Increasing numbers of children being referred for mental health services are exhibiting problematic behaviors that can be subsumed under the category of Disruptive Behavior Disorders. This study with its foundations in a post-positivist approach was designed to explore treatment effectiveness of cognitive behavioral intervention applied to adolescents at Oak Grove Institute, a residential treatment facility. This study hypothesized that Wexler's PRISM Model, with its integration of affect, would be instrumental in modifying disruptive behavior as measured at Oak Grove Institute. Although the small sample size precluded statistically significant findings, there were interesting results with respect to two dependant variables. Findings approached significance on measures of impulsivity and verbal aggression. That is, impulsivity and verbal aggression scores were lowered.

No description available.

Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

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.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / In the fields of formal and informal online adult education, the absence of a social context for instruction has been found to present significant limitations for learner persistence and retention. In the field of online psychoeducational intervention, self-administered and self-paced individualized prevention programs have been developed for delivery to large populations of anonymous users. These delivery models provide limited social context for instructional activities, due in part to the anonymity of their participants. When social interaction is included in their prevention programs through voluntary, asynchronous self-help/mutual aid discussion forums, anonymity may still limit social interaction, in favor of observational learning advantages for self-efficacy appraisals derived from "lurking". When these large-group models have been applied to online psychoeducation intervention programs for the purposes of encouraging mutual aid, interactive participation has been limited. This mixed methods study focused on a model for the design of an online small group psychoeducational intervention that integrated individual and social learning in a parent management training program. Self-paced participation was replaced with facilitator-led participation in an asynchronous discussion forum where topics were prioritized and sequenced with learning content from individual web-based training modules. Social interaction was facilitated through online problem-based learning discussion group. Despite assertions that interactive participation in online psychoeducational discussion forums may only be accomplished once a subscriber threshold of several hundred participants has been reached, this study found that small group participation through the program's integrated design resulted large effects for increases in parent self-agency and reduction of over-reactive, coercive parenting behaviors. Participation in the online problem-based group discussion forum was found to have contributed to participant outcomes when posting characteristics revealed the presence of both mutual aid processes and the application of individual learning module content.

