Journal of Clinical Psychology最新文献

This study aimed to compare the American and Chinese primary school students' psychosocial problems, utilizing the psychometric network analysis. American (n = 71, M_age = 36.93 years, SD = 10.52 years, all females) and Chinese (n = 74, M_age = 35.70 years, SD = 7.89 years, 85.92% females) primary school teachers were recruited to evaluate children's internalizing, externalizing, and attention problems using the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 (PSC-17). Each teacher evaluated 9 children in their classes. A total of 639 American students (M_age = 8.88 years, SD = 2.02 years, 55.56% females) and 666 Chinese students (M_age = 12.88 years, SD = 9.34 years, 57.96% females) were evaluated. Psychometric network analysis revealed distinct structures for American and Chinese children's psychosocial problems. In America, three distinct communities emerged, aligning with the theoretical constructs of the PSC-17. Conversely, while three communities were identified in China, three items assessing attention problems showed strong associations with those assessing internalizing problems, merging into the same community. The remaining two items assessing attention problems and the items assessing externalizing problems formed two other distinct communities. Moreover, in both cultures, the top three nodes with the highest centralities (‘Distracted easily,’ ‘Blame others for his or her troubles,’ and ‘has trouble concentrating’) are similar and all relate to externalizing and attention problems. However, the highest centralized node in the two cultures differed, with “Distracted easily” in America and “Blames others for his or her troubles” in China. In conclusion, the observed patterns in American and Chinese networks highlight the significant impact of culture on children's psychosocial issues. Although PSC-17 is a widely used screening tool in many languages, its application should be carefully considered in different cultural contexts, particularly when making cultural comparisons.

An increasing number of adolescents attending child and adolescent mental health services present symptoms consistent with an emerging personality disorder (PD). Early identification and intervention are critical to preventing the devastating progression of symptoms, reducing the duration of untreated disorders, and supporting the recovery, development, and future quality of life of these individuals. The primary aim of this paper is to introduce a group therapy proposal designed for the entire spectrum of adolescent PDs: Metacognitive Interpersonal Group Therapy for Adolescents (MIT-GA). MIT-GA is a profoundly experiential interpersonal psychotherapy aimed at promoting the progressive growth of awareness and regulation of mental states, that is metacognition, and so alleviating symptoms and interpersonal problems. The paper first outlines the core principles of the treatment, its general structure, and session content. Next, it illustrates the therapeutic methodology through the case of Nora, a 16-year-old adolescent suffering from emerging, moderate PD with mixed features, primarily dependent and borderline. To evaluate the therapy's impact, quantitative and qualitative results are presented before and after the treatment, as well as 6 months post-therapy, focusing on symptomatology, interpersonal functioning, and overall functioning. Finally, the paper offers reflections on working with PDs, and discusses the advantages and challenges of MIT-GA.

Perinatal depression (PD) is a significant mental health concern affecting women during pregnancy (antenatal depression, AD) and postpartum (postpartum depression, PPD). The association between AD and PPD is well established, with AD serving as a risk factor for PPD. Additionally, a history of depression and neuroticism have been identified as key vulnerability factors. However, the role of neuroticism remains controversial in the scientific literature, with some studies suggesting it is a stable predictor of depression, while others propose it may exhibit fluctuations in response to life events, altering its mediating role in PD. We aim to explore the role of psychological vulnerability (history of depression and neuroticism) and AD, as transdiagnostic risks factors contributing on PPD in a longitudinal sample of 229 women. Self-report questionnaires were administered during pregnancy and postpartum. Results indicate that a history of depression had an indirect effect on PPD, mediated by both neuroticism and AD. Given the uncertainties regarding the stability of neuroticism, further longitudinal research is needed to clarify its mediating role in perinatal depression. These findings underscore the importance of early identification of vulnerability factors, particularly a history of depression, to prevent AD and subsequent PPD. Screening for psychological vulnerability is essential in clinical practice. Early identification of psychological vulnerability may help reduce the risk of postpartum depression. Screening for these factors during pregnancy could help identify women with high levels of neuroticism, who may benefit from brief, evidence-based psychological interventions, such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Implementing targeted preventive strategies may enhance maternal mental health.