Psychopathic Traits and Reactive-Proactive Aggression in a Large Community Sample of Polish Adolescents

This paper presents results of the only large-scale study carried-out in Poland to date on the prevalence of psychopathic traits and their relationship with aggressive behaviour in mainstream adolescents. The sample consists of 9,415 students (4,808 boys, 4,607 girls) in the first to third grades at 142 public secondary schools. Psychopathic traits were measured by teacher-report ratings with the antisocial process screening device (APSD), while aggressive behaviours were assessed using the Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire. Analysis of results revealed that boys scored much higher than girls in total APSD scale measuring psychopathic traits. Only 2.68 % of assessed adolescents scored above the cut-off of 25 points. Results also showed significant correlations between psychopathic traits and both proactive and reactive aggression. The authors concluded that screening a large sample to identify children and youths with psychopathic traits has some important advantages but, on the other hand, it is a sensitive undertaking because of the label ‘psychopath’ can have negative consequences for the subjects.     

Further Evaluation of Associations Between Reactive and Proactive Aggression and Suicidal Behavior in a Treatment Seeking Sample of Youth

This study examined associations between reactive and proactive functions of aggression and suicidal behavior in a sample of outpatient treatment seeking youth (n?=?111, 60.5% male) ranging from 6 to 17 years of age (Mean age?=?10.57 years). Additionally, hope was evaluated as a moderator of these associations. Child reports of measures were used to evaluate associations. When also considering the variance associated with child depressive symptoms and hope, reactive, but not proactive, aggression was uniquely associated with suicidal behavior. Moreover, hope moderated this association, such that reactive aggression was only positively associated with suicidal behavior when levels of hope were low. Findings and their implications for targeting hope with aggressive youth for the prevention of suicidal behavior are discussed.     

Further Validation of a Measure of Proactive and Reactive Aggression Within a Clinical Child Population

The current study provided further validity for the use of a measure of proactive and reactive aggression that was first developed by Little and his colleagues. Confirmatory factor analyses performed with a high-risk clinical population (N = 107) revealed that the model was a good fit to the data. Structural equation models revealed significant associations in the expected direction between the Little et al. measure and another measure of proactive and reactive aggression developed by Dodge and Coie. Further analyses revealed that the proactive aggression subscales of the Little et al. and Dodge and Coie measures were significantly related to conduct problems. However, the reactive aggression subscale of the Little et al. measure was not related to social problems while both the proactive and reactive aggression subscales of the Dodge and Coie measure were.     

Development of the Children's Scale of Hostility and Aggression: Reactive/Proactive (C-SHARP)

Whereas some scales exist for assessing aggression in typically developing children, they do not give a detailed analysis, and none is available for populations with developmental disabilities (DD). Parents of 365 children with DD completed the Children's Scale of Hostility and Aggression: Reactive/Proactive (C-SHARP), which surveys the severity of aggressive and hostile behaviors (Problem Scale) in addition to their proactive or reactive qualities (the Provocation Scale). Factor analysis yielded a 5-factor solution: I. Verbal Aggression (12 items), II. Bullying (12 items), III. Covert Aggression (11 items), IV. Hostility (9 items), and V. Physical Aggression (8 items). Coefficient alpha ranged from moderate (0.74, Physical Aggression) to high (0.92, Verbal Aggression). General validity was supported by expected differences between age and gender groups. Preliminary normative data were presented. The C-SHARP appears to be a promising tool for assessing aggression and hostility in children with DD.     

A Psychometric Evaluation of the Behavioral Inhibition Questionnaire in a Non-Clinical Sample of Dutch Children and Adolescents

The Behavioral Inhibition Questionnaire (BIQ) is a parent-rating scale for measuring temperamental characteristics referring to shyness, fearfulness, and withdrawal in young, preschool children. The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the BIQ in a Dutch community sample of children with a broad age range. For this purpose, the reliability and validity of the BIQ was evaluated in three age groups: 4–7-year-olds, 8–11-year-olds, and 12–15-year-olds. The results indicated that the internal consistency of most BIQ scales was satisfactory in all three age groups. Principal component analysis of the BIQ yielded a six-factor model that was largely in keeping with the hypothesized structure consisting of the social and non-social components of behavioral inhibition. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that this model provided a reasonable fit for the data. Further, support for the validity of the measure was obtained in all age groups. That is, BIQ scores were positively correlated with a wide range of anxiety symptoms, although the most substantial links were found for symptoms of social anxiety. Finally, a self-report version of the BIQ, which was administered to children aged 9 years and above, was found to possess good internal consistency and adequate parent–child agreement. Altogether, the results of this study indicate that suggests that the BIQ might be a reliable and valid measure for assessing behavioral inhibition not only in preschoolers but also in older children and adolescents.     

