Kjell Hansson

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Mothering of Adolescents: A Comparison of Two Samples

This study examined 2 samples of adolescents and mothers using a child-based design (Nonshared Environment in Adolescent Development [NEAD] project, N = 395 families) and a parent-based design (Twin Moms [TM] project, N = 236 twin family pairs) to compare genetic and environmental influences on mothering. For both samples, the same measures of positivity, negativity, control, and monitoring were used. The use of matched child-based and parent-based samples enabled passive and nonpassive genotype-environment (GE) correlations to be approximated, providing information about process. Passive GE correlations were suggested for mothers positivity and monitoring. For mothers negativity and control, primarily nonpassive GE correlations were suggested. In several cases, both types of GE correlation were indicated. Finally, observer ratings of negativity and monitoring were influenced only by environmental factors.

The Transportability of Multisystemic Therapy to Sweden : Short-Term Results From a Randomized Trial of Conduct-Disordered Youths

This randomized clinical trial assessed the effectiveness of multisystemic therapy (MST) for 156 youths who met the diagnostic criteria for conduct disorder. Swedens 3 largest cities and 1 small town served as the recruiting area for the study. A mixed factorial design was used, with random allocation between MST and treatment as usual groups. Assessments were conducted at intake and 7 months after referral. With an intention-to-treat approach, results from multiagent and multimethod assessment batteries showed a general decrease in psychiatric problems and antisocial behaviors among participants across treatments. There were no significant differences in treatment effects between the 2 groups. The lack of treatment effect did not appear to be caused by site differences or variations in program maturity. MST treatment fidelity was lower than that of other studies, although not clearly related to treatment outcomes in this study. The results are discussed in terms of differences between Sweden and the United States. One difference is the way in which young offenders are processed (a child welfare approach vs. a juvenile justice system approach). Sociodemographic differences (e.g., rates of poverty, crime, and substance abuse) between the 2 countries may also have moderating effects on the rates of rehabilitation among young offenders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychological Stress and the Onset of IDDM in Children: A case-control study

OBJECTIVE The purpose of the study was to determine whether psychosocial stress during different life periods could be a risk factor in the etiology/pathogenesis of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in children. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In a population-based sample of 67 case patients 0–14 years of age and 61 matched healthy control subjects, life events during the entire lifespan before the onset of IDDM were recorded as well as measures of child behavior before onset, social support, and family function. RESULTS Negative life events occurring during the first 2 years of life, life events with difficult adaptation, child behavioral deviances, and a more chaotic family function were more common in the case group. A stepwise logistic regression indicated that negative life events in the first 2 years increased the risk of IDDM and that premorbid child behavior as well as dysfunctional hierarchical family pattern affect the risk. CONCLUSIONS Stress early in life may increase the risk for IDDM, presumably by affecting the autoimmune process. To confirm these results, it is necessary to make a truly prospective study.

Salutogenic childhood factors reported by middle-aged individuals. Follow-up of the children from the Lundby study grown up in families experiencing three or more childhood psychiatric risk factors.

This study is salutogenic (=causes of health), focusing on factors which corresponded to good mental health in subjects who had been exposed to at least three child psychiatric risk factors when growing up. The material was drawn from a prospective, longitudinal population study on mental health, the Lundby Study, which was performed in three waves in 1947, 1957 and 1972. In 1988/89, 148 individuals then 42–56 years of age, were re-visited and interviewed about their life span experiences. Factors previously found to increase stress resilience in children and adolescents were identified. The personal dispositions during childhood found to be associated with adult positive mental health were childhood positive self-esteem, successful coping, internal locus of control and intellectual capacity. Childhood family factors, such as trusting relations with a parent and shared values, were also important. Antonovskys sense of coherence model can be used to explain the mechanisms by which the different variables can lead to health through increasing an individuals capacity for comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness, the three concepts of sense of coherence.

International Epidemiology of Child and Adolescent Psychopathology II: Integration and Applications of Dimensional Findings From 44 Societies

OBJECTIVE To build on Achenbach, Rescorla, and Ivanova (2012) by (a) reporting new international findings for parent, teacher, and self-ratings on the Child Behavior Checklist, Youth Self-Report, and Teachers Report Form; (b) testing the fit of syndrome models to new data from 17 societies, including previously underrepresented regions; (c) testing effects of society, gender, and age in 44 societies by integrating new and previous data; (d) testing cross-society correlations between mean item ratings; (e) describing the construction of multisociety norms; (f) illustrating clinical applications. METHOD Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) of parent, teacher, and self-ratings, performed separately for each society; tests of societal, gender, and age effects on dimensional syndrome scales, DSM-oriented scales, Internalizing, Externalizing, and Total Problems scales; tests of agreement between low, medium, and high ratings of problem items across societies. RESULTS CFAs supported the tested syndrome models in all societies according to the primary fit index (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation [RMSEA]), but less consistently according to other indices; effect sizes were small-to-medium for societal differences in scale scores, but very small for gender, age, and interactions with society; items received similarly low, medium, or high ratings in different societies; problem scores from 44 societies fit three sets of multisociety norms. CONCLUSIONS Statistically derived syndrome models fit parent, teacher, and self-ratings when tested individually in all 44 societies according to RMSEAs (but less consistently according to other indices). Small to medium differences in scale scores among societies supported the use of low-, medium-, and high-scoring norms in clinical assessment of individual children.

