Career decision-making self-efficacy of South African high school boys and girls.

Social cognitive career theory suggests that males and females may not differ in career decision-making self-efficacy, but this statement requires extension of research to high school samples. The Career Decision-making Self-efficacy Scale-Short Form was administered to white South African high school students in Grades 9 to 11, of whom 368 were boys and 494 girls. No significant sex differences were found, suggesting that career interventions based on social cognitive career theory in high school need not be sex-specific in content.

The Denver II Scales and the Griffiths Scales of Mental Development: a correlational study.

Screening measures aim to minimise the number of children being diagnosed incorrectly; however, many of these measures have been based on the "normal" white population. This study identified the need for a valid developmental assessment of black preschool children. The general aim of the study was to investigate the use of the Denver II and the Griffiths Scales on a pre-school black Xhosa-speaking sample. Specifically, the aim was to investigate the relationship between the Denver II Scales and the Griffiths Scales, in order to provide the first step in establishing the validity of the Denver II Scales on a South African black population. A correlational design was used and the sample was comprised of 60 Xhosa-speaking children between the ages of 3 and 6 years. The findings revealed that there was a significant relationship between the overall performance of the Denver II and the Griffiths Scales. However, the Personal-Social Scale of the Denver II appeared to have items that were culturally biased. Further, the Denver II further identified a higher percentage of the sample to have abnormal or questionable protocols than the Griffiths Scales did.

Prescribing patterns of tricyclic and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants among a sample of adolescents and young adults.

PURPOSE: There are few studies that document antidepressant prescribing in young patients. Although tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are considered equal in efficacy to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the latter have an improved side effect profile. The aim of this study was to investigate the prescribing patterns of TCAs and SSRIs among adolescents and young adults, with reference to prescribing frequency, cost and dose. METHOD: A retrospective drug utilization study was conducted over a 14-month period, from January 2000 to February 2001. RESULTS: There were 166 antidepressants prescribed to 98 adolescents and young adults. TCAs were prescribed more frequently than SSRIs, with amitryptiline and fluoxetine being the two most frequently prescribed antidepressants. Fluoxetine accounted for a higher ratio of cost to prescribing frequency than amitryptiline. Amitryptiline was issued in small quantities of tablets, resulting in a low average calculated prescribed daily dose (PDD). Duration of treatment was not considered optimal for SSRIs or TCAs. CONCLUSION: This study elicits prescribing patterns that contribute to the relative scarcity of data on antidepressant drugs for young patients.