Meanings in motion and faces: Developmental associations between the processing of intention from geometrical animations and gaze detection accuracy

Aspects of face processing, on the one hand, and theory of mind (ToM) tasks, on the other hand, show specific impairment in autism. We aimed to discover whether a correlation between tasks tapping these abilities was evident in typically developing children at two developmental stages. One hundred fifty-four normal children (6-8 years and 16-18 years) and 13 high-IQ autistic children (11-17 years) were tested on a range of face-processing and IQ tasks, and a ToM test based oil the attribution of intentional movement to abstract shapes in a cartoon. By midchildhood, the ability accurately and spontaneously to infer the locus of attention of a face with direct or averted gaze was specifically associated with the ability to describe geometrical animations using mental state terms. Other face-processing and animation descriptions failed to show the association. Autistic adolescents were impaired at both gaze processing and ToM descriptions. using these tests. Mentalizing and gaze perception accuracy are associated in typically developing children and adolescents. The findings are congruent with the possibility that common neural Circuitry underlies, at least in part, processing implicated in these tasks. They are also congruent with the possibility that autism may lie at one end of a developmental continuum with respect to these skills, and to the factor(s) underpinning them

A randomised controlled trial of PEGASUS, a psychoeducational programme for young people with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder.

Psychoeducation is an essential component of postdiagnostic care for people with ASD (autism spectrum disorder), but there is currently no evidence base for clinical practice. We designed, manualised and evaluated PEGASUS (psychoeducation group for autism spectrum understanding and support), a group psychoeducational programme aiming to enhance the self-awareness of young people with ASD by teaching them about their diagnosis

Minority status, stigma, prejudice and bullying: Growing up in jeopardy

Stigma and alienation are suffered by many individuals with mental health disorders, in societies around the world. Rejection is all the more common among those who have intellectual disabilities or who are from ethnic minorities. In this issue, three papers consider the suffering experienced by patients with vulnerabilities that militate against their being in receipt of the psychiatric care they assuredly deserve

Current concerns about mental health in Bangladesh

This month's issue of BJPsych International focuses on Bangladesh, one of the most densely populated countries in the world and geographically vulnerable to a wide range of natural disasters. Mental health has been deteriorating since the COVID-19 crisis, but few psychiatrists and clinical psychologists are available to manage the consequences

The Health-e Babies App for antenatal education: Feasibility for socially disadvantaged women

Background The use of mobile technology such as phone applications (apps) has been proposed as an efficient means of providing health and clinical information in a variety of healthcare settings. We developed the Health-e Babies app as an Android smart phone application for pregnant women attending a tertiary hospital in a low socio-economic community, with the objective of providing health information about early pregnancy that would increase maternal confidence and reduce anxiety. Based on our earlier research, this form of health communication was viewed as a preferred source of information for women of reproductive age. However, the pilot study had a poor participation rate with 76% (n = 94) not completing the study requirements. These initial findings raised some very important issues in relation to the difficulties of engaging women with a pregnancy app. This paper analyses the characteristics of the participants who did not complete the study requirements in an attempt to identify potential barriers associated with the implementation of a pregnancy app. Methods This retrospective review of quantitative and qualitative data collected at the commencement of the Health-e Babies App trial, related to the participant’s communication technology use, confidence in knowing where to seek help and mental health status, maternal-fetal attachment and parenting confidence. Engagement and use of the Health-e Babies App was measured by the completion of a questionnaire about the app and downloaded data from participant’s phones. Mental health status, confidence and self-efficacy were measured by questionnaires. Results All women were similar in terms of age, race, marital status and level of education. Of the 94 women (76%) who did not complete the trial, they were significantly more anxious as indicated by State Trait Anxiety Inventory (p = 0.001 Student T-test) and more likely to be unemployed (50% vs 31%, p = 0.012 Student T-Test). Conclusion This study provides important information about the challenges associated with the implementation of a pregnancy app in a socially disadvantaged community. The data suggests that factors including social and mental health issues, financial constraints and technological ability can affect women’s engagement with a mobile phone app

Gambling and governmental responsibilities

Human beings seem to be genetically predisposed to take risks in the hope of reward, but in gambling the risks often significantly outweigh the rewards. Should societies and governments attempt to regulate gambling, and how? Two papers in this month's issue of BJPsych International discuss problem gambling in Nigeria and in Malaysia, and how government and society address it

Conflict and community: Mental health in the Arab world

This month's issue of BJPsych International focuses on the Middle East, with papers on psychiatric care in conflict zones, the persistence of institutionalisation in Arab countries, service delivery in Iraq, improved media attitudes towards mental illness in Qatar and integration of mental health services into primary care in that country

BJPsych International: Its aims and its future

Our mission on BJPsych International is simple. First, to promote best practice in the care and treatment of people with mental health problems worldwide. Second, to educate psychiatrists and other mental health professionals about international developments in policy and the delivery of mental health services. We aim to provide a publication platform for authors globally, with a focus on those from low- and middle-income countries who have a message to send about innovations in their country's mental health services that would be of interest to our readership. Our recent success in obtaining a listing on PubMed makes all our articles accessible to a much wider audience and will enhance interest in the journal's unique content. Importantly, the journal, which has a distribution of over 20 000 copies, is entirely open access