Karen R. Gouze

Attention and social problem solving as correlates of aggression in preschool males

This study examined the relationship between two cognitive processing variables-attention and social problem solving-and aggression in preschoolage boys. The 43 participants were administered two selective attention tasks that assess childrens tendency to focus on aggressive versus cooperative social situations, the Preschool Interpersonal Problem Solving Test developed by Shure and Spivack, and the information and block design subtests of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence. Aggressive behavior was measured by teacher ratings and observational data. Results indicated that, in contrast to their nonaggressive peers, aggressive preschool boys tend to focus their attention on aggressive social interactions in their environment. They also provide aggressive solutions to hypothetical interpersonal conflict situations more often than their less aggressive peers. Intelligence does not appear to play a mediating role in these relationships. Implications of these results for understanding and remediating aggressive behavior in young boys are discussed.

Cultural specificity of support sources, correlates and contexts: Three studies of African‐American and Caucasian youth

Levels and correlates of parental support, peer support, partner support, and/or spiritual support among African American and Caucasian youth were examined in three contexts: adolescent pregnancy (Study 1), first year of college (Study 2), and adolescence and young adulthood (ages 15–29; Study 3). Partially consistent with a cultural specificity perspective, in different contexts different support sources were higher in level and/or more strongly related to adjustment for one ethnic group than the other. Among pregnant adolescents, levels of spiritual support were higher for African Americans than Caucasians; additionally, peer support was positively related to well-being only for African Americans whereas partner support was positively related to well-being only for Caucasians. Among college freshmen, family support was more strongly related to institutional and goal commitment for African Americans than Caucasians; conversely, peer support was more strongly related to institutional and goal commitment among Caucasians. Among 15 to 29-year-olds, levels of parental support and spiritual support were higher among African Americans than Caucasians; additionally, spiritual support was positively related to self-esteem for African Americans but not for Caucasians. Implications and limitations of the research are discussed.

Predictors and Correlates of Completing Behavioral Parent Training for the Treatment of Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Pediatric Primary Care

This study examined the role of pretreatment demographic and clinical predictors of attendance as well as barriers to treatment and consumer satisfaction on attendance at therapist-led parent training with 86 families of children ages 3 to 6 years conducted in pediatric primary care settings. Only socioeconomic status (SES) and minority group membership were significantly associated with not completing treatment. Using optimal data analysis procedures, high SES correctly predicted treatment completion 83.6% of the time. Being from a low SES, minority group family correctly predicted noncompletion of treatment 72.7% of the time, but being from a low SES, white family predicted treatment completion 80% of the time. Since barriers to treatment, such as stressors, obstacles to treatment, and treatment demands were unrelated to attendance in the present study, other factors related to social class and minority status that could contribute to better consumer satisfaction and treatment attendance must be investigated.

Re-examining the Epidemiology of Sensory Regulation Dysfunction and Comorbid Psychopathology

The aims of this study were threefold: (1) to compare prevalence of sensory regulation dysfunction based on previously established criteria to rates established with a more representative community sample of 796 4-year-olds; (2) to examine ethnic/racial and gender differences in prevalence according to the different criteria; and (3) to examine the co-occurrence of sensory regulation dysfunction and preschool psychiatric disorders. Prevalence rates ranged from 3.4% (current criteria) to 15.6% (previous criteria). In contrast to previous studies with less representative samples, there were no significant ethnic or racial differences using the current criteria. Boys were more likely to have sensory regulation dysfunction than girls according to all criteria. Depending upon impairment criteria used, 33–63% of children meeting criteria for sensory dysregulation also had a psychiatric disorder; 37–67% had only a sensory dysregulation disorder, indicating that sensory regulation dysfunction exists independent of psychiatric disorder, and is also a significant risk factor for disorder.

Multi-domain models of risk factors for depression and anxiety symptoms in preschoolers: evidence for common and specific factors.

Relatively few studies have examined multiple pathways by which risk factors from different domains are related to symptoms of anxiety and depression in young children; even fewer have assessed risks for these symptoms specifically, rather than for internalizing symptoms in general. We examined a theoretically- and empirically-based model of variables associated with these symptom types in a diverse community sample of 796 4-year-olds (391 boys, 405 girls) that included factors from the following domains: contextual (SES, stress and family conflict); parent characteristics (parental depression); parenting (support/engagement, hostility and scaffolding); and child characteristics including negative affect (NA) effortful control (EC) sensory regulation (SR), inhibitory control (IC) and attachment. We also compared the models to determine which variables contribute to a common correlates of symptoms of anxiety or depression, and which correlates differentiate between those symptom types. In the best-fitting model for these symptom types (a) SES, stress and conflict had indirect effects on both symptom types via long-chain paths; (b) caregiver depression had direct effects and indirect ones (mediated through parenting and child effortful control) on both symptom types; (c) parenting had direct and indirect effects (via temperament and SR); and temperament had direct effects on both symptom types. These data provide evidence of common risk factors, as well as indicate some specific pathways/mediators for the different symptom types. EC was related to anxiety, but not depression symptoms, suggesting that strategies to improve child EC may be particularly effective for treatment of anxiety symptoms in young children.

