Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry最新文献

Medical specialty camps can play an important role in the positive development of psychosocial outcomes for children and youth with sickle cell disease (SCD). This study examined how sense of mastery and attitude towards illness outcomes changed over 6 months for 100 campers aged 8-16 years with SCD. The outcomes were measured twice before and twice after camp. Latent growth curve modeling was used to analyze data. Results showed no changes in the outcomes for this study population. Implications for future research designs, populations, and outcomes are discussed, as are implications for communications about camp, and policy and practice.

Adolescence brings about many changes that are observed biologically, psychologically, and socially. This period is viewed as challenging in many cultures and can be a time when adolescents have difficulty controlling their emotions. Researchers focusing on the emotional state of adolescence emphasized that uncontrollable anger negatively affects' adolescent mental health and social relationships. In this systematic review article, studies using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) or DBT-informed studies assessing anger among adolescents have been examined. Characteristics as well as findings of these studies have been discussed. In general, DBT is a promising psychotherapy approach in increasing adolescent anger management; however, more methodologically rigorous experimental and meta-analysis studies are warranted.

Diagnostic reports are a key outcome of autism assessment services. However, there is limited evidence regarding what key stakeholders, including families, want to see in reports. In this project, 30 parents whose young person had recently received a diagnosis of autism from a Neurodevelopmental Assessment Service in the North East of England took part in a telephone-based interview to explore what they want from a report. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Ten key recommendations for reports were identified. Parents indicated that they want a detailed, balanced, sensitively written report. They highlighted that reports needed to be accessible and clearly structured. In this respect, it might be helpful to include a parent-driven summary of key points at the top, clear signposting of the structure of the report, and a description of what happened in the assessment process. Parents also valued practical, personalised recommendations based on the young person's strengths and difficulties. Future research might explore perspectives on reports in families accessing other services, in other client groups (e.g., families of pre-schoolers diagnosed with autism), and with different stakeholders, including schools, referrers and autistic people.

Background: Based on dysexecutive function theory of Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), inhibitory control plays a crucial role in ADHD symptoms and respective behavioral problems.

Methods: In the present study, 30 preschoolers with ADHD were recruited in a random clinical trial design in two control and intervention groups. The Flanker and Go/No-Go tasks, Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Rating Scale, and Child Behavior Checklist were used for assessment at baseline, after the intervention, and 1-month follow-up sessions. The program for attentive rehabilitation of inhibition and selective attention (PARISA) was used for intervention in 10-12 sessions.

Results: Findings showed an improvement in prepotent inhibition and interference control in the intervention group. Furthermore, the hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms were ameliorated, and the externalizing behavioral problems were improved after the intervention.

Conclusion: Inhibitory control in preschoolers with ADHD is trainable, and the training gain could be transferred to ADHD symptoms and externalizing behavior.

Children exposed to parental intimate partner violence (IPV) are at high risk in terms of their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, online interventions are imperative in a crisis situation. Empirical studies indicate a significant relationship between self-esteem and children exposed to parental IPV. This research aimed to develop, and pilot test an online intervention program to enhance the self-esteem of Adolescents exposed to parental IPV. Conklin's developmental model was used to develop the online program and the Coopersmith Self Esteem Inventory scale, interview, and focus group discussion was used to understand the key issues. The developed Cognitive Self Compassion (CSC) Online Intervention Program that integrates the theories and techniques of social cognitive theory and self-compassion was implemented over 6 weeks at a rate of 60 min per session to the 10 participants. Results of the single-group pilot experiment showed a significant difference in the pre & post-test scores of the participants. The self-esteem of the adolescents exposed to parental IPV was significantly enhanced after undergoing the CSC Online Intervention Program.

Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is a frontline intervention for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among maltreated children. Research suggests that active caregiver participation predicts positive treatment outcomes, but these studies are often based on the perception of the caregiver. Youth perceptions of the caregiver as a source of support who might help confront distressing memories (i.e., attachment security) and how they relate to TF-CBT treatment are unexplored. This paper uses data from a small randomized controlled feasibility trial of TF-CBT to conduct a pilot examination of whether (a) attachment security may improve through the course of TF-CBT, and (b) pre-treatment attachment security predicts response to TF-CBT for the amelioration of posttraumatic stress. Results favored the conclusion that those beginning treatment with attachment insecurity may demonstrate improvement for this outcome by the end of treatment (n = 8; t = 3.3, p = .013, Cohen's d = 1.17). However, although significant improvements were found over the course of treatment for PTSD, there was no evidence that pre-treatment attachment security predicted PTSD outcome (n = 29; ∆R² < .01, ∆F(1,26) = .001, p = .969). The limitations of the current pilot study are discussed, as well as directions for future research.

