The Child and Youth Mental Health Assessment (ChYMH): An examination of the psychometric properties of an integrated assessment developed for clinically referred children and youth

Background: The Child and Youth Mental Health (ChYMH) assessment system was developed by interRAI (i.e., an international collective of researchers and clinicians from over thirty countries) in response to the unprecedented need for a coordinated approach to delivery of children\u27s mental health care. Many interRAI instruments are used across Canada and internationally, but the ChYMH represents the first assessment specifically for children and youth. In the present paper, a short overview of the development process of the ChYMH is provided, and then the psychometric properties of several embedded scales on the ChYMH are examined. Methods: Participants included 1297 children and youth and their families who completed the ChYMH after being referred to mental health agencies within Ontario, Canada. In addition, smaller subsets of participants (N = 48-53) completed additional criterion measures, including the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS), the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS), the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and the Brief Child and Family Phone Interview (BCFPI). Results: Results demonstrated that the ChYMH subscales had strong internal-consistency (Cronbach\u27s higher than.70), and correlated well with the criterion measures. Conclusions: Findings support the clinical utility of the ChYMH for use among clinically referred children and youth. Implications for children\u27s mental health assessment and practice are discussed

The Child and Youth Mental Health Assessment (ChYMH): An examination of the psychometric properties of an integrated assessment developed for clinically referred children and youth

Background: The Child and Youth Mental Health (ChYMH) assessment system was developed by interRAI (i.e., an international collective of researchers and clinicians from over thirty countries) in response to the unprecedented need for a coordinated approach to delivery of children\u27s mental health care. Many interRAI instruments are used across Canada and internationally, but the ChYMH represents the first assessment specifically for children and youth. In the present paper, a short overview of the development process of the ChYMH is provided, and then the psychometric properties of several embedded scales on the ChYMH are examined. Methods: Participants included 1297 children and youth and their families who completed the ChYMH after being referred to mental health agencies within Ontario, Canada. In addition, smaller subsets of participants (N = 48-53) completed additional criterion measures, including the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS), the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS), the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and the Brief Child and Family Phone Interview (BCFPI). Results: Results demonstrated that the ChYMH subscales had strong internal-consistency (Cronbach\u27s higher than.70), and correlated well with the criterion measures. Conclusions: Findings support the clinical utility of the ChYMH for use among clinically referred children and youth. Implications for children\u27s mental health assessment and practice are discussed

What a Strange and Wonderful Story! : Literary Research and College Writing

Panel Chair: Scott Cheney, Collin Colleg

Emerging Mental Health Diagnoses and School Disruption: An Examination Among Clinically Referred Children and youth

Previous research linking school disruption with mental health problems has largely relied on assessments of academic achievement to measure school disruption. Early disruptive classroom behaviour (e.g., conflict with school staff, negative attitudes toward school), however, may precipitate poor academic performance and may stem from emerging mental health concerns, particularly among young children. To address this gap in the literature, 912 clinically referred children and youth (ages 4–18 years old) were assessed using the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health (ChYMH) assessment utilizing a cross-sectional study design. The ChYMH assessment evaluates school disruption independently of academic achievement, and includes a comprehensive assessment of the child’s mental health functioning, needs, and preferences. A logistic regression analysis revealed that various provisional mental health diagnoses (i.e., attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, disruptive behaviour, mood disorders, and, to a lesser extent, anxiety) were associated with disruption in the classroom. Implications for school-based care planning are discussed

The Scab Sheet: Examining the Legacy and Revival of an OSU Student Protest Publication

The Scab Sheet is a student activist publication at OSU. Originally published in 1969-1970, a group of students revived it in 2017 after a near 50-year gap. The fact that students deliberately resurrected this important and storied student publication suggests that students still believe this particular name and outlet have value. The goal of this project is to gain insight into the purpose, uses, and continued significance of the Scab Sheet. To accomplish this goal, I focused my exploration on identifying differences and similarities between the original and revival runs through the use of thematic analysis and some visual research. Some of the areas of significance identified over the course of this project are the topics addressed across different editions of The Scab Sheet, differences in genre and structure, and a shared theme of dissatisfaction with the institution and community of OSU. Examining these texts reveals an intriguing array of qualities shared and unique. Ultimately, I believe that both the original and revival editions of this publication serve largely similar purposes but in different ways. They each approach this goal differently, but both provide an outlet for students experiencing oppression at OSU

Sheep scab:comparison of spatial and temporal patterns determined by clinical diagnosis or ELISA

