Mama Jaja: the stresses and strengths of HIV-affected Ugandan grandmothers.

This paper reports an exploratory qualitative project in the Entebbe-Kampala area of Uganda with 11 grandmothers who are raising orphans because of a parent's death from HIV infection. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the highest HIV infection and mortality rates are among women, especially in their childbearing years, leading to a tremendous number of orphaned HIV-infected and -affected children. Uganda has the world's highest rate of HIV-affected orphans.

Long-term impact of family arguments and physical violence on adult functioning at age 30 years: findings from the simmons longitudinal study.

Objective: To prospectively examine the extent to which an increase in family arguments by age 15 years and the occurrence of family physical violence by age 18 years are related to deficits in key domains of adult functioning at age 30 years.

Method: The 346 participants were part of a single-age cohort from a predominately white working-class community whose psychosocial development has been traced since age 5 years. Family arguments and violence were assessed through self-reports during adolescence.

Major depression in the transition to adulthood: the impact of active and past depression on young adult functioning.

This study examined the association between active and past major depression and deficits in young adult functioning using data from a longitudinal community study (N = 354). Three groups were compared: (1) participants with a 1-year diagnosis of major depression at age 26 (active group); (2) those who experienced major depression during the transition to adulthood, ages 18-25, but did not have active depression at age 26 (past group); and (3) individuals not meeting diagnostic criteria for depression during the transition period. Results highlight serious deficits in psychosocial functioning at age 26 linked to both active and past depression.

Defect and recognition in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex.

This paper explores the relationships between experienced defect and the subsequent shame and longing for recognition. A clinical vignette is presented in which a young woman sought treatment for her infidelity to her husband: a behavior she found totally mystifying and deeply troubling. Using Bollas' concept of "the unthought known," parallels are drawn between this patient, who was adopted at 2 weeks of age, and Oedipus' experience of knowing and not knowing his fate.

Assessment and the ubiquity of culture: threats to validity in measures of health-related quality of life.

Social workers in health care settings are increasingly using patient-based assessments (PBAs) of health-related quality of life such as the SF-36. However, the validity of many PBAs for use with cultural minority groups is limited. To ensure that cultural minority groups are not misrepresented by standardized measures, social workers--as effective patient advocates--must be familiar with the underlying conceptual assumptions of measurement theory to articulate the strengths and limitations of measures used to investigate populations with which they have not been tested and advocate for cultural minority groups using language and terminology that measurement practitioners can understand and embrace.

Childhood and adolescent predictors of major depression in the transition to adulthood.

Objective: The identification of predictors of major depression in the transition to adulthood has direct application to prevention and intervention efforts designed to forestall depression in this high-risk period. The current study identified childhood and adolescent familial and behavioral-emotional factors predicting depression during this critical developmental stage.

Method: The 354 participants were part of a single-age cohort from a predominately Caucasian working-class community whose psychosocial development has been traced prospectively since age 5.

Comorbidity of substance use and post-traumatic stress disorders in a community sample of adolescents.

A study of 384 18-year-old adolescents living in the community demonstrated a frequent co-occurrence of substance use disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. Multiple pathways appeared to lead to this comorbidity, which was associated with widespread psychological impairment that might have serious developmental consequences. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

General and specific childhood risk factors for depression and drug disorders by early adulthood.

Objective: To identify childhood risk factors that predict depression and drug disorders by early adulthood, distinguishing between general risk factors for both disorders and specific risk factors for each individual disorder.

Method: Within a longitudinal community study (N = 360), familial and behavioral-emotional characteristics were assessed in early childhood (ages 5, 6, and 9 years). At age 21, the Diagnostic Interview Schedule, version III-revised, provided lifetime diagnoses of major depression and drug abuse/dependence.

Early risk factors for serious antisocial behavior at age 21: a longitudinal community study.

Data collected over a period of 18 years were analyzed vis-a-vis risk factors for serious antisocial behavior in 375 young adults living in the community. Early aggression and hostility, acting-out behavior, academic difficulties, and negative family environment were identified as precursors of later deviance, and different patterns were found for males and females.

The long-term sequelae of child and adolescent abuse: a longitudinal community study.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between childhood and adolescent physical and sexual abuse before the age of 18 and psychosocial functioning in mid-adolescence (age 15) and early adulthood (age 21) in a representative community sample of young adults. Subjects were 375 participants in an ongoing 17-years longitudinal study. At age 21, nearly 11% reported physical or sexual abuse before age 18.

Traumas and posttraumatic stress disorder in a community population of older adolescents.

Objective: The prevalence of DSM-III-R traumas and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and their impact on psychosocial functioning were examined in a community population of older adolescents.

Methods: Subjects were 384 adolescents participating in an ongoing longitudinal study. When subjects were aged 18 years, the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule, Version IIIR, was used to identify lifetime traumatic events and diagnoses of PTSD, major depression, phobias, and substance dependence.

Ages of onset of psychiatric disorders in a community population of older adolescents.

Objective: Ages of onset of psychiatric disorders, as well as the link between early onset and later psychosocial functioning, were examined in a community population of older adolescents.

Method: Subjects were 386 adolescents who were participants in an ongoing 14-year longitudinal study. At age 18, lifetime diagnoses and ages of onset of major depression, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance disorders were assessed using the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule, Revised Version.

Psychosocial risks for major depression in late adolescence: a longitudinal community study.

Objective: An ongoing 14-year longitudinal study examined psychosocial antecedents of major depression in late adolescence in a community population.

Method: Subjects were 385 adolescents followed between the ages of 5 and 18 years. Early health, familial, behavior, academic, and environmental risks for major depression were identified using data collected at ages 5, 9, 15, and 18 years.

Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in a community population of older adolescents.

In a community study of 386 Caucasian working-class older adolescents, a sizeable proportion met lifetime criteria for selected DSM-III-R diagnoses. Alcohol abuse/dependence had the highest lifetime prevalence rate (32.4%), followed by phobias (22.

Developing and maintaining a coordinated system of community-based services to children.

The Child and Adolescent Service Systems Program (CASSP) encourages the development of "systems of care" for disturbed children and their families, based on interagency collaboration and community involvement. The experience of the South Shore mental health catchment area near Boston points to several principles for promoting effective collaboration: 1) mobilization of concerned and influential community members, 2) respect for the autonomy and interdependence of systems, 3) appreciation of divergent perspectives, and 4) commitment to shared goals. The realization of these principles depends on certain supports: staff training, flexible agency structure, sanction from a strong community and state and federal legislative support.

The effects of marital disruption on adolescents: time as a dynamic.

As part of an ongoing ten-year longitudinal research project, 382 15-year-olds from a white, working-class community were studied. Findings indicate that those who experienced parental separation more recently were most likely to be adversely affected, and that girls from recently disrupted families were more likely than boys to experience problems in emotional and behavioral functioning and were likely to express dissatisfaction with available levels of social support.

Clinical assessments and maternal judgments: concurrent and predictive relationships.

Mothers and clinicians, both of whom play key roles in securing mental health services for children, have been found to differ in their ratings of children's adjustment. While this finding is confirmed by the present study, ratings made by social workers based on a structured interview with mothers prior to their children's kindergarten entry indicate a number of significant relationships with measures of children's school and behavioral adjustment four years later.

Gender differences in learning and adjustment problems in school: results of a longitudinal study.

Results of a community study suggest that boys entering school had more problems with aggression and information processing than did girls. Later differences in learning and adjustment largely reflected the high proportion of boys among children receiving psychological services. Girls who received psychological services were less likely than boys to get special education help.

Who shall be served? Issues in screening for emotional and behavioral problems in school.

The major issues involved in the design and implementation of effective school screening programs are addressed, using data from a longitudinal study following over 500 children from preschool through third grade. The article identifies early characteristics of children that are related to later behavioral and emotional problems, assesses the accuracy of a comprehensive screening procedure for identifying such problems, and compares two models using preschool and kindergarten data. Characteristics of children missed by the models are presented, and labeling issues are addressed.