Psychosocial Treatment of Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Abstract

Objective:To review and describe empirical outcome studies on the psychosocial treatment of children and adolescents meeting the criteria for Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).Method:To locate these treatment outcome studies, an extensive review of the literature using the PsycINFO database was conducted. Results:Psychosocial treatments designed solely for youth meeting the criteria for ODD are rare. Rather, it seems that most of the intervention studies have involved youth with Conduct Disorder as well as ODD, even though these two disorders have distinct differences. Selected psychosocial interventions, including anger control and stress inoculation training, assertiveness training, multisystemic therapy, and rational emotive therapy, have produced favorable outcomes in the studies conducted and published to date. Conclusions:Social workers serving ODD youth should seek training in these provisionally supported evidence-based practices. Given the scarcity of treatments designed solely for ODD with adolescents, there is a need for more outcome studies on this specific population, and for more studies of social work practice involving such youth.     

The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory: A new tool for the assessment of burnout

So far, the large majority of studies on burnout in the international literature have employed the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). In this paper we criticize the MBI on a number of points and present a new tool for the measurement of burnout: the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI). The CBI consists of three scales measuring personal burnout, work-related burnout, and client-related burnout, for use in different domains. On the basis of an ongoing prospective study of burnout in employees in the human service sector, the PUMA study (Project on Burnout, Motivation and Job Satisfaction; N=1914 at baseline), we analysed the validity and reliability of the CBI. All three scales were found to have very high internal reliability, and non-response rates were small. The scales differentiated well between occupational groups in the human service sector, and the expected pattern with regard to correlations with other measures of fatigue and psychological well-being was found. Furthermore, the three scales predicted future sickness absence, sleep problems, use of pain-killers, and intention to quit. Analyses of changes over time showed that substantial proportions of the employees changed with regard to burnout levels. It is concluded that the analyses indicate very satisfactory reliability and validity for the CBI instrument. The CBI is being used in a number of countries and translations into eight languages are available.     

Examining psychotherapeutic and psychosocial factors in working with immigrant families

In spite of the fact that the United States has been historically associated with immigrants, little is still known about the process of assimilation that immigrant families go through, and a lack of sensitivity to the cultural diversity of immigrant families persists. Some mental health workers still suggest that the same techniques employed in working with American families can be applied to immigrant families. Through years of research, behavioral scientists have come to realize that a different approach to tutelage and psychotherapy is needed if immigrant families are to acculturate smoothly in American society. This paper addresses some problems associated with acculturation, the process of acculturation, immigrant families in transition and perspectives on the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions. Some rudimentary guidelines are presented for understanding immigrant families via a comprehensive assessment battery which can assist in determining the stages of acculturation, the client's social and emotional functioning, as well as any cultural transitional conflicts the client may be experiencing as a result of migration. Moreover, a model for treating immigrant families is suggested.     

The significance of a secure base: a psychosocial model of long-term foster care

ABSTRACT Long‐term foster care has been a much neglected area of social work practice and research. Yet there are obvious challenges that need to be understood when building a family for life in foster care. Is it possible for foster families, where there are no biological or legal ties between carers and children, to provide care, concern and family membership not only through childhood but also into adult life? The study on which this paper is based set out to explore that question by investigating the experiences of 40 adults, aged 18–30, who grew up in foster families. Qualitative interviews were conducted, transcribed and analysed. Theoretical frameworks from attachment and resilience were brought together with concepts such as ‘belonging’ and ‘family membership’ to make sense of the narratives provided. An integrated and dynamic psychosocial model of long‐term foster care was developed, which emphasizes the significance of a secure base and has some important implications for practice.     

Longitudinal relations of emotion knowledge to psychosocial adjustment in European and Chinese American school-age children

The study is the first to examine the developmental trajectory of emotion knowledge as it relates to psychosocial adjustment in a cross-cultural context. European American (EA, n = 68, 28 boys) and Chinese American (CA, n = 62, 31 boys) children and their mothers participated. Children's emotion knowledge was assessed, and their psychosocial adjustment was reported by mothers at three time points when children were 6.5, 7, and 8 years of age. Although EA children had greater emotion knowledge at Time 1, CA children's emotion knowledge grew faster over the following 1.5 years. In addition, emotion knowledge predicted fewer internalizing problems in CA children but predicted fewer externalizing problems in EA children. Thus, emotion knowledge was associated with psychosocial adjustment for both cultural groups, and particularly helpful for children to cope with issues to which they are most vulnerable in their respective cultural contexts. The findings shed critical light on the developmental trajectories of emotion understanding and psychosocial adjustment in specific cultural contexts.     

The territories of the practices of the trench: Origins,scope, desire

Our work with children whose rights have been violated, with their families devastated by family violence and where the majority have been left out of the sociocultural systems and experiencing serious economic and educational difficulties, has taken us to our professional limit. The solitary and individual work, in the dim light of the office, left us without tools. As therapists, we can say that it has been necessary to break with our own mental schemes and to take a leap into the territory, the terrain itself. The learned university theories were questioned, forcing us to include a more humanising and less judgmental look at the work. A psychology of the trench was born for us. This paper articulates a work process that required something more than specific training in our subject matter. It summoned us as human beings capable of hosting suffering. From this starting point, and with an open mind and heart to go through its stages, this process is presented as a journey with advances and setbacks in its intervention modalities, systematising programs in permanent construction. Systematising practices is not an easy task. Familias Cuidando (Caring Families) and Adoptar es Posible (To Adopt is Possible) are the developmental spaces of our trench practices, practices that aim to accompany children, adolescents, and their families through the system of promotion and comprehensive protection of their rights. From Vicente López, a district in the province of Buenos Aires, our psycho-socio-educational and legal approach tries to be a link within collaborative and supportive practices; establishing ties, networks, and dialogues to strengthen the new paradigm aiming to support listening to the voice of children and adolescents; rescuing their childhoods, resignifying the different family models, and accompanying the construction of a life project for each one, in which we all fit.     

Child and Youth Coaching in families experiencing complex and multiple problems: A longitudinal evaluation study

Studies investigating services for families experiencing complex and multiple problems have emphasized the need for more child-centred support. The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate whether providing child-centred services (Child and Youth Coaching) combined with family-focused services (Ten for the Future) is effective for children growing up in families experiencing complex and multiple problems. Children's psychosocial skills, emotional and behavioural problems, and the quality of their pedagogical environment were measured at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. Parent and coach reports of children indicated for Child and Youth Coaching (n = 57) and nonindicated children (n = 18) were analysed using repeated measures multilevel models. Both parents and coaches reported improved psychosocial skills of children, but changes were only significant for coach reports. In both reports, no significant decrease in emotional and behavioural problems was observed for both indicated and nonindicated children. Many children still experienced considerable problems at case closure. Furthermore, no significant improvement in quality of the pedagogical environment was observed in both groups. Given the limitations in this study, more research is needed to identify whether these findings can be replicated and attributed to the Child and Youth Coaching and Ten for the Future programmes.