The Five Minute Speech Sample as a measure of parental Expressed Emotion in the field of disability

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Assessing separation anxiety in italian youth: preliminary psychometric properties of the separation anxiety assessment scale

This study examined the internal consistency and construct validity of the Separation Anxiety Assessment Scale for Children in a non-clinical Italian sample of 358 children ages 6 to 10 years. Statistically significant differences were examined by sex and age. Two exploratory factor analyses were carried out: (a) on the symptom sub-dimensions which led to three interpretable factors of Fear of Abandonment and of Physical Illness, Fear of Calamitous Events, Fear of Being Alone and (b) on all Separation Anxiety Assessment Scale for Children items, which led to three interpretable factors: Fear of Abandonment and Safety Signals, Fear of Calamitous Events, and Fear of Being Alone and Left Alone. Preliminary findings for validity were described with the Separation Anxiety Symptoms Inventory for Children and the Italian Fear Schedule for Children (convergent validity). Implications regarding the clinical utility of the Separation Anxiety Assessment Scale for Children are discusse

Factorial structure of the SCAS and its relationship with the SDQ: A study with Italian children

The factorial structure of the Spence Children\u2019s Anxiety Scale (SCAS; Spence, 1997) was examined in a community sample of 1,397 Italian children from 8 to 10 years old. Sex and age differences as regards anxiety symptoms were also analyzed. The convergent validity of the SCAS was explored through correlations with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; Goodman, 1997). The use of confirmatory factor analysis supported the six correlated factor model of the SCAS with only minor differences compared to the original work by Spence (1997), and it was therefore named SCAS-it. Modifications to the original SCAS were supported by methodologically, theoretically, and culturally based arguments. The internal consistency of the SCAS-it was acceptable. Females displayed significantly higher levels of anxiety symptoms than males, while age differences were nonsignificant. Positive correlations were found between the SCAS-it and selected subscales of the SDQ. The results support the SCAS model, with few exceptions that do not threaten the utility of Spence\u2019s tool

Antecedents and Moderators of Anxiety Disorders in a Community Sample of Italian Children Aged Eight to 10 Years Old

Anxiety disorders are one of the most common forms of psychopathology in youth, with a prevalence ranging from 5% to 25% worldwide (Brown & Barlow, 2009). Literature has usually investigated anxiety disorder according to developmental trends, issues for treatment and etiological aspects (Ollendick & March, 2004). Nevertheless, in the large amount of studies, there is a gap in identifying how the different subtypes of anxiety interact. In a large community sample of Italian children aged eight to ten years old, the aim of this study was to empirically validate a developmental-diagnostic model of anxiety disorders through a structural equation model (SEM) approach. Antecedents and moderators of anxiety disorders have been identified. Participants completed the Separation Anxiety Symptom Inventory for Children (SASI-C), the Separation Anxiety Assessment Scale (SAAS-C), the Fear Survey Schedule for Children Revised-Italian Version (FSSC-IT), the Spence Children Anxiety Scale (SCAS) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The model of path analysis reported showed a good fit on data highlighting implication for the use of these measures as a screening battery for anxiety disorder in childhoo

The FMSS as a measure of parental EE in the field of disability

The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of research literature that has assessed Expressed Emotion (EE) with the Five Minute Speech Sample (FMSS) in parents of children with intellectual disabilities (ID). Very little attention has been paid to the parenting relationship in families in which a member has cognitive disabilities. The research that has been carried out has investigated interactive features by means of comparing groups of children with typical development and sample groups of at-risk and disturbed children. Specifically, the literature on Expressed Emotion in parents of children with intellectual disabilities is sparse. A study ofPsycINFO found eleven articles about EE in families of adults or childrenwith cognitive disabilities. In these studies, EE was measured by usingthe CFI or the FMSS