Parenting practices significantly influence children’s emotional, behavioral, and social development. The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ) assesses crucial parenting aspects linked to children’s disruptive behavior. The study aimed to provide further psychometric evidence from a multi-informant perspective of the Catalan parent-rated version of the APQ, including factor structure, gender-age invariance, internal consistency, and associations with mental health and social competence in a community sample of 937 children (6–12 years old). Confirmatory factor analyses provided partial support for the hypothesized 5-factor structure of the APQ, including Involvement (IN), Positive Parenting (PP), Poor Monitoring/Supervision (MS), Inconsistent Discipline (ID), and Corporal Punishment (CP). Absolute fit indices indicated an acceptable model fit; however, incremental fit indices fell below conventional cutoffs. Measurement invariance analyses supported partial invariance across child gender but did not support invariance across age groups. Internal consistency was marginal for IN, PP, and ID scores, and poor for MS and CP scores. Evidence of convergent and divergent validity was observed, with APQ dimensions showing associations with mental health and social competence in theoretically expected directions, particularly for ID and CP. Overall, these findings suggest that while the APQ is sensitive to variability in parenting practices associated with child adjustment, its psychometric properties differ across developmental stages in the age range studied. These results highlight the need for age-sensitive refinements and improvements in reliability before broader developmental generalization. The scores from the APQ show a 5-factor structure with partial support in a community sample. The APQ scores show partial gender invariance and no age invariance among children. The APQ scores show marginal internal consistency in three subscales, and poor in two. Ineffective parenting practices are associated with higher mental health issues and lower social competence. Significant differences in parenting practices are observed based on children’s gender and age.

Psychopathic traits (PT) are present from early development and are associated with severe behavioral problems (BP). Poorer executive function (EF) is also associated with BP. This study aims to examine whether PT are associated with deficits in EF, whether these deficits are associated with BP, and the potential mediating role of EF in the relationship between PT and BP. Parents of 180 children at "risk for psychopathology", aged 5-12 years (M = 8.29; SD = 2.13; 41.1% girls) participated in the study. Results from path analyses supported the expected direct effects, and highlighted the mediation effect of EF in the association between PT and BP. The effects were noteworthy when considering behavioral regulation and emotional control, showing how the relationship between the affective dimension of PT (callous-unemotional traits) and BP was fully mediated by these EF. These findings provide insight to BP heterogeneity and may clarify pathways of BP development, prognosis, and treatment.

The triarchic model of psychopathy emerged with the aim of reconciling and accommodating previous descriptive accounts of psychopathy. The dimensions of this model, operationalized through the triarchic psychopathy measure (TriPM; Patrick, 2010), have shown adequate correlations with respect to other psychopathy measures in adult incarcerated population, but more research is needed with justice-involved youth. The general goal of this research was to analyze the convergent validity of the TriPM, using self- and clinician-rated psychopathy measures, in seventy-two 14-22 years old males (M = 18.17; SD = 1.18) who were under the most restrictive custodial measure of the Catalonia's justice system (Spain). The results showed that TriPM shows adequate convergent validity in reference to the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV), the Clinical Assessment of Prosocial Emotions (CAPE), the Youth Psychopathy Traits Inventory (YPI) and the Inventory of Callous Unemotional Traits (ICU), specially when using same informants and assessment approaches. The findings provided evidence that the TriPM is an adequate measure to study psychopathy in juvenile justice context and can contribute to elaborate prevention and treatment programs. Nonetheless, further research employing multimethod approaches is needed.

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits in children and adolescents are linked to severe and persistent antisocial behavior. Based on past empirical research, several theoretical models have suggested that CU traits may be partly explained by difficulties in correctly identifying others’ emotional states as well as their reduced attention to others’ eyes, which could be important for both causal theory and treatment. This study tested the relationships among CU traits, emotion recognition of facial expressions and visual behavior in a sample of 52 boys referred to a clinic for conduct problems (Mage = 10.29 years; SD = 2.06). We conducted a multi-method and multi-informant assessment of CU traits through the Child Problematic Traits Inventory (CPTI), the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional (ICU), and the Clinical Assessment of Prosocial Emotions-Version 1.1 (CAPE). The primary goal of the study was to compare the utility of these methods for forming subgroups of youth that differ in their emotional processing abilities. An emotion recognition task assessed recognition accuracy (percentage of mistakes) and absolute dwell time on the eyes or mouth region for each emotion. Results from repeated measures ANOVAs revealed that low and high CU groups did not differ in emotion recognition accuracy, irrespective of the method of assessing CU traits. However, the high CU group showed reduced attention to the eyes of fearful and sad facial expressions (using the CPTI) or to all emotions (using the CAPE). The high CU group also showed a general increase in attention to the mouth area, but only when assessed by the CAPE. These findings provide evidence to support abnormalities in how those elevated on CU traits process emotional stimuli, especially when assessed by a clinical interview, which could guide appropriate assessment and more successful interventions for this group of youth.

