Infrequency scales are becoming a popular mode of data screening, due to their availability and ease of implementation. Recent research has indicated that the interpretation and functioning of infrequency items may not be as straightforward as had previously been thought (Curran & Hauser, 2015), yet there are no empirically based guidelines for implementing cutoffs using these items. In the present study, we compared two methods of detecting random responding with infrequency items: a zero-tolerance threshold versus a threshold that balances classification error rates. The results showed that a traditional zero-tolerance approach, on average, screens data that are less indicative of careless responding than those screened by the error-balancing approach. Thus, the de facto standard of applying a "zero-tolerance" approach when screening participants with infrequency scales may be too stringent, so that meaningful responses may also be removed from analyses. Recommendations and future directions are discussed.

Young adulthood is a peak period for externalizing behaviors such as substance abuse and antisocial conduct. Evidence from developmental neuroscience suggests that externalizing conduct within this time period may be associated with a “developmental asymmetry” characterized by an early peak in sensation seeking combined with a relatively immature impulse control system. Trait measures of impulsivity—sensation seeking and premeditation—are psychological manifestations of these respective systems, and multiple prior studies suggest that high sensation seeking and low premeditation independently confer risk for distinct forms of externalizing behaviors. The goal of the present study was to test this developmental asymmetry hypothesis, examining whether trait premeditation moderates the effect of sensation seeking on substance use and problems, aggression, and rule-breaking behavior. Using a cross-sectional sample of college-enrolled adults (n = 491), we applied zero-inflated modeling strategies to examine the likelihood and level of risky externalizing behaviors. Results indicated that lower premeditation enhanced the effect of higher sensation seeking on higher levels of positive and negative alcohol consequences, more frequent drug use, and more problematic drug use, but was unrelated to individual differences in antisocial behaviors. Our findings indicate that the developmental asymmetry between sensation seeking and a lack of premeditation is a risk factor for individual differences in problematic substance use among young adults, and may be less applicable for antisocial behaviors among high functioning individuals.

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Employing early intervention to prevent the development of PTSD in youth who have experienced a traumatic event is a significant public health goal and can minimize disruptions to development and the resulting cascade of effects caused by untreated trauma. Because not all youth require treatment, monitoring and identifying those in need of additional services is an important function of early intervention. The length and intensity of early interventions for youth span a continuum, with some emphasizing psychoeducation, safety, basic needs, and social support, whereas more targeted interventions may focus on cognitive appraisals, avoidance, or coping. Given the importance of family functioning to youth outcomes, some early interventions also target parent behavior to bolster the supports available to youth. Increasing access by embedding services in established systems or using web-based technologies is an important area for continued growth. Additional research is needed to understand how timing, development, context, and setting influence outcomes. [ Psychiatr Ann. 2019;49(7):320–324.]

This chapter provides an overview of basic concepts that lie in the pathway from traumatic stress to a broad range of clinical and life-trajectory outcomes, including characterization of the nature and role of a variety of mediating and moderating factors. Such intervening factors fall within categories of child intrinsic and child extrinsic features. The individual/family and community types of early interventions for children and adolescents after trauma are reviewed. Although many early interventions hold promise, a good deal more methodologically sound research is required to support their use across a variety of contexts. Increased knowledge of mediating and moderating factors on the outcome of trauma can inform development of improved evidence-based screening, clinical assessment, early and intermediate interventions, trauma-informed services for traumatized children and their families across stages of recovery, and public policy.