BACKGROUND: Ovine psoroptic mange (sheep scab) is an infectious condition caused by an allergen-induced hypersensitivity response to the mite Psoroptes ovis. Infestation results in clinical disease, economic loss and welfare issues in many sheep-producing countries. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence and spatial pattern of sheep scab on contiguous farms, using both self-reported clinical outbreak history (2012–2020) and serological testing with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (2021/2022). METHODS: Farms included in the study were located in three regions of known high scab prevalence in North, Central and Southwest England. In total, 254 farms completed both a questionnaire, which provided the clinical scab history of the farm, and submitted results of serological testing with the ELISA. RESULTS: A scab outbreak was reported by 17.4% (± confidence interval [CI]: 4.6%; n = 48) of farms in 2020 based on clinical diagnosis; scab was diagnosed by the ELISA on 25.6% (± 5.5%; n = 65) of farms in 2021/2022. Comparison of self-reported clinical scab cases with the ELISA test results identified a group of farms (n = 52) that did not report scab in 2020, or in some cases did not report having scab over the previous 8 years (n = 20), but whose flocks were nevertheless seropositive in 2021/2022. CONCLUSION: A small number of flocks, particularly those using common grazings in North England, where handling is infrequent, often comprising less susceptible sheep breeds, may have persistent scab infestations that are generally undetected by clinical inspection. The data highlight the advantages of serological testing to identify exposure to scab in flocks where clinical signs are less easily detected. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text

Cellular and microenvironmental cues that promote macrophage fusion and foreign body response

During the foreign body response (FBR), macrophages fuse to form foreign body giant cells (FBGCs). Modulation of FBGC formation can prevent biomaterial degradation and loss of therapeutic efficacy. However, the microenvironmental cues that dictate FBGC formation are poorly understood with conflicting reports. Here, we identified molecular and cellular factors involved in driving FBGC formation in vitro. Macrophages demonstrated distinct fusion competencies dependent on monocyte differentiation. The transition from a proinflammatory to a reparative microenvironment, characterised by specific cytokine and growth factor programmes, accompanied FBGC formation. Toll-like receptor signalling licensed the formation of FBGCs containing more than 10 nuclei but was not essential for cell-cell fusion to occur. Moreover, the fibroblast-macrophage crosstalk influenced FBGC development, with the fibroblast secretome inducing macrophages to secrete more PDGF, which enhanced large FBGC formation. These findings advance our understanding as to how a specific and timely combination of cellular and microenvironmental factors is required for an effective FBR, with monocyte differentiation and fibroblasts being key players

PLGA‐PEG‐PLGA hydrogels induce cytotoxicity in conventional in vitro assays

Significance statement: We identified that PLGA‐PEG‐PLGA hydrogels, which have been used in human clinical trials and possess a demonstrable safety profile, induced significant cytotoxicity in conventional in vitro assays. This major contradiction may lead to inconsistent and misleading toxicology due to the limited biological representation of these assays. Cytotoxicity evaluation is a crucial element of screening the biological response to new biomaterials. However, as standard test methods do not recapitulate the in vivo environment, tailored adaptations may be required to reflect the true biological response elicited toward novel biomaterials

A new parenting-based group intervention for young anxious children: results of a randomized controlled trial

Objective Despite recent advances, there are still no interventions that have been developed for the specific treatment of young children who have anxiety disorders. This study examined the impact of a new, cognitive–behaviorally based parenting intervention on anxiety symptoms. Method Families of 74 anxious children (aged 9 years or less) took part in a randomized controlled trial, which compared the new 10-session, group-format intervention with a wait-list control condition. Outcome measures included blinded diagnostic interview and self-reports from parents and children. Results Intention-to-treat analyses indicated that children whose parent(s) received the intervention were significantly less anxious at the end of the study than those in the control condition. Specifically, 57% of those receiving the new intervention were free of their primary disorder, compared with 15% in the control condition. Moreover, 32% of treated children were free of any anxiety diagnosis at the end of the treatment period, compared with 6% of those in the control group. Treatment gains were maintained at 12-month follow-up. Conclusions This new parenting-based intervention may represent an advance in the treatment of this previously neglected group. Clinical trial registration information: Anxiety in Young Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a New Cognitive-Behaviourally Based Parenting Intervention; http://www.isrctn.org/; ISRCTN12166762

Neural effects of oxytocin and mimicry in frontotemporal dementia: A randomized crossover study

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether intranasal oxytocin, alone or in combination with instructed mimicry of facial expressions, would augment neural activity in patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in brain regions associated with empathy, emotion processing, and the simulation network, as indexed by blood oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) signal during fMRI. METHODS: In a placebo-controlled, randomized crossover design, 28 patients with FTD received 72 IU intranasal oxytocin or placebo and then completed an fMRI facial expression mimicry task. RESULTS: Oxytocin alone and in combination with instructed mimicry increased activity in regions of the simulation network and in limbic regions associated with emotional expression processing. CONCLUSIONS: The findings demonstrate latent capacity to augment neural activity in affected limbic and other frontal and temporal regions during social cognition in patients with FTD, and support the promise and need for further investigation of these interventions as therapeutics in FTD. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: NCT01937013. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class III evidence that a single dose of 72 IU intranasal oxytocin augments BOLD signal in patients with FTD during viewing of emotional facial expressions