Psychometric properties of the Children's Scale of Hostility and Aggression: Reactive/Proactive (C-SHARP)

Although often lacking “malice”, aggression is fairly common in children with intellectual or developmental disability (I/DD). Despite this, there are no scales available that are appropriate for an in-depth analysis of aggressive behavior in this population. Such scales are needed for the study of aggressive behavior, which is a common target symptom in clinical trials. We assessed the reliability and validity of the Children's Scale of Hostility and Aggression: Reactive/Proactive (C-SHARP), a new aggression scale created for children with I/DD. Data are presented from a survey of 365 children with I/DD aged 3–21 years. Interrater reliability was very high for the Problem Scale, which characterizes type of aggression. Reliability was lower but largely acceptable for the Provocation Scale, which assesses motivation. Validity of the Problem Scale was supported by expected differences in children with autism, Down syndrome, comorbid disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) and ADHD. The Provocation Scale, which categorizes behavior as proactive or reactive, showed expected differences in children with DBD, but was less effective in those with ADHD. The C-SHARP appears to have fundamentally sound psychometric characteristics, although more research is needed.     

Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Young Schema Questionnaire (Short Form) in Chinese Undergraduate Students

This study investigated cross-cultural differences in the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Young Schema Questionnaire (short form; YSQ-SF). The participants were 712 Chinese undergraduate students. The total sample was randomly divided into two sub-samples. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted on questionnaire results for Group A, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted on Group B. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to investigate the predictive validity of the schemas in predicting depression and anxiety. EFA revealed a 14-factor solution in Sample A. This factor solution was confirmed using CFA on the data from Sample B. The overall scale of the YSQ-SF demonstrated a high level of internal consistency, as did all of the subscales. Predictive validity of the schema domains in predicting depression and anxiety scores was confirmed via two multiple regression analyses.     

Suicidal Ideation and Interpersonal Needs: Factor Structure of a Short Version of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire in an At-Risk Military Sample

Objective: The interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide posits that perceived burdensomeness (PB; i.e., the belief that others would be better off if one were dead) and thwarted belongingness (TB; i.e., the belief that one lacks meaningful social connections) are both necessary risk factors for the development of suicidal ideation. To test these relations, measures are needed that are well validated, especially in samples of at-risk adults. Method: The current study was designed to examine the factor structure of an eight-item version of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) in a sample of 405 U.S. past and current military personnel (M_age = 31.57 years, SD = 7.28; 90.4% male) who endorsed either current suicidal ideation and/or a past suicide attempt. Analyses were conducted using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: A bifactor model comprising a general factor, labeled interpersonal needs, and two specific factors, labeled PB and TB, fit the data best. The general factor captured a high proportion of overall variance (81.9%). In contrast, the TB factor captured only a modest amount of variance in items meant to capture this factor (59.1%) and the PB factor captured very little variance in items meant to capture this factor (13.5%). Further, only the interpersonal needs factor was associated with lifetime and past-week suicidal ideation as well as suicidal ideation frequency and duration. Conclusions: The current findings indicate that, for the INQ-8 in high-risk military personnel, a general interpersonal needs factor accounted for the relations PB and TB share with suicidal ideation.     

Examining the Criterion Validity of CBCL and TRF Problem Scales and Items in a Large Singapore Sample

This study examined the criterion validity of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Teacher’s Report Form (TRF) problem scales and items in demographically-matched Singapore samples of referred and non-referred children (840 in each sample for the CBCL and 447 in each sample for the TRF). Internal consistency estimates for both the CBCL and TRF scales were good. Almost all CBCL and TRF problem scales and items significantly discriminated between referred and non-referred children, with referred children scoring higher, as expected. The largest referral status effects were on attention problems scales and their associated items, with the TRF having larger effects than the CBCL. Effect sizes for demographic variables such as age, gender, ethnicity and SES were much smaller than effect sizes for referral status, across both the CBCL and TRF forms and at both the scale and item levels. These findings suggest that teachers can be effective partners in identifying children who need mental health services and those who do not.     

The Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents: Measurement Invariance and Psychometric Properties Among a School Sample of Portuguese Youths

Over the last decades there has been an increased interest in assessing social anxiety in adolescents. This study aims to validate the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) to Portuguese youth, and to examine its invariance across gender as well as its psychometric properties. The participants were 782 Portuguese youths (371 males, 411 females), with an average age of 15.87 years (SD = 1.72). The results support the original three-factor structure of the SAS-A, with measurement invariance being found across gender, with females scoring higher than males on two subscales. High levels of internal consistency were found. Positive associations with empathy demonstrated that high socially anxious adolescents have elevated empathy tendencies. Mostly null or low negative associations were found with measures of psychopathic traits, callous-unemotional traits and aggression. Study findings provide evidence that the SAS-A is a psychometrically sound instrument that shows measurement invariance between genders, good reliability and positive correlations with empathy.     