The current study examined the psychometric properties (factor structure, reliability and validity) of the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV; Forth et al., 2003) in Spanish samples of male justice-involved youths between 15 and 22-years old. The PCL:YV was administered to two groups of youths who were incarcerated ( n = 62; n = 95) and a sample of youth on probation ( n = 122). Confirmatory factor analyses showed acceptable-to-good fit for three- and four-factor models. The four-factor hierarchical model with a second-order higher factor representing the whole psychopathy construct was considered for further analyses. PCL:YV scores showed high internal consistency and inter-rater reliability. Low-to-moderate convergence with other measures of psychopathic traits evinced an adequate convergent validity. Convergent and discriminant validity of the PCL:YV total scores were also confirmed considering several measures of psychopathology and personality traits. Importantly, the differential external correlates of the PCL:YV factors provide support for a multidimensional conceptualization of the psychopathy construct. Altogether, these results reveal adequate psychometric properties of the PCL:YV in Spanish population of justice-involved youths and justifies its use to assess psychopathic traits in this kind of populations.

Deficits in fear conditioning related to psychopathy have been widely studied in adults. However, evidence in children and adolescents is scarce and inconsistent. This research aimed to expand knowledge about fear conditioning in psychopathy and its dimensions in child and early adolescent clinical populations. Participants were 45 boys (outpatients) aged 6–14 years (M = 10.59, SD = 2.04). They were assessed with the parents’ and teachers’ versions of the Child Problematic Traits Inventory (CPTI). A fear conditioning paradigm (Neumann et al., in Biological Psychology, 79(3), 337–342, 2008) for children and adolescents was used. Conditioned stimuli (CS+ and CS-) were geometric shapes and the unconditioned stimulus (US) was an unpleasant sound of metal scraping on slate (83 dB). Difference scores (CS+ minus CS-) in skin conductance responses (SCR) and self-reported cognitive and affective measures were considered as indices of fear conditioning. Results showed that: a) deficits in fear conditioning were related to some psychopathy dimensions but not to psychopathy as a unitary construct; b) the Impulsivity-Need for Stimulation dimension was a predictor of impaired fear conditioning at a cognitive level; c) the interaction of Callous-Unemotional and Impulsivity-Need for Stimulation dimensions was a significant predictor of impaired electrodermal fear conditioning; d) by contrast, the Grandiose-Deceitful dimension, was marginally associated with a greater electrodermal fear conditioning. In conclusion, psychopathy dimensions and their interactions, but not psychopathy as a whole, predicted deficits in fear conditioning as measured by SCR and cognitive indices. These findings confirm the notion that psychopathic traits are associated with deficits in fear conditioning in child and adolescent clinical populations and provide support for a multidimensional approach to youth psychopathy.

The Clinical Assessment of Prosocial Emotions: Version 1.1 (CAPE 1.1) uses structured clinical judgments to diagnose the “with limited prosocial emotions” specifier for Conduct Disorder. This study examined (a) the internal consistency and interrater agreement, and (b) the convergent and divergent validity of the CAPE 1.1 in 72 young males who were incarcerated in two Spanish juvenile detention centers (age range = 14–22 years). The CAPE 1.1 showed good interrater agreement for making the diagnosis of the specifier and adequate internal consistency. The CAPE 1.1 was associated with other measures of callous–unemotional traits, but less consistently associated with other dimensions of psychopathy. Youth who met diagnostic criteria for the specifier scored higher on externalizing problems, but did not differ from other youth who were incarcerated on internalizing problems. These results provide preliminary support for the psychometric properties of the CAPE 1.1 for the clinical assessment of the specifier.

The aim of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Spanish teacher-rated Child Problematic Traits Inventory (CPTI) in two community samples of 3- to 12-year-old children. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) supported the three-factor structure of the CPTI (Grandiose-Deceitful: GD; Callous-Unemotional: CU; Impulsive-Need for Stimulation: INS), being invariant across gender and age groups. The CPTI total and factor scores showed excellent internal consistencies (> .90) in the total group, and across gender and age groups. In support of their criterion validity, the CPTI scores were positively related to psychopathy scores as measured by an alternative teacher-rated measure. In support of their convergent validity, the CPTI scores showed the expected relations to variables that have been linked to psychopathic personality, including fearlessness, conduct problems, aggression, and low prosocial behavior. Overall, these findings suggest that the Spanish teacher-rated version of the CPTI has good psychometric properties and seems to be a promising tool for studying psychopathic traits in children.

AbstractThe Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) is a well-established measure of panic symptoms but few data exist on this instrument in non north-American samples. Our main goal was to assess the psychometric properties (internal consistency, test re-test reliability, inter-rater reliability, convergent and divergent validity) and the factor structure of the Spanish version. Ninety-four patients with a main diagnosis of panic disorder were assessed with the Spanish version of PDSS, the Anxiety Sensitivity Index–3 (ASI-3), the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (PAS), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) the PDSS self-rating form and the Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale (CGI). The Spanish PDSS showed acceptable internal consistency (α = .74), excellent test-retest (total score and items 1–6: α > .58,p< .01) and inter-rater reliability (most intraclass correlation coefficient values for the total score were > .90) and medium to large convergent validity (r= .68, 95% CI [.54, .79],p< .01;r= .80, 95% CI [.70, .87],p< .01;r= .48, 95% CI [.28, .67],p< .01; BAI, PAS and ASI–3 total scores respectively). Data on divergent validity (BDI-II total score: r= .52, 95% CI [.34, .67],p< .01) suggest some need for refinement of the PDSS. The confirmatory factor analysis suggested a two-factor modified model for the scale (nested χ2= 14.01,df= 12,p< .001). The Spanish PDSS has similar psychometric properties as the previous versions and is a useful instrument to assess panic symptoms in clinical settings in Spanish-speaking populations.

Panic disorder (PD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders. Web-based self-help treatments for PD have had promising results. These online treatments seem to have larger effect sizes (ESs) when professional support is added. However, the amount of support or how it should be administered is not yet clear. The aim of this trial was to study two ways of administering psychological support provided by phone as a part of Internet-based self-help treatment for PD based on cognitive behavioral therapy. Seventy-seven participants diagnosed with PD were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: a waiting list control group; a treatment group with non-scheduled psychological support; or a treatment group with scheduled psychological support. PD symptoms of participants who received treatment improved significantly compared to the control group (mean ES d = 1.18, p < .05). In addition, there were statistically and clinically significant differences between treatment groups (Mean difference = -3.20, p = .005, 95% CI [-5.62, -.79]). The scheduled group showed a larger ES, a lower dropout rate, and better adherence to treatment than the non-scheduled group. Scheduled support seems to be indicated for patients who seek Web-based treatment for PD, and their symptoms of panic, anxiety, and depression improve at post-treatment and six-month follow-up. In contrast, when support depends on patient demand, they receive less support and so, the therapeutic effect is poorer.

This paper analyses the dynamics between ethnic boundaries and electoral alignment in the context of western minority nationalisms by focusing on the Catalan case. In particular, the research explores the changes in boundary shifts at the electoral level, whether they affect differently pro-sovereignty and pro-union parties, and to what extent changes have reinforced the ethnic alignment of vote. Methodologically, the analysis is based on observational data from the elections of 2010 and 2012, which allows control over some of the traditional limits of opinion studies. The results suggest that ethnicity is a dynamic factor that has gained relevance for both sub-state and state-wide parties, and that processes of boundary contraction are not necessarily associated with electoral failure.

Research Findings: Supportive mother-child interactions promote the development of social-emotional competence. Poverty and other associated psychosocial risk factors have a negative impact on mother-child interaction. In spite of Latino children being disproportionately represented among children living in poverty, research on mother-child interactions among economically disadvantaged Latino families remains scarce and results are mixed. The current study used an ecological approach to examine the relationship between maternal cumulative risk, child developmental delay, observed and self-reported quality of the mother-child relationship, time spent in Head Start, and teachers' and parents' ratings of social-emotional competence among 106 Latino Head Start children and their mothers. Cumulative risk showed a negative association with observed maternal supportiveness and self-reported quality of the mother-child relationship. Cumulative risk had negative and positive indirect effects, respectively, on child social competence and problem behavior through perceived quality of the mother-child relationship. This association only occurred when parent ratings of child behavior were used. Time spent in Head Start moderated the association between observed maternal supportiveness and social competence. Practice or Policy: Implications for providers and researchers attempting to improve social-emotional competence in disadvantaged Latino children by enhancing positive and supportive parenting practice are discussed.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158224.].

