The modular approach to therapy for youths with anxiety, depression, trauma, and conduct problems (MATCH): results from the Norwegian randomized-controlled trial.

Background: A randomized controlled trial was conducted to examine the effectiveness of the Modular Approach to Therapy for Youths with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and Conduct Problems (MATCH) for Norwegian youths referred to seven Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Outpatient Clinics. MATCH addresses comorbid problems that are common in children and youth, and its transdiagnostic design may therefore be more effective compared to standard treatments that often address single problems. MATCH has, however, never been evaluated in a Nordic context, and the present study aimed to fill this gap.

Assessing social competence and antisocial behaviors in children: item response theory analysis of the home and community social behavior scales.

Background: The Home and Community Social Behavior Scales (HCSBS) is a rating scale that assesses social competence and antisocial behavior among children and youths between ages 5-18. The present study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the HCSBS by applying item response theory (IRT).

Methods: The HCSBS was completed by parents of 551 Norwegian children refereed to three independent interventions towards problem behaviors.

The relation between behavioral problems and social competence: A correlational Meta-analysis.

Background: Previous studies have shown that children who display behavioral problems also tend to display low social competence. The relation does however vary according to type of behavior being measured, as well as demographic characteristics of the respondent. The present meta-analysis examined the correlation between different types of behavioral problems and social competence among children aged 3-13, and investigated possible moderators in this relation.

Dimensionality of oppositional defiant disorder.

Background: The present study examined dimensionality of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) using 10 alternative items using network analysis and confirmatory factor analysis.

Methods: The sample constituted 551 Norwegian children aged 2-12 and their parents. We used network analysis to investigate the connections between different symptoms.

General and specific factors of working alliance in parent training: A bifactor exploratory structural equation modelling approach.

The Working Alliance Inventory Short form (WAI-S) comprises 12 items that measure 3 subdomains (goal, task, and bond). In the present study, we evaluated the factor structure of WAI-S in a parent management training (PMT) context, by investigating a series of different factor models, including standard confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) models and more recent alternatives, like the exploratory structural equation model (ESEM), the bifactor-CFA, and the bifactor exploratory structural equation model (B-ESEM). The study sample consisted of 259 Norwegian parents receiving PMT - the Oregon model (PMTO).

A Reexamination of Child Problem Behaviors as Measured by ECBI: Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance Across Two Parent Training Interventions.

The Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) is a widely used instrument that assesses disruptive problem behaviors via parent report. The present study compares three different conceptualizations of problem behaviors using traditional confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), a bifactor-CFA, and a bifactor exploratory structural equation model, whereof the latter two represent novel conceptualizations of disruptive problem behaviors. Data were derived from 353 Norwegian parents assigned to parent management training-the Oregon model (PMTO; = 137) or brief parent training (BPT; = 216), who rated their child's problem behavior (age 3-12 years).

The Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory: Factorial invariance in problem behaviors across gender and age.

The Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) assesses problem behaviors in children, and is a widely used instrument in both clinical work and research. Evidence suggests that the short ECBI version, comprising 22 items, can be reduced into the three oblique factors: Oppositional defiant behavior; Conduct problem behavior; and Inattentive behavior. The present study aimed to evaluate this three-factor model in a Norwegian sample of 554 children, and examine multi-group invariance across gender and age.

The short Working Alliance Inventory in parent training: Factor structure and longitudinal invariance.

Objective: The purposes of the present study were twofold: (a) to examine the factor structure of the Working Alliance Inventory, Short (WAI-S) and (b) to investigate if factor loadings and thresholds fulfilled properties of longitudinal measurement invariance across two waves of data.

Method: The study sample consisted of 259 Norwegian parents receiving Parent Management Training, the Oregon model. Parents rated alliance at sessions 3 and 12 during the therapy.

Diagnostic utility of CPSS vs. CAPS-CA for assessing posttraumatic stress symptoms in children and adolescents.

Objectives: This study compared the diagnostic utility of the symptom part of the child PTSD symptom scale (CPSS) screening instrument with the clinician-administered PTSD scale for children and adolescents (CAPS-CA).

Methods: The study included a clinical sample of traumatized children and adolescents (mean age 15.1, range 10-18) living in Norway, who were assessed for posttraumatic stress symptoms using the CPSS and the CAPS-CA.

A randomized effectiveness study comparing trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy with therapy as usual for youth.

The efficacy of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) has been shown in several randomized controlled trials. However, few trials have been conducted in community clinics, few have used therapy as usual (TAU) as a comparison group, and none have been conducted outside of the United States. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of TF-CBT in regular community settings compared with TAU.

Working alliance and treatment fidelity as predictors of externalizing problem behaviors in parent management training.

Objective: The study investigated treatment fidelity and working alliance in the Parent Management Training-Oregon model (PMTO) and investigated how these relate to children's externalizing problem behaviors, as reported by parents and teachers.

Method: Participants were 331 Norwegian parents who rated the client-therapist working alliance at 3 time points (Sessions 3, 12, and 20). Competent adherence to the PMTO treatment protocol was assessed by PMTO specialists from evaluations of videotaped therapy sessions using the Fidelity of Implementation (FIMP) system (Knutson, Forgatch, & Rains, 2003).

Latent interaction effects in the theory of planned behaviour applied to quitting smoking.

Objectives: This study applies three latent interaction models in the theory of planned behaviour (TPB; Ajzen, 1988, Attitudes, personality, and behavior. Homewood, IL: Dorsey Press; Ajzen, 1991, Organ. Behav.

A randomized trial of group parent training: reducing child conduct problems in real-world settings.

Objective: Group-based Parent Management Training, the Oregon model (PMTO, 12 sessions) was delivered by the regular staff of municipal child and family services. PMTO is based on social interaction learning theory and promotes positive parenting skills in parents of children with conduct problems. This study examined the effectiveness of the group-based training intervention in real world settings both immediately following and six months after termination of the intervention.

The dimensionality of posttraumatic stress symptoms and their relationship to depression in children and adolescents.

The aims of the study were twofold: to investigate 6 different factor structures in posttraumatic stress symptoms using confirmatory factor analyses with polychoric correlations, and to examine to what extent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is different from depression. The study was based on a clinical sample of 312 children and adolescents 10 to 18 years old who had experienced different types of traumatic events. Results showed that 3 out of the 6 models demonstrated good fit, but the dysphoria model provided the best fit to the data.

Factors associated with non-attendance, opportunistic attendance and reminded attendance to cervical screening in an organized screening program: a cross-sectional study of 12,058 Norwegian women.

Background: Cervical cancer incidence and mortality may be reduced by organized screening. Participant compliance with the attendance recommendations of the screening program is necessary to achieve this. Knowledge about the predictors of compliance is needed in order to enhance screening attendance.

Using the Prototype/Willingness model to predict smoking behaviour among Norwegian adolescents.

This paper examines cognitive antecedents of non-smoking among adolescents who reported smoking less than 1-2 times a week, and reported non-smoking intentions and willingness, in the framework of the Prototype/Willingness model. Two waves of data were obtained from a nation-wide sample of 760 Norwegian adolescents who responded to a school-based survey on smoking. Structural equation modelling was used to evaluate the predictive power of the social reaction pathway (prototype and willingness) of the P/W model, and in addition, the constructs from the Theory of Reasoned Action (subjective norm, attitude and intention).