Proactive and Reactive Aggression Subgroups in Typically Developing Children: The Role of Executive Functioning,Psychophysiology, and Psychopathy

This study aimed to assess whether groups of aggressive children differed on psychopathic traits, and neuropsychological and neurobiological measures of prefrontal functioning consistent with the objectives of their aggression—reactive or proactive. Including 110 typically developing children (9–11 years), a latent class analysis identified a low aggression group, a high reactive aggression group, and a mixed (high reactive and proactive) aggression group. Results show high callous–unemotional traits and low resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia increased the likelihood of children being in the mixed aggression group, when compared to the reactive and low aggression groups. However, deficits in planning and inhibitory control increased the likelihood of children being in the reactive aggression group, when compared to the mixed and low aggression groups. Executive functioning deficits did not differentiate the mixed group from the low aggression group. These findings highlight psychobiological and executive functioning differences that may explain heterogeneity in childhood aggression.     

Sex Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence from a Large Sample of Children and Adolescents

Sex differences have been found amongst toddlers and young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We investigated the presence and stability of these ASD sex differences throughout childhood and adolescence. Participants (N = 325, 52 females; aged 3-18 years) consecutively received an ASD diagnosis at a clinic for assessing high-functioning ASD (mean verbal IQ = 92.6). There were no IQ sex differences. By parent report and direct observation, females had less repetitive stereotyped behaviour (RSB), with male-equivalent levels of social and communication impairment. Teachers reported males with ASD as having greater externalising and social problems than females. The female phenotype we describe was stable across our sample's age range. Their milder RSBs and less severe difficulties at school may lead to under-recognition of ASD in females.     

Specific Contributions of Age of Onset,Callous-Unemotional Traits and Impulsivity to Reactive and Proactive Aggression in Youths with Conduct Disorders

Youths with conduct disorders (CD) are particularly studied for their violent and aggressive behaviors. Many researchers considered aggressive behaviors as being either reactive or proactive. Moreover, factors such as age of CD onset, impulsivity, and callous-unemotional traits, separately, have been related to these different types of aggressive behaviors. However, very few studies addressed the combined contribution of these three factors on proactive and reactive aggression. This question was tested in a sample composed of 43 male adolescents with CD. A single regression analysis including all predictors and outcomes, using Bayesian statistics, was computed. Results indicated that impulsivity was related to reactive aggression, while CU traits were related to proactive aggression. These results suggest first, an important heterogeneity among youth with CD, probably leading to different trajectories and, second, that youths with callous-unemotional traits should receive special attention and care as they are more at risk for proactive aggression.     

Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Thoughts About Psychotherapy Survey in a Parent Sample

Researchers have noted that treatment fearfulness (e.g., embarrassment or negative attitudes) causes individuals to avoid seeking therapy. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Thoughts About Psychotherapy Survey (TAPS; Kushner and Sher in Prof Psychol Res Prac 20(4):251–257, 1989) in a sample of parents. This study also examined differences in therapy fears among parents with and without a history of using mental health services. Using a sample of 138 parents (87% female), findings indicated that a three factor structure of the TAPS was a good fit for the data. Furthermore, the scales demonstrated “good” internal consistency ranging from .86 to .93. Finally, parents that reported previous use of mental health services reported fewer treatment fears. Given these findings, the TAPS appears to be a valid measure to assess treatment fears among parents. Implications for research and practice will be discussed.     

Psychometric Properties of a German Version of the Young Diagnostic Questionnaire (YDQ) in two Independent Samples of Adolescents

The Young Diagnostic Questionnaire (YDQ) is the most frequently used unidimensional measure to assess pathological Internet use. To date, investigations on the factorial validity of the YDQ using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) are not available in the scientific literature. Empirical findings on the psychometric properties of the German translation of the YDQ are also lacking. Data were collected on two German samples of 1444 and 2713 adolescents. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted. We also calculated reliability coefficients and correlations between the YDQ and external criteria of Internet use. The models showed excellent global goodness-of-fit and satisfying local parameters. A unidimensional model seems to fit the data very well. We observed rather low reliability coefficients. The results indicate an acceptable construct validity of the German YDQ. The German version of the YDQ is a suitable instrument for measuring pathological Internet use in adolescent populations.     

Factor Structure of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factor structure of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents (LSAS-CA). The LSAS-CA was administered to 225 children and adolescents as a component of various clinical studies. In addition, other measures of psychopathology and impairment were administered to a subgroup of the sample. Confirmatory factor analyses of the social interaction and performance subscales for the anxiety and avoidance ratings yielded poor fit indices. Exploratory factor analysis supported a two-factor solution with a higher order factor for the LSAS-CA anxiety and avoidance ratings. Based on item content, factors were named Social and School Performance. The internal consistency of the factors was high and the convergent and divergent validity was supported vis-à-vis correlations with measures of depression and social anxiety, and clinician ratings of impairment and functioning. Findings suggest that the anxiety and avoidance ratings are best explained by a two-factor solution that measures social anxiety and avoidance in social and school performance interactions. This factor structure appears to be a reliable and valid framework for assessing childhood social phobia.This research was funded by a grant from SmithKline Beecham to Drs. Liebowitz and Masia-Warner. The authors would like to thank Heather Dent and Sharon Davies for their contributions to the execution of this study.     

The Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form: a Persian Version Among a Large Sample of Psychiatric Patients

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction - The Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (YSQ-SF), as a measure of early maladaptive schemas (EMSs), showed good validity and reliability....