The Farsi Version of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire Self Report Form: The Normative Data and Scale Properties

 Objective:This study was performed to evaluate the normative data and psychometric properties and the internal consistency of the Farsi (Persian) version of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) self-report form, as a screening tool in a community-based sample of 12 to 17 year-old   adolescents of urban Tehran.Materials & Methods: In this investigation, 1105 adolescents (12 to 17 years old), selected from 250 clusters from all the 22 municipality areas of Tehran, responded to 25 questions of the Farsi version of SDQ self-report form. The frequency of each symptom domains according to Goodman's cutoff points and 90th percentile and the mean score in each subscale were determined.Results:The 90th percentile cutoff points were somewhat different from those of the previous reports. Using Goodman's cutoff points, the prevalence of symptom domains was relatively high. For example, 13.7 percent of the adolescents studied had total scores equal to 20 or more. There were significant  correlations between different subscales and their constituting questions.Conclusion:Self-report form of SDQ is a valuable tool in the screening of adolescent psychopathologies. Frequency of majority of the symptom domains seems to be higher in the adolescents in Tehran urban areas

Parent-only group cognitive behavioral intervention for children with anxiety disorders: A control group study

Objective: Parents play an important role in development and continuation of anxiety disorders in children. Yet the evidence on parent contribution in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for childhood anxiety is limited. This open randomized trial examined the effectiveness of a parent-directed group CBT to manage children with anxiety disorders. Method: Parents of 42 children aged 6-12 with primary anxiety disorders were allocated to a six, two-hour weekly intervention and a wait-list (WL) control. The Revised Children�s Manifest Anxiety, Children�s Depression Inventory, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-Home Version, Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale, Children Global Assessment Scale, and Global Relational Assessment of Functioning were used to assess children�s and parents� functioning and emotional symptoms. Parents completed consumer satisfaction questionnaire. Results: Parents in the CBT group reported significant improvement in their depressive symptoms (p=0.006) and the family functioning (p=0.04), as well as reduction in children�s emotional symptoms (p=0.007). Clinician rating of children�s functioning showed significant improvement in the CBT group(p=0.001). There was no significant difference in children rating of their anxiety within groups from pre- to post-intervention. Parents were satisfied mostly with the intervention. Conclusion: A brief parent-only CBT based intervention can be effective in the management of childhood anxiety. © 2018, Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. All rights reserved

Parent-only group cognitive behavioral intervention for children with anxiety disorders: A control group study

Objective: Parents play an important role in development and continuation of anxiety disorders in children. Yet the evidence on parent contribution in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for childhood anxiety is limited. This open randomized trial examined the effectiveness of a parent-directed group CBT to manage children with anxiety disorders. Method: Parents of 42 children aged 6-12 with primary anxiety disorders were allocated to a six, two-hour weekly intervention and a wait-list (WL) control. The Revised Children�s Manifest Anxiety, Children�s Depression Inventory, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-Home Version, Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale, Children Global Assessment Scale, and Global Relational Assessment of Functioning were used to assess children�s and parents� functioning and emotional symptoms. Parents completed consumer satisfaction questionnaire. Results: Parents in the CBT group reported significant improvement in their depressive symptoms (p=0.006) and the family functioning (p=0.04), as well as reduction in children�s emotional symptoms (p=0.007). Clinician rating of children�s functioning showed significant improvement in the CBT group(p=0.001). There was no significant difference in children rating of their anxiety within groups from pre- to post-intervention. Parents were satisfied mostly with the intervention. Conclusion: A brief parent-only CBT based intervention can be effective in the management of childhood anxiety. © 2018, Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. All rights reserved

Effects of piracetam as an adjuvant therapy on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Stimulants are highly effective in controlling symptoms of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but 30 of individuals with ADHD do not respond to them or cannot tolerate their side effects; thus, alternative treatment approaches need to be considered. Objectives: To evaluate the effect and safety of piracetam as an adjuvant therapy plus methylphenidate (MPH) in children with ADHD. Methods: Thirty-six children with ADHD (6-16 years old), admitted to three academic outpatient child psychiatric clinics in the second half of 2015, were randomly assigned to the "methylphenidate plus piracetam group"and the "methylphenidate plus placebo"group, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, for 6 weeks. The "Conner's Parents' Rating Scale-Revised (CPRS-R), Children Symptom Inventory-4 (CSI-4), Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale (CGI-I), and Children' Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) were completed at baseline and at the ends of the third and the sixth week, and the New York State Psychiatric Institute side effect forms were completed weekly, as outcome measures. Results: The level of improvement in CPRS-R, CSI-4, and CGI-I scales were significantly higher in the "methylphenidate plus piracetam"group compared with the "methylphenidate plus placebo"group. Side effects were not remarkable in any group. Conclusions: Piracetam as a short-term adjuvant treatment to methylphenidate can have considerable therapeutic effect and safety profile in children with ADHD and deserves further exploration to assess its potentialities in ADHD treatment. Copyright © 2021, Author(s)

Effects of Telephone Versus Paper-and-Pencil Self-Administration of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in Child and Adolescent Outpatients: Evidence from Iran

Background: The strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) is one of the most common screening tools to detect children and adolescents who are at risk of mental health problems or have psychiatric disorders. The standard mode of SDQ completion is on paper; however, some studies used phone administration and argued that this is a feasible and valid method that can substitute in-person administration. However, few studies have investigated the validity and reliability of phone administration of the SDQ. Objectives: The current study aimed to compare the telephone versus paper-and-pencil administration of the SDQ among Iranian child and adolescent outpatients. Methods: Sixty six parents with children aged 3 to 15 years completed the SDQ questionnaire using paper-and-pencil and telephone interview techniques. The study was performed in 2016, and participants were from the city of Tehran (capital of Iran). Participants were first divided into two groups. Then, one of them first completed the questionnaire using the face-to-face interviews, and 3 to 4 days later, they again completed the questionnaire using the telephone interview. And the vice versa occurred for the other group. The Pearson correlation analysis was used to calculate the correlation between the two methods in each group separately. Intra-class correlation (ICC) analysis was used to investigate the association between the two administration methods. Results: A significant positive correlation was found between the two types of administration in both groups (P < 0.05). Intra-class correlation coefficients indicated a good correlation between the scores obtained from each method of administration (all P values were < 0.001). Conclusions: Telephone administration of SDQ is a reliable method for collecting data when studying emotional and behavioral symptoms in children and adolescents attending outpatient psychiatric centers. Copyright © 2020, Author(s)

Eclectic approach to anxiety disorders among rural children Abordagem ecletica a transtornos de ansiedade em criancas de zona rural

Introduction: Anxiety disorders in primary school-aged children negatively affect their mental health and psychological development. Available non-medical treatments for these conditions are time-consuming and expensive. In this context, eclectic therapy is a therapeutic approach that incorporates some therapeutic techniques and philosophies to create the ideal treatment. In this study, eclectic therapy consisted of art therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy designed for children suffering from high level of anxiety in their middle childhood years. The therapy also included group guidance sessions for their mothers. The effectiveness of this intervention was examined in the study. Methods: 61 students aged 9-12 years with high levels of anxiety participated in the study. Intervention A (n = 20) consisted of 9-hour eclectic therapy for children with 3-hour group guidance sessions for their mothers. Intervention B (n = 20) consisted of 9-hour eclectic therapy for children. There was also a control group (n = 21). Results: Teacher ratings of children’s mental health difficulties and self-report ratings of anxiety disorders indicated a significant difference from pretest to posttest, revealing a large effect size between the two interventions. Higher levels of pretest scores significantly predicted higher posttest scores for all domains of anxiety and mental health difficulties. Furthermore, age, gender, mothers working a 15-hour day, mother’s educational level, parental divorce rates, parental death, and family monthly income predicted therapy outcomes. Conclusion: Results provide support for the effectiveness of eclectic art and CBT to improve children’s mental health and reduce anxiety through changing thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and behaviors that may cause fear and anxiety