Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Uncovering a clinical portrait of sluggish cognitive tempo within an evaluation for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A case study
Despite the burgeoning scientific literature examining the sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) construct, very little is known about the clinical presentation of SCT. In clinical cases where SCT is suspected, it is critical to carefully assess not only for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) but also for other comorbidities that may account for the SCT-related behaviors, especially internalizing symptoms and sleep problems. The current case study provides a clinical description of SCT in a 7-year-old girl, offering a real-life portrait of SCT while also providing an opportunity to qualitatively differentiate between...
Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry - December 27, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Becker, S. P., Ciesielski, H. A., Rood, J. E., Froehlich, T. E., Garner, A. A., Tamm, L., Epstein, J. N. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Psychodynamic psychotherapy with adolescents and young adults: Outcome in routine practice
This naturalistic study examined the outcome of psychodynamic psychotherapy with 218 adolescents and young adults aged 14–24 years. Analysis of variance showed significant improvement of general functioning on Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and decreased symptom severity on Symptoms Checklist-90 (SCL-90) upon completion of psychotherapy, as well as a clinically significant improvement in a large percentage of cases. Effect sizes were equivalent to those evident in a clinical comparison group and larger than in prior research. The main limitation of this stud...
Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry - December 27, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Edlund, J. N., Carlberg, G. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

'Am I damaging my own family?: Relational changes between foster carers and their birth children
This study aimed to explore the impact of fostering on parent–child relationships within foster families. Nine foster carers (including three couples) were interviewed separately, and the data were analysed using constructivist grounded theory methods. Analysis indicated that birth children may attribute particular importance to their position in the family (e.g. oldest child, youngest child) and that this is a key element of the way in which they relate to their parents. Emotional security and parent–child relationships can therefore be strained by a foster placement not taking this into account. Foster childr...
Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry - December 27, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Thompson, H., McPherson, S., Marsland, L. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Clinical competencies for the effective treatment of foster children
This article attempts to begin to fill that gap by outlining the knowledge and skills clinicians must acquire if they are to effectively treat foster children. Treatment of foster children should be seen as a subspecialty within the field of child mental health, and trainings that help clinicians gain more knowledge of foster children’s unique needs should be more available. (Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry)
Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry - December 27, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Zilberstein, K., Popper, S. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

A qualitative analysis of implementing shared decision making in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in the United Kingdom: Stages and facilitators
Conclusions: Implementation of SDM in CAMHS requires key positive clinician behaviors, including preparedness to put in effort, trust in young people, and use of the approach flexibly. Practice implications: Implementation of SDM in CAMHS is effortful, and while tools may help support SDM, clinicians need to be allowed to use the tools flexibly to allow them to move from a state of apprehension through a sense of feeling "clunky" to integration in practice. (Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry)
Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry - December 27, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Abrines-Jaume, N., Midgley, N., Hopkins, K., Hoffman, J., Martin, K., Law, D., Wolpert, M. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

"Why are you here?" Seeking childrens accounts of their presentation to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
The area of child mental health has a developing evidence base, with much of this focused on outcomes and a growing recognition for the value of process research. Despite this growth, however, there has still been little work conducted on first assessments in spite of their importance in establishing therapeutic rapport and engagement with services. We explore naturally occurring first assessments in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) to explore the beliefs that children hold regarding their reasons for attendance and the implications this has for the trajectory of the appointment and later engagement wit...
Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry - December 27, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Stafford, V., Hutchby, I., Karim, K., OReilly, M. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Behavioural improvements and emotional gains for students attending an Australian School for Specific Purposes
Outcomes of students with behavioural and emotional difficulties attending a specialised educational programme, delivered in a tertiary education and health facility, were evaluated and compared with Australian normative data. A total of 45 students (5–10 years old) attending the school in Sydney, New South Wales, were identified. At enrolment, parent ratings on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) significantly deviated from Australian normative data on all scales for males and on the overall score, conduct and hyperactivity scales for females. Clinically significant levels of hyperactivity, peer probl...
Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry - September 29, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Hulme, M. J., Cornish, A. M. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Changes in attachment representations for young people in long-term therapeutic foster care
This article reports on a 1-year follow-up study exploring changes in attachment security of children placed in long-term therapeutic foster care over three data collection time points. A group of eight children (age 14 to 17) were assessed over a period of 1 year using a modified version of the Separation Anxiety Test (SAT). Interviews were also conducted to explore the young people’s and the carers’ experiences of the placements and their personal perspectives of changes. The findings indicated some positive changes in the young people’s attachment security over time, for example, a reduction in extreme...
Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry - September 29, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Dallos, R., Morgan-West, K., Denman, K. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Assessment of the therapeutic alliance of youth and parents with team members in youth residential psychiatry
This study assesses the psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the Family Engagement Questionnaire (FEQ), an alliance measure completed by team members. In addition, agreement among team members is explored. Eleven youth psychiatric day and inpatient units participated. Parent counsellors and case managers of 86 patients from 6 to 17 years old reported on the therapeutic alliance. Exploratory factor analysis of team members’ reports resulted in meaningful structures, with child and parent alliance scales primarily corresponding to the conceptualization of the developers and earlier factor analysis. Internal ...
Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry - September 29, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Lamers, A., Vermeiren, R. R. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