Introdução: Os maus tratos na infância e adolescência são considerados um problema de saúde pública devido a alta prevalência no Brasil e no mundo. A exposição a maus tratos está associada a alterações no desenvolvimento cognitivo, porém, há uma escassez de estudos brasileiros que investiguem o tema. Objetivos: Comparar o funcionamento neuropsicológico de adolescentes com e sem histórico de maus tratos, bem como estudar as relações entre essas vivências, desempenho neuropsicológico e sintomas psiquiátricos relacionados a impulsividade, oposição, hiperatividade e desatenção. Método: Cento e oito adolescentes foram selecionados em dois programas de atendimento a população em situação de vulnerabilidade e/ou risco social de São Paulo (SP). De acordo com a pontuação do Questionário de Traumas na Infância (QUESI), foram classificados em três grupos: GMT1 (grupo de maus tratos leves, n=35), GMT2 (grupo de maus tratos moderado a grave, n=19) e GC (grupo de comparação, n=54). Os adolescentes passaram por avaliação neuropsicológica com o foco na investigação de funções relacionadas a percepção visual e spam atencional (primeira unidade funcional), processamento e armazenamento de informações (segunda unidade funcional) e funcionamento executivo (terceira unidade funcional). Foram utilizadas escalas para avaliação psiquiátrica (K-SADS-PL) e investigação de sintomas de impulsividade, hiperatividade, desatenção e oposição (BIS-1, SNAP-IV). Os resultados obtidos nos grupos foram comparados com o controle estatístico de variáveis sociais (dificuldades socioeconômicas, escolaridade e abrigamento) e clínicas (transtornos psiquiátricos internalizantes e externalizantes, uso de medicação psiquiátrica e quociente intelectual estimado- QI). Por fim, foram feitas associações entre exposição a maus tratos, funcionamento neuropsicológico e sintomas psiquiátricos. Resultados: Os GMTs (grupos de maus tratos) apresentaram pior funcionamento intelectual em relação ao GC, sendo que o pior desempenho foi encontrado no GMT2 (p< 0,001). Medidas menores de QI estiveram associadas a prejuízo nas três unidades funcionais (p<= 0,049) e a mais sintomas de hiperatividade e desatenção (p <= 0,008). Foi encontrado pior desempenho dos GMTs nos testes para avaliação de segunda unidade funcional (p<= 0,001), porém, não foram encontradas diferenças entre os grupos na primeira e terceira unidades. Apesar disso, os testes de correlação indicaram que o aumento das pontuações no QUESI estava associado à piora do desempenho em todas as unidades funcionais (p<= 0,046). Os GMTs apresentaram maior impulsividade e oposição (p<= 0,008) e, quanto maior a pontuação no QUESI, maior a presença de sintomas de impulsividade, oposição, sintomas isolados de desatenção e sintomas mistos de desatenção e hiperatividade (p<= 0,006). Conclusão: Os resultados obtidos corroboram a associação entre exposição a maus tratos e dificuldades cognitivas e psiquiátricas. Os dados obtidos poderão contribuir para o planejamento de políticas públicas voltadas tanto à prevenção quanto para o tratamento de patologias associadas ao desenvolvimento neurobiológico alterado de crianças e adolescentes que crescem em condições adversas. / Introduction: Maltreatment experiences in childhood and adolescence are considered a public health problem due to high prevalence in Brazil and worldwide. The exposure to maltreatment is associated with changes in cognitive development; however, there is a shortage of Brazilian research that investigates this topic. Objectives: Comparison of neuropsychological functioning of adolescents with and without maltreatment history, as well as the research of relationships between these experiences, neuropsychological performance, and psychiatric symptoms relating to impulsivity, opposition, hyperactivity, and inattention. Methods: One hundred and eight adolescents were selected from two assistance programs for people in vulnerability and social risk situation in the city of Sao Paulo (SP). According to the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), three groups were classified: GMT1 Group (Mild Maltreatment, n = 35), GMT2 (group of moderate to severe maltreatment, n = 19) and GC (comparison group, n = 54). The adolescents underwent neuropsychological evaluation with a focus on the investigation of functions related to visual perception and attention spam (first functional unit), processing and retention of information (second functional unit) and executive functioning (third functional unit). Scales were used for psychiatric assessment (K-SADS-PL) and investigation of impulsivity, hyperactivity, inattention, and opposition symptoms (SNAP-IV, BIS-11). Results obtained in these groups were compared with statistical control of social variables (socioeconomic, school level, and shelter), and clinical variables (internalizing and externalizing psychiatric disorders, use of psychiatric medication, and estimated intellectual quotient - IQ). Lastly, associations between exposure to maltreatment, neuropsychological functioning and psychiatric symptoms were made. Results: The GMT (maltreatment groups) had a worse intellectual functioning compared to GC, while the worst performance was found in GMT2 (p < 0.001). Lower IQ measures were associated to impairment on the three functional units (p<= 0.049) and to more symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity (p <= 0.008). Worse performance on tests for evaluation of the second functional unit (p<= 0.001) was found for GMT, but no differences were found between the groups on the first and third units. Nevertheless, the correlation tests indicated that the increase in CTQ scores was associated to worse performance in all of the functional units (p<= 0,046). The GMT presented higher impulsivity and opposition (p<= 0,008) and the higher the CTQ score the more symptoms of impulsivity, opposition, isolated symptoms of inattention, and mixed symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity (p<= 0,006). Conclusion: The results confirm the negative association between exposure to maltreatment and psychiatric and cognitive difficulties. The data obtained will contribute to the planning of public policies for both prevention and treatment of diseases associated to altered neurobiological development of children and adolescents who grow up in adverse conditions.