Abnormal fear conditioning processes (including fear acquisition and conditioned fear-generalization) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders. Previous research has shown that individuals with panic disorder present enhanced conditioned fear-generalization in comparison to healthy controls. Enhanced conditioned fear-generalization could also characterize generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), but research so far is inconclusive. An important confounding factor in previous research is comorbidity. The present study examined conditioned fear-acquisition and fear-generalization in 28 patients with GAD and 30 healthy controls using a recently developed fear acquisition and generalization paradigm assessing fear-potentiated startle and online expectancies of the unconditioned stimulus. Analyses focused on GAD patients without comorbidity but included also patients with comorbid anxiety disorders. Patients and controls did not differ as regards fear acquisition. However, contrary to our hypothesis, both groups did not differ either in most indexes of conditioned fear-generalization. Moreover, dimensional measures of GAD symptoms were not correlated with conditioned fear-generalization indexes. Comorbidity did not have a significant impact on the results. Our data suggest that conditioned fear-generalization is not enhanced in GAD. Results are discussed with special attention to the possible effects of comorbidity on fear learning abnormalities.

Background: Panic Disorder (PD) is a common mental disorder with an important social and economic cost. Web-based screening tools for early detection of PD are useful for clinical and research purposes. However, there is a paucity of instruments that specifically measure PD online. The aim of this study is to analyze the validity of one item horn the Web Screening Questionnaire designed to detect PD symptoms (WSQ-Panic).Methods: A total of 171 participants completed the WSQ-Panic online and were assessed by telephone using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID4). The sensitivity, the specificity, predictive values (PPV, NPV), and area under the ROC curve (AUC) were calculated, and the optimal cutoff point was determined.Results: The WSQ-Panic showed a sensitivity of 0.83 and a specificity of 0.74. The PPV was 0.46 and NPV was 0.94. The AUC was 0.82 (95% CI: 0.74-0.90), which indicates a moderate accuracy. The optimal cut-off point is >= 2.Limitations: The representativeness of the sample is limited. All the interviews were conducted by phone. Six-month prevalence according to SCID4 criteria was considered, whereas the WSQ-Panic assesses current symptoms.Conclusion: The WSQ-Panic accuracy is acceptable as an Internet screening tool, comparable to longer instruments for PD detection. This instrument is valid to quickly identify patients who suffer from panic symptoms, which can cause important distress and possibly lead to PD. It can also be very useful for screening participants in online self-help treatments and for research purposes. (C) 2015 Elsevier BY. All rights reserved.

There is specific controversy over the most suitable factor structure for the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), the leading measure of psychopathy. This controversy extends to the adolescents version, the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV; Forth, Kosson and Hare, 2004). The internal structure of the PCL:YV was examined in a sample of 240 young male offenders. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that 4-factor parceled solution (Neumann, Kosson, Forth, & Hare, 2006) provided the best fit to the data, followed by the Cooke and Michie's 3-factor, and the Hare's (2003) 4-factors. One-factor model and 2-factors model (Hare, 1991) were less adequate. Results supported the structure of the technical manual of the PCL:YV and other empirical studies.

UNLABELLED:Although enhanced fear conditioning has been implicated in the origins of social anxiety disorder (SAD), laboratory evidence in support of this association is limited. Using a paradigm employing socially relevant unconditioned stimuli, we conducted two separate studies to asses fear conditioning in individuals with SAD and non-clinical individuals with high social anxiety (subclinical social anxiety [SSA]). They were compared with age-matched and gender-matched individuals with another anxiety disorder (panic disorder with agoraphobia) and healthy controls (Study 1) and with individuals with low social anxiety (Study 2). Contrary to our expectations, in both studies, self-report measures (ratings of anxiety, unpleasantness and arousal to the conditioned stimuli) of fear conditioning failed to discriminate between SAD or SSA and the other participant groups. Our results suggest that enhanced fear conditioning does not play a major role in pathological social anxiety.KEY PRACTITIONER MESSAGE:We used a social conditioning paradigm to study fear conditioning in clinical and subclinical social anxiety. We found no evidence of enhanced fear conditioning in social anxiety individuals. Enhanced fear conditioning may not be a hallmark of pathological social anxiety.