The International SAHA study, utilizes a comprehensive survey that collects information on adolescent behavior, risk and protective factors, psychiatric symptomatology and competencies. The survey has been administered biannually in all middle and high schools in New Haven, CT, (approximately 3000 students surveyed per year). This measure has revealed important trends over time in the state of youth in New Haven.

During the past year and one half, the SAHA has been extensively reviewed and its psychometric properties documented in preparation for its use in the International Project. Recently, the survey has been translated into several languages (among them Arabic, Flemish, German, Hebrew, Russian, Spanish and Swedish) and administered successfully to community youths in Belgium (Dr. Robert Vermeiren) and Russia (Dr. Vladislav Ruchkin). Three datasets have been analyzed to evaluate cross-cultural trends.

Topics Covered
To date, this work has focused on psychopathology and indicators of adolescent risk and adjustment. This has been sepecially useful in examining relationships between violence exposure and detrimental adolescent outcomes. Other recent projects have examined psychpathology and (PB) in relation to academic success or failure and dropout, as well as the relationship between school fators, psychopathology and achievement. These relationships have also been examined in cross-cultural settings.