Student- and school-level predictors of geography achievement in the United States, 1994–2018

This paper examines national gaps and trends in geography achievement in eighth grade from 1994 to 2018. Statistical models comprising student- and school-level variables were developed to predict achievement using data provided by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Although there were statistically significant relationships between achievement and school-level attributes such as geographic region and school sector, the magnitudes of the coefficients were relatively minor and inconsistent over time compared with student-level characteristics such as gender, race, ethnicity, and parental education. The results inform current policy directions and efforts to foster educational equity in K-12 geography

An overview of the first 5 years of the ENIGMA obsessive-compulsive disorder working group: The power of worldwide collaboration

Neuroimaging has played an important part in advancing our understanding of the neurobiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). At the same time, neuroimaging studies of OCD have had notable limitations, including reliance on relatively small samples. International collaborative efforts to increase statistical power by combining samples from across sites have been bolstered by the ENIGMA consortium; this provides specific technical expertise for conducting multi-site analyses, as well as access to a collaborative community of neuroimaging scientists. In this article, we outline the background to, development of, and initial findings from ENIGMA's OCD working group, which currently consists of 47 samples from 34 institutes in 15 countries on 5 continents, with a total sample of 2,323 OCD patients and 2,325 healthy controls. Initial work has focused on studies of cortical thickness and subcortical volumes, structural connectivity, and brain lateralization in children, adolescents and adults with OCD, also including the study on the commonalities and distinctions across different neurodevelopment disorders. Additional work is ongoing, employing machine learning techniques. Findings to date have contributed to the development of neurobiological models of OCD, have provided an important model of global scientific collaboration, and have had a number of clinical implications. Importantly, our work has shed new light on questions about whether structural and functional alterations found in OCD reflect neurodevelopmental changes, effects of the disease process, or medication impacts. We conclude with a summary of ongoing work by ENIGMA-OCD, and a consideration of future directions for neuroimaging research on OCD within and beyond ENIGMA

Psychosocial Mechanisms of Outcome in Pediatric Psychiatry

Nearly half of all youths experience a mental health disorder at some point during childhood (Merikangas et al., 2010). Pediatric psychopathology is associated with a substantial amount of impairment in the school, social, and home domains, and such symptoms can have adverse impacts on subsequent development (Beauchaine & Hinshaw, 2013; Patel, Flisher, Hetrick, & McGorry, 2007). Fortunately, a number of medications have demonstrated efficacy in treating a number of mental health conditions (Martin, Scahill, & Kratochvil, 2010). Despite these demonstrated effects, treatment response is often incomplete, and the mechanisms by which pharmacotherapy lead to behavior change are not well understood. However, research in pediatric psychopharmacology has often not considered the role of psychosocial variables, despite their promise to explain much variance in psychiatric outcomes and the robust influence they have demonstrated in psychotherapy-based behavior change (e.g., Shirk & Karver, 2011). This study investigated the role of four psychosocial variables in treatment outcome in pediatric psychiatric practice: medication adherence, therapeutic alliance, motivation for behavior change, and expectancies for positive treatment outcome. Surprising patterns of effects were found, with psychosocial variables being associated with both decreases and increases in symptomology depending on the circumstance (e.g., externalizing behavior), and many inconsistencies were observed among these patterns. While psychosocial variables are often portrayed as having uniformly positive impacts on treatment, their role in pediatric psychiatry may not be as straightforward as is commonly depicted in other diseases and therapeutic approaches. In particular, the nature of their effects on outcome may vary across symptom presentations and intervention approaches. Based on these findings, recommendations for clinical practice and future research are discussed which affect all patients, researchers, and medical providers who participate in pediatric psychiatric treatment

Psychosocial Mechanisms of Outcome in Pediatric Psychiatry

Nearly half of all youths experience a mental health disorder at some point during childhood (Merikangas et al., 2010). Pediatric psychopathology is associated with a substantial amount of impairment in the school, social, and home domains, and such symptoms can have adverse impacts on subsequent development (Beauchaine & Hinshaw, 2013; Patel, Flisher, Hetrick, & McGorry, 2007). Fortunately, a number of medications have demonstrated efficacy in treating a number of mental health conditions (Martin, Scahill, & Kratochvil, 2010). Despite these demonstrated effects, treatment response is often incomplete, and the mechanisms by which pharmacotherapy lead to behavior change are not well understood. However, research in pediatric psychopharmacology has often not considered the role of psychosocial variables, despite their promise to explain much variance in psychiatric outcomes and the robust influence they have demonstrated in psychotherapy-based behavior change (e.g., Shirk & Karver, 2011). This study investigated the role of four psychosocial variables in treatment outcome in pediatric psychiatric practice: medication adherence, therapeutic alliance, motivation for behavior change, and expectancies for positive treatment outcome. Surprising patterns of effects were found, with psychosocial variables being associated with both decreases and increases in symptomology depending on the circumstance (e.g., externalizing behavior), and many inconsistencies were observed among these patterns. While psychosocial variables are often portrayed as having uniformly positive impacts on treatment, their role in pediatric psychiatry may not be as straightforward as is commonly depicted in other diseases and therapeutic approaches. In particular, the nature of their effects on outcome may vary across symptom presentations and intervention approaches. Based on these findings, recommendations for clinical practice and future research are discussed which affect all patients, researchers, and medical providers who participate in pediatric psychiatric treatment

Adolescent Depression: Differential Symptom Presentations In Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing Youth Using The Patient Health Questionnaire-9

The present study examined differences in symptom presentation in screening for pediatric depression via evaluation of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). In particular, we examined whether PHQ-9 items function differentially among deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH; n = 75) and hearing (n = 75) youth based on participants recruited from crisis assessment services. Multiple indicators multiple causes models were used to examine whether items of the PHQ-9 functioned differently between groups as well as whether there were group differences in the mean severity of depressive symptoms. Results indicate that DHH youth were more likely to endorse psychosomatic items, and less likely to endorse an affective item. These findings indicate that the PHQ-9 functions differently when used with DHH youth. Implications of these findings are discussed, including both for future work with the PHQ-9 and with regard to the conceptualization of depression across hearing groups

Evidence-Based Pharmacotherapy for Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Chronic Tic Disorders

In recent years, much progress has been made in pharmacotherapy for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and chronic tic disorders (CTDs). What were previously considered relatively intractable conditions now have an array of efficacious medicinal (and psychosocial) interventions available at clinicians\u27 disposal, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, atypical antipsychotics, and alpha-2 agonists. The purpose of this review is to discuss the evidence base for pharmacotherapy with pediatric OCD and CTDs with regard to efficacy, tolerability, and safety, and to put this evidence in the context of clinical management in integrated behavioral healthcare. While there is no single panacea for these disorders, there are a variety of medications that provide considerable relief for children with these disabling conditions

Evidence-Based Pharmacotherapy for Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Chronic Tic Disorders

In recent years, much progress has been made in pharmacotherapy for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and chronic tic disorders (CTDs). What were previously considered relatively intractable conditions now have an array of efficacious medicinal (and psychosocial) interventions available at clinicians\u27 disposal, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, atypical antipsychotics, and alpha-2 agonists. The purpose of this review is to discuss the evidence base for pharmacotherapy with pediatric OCD and CTDs with regard to efficacy, tolerability, and safety, and to put this evidence in the context of clinical management in integrated behavioral healthcare. While there is no single panacea for these disorders, there are a variety of medications that provide considerable relief for children with these disabling conditions