Nicole Powell

The Development of Callous-Unemotional Traits and Antisocial Behavior in Children: Are There Shared and/or Unique Predictors?.

Callous and unemotional (CU) traits have been linked to severe antisocial behavior in youth, but studies examining the etiology of CU traits are lacking. Based on prior research, it was hypothesized that childhood anxiety and parenting practices would interact to predict changes in CU traits over time. Hypotheses were tested using a sample of 120 moderate to highly aggressive fifth graders followed over a 1-year period. Although CU traits displayed moderate temporal stability and predicted increases in antisocial behavior, evidence suggested that these features were not immutable. Children exposed to lower levels of physical punishment showed decreases in CU traits over time, whereas higher levels of child-reported parental warmth and involvement predicted decreases in both CU traits and antisocial behavior over time. Lower levels of anxiety were uniquely related to increased CU traits for children who described their primary caregiver as exhibiting low warmth and involvement.

Anger and Aggression

Problems with anger and aggression represent two of the most common causes for referral for mental health treatment, often because of the implications these problems have on social relationships. In some cases the aggressive and antisocial behavior leads to social rejection by the people around them; in some cases the social rejection from others triggers escalating anger and aggression, and in many cases the relation between aggression and social rejection is bidirectional. Because of their difficulties with social relationships, it is critically important to understand the nature of the social skills of angry and aggressive individuals. In this chapter we will discuss normal and problematic development of anger and aggression in youth and adults and will review the types of social-cognitive and social skill deficits that are apparent for aggressive individuals. The chapter will then review assessment and treatment issues with this population, with a particular emphasis on measures specifically tailored to provide information that can be useful in intervention.

The prevention of conduct problems.

This article summarizes the current knowledge base in the prevention of childhood conduct problems. First, childhood conduct problems and comorbid conditions are described, followed by a review of risk factors that have been found to contribute to the development of conduct problems. Risk factors include both internal child characteristics such as temperament and genetic/neurobiological influences, and external factors such as family, peer, and neighborhood influences. Finally, descriptions are provided for several intervention programs that have demonstrated empirical support in the prevention of youth conduct problems.

Adaptations to the coping power program's structure, delivery settings, and clinician training.

This article describes the conceptual framework for the Coping Power program that has focused on proximal risk factors that can actively alter preadolescent childrens aggressive behavior. The results of initial controlled efficacy trials are summarized. However, consistent with the theme of this special section, some clinicians and workshop participants have indicated barriers to the implementation of the Coping Power program in their service settings. In response to these types of concerns, three key areas of programmatic adaptation of the program that serve to address these concerns are then described in the article. First, existing and in-process studies of variations in how the program can be delivered are presented. Existing findings indicate how the child component fares when delivered by itself without the parent component, how simple monthly boosters affect intervention effects, and whether the program can be reduced by a third of its length and still be effective. Research planned or in progress on program variations examines whether group versus individual delivery of the program affects outcomes, whether the program can be adapted for early adolescents, whether the program can be delivered in an adaptive manner with the use of the Family Check Up, and whether a brief, efficient version of the program in conjunction with Internet programming can be developed and be effective. Second, the program has been and is being developed for use in different settings, other than the school-based delivery in the efficacy trials. Research has examined its use with aggressive deaf youth in a residential setting, with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder children in outpatient clinics, and in after-school programs. Third, the article reports how variations in training clinicians affect their ability to effectively use the program.

Racially Diverse Classrooms: Effects of Classroom Racial Composition on Interracial Peer Relationships

The purpose of this study was to examine the interactive effects that a childs race and the racial composition of a classroom have on a variety of sociometric measures. Sociometric nominations were collected from 872 fifth-grade students (48% male, 48% Black) who were in classrooms that ranged from nearly all Black to nearly all White students. Hierarchical Linear Modeling analyses indicated that the race of the child, the race of the rater, and the classroom race composition each impacted sociometric nominations. Results suggest that schools that are more balanced in the distribution of Black and White students might promote more positive interracial peer relationships. However, opportunities to be highly liked and to be perceived as a leader might be greatest in a school in which the child is in the clear racial majority.

Reducing Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in Late Elementary School: A Comparison of Two Targeted Interventions.

Students with elevated levels of risk require targeted Tier 2 behavioral interventions that are efficient and effective to prevent the need for more intensive, special education supports. Although Tier 2 is a critical component of multi-tiered systems of support, a paucity of research exists regarding how best to provide evidence-based Tier 2 interventions, particularly for students with comorbid deficit areas. The current trial involved 33 third- through fifth-grade participants who were assigned to one of three study groups: (a) control, (b) check-in/check-out, or (c) Coping Power. The Behavior Assessment of Children in Schools–2 (BASC-2) was used to measure changes in externalizing behavior, along with its three component subscales. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to examine change in broad emotional and behavioral risk profiles. Teachers rated participants on the SDQ and BASC-2 at preintervention, postintervention, and follow-up. Results indicate that both check-in/check-out and Coping Power yielded decreases in externalizing behavior, with Coping Power also resulting in significant decreases in overall emotional and behavioral risk. A discussion of these results along with implications for future research and study limitations are presented.

CASE STUDY IN EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE IN CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY: The Use of the Coping Power Program to Treat a 10-Year-Old Girl with Disruptive Behaviors

This article describes the successful application of the Coping Power program by school-based clinicians to address a 10-year-old girls disruptive behavior symptoms. Coping Power is an empirically supported cognitive–behavioral program for children at risk for serious conduct problems and their parents. The following case study illustrates the core features of the Coping Power child and parent components while describing the use of assessment data and clinical decision making during the implementation of a manualized intervention.

A Case Study of the Coping Power Program for Angry and Aggressive Youth

This paper illustrates the application of the Coping Power program with an 11-year-old boy and his father. Coping Power is a manualized preventive intervention for school-age children at-risk for disruptive and delinquent behavior. Cognitive-behavioral techniques are taught in separate child and parent groups to improve children’s social and emotional competencies. This case study highlights the core content of the Coping Power child and parent intervention components, the contextual social cognitive risk factors that the program targets, and the empirical support for the program’s effectiveness.

Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care: A Conceptually Based, Empirically Validated Approach to Treating Antisocial Behavior in Youth

Originally published in Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books, 2004, Vol 49(6), 788–790. Review of book Treating Chronic Juvenile Offenders: Advances Made Through the Oregon Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care Model by Patricia Chamberlain (see record 2003-02952-000). Chamberlain makes a convincing case for her adolescent treatment program in this book. This timely volume highlights the need for reform in todays treatment systems for youth demonstrating severe behavior problems, a growing concern among clinicians and policy makers as well as the community at large. As concerns mount regarding the potential iatrogenic effects and prohibitive expense of residential treatment, Chamberlains program demonstrates a timely alternative that will be of interest to many in its target audience, which includes “clinicians, community program administrators, researchers, policymakers, judges, and attorneys.” The main takeaway message appears to be that, in spite of a reputation for failing to respond to treatment, youth who engage in antisocial behaviors and their families can make improvements when the appropriate structure and assistance are provided. Chamberlains book can provoke discussion, as there are some components of Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) that threaten the status quo and may not be popular with some readers. Chamberlain makes a strong case against grouping antisocial adolescents in treatment settings, and advocates for the integration of youth with criminal records in regular neighborhoods and public schools. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)