26 research outputs found
The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Study of Training in Europe (CAP-STATE)
There is great cultural diversity across Europe. This is reflected in the organisation of child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) services and the training of the respective professionals in different countries in Europe. Patients and their parents will want a high quality, knowledgeable, and skillful service from child and adolescent psychiatrists (CAPs) wherever they see them in Europe. A European comparison of training programs allows all stakeholders in different European countries to assess the diversity and to initiate discussions as to the introduction of improvements within national training programs. Major issues to be addressed in comparing child and adolescent psychiatric training programs across Europe include: (1) formal organisation and content of training programs and the relationship to adult psychiatry and paediatrics; (2) flexibility of training, given different trainee interests and that many trainees will have young families; (3) quality of governance of training systems; (4) access to research; and (5) networking. The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry-Study of Training in Europe (CAP-State) is a survey of training for child and adolescent psychiatrists (CAPs) across European countries. It aims to revisit and extend the survey carried out in 2006 by Karabekiroglu and colleagues. The current article is embedded in a special issue of European Child + Adolescent Psychiatry attempting to for the first time address training in CAP at the European and global levels. Structured information was sought from each of 38 European and neighboring countries (subsequently loosely referred to as Europe) and obtained from 31. The information was provided by a senior trainee or recently qualified specialist and their information was checked and supplemented by information from a senior child and adolescent psychiatry trainer. Results showed that there is a very wide range of provision of training in child and adolescent psychiatry in different countries in Europe. There remains very substantial diversity in training across Europe and in the degree to which it is subject to national oversight and governance. Some possible reasons for this variation are discussed and some recommendations made.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Listening to the voices of women suffering perinatal psychological distress
This article suggests that transactional analysis can be an effective treatment approach for women suffering from mental health conditions and the emotional and life disturbances that may occur during the perinatal period. It offers a brief introduction to perinatal psychological distress followed by a description of the use of transactional analysis psychotherapy for this condition. The article outlines a new model for a research project that aims to ascertain women’s views on the helpfulness of the treatment and to gain a better understanding of the stigma often associated with perinatal mental health issues. The author argues for the necessity of qualitative research to assess the efficacy of transactional-analysis-based treatment and to increase our knowledge about the change process in transactional analysis psychotherapy with this client population as well as to inform future transactional analysis treatment protocols
A systematic review of maternal antidepressant use in pregnancy and short- and long-term offspring's outcomes
The relative safety of antidepressants during pregnancy has received substantial attention, but most syntheses fail to account for mental illness effects. We aimed to evaluate the literature comparing low birth weight (LBW) and neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioural outcomes for children whose mothers took antidepressants in pregnancy compared to those whose mothers had common mental disorders, or symptoms, but who did not take antidepressants during pregnancy. A systematic review was conducted searching PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Embase in January 2015. A modified version of the Newcastle Ottawa Scale was used to assess study quality. Eleven cohort studies were included: four reporting a LBW outcome (all with higher risk of bias) and seven reporting a neurodevelopmental outcome (five with higher risk of bias). We found only limited evidence of gestational age-adjusted LBW in exposed children in two studies which had a higher risk of bias and did not control for depressive symptom severity. Only five (7.5%) neurodevelopmental outcomes and one (12.5%) neurobehavioural outcome showed evidence of a statistically significant effect, three out of four were from studies with a higher risk of bias. There is little robust evidence indicating a detrimental effect of antidepressant use during pregnancy on LBW and neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioural outcomes. More rigorous study designs are needed
Psychological and ethical issues in third party assisted conception and surrogate motherhood
The continuing increase in babies born via third party assisted conception (AC) and surrogate motherhood across the world shows the success of and medical and social demand for third party interventions in family building. However, with the increasing use of such interventions world-wide, commercialisation and commodification have proliferated. This in turn has led to inequality in access to AC services, in choice of third party input, and in questionable human rights and psychosocial welfare issues. Transitioning to parenthood using third party AC and surrogate motherhood, in addition to requiring equality in access, also demand accuracy of birth and genetic information. In the absence of accurate record keeping, continuing practices of anonymity, and marginalization of the contribution of donors and surrogates, psychological, social, health and ethical questions are raised for donors, recipients and potentially for (genetic, gestational) part, half and full offspring, siblings and others in the extended family such as grandparents
Underlying Mechanisms of Gene–Environment Interactions in Externalizing Behavior: A Systematic Review and Search for Theoretical Mechanisms
Mental health and academic performance: a study on selection and causation effects from childhood to early adulthood
PurposeAn inverse relationship between mental health and academic achievement is a well-known phenomenon in the scientific literature. However, how and when this association develops is not fully understood and there is a lack of longitudinal, population-based studies on young children. Early intervention is important if associations are to be found already during childhood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the development of the association between mental health and academic performance during different developmental periods of childhood and adolescence.MethodsData from a longitudinal birth cohort study of 1700 children were used. Child mental health was assessed through mother’s reports at age 3, and self-reports at age 12 and 20. Academic performance was assessed through teacher reports on educational results at age 12 and final grades from compulsory school (age 15–16) and upper secondary school (age 18–19). The association between mental health and academic performance was assessed through regression models.ResultsThe results indicate that social selection mechanisms are present in all three periods studied. Behavioral and emotional problems at age 3 were associated with performing below grade at age 12. Similarly, mental health problems at age 12 were associated with lack of complete final grades from compulsory school and non-eligibility to higher education. Academic performance at ages 15 and 19 did not increase the risk for mental health problems at age 20.ConclusionMental health problems in early childhood and adolescence increase the risk for poor academic performance, indicating the need for awareness and treatment to provide fair opportunities to education
Prospective associations between social vulnerabilities and children’s weight status. Results from the IDEFICS study on behalf of the IDEFICS consortium.
Background/objectives: In high-income countries, childhood obesity follows a clear socioeconomic gradient with greater prevalence in children with lower socioeconomic status (SES). The extent to which the trend of other social vulnerabilities over time and the accumulation of these vulnerabilities can affect children's weight is still unknown.
Subjects/methods: In the IDEFICS study, 8624 children aged 2.0-9.9 years from eight European countries were examined at baseline and after 2 years. Sociodemographic variables, maternal body mass index (BMI), and lifestyle were reported by parents. Children were measured and classified as thin, normal weight, and overweight/obese using the extended IOTF criteria. Four vulnerable groups were defined: children whose parents were migrants, children whose parents lack a social network, children from non-traditional families (children not living with both biological parents), and children with unemployed parents. Logistic mixed-effects models were used to study the association between vulnerabilities and children's weight at baseline and follow-up, temporal trends in vulnerabilities and children's weight and accumulation of vulnerabilities and children's weight. Models were adjusted for lifestyle, maternal BMI, parental education, and income.
Results: Children whose parents lost their social support at follow-up were more likely to be thin than non-vulnerable children (OR = 1.69, 99% CI = 1.03-2.78). Children whose parents had a migrant background (OR = 1.30, 99% CI 1.04-1.62), children from non-traditional families at both time points (OR = 1.40, 99% CI 1.03-1.90) and whose parents were unemployed at baseline and follow-up (OR = 2.03, 99% CI 1.03-3.99) were more likely to be overweight/obese compared to non-vulnerable children. Cross-sectionally, we did not find an association between parental lack of network, non-traditional family structure, or employment and children's weight status.
Conclusions: Policy actions are required to tackle inadequate weight loss and gain among vulnerable children (especially those exposed over the long term) since they are at a higher risk of thinness and overweight