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Meditation has been proven to be an effective tool for treatment in adults and children. We will review some basic meditation techniques for young children, adolescents, and parents, and we will examine the efficacy of meditation as a treatment technique. Evidence-based literature on the basics on meditation and the relationship between meditation and mental health in children, adolescents, and families will be presented. [Extracted from the article]

The goal of this session is to review articles chosen by the Lifelong Learning Committee addressing current concepts and understanding on topical areas of brain development, health promotion and illness prevention, and genetic testing approaches. 1) Understanding brain development during the transitional-age period (ages 14-25 years) is essential for all child and adolescent psychiatrists to better understand how to prevent lifelong suffering. 3) Emotional behavioral health promotion and illness prevention should be principle components of all preschool-age programs. [Extracted from the article]

Child and adolescent psychiatrists generally operate in a model that focuses on the identification and treatment of illness once a youth is symptomatic, yet this belies the substantial and growing literature addressing effective primary and secondary prevention measures to scaffold healthy brain development. These evidence-based wellness modules are then implemented via mindfulness-based health promotion (MBHP) to enhance focus, compassion, and awareness in the process of promoting family well-being, preventing mental illness morbidity, and addressing the remaining symptoms. MBHP presents a new opportunity to combine evidence-based mindfulness practices with a health-promotion approach to foster development of neuroprotective habits to buoy healthy youth and family development. [Extracted from the article]

An abstract of the article "Early Environmental Exposures as Shared and Unique Risk Factors in Childhood Mental Illness: Results From Large-Scale Epidemiological Studies" by Dorothy E. Grice and colleagues is presented.

The expression psychopathology in general and child psychopathology in particular, is affected by multiple sources of variance. Some of these sources include gender differences, informant differences, and age-related differences. In this paper, we discuss how these sources of variance complicate both research and clinical management. We argue that the current diagnostic system would be aided by the inclusion of a quantitative axis that can take these sources of variance into account. We reason that the fields of genomics and neuroscience are prepared to move the field of developmental psychopathology forward, but need a diagnostic system that allows for these sources of variance to be controlled. We demonstrate how in Conduct Disorder, inclusion of dimensional information would allow the clinician or researcher to demonstrate not only the presence or absence of pathology, but also the degree to which the disorder is manifested in a particular individual. Because dimensional approaches are already used widely as an alternative measure of psychopathology, we argue that there is reason to consider dimensionalizing some aspects of the DSM. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: No clear consensus has been reached yet on how best to characterize children who suffer from pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD). The CBCL-PBD profile on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) has been consistently reported showing deviant findings on the Attention Problems, Aggressive Behavior, and Anxious-Depressed subscales. Aim: To examine the sensitivity and specificity of the proposed CBCL-PBD profile for determining DSM diagnosis of PBD. Methods: We applied receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to data from 471 probands from two family studies of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and their 410 siblings. Results: The CBCL-PBD score demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.97 for probands and 0.82 for siblings for current diagnosis of PBD, suggesting that the CBCL-PBD provided a highly efficient way of identifying subjects with a current diagnosis of PBD in this sample. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the CBCL-PBD may provide a highly efficient way of screening for childhood bipolar disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Clinical Perspectives will discuss recent evidence on wellness interventions to prevent and treat child and adolescent mental health conditions. Meditation-based interventions are feasible for children with mental health problems. [Extracted from the article]

