title: Validation and use of the Children's Hope Scale-revised PTPB edition (CHS-PTPB): high initial youth hope and elevated baseline symptomatology predict poor treatment outcomes.
abstract: The present study examined the relationship between initial youth hope, measured within the first 4 weeks of mental health treatment, and treatment progress over time (self-, caregiver-, and clinician-report of symptom severity) in a clinical sample of youth ages 11-18 years (N = 356). The psychometric properties of the CHS-PTPB, a revised version of the Children's Hope Scale, are also presented. Results indicate the CHS-PTPB is a psychometrically sound measure for use in this population. Additionally, results found that while higher levels of hope were associated with lower levels of symptom severity at baseline, initial level of hope was not significantly related to symptom improvement over time as reported by the youth and caregiver. Surprisingly, higher initial hope predicted slower treatment progress as rated by clinicians. According to clinician-rated symptom severity, youth with high initial hope and high baseline symptom severity show the poorest predicted clinical outcome. Implications, future directions, and limitations of the study are discussed.
authors.affiliation: HIV Mental Health Services, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010, USA. sdew@cnmc.org
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Dew-Reeves
authors.forename: M Michele
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Athay
authors.forename: Susan Douglas
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kelley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome