Barbara Rittner

Time-Limited Cognitive-Behavioral Group Interventions with Suicidal Adolescents

ABSTRACT Suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents in the United States-following accidents and homicide. This paper reports on group based activities using a cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) framework targeted at variables most highly correlated with suicidal ideation and behaviors, including problems associated with self-esteem, cognitive rigidity, social skills deficits, and substance use. Instead of focusing exclusively on treatment of depressive symptoms, this paper presents a series of structured group activities applicable to time-limited groups and designed to increase self-esteem, reduce negative thinking, enhance coping abilities, delimit substance use, and reintroduce the ability to seek and enjoy pleasurable activities with peers. The activities are derived from experiences with adolescents in treatment and are devised to foster rapid group stage development for use in time-limited groups.

Functional Adaptation to Foster Care: Foster Care Alumni Speak Out

For this qualitative study, 18 foster care alumni, ranging in age from 18 to 25 years, described good foster parents as helping them functionally adapt to foster care. Good foster parents never referred to them as a “foster” child, balanced consistency with individualized application of rules, used terms such as “our family” or “our home,” and included them in extended family gatherings and events. They were emotionally available without being intrusive, especially about stressful events in their lives. They facilitated ongoing contact with people from the childs past without being judgmental. Good foster parents also used their own resources, tried to accommodate personal tastes, and supported extracurricular activities.

Understanding Responses to Foster Care: Theoretical Approaches

Foster children making the transition from birth to foster homes or from foster homes to foster homes often present problematic behaviors. Limitations of attachment theory and reactive attachment disorder are presented, and three alternative approaches for understanding behaviors exhibited in foster settings are presented: conservation of resources, child alienation model, and developmental trauma disorder.

Foster Parent Strategies to Support the Functional Adaptation of Foster Youth

Individual interviews and focus groups with 35 experienced foster parents explored strategies that facilitate the functional adaptation of children transitioning into their care. Findings from this qualitative study suggest functional adaptation is enhanced by unconditional commitment by foster parents, “claiming” behaviors of foster children and parents, establishment of routines, support of birth family relationships, and advocacy for the youth across systems. Implications of this study support the vital role that foster parents have in helping children adapt to placement, and indicate that agencies can provide increased support for foster parents to better meet the needs of foster youth.

Factors Affecting Older Women's Adherence to Medication and Treatment

Over the past 25 years, there has been a growing interest in why many patients do not take prescribed medications or fail to follow medical advice. As many as 50% of all patients fail to adhere adequately to therapeutic advice or engage in inappropriate use of prescribed medications. Additionally, there has been a struggle over how best to describe this variance between what medical practitioners recommend and what patients actually do. This article examines factors thought to affect womens adherence to medication and treatment regimens. Literature on age, comorbid conditions, socioeconomic factors, environmental factors, and perceived susceptibility for an illness is reviewed as are individual psychological idiosyncratic dynamics that may influence health care behaviors.

Impact of individualized education plans on academic success of youth with early onset schizophrenia

ABSTRACT Purpose: Youth with early onset schizophrenia (EOS) are eligible for an individualized education plan (IEP) in school settings, yet often have declining academic performance over time. This study examines the impact of IEP and comorbid conditions on educational outcomes for youth with EOS. Method: We used mixed models and logistic regression to answer the research questions using data from 129 youth with EOS who participated in a longitudinal study from 1998 to 2006. Results: Not all children had an IEP in all waves. Of those that did, findings demonstrated that having an IEP did not improve absenteeism or academic performance. In addition, regardless of whether they had an IEP, rates of dropping out were equal. Conclusions: Social workers should consider more individualized approaches to IEPs for youth with EOS to target the specific complexities of the disorder as well as its implications for school success.

Early Onset Schizophrenia and School Social Work

Schizophrenia, while most commonly adult onset, does occasionally occur in children and adolescents. Youths appropriately diagnosed with schizophrenia tend to have significantly lower school success and face more daily academic challenges which can be insurmountable. This article reviews prevalence rates, controversies associated with diagnosis, and school and social problems that youths with schizophrenia confront in the context of classifications, symptoms and course of childhood onset of schizophrenia. Implications for school social workers are discussed.