Sex differences moderate the relationship between adolescent language and mentalization.

Mentalization refers to the ability to infer mental states of self and others, and this capacity facilitates social interactions. Advances in mentalization theory have proposed that there are both explicit and implicit mentalizing capacities and language may be identified as being an important factor in differentiating these two components of mentalization. Moreover, given apparent sex differences in language and mentalization, we hypothesized that sex may moderate the relationship between language and mentalization. In this study, measures assessing implicit and explicit mentalization as well as language were examined in 49 adolescents (25 girls and 24 boys) aged 14 to 18 years. Participants were administered the Mentalizing Stories for Adolescents to assess explicit mentalization, and the Reading Mind in the Eyes Task to assess implicit mentalization. Language was assessed using the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals. Sex was found to moderate the relationship between language and explicit mentalization; while language and explicit mentalization were related in boys, these domains were unrelated in girls. There was no moderation of language and implicit mentalization by sex, and these two domains were also uncorrelated. These findings suggest an important role for language development in the capacity for explicit mentalization in boys, and we interpret this as a benefit in girls who may be more socially motivated and less limited by language in their efforts to mentalize.

Outcome Findings from a Parent Training Programme for Young People with Conduct Problems.

BACKGROUND: Group-based parent training programmes are a common intervention for tackling conduct problems in young people. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a parent training programme on young people presenting with conduct problems. METHOD: 123 parents of young people aged 10 to 17 with conduct problems participated in the study. A one-group, pre-post design was adopted. Participants completed the Child Behaviour Check List (CBCL) at the beginning and end of the parenting programme. The degree of change was indexed by: a) Mean change; b) change from clinical to non-clinical status; and c) Reliable change. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of reliable positive change in CBCL problems. RESULTS: Analyses from all three sources suggest that there was a significant reduction in CBCL internalising, externalising and total scores. Withdrawn score pre-treatment was the only independent predictor of reliable change in internalising and total scores: the higher the score pre-treatment, the greater the chances of reliable improvement in post-treatment scores. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides evidence in support of the therapeutic improvement achieved by some young people whose parents attended the group parent training programme. The programme had a significant impact on internalising as well as externalising problems. Further studies of the programme would benefit from being run as a randomised clinical trial.

The risk-taking and self-harm inventory for adolescents: development and psychometric evaluation.

In this study, we report on the development and psychometric evaluation of the Risk-Taking (RT) and Self-Harm (SH) Inventory for Adolescents (RTSHIA), a self-report measure designed to assess adolescent RT and SH in community and clinical settings. 651 young people from secondary schools in England ranging in age from 11.6 years to 18.7 years and 71 young people referred to mental health services for SH behavior in London between the ages of 11.9 years and 17.5 years completed the RTSHIA along with standardized measures of adolescent psychopathology. Two factors emerged from the principal axis factoring, and RT and SH were further validated by a confirmatory factor analysis as related, but different, constructs, rather than elements of a single continuum. Inter-item and test-retest reliabilities were high for both components (Cronbach's α = .85, ru = .90; Cronbach's α .93, ru = .87), and considerable evidence emerged in support of the measure's convergent, concurrent, and divergent validity. The findings are discussed with regard to potential usefulness of the RTSHIA for research and clinical purposes with adolescents.

Collecting Routine Outcome Data in a Psychotherapy Community Clinic for Young People: Findings from an Ongoing Study.

BACKGROUND: The paper reports on the collection of routine outcome data from an ongoing audit at a voluntary sector psychotherapy service for young people aged 12 to 21 years in London offering once-weekly psychotherapy. METHOD: The study uses intake and follow-up data from an ongoing audit of the psychotherapy service that started in 1993; 1608 young people were included in the study. Measures and areas of interest include the Youth Self Report Form, a significant other (SO) version of the Teacher's Report Form, the Young Adult Self Report Form, and the Young Adult Behaviour Check List. RESULTS: Percentage returns at intake were 94% (self), 66% (SO) and 80% (therapist), but became 35%, 21% and 38% at 3-month follow-up, and decreased further at 6- and 12-month follow-up. At all time points, significant other report rates were lower than self or therapist report rates. Young people who did not provide data at intake were more likely to have dropped out of treatment. Over the 15-year period of the audit, intake self-report data rates remained stable (about 94%) whereas SO and especially therapist report rates increased. However, there was a reduction in self, significant other and therapist report rates at 3- and 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Collecting routine outcome data was compromised by a variety of factors, and systematic efforts, including introducing initiatives for participation are needed to increase follow-up data rates and improve their quality.