Gene × Environment effects of serotonin transporter, dopamine receptor D4, and monoamine oxidase A genes with contextual and parenting risk factors on symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety, and depression in a community sample of 4-year-old children

Genetic factors can play a key role in the multiple level of analyses approach to understanding the development of child psychopathology. The present study examined gene-environment correlations and gene × environment interactions for polymorphisms of three target genes, the serotonin transporter gene, the D4 dopamine receptor gene, and the monoamine oxidase A gene in relation to symptoms of anxiety, depression, and oppositional behavior. Saliva samples were collected from 175 non-Hispanic White, 4-year-old children. Psychosocial risk factors included socioeconomic status, life stress, caretaker depression, parental support, hostility, and scaffolding skills. In comparison with the short forms (s/s, s/l) of the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic repeat, the long form (l/l) was associated with greater increases in symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder in interaction with family stress and with greater increases in symptoms of child depression and anxiety in interaction with caretaker depression, family conflict, and socioeconomic status. In boys, low-activity monoamine oxidase A gene was associated with increases in child anxiety and depression in interaction with caretaker depression, hostility, family conflict, and family stress. The results highlight the important of gene-environment interplay in the development of symptoms of child psychopathology in young children.

The structure of psychopathology in a community sample of preschoolers.

Despite growing interest in the development of alternative diagnostic classification systems for psychopathology in young children, little is known about the adequacy of the DSM symptom structure for describing psychopathology in this population. This paper examines the fit of the DSM-IV emotional (ED) and disruptive behavior disorder (DD) symptom structure in a community sample of 796 4-year-old children. Using the parent-report Child Symptom Inventory (CSI), the best model fit for ED included separate factors for Social Phobia, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder. For DD, the best model included separate Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-Inattentive type (ADHD-I), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-Hyperactive/Impulsive type (ADHD-HI), and Oppositional Defiant Disorder diagnoses. These findings support using DSM-IV nosology to classify EDs in a community sample of preschool children, and suggest differentiation of ADHD into ADHD-I and ADHD-HI.

A Multi-Domain Model of Risk Factors for ODD Symptoms in a Community Sample of 4-Year-Olds

Few studies have been designed to assess the pathways by which risk factors are associated with symptoms of psychopathology across multiple domains, including contextual factors, parental depression, parenting, and child characteristics. The present study examines a cross-sectional model of risk factors for symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) in a diverse community sample of 796 four-year-old children. In the best-fitting model: (a) SES had indirect effects on contextual factors of stress and conflict, parental depression, and parenting factors including hostility, support, and scaffolding; (b) stress and conflict had both direct effects on ODD symptoms, and indirect effects via parental depression and parenting; (c) parenting had direct effects on ODD symptoms and indirect effects via child effortful control (EC), negative affect (NA) and sensory regulation (SR); (c) NA, EC, and SR had direct effects on symptom frequency, and attachment had indirect effects via EC, and SR. These results highlight the importance of using a multi-domain model to examine risk factors for symptoms of ODD, and also provide information about areas to target in treatment.

A Pilot Demonstration of Comprehensive Mental Health Services in Inner-City Public Schools.

BACKGROUND National policy statements increasingly espouse the delivery of comprehensive mental health services in schools. In response to the limited evidence supporting this recommendation, the purpose of this study was to assess the need for, and feasibility, desirability, and outcomes of a full model of comprehensive mental health services in 2 public elementary schools in inner-city neighborhoods. METHODS The program, based upon a national model for comprehensive school mental health services, comprised universal and indicated preventive as well as clinical interventions designed to target needs identified in a baseline screening survey. The program was implemented over 1 school year by mental health professionals in collaboration with school teachers. Mental health outcomes comparing baseline to follow-up data were assessed in multiple domains among students and teachers. RESULTS After 1 year of intervention, students had significantly fewer mental health difficulties, less functional impairment, and improved behavior, and reported improved mental health knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behavioral intentions. Teachers reported significantly greater proficiency in managing mental health problems in their classrooms. School staff overwhelmingly endorsed satisfaction with the program. CONCLUSION If the observed favorable findings from this pilot demonstration can be replicated in methodologically rigorous studies, additional support would be garnered for national policy recommendations about comprehensive school mental health services.

Is Smoking During Pregnancy a Risk Factor for Psychopathology in Young Children? A Methodological Caveat and Report on Preschoolers

OBJECTIVE While studies of the effects of prenatal smoking on child psychopathology have found positive relationships, most studies (1) failed to control for a range of correlates of maternal smoking that could affect childrens behavior; (2) have been conducted with school-age rather than younger children, so it is not clear when such problems emerge; and (3) have not examined the effects on internalizing problems. METHOD This study examined the effects of prenatal smoke exposure on behaviors associated with externalizing and internalizing behavior problems and negative temperament in a diverse community sample of 679 4-year-olds. RESULTS After controlling for correlates that include socioeconomic status, life stress, family conflict, maternal depression, maternal scaffolding skills, mother-child attachment, child negative affect and effortful control, smoking during pregnancy was no longer associated with child behavior or emotional problems. CONCLUSIONS Future studies need to control for a wide range of covariates of maternal smoking.