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| Managing Children’s Problem Behavior: Approaches and Solutions |
| Saturday, May 28, 2005 |
| 1:00 PM–1:50 PM |
| Lake Huron (8th floor) |
| Area: CSE |
| Chair: Anthony C. Stover (Behavior Analysis & Therapy, Inc.) |
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| Assessing the Impact of a Family Process Group on Rural African American Adolescents’ Competence and Behavior Problems Using Latent Growth Curve Analysis |
| Domain: Basic Research |
| IVORY TOLDSON (Southern University and A&M College), Rahsheda Perine (Southern University and A&M College), Murelle Harrison (Southern University and A&M College) |
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| Abstract: Authors investigated the long term effects of a family process group on social and cognitive competence and aggressive and deviant behavior among rural African American adolescents. Data were gathered from a 5-year study of 465 rural African American families. Participants were randomly assigned to either a 6-week family process group or an experimental control group, and assessed at three time points: pretest, posttest, and long-term follow-up. Behavior problems among adolescents were measured with the Child Behavior Checklist and competence was measured with the Harter Competence Scale. Self-report data from primary caregivers, used to test moderating variables, included a measure of depression, financial status, coping and interaction with the child. Using factorial-level, latent growth curve modeling and covariance structure analysis, a latent change model was evaluated for adolescent competence and problem behaviors. Findings indicated that the family process groups had mild moderating effects on adolescent competence and behavior. In addition, analysis of covariant structures suggested that maternal depressive symptoms and financial problems indirectly arbitrate high-risk behavior among rural adolescents. The results have implications for parent training, family therapy and risk behavior prevention programs among rural African American families. |
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| Behavior Analysis of Juvenile Delinquency in Taiwan |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| CARY S. SMITH (Mississippi State University), Li-Ching Hung (Mississippi State University) |
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| Abstract: Chinese civilization has had, for most of its long history, relatively low rates of juvenile delinquency with Confucian philosophy receiving the credit. Filial Piety, possibly the strongest and best known Confucian principle, centers on how children must honor his/her parents and how engaging in any criminal activity would cause one's family members to feel great shame. This idea, once a corner stone for Chinese society, has lost much of its moral strength due to Taiwan becoming more and more Americanized. One result of this societal change is an ever increasing crime rate, with juveniles committing approximately 10% of all crimes. In order to better understand the causes, as well as allowing for the formulation of an effective intervention, 120 male adolescents housed in Taiwan's sole juvenile correctional facility were given questionnaires designed by the authors. The assessment instrument contained 50 items, and the results it provided were fascinating. |
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