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Background and Objectives: Mosquito-borne viral diseases (MBVDs) create a dramatic health situation worldwide. There is a need to improve the understanding of factors to be addressed in intervention programmes. This study explored community knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding MBVD in Kinshasa. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out between January and April 2019. The socio-demographic and KAP data collected through a questionnaire were analysed using Epi Info 7. Results: The study included 1464 male and female respondents aged from 18 to 70 years old. Open garbage cans and outdoor water storage units were found in 61.2% and 33.4% of respondent residences, respectively. Polluted water bodies (80.3%) were the most mentioned as mosquito breeding places. Among 86.6% of the respondents that had heard about yellow fever, 12% knew that it is an MBVD. The majority of respondents (72.5%) were perceived to be at risk of contracting MBVD. Environment sanitation (58%) and insecticide use (25%) were among the measures implemented to control mosquitoes. The greater overall knowledge score and attitude were not associated with good practice. Conclusion: The residents of Kinshasa had limited knowledge of MBVD. Raising awareness and educational sessions are essential in empowering the community regarding the correct attitudes and practices to effectively manage the risk posed by MBVD.

Abstract Background Mosquito-borne viral infections have in recent years, become a public health threat globally. This review aimed to provide an overview of the ecological and epidemiological profiles of mosquito-borne viral infections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Methods A search of literature was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed and the WHO website using the following keywords: “Democratic Republic of the Congo”, “Zaire”, “Belgian Congo” and either of the following: “mosquito-borne virus”, “arbovirus”, “yellow fever”, “dengue”, “chikungunya”, “West Nile”, “Rift Valley fever”, “O’nyong’nyong”, “Zika”, “epidemiology”, “ecology”, “morbidity”, “mortality”. Published articles in English or French covering a period between 1912 and October 2018 were reviewed. Results A total of 37 articles were included in the review. The findings indicate that the burden of mosquito-borne viral infections in DRC is increasing over time and space. The north-western, north-eastern, western and central regions have the highest burden of mosquito-borne viral infections compared to south and eastern highland regions. Yellow fever, chikungunya, dengue, Zika, Rift Valley fever, West Nile and O’nyong’nyong have been reported in the country. These mosquito-borne viruses were found circulating in human, wildlife and domestic animals. Yellow fever and chikungunya outbreaks have been frequently reported. Aedes aegypti and Ae. simpsoni were documented as the main vectors of most of the mosquito-borne viral infections. Heavy rains, human movements, forest encroachment and deforestation were identified as drivers of mosquito-borne viruses occurrence in DRC. Conclusions Mosquito-borne viral infections are becoming common and a serious public health problem in DRC. In the current context of climate change, there is urgent need to improve understanding on ecological and epidemiology of the diseases and strengthen surveillance systems for prompt response to epidemics in DRC.

Background and Objectives: Mosquito-borne viral diseases (MBVDs) create a dramatic health situation worldwide. There is a need to improve the understanding of factors to be addressed in intervention programmes. This study explored community knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding MBVD in Kinshasa. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out between January and April 2019. The socio-demographic and KAP data collected through a questionnaire were analysed using Epi Info 7. Results: The study included 1464 male and female respondents aged from 18 to 70 years old. Open garbage cans and outdoor water storage units were found in 61.2% and 33.4% of respondent residences, respectively. Polluted water bodies (80.3%) were the most mentioned as mosquito breeding places. Among 86.6% of the respondents that had heard about yellow fever, 12% knew that it is an MBVD. The majority of respondents (72.5%) were perceived to be at risk of contracting MBVD. Environment sanitation (58%) and insecticide use (25%) were among the measures implemented to control mosquitoes. The greater overall knowledge score and attitude were not associated with good practice. Conclusion: The residents of Kinshasa had limited knowledge of MBVD. Raising awareness and educational sessions are essential in empowering the community regarding the correct attitudes and practices to effectively manage the risk posed by MBVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro RNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs with well-known regulatory roles in normal physiological processes and cancer. Conventionally their study has been based on defining single miRNA-mRNA target interactions using a combination of miRNA expression arrays and bioinformatic predictions of binding to the 3' untranslated regions of genes, followed by miRNA over-expression in the relevant cell type. These approaches present circumstantial evidence for binding of a particular miRNA to its target but do not allow the study of global interactions nor provide direct evidence of binding. In order to study the genome wide impact of miRNA regulation in breast cancer we chose to use a recently described biochemical technique called Cross-Linked Immune-Precipitation of Argonaute (AGO) protein followed by high throughput sequencing (HITS-CLIP). Cross-linking of RNA to adjacent protein moieties