It is well-established in previous research that maternal psychological distress may have adverse effects on child social and emotional development. However, less is known about the environmental prot...

Internalizing disorders (INTs), including anxiety (AD) and depressive disorders (DD), frequently emerge during adolescence. Studies suggest that certain core domains of executive functioning (EF), i.e. inhibition, shifting and working memory (WM) may show selectively lower performance in certain INTs. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the evidence of associations between INTs and EF in adolescents. A systematic search was conducted in Medline, Psych-INFO, Scopus, and Web of Science in May 2023. Inclusion focused on adolescents (12–17) with AD (including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)) or DD. After screening 2,551 titles/abstracts, 818 records underwent full-text review, on which independent reviewers reached 93% agreement on eligibility. EF parameters, measured through task-performance or ratings, were extracted from 32 eligible articles published since 2014. Performance-based EF differences were reported in 22 studies, most frequently in adolescents with DD. Task-based inhibition showed lower scores most consistently in DD (n = 5). Findings were mixed across other INTs. Three studies found evidence for improved inhibition performance in OCD (n = 2) and AD (n = 1). Finally, 6 studies reporting on self- or parent-rated EF found significant difficulties across EF domains, of which 3 contrasted with intact performances on task-based measurements of EF. Findings suggest both objective and subjective EF difficulties across INTs with no conclusive evidence for selective domain-specific differences. We highlight a discrepancy between subjectively experienced or observed deficits in daily EF and performance on structured tasks. This suggests that rating-based EF may be more sensitive for capturing subtle EF difficulties and therefore adds value in research and clinical settings. Finally, the quality of studies is discussed and directions for future studies are identified, namely, the use of both task and rating-based measures of EF as well as inclusion of larger sample sizes.

Most youth do not experience a coordinated and planned transition out of child and youth mental health services, which often results in discontinuity in mental health care. This gap in care has led to the development and uptake of novel interventions, such as the transition navigation model, to facilitate mental health care transitions. The transition navigation model is a research-informed intervention that aims to assess and improve youth’s transition readiness, identify their transition needs and goals, and support the transfer of care to adult or community mental health services. To evaluate the ongoing implementation of this model, we conducted a pre-post mixed-methods study involving youth participants accessing transition navigation services at two hospitals. Participants (n = 43) completed self-report measures on transition readiness, daily functioning, and mental health service use at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Twenty participants also completed qualitative interviews focused on understanding their experiences and satisfaction with the navigation service. Results indicate a significant increase in participants’ mean transition readiness score and a decrease in the number of emergency department visits from baseline to the 6-month follow-up. However, there were no significant changes in mean functioning scores or self-reported mental health symptoms. The quantitative and qualitative findings converged, indicating overall high satisfaction with the navigation service, with the primary gap in the service being the lack of communication maintained with youth while in the program.

Most mental health disorders start before adulthood. They are highly prevalent, disabling and often treatable. This Series paper discusses the current problems that contribute to the growing child, ad...

The Mental Health or Nurses and Doctors (MeND) survey, conducted by WHO Regional Office for Europe under a contribution agreement with the European Commission, aimed to explore the mental health, well...

Vitamin D is suggested to impact neurodevelopment, yet the current evidence is conflicting. We tested if vitamin D3 supplementation during the first two years of life, maternal 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration during pregnancy, and child’s 25(OH)D concentrations at 12 and 24 months are associated with neurocognitive abilities in 6.6-8.9-year-old children. Participants were from a Finnish vitamin D double-blind randomized clinical trial and classified themselves white. Children received either vitamin D3 400-IU (n = 189) or 1200-IU (n = 209) daily until 24 months of age. Serum 25(OH)D was analyzed from mothers at mean of 11.2 weeks of gestation, and from children at 12.0 and 23.9 months (25(OH)D, mean (SD) = 83.8 (21.7), 102.3 (30.1), 105.5 (28.6) nmol/L, respectively). Total Intelligence quotient (IQ) score was assessed with Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) and executive functioning with A Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment (NEPSY-II) and parent-rated Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) questionnaire. Neurocognitive abilities at age 6–8 years did not differ between the supplementation groups or according to 25(OH)D concentration at 12 or 24 months (total IQ: β = 1.14, 95% CI -1.69;3.97, p = 0.43, executive functioning, NEPSY-II: β =-0.07, 95% CI -0.14;0.28, p = 0.49, executive functioning, BRIEF: β =-0.42, 95% CI -5.13;4.28, p = 0.86). Maternal 25(OH)D was not associated with executive functioning. However, both lower and higher maternal 25(OH)D concentrations during pregnancy were associated with child’s lower total IQ scores (vertex at 76.6 nmol/L, quadratic estimate p < 0.001) supporting the hypothesis of the role of vitamin D during fetal development. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01723852, 2012-11-07 and NCT04302987, 2020-03-06).

