No abstract

The Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS) is a multidimensional measure of degree of impairment in functioning. Interrater reliability data are presented for lay raters, graduate students, and frontline staff. Reliability was high for the total score and behaviorally-oriented scales. Construct, concurrent, and discriminant validity were assessed with the sample of children and adolescents evaluated at the Fort Bragg Demonstration Evaluation Project. Youth and their caregivers were evaluated via interview and selfcompleted instruments at four time points. Significant correlations were found between the CAFAS and other related constructs. Concurrent validity was demonstrated by logistic regression analyses examining the relationship between CAFAS ratings and problematic behaviors endorsed on measures completed by parents, teachers, or the youth. Youth with higher CAFAS total scores were much more likely to have poor social relationships, difficulties in schoo~ and problems with the law. Discriminant validity was assessed with a repeated measures analysis of variance with intensity of care at intake and time as factors. Youth who were inpatients or in residential treatment centers at intake had higher CAFAS scores than those who were outpatients. These findings provide strong evidence for the reliability and validity of the CAFAS.

The Symbol Digit Modalities Test is a substitution task that is the inverse of the Digit Symbol Test. The familiar task of filling numbers in boxes, and the availability of an oral administration, make this a popular screening instrument for brain impairment. Normative data were previously reported for a variety of clinical groups, but complete information on non-clinical samples across age, education, gender, and socioeconomic status is limited. The present study examines the performance of a community-dwelling control sample across age, education, gender, and income groupings. In a multivariate model, these four variables did not impact test performance. These results support the utilization of the SDMT as a robust screening test for adult neuropsychological impairment.

This is, to our knowledge, the first study that prospectively examines the relationship between sleep problems and early onset of alcohol use, a marker of increased risk for later alcohol problems and alcohol use disorders. Moreover, early childhood sleep problems seem to be a robust marker for use of drugs other than alcohol. Implications for the prevention of early alcohol and other drug use are discussed.