Archive

Stefani A, Salzer S, Reich G et al. JAACAP March 2017. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2017.01.019 Currently, gold standard treatments for bulimia nervosa include cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and Fluoxetine.  This randomized controlled trial of 81 female adolescents with full or partial bulimia nervosa compared the effectiveness of a mean of 36.6 sessions of CBT and psychodynamic therapy (PDT) and found that both were similarly effective with remission rates of 33.3% and 31.0% res...

Radovic S, Gordon MS, Melvin GA. J Peds Child Health 10 Jan 2017. DOI: 10.1111/jpc.13426 Behavioural activation is commonly recommended by clinicians to young people who have depression.  This systematic review identified 8 out of 6631 studies that were eligible for meta-analysis. Exercise was found to be moderately effective in improving depressive symptoms.  However, due to the low quality and heterogeneity of studies, the authors recommend further investigation before exercise can be co...

Murthy V. JAMA Pediatrics 2017; 171(3): 209-210 doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.4662 1 in 6 high school students in the US now use e-cigarettes.  These devices contain nicotine, flavourings and other additives and their use now surpasses that of traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and hookah.  This article provides an accessible summary of the extent of use and risks associated with e-cigarettes. http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-...

Leivonen S, Scharf JM, Mathews CA et al. JAACAP March 2017. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2017.01.009 Children often develop tic disorders, including Tourette Syndrome, during periods of increased stress. This data from a large Finnish cohort (over 1000 children) found that maternal mental health and addiction issues doubled the likelihood of a diagnosis of childhood tic disorders (25% vs 12% in the control group).  Paternal health and addiction issues had a weaker effect (p<0.00...

Morgan AJ, Banes RM, Salim A, et al. JAACAP. March 2017. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2017.02.010 This randomized controlled trial of the Little Cool Kids Online programme for parents of children aged 3-6 years showed that the 8 module programme was better than a control intervention in reducing childhood anxiety symptoms (d=0.38), rates of diagnosis with anxiety disorder  (40% vs 55%) and interference of anxiety in childrens’ lives (d=0.33-0.35).  Replication of these result...

Opondo C, Redhaw M, Savage-McGlynn E, et al. BMJ Open. Vol 6, issue 11. This study from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort measured outcomes in over 6000 children at 9 and 11 years of age.  Although the total amount of paternal involvement in child-rearing was not found to correlate with later behavioural problems, fathers’ emotional response to their child and paternal feelings of security in their role as parent and partner (i.e. qualitative aspects) were...

Vallancourt K, Pawlby S, Fearon RMP. Infant Mental Health Journal. 25 Feb 2017. DOI: 10.1002/imhj.21634 This review of 14 studies found that self-reported maternal abuse during childhood was associated with abnormal caregiving, but probably mediated by maternal stress or depressive symptoms.  These results suggest that there are modifiable factors that can limit the intergenerational effects of abuse. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1002/imhj.21634/full    

Shawyer F, Farhall J, Thomas N, et al. Br J Psychiatry. 2017 Feb;210(2):140-148. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.116.182865. Epub 2016 Dec 15. (Original) PMID: 27979820 During this trial of 96 people with psychosis, no group differences in overall mental state were identified between the 40 people who received Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and the 47 people who undertook a ‘befriending’ intervention.  However, the former group did experience a greater improvement in positive symptoms an...

Askeland KG, Hysing M, La Greca AM. JAACAP (2017). Volume 56, Issue 3, Pages 203–213.e1. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2016.12.009 This meta-analysis of 11 studies involving over 17,919 adoptees and 1,090,289 non-adopted peers found that although most were well-adjusted, internationally adopted adolescents were at greater risk of externalising, but not internalising mental health problems than their non-adopted peers. The incidence of problems was greater when assessed using paren...

Groth C, Debes NM, Rask CU.  JAACAP (2017). Online only, March 2017. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2017.01.010 This Danish study of over 300 children showed that even though the severity of their symptoms may decrease over time, most children with Tourette’s syndrome do not outgrow their symptoms. Almost 60% of 16 year olds had mild tics and around 20% still had moderate or severe tics.  By this age, around 60% also had comorbid diagnoses or symptoms of other disorders.  So, lea...