Introduction: The Social Communication Questionnaire is used to identify children and young people (CYP) who may require formal ASD assessment. However, there is a paucity of research on its utility in Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services. This evaluation aimed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) in a UK, Midlands CAMHS service.

Method: Forty young people (mean age 13.75 years) were screened using the caregiver reported SCQ before completing 'gold standard' assessment.

Results: The SCQ had a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 25.7%. ROC curve analysis indicated low diagnostic accuracy. Differences in predictive accuracy of SCQ and diagnostic standard were statistically significant (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion: This evaluation builds on previous research suggesting that the SCQ may not be an efficient screening tool in CAMHS settings.

Background: Individuals with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) experience restrictive or highly selective eating problems that interfere with growth and development. Despite the increasing number of referrals for ARFID, no evidence-based treatments exist. This compilation of case composites describes a novel manualized treatment, Psychoeducational and Motivational Treatment (PMT) for children with ARFID, focusing on exploring motivation to change eating behaviors. This approach is based on motivational non-directive psychotherapy models, psychoeducational interventions, and the usefulness of play to support psychotherapeutic learning in school-age children.

Case presentations: Three cases of children with ARFID treated using PMT are presented: a 7-year-old, a 10-year-old, and a 12-year-old. These cases illustrate how a clinician delivers PMT interventions in the context of developmental abilities and common comorbidities associated with ARFID.

Conclusion: PMT is a promising therapy for ARFID in school-age children. Challenges and strategies are discussed, including ways to address obstacles such as young age, comorbidities, and use of the virtual environment.

Objective: The current study aimed to estimate the prevalence of common mental health difficulties in parents who have an infant with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GORD), and to identify psychological predictors of parental anxiety, depression, and well-being, as a platform for subsequent intervention development.

Methods: Parents of infants with GORD (N = 309) completed online psychometric measures of potential predictors (self-compassion, illness appraisals, and illness uncertainty), potential confounders (sleep quality, relationship satisfaction, social support, and infant feeding satisfaction), and mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, and wellbeing). The outcome measures were repeated eight-weeks later (N = 103).

Results: At the first time-point, 66% of participants exceed the clinical cut off for generalised anxiety disorder and 63% exceeded that for a depressive disorder. Both had significantly reduced eights-weeks later. Greater self-compassion predicted lower anxiety and depression, and better well-being, in both cross-sectional and longitudinal data, including when all confounders were controlled for. Illness uncertainty and illness appraisals were less consistent predictors. No robust differences were found between parents of infants with silent GORD and those with GORD with visible regurgitation.

Conclusions: Parents of infants with GORD showed high rates of anxiety and depression, which were elevated compared to those that have been found in perinatal and general population samples. Self-compassion was a consistent predictor of better mental health and has promise as a proximal intervention target. Future research could benefit from examining the efficacy of a compassion-focussed intervention in this population.

Objective: To assess the level of child and adolescent psychiatric staff's knowledge regarding pain management, to determine group differences between the medically more educated (physicians, nurses) and the less educated (psychologists, educators, special therapists) and to investigate the influence of gender, age, or professional experience as well as staff's own pain experiences.

Methods: A total of 193 staff members from different professional backgrounds from three independent child and adolescent psychiatry clinics in Northern Germany were tested using the German version of the Pediatric Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain Shriner's revision (PNKAS-Sr).

Results: In total, the staff scored correctly 66% of the inventory questions. There was no difference between medically more educated and less educated staff members regarding the knowledge of pain management. The main factors influencing PNKAS score were age, profession, and pain education training.

Conclusions: Although chronic pain is not one of the main aspects of continuing education in child and adolescent psychiatry, the resulting level of knowledge was comparable to results of similar surveys with paediatric staffs. Nevertheless, further education is needed to enhance knowledge and understanding of children's pain in child psychiatry staff in order to professionally treat patients with chronic somatic and mental illnesses.