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Vol. 18, No. 6, June 2002
1. Family, parenting interventions reduce 'jail' time
2. Prenatal cocaine exposure causes cognitive deficits

Family, parenting interventions reduce 'jail' time
Results of a meta-analysis of eight randomized controlled trials involving children and adolescents with conduct disorder and/or delinquent behavior suggests that family and parenting interventions can significantly reduce the amount of time juvenile delinquents spend in institutions such as detention centers. The study, which retrospectively examined data for over 700 youth ages 10 to 17 years, employed several different family and parenting interventions, including short-term family intervention, parent training, multisystemic therapy (MST), multi-dimensional intervention foster care (MTFC) and an adolescent diversion project with family and multifocus conditions. Family and parenting interventions were found to significantly reduce the number of days juvenile delinquents spent in institutions compared with those who received the usual interventions (mean reduction= 51.34 days). A significant reduction in rearrest rates for juvenile delinquents, as well as reductions in the rate of subsequent arrests at one-and three-year follow-up, was also found. "This evidence suggests that family and parenting interventions for juvenile delinquents and their families have beneficial effects on reducing time spent in institutions and their criminal activity," the researchers conclude. "In addition to the obvious benefit to the participant and their family, this may result in a cost saving for society." Woolfenden SR, Williams K, Peat JK: Family and parenting interventions for conduct disorder and delinquency: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Archives of Disease in Childhood 2002; 86:251-256. Correspondence to: Dr. Woolfenden, Department of Pediatrics, Caroline Chisholm Center, Locked Bag 7103, Liverpool BC NSW 1871; e-mail: susanw@chw.edu.au

Family, parenting interventions reduce 'jail' time

Results of a meta-analysis of eight randomized controlled trials involving children and adolescents with conduct disorder and/or delinquent behavior suggests that family and parenting interventions can significantly reduce the amount of time juvenile delinquents spend in institutions such as detention centers.

The study, which retrospectively examined data for over 700 youth ages 10 to 17 years, employed several different family and parenting interventions, including short-term family intervention, parent training, multisystemic therapy (MST), multi-dimensional intervention foster care (MTFC) and an adolescent diversion project with family and multifocus conditions.

Family and parenting interventions were found to significantly reduce the number of days juvenile delinquents spent in institutions compared with those who received the usual interventions (mean reduction= 51.34 days). A significant reduction in rearrest rates for juvenile delinquents, as well as reductions in the rate of subsequent arrests at one-and three-year follow-up, was also found.

"This evidence suggests that family and parenting interventions for juvenile delinquents and their families have beneficial effects on reducing time spent in institutions and their criminal activity," the researchers conclude. "In addition to the obvious benefit to the participant and their family, this may result in a cost saving for society."

Woolfenden SR, Williams K, Peat JK: Family and parenting interventions for conduct disorder and delinquency: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Archives of Disease in Childhood 2002; 86:251-256. Correspondence to: Dr. Woolfenden, Department of Pediatrics, Caroline Chisholm Center, Locked Bag 7103, Liverpool BC NSW 1871; e-mail: susanw@chw.edu.au

Prenatal cocaine exposure causes cognitive deficits
Prenatal cocaine exposure may cause significant cognitive deficits and double the rate of developmental delay during the first two years of a child's life, according to the results of a longitudinal, prospective, masked, comparison birth cohort study. Participants included 218 cocaine-exposed and 197 unexposed infants identified from a high-risk, low-socio-economic status, primarily black (80%) population, who were recruited from a large urban teaching hospital between 1994 and 1996. Clinical interviews and urine and meconium samples were used to test for drug use. The researchers found that among cocaine-exposed children, the rate of mental retardation (13.7%) was nearly five times higher than the rate expected for the population at large. The percentage of children with mild or greater delays requiring intervention was 38 percent, almost double the rate of the high-risk non-cocaine but polydrug-exposed comparison group, according to the researchers. The researchers conclude, "Because two-year outcomes are predictive of later cognitive outcomes, it is possible that these children will continue to have learning difficulties at school age." Singer LT, Arendt R, Minnes S, Farkas K, Salvator A, Kirchner HL, Kliegman R: Cognitive and motor outcomes of cocaine-exposed infants. Journal of the American Medical Association 2002; 287(15):1952-1960. Correspondence to: Dr. Singer, Case Western Reserve University, Triangle Bldg., 11400 Euclid Ave., Suite 250-A, Cleveland, OH 44106; e-mail: lxs5@po.cwru.edu.

Prenatal cocaine exposure causes cognitive deficits

Prenatal cocaine exposure may cause significant cognitive deficits and double the rate of developmental delay during the first two years of a child's life, according to the results of a longitudinal, prospective, masked, comparison birth cohort study.

Participants included 218 cocaine-exposed and 197 unexposed infants identified from a high-risk, low-socio-economic status, primarily black (80%) population, who were recruited from a large urban teaching hospital between 1994 and 1996. Clinical interviews and urine and meconium samples were used to test for drug use.

The researchers found that among cocaine-exposed children, the rate of mental retardation (13.7%) was nearly five times higher than the rate expected for the population at large. The percentage of children with mild or greater delays requiring intervention was 38 percent, almost double the rate of the high-risk non-cocaine but polydrug-exposed comparison group, according to the researchers.

The researchers conclude, "Because two-year outcomes are predictive of later cognitive outcomes, it is possible that these children will continue to have learning difficulties at school age."

Singer LT, Arendt R, Minnes S, Farkas K, Salvator A, Kirchner HL, Kliegman R: Cognitive and motor outcomes of cocaine-exposed infants. Journal of the American Medical Association 2002; 287(15):1952-1960. Correspondence to: Dr. Singer, Case Western Reserve University, Triangle Bldg., 11400 Euclid Ave., Suite 250-A, Cleveland, OH 44106; e-mail: lxs5@po.cwru.edu.

The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, June 2002
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