by ultraviolet (UV) light allows for stringent isolation of the miRNA-mRNA-AGO complexes by immune precipitation (IP); miRNA-mRNA interaction within the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) is known to occur within the folds of AGO. The isolated miRNA-mRNA-AGO complexes are then analyzed with next generation sequencing (NGS) to determine the miRNA-mRNA interactome. We performed HITS-CLIP on three well characterized breast cancer cell lines that represent ER+, Her2+ and triple negative (TN) disease (MCF7, BT474 and MDA231). To determine the role of miRNAs in coordinating the response to the estrogen receptor axis, MCF7 and BT474 cells were analyzed with or without short term (24 hour) estrogen treatment. Analysis of sequencing data revealed several novel miRNA-mRNA interactions that target the ER pathway. For example, miR-9 directly regulates ER expression and miR-193a is involved in regulating expression of the ER co-activator NCOA3. We confirmed the biological relevance of these results using functional in vitro studies where manipulation of both miR-193a and miR-9 altered the responsiveness of breast cancer cells to tamoxifen. These results were further validated by quantitation of both transcript (RT-PCR) and protein (Western Blot) levels after transfection of miRNA precursors. Functional binding between these miRNAs and putative binding targets in the 3' Untranslated Regions (3' UTRs) were also validated by luciferase-based reporter assays. Finally, we performed global analysis of miRNAs and their targets (as predicted by the HITS-CLIP datasets across all cell lines); this predicted regulation of core cellular processes such as cell proliferation, DNA repair and metabolism as being targeted by highly abundant miRNAs such as miR-27a and miR-21. In addition, our datasets confirmed previous reports of miRNA regulation of ER pathway such as miR-221 regulation of ER itself and miR-34a regulation of Myc. In summary, genome-wide biochemical approaches like HITS-CLIP allow for defining novel and clinically relevant miRNA-based regulatory pathways of endocrine responsiveness and resistance in breast cancer. In addition, breast cancer subtype specific biological pathways targeted by individual miRNAs can be predicted by this approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

General pediatricians and those specialized in developmental-behavioral and neurodevelopmental disabilities support children with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We identified substantial geographic disparities in pediatrician availability (eg, urban > rural areas), as well as regions with low pediatrician access but high ASD/ADHD prevalence estimates (eg, the US Southeast)., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest This publication was made possible in part by Grant Number T32-GM081740 from NIH-NIGMS. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIGMS or NIH. This project was supported in part by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U1CRH30539 Rural Health Research Grant Program Cooperative Agreement. This information or content and conclusions are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the US Government. This work was also supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (Cooperative Agreement #5U19DD001218)., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Prevalence estimates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) point to geographic and socioeconomic disparities in identification and diagnosis. Estimating national prevalence rates can limit understanding of local disparities, especially in rural areas where disproportionately higher rates of poverty and decreased healthcare access exist. Using a small area estimation approach from the 2016-2018 National Survey of Children's Health (N = 70,913), we identified geographic differences in ASD prevalence, ranging from 4.38% in the Mid-Atlantic to 2.71% in the West South-Central region. Cluster analyses revealed "hot spots" in parts of the Southeast, East coast, and Northeast. This geographic clustering of prevalence estimates suggests that local or state-level differences in policies, service accessibility, and sociodemographics may play an important role in identification and diagnosis of ASD.County-Level Prevalence Estimates of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children in the United States., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a screening measure commonly used to assess behavioral and emotional symptoms and strengths among children and adolescents. However, despite its frequent use, its underlying factor structure remains an important area of inquiry. Whereas the original five-factor structure has often been supported through exploratory factor analysis, results from confirmatory analyses continue to yield mixed results. We analyzed data from youth in Grades K through 12 from a large epidemiologic study in the Southeastern United States. Teacher-report SDQ data were used to test three confirmatory factor models by school level (i.e., elementary [Grades K-5] and secondary [Grades 6-12]): The original five-factor model, a three-factor model, and a bifactor model. Model fit indices and reliability measures supported the original five-factor model as the preferred model when using the teacher-reported SDQ with both elementary and secondary school children. Implications for using the SDQ in applied research and predictive modeling are discussed., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are two of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders with comorbidity rates of up to 70%. Population-based studies show differential rates of ADHD and ASD diagnosis based on sociodemographic variables. However, no studies to date have examined the role of sociodemographic factors on the likelihood of receiving an