The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the design elements that influence the ability of persons with severe mental illness (SMI) and cognitive deficits to use a website, and to use this knowledge to design a web-based telehealth application to deliver a psychoeducation program to persons with schizophrenia and their families. Usability testing was conducted with 98 persons with SMI. First, individual website design elements were tested. Based on these results, theoretical website design models were used to create several alternative websites. These designs were tested for their ability to facilitate use by persons with SMI. The final website design is presented. The results indicate that commonly prescribed design models and guidelines produce websites that are poorly suited and confusing to persons with SMI. Our findings suggest an alternative model that should be considered when designing websites and other telehealth interventions for this population. Implications for future studies addressing the characteristics of accessible designs for persons with SMI and cognitive deficits are discussed.

Objective: The present study identifies and summarizes treatment effects for children and adolescent conduct problems based on accrued meta-analytic studies. Method: Systematic search and coding procedures were used to summarize studies from 1980 to 2007. Results: A total of 26 meta-analytic reviews composed of nearly 2,000 studies revealed substantial variation in effect sizes. The majority (45%) of effect sizes was small to medium in magnitude ( d < .36). In terms of the distribution of effect sizes ( n = 125), the mean is d = 0.43 ( SD = 0.32). Conclusion: Although there is considerable variation in effect sizes, the results seem to demonstrate evidence for equifinality. Furthermore, these effects are sturdy across a number of interrelated outcomes. Practitioners who work with children and adolescents should be aware of the range of evidence-based treatments available for conduct problems. Limitations of taking stock of treatment outcome literature via meta-analyses are highlighted.

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We explored the presence of relatively discrete subgroups of adolescent females in a statewide sample (N = 94) using latent class statistical methodology. Specifically, we hypothesized that, rather than being a homogenous group, the girls in the sample would separate into clusters with both crossover and distinguishing characteristics. Results showed confirmation of our hypothesis with a best-fit three cluster solution consisting of a low violence cluster, a moderately violent cluster, Downloaded by [University of Waterloo] at 10:12 25 November 2014 and a high-rate violent cluster of girls. Findings provide a more precise identification and description of subgroups of female juvenile offenders to inform treatment efforts and provide a preliminary typology/cluster profile to build upon in future research addressing this population.