'I want the way I look to matter less': A case study describing psychological aspects of changing appearance
This article presents central themes from the therapy and clinical interventions, which were mainly based on a solution-oriented and cognitive framework, and considers how the change of appearance affected the way this young woman behaved, felt and thought about herself after the surgery. Clinical implications of the case are discussed and their relevance to another research field – dramatic weight loss among those suffering from obesity – is suggested. (Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry)
Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry - September 29, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tevik, F., Feragen, K. B. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Mothers' narratives about having a child with cancer: A view through the attachment lens
This study explored mothers’ narratives about having a child with cancer through the novel addition of an attachment lens. Six mothers were interviewed about their experiences. Their pattern of attachment was assessed through a separate interview using the Dynamic-Maturational Model of adult attachment. The results showed marked differences in themes and performative aspects between the narratives of mothers classified as Type B pattern of attachment, balanced integration of affect and cognition, and those classified as Type A, focus on cognition and dismissal of affect. For mothers classified as Type B, narrative th...
Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry - September 29, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Bishop, S., Stedmon, J., Dallos, R. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Affect Consciousness in children with internalizing problems: Assessment of affect integration
This study explored the applicability of the adjusted ACI to a sample of 11-year-old children with internalizing problems through examining inter-rater reliability of the adjusted ACI, along with relationships between the AC aspects and aspects of mental health as symptoms of depression, symptoms of anxiety, social competence, besides general intelligence. Satisfactory inter-rater reliability was found, as well as consistent relationships between the AC aspects and the various aspects of mental health, a finding which coincides with previous research. The finding indicates that the attainment of the capacity to deal adapti...
Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry - September 29, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Taarvig, E., Solbakken, O. A., Grova, B., Monsen, J. T. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

The language of feelings: A reading and storytelling group in an adolescent unit
This article describes a "Reading and Storytelling Group" that ran at an adolescent inpatient unit and outlines how fictional stories, both read and told, can develop psychological insights such as mentalization and emotional literacy. The structure of the group is described, and some of the activities and responses of the young people are illustrated. How activities such as this can have therapeutic benefits without being ostensibly "therapy" are discussed. (Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry)
Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry - September 29, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Killick, S., Bowkett, S. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

Understanding conduct disorder: The ways in which mothers attempt to make sense of their children's behaviour
‘Disruptive behaviour disorders’ are the most common reason for referral to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Current treatment guidelines focus on parent-training programmes. Difficulties are often reported when engaging families, with parental attributions and attitudes towards help-seeking proposed as influential factors. Previous research has tended to privilege pre-existing frameworks; this study utilised qualitative methods to add to the current understanding of the ways in which parents make sense of their children’s behaviour. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with six...
Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry - September 29, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Lewis, R. M., Petch, V., Wilson, N., Fox, S., Craig, C. E. Tags: Articles Source Type: research

How well do websites concerning children's anxiety answer parents' questions about treatment choices?
The goals of this study were to evaluate the quality of information concerning anxiety disorders in children that is available on the Internet and to evaluate changes in the quality of website information over time. The authors identified websites addressing child anxiety disorders (N = 26) using a Google search and recommendations from an expert in child anxiety. Each website was evaluated on the extent to which it addressed questions that parents consider important, the quality of information, and the reading level. All websites provided adequate information describing treatment options; however, fewer websites had infor...
Source: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry - September 29, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Reynolds, K. A., Walker, J. R., Walsh, K., The Mobilizing Minds Research Group Tags: Articles Source Type: research