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Behavioral assessment of childhood disorders
378
Book Reviews
19SO). Perhaps this reflects the recent tendency tocvard insularity noted by the panel and will hopefully find correction bvith revitalized university ties. A second concern is the absence of evidence or discussion reflecting on RE-ED replications in large cities. For others like this writer who must look LIP wilderness in the dictionary to recall its meaning, the descriptions of RE-ED’s commitment to camping and spacious settings may leave some disquiet. These are clearly not essential to RE-ED success, but Hobbs unfortunately leaves the entire matter of replication and adaptions largely unexamined. Still, the book is scholarly and more engaging and faster reading than its unappealing mustard cover and inch-and-one-half thickness initially suggest. AS I read with pleasure and found much kindred material, I repeatedly asked myself, “Why don’t you know more about RE-ED?” Through reading, the answer became plain: hlost previous descriptions cited by Hobbs were dated or in hard-to-find sources. After reading Hobbs’ superb account of Project RE-ED, I no longer feel guilty or uninformed. Readers of this review should, on the other hand, feel guilty if they miss the opportunity to read Hobbs and become informed about Project RE-ED. References Kendall, P.C. On the efficacious use of verbal self-instruction procedures with children. Cognitive Therapy and Rrsearch, 1977, I, 331-341. Snyder, J.J., k \Vhite, M.J. The use of cognitive self-instruction in the treatment of behaviorallv disturbed adolescents. Brhnuzor Therapy. IYiY, IO, 227-235. Strain, P.S.. Steele, P.. Ellis, T., 8; Timm. X1.A. Long-term effects of oppositional child treatment with mothers as therapists and therapist trainers. Jounuzl o/ Applird Behnvmr Annlys2s. 1982. 15, 163-169. N’ells, K.C., Griest. D.L., & Forehand, R. The use of a self-control package to enhance temporal generality of a parent training program. Brkwior Rrsrcwlr nrtd Therapy, 1980, 18, 347-353.
University
Richard of California,
P. Barth Berkeley
Behavioral Assessment of Childhood Disorders By Eric J. &lash and Leif G. Terdal New York and London: Guilford Press, 1981, 749 pp., $37.50. I predict that readers will enjoy Mash and Terdal’s new edited volume on childhood disorders. This handsome, 749-page book has a balanced presentation of behavioral assessment of children’s disturbances that is useful to students, practitioners, and academicians. Contributors blend scholarship, practical advice, and directions for research in chapters on topics ranging from conduct disorders to seizure disorders.
Book Reviews
379
The book’s chapters are arranged into five parts--“Irltroduction.” Disorders,” “Developmental Dis‘VEsternalizing Disorders, ” “Internalizing The “Introduction” is a tour de orders,” and “Health-Related Disorders.” force by Eric Mash and Leif Tcrdal. They dispassionately examine the current state of behavorial assessment of children. Bv revielving the bob\., what. and whv of assessment, the authors place inio perspective traditional and behavioral techniques of measurement. The authors eschew tiresome polemics and aIlow readers to come to their own conclusions. subsumed in this section are Part 11 is on “Externalizing Disorders”: chapters on self-management problems, hyperactivity, conduct disorders, and child abuse. Chapters generally begin with a definition of the problem, follow with a review of research, and then briefly touch on etiological and epidemiological data. The remainder of each chapter is devoted to behavioral conceptualization and definition, behavioral assessment methods, and a short section on treatment directions. The quality of this part is uneven. Not surprisingly, the strongest chapters are those vn topics that are typically discussed in behavioral assessment texts. BarkleT’s chapter demonstrates that practical information and theoretical discusslons can be happily wed. The author draws on literature from many disciptines and ends up with a well-crafted chapter. Friedman, Sandler, Hernandez, and N’olfe’s chapter on child abuse is competently written as far as it goes. The authors’ discussion of the legal and ethical considerations is sketchy and needs expansion to make it useful. &fore troublesome is the authors’ failure to discuss child neglect. The prevalence of child neglect is sufficiently widespread to warrant some discussion. The chapter’s narrow focus makes it more useful for academicians than for practicing clinicians. The third part is labelled “Internalizing Disorders” and has chapters on children’s fears and anxieties, depression, and social skills deficits. The authors in the first and last chapters successfully compile information on their respective topics. Part of the authors’ ease in summarizing clinical and research findings can be attributed to behavior therapists’ long interest in these topics. In the chapter on social skills assessment, Hyman Hops and Charles Greenivood’s discussion of skills’ profiles and normatise data In the middle of this should prove especially interestin, c to researchers. section is Charles Costello’s chapter on childhood depression. Although childhood depression is well reviewed by Costello, available information appears more useful to academicians ancl researchers than to clinicians. depression is lvhether ‘It-hen the major controversy concernin, (7 childhood it exists, further gradations of measurement are examples of misplaced precision. Disorders,” includes chapters on The fourth part, “Developmental autism, learning disabilities, and psychosexual and gender problems. This part represents a departure from past texts on behavioral assessment. Newsom and Kincover’s chapter is a succinct and lucid overview of different measurement approaches of autism. In pulling together cross-disciplinary references and research findirgs, the authors base \b.ritten a primer on autism for students and practitioners. One mild criticism is that no