BACKGROUND: Exercise reduces the odds of sadness and suicidality in bullied students, but the role of the bullying environment on this relationship remains unknown. METHODS: Using combined data from the 2013 and 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (N = 29,207), adjusted logistic regression models estimated odds ratios between exercise, sadness, and suicidal ideation and attempt, stratified by bullying exposure (electronically/at school). RESULTS: Overall, 40.2% of students bullied at school and 48.3% of students bullied electronically reported feeling sad, compared to 22.6% of those not bullied. Bullied students were 2–3 times more likely to report suicidal ideation, and 3–4 times more likely to report suicidal attempt, regardless of bullying context. Students who were bullied at school and exercised 4–7 days per week had lower odds of sadness (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.51–0.81), suicidal ideation (AOR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.53–82), and suicidal attempt (AOR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.48–0.98) compared to those who exercised 0–3 days. There were no protective effects of exercise for students bullied electronically. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise reduced sadness and suicidality in adolescents bullied at school but not for students who were cyberbullied. Bullying environment should be a primary consideration in school mental health treatment and maintenance paradigms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the stability of internalizing and externalizing problems from age 1.5 to 6 years, while taking into account developmental changes in the presentation of problems. The study comprised a population-based cohort of 7,206 children (50.4 % boys). At ages 1.5, 3, and 6 years, mothers reported on problem behavior using the Child Behavior Checklist/1.5-5 (CBCL/1.5-5). At each age we performed latent profile analysis on the CBCL/1.5-5 scales. Latent transition analysis (LTA) was applied to study the stability of problem behavior. Profiles of problem behavior varied across ages. At each age, 82-87 % of the children did not have problems whereas approximately 2 % showed a profile of co-occurring internalizing and externalizing problems. This profile was more severe (with higher scores) at 6 years than at earlier ages. A predominantly internalizing profile only emerged at 6 years, while a profile with externalizing problems and emotional reactivity was present at each age. LTA showed that, based on profiles at 1.5 and 3 years, it was difficult to predict the type of profile at 6 years. Children with a profile of co-occurring internalizing and externalizing problems early in life were most likely to show problem behavior at 6 years. This study shows that the presentation of problem behavior changes across the preschool period and that heterotypic continuity of problems is very common among preschoolers. Children with co-occurring internalizing and externalizing problems were most likely to show persisting problems. The use of evidence-based treatment for these young children may prevent psychiatric problems across the life course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The consequences of bullying are well described, yet little is known about protective factors that may diminish the negative sequelae. One possible factor, physical activity (PA), improves mental health in general and clinical populations. The purpose of this study is to examine relationships among PA, sadness, and suicidality in bullied US adolescents. We hypothesized that physically active students would be less likely to feel sad or to report suicidal ideation or attempts, including bullied students.Method: Using the 2013 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (N = 13,583), regression models adjusted for age, sex, and race estimated the odds ratios among PA, sadness, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts, stratified by whether students were bullied.Results: Overall, 30.0% of students reported sadness for 2 or more weeks, 22.2% reported suicidal ideation, and 8.2% reported suicide attempt in the previous 12 months. Bullied students were twice as likely to report feeling sad and 3 times as likely to report suicidal ideation or attempt. Students who reported exercising 4 to 5 days a week had lower adjusted odds of sadness, suicidal ideation, or suicide attempts than students who exercised 0 to 1 day a week (p ≤ .0001). After stratifying by bullying, similar but attenuated associations were observed. Overall, exercise for 4 or more days per week was associated with an approximate 23% reduction in suicidal ideation and attempt in bullied students.Conclusion: PA is inversely related to sadness and suicidality in adolescents, highlighting the relationship between PA and mental health in children, and potentially implicating PA as a salient option in the response to bullying in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Netherlands Twin Register (NTR) began in 1987 with data collection in twins and their families, including families with newborn twins and triplets. Twenty-five years later, the NTR has collected at least one survey for 70,784 children, born after 1985. For the majority of twins, longitudinal data collection has been done by age-specific surveys. Shortly after giving birth, mothers receive a first survey with items on pregnancy and birth. At age 2, a survey on growth and achievement of milestones is sent. At ages 3, 7, 9/10, and 12 parents and teachers receive a series of surveys that are targeted at the development of emotional and behavior problems. From age 14 years onward, adolescent twins and their siblings report on their behavior problems, health, and lifestyle. When the twins are 18 years and older, parents are also invited to take part in survey studies. In sub-groups of different ages, in-depth phenotyping was done for IQ, electroencephalography , MRI, growth, hormones, neuropsychological assessments, and cardiovascular measures. DNA and biological samples have also been collected and large numbers of twin pairs and parents have been genotyped for zygosity by either micro-satellites or sets of short nucleotide polymorphisms and repeat polymorphisms in candidate genes. Subject recruitment and data collection is still ongoing and the longitudinal database is growing. Data collection by record linkage in the Netherlands is beginning and we expect these combined longitudinal data to provide increased insights into the genetic etiology of development of mental and physical health in children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shifting health care landscape is ripe for new methods of delivering evidence-based care. Of the clinic's FFCs, 83% have referred at least one family to an FWC, whereas 86% of the FBPs have had at least one FWC referral. Patient satisfaction surveys have recently started to be returned and so far suggest strong satisfaction, including 80% feeling inspired to be healthier and 100% feeling prepared to practice new skills outside of their FWC sessions. [Extracted from the article]

An abstract of the article "Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Metabolic and Psychiatric Outcomes Using the Yale-Vermont Adversity in Childhood Scale" by Bailey Holt-Gosselin and colleagues is presented.

The article focuses on the impact of conflict of interest on the content and quality of medical research. Although a conflict of interest is not itself an ethical violation, ethical violations involving conflict of interest occur when the conflicted individual/s bias the scientific process by distorting research methods, presentation of data, and/or the interpretation of results. Such violations can have a significant negative impact on the assessment and treatment of children with psychiatric disorders. It is noted that biased publications undermine clinical judgment, mislead physicians about treatment options, negatively affect public opinion about science and medicine, and cause distrust in physician-patient relationships.

The article discusses the mission statement and advocacy of the "Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry." Accordingly, the periodical's mission statement, which will be incorporated in every issue, is focused on the advancement of research on pediatric mental health and the promotion of mental care among youth and their families. The periodical aims to promote awareness on the mental health needs of children, adolescents and its families in handling human advancement mysteries. The author stresses that the new mission statement will serve as a reminder and inspiration for people to persist and strive hard in achieving knowledge on how to provide proper care to mentally ill people.