Coping with life span crises in a group at risk of mental and behavioral disorders: from the Lundby study.

The subjects belong to a prospective, longitudinal population study on mental health, the Lundby study, performed in 1947, 1957 and 1972. In 1988–1989. 148 individuals, then 42–56 years of age, raised in families with at least 3 risk factors for mental or behavioral disorders, were interviewed about their life span coping style. Twenty‐two coping mechanisms were rated; optimism, substitution, wishful thinking, problem‐solving, planning, self‐reliance, humor, acceptance, resignation, social support, comparison with others, religion, catharsis, self‐criticism, value reinforcement, alcohol and drug consumption, professional help, endurance, information‐seeking, isolating activity, magic and minimizing. Together they contributed statistically significantly to mental health (explained variance 24%) and quality of life (explained variance 28 %). Problem‐solving, social support and optimism were frequently used and were statistically associated with positive mental health and lower frequencies of some mental disorders. Sense of coherence, a personal disposition factor, was also statistically associated (explained variance 22%) with the combined coping mechanisms.

INTELLIGENCE AND TEMPERAMENT AS PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR MENTAL HEALTH. A CROSS-SECTIONAL AND PROSPECTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY

The Sjöbring system of personality dimensions measuring intellectual capacity, activity, impulsivity and sociability was used to study possible “salutogenic” (i.e. causes of health) effects. The study comprised 590 subjects investigated in 1947, 1957, 1972 and 1988–1989 in the Lundby project, an epidemiological study in Sweden. Psychiatric diagnoses were made in 1947, 1957 and 1972. Mental health was estimated in 1988–1989 using the concept “love well, work well, play well and expect well”. The Sjöbring dimensions were clinically assessed in 1972. Both in the concurrent study in 1972 and in the prospective study in 1988–1989 “super capacity” (high intellectual function), “super validity” (high activity level) and “super solidity” (low impulsivity) were statistically associated with lower frequencies of certain psychiatric diagnoses and a higher frequency of positive mental health. These variables are proposed to increase coping capacity, and therefore increase stress resilience.

Remembered Parental Bonding in Adult Twins: Genetic and Environmental Influences

One common assumption in psychology is the impact of parenting and parent-child relationships on the childs adjustment throughout the life span. Studies have indicated that there are genetic influences on memories of parenting, but how these influences are mediated has not typically been investigated. A sample of 150 pairs of monozygotic and 176 pairs of dizygotic Swedish twin women reported on personal characteristics and on remembered relationships with their mother and father using the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). Quantitative genetic analyses showed moderate genetic influences for remembered parental warmth, which also was partly explained by genetic influences for optimism, aggression, and humor. The other two PBI scales, authoritarianism and protectiveness, showed only shared and nonshared environmental influences. One interpretation of the findings is that heritable personal characteristics of children elicit parental warmth. However, other explanations such as personality characteristics influencing how experiences with parents are interpreted or circumstances in adult life that affect the recall of experiences could not be ruled out.

Evaluation of the Incredible Years Series - an open study of its effects when first introduced in Sweden.

Behaviour management problems (BMP) are common among children (4–12%) and the prevalence seems to be rising. Persistent antisocial behaviour often leads to poor long-term psychosocial adjustment. Structured parent-training programmes have proven to be the most effective way of treating BMP in young children. The Incredible Years Series (IYS), which is a manual-based programme, was introduced in Sweden in 2001. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of IYS in diverse clinical settings in Sweden. Parents of 113 children (3–9 years), recruited through the IYS-trained group leaders’ ordinary services, participated in the study. The parents answered various questionnaires regarding their childrens symptoms and their own psychological well-being before and after participating in the parent-training groups. The results are very encouraging; significant reduction of BMP in the children was found on all relevant measures. A significant increase in the self-rated well-being of the mothers was also found. The IYS seems to work in Sweden, even when used by group leaders who are in training. The importance of using a well-documented manualized method when implementing new models is accentuated.

Do different scales measure the same construct? Three Sense of Coherence scales

Background: Different scales claim to measure the construct “Sense of Coherence”. Results from these scales have been compared without knowing whether they measure the same construct. This article compares two versions of Antonovsky’s original scale (SOC-13 and SOC-29), translated into Swedish, and a three-item scale (SOC-3) that claims to measure Sense of Coherence. Methods: The data were analysed in a cross-sectional setting. The study consisted of university students studying social work (n = 395). Results: The original scales had no distribution problems in differentiating Sense of Coherence. The SOC-3 had severe distribution problems. The two versions of the original Sense of Coherence scale had an acceptable reliability (Cronbach’s α; SOC-29 = 0.93, SOC-13 = 0.89). The SOC-3 scale did not have an acceptable reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.39). SOC-29 and SOC-13 had a high intercorrelation (r = 0.96, p<0.001). The SOC-3 significantly correlated with SOC-29 (r = −0.72, p<0.001) and SOC-13 (r = −0.67, p<0.001), but the magnitude was significantly lower than the intercorrelation between SOC-29 and SOC-13 (Fisher’s z-transformation, p<0.001). Conclusions: Because scales that claim to measure the same construct are not always interchangeable, researchers should make sure they compare results from studies that use the same scales.