Staff behavior toward children and adolescents in a residential facility: a self-report questionnaire.

The purpose of the present study was to examine psychometric properties of the Staff Behavior toward Clients questionnaire (SBC), a self-report measure for care staff working with children and adolescents with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities in residential care. Ninetynine care staff completed the SBC and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for 99 of their clients. Factor analysis revealed four factors (i.e. behavior regulation, client-directed care, teaching and empowerment). Results indicated excellent internal consistency of all factors and ability of the SBC to detect differences in client populations with respect to behavior problems. These data suggest that the SBC could provide a reliable and valid measure of staff behavior toward clients in residential facilities.

[Do behavioural problems existing at referral become worse in subsequent years? A study of young persons referred to the outpatient unit of the mental health service]. / Wordt het probleemgedrag bij aanmelding in de loop der jaren erger? Een onderzoek bij jeugdigen verwezen naar de ambulante ggz.

BACKGROUND: Although young persons with severe and complex emotional and behavioural problems are often referred to the outpatient unit of the mental health service, little information is available about whether these problems increase over the years. This information is urgently needed in order to ensure that the mental health service provides adequate care. AIM: To obtain more insight into any increase in young persons' emotional and behavioural problems that may occur over a period of six years following referral to an outpatient unit of the mental health service. METHOD: The nature, severity and complexity of the emotional and behavioural problems of 123 young persons (1999) and of 149 young persons (2005) at the time of the referral - as rated by their parents on the basis of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) - were assessed; the young persons' records were also checked for background characteristics. RESULTS: Compared to 1999, the year 2005 saw a slight decrease in the severity of the problems existing at referral; social problems also declined significantly compared to 1999. Problems identified in the 2005 group often seemed less complex than in 1999. The severity of delinquent behaviour as measured on the Delinquent Behaviour Scale seems to have risen in the 12 to 18 age group in 2005, whereas the severity declined in the 4 to 11-year olds. CONCLUSION: Emotional and behavioural problems as reported by the parents at the time their children were referred to the mental health service do not increase.

The Child Behavior Checklist for group care workers: a study regarding the factor structure.

In this study we examined the factor structure of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) filled out by group care workers. Group care workers' judgements were collected on 846 children and adolescents treated in various residential settings in The Netherlands. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we were able to show that the original CBCL factor model based on parental judgments of child behavior also fits for the judgments of group care workers. This means that the well known 8 narrow-band syndromes (Withdrawn, Somatic Complaints, etc.) as well as the 2 broad-band syndromes (Internalizing and Externalizing) can be used to interpret the CBCL scores of group care workers. This confirmation of the CBCL factor structure is a first step to add a group care worker version to the CBCL family. However, as a second step, normative data need to be gathered to further enhance the use of the CBCL for group care workers.

Measuring children's self-concept with a Dutch version of the "self-perception profile for children": factorial validity and invariance across a nonclinic and a clinic group.

Harter's (1985) Self-perception Profile for Children (SPPC) is used to investigate whether the pattern and size of relations among the subscales in a clinic group are equivalent to those in a nonclinic group of children, and whether the items are perceived in the same way and with the same degree of accuracy across both groups. The first aspect indicates equivalence of structure, the latter equivalent measurement. Both are aspects of between-group invariance. It is essential to show evidence of these aspects before content-based comparisons are made between these groups. Using restrictive factor analysis, support was found for equivalence of structure. Equivalence of measurement was partially found. The items were perceived in the same way, but not with the same degree of accuracy. The conclusion is that the SPPC has sufficient between-group invariance to be used in studies with children in a clinic group.

Family stress, family functioning and emotional/behavioural problems following child psychiatric treatment.

This study assesses family stress, family functioning and emotional/behavioural problems in a sample of 80 formerly daytreated or residentially treated boys after a mean discharge period of four years. Family stress was assessed with a Questionnaire of Life Events (QLE) and family functioning with the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES). Emotional/behavioural problems were measured with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The results showed that there were significant relationships between the QLE, FACES and CBCL scores. In particular, experiencing less negative life events and a more rigid type of family functioning appeared favourable with respect to several types of behavioural problems. When the interrelationships between the family factors and other factors such as age and socio-economic status were taken into account statistically, the number of negative life events appeared the most influential family factor.

[Behavior characteristics of 10-year-old ex-neonatal intensive care patients]. / Gedragskenmerken van 10-jarige ex-neonatale intensive care-patiënten.

Subject of study was the analysis of behavioral characteristics of 51 10-year-old ex-NICU patients at home and at school. Parental assessment of child behavior proved not to differ from the normative data. Teachers however reported more problematic behaviors, particularly with regard to the introverted behavior in boys. On the basis of these findings one can conclude that the prognosis for this patient group is better than expected. A plea is made for future research to focus on factors that will facilitate a more favorable behavior development.