Intellectual competence of children who are beginning inpatient and day psychiatric treatment.

Intellectual abilities of 300 children with serious emotional disorders, referred to either psychiatric day- or inpatient-hospital treatment, were compared. Comparisons also were made to WISC-R standardization data. The findings indicated that children referred to inpatient settings were similar in intellectual competency to children in day treatment. Also, children with serious emotional disorders did not appear to differ strongly in clinically meaningful ways from the WISC-R standardization sample, a finding that replicates results of other investigators. Three distinct, clinically useful profiles emerged from a cluster analysis of the total group that may be practical in planning educational and therapeutic interventions in treatment settings for seriously disturbed children. The profiles underscored the wide range of intellectual abilities represented among these children.

Comparisons of intellectual performance among children with psychiatric disorders.

The intellectual performances of children with a variety of psychiatric disorders were examined and compared with the findings from a similar study by Hodges and Plow (1990). Mean IQ scores were in the average range for both study samples, and no significant differences were found in WISC-R summary scores. Nevertheless, the Hodges and Plow findings were only partially corroborated. They observed, for instance, a relative deficit in verbal abilities for conduct-disordered children and lower IQ scores for children with anxiety disorders vs. children with all other disorders. Our replication study found no significant differences among the disorder groups for any of the scores examined. Possible explanations for the divergence in findings are discussed.

Home behaviors of children in three treatment settings: an outpatient clinic, a day hospital, and an inpatient hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To compare parents' ratings of home behaviors of three groups of children: those entering an outpatient clinic, a day hospital, and an inpatient hospital. It was hypothesized that the home behaviors of children starting day and inpatient hospital treatment would be rated as significantly more deviant than those of children beginning outpatient treatment, and there would be no significant differences in behavior ratings of children beginning day and inpatient hospital treatment. METHOD: A standardized behavior checklist was completed by the primary parent at the time treatment was begun. Scores on four factor scales were obtained, and a multivariate analysis of covariance was carried out. RESULTS: The hypotheses were partially supported. Children beginning day and inpatient hospitalization were seen as more disordered, anxious, and aggressive than were those starting outpatient treatment; children starting day treatment were reported as more learning disabled than were those in both outpatient and inpatient settings; and children entering the inpatient setting were perceived as more aggressive than were those in day treatment. CONCLUSION: Aggressive behavior and learning disability appear to be determinants of choice of treatment setting. The progression from least to most restrictive placement was demonstrated for aggressive behavior only.

The school behaviors of children in three psychiatric treatment settings: an outpatient clinic, a day hospital, and an inpatient hospital.

Compares teachers' ratings of the school behaviors of children entering an outpatient clinic, a day psychiatric program, and an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Many of the ratings did not discriminate among the three groups. Children starting outpatient versus day treatment were rated as higher in aggression, anxiety, and hostile withdrawal, and children beginning outpatient and day treatment versus inpatient treatment, were reported as more skilled socially.

Academic achievement of children with emotional disorders treated in a day hospital program: an outcome study.

Reading, spelling, and arithmetic achievement of children treated in a day psychiatric hospital was examined over time. The results indicated that the majority of children fell in the average and above achievement group and progressed evenly over time. Almost none got worse and only a few made large gains. Organic impairment ratings appeared to distinguish the three performance groups within each subject area.

Psychometric characteristics of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support.

The initial study describing the development of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) indicated that it was a psychometrically sound instrument (Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet, & Farley, 1988). The current study attempted to extend the initial findings by demonstrating the internal reliability, factorial validity, and subscale validity of the MSPSS using three different subject groups: (a) 265 pregnant women, (b) 74 adolescents living in Europe with their families, and (c) 55 pediatric residents. The MSPSS was found to have good internal reliability across subject groups. In addition, strong factorial validity was demonstrated, confirming the three-subscale structure of the MSPSS: Family, Friends, and Significant Other. Finally, strong support was also found for the validity of the Family and Significant Other subscales.

Can a five-minute verbal sample predict the response to day psychiatric treatment?

We attempted to predict improvement during day psychiatric treatment by the use of content analysis of 5-min verbal samples obtained at the time of admission of 62 children. As predictors we used verbal sample scales of Hope, Human Relations, and Cognitive Impairment. As outcome measures we used changes on the Severity Level, Aggression, Inhibition, Neurotic, Rare Deviance, and Academic Scales of behavior checklists. We also divided the total group of children into groups classified as organically impaired and not organically impaired by use of neurobehavioral signs. We discovered that verbal sample analysis was only a modestly accurate predictor of improvement, that the Cognitive Impairment Scale was the best predictor, and that it predicted best with not organically impaired children.

Establishing a comprehensive data base in a day-treatment program for children.

The nuts and bolts of establishing a data base for a children's day psychiatric treatment center are described and discussed. Special attention is given to both human and technical factors by providing examples drawn from the experience of setting one up and from clinical data. Illustrations are also included that outline the concepts presented.

Auditory discrimination abilities of emotionally disturbed children in day psychiatric treatment: a replication study.

The abilities of 17 emotionally disturbed children enrolled in a day psychiatric treatment center were studied using the Goldman-Fristoe-Woodcock Test of Auditory Discrimination, replicating an earlier study (Blager, J. Audit. Res., 1978, 18, 221-227) and extending it to other factors possibly influencing auditory discrimination abilities. It was confirmed that, as a group, such children perform less well than the GFW normative sample both in quiet and in noise conditions. Despite normal HTLs, their performance more closely resembles that of the GFW "poor discriminator" normative group. Age, sex, socioeconomic status, severity of disturbance, and intelligence were shown not to be significantly associated with test performance. Although there were 7 children whose rank orders in the group of 17 were better when the GFW was administered in noise than in quiet, and might have been thought to form a subgroup of those less impaired by noise than usual, this hypothesis was not borne out (p = .07) as in the previous study it had been. Several questions regarding the GFW were raised and suggestions for future research discussed.