Levels of parental expressed emotion (EE) are prospectively associated with the symptomatic course of a range of childhood psychiatric disorders. This article reviews the literature linking parental ...EE to youth psychopathology and proposes a novel framework for understanding its mechanisms of action. We find that, despite noteworthy methodological limitations, parental EE is linked consistently to a more deleterious course of mood, anxiety, and psychotic disorders in youth. Its mechanism of action is unknown. Models of “toxic family stress” (referring to frequent, sustained, and uncontrollable stress without protective influences) provide one framework for understanding how high EE environments interact with individual biological vulnerabilities to promote illness onset and recurrence. Research aimed at understanding biological responses (e.g., stress reactivity, arousal) to familial EE is needed. Such work may inform efforts to understand how EE affects the course of psychiatric disorders and may guide the development of novel interventions emphasizing emotion regulation strategies.
Nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, conversations about the impact of COVID-19 on children and families have shifted. Initial advice for parents stressed topics such as how to talk about the ...pandemic with children or cope with illness-related distress. They now focus on youth adjustment to a heavily disrupted school year and on strategies for building long-term resilience. Although these conversations often center on youth adjustment, they have-at last-started to consider the well-being of parents (and other caregivers) as well. This shift in focus is crucial given the enormous challenges that parents face right now and the direct links between their well-being and that of their children. What continues to lag, even well into the pandemic, however, is the provision of workable solutions for addressing parents' mental health. While we applaud the renewed focus on parenting stress and well-being, we remain deeply concerned by the absence of a plan for intervening.
Avoidant behavior is a defining feature of pediatric anxiety disorders. Although prior research has examined it from the perspective of early information processing events, there has been relatively ...less consideration of the processes by which anxious youth make avoidant decisions and how these choices are reinforced over time. Studies of risk taking are valuable in this regard because they consider how individuals identify the pros and cons of their choices, how they weigh potential gains and losses and estimate their respective probabilities, and how they tolerate the uncertainty intrinsic to any decision. In this review, we place risk taking within existing models of information processing in pediatric anxiety disorders and highlight the particular value of this construct for informing models of developmental psychopathology and individual differences in outcome over time. We review existing behavioral and neurobiological studies of risk taking in anxious youth and conclude by identifying directions for future research.
•Family-focused treatments for anxiety vary in format and approach and it remains unclear whether they offer an advantage over individual child treatment.•We used meta-analytic methods to examine the ...therapeutic approaches described in existing family interventions, whether they mapped to identified mechanisms, and the timeline along which they were measured.•Of 11 identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that included a youth anxiety measure at pre- and post-treatment, only half included a family functioning measure at both pre- and post-treatment.•Only a single study included anxiety measures at a mid-treatment time point, and none included parent measures at a mid-treatment time point.•Findings are discussed in terms of design considerations and advancing the field of family intervention for youth anxiety.
Parent- and family-level correlates of youth anxiety are well-documented, and they highlight potential targets for family-focused intervention. Although family-based approaches for treating youth anxiety generally are considered efficacious for achieving symptom reduction, they vary in format and approach and it remains unclear whether they offer an advantage over individual child treatment. To better understand the current state of the evidence, we used meta-analytic methods to examine the therapeutic approaches described in existing family interventions for child and adolescent anxiety, whether they mapped to the major mechanisms proposed in the literature, and the timeline along which relevant parent/family variables were measured. We examined how these mechanism-focused family interventions performed in RCTs relative to individual child CBT and whether they shifted symptoms and relevant parenting behaviors. A total of 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) compared individual cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) to CBT+ a family component (CBT + FAM) and included a youth anxiety measure at pre- and post-treatment; only half of these (n=6) also included a parent/family functioning measure at both pre- and post-treatment (across both primary and secondary outcome papers). Only a single study included anxiety measures at a mid-treatment time point, and none included parent measures at a mid-treatment time point. Findings are discussed in terms of design considerations and advancing the field of family intervention for youth anxiety.
Background
Anxiety disorders first emerge during the critical developmental periods of childhood and adolescence. This review synthesizes recent findings on the prevalence, risk factors, and course ...of the anxiety disorders; and their neurobiology and treatment.
Methods
For this review, searches were conducted using PubMed, PsycINFO, and clinicaltrials.gov. Findings related to the epidemiology, neurobiology, risk factors, and treatment of pediatric anxiety disorders were then summarized.
Findings
Anxiety disorders are high prevalence, and early‐onset conditions associated with multiple risk factors including early inhibited temperament, environment stress, and structural and functional abnormalities in the prefrontal‐amygdala circuitry as well as the default mode and salience networks. The anxiety disorders are effectively treated with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
Conclusions
Anxiety disorders are high prevalence, early‐onset conditions associated with a distinct neurobiological fingerprint, and are consistently responsive to treatment. Questions remain regarding who is at risk of developing anxiety disorders as well as the way in which neurobiology predicts treatment response.
Pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can be enormously taxing for affected youth and their families; the distress, impairment, and family upheaval that it brings are well documented.
Both ...exposure-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and pharmacological interventions are efficacious for reducing symptoms and functional impairment, producing mean effect sizes of g = 1.21 and g = 0.50 respectively.
These treatments-whether administered alone or in combination-form the backbone of our current suite of interventions. They have helped countless young people to restore functioning and lead healthy, productive lives. Despite this encouraging picture, long-term outcomes for children and adolescents with OCD remain poorly understood. Even for youth who receive high-quality evidence-based care, it is unclear what to expect down the road, and this gap in understanding creates challenges for clinical decision making as well as angst for parents who, quite understandably, want to know what the future holds for their children. Although CBT often is recommended as the frontline intervention for pediatric OCD
and parents routinely report preferring to begin with nonmedication options,
data to help patients and families make fully informed treatment decisions are scarce. Most would like to know the long-term outcomes associated with various treatment options, and this is a challenge given that the typical length of follow-up in CBT trials for pediatric OCD is 3 to 6 months-well short of a typical school year. The study by Ivarsson et al.
is therefore a much-needed advance for the field, offering a first view of long-term outcomes for youth with OCD treated with evidence-based treatments.