Research on complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) among individuals with refugee backgrounds is limited, and its validity within this group remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and discriminant validity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and CPTSD, as well as the risk factors for CPTSD, in a community sample of adolescents with refugee backgrounds residing in Sweden. This study involved 296 adolescents. Probable diagnoses were evaluated according to DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria. Latent class analysis was employed to examine the discriminant validity of PTSD and CPTSD, while logistic regression analysis was used to explore risk factors for CPTSD. The findings indicated that 24.1% had a probable diagnosis of PTSD according to the DSM-5. For ICD-11, the equivalent proportions were 7.1% for PTSD and 10.8% for CPTSD. Latent class analysis identified three distinct classes: Low symptoms (46.9%), PTSD (29.6%), and CPTSD (23.6%). Compared to the PTSD class, membership in the CPTSD class was predicted by exposure to more types of violence and child maltreatment. It was also associated with higher posttraumatic stress symptoms, worse general functioning, poorer mental well-being, increased suicidal thoughts, more treatment-seeking behavior, and greater comorbidity. This study found a high prevalence of PTSD and CPTSD among adolescents with refugee backgrounds living in Sweden. Distinct classes aligned with the ICD-11 formulation of PTSD and CPTSD were identified, with exposure to violence and child maltreatment emerging as key risk factors for CPTSD. Results underscore the importance of identifying and addressing posttraumatic stress in adolescents with refugee backgrounds. Future research should aim to further validate the CPTSD diagnosis in larger samples of adolescents with refugee backgrounds.

Concerns have been raised about an increase in children’s mental health symptoms over the past 30 years, including after COVID-19 lockdowns. Yet, few studies have investigated variations over generations, while considering sex and socioeconomic status. We aimed to address this gap by comparing mental health symptoms (emotional distress, impulsivity/hyperactivity/inattention, disruptive behaviours) reported by classroom teachers of 11-year-olds in three population-based, prospective, representative cohorts in Quebec, Canada. Analyses included 1665 (83%) of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Kindergarten Children, in 1993; 1305 (62%) of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, 2009; and 3871 (100%) of the Quebec Survey of Child Development in Kindergarten, 2022; ~50% boys. Teacher-rated symptoms on the validated Social Behavior Questionnaire showed higher scores of emotional distress and impulsive/hyperactive/inattentive symptoms in 2022 than 2009, and higher in 2009 than 1993 (very small-to-small effect sizes: Cohen’s d 0.12 and 0.26 for emotional distress, 0.06 and 0.25 for impulsive/hyperactive/inattentive symptoms, respectively; P < 0.001). Disruptive behaviour symptoms scored lower in 2022 than 2009, though higher in 2009 than 1993, with very small effect sizes (Cohen’s d: -0.15 and 0.09, respectively). Boys presented more impulsive/hyperactive/inattentive and disruptive behaviour symptoms than girls; girls showed more emotional distress than boys. Children from economically disadvantaged households (lowest 20% of income distribution) presented higher symptoms rates than advantaged children. These findings provide novel and timely evidence about variations in children’s mental health symptom rates over three decades, underscoring the need for preventive interventions as early as elementary school, tailored differentially for boys and socioeconomically disadvantaged children.

