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This study evaluated the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral interventions in the treatment of persons with schizophrenia who experienced significant residual symptoms and impaired functioning despite their adherence to medication. The study used an aggregated AB single-system research design across 22 participants to evaluate change in clinical outcomes. Standardized measures of psychosocial functioning, severity of symptoms, attainment of treatment goals, and severity of the impact of illness on self-concept were used to assess change during the course of 18 months of treatment. Of the clients, 86% made statistically significant improvement in psychosocial functioning; 82% of the clientsmade statistically significant reduction in severity of psychiatric symptoms. All 22 clients exceeded the expected level of attainment of treatment goals. There was a statistically significant reduction in the negative impact of illness on sense of self. Findings support the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral interventions in schizophrenia.

Parents and educators around the country are concerned about the amount of time children watch television. Part of this concern stems from the fact that a considerable amount of violence is regularly portrayed on television. In addition, those youngsters who watch an excessive amount of television have little time for developing other interests and hobbies. Using simple electronic principles and behavior modification, a research team at DePaul University has developed several procedures to wean children off television. This research involved dispensing tokens to children after they had engaged in a period of prosocial behavior. Children's television viewing decreased after being provided these interventions, and follow-up data suggested that changes were maintained over time. The interventions and devices reviewed in this article are practical ways of empowering parents to have more influence on their children's television viewing.

Qualitative evaluation studies can differ markedly from quantitative ones in both purpose and method and therefore must be understood and evaluated on their own terms. This article defines qualitative evaluation research and describes key parameters of quality to be considered when conducting and evaluating these studies in terms that take their epistemological assumptions and unique methods into account. Dimensions discussed include clarity in the research question, identifying the epistemological framework, using theory and prior knowledge effectively, addressing ethical issues, documenting all aspects of the study method, ensuring trustworthiness of the data, and communicating findings effectively.

The present study provides information on the reliability and validity of the Transracial Adoption Parenting Scale (TAPS), a multidimensional 36-item Likert-type scale that measures cultural competence among transracial adoptive (TRA) parents. The TAPS was theoretically developed and refined through feedback from experts in TRA adoption. A cross-sectional survey design was used with a national nonprobability sample of 1,411 TRA parents. Each parent completed the 53-item TAPS and three other instruments with which to examine criterion and construct validity. After a preliminary factor analysis of the 53-item TAPS, the authors found that 36 items were retained in six factors. The 36-item TAPS had excellent reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.91), concurrent and discriminant validity were supported. Conclusion: Findings suggest that the TAPS holds promise of being a psychometrically sound instrument with which to measure cultural competence among TRA parents. Further investigation is warranted.

This article discusses a model intervention clarifying confidentiality policies regarding releasing information to families or significant others was evaluated for its effectiveness in improving provider-consumer-family collaboration. The intervention was implemented in one agency, and a comparison agency continued with previously used procedures. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by 59 providers and 68 families at baseline and 52 providers and 58 families upon termination of the study. The authors found that families with relatives receiving treatment from the intervention agency were significantly more likely to have had contact with providers during the course of the study than were families from the comparison agency. Families associated with providers who had higher fidelity to the intervention were also more likely to report more frequent provider contact, more information from providers, and more satisfaction with the amount of contact they had with providers. The authors conclude the model intervention, if faithfully implemented, may enhance collaboration between providers, consumers, and families.

Objective/Method: The use of brief, reliable, valid, and practical measures of substance use is critical for conducting individual assessments and program evaluation for integrated mental health–substance abuse services for persons with serious mental illness. This investigation examines the internal consistency reliability, concurrent validity, and receiver operating characteristics of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) with 149 mentally ill adults in community programs. Results/Conclusions: Results suggest that the AUDIT is a reliable screening tool and shows good concurrent validity with other measures of alcohol abuse and psychosocial difficulties. In addition, receiver operating characteristics suggest that, for this population, a lower cutoff score (= 3) leads to more accurate detection of an alcohol use disorder (based on the Alcohol Use Scale) than the traditional cutoff (= 8). This article discusses implications for using screens routinely as part of assessment and evaluation with this population.

