Antisocial behavior in youth is a growing problem in our society. Childhood antisocial behaviors (e.g., conduct problems) can become chronic as reflected in delinquency, adult interpersonal and domestic violence and other criminal behavior. A pattern of chronic child, adolescent and adult antisocial behavior weighs heavily on society with respect to the high cost of treatment, pain and suffering for the victims and their family, and even loss of lives. The majority of studies of antisocial behavior have focused on individual psychological factors, or peer and neighborhood influence. Few studies considered physiological aspects of antisocial behavior in children, in spite of the growing evidence linking physiological processes and crime in adults.
The aims of the study are: (1) To examine the relationship between gonadal and adrenal hormone concentrations and conduct problems in children, (2) To examine whether gonadal and adrenal hormones moderate the effect of treatment on conduct problems, and (3) To examine whether treatment of conduct problems alters gonadal and adrenal hormones of children with conduct problems. In response to the NINR RFA, """"""""Clinical Trials: Collaborations for Nursing Research,"""""""" encouraging a link with an existing clinical trial, we will take advantage of a unique opportunity to assess the effect of a behavior intervention on hormone concentrations in a treatment trial to reduce severe conduct problems in sample of 6 to 11-year-old boys and girls (N = 158). There is random assignment to treatment conducted in either the experimental (EXP) community setting (home, school, neighborhood) or the clinic (CLIN). Services are provided by trained clinicians who administer specialized treatment protocols that address problems across participants (child, parent, teachers) and contexts (home, community). A comparison group for treatment as usual (TAU) in a community mental health center also will be included. Our proposed methodology of adding hormones enhances the field by addressing limitations of the few previous studies of children and conduct problems utilizing physiological measures. We anticipate that findings will contribute to further understanding of the neurophysiology of conduct problems in youth. The project is unique in that it is longitudinal and it examines for the first time, the effect of behavioral interventions on physiological processes.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NR007615-02
Application #
6393118
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZNR1-REV-A (27))
Program Officer
Bryan, Yvonne E
Project Start
2000-09-30
Project End
2003-08-31
Budget Start
2001-09-01
Budget End
2002-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$313,303
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pittsburgh
Department
Miscellaneous
Type
Schools of Nursing
DUNS #
053785812
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15213
Shenk, Chad E; Dorn, Lorah D; Kolko, David J et al. (2014) Prior exposure to interpersonal violence and long-term treatment response for boys with a disruptive behavior disorder. J Trauma Stress 27:585-92
Shenk, Chad E; Dorn, Lorah D; Kolko, David J et al. (2012) Predicting Treatment Response for Oppositional Defiant and Conduct Disorder Using Pre-treatment Adrenal and Gonadal Hormones. J Child Fam Stud 21:973-981
Dorn, Lorah D; Kolko, David J; Shenk, Chad E et al. (2011) Influence of treatment for disruptive behavior disorders on adrenal and gonadal hormones in youth. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 40:562-71
Dorn, Lorah D; Kolko, David J; Susman, Elizabeth J et al. (2009) Salivary gonadal and adrenal hormone differences in boys and girls with and without disruptive behavior disorders: Contextual variants. Biol Psychol 81:31-9
Kolko, David J; Dorn, Lorah D; Bukstein, Oscar G et al. (2009) Community vs. clinic-based modular treatment of children with early-onset ODD or CD: a clinical trial with 3-year follow-up. J Abnorm Child Psychol 37:591-609