Perceptions of Problem Behavior in Adolescents’ Families: Perceiver, Target, and Family Effects

Considerable research has focused on the reliability and validity of informant reports of family behavior, especially maternal reports of adolescent problem behavior. None of these studies, however, has based their orientation on a theoretical model of interpersonal perception. In this study we used the social relations model (SRM) to examine family members’ reports of each others’ externalizing and internalizing problem behavior. Two parents and two adolescents in 69 families rated each others’ behavior within a round-robin design. SRM analysis showed that within-family perceptions of externalizing and internalizing behaviors are consistently due to three sources of variance; perceiver, target, and family effects. A family/contextual effect on informant reports of problem behavior has not been previously reported

Gezinsdiagnostiek: een beschrijving van een gezin als georganiseerd geheel met samenhangende subsystemen

Ouders, school, vrienden en buurt zijn alle van belang voor de gedragsontwikkeling van kinderen en jongeren. Ook probleemgedrag ontstaat onder invloed van de sociale omgeving. Dit gegeven biedt professionals in zowel jeugdzorg als onderzoek aanknopingspunten voor programma's en andere interventies. 'Het belang van school, ouders, vrienden en buurt' belicht dit thema van meerdere kanten. Verschillende auteurs laten zien hoe de sociale omgeving de ontwikkeling van gedrag bij kinderen en jeugdigen in gewenste of ongewenste richting kan benvloeden. Ook komt een aantal interventiemogelijkheden aan bod, waaronder het groepsbehandelingsprogramma 'Zelfcontrole', het programma 'Families in Transition' en 'TripleP' (Positief Pedagogisch Programma). Ten slotte komt de vraag aan de orde in hoeverre je op basis van vaak beperkte informatie toch tot zinvolle uitspraken kunt komen over bijvoorbeeld gezinskenmerken of de effecten van specifieke interventies. Voor professionals in beleid en praktijk, Maar ook voor onderzoekers biedt 'Het belang van school, ouders, vrienden en buurt' stof tot kritisch nadenken over de vele samenhangen tussen de sociale omgeving in al haar facetten en gedragsuitkomsten bij kinderen en jongeren Inhoudsopgave : 1 Hoe beoordelen leerkrachten psycho-sociaal functioneren van leerlingen, en hoe hangt dit samen met leerprestaties? 2 De sociale aspecten van pesten op school 3 Sociale cognitie en zelf-controle bij agressieve kinderen. Diagnostiek en behandeling 4 Opvoeding en delinquent gedrag: Een meta-analyse 5 Romantische relaties van adolescenten en jongvolwassenen 6 Jeugddelinquentie: Wat is de invloed van de buurt? 7 Gezinnen in beweging: Hoe als gezin om te gaan met veranderingen in de puberteit? 8 Gezinsdiagnostiek: Een beschrijving van een gezin als georganiseerd geheel met samenhangende subsystemen 9 Triple P: Positief Pedagogisch Programma 10 Peergroupinterventieprogramma voor delinquente jongere

Heterogeneity in Response during Multisystemic Therapy: Exploring Subgroups and Predictors

Multiple studies have shown that Multisystemic Therapy (MST) is, at group level, an effective treatment for adolescents showing serious externalizing problem behavior. The current study expands previous research on MST by, first, examining whether subgroups of participants who respond differently to treatment could be identified. Second, we investigated if the different trajectories of change during MST could be predicted by individual (hostile attributions) and contextual (parental sense of parenting competence and deviant and prosocial peer involvement) pre-treatment factors. Participants were 147 adolescents (mean age = 15.91 years, 104 (71%) boys) and their parents who received MST. Pre-treatment assessment of the predictors and 5 monthly assessments of externalizing behavior during treatment took place using both adolescent and parents’ self-reports. Six distinct subgroups, showing different trajectories of change in externalizing problem behavior during MST, were identified. Two of the 6 trajectories of change showed a poor treatment response, as one class did not change in externalizing problem behavior and the other class even increased. The remaining 4 trajectories displayed a positive effect of MST, by showing a decrease in externalizing behavior. Most of these trajectories could be predicted by parental sense of parenting competence. Additionally, lower involvement with prosocial peers was a predictor of the group that appeared to be resistant to MST. Adolescents do respond differently to MST, which indicates the importance of personalizing treatment. Protective factors, such as parental sense of parenting competence and prosocial peers, seem to require additional attention in the first phase of MST

Do personality traits affect responsiveness of juvenile delinquents to treatment?

Objective The aim of the present study was to examine the moderating role of Big Five personality traits in short and long term effectiveness of MultiSystemic Therapy (MST) for serious and persistent juvenile delinquents. Method Data of a randomized controlled trial (N = 256) were used to examine the research question. Results Extraversion, Emotional Stability and Openness did not moderate short term effectiveness of MST, but Conscientiousness and Agreeableness did: MST was most effective for highly conscientious and highly agreeable juvenile delinquents. Personality did not moderate the effectiveness of MST on aggression or the long-term effectiveness of MST. Conclusion This study shows the importance of personality traits for short-term treatment outcomes, effectiveness of MST differs for high/low Agreeableness and Conscientiousness

Sustainability of the effects of multisystemic therapy for juvenile delinquents in The Netherlands: effects on delinquency and recidivism

Objectives: The present study focused on the sustainability of the effects of Multisystemic Therapy (MST) on delinquency and recidivism. Methods: A sample of 256 juveniles with severe and persistent antisocial behavior were randomly assigned to MST (147) and Treatment As Usual (TAU) (109) condition. Pre-test assessment took place before the start of MST/control group treatment. Post-test assessment took place at 6 months after termination of the program. Delinquency (parent and adolescent reported) was assessed 6 months after termination of the treatment. Official judicial data were collected to assess recidivism, with a mean length of follow-up of 3.06 years. ANCOVAs and survival analyses were used to test the effectiveness of MST. Results: The multi-informant data showed that MST is effective in diminishing delinquent behavior as reported by adolescents and parents, with d's larger than at post-test assessment immediately after ending of the intervention. The official judicial data, however, suggest that there are no differences between MST and TAU in recidivism. Few and inconsistent moderator effects were found. Conclusions: According to parent and adolescent reports, the beneficial effects of MST were sustained at the follow-up. This was not supported by official data. These results stress the importance of using multi-informant data on delinquency, as each source of information has its own advantages and disadvantages. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht