TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF CHILD ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR

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The research and career objectives consist of the identification of effective interventions for antisocial behavior in children. The significance of the focus stems from the relatively high prevalence, poor long-term prognosis, and untoward social and personal consequences of antisocial behavior as well as the absence of treatments with empirically demonstrated efficacy. Identifying effective treatments will require an intensive and protracted research effort and development of expertise in the areas of diagnosis, assessment and treatment as related specifically to antisocial behavior. Specific research projects, professional growth experience, and collaborative work are directed toward these objectives. Three specific projects are delineated, each of which is currently funded (NIMH). The first project (Social and Cognitive Treatments for Conduct Problems) examines alternative treatments for conduct problem children. Investigations will evaluate two treatments (parent management training and problem-solving skills training) for inpatinet and outpatient children (ages 7-13) referred to treatment for their severely aggressive behavior. The two treatments focus on family interaction patterns and cognitive mediation deficits which have been identified as problematic among conduct problem children. The second project (Prevention of Antisocial Behavior in Children) evaluates the impact of a cognitive-behavioral social skills training program for children (ages 9-10) identified as at risk for antisocial behavior. High-risk children (n=450) will be assigned to the intervention program or no treatment. The intervention program is conducted in the schools for a period spanning two years. The short- and long-term impact will be examined on psychiatric dysfunction and multiple measures of performance at home, at school, and in the community. The third project (Child Firesetting: A Clinical and Empirical Evaluation) is designed to develop a profile of childhood firesetting by evaluating multiple domains of child, parent, and family functioning. Clinic (patient) and community (nonpatient) samples of children (ages 6-12) involving firesetters and nonfiresetters (n=440) will be compared. The objectives are to develop a conceptual model that can be used as the basis for early identification and treatment..