Long-term neurodevelopmental/socioemotional risks in small for gestational age (SGA) children lack robust evidence, especially maternal/neonatal predictors. The study aims to identify independent maternal and neonatal risk factors associated with atypical neurodevelopmental and socioemotional outcomes in SGA children. This longitudinal cohort study included 412 singleton SGA infants born at Peking University People’s Hospital in Beijing from January 2020 to December 2022. Participants underwent 24–36 months follow-up median 30 months, with neurodevelopmental and socioemotional outcomes evaluated using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition (ASQ-3) and Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ: SE). These assessments categorized SGA children into normal/atypical development groups for both domains. Through assessment, there were 292 cases (70.9%) of development on track SGA children. The atypical neurodevelopment group included 92 cases (22.3%), among which 38 cases (9.2%) exhibited atypical development in one domain and 54 cases (13.1%) in ≥ 2 domains. The atypical socioemotional development group included 48 cases (11.7%). Additionally, 20 cases (4.9%) of SGA children exhibited both atypical neurodevelopment and atypical socioemotional development. Multivariable regression analysis showed that maternal pre-pregnancy underweight (OR = 6.93, 95% CI = 2.76–17.41), maternal inadequate gestational weight gain (GWG) (OR = 4.63, 95% CI = 2.15–9.99), maternal excessive GWG (OR = 2.51, 95% CI = 1.14–5.55), preterm infant (OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.03–1.55), severe SGA (OR = 2.95, 95% CI = 1.47–5.90) and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome Peking University People’s Hospital (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.06–1.57) were independently related to the occurrence of atypical neurodevelopment outcomes in SGA children; maternal pre-pregnancy underweight (OR = 3.54, 95% CI = 1.11–7.27), maternal inadequate GWG (OR = 3.60, 95% CI = 1.32–8.84), preterm infant (OR = 3.08, 95% CI = 1.09–7.17) and male (OR = 2.23, 95% CI = 1.05–4.75) were independently related to the occurrence of atypical socioemotional development in SGA children. Monitoring and promoting of maternal appropriate weight gain or the maternal health would improve outcome of SGA infants.

Self-harm, including nonsuicidal self-injury and suicide attempts, is common among youth, associated with elevated psychopathology, suicide risk, and increased demand for clinical services. Despite advances in understanding and treatment, few interventions have demonstrated efficacy in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which are considered the gold standard for evaluating treatment effects by randomly assigning participants to intervention or control groups. Building on prior meta-analyses, this study conducted a meta-analysis of RCTs to evaluate the efficacy of interventions in adolescents across three outcomes: self-harm regardless of suicidal intent, suicide attempts, and nonsuicidal self-injury. Systematic searches in PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Medline identified RCTs evaluating interventions for self-harm in youth under 18 years who engaged in self-harm at least once in the past six months. Studies were included if 80% met these criteria. Meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects modeling, primarily to account for heterogeneity across studies, as this approach accommodates variation in effect sizes that may arise from differences in for example study populations, and interventions. Certainty of evidence was assessed using GRADE. Of 6497 screened records, 21 studies met inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed that across three studies, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) reduced the number of adolescents engaging in self-harm behaviors (risk difference [RD]=–0.12, 95% confidence interval: − 0.22 to − 0.02), with moderate certainty. Meta-analysis of two studies found Internet-delivered Emotion Regulation Individual Therapy for Adolescents (IERITA) reduced both the episodes (mean difference =–4.65, − 8.04 to − 1.25) and occurrence of nonsuicidal self-injury at treatment end (RD=–0.20, − 0.34 to − 0.07), with low certainty of evidence. DBT-A appears effective in preventing repeated self-harm, supported by findings across multiple research groups. The less resource-intensive therapy IERITA may be beneficial for adolescents with nonsuicidal self-injury. Larger sample sizes and consensus on definitions and measurement approaches will benefit future research and clinical practice.Prospero registration: ID CRD42023480178.

Low parental education has been suggested as a risk factor for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but the associations may differ by gender and age, as boys are diagnosed more often and ...

This retrospective study examines emergency involuntary psychiatric admission procedures for minors in Athens (2018–2022), using case records accessed through collaboration between the ‘postgraduate M...

Abstract. Psychotherapy is the primary treatment for adolescent Borderline Personality Pathology (BPP), yet its mechanisms remain unclear. Given potential self-report biases due to alexithymia and imp...

Objective Rates of help-seeking and treatment uptake are low in eating disorders. Delayed initiation of treatment has a negative impact on prognosis and treatment outcome and leads to a higher burde...

Childhood maltreatment is a major public health issue and associated with self-harm in adolescents. Self-harm is the strongest recognised predictor of…

Background Suicidality is a major public health concern worldwide. Evidence on the prevalence and risk factors of suicidality amongst unaccompanied young refugees (UYRs), a population already at risk ...