The purpose of this study was to examine five possible models of negative emotionality using the short version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) in a large sample of non‐clinical adolescents (N = 677). The results from our confirmatory factor analysis reveal that negative emotionality in adolescents is best represented by the tripartite model. Our findings are in line with other studies regarding the structure of negative emotionality in adolescents and provide support for the validity of the tripartite model of negative emotionality underlying the DASS‐21 in adolescent boys and girls. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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This study investigates the effects of six types of social support on distress and posttraumatic stress disorders in security guards who did and did not encounter a critical incident. Three types of social support were significantly related to distress and posttraumatic stress disorder: emotional support in problem situations, instrumental support, and social companionship. Emotional support in problem situations paradoxically appeared to have an aggravating effect on distress and posttraumatic stress, whereas instrumental support and social companionship had a mitigating outcome.

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) in an adolescent sample (N = 406, ages 12 to 17). This is rarely done even though the TAS-20 is used in adolescent research. Five published factor models were tested. For good fitting models, a second-order model with alexithymia as a higher-order factor and metric invariance across sex and age groups was tested. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the original three-factor model and a four-factor model provided acceptable fit. Both models were invariant across sex, but not across age. Second-order models did not provide good fit. Reliability was good for the "Difficulty identifying feelings" subscale and acceptable for the "Difficulty describing feelings" subscale, but not for the "Externally oriented thinking" subscale. Measuring alexithymia with the TAS-20 in adolescents thus seems problematic, especially in younger age groups.

The scarce empirical research into maternal filicide-suicide has resulted in a number of merely descriptive risk factors (depression, suicidality and psychosis) for the offender. The aim of this paper is to highlight the interaction amongst these risk factors via a case study of a woman who survived a filicide-suicide. We come to the conclusion that in order to better understand and prevent this type of crime, clinical social workers and other mental health professionals should take into account affect dysregulation as opposed to focusing merely on descriptive characteristics.