Objective: Using a longitudinal design, the authors of this study examined the relationship between externalizing problems and impulsivity in early childhood and symptoms of disordered eating in late adolescence. Method: Participants were urban, African American first-grade girls (N = 119) and their parents who were participating in a longitudinal…

Objective: The present study examined the role of family experiences in the early development and maintenance of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms in preschool-age children with behavior problems. Method: Participants were 199 3-year-old children with behavior problems who took part in 4 annual child and family assessments. Results:…

The present study examined the power of measures of early preschool behavior to predict later diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)/conduct disorder (CD). Participants were 168 children with behavior problems at age 3 who underwent a multimethod assessment of ADHD and ODD symptoms and…

This study investigated moderators of change in an empirically supported family-centered intervention (the Family Check-Up) for problem behavior in early childhood. Participants were 731 2- to 3-year-olds (49% girls; 28% African American, 50% European American, 13% biracial) from low-income families and had been screened for risk of family stress…

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of callous-unemotional (CU) traits on treatment outcomes and processes in a 10-week behavioral parent-training intervention with young boys referred for conduct problems (N = 56; mean age 6.29 years). CU traits were associated with greater conduct problems at pretreatment and with poor outcomes at…

Assessed maternal evaluations of acceptability of social reinforcement and time-out procedures following their use in a brief parent training program for 28 mothers with noncompliant children. Results indicated that, in addition to producing greater reductions in noncompliant behavior, time-out is rated as comparable in acceptability to social…

Examined the vicarious effects on one child of observing another child receive direct social reinforcement in two studies. Results of both studies were similar. Although children who observed other children being reinforced increased their performance initially, their performance levels decreased over time. (Author)

Assigned parents of 114 conduct-problem young children to either individually administered videotape modeling treatment, group discussion videotape modeling treatment, group discussion treatment, or waiting-list control. Compared with controls, all three treatment groups of mothers reported significantly fewer child behavior problems, more…

Mothers (N=120) and fathers (N=85) of young children with conduct problems completed measures of child adjustment, personal adjustment, a Life Experience Survey, and were observed with child. Teachers (N=107) completed Behar Preschool Questionnaire. Found that fathers' perceptions of children's behaviors were significantly correlated with…

Evaluated the Primary Mental Health Project (PMHP), a school-based mental health program for the early detection and prevention of school-adjustment problems. Assessed the PMHP's effectiveness by evaluating seven consecutive annual cohorts of children. Results strongly and consistently showed that children seen through the PMHP were judged to have…