Anders G. Broberg

The Generalizability of the Youth Self-Report Syndrome Structure in 23 Societies.

As a basis for theories of psychopathology, clinical psychology and related disciplines need sound taxonomies that are generalizable across diverse populations. To test the generalizability of a statistically derived 8-syndrome taxonomic model for youth psychopathology, confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were performed on the Youth Self-Report (T. M. Achenbach & L. A. Rescorla, 2001) completed by 30,243 youths 11-18 years old from 23 societies. The 8-syndrome taxonomic model met criteria for good fit to the data from each society. This was consistent with findings for the parent-completed Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001) and the teacher-completed Teachers Report Form (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001) from many societies. Separate CFAs by gender and age group supported the 8-syndrome model for boys and girls and for younger and older youths within individual societies. The findings provide initial support for the taxonomic generalizability of the 8-syndrome model across very diverse societies, both genders, and 2 age groups.

Effects of day care on the development of cognitive abilities in 8-year-olds : A longitudinal study

In Goteborg, Sweden, 146 children (72 girls) were enrolled in a longitudinal study when they averaged 16 months of age. None of the children had experienced regular out-of-home care yet, but within 3 months, 54 entered center care and 33 entered family day care. Quality of home and out-of-home care environments, child temperament, and the development of verbal abilities were assessed regularly during preschool years. When they were 8 years old (2nd grade), cognitive ability tests were administered to the 123 children (65 girls) still in the study. Tested ability was related to the number of months children had spent in center-based day care before 3.5 years of age. Child care quality predicted cognitive abilities among children who had spent at least 36 months in out-of-home care during their preschool years. Both tested and rated cognitive abilities in 2nd grade were related to earlier measures of verbal ability and to paternal involvement during preschool years.

Bullying in adolescence: Psychiatric problems in victims and bullies as measured by the youth self report (YSR) and the depression self-rating scale (DSRS).

Adolescents in junior high school (n=237), completed a questionnaire on bullying as it relates to victim and to perpetrator status, suicidality and biographical data. Psychological symptoms were assessed by the Youth Self Report (YSR) and the Depression Self-Rating Scale (DSRS) supplemented by school health officers blind assessments. Bullying was common: bully only (18%), victim only (10%) and victim and bully (9%). Bullies had mainly externalizing symptoms (delinquency and aggression) and those of the victim and bully group both externalizing and internalizing symptoms as well as high levels of suicidality. Adolescents in the bully only group were more likely to be boys and to have attention problems. Moreover, a substantial proportion of the adolescents in the victim only group were judged by school health officer to have psychiatric symptoms and to function socially less well.

Quality of life in childhood asthma: use of the Paediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire in a Swedish sample of children 7 to 9 years old.

Reichenberg K, Broberg AG. Quality of life in childhood asthma: use of the Paediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire in a Swedish sample of children 7 to 9 years old. Acta Pædiatr 2000; 89: 989‐95. Stockholm. ISSN 0803‐5253

Emergence and Construct Validation of the Big Five Factors in Early Childhood: A Longitudinal Analysis of Their Ontogeny in Sweden

Researchers have shown that the five major dimensions of personality (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience) and two additional factors (irritability and positive activity) are evident from adolescence. This study attempted to replicate and extend these results in a longitudinal study of 102 Swedish children, followed from 2.3 to 15.2 years of age. Item analyses revealed consistently reliable irritability, conscientiousness, and positive activity factors, whereas the internal reliability of the extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism, and openness to experience factors increased over time. Irritability and positive activity were not independent of the other factors. Scores on most of the personality factors were fairly stable over time. Over time, children became less extraverted, more agreeable, and more conscientious. Neuroticism and openness to experience increased in Phase III, although openness then decreased in Phase V. Validity of the original factors was demonstrated by correlations with independent assessments of the childrens cognitive performance and adjustment to school.

Examining Relations among Attachment, Religiosity, and New Age Spirituality Using the Adult Attachment Interview.

