A study tested the validity of the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped-II (DASH-II) for determining the presence of mania (bipolar disorder) in 22 individuals with severe mental retardation. Results found the mania subscale to be internally consistent and able to be used to classify manic and control subjects accurately. (Author/CR)

The characteristics of male adolescent suicide victims with (N=84) and without (N=8) diagnosable psychiatric disorder were compared. Psychological autopsy data were collected on all adolescent suicides in one year. Communication of suicidal intent and problems with discipline just before the suicide are among the few clinical warning signs found.…

Presents a qualitative analysis of cognitive and emotional functioning in intellectually borderline adolescents and the consequences for personality and social development. Psychopathological risk is analyzed. Describes conceptualizations that intellectually borderline adolescents have of their own mental functioning. Discusses the implication for…

Study assessed the contribution of physical abuse to increased risk for suicidal behaviors in physically abused adolescents compared with non-abused adolescents. Significant predictors of scores on the instrument used included parent and adolescent psychopathology, poor academic performance, and decreased family cohesiveness. Physical abuse was a…

The relationships between social skills and psychopathology in 846 individuals with severe mental retardation was examined. Results showed that increases in psychopathological symptoms were related to increases in negative behaviors. Those without stereotypic movement disorders had greater general positive and positive nonverbal behaviors than…

Describes a study of a clinical sample of 72 women who allegedly abused 332 children. Perspectives include whether the abuse was intrafamilial, extrafamilial, or both, and whether the abuse involved single or multiple abusers. Also examines situational factors, individual deficits, and other factors that might lead women to sexually abuse…

A LISREL model incorporating both social and psychological factors was used to explain Chinese and American college students' suicide ideation. In both Chinese and American samples, females scored higher on the ideation scale than males. The overall rate is lower for the Chinese, however. Supports previous research. Offers a comparison of…

Presents results from a survey of students in two sections of an abnormal psychology course. Assessed the number of students who had firsthand exposure to a psychiatric disorder (friend, family member, or themselves), the nature of the relationship, the average number of personal relationships with people with psychiatric disorders, and the…

Independent examination and replication of the core syndrome factor structure of the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA; McDermott, Marston, & Stott, 1993) is reported. A sample of 1,020 children were randomly selected from their classroom and rated on the ASCA by their teacher. The six ASCA core syndromes produced a…

Psychologists within a positive psychology framework have proposed the existence of a set of psychological strengths that buffer against the development of psychopathology. To date, most research efforts in positive psychology have focused on adults. This longitudinal study tested the prediction that adolescents' judgments of life satisfaction…

Cross-national differences in the prevalence of psychopathy have been reported. This study examined whether rater effects could account for these differences. Psychopathy was assessed with the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; R. D. Hare, 1991). Videotapes of 6 Scottish prisoners and 6 Canadian prisoners were rated by 10 Scottish and 10…

Childhood maltreatment is associated with psychopathology and revictimization in adulthood. Whether different types of childhood maltreatment have different long-term consequences, however, is largely unknown. The participants in this study included 42 female victims of intimate partner violence and 30 women with no history of serious trauma.…

Structured checklists have been used to supplement psychiatric assessment of children with normal intelligence, but for children with intellectual disability, only a few checklists exist. We evaluated the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) in the assessment of psychopathology in Finnish children with intellectual disability. The CBCL was completed by…

This study assessed the association between spirituality and psychopathology in a group of sexual abuse victims and controls with a focus on whether spirituality moderated the association between sexual trauma and psychopathology. Seventy-one sexual trauma victims were compared to 25 control subjects on spiritual well-being, the Eating Disorder…

A quantitative method for typing psychopathology of youngsters with mental retardation was assessed. Parents of 601 students in special educational placements rated them with the ABC. The sample was randomly divided into two subgroups. We used Ward's hierarchical method of cluster analysis and derived eight clusters in Subsample 1 and satisfactory…