BackgroundThe interval between adolescence and adulthood, ‘emerging adulthood’ (EA), lays the foundation for lifelong health and well‐being. To date, there exist little empirical data – particularly ...in the neurobiological domain – to establish markers of risk and resilience during the transition to adulthood. This gap in the literature is concerning given the numerous forms of psychiatric illness that emerge or worsen during this period.MethodsIn this review, we focus on two strands of research with distinct importance for EA: reward sensitivity, and tolerance of ambiguity. We begin by placing these domains in a framework that considers the unique developmental goals of EA and then synthesize emerging neurobiological research on how these domains develop during EA. We then consider their role in common mental health problems that occur during this interval as well as how social support may moderate outcomes. Finally, we offer recommendations for advancing research to understand developmental process and outcomes in EA.Findings and conclusionsFew longitudinal studies specifically address emerging adult development and the milestones that characterize this interval. Data on neurobiological development are similarly sparse. Understanding neurobiological development during this window and its links to key adjustment outcomes is crucial for optimizing outcomes.
Abstract Objective To date, few studies of childhood obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) have been adequately powered to examine patterns and predictors of comorbidity, despite the frequency with ...which it occurs. We address this gap, drawing on a large sample of youth with OCD who were systematically assessed through research and clinical programs in a university-based specialty program for children and adolescents with OCD. We examine patterns of comorbidity across different epochs of development and predict specific classes of OCD (comorbidity internalizing/externalizing/both) from key demographic and clinical variables that may be useful in guiding individualized treatment. Method A total of 322 youths (mean age = 12.28, 53% male) were assessed using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule (ADIS; Silverman and Albano, 1996), the Children's Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CYBOCS; Scahill et al., 1997) and other standardized measures. Results Consistent with prior research, 50% of youth met criteria for a co-occurring anxiety or depressive disorder. Rates of externalizing disorders were lower (16%). Developmental differences emerged such that older youth met criteria for a higher number of co-occurring disorders. As expected, adolescents in particular were more likely to have a co-occurring internalizing disorder compared to early or pre-adolescent peers. Surprisingly, they were also more likely to have a comorbid externalizing disorder. Developmental trends were particularly striking with respect to depression, with adolescents with OCD demonstrating a six-fold greater likelihood of co-occurring depressive disorder compared to younger counterparts. Discussion Clinical implications are discussed with eye toward tailoring interventions, particularly during the transition to adolescence when youth are at heightened risk for depression.
Family factors such as conflict, blame, and poor cohesion have been found to attenuate response to cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for pediatric obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). This study ...examined the feasibility and acceptability of a brief, personalized intervention for cases of pediatric OCD complicated by these family features. Twenty youth with a primary Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) diagnosis of OCD (M age = 12.50 years; 55% male; 60% Caucasian) and their families participated. To be included in the study, families were required to evidence poor functioning on measures of blame, conflict, and/or cohesion. Eligible families were randomly assigned either to standard treatment (ST) with 12 weeks of individual child CBT that included weekly parent check-ins and psychoeducation or to Positive Family Interaction Therapy (PFIT), which consisted of 12 weeks of individual child CBT plus an additional 6 sessions of family treatment aimed at shifting family dynamics. Clinical outcomes were determined by blind independent evaluators using the Clinician's Global Impressions-Improvement (CGI-I) scale. All families completed the study. High levels of satisfaction were reported among participants in both arms of the study, despite the added burden of attending the PFIT sessions. Both mothers and fathers attended 95% of the PFIT family sessions. Families in the ST condition demonstrated a 40% response rate on the CGI-I; families in the PFIT condition demonstrated a 70% response rate. Treatment gains were maintained in both conditions at 3-month follow-up. Preliminary data suggest that PFIT is acceptable and feasible. Further testing and treatment development are needed to optimize outcomes for complicated cases of pediatric OCD.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
BFBNIB, DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Although evidence-based treatments for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) exist, many youth fail to respond, and interventions tailored to the needs of specific subsets of patients are ...lacking. This study examines the efficacy of a family intervention module designed for cases of OCD complicated by poor family functioning.
Participants were 62 youngsters aged 8 to 17 years (mean age = 12.71 years; 57% male; 65% white) with a primary diagnosis of OCD and at least 2 indicators of poor family functioning. They were randomized to receive 12 sessions of individual child cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) plus weekly parent psychoeducation and session review (standard treatment ST) or the same 12 child sessions plus 6 sessions of family therapy aimed at improving OCD-related emotion regulation and problem solving (positive family interaction therapy PFIT). Blinded raters evaluated outcomes and tracked responders to 3-month follow-up.
Compared to ST, PFIT demonstrated better overall response rates on the Clinician Global Impression-Improvement scale (CGI-I; 68% versus 40%, p = .03, φ = 0.28) and rates of remission (58% PFIT versus 27% ST, p = .01, φ = 0.32). PFIT also produced significantly greater reductions in functional impairment, symptom accommodation, and family conflict, and improvements in family cohesion. As expected, these shifts in family functioning constitute an important treatment mechanism, with changes in accommodation mediating treatment response.
PFIT is efficacious for reducing OCD symptom severity and impairment and for improving family functioning. Findings are discussed in terms of personalized medicine and mechanisms of change in pediatric OCD treatment. Clinical trial registration information-Family Focused Treatment of Pediatric Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; http://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT01409642.
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