Introdução: Os maus tratos na infância e adolescência são considerados um problema de saúde pública devido a alta prevalência no Brasil e no mundo. A exposição a maus tratos está associada a alterações no desenvolvimento cognitivo, porém, há uma escassez de estudos brasileiros que investiguem o tema. Objetivos: Comparar o funcionamento neuropsicológico de adolescentes com e sem histórico de maus tratos, bem como estudar as relações entre essas vivências, desempenho neuropsicológico e sintomas psiquiátricos relacionados a impulsividade, oposição, hiperatividade e desatenção. Método: Cento e oito adolescentes foram selecionados em dois programas de atendimento a população em situação de vulnerabilidade e/ou risco social de São Paulo (SP). De acordo com a pontuação do Questionário de Traumas na Infância (QUESI), foram classificados em três grupos: GMT1 (grupo de maus tratos leves, n=35), GMT2 (grupo de maus tratos moderado a grave, n=19) e GC (grupo de comparação, n=54). Os adolescentes passaram por avaliação neuropsicológica com o foco na investigação de funções relacionadas a percepção visual e spam atencional (primeira unidade funcional), processamento e armazenamento de informações (segunda unidade funcional) e funcionamento executivo (terceira unidade funcional). Foram utilizadas escalas para avaliação psiquiátrica (K-SADS-PL) e investigação de sintomas de impulsividade, hiperatividade, desatenção e oposição (BIS-1, SNAP-IV). Os resultados obtidos nos grupos foram comparados com o controle estatístico de variáveis sociais (dificuldades socioeconômicas, escolaridade e abrigamento) e clínicas (transtornos psiquiátricos internalizantes e externalizantes, uso de medicação psiquiátrica e quociente intelectual estimado- QI). Por fim, foram feitas associações entre exposição a maus tratos, funcionamento neuropsicológico e sintomas psiquiátricos. Resultados: Os GMTs (grupos de maus tratos) apresentaram pior funcionamento intelectual em relação ao GC, sendo que o pior desempenho foi encontrado no GMT2 (p< 0,001). Medidas menores de QI estiveram associadas a prejuízo nas três unidades funcionais (p<= 0,049) e a mais sintomas de hiperatividade e desatenção (p <= 0,008). Foi encontrado pior desempenho dos GMTs nos testes para avaliação de segunda unidade funcional (p<= 0,001), porém, não foram encontradas diferenças entre os grupos na primeira e terceira unidades. Apesar disso, os testes de correlação indicaram que o aumento das pontuações no QUESI estava associado à piora do desempenho em todas as unidades funcionais (p<= 0,046). Os GMTs apresentaram maior impulsividade e oposição (p<= 0,008) e, quanto maior a pontuação no QUESI, maior a presença de sintomas de impulsividade, oposição, sintomas isolados de desatenção e sintomas mistos de desatenção e hiperatividade (p<= 0,006). Conclusão: Os resultados obtidos corroboram a associação entre exposição a maus tratos e dificuldades cognitivas e psiquiátricas. Os dados obtidos poderão contribuir para o planejamento de políticas públicas voltadas tanto à prevenção quanto para o tratamento de patologias associadas ao desenvolvimento neurobiológico alterado de crianças e adolescentes que crescem em condições adversas. / Introduction: Maltreatment experiences in childhood and adolescence are considered a public health problem due to high prevalence in Brazil and worldwide. The exposure to maltreatment is associated with changes in cognitive development; however, there is a shortage of Brazilian research that investigates this topic. Objectives: Comparison of neuropsychological functioning of adolescents with and without maltreatment history, as well as the research of relationships between these experiences, neuropsychological performance, and psychiatric symptoms relating to impulsivity, opposition, hyperactivity, and inattention. Methods: One hundred and eight adolescents were selected from two assistance programs for people in vulnerability and social risk situation in the city of Sao Paulo (SP). According to the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), three groups were classified: GMT1 Group (Mild Maltreatment, n = 35), GMT2 (group of moderate to severe maltreatment, n = 19) and GC (comparison group, n = 54). The adolescents underwent neuropsychological evaluation with a focus on the investigation of functions related to visual perception and attention spam (first functional unit), processing and retention of information (second functional unit) and executive functioning (third functional unit). Scales were used for psychiatric assessment (K-SADS-PL) and investigation of impulsivity, hyperactivity, inattention, and opposition symptoms (SNAP-IV, BIS-11). Results obtained in these groups were compared with statistical control of social variables (socioeconomic, school level, and shelter), and clinical variables (internalizing and externalizing psychiatric disorders, use of psychiatric medication, and estimated intellectual quotient - IQ). Lastly, associations between exposure to maltreatment, neuropsychological functioning and psychiatric symptoms were made. Results: The GMT (maltreatment groups) had a worse intellectual functioning compared to GC, while the worst performance was found in GMT2 (p < 0.001). Lower IQ measures were associated to impairment on the three functional units (p<= 0.049) and to more symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity (p <= 0.008). Worse performance on tests for evaluation of the second functional unit (p<= 0.001) was found for GMT, but no differences were found between the groups on the first and third units. Nevertheless, the correlation tests indicated that the increase in CTQ scores was associated to worse performance in all of the functional units (p<= 0,046). The GMT presented higher impulsivity and opposition (p<= 0,008) and the higher the CTQ score the more symptoms of impulsivity, opposition, isolated symptoms of inattention, and mixed symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity (p<= 0,006). Conclusion: The results confirm the negative association between exposure to maltreatment and psychiatric and cognitive difficulties. The data obtained will contribute to the planning of public policies for both prevention and treatment of diseases associated to altered neurobiological development of children and adolescents who grow up in adverse conditions.

No description available.