objectifs de cette étude visent, face à ces éléments, à établir, dans un premier temps, un profil démographique, médical, familial, psychologique et psychopathologique d’une population d’adolescents souffrant d'obésité sévère. Ces informations ont été recueillies à l’aide de questionnaires structurés et par observation de 164 adolescents satisfaisant aux critères de l’obésité sévère. Un diagnostic pédopsychatrique selon la CFTMEA R 2000 a été posé pour chaque sujet. Nos résultats ont souligné le déterminisme multiple de l’obésité de nos sujets mais également l’importance des comorbidités bio-psycho-sociales.<p>Dans un second temps, à l’aide d’une analyse factorielle, nous avons mis en évidence qu’une plus grande sévérité de l’obésité s’associait à des facteurs d’environnement défavorisant(troubles mentaux dans la famille, carences, maltraitance) et à la présence d'un profil psychopathologique. De plus, ces mêmes modalités étaient associées avec une compliance familiale et individuelle moins importante. <p><p>Dans une dernière partie, nous nous sommes centrés sur les liens qui unissaient ces différents éléments. Pour ce faire, nous avons aux travers d’analyse de cas et à l'aide d'un Rorschach, du Questionnaire de l'Image du Corps de Bruschon-Schweitzer, et d'un dessin de soi, évalué la présence de troubles de l’image du corps chez 10 de nos sujets et leur évolution durant la prise en charge en lien avec la perte de poids. Nos résultats ont mis en évidence la présence de troubles de l’image du corps avec une image de soi incertaine, indifférenciée aux limites diffuses. <p>L’obésité s’inscrirait en tant que garant concret face à une image du corps peu unifiée. Ceci nous permet de considérer que l’obésité s’installe au travers à la fois d’un corps peu investi, peu mobilisable imposant la nécessaire édification de barrière (l’obésité) entre le « dedans fragilisé » et le dehors vécu comme dangereux. Nous pouvons dès lors considérer la difficulté des sujets de se résoudre à une perte de poids qui ne permettrait plus au sujet de recourir à ce type de fonctionnement. <p><p>De ce fait, nous avons conclu qu'il s'agit dans la prise en charge de ces sujets de reconsidérer l’image du corps comme outil thérapeutique vecteur d’amélioration à court et à long terme. / Doctorat en Sciences Psychologiques et de l'éducation / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished