Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry最新文献

During the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries have observed an unexpected increase in the number of adolescents and young adults presenting with rapid onset functional tic-like behaviours after being exposed to social media content of others displaying a similar pattern of functional tics. Many of these patients have been referred to Movement Disorders Clinics with misdiagnoses of late-onset refractory Tourette Syndrome after failing different pharmacological treatments for tics. Tourette Syndrome is a well-known condition with clear clinical diagnostic criteria and which presents with the insidious onset of simple motor and phonic tics in a rostro-caudal evolution starting in early childhood. Clinical and demographic aspects can differentiate rapid onset functional tic-like behaviours from Tourette Syndrome, including the former having abrupt and explosive presentation of severe symptoms, later age of onset, female gender predominance, lack of suppressibility, comorbid anxiety and depression, atypical premonitory urge and history of exposure to social media content displaying tic-like behaviours. This new presentation of a functional neurological disorder may be explained in part by the relationship between social media exposure to tic-like behaviours, and maladaptive response to anxiety caused by life stressors (e.g. COVID-19 pandemic), especially in young individuals. Rapid onset functional tic-like behaviours may be considered a spreading neuropsychiatric disorder that is potentially fostered by the psychosocial impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: To conduct a scoping review to identify programs and interventions to support youth with mental health conditions (MHCs) with their transition to postsecondary institution (PSI).

Method: A database search of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, SocINDEX, ERIC, CINHAL, and Education Research Complete was undertaken. In this review, MHC was defined as a mental, behavioural, or emotional condition, or problematic substance use, and excluded neurodevelopmental or physical disorders. Two reviewers independently screened studies and extracted the data. Included studies are described and a risk-of-bias assessment was conducted on included studies.

Results: Nine studies were included in this review, describing eight unique interventions. Sixty-two percent of interventions were nonspecific in the MHCs that they were addressing in postsecondary students. These interventions were designed to support students upon arrival to their PSIs. Peer mentorship, student engagement, goal setting, and interagency collaboration were some of the strategies employed. However, the overall quality and level of evidence in these studies was low and the effectiveness of these programs was not established.

Conclusion: The volume of research identified was limited, no reliable nor policy informing conclusions can yet be made about the impact of these interventions as the evaluation methods, quality of the research methodologies, and the levels of evidence available were of low-quality. Future randomized control trials are required that are designed to target and improve transitions from secondary education to PSIs for those with MHCs.

Objective: Multiple informants are often used in the assessment of child psychopathology; however, parent-child agreement is low in child psychiatry. The objective of this exploratory study was to assess informant agreement on the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI-KID) in a clinical sample of children with mental disorders and their parents, and to examine health and demographic factors associated with agreement.

Method: MINI-KID results were analyzed for 88 parent-child dyads. Children were between 8-17 years old and were receiving in- or outpatient services for at least one mental disorder at a pediatric hospital. Kappas were calculated to assess parent-child agreement and logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with agreement.

Results: Agreement was low to moderate (κ=0.19-0.41) across the MINI-KID modules. Household income was associated with agreement for major depression, generalized anxiety, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Recruitment setting and parent psychological distress were associated with agreement for generalized anxiety and separation anxiety, respectively. Age, sex, and child disability/impairment were not associated with agreement.

Conclusions: Parent-child agreement on the MINI-KID was low to moderate, and few factors were associated with agreement. These initial findings reaffirm the need for multiple informants when assessing psychopathology in children and can be used by health professionals to facilitate parent-child discussions in clinical settings in child psychiatry.

Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a Feeding and Eating Disorder newly added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5 ^th Edition, which presents with high prevalence rates in community and clinical settings. Given its recent diagnostic recognition, validated and standardized treatments for this population are lacking. In addition, given the complexity, heterogeneity of symptoms, and high rates of psychiatric comorbidities in the ARFID population, new models of care are required. The current therapy model combines two evidence-based treatments - Family Based Treatment (FBT) and the Unified Protocols for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children and Adolescents (UP-C/A) - for young patients with ARFID plus Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which allows clinicians to personalize care based on each patient's unique presenting needs. This paper presents two distinct cases which showcase the use of the FBT+UP for ARFID approach for treating comorbid ARFID and ASD in a clinical setting. Case 1 demonstrates the application and reliance on FBT, while Case 2 draws upon UP to facilitate behavioural change in the patient. Case backgrounds, presenting problems, and treatment approaches combining the two evidence-based treatments are presented and discussed. The cases demonstrate the unique challenges of treating young patients with comorbid ARFID and ASD, along with the proposed benefits of the combined approach with this population.

Objectives: This study characterizes patterns of mental health, substance use and their co-occurrence, and identifies developmental trajectories associated with progression from single to concurrent mental health and substance use concerns in an Ontario school-based population. It is a longitudinal extension of the Ontario Student Drug Use and Mental Health Survey, as part of the RAFT collaborative project.

Methods: In this study, an Ontario-wide survey was administered to students across three biennial waves starting in grades 7-8 (ages 12-14). We explored how developmental patterns of externalizing, internalizing and co-occurring symptoms were differentially associated with late-adolescent (ages 17-19) problematic substance use.

Results: On average, students exhibited early (ages 12-14) moderate risk of an internalizing and/or externalizing disorder and approached the low threshold for a diagnostic concern for substance use disorder at age 17-19. The pattern confirmed a potential pathway from early mental health concerns to later adolescent problematic substance use, with rates of co-occurrence increasing with age. Youth with early moderate-to high externalizing and co-occurring internalizing and externalizing symptomology had the highest levels of problematic substance use, with scores indicating high likelihood of a substance use disorder diagnosis.

Conclusions: Given the overall pattern of progression, early identification and referral of at-risk youth, especially youth with co-occurring mental health concerns, is of critical importance. Findings support the importance of integrated and co-located mental health and substance use services for youth to more effectively serve a diverse population of youth with varying levels of need.