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Biomedical subjects

A Spirito

Publications and source records attributed to A Spirito.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

The Hopelessness Scale for Children: psychometric properties with normal and emotionally disturbed adolescents.

The psychometric properties of the Hopelessness Scale for Children (HSC) were evaluated with a sample of 834 normal adolescents and 93 adolescent suicide attempters. Factor analyses studies revealed two factors with both groups. Internal consistency with item-total score correlations were acceptable, while moderate test-retest reliability was found over a 10-week period with the normal sample. Support for the validity of the HSC was provided via studies with the suicide attempter group in which positive correlations with depression and depressive attributional style were found. Predicted differences between the suicide attempters, an outpatient psychiatric sample, and normal controls were also found. However, some items did not appear to discriminate suicide attempters from controls. Results are discussed in terms of the utility of the HSC with adolescents and adolescent suicide attempters and with regard to differences between child and adult samples in hopelessness.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Overt behavior of adolescent suicide attempters hospitalized on a general pediatrics floor.

The usefulness of a direct observation assessment in evaluating adolescents hospitalized following a suicide attempt was investigated. Attempters hospitalized for medical stabilization were compared to adolescents hospitalized on the same pediatric floor by use of a modified version of the Hospitalized Adolescent Interaction Scale. Contrary to expectation, the adolescent suicide attempters did not differ significantly from medical patients regarding the activities they engaged in, interactions with others, out-of-bed behavior, or location on the floor. There were, however, significant differences between the two groups regarding affect, with the suicide attempters being rated as having more sullen facial expressions. A modest relationship was found between the self-report of depression and the activity level of the suicide attempters. These results are discussed in relation to behavior and depression during hospitalization and the role of behavior during hospitalization in disposition planning for adolescent suicide attempters.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Clinical utility of the MMPI in the evaluation of adolescent suicide attempters.

MMPI profiles of female adolescents hospitalized on a general pediatrics floor following a suicide attempt were compared to a control group of medically hospitalized, female adolescents referred for psychiatric evaluation. The suicide attempters had only a lower score on the K scale when compared to the control group. Results do not suggest that a single MMPI profile differentiates suicide attempters from a comparison group of adolescents with emotional difficulties. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Behavioral interventions and stress management training for hospitalized adolescents and young adults with cystic fibrosis.

Recent studies have demonstrated that the majority of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are not at high risk for developing psychological problems. Clinical studies emphasizing the development of adaptive coping mechanisms in these patients have been suggested as a more appropriate line of research. The purpose of the present paper is to describe our experience in teaching various behavioral and stress management strategies to help CF patients. Behavioral counseling, relaxation training, and biofeedback have all been used with these patients to help them manage a number of problems more effectively. The predominant presenting problems have included elevated anxiety levels, sleeping difficulties, pain, and hyperventilation episodes. The typical treatment course with these patients is described and a case example is given to help elucidate the nature of behavioral interventions. Patient satisfaction ratings indicate that most patients view these techniques positively. Clinical observations suggest that the acquisition of behavioral coping skills may enhance the CF patient's perceived control of his/her situation, reduce the level of pain and anxiety, and enhance the quality of life.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Developmental differences in Bender-Gestalt recall of children with learning and behavior problems.

To investigate the visual-memory ability of children referred for psychological evaluations of academic and/or behavior problems, 135 children were administered the Bender-Gestalt and then asked to reproduce as many designs from memory as they could. Analysis indicated that the number of designs recalled increased with age and Performance IQ but not Full Scale IQ. Results were discussed in terms of the importance of considering developmental level when evaluating children and the establishment of rough cut-off scores on recall of the Bender-Gestalt designs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Reflection-impulsivity and WISC-R performance in behavior-problem children.

Forty-three emotionally disturbed children, ranging in age from 8 years, 3 months, to 15 years, 6 months, were divided into two groups, impulsive and reflective, on the basis of their cognitive style as measured by the Matching Familiar Figures Test and administered the Wechsler Intellectual Scale for Children-Revised. Reflective children scored significantly higher than the impulsive children on Verbal IQ, Performance IQ, Full Scale IQ, and Kaufman's Perceptual Organization factor. The two groups did not differ significantly on the Freedom from Distractibility or Verbal Comprehension factors. Results were discussed in terms of their relationship to previous findings, with particular attention to factor analytic research with behavior problem children that did not find a Freedom from Distractibility factor and could account for the present findings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Multidimensionality of the Nowicki-Strickland locus of control scale for adults.

In order to investigate the dimensionality of the Adult Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale (ANS-IE), the responses of 120 undergraduate psychology majors were subjected to one principal components factor analysis using Kaiser's varimax criterion, Five meaningful factors emerged which accounted or 80.6% of the total variance. Results were discussed in terms of their similarity to other factor analyses using the children's version of this scale and to a factor analysis of the ANS-IE (chandler & Dugovics, 1977) which used a modified response format.

Journal Article↗