Debate: No bipolar disorder in prepubertal children at high familial risk

The rise in pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) prevalence rates and the related treatment regimen has an impact on a whole generation of severely affected young children.

Adolescent perceptions of parental privacy invasion and adolescent secrecy:An illustration of Simpson's paradox

Adolescents' secrecy is intertwined with perception of parents' behaviors as acts of privacy invasion. It is currently untested, however, how this transactional process operates at the within-person level-where these causal processes take place. Dutch adolescents (n = 244, Mage = 13.84, 38.50% boys) reported three times on perceived parental privacy invasion and secrecy. Cross-lagged panel models (CLPM) confirmed earlier findings. Privacy invasion predicted increased secrecy, but a reverse effect was found from increased secrecy to increased privacy invasion. Controlling for confounding positive group-level associations with a novel random intercept CLPM, negative within-person associations were found. Higher levels of secrecy predicted lower levels of privacy invasive behaviors at the within-person level. These opposing findings within- versus between-persons illustrate a Simpson's paradox

Prevention of psychopathology in children:Interventions for intergenerational transmission

Children of parents with anxiety or mood disorders have an increased risk of developing an anxiety or mood disorder themselves. A qualitative review of different components of well-studied prevention programs shows that all programs use elements of psychoeducation. Programs that primarily target children often use elements of cognitive behavioral therapy. Programs aimed at the whole family contain components focused on communication between family members and parenting skills. In general, these prevention programs are effective in preventing short- and long-term anxiety/mood disorders and reducing existing symptoms in children. Future research should pay more attention to how and for whom the prevention programs are effective. Primary health care plays an important role in identifying children at risk, underscoring the importance of training professionals in early signaling psychopathology in parents and children. Children with mild complaints could be identified earlier, possibly preventing more serious problems and intensive treatment processes.</p