380
Book
Reviews
examples of diagnostic checklists are shown. Though the authors undoubtedly had restrictions on space, a diagnostic checklist would be useful to readers. Russell Barkley’s second contribution to the book is as good as his first. Barkley’s discussion of learning disabilities is thoioqh and practical. The suggestion to consult local, state, and federal statutes on definitions of learning disabilities is commendable and concern about cost-efliciency is often ignored in discussing clinical assessments. The fifth part on health-related disorders is a senture into behavioral medicine. Chapters in this part include one chronic illness. ‘Asthma and juvenile diabetes are used as examples of chronic illnesses. Why these maladies are chosen is not clear. Further, the author’s overall discussion of the assessment in chronic illness is sketchy. Finally, ecological assessments of chronic illness were left undiscussed. The issue is whether chronic illness can be neatly represented by asthma and juvenile diabetes. I suspect that more work is necessary on conceptualizing the different dimensions of chronic itlness before it can profitably be discussed in this book’s format. Foreyt and Goodrick’s chapter on the behavioral assessment of childhood obesity is a scholarly compilation. The chapter is probably more useful to academic,ians and researchers who are developing assessment and treatment programs than to clinicians. The authors adopt a relatively narrow approach in discussing obesity and do not discuss how to assess the family’s role in reinforcing a child’s dysfunctional behaviors. I was not sure of the intended audience for Balaschak and Xfostofsky’s chapter on seizure disorders. The authors’ discussion of the Seizure Disorder Survey Schedule and the Pre-Behavioral-Treatment Questionnaire \vas informative and practical. Unfortunately, other measurement concerns around epilepsy did not receive the same attention. Though readers will be able to use the two checklists, more information on incorporating physiological measures of epilepsy into behavioral assessments is necessary. The final two chapters on sleep disorders and elimination problems (i.e., eneuresis and encopresis) were up-to-date summaries of measurement issues and instruments. Both chapters should prove valuable as introductions to individuals faced with conducting an assessment of these disorders. Overall, the edited book is a valuable reference text for behavioral scientists--whether thev be students. academicians, or practitioners. Though the book’s pri& is steep, its value is commensurately high. Edited volumes of this quality should be bought as an affirmation of their scholinto clients’ arship, craft, common sense, and good clinical perspectives probfems.
Book Reviews
19SO). Perhaps this reflects the recent tendency tocvard insularity noted by the panel and will hopefully find correction bvith revitalized university ties. A second concern is the absence of evidence or discussion reflecting on RE-ED replications in large cities. For others like this writer who must look LIP wilderness in the dictionary to recall its meaning, the descriptions of RE-ED’s commitment to camping and spacious settings may leave some disquiet. These are clearly not essential to RE-ED success, but Hobbs unfortunately leaves the entire matter of replication and adaptions largely unexamined. Still, the book is scholarly and more engaging and faster reading than its unappealing mustard cover and inch-and-one-half thickness initially suggest. AS I read with pleasure and found much kindred material, I repeatedly asked myself, “Why don’t you know more about RE-ED?” Through reading, the answer became plain: hlost previous descriptions cited by Hobbs were dated or in hard-to-find sources. After reading Hobbs’ superb account of Project RE-ED, I no longer feel guilty or uninformed. Readers of this review should, on the other hand, feel guilty if they miss the opportunity to read Hobbs and become informed about Project RE-ED. References Kendall, P.C. On the efficacious use of verbal self-instruction procedures with children. Cognitive Therapy and Rrsearch, 1977, I, 331-341. Snyder, J.J., k \Vhite, M.J. The use of cognitive self-instruction in the treatment of behaviorallv disturbed adolescents. Brhnuzor Therapy. IYiY, IO, 227-235. Strain, P.S.. Steele, P.. Ellis, T., 8; Timm. X1.A. Long-term effects of oppositional child treatment with mothers as therapists and therapist trainers. Jounuzl o/ Applird Behnvmr Annlys2s. 1982. 15, 163-169. N’ells, K.C., Griest. D.L., & Forehand, R. The use of a self-control package to enhance temporal generality of a parent training program. Brkwior Rrsrcwlr nrtd Therapy, 1980, 18, 347-353.
University
Richard of California,
P. Barth Berkeley
Behavioral Assessment of Childhood Disorders By Eric J. &lash and Leif G. Terdal New York and London: Guilford Press, 1981, 749 pp., $37.50. I predict that readers will enjoy Mash and Terdal’s new edited volume on childhood disorders. This handsome, 749-page book has a balanced presentation of behavioral assessment of children’s disturbances that is useful to students, practitioners, and academicians. Contributors blend scholarship, practical advice, and directions for research in chapters on topics ranging from conduct disorders to seizure disorders.
Book Reviews
379
The book’s chapters are arranged into five parts--“Irltroduction.” Disorders,” “Developmental Dis‘VEsternalizing Disorders, ” “Internalizing The “Introduction” is a tour de orders,” and “Health-Related Disorders.” force by Eric Mash and Leif Tcrdal. They dispassionately examine the current state of behavorial assessment of children. Bv revielving the bob\., what. and whv of assessment, the authors place inio perspective traditional and behavioral techniques of measurement. The authors eschew tiresome polemics and aIlow readers to come to their own conclusions. subsumed in this section are Part 11 is on “Externalizing Disorders”: chapters on self-management problems, hyperactivity, conduct disorders, and child abuse. Chapters generally begin with a definition of the problem, follow with a review of research, and then briefly touch on etiological and epidemiological data. The remainder of each chapter is devoted to behavioral conceptualization and definition, behavioral assessment methods, and a short section on treatment directions. The quality of this part is uneven. Not surprisingly, the strongest chapters are those vn topics that are typically discussed in behavioral assessment texts. BarkleT’s chapter demonstrates that practical information and theoretical discusslons can be happily wed. The author draws on literature from many disciptines and ends up with a well-crafted chapter. Friedman, Sandler, Hernandez, and N’olfe’s chapter on child abuse is competently written as far as it goes. The authors’ discussion of the legal and ethical considerations is sketchy and needs expansion to make it useful. &fore troublesome is the authors’ failure to discuss child neglect. The prevalence of child neglect is sufficiently widespread to warrant some discussion. The chapter’s narrow focus makes it more useful for academicians than for practicing clinicians. The third part is labelled “Internalizing Disorders” and has chapters on children’s fears and anxieties, depression, and social skills deficits. The authors in the first and last chapters successfully compile information on their respective topics. Part of the authors’ ease in summarizing clinical and research findings can be attributed to behavior therapists’ long interest in these topics. In the chapter on social skills assessment, Hyman Hops and Charles Greenivood’s discussion of skills’ profiles and normatise data In the middle of this should prove especially interestin, c to researchers. section is Charles Costello’s chapter on childhood depression. Although childhood depression is well reviewed by Costello, available information appears more useful to academicians ancl researchers than to clinicians. depression is lvhether ‘It-hen the major controversy concernin, (7 childhood it exists, further gradations of measurement are examples of misplaced precision. Disorders,” includes chapters on The fourth part, “Developmental autism, learning disabilities, and psychosexual and gender problems. This part represents a departure from past texts on behavioral assessment. Newsom and Kincover’s chapter is a succinct and lucid overview of different measurement approaches of autism. In pulling together cross-disciplinary references and research findirgs, the authors base \b.ritten a primer on autism for students and practitioners. One mild criticism is that no
380
Book
Reviews
examples of diagnostic checklists are shown. Though the authors undoubtedly had restrictions on space, a diagnostic checklist would be useful to readers. Russell Barkley’s second contribution to the book is as good as his first. Barkley’s discussion of learning disabilities is thoioqh and practical. The suggestion to consult local, state, and federal statutes on definitions of learning disabilities is commendable and concern about cost-efliciency is often ignored in discussing clinical assessments. The fifth part on health-related disorders is a senture into behavioral medicine. Chapters in this part include one chronic illness. ‘Asthma and juvenile diabetes are used as examples of chronic illnesses. Why these maladies are chosen is not clear. Further, the author’s overall discussion of the assessment in chronic illness is sketchy. Finally, ecological assessments of chronic illness were left undiscussed. The issue is whether chronic illness can be neatly represented by asthma and juvenile diabetes. I suspect that more work is necessary on conceptualizing the different dimensions of chronic itlness before it can profitably be discussed in this book’s format. Foreyt and Goodrick’s chapter on the behavioral assessment of childhood obesity is a scholarly compilation. The chapter is probably more useful to academic,ians and researchers who are developing assessment and treatment programs than to clinicians. The authors adopt a relatively narrow approach in discussing obesity and do not discuss how to assess the family’s role in reinforcing a child’s dysfunctional behaviors. I was not sure of the intended audience for Balaschak and Xfostofsky’s chapter on seizure disorders. The authors’ discussion of the Seizure Disorder Survey Schedule and the Pre-Behavioral-Treatment Questionnaire \vas informative and practical. Unfortunately, other measurement concerns around epilepsy did not receive the same attention. Though readers will be able to use the two checklists, more information on incorporating physiological measures of epilepsy into behavioral assessments is necessary. The final two chapters on sleep disorders and elimination problems (i.e., eneuresis and encopresis) were up-to-date summaries of measurement issues and instruments. Both chapters should prove valuable as introductions to individuals faced with conducting an assessment of these disorders. Overall, the edited book is a valuable reference text for behavioral scientists--whether thev be students. academicians, or practitioners. Though the book’s pri& is steep, its value is commensurately high. Edited volumes of this quality should be bought as an affirmation of their scholinto clients’ arship, craft, common sense, and good clinical perspectives probfems.