Objective: This study (a) evaluated a batterer intervention program (BIP) by investigating changes in psychological variables (i.e., truthfulness, violence, lethality, control, alcohol use, drug use, and stress-coping abilities) between pretreatment and posttreatment assessments in a sample of court-mandated batterers and (b) investigated the differential effectiveness of this same BIP for African American and Caucasian batterers. Method: The study employed a one-group pretest/posttest design, with 12-month follow-up data, to investigate changes in Domestic Violence Inventory (DVI) scores among 91 men, 57% African American, court ordered into a BIP. Results: Analysis indicated that (a) court-ordered batterers demonstrate significant changes, in the desired direction, on psychological variables related to domestic violence, as a result of participation in a court-mandated BIP and (b) there was no significant difference in changes on these psychological variables between African American and Caucasian batterers. Conclusion: Implications of the findings for enhancing intervention efforts with court-ordered batterers were discussed.

Objectives: This study sought to explore the utility of using single system designs (SSD) in an optimal set of circumstances. The effects of a computer network intervention on three outcomes (pain intensity, pain aversiveness, and anxiety) were examined. Method: Meta-analysis of three studies using restricted alternating treatment designs was conducted. Results: Children reported significantly less pain intensity, pain aversiveness, and anxiety in the SBW condition than in the GPM condition. Both sex and age moderated these effects. Conclusions: An SSD/meta-analysis approach can provide multiple views of the impact of an intervention.

Objective: This study examined the effects of a collaborative intervention targeting 107 juvenile detainees with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse problems. Method: Changes in mental health problems, substance use, and delinquency between pretest and 3-and 6-month follow-up were assessed. Three distinct clusters of detained youth characterized by varying levels of self-reported symptoms and behaviors across these three problem domains were included in a series of repeated measures analyses. Results: Significant time effects were found for anxiety and depression and for the frequency of substance use and delinquency between pretest and 3- and 6-month follow-up. Significant time by cluster interactions were found for mental health problems of obsessive-compulsive behavior and interpersonal sensitivity and for property and drug-related offending. Conclusions: Cross-system collaboration among mental health, substance abuse, and juvenile justice systems is a promising approach for treating delinquent youth with co-occurring problem behaviors.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to (a) evaluate the relative effectiveness of wraparound services versus conventional services for juvenile delinquent youth and (b) create a predictive model that would assist the juvenile court system in correctly identifying youth at greatest risk of reoffending. Method: The study employed a pretest/posttest, control group design, with 6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-up assessments, of 141 youth court-ordered into community-based treatment programs for delinquent youth. Results: Analysis indicated that few of the variables studied differentiated between wraparound services recipients and conventional service recipients. However, a logistic regression model was developed that correctly predicted recidivism for 79% of the sample at the 6-month follow-up assessment (chi-square = 27.211, df =6, p = .0001) and 78% of the sample at the 18-month follow-up assessment (chi-square = 16.453, df =8, p = .036). Conclusions: Implications of the findings for improving community-based juvenile diversion programs for delinquent youth were explored and discussed.

The purpose of this study was to examine client satisfaction, perceived helping components, and perceived frequency of condom use among men and women who participated in an HIV/STD relationship-based preventive intervention. Method: 107 participants completed evaluation forms at the end of the last of five weekly intervention sessions. Levels of overall satisfaction, what participants liked and learned, what they felt helped them in the intervention, and their report on the frequency of male and female condom use pre- and postintervention were evaluated. Results: The intervention was highly regarded by participants. The helpful components of the intervention were the couples' ability to communicate better with their main partner and the special strategies the facilitators used. Gender differences in immediate HIV risk reduction behavior changes were found. Conclusions: It is important to evaluate client perceptions of the helping components in combination with structured assessment of targeted outcomes in treatment and preventive interventions.