Dimensional and Multicultural Assessment of Preschoolers’ Behavioral, Emotional, and Social Problems

This chapter presents nosological models for early childhood psychopathology embodied in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), fifth edition, and the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision. It also presents the revised Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Development Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood as another nosological approach that provides more differentiated diagnostic categories and criteria for early childhood disorders. As an alternative to the top-down nosological approaches based on experts’ concepts of disorders, the chapter presents bottom-up approaches that statistically derive dimensional syndromes from ratings of problems in large samples of children. Statistically derived syndromes have been supported by data from multiple informants in dozens of societies around the world. The data from these societies have been used to construct multicultural norms for the syndromes, for DSM-oriented scales, and for broad-spectrum Internalizing, Externalizing, and Total Problems scales. Case illustrations are provided for translational applications in medical, mental health, educational, and child or family service settings.

Does African American Women’s Racial Identity Mediate Gendered Racism on Anticipated Relationship Threat?

The present study examined the question of whether racial identity among African American women mediated the relationship between gendered racism and anticipated relationship threat. Using the Multicultural Assessment Intervention Process (MAIP) framework, we examined the relationship of gendered racism, racial identity, and anticipated relationship threat among a convenience sample of 411 African American women. A structural model was configured with gendered racism directly predicting anticipated relationship threat and racial identity serving as a mediator. Results indicated that greater levels of perceived gendered racism were associated with greater perceptions of anticipated relationship threat. Racial identity was found to not mediate the association with anticipated relationship threat. Individuals with less education experienced higher levels of concern regarding physical safety and controlling behaviors than those with more education. Implications for future relationship threat research with African American women are discussed.