Adolescence is thought to be a key developmental period for dissociative processes. However, there has been little empirical investigation of dissociation in adolescence. This paper reports the results of a study (N = 768) that investigated the psychometric properties of the Adolescent Dissociative Experiences Scale (A-DES) and compares dissociation scores across the adolescent age range (11 to 16 years). The A-DES had good internal reliability and a one-factor solution. No significant age or gender differences in A-DES scores were found. The implications of these findings for future research and theory are outlined.

Background: Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychopathologies in childhood; however, a high proportion of children with anxiety disorders do not access effective treatments. The aim of the present qualitative study was to understand families' experiences of seeking help and accessing specialist treatment for difficulties with childhood anxiety.Methods: Parents of 16 children (aged 7-12 years) referred to a child mental health service for difficulties with anxiety were interviewed about their experiences of seeking and accessing treatment within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). All interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed for similarities and differences in families' experiences.Results: Factors that helped and/or hindered families accessing treatment related to (a) parental recognition, (b) contact with professionals, (c) reaching CAMHS, (d) parental effort, and (e) parental knowledge and concerns. High demands on services and parents' uncertainty surrounding the help-seeking process presented key hurdles for families. The critical role of parental persistence and support from general practitioners and school staff was evident across interviews.Conclusions: Findings highlighted the need for information and guidance on identifying child anxiety difficulties and professional, peer, and self-help support, and ensuring sufficient provision is available to allow families prompt access to support.

In order to investigate identity maintenance strategies used by a low status group, a covert participant observation study was conducted in a shelter for the homeless. From Social Identity Theory and previous research on the homeless, it was hypothesized that the identity maintenance strategies used would dier as a function of longevity of homelessness: the shortterm homeless (52 years) would be less likely to identify themselves as homeless (social mobility), while the longer-term homeless (42 years) would identify themselves as homeless but engage in various types of social creativity to mitigate their situation. In addition to the strategies described in SIT, it was conjectured that some of the longest-term homeless would have given up making any intergroup or other social comparisons. Of the various strategies found, some were beyond SIT. The pattern of strategy use was best interpreted mainly as a function of longevity of homelessness, but this was moderated by both experience and personality. A trajectory of change in identity strategies with longevity of homelessness was oered as a plausible frame of reference for further research. Methodological limitations, implications for Social Identity Theory and recommendations for improving the situation of the homeless were discussed.

This study investigated the relationship between dissociation and psychological symptoms in adolescent girls with anorexia. First, the psychometric properties of the Adolescent Dissociative Experiences Scale (A-DES) were examined using data from 181 nonclinical adolescent boys and girls. Thereafter, A-DES scores and correlations with a range of psychological symptoms were compared across 20 girls with anorexia, 19 mixed clinical girls, and 86 nonclinical girls. The A-DES had a one-factor structure and good psychometric characteristics. Dissociation scores were significantly correlated with level of symptomatology for all groups. Although the group with anorexia did not have significantly higher dissociation scores than the other two groups, dissociation in the anorexic girls was related to psychopathology in a distinct way. Adolescent girls with anorexia appear to use dissociation specifically to avoid processing angry affect with an interpersonal basis, although it is also related to their use of somatization, and obsessive-compulsive features.