ADHD, ASD, or comorbid ASD + ADHD diagnosis in a large, nationally representative sample., Objective: This study aims to examine the impact of sociodemographic factors on the odds of experiencing ASD-only, ADHD-only, or both diagnoses for children in the United States., Methods: Using a mixed effects multinomial logistic modeling approach and data from the 2016-2018 National Survey of Children's Health, we estimated the association between sociodemographic variables and the log odds of being in each diagnostic group., Results: Sociodemographic variables were differentially related to the three diagnostic groups: ASD-only, ADHD-only, and ASD + ADHD. Compared to girls, boys experienced higher odds of all three diagnosis categories. White children had higher odds of having an ADHD-only or ASD + ADHD diagnosis compared to non-Hispanic (NH) Black, NH multiple/other race, and Hispanic children. Odds ratios for levels of parent education, household income, and birth characteristics showed varying trends across diagnostic groups., Conclusions: Overall, our findings point to unique sets of risk factors differentially associated ASD and ADHD, with lower income standing out as an important factor associated with receiving a diagnosis of ASD + ADHD., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Emotion dysregulation is frequently seen in adults with ADHD and is associated with many adverse outcomes. We conducted a scoping review of factors associated with emotion dysregulation in adults with ADHD., Method: PubMed and PsycInfo (EBSCO) were searched. Articles were included if they measured ADHD, emotional dysregulation or some aspect of emotional dysregulation, and at least one other construct. Studies examining physiological underpinnings as well as clinical trials examining the effect of ADHD medications on emotional dysregulation were excluded because recent reviews have already examined these topics., Results: Thirty-five studies were included in the review. Factors such as biological sex, comorbidities, attachment style, using certain emotional regulation strategies, and ADHD subtype tend to be related to emotion dysregulation., Conclusion: Clinicians working with adults with ADHD can collect information on these factors to better understand risk for emotion dysregulation, and emotion regulation skills may be one area for intervention., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Purpose: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood disorder often characterized by long-term impairments in family, academic, and social settings. Measuring the prevalence of ADHD is important as treatment options increase around the U.S. Prevalence data helps inform decisions by care providers, policymakers, and public health officials about allocating resources for ADHD. In addition, measuring geographic variation in prevalence estimates can facilitate hypothesis generation for future analytic work. Most U.S. studies of ADHD prevalence among children focus on national or demographic group rates., Methods: Using a small area estimation approach and data from the 2016 to 2018 National Survey of Children's Health, we estimated childhood ADHD prevalence estimates at the census regional division, state, and county levels. The sample included approximately 70,000 children aged 5-17 years., Results: The national ADHD rate was estimated to be 12.9% (95% Confidence Interval: 11.5%, 14.4%). Counties in the West South Central, East South Central, New England, and South Atlantic divisions had higher estimated rates of childhood ADHD (55.1%, 53.6%, 49.3%, and 46.2% of the counties had rates of 16% or greater, respectively) compared to counties in the Mountain, Mid Atlantic, West North Central, Pacific, and East North Central divisions (2.1%, 4%, 5.8%, 6.9%, and 11.7% of the counties had rates of 16% or greater, respectively)., Conclusions: These local-level rates are useful for decision-makers to target programs and direct sufficient ADHD resources based on communities' needs., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the relation between household food insecurity (HFI) and fear of hypoglycemia among young adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and adolescents with type 1 diabetes and their parents., Research Design and Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data of 1,676 young adults with youth-onset diabetes (84% type 1, 16% type 2) and 568 adolescents (<18 years old; mean age 15.1 years) with type 1 diabetes from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study. Adult participants and parents of adolescent participants completed the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module. Adults, adolescents, and parents of adolescents completed the Hypoglycemia Fear Survey, where answers range from 1 to 4. The outcomes were mean score for fear of hypoglycemia and the behavior and worry subscale scores. Linear regression models identified associations between HFI and fear of hypoglycemia scores., Results: Adults with type 1 diabetes experiencing HFI had higher fear of hypoglycemia scores (0.22 units higher for behavior, 0.55 units for worry, 0.40 units for total; all P < 0.0001) than those without HFI. No differences by HFI status were found for adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Parents of adolescents reporting HFI had a 0.18 unit higher worry score than those not reporting HFI (P < 0.05). Adults with type 2 diabetes experiencing HFI had higher fear of hypoglycemia scores (0.19 units higher for behavior, 0.35 units for worry, 0.28 units for total; all P < 0.05) than those in food secure households., Conclusions: Screening for HFI and fear of hypoglycemia among people with diabetes can help providers tailor diabetes education for those who have HFI and therefore fear hypoglycemia., (© 2023 by the American Diabetes Association.)

We examined the predictive utility of the Behavior Assessment System for Children-2 Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BASC-2-BESS) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in identifying students with a mental disorder. Data were collected in a two-stage study over 34 months with kindergarten-12 th grade (K-12) students (aged 5-19 years) in four U.S. school districts. In Stage 1, teachers completed the BASC-2-BESS and the SDQ. In Stage 2, parents of 1,054 children completed a structured diagnostic interview to determine presence of a mental disorder. Results suggest that teacher versions of the BASC-2-BESS and SDQ have modest utility in identifying children meeting criteria for a mental disorder based on parent report. Area Under the Curve (AUC) statistics representing prediction of any externalizing disorder (.73 for both measures) were higher than the AUCs predicting any internalizing disorder (.58 for both measures). Findings can inform the use of teacher report in mental health screening, specifically the selection of measures when implementing screening procedures., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: Dr. Owens has received funding from the Institute of Education Sciences. Dr. Evans has received funding from Institute of Education Sciences, National Institute of Mental Health, and Patient Center Outcomes Research Initiative. Dr. Kubicek has received funding from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. All other authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

Objective: To evaluate the appropriateness of parent-reported diagnosis of ADHD as a surveillance tool., Method: We assessed agreement over time and concordance of parent-reported diagnosis against Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-based criteria. We compared concordance of diagnosis and DSM-based criteria by child characteristics, including treatment., Results: Among parents who reported their child had ADHD, 95.7% reported it again 2 years later. Comparing diagnosis with DSM-based criteria, specificity and negative predictive value were high, sensitivity was moderate, and positive predictive value was low. Most children with an ADHD diagnosis who did not meet DSM-based criteria met sub-threshold criteria or took medication for ADHD. Concordance differed by child characteristics and treatment., Conclusion: Parent-reported diagnosed ADHD is reliable over time. Although differences in parent-reported diagnosis and DSM-based criteria were noted, these may reflect children with milder symptoms or treated ADHD. Parent-report of child ADHD ever diagnosis may be a good single-item indicator for prevalence.

Purpose: This study evaluated the stability over time of prevalence estimates of mental disorders among school-aged children from the same community., Methods: We compared screening status and weighted prevalence of selected mental disorders from the two-stage school-based South Carolina Project to Learn About Youth-Mental Health (Time 1) and its replication study (Time 2) conducted between 2014 and 2017. During stage 1, two teacher screeners were used to group students into high or low risk for a mental disorder. During stage 2, parents of selected students completed a structured diagnostic interview to assess whether their child met criteria for specific disorders., Results: For stage 1, 19.9% of students screened as high risk for a mental disorder at Time 2 compared to 17.8% at Time 1. Among students included at both timepoints, 9.1% screened as high risk at both timepoints while screening status changed for 20.7%. The overall prevalence of included mental disorders was approximately 18% at both time points There were no differences (P-values >.05) in prevalence of individual mental disorders between Time 1 (range:0.3%-6.7%) and Time 2 (range:1.2%-7.7%)., Conclusions: Study findings demonstrate that similar methodology yielded similar prevalence estimates of mental disorders and can inform community-level planning for improving mental health in children., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms among college students are associated with high rates of alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences. Use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) is generally related to lower levels of alcohol use and problems; however, it is unclear how effectively students with ADHD symptoms can implement PBS, and whether certain types of PBS use may yield better outcomes. This study examined relations between PBS type and ADHD symptoms on both alcohol use and consequences, and whether these relations varied by biological sex. Participants were 875 college student drinkers from three universities who completed measures of ADHD symptoms, PBS, past-month alcohol use, and alcohol-related consequences. There were significant moderation effects of ADHD symptoms, such that the relation between PBS use and alcohol use was more pronounced for students high in inattention, and the relation between PBS use and alcohol-related consequences was more pronounced for students high in either inattention or hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms. These relations were found for both manner of drinking and stopping/limiting drinking PBS, and they tended to be strongest for male students. There were no significant interaction effects that included serious harm reduction PBS; for all students, increased use of this type of PBS was associated with fewer problems. These results suggest that PBS are likely effective for students with ADHD symptoms. Interventions that provide explicit instruction in employing PBS, particularly related to manner of drinking and stