Search

current research trend is the identification of psychosocial variables that moderate and/or mediate the association between stressors and psychopathological symptoms. Research has shown Locus of Control (LoC) is a key cognitive component of this psychological process in adolescents from individualist cultures. It is unclear whether this finding can be generalized to collectivist adolescents given that LoC is argued to be a culturally relative construct. The study examined the moderating and mediating effects of LoC on the relationship between negative events and psychopathological symptoms (anxiety and depressive symptoms) in adolescents from collectivist countries (n = 2800). Consistent with prior research, negative life events and external LoC were associated with more psychopathological symptoms. Unlike past studies with samples from individualist countries, the study did not produce clear evidence that LoC moderated or mediated this relationship. Results are discussed in terms of cultural differences in the (un)desirability of external control.

Objectives: To test the sensitivity and specificity of the parent form of the ESSENCE-Q South Slavic language versions as a screening instrument for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in clinical settings. Methods: Children under the age of 6 assessed for developmental problems from seven centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia were included. Forty eight children had one or more NDDs, while 86 were of normal development. One parent per child completed the ESSENCE-Q with 12 items (possible scores 0-24). Results: Cronbach’s alpha for the total score was 0.91. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.96, where an optimal cut-off ≥ 3 had sensitivity of 0.96 (95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.86, 0.99]) and specificity of 0.84 (95% CI: [0.75, 0.91]). The diagnostic accuracy was similar when screening boys and girls separately (Youden index was 0.78 and 0.79, respectively), while it was greater when screening children aged 12-36 months than children aged 37-72 months (Youden index was 0.86 and 0.57, respectively). Conclusions: The ESSENCE-Q South Slavic language versions completed by parents could be used as a screening tool to identify children with NDDs in clinical settings. The screening instrument might have greater diagnostic accuracy when screening younger than older children, but this trend should be further confirmed.