This study was the first to examine relations between attachment and religion-spirituality in adults using a developmentally validated attachment assessment, the Adult Attachment Interview. Security of attachment was expected to be linked to a religiosity-spirituality that is socially based on the parental relationships and reflects extrapolation of attachment experiences with sensitive parents to perceived relationships with a loving God. Insecurity of attachment was expected to be related to religiosity- spirituality via emotional compensation for states of insecurity. Participants (N=84; 40% men; mean age=29 years) were drawn from religious-spiritual groups. Religiousness-spirituality was assessed with questionnaires. Results generally supported the hypotheses (ps<.05). Estimates of parental loving were linked to socially based religiosity, loving God images, and gradual religious changes occurring at early ages and in life contexts indicating a positive influence of close relationships. Estimates of parental rejection and role reversal were related to New Age spirituality and sudden-intense religious changes occurring in life contexts of turmoil. Current attachment state of mind was generally unrelated to traditional religiosity, but current preoccupation, unresolved- disorganized, and cannot classify states were associated with New Age spirituality.

Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire—Reliability and Factor Structure: A Swedish Version

Two studies were conducted to assess the Swedish version of the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), which was originally created by Baer et al. (2006). The aim of Study 1 was to examine the psychometric properties of the FFMQ using data from 495 individuals. Quantitative and qualitative analyses resulted in a reduction of the scale by 10 items. Psychometric properties, including internal consistency of the revised instrument, were examined. The Swedish FFMQ provides results comparable to those obtained by Baer. Cronbachs alphas were high for all the facets. The Swedish FFMQ appears to be a potentially useful tool in measuring mindfulness among Swedish participants. The aim of Study 2 was to test the suggested hierarchical five-factor solution and construct validity, using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Similar to findings for the English version of the FFMQ, the CFA showed that the Observing facet was not a significant part of an overall self-reported mindfulness structure in a Swedish population with little meditation experience.

The effects of out-of-home care on the development of social competence in Sweden: A longitudinal study

In this study, 140 Swedish preschoolers and their parents were first contacted, observed, and interviewed when the children averaged 16 months of age. Subsequently, 53 children entered day-care centers, and 33 were enrolled in family day-care facilities. Further assessments of the children, their families, and their care facilities took place 3, 12, and 24 months after the initial assessment. As predicted, type of child care had no apparent impact on the childrens sociability or personality maturity, as measured 24 months after the study began. However, the quality of care received both at home and in the out-of-home care facilities, reported family social support, and child gender helped predict personality maturity (as reported by the mothers using the Block CCQ) and observed social skills with familiar peers and unfamiliar adults.

Prediction of prolonged pain experiences during orthodontic treatment

INTRODUCTION In this study, we investigated prolonged pain reactions in teenage orthodontic patients during a common orthodontic treatment. The aim was to examine factors predicting pain at the end of a follow-up week after placement of elastic separators. METHODS Fifty-five patients (ages, 12-18 years) were included. Baseline assessments were made of perceived intensity of general and dental pain experiences, motivation for treatment, dental anxiety, and personality factors (self-esteem and temperament). Pain intensity was assessed on a visual analog scale, and pain medications were recorded. The patients were separated into pain and no-pain groups according to pain experiences at day 7. RESULTS The pain group (mainly girls) had significantly higher ratings of treatment pain than in the non-pain group at all times measured except for the treatment day. Bivariate and multiple logistic regressions showed significant predictive power from motivation, dental anxiety, activity temperament, and vaccination pain. CONCLUSIONS In this adolescent patient sample, low motivation for orthodontic treatment, high ratings of vaccination pain, elevated dental anxiety level, and low activity temperament characterized patients reporting pain 1 week after the elastic separators were placed.

The Determinants of Paternal Involvement in Primiparous Swedish Families

The mothers and fathers of 138 firstborn Swedish children were interviewed when their children averaged 16 months of age and again 12 months later. Questions focused on demographic characteristics, employment characteristics, division of paid and unpaid parental leave, amount of paternal involvement in the weeks preceding the two assesssment phases, division of parental responsibilities, and the childs parental preferences. Analyses conducted using the Partial Least Squares (soft modelling) technique revealed that fathers were more involved at 28 months when their partners worked more, when the fathers assumed more responsibility for childcare chores, and when the fathers had been more involved 12 months earlier. Paternal involvement at 16 months was likewise determined by maternal and paternal work status, and the amount of maternity and paternity leave taken in the preceding months. The data thus reveal substantial stability over time in the degree of paternal involvement. Fathers were also more involved with daughters. Socioeconomic status (SES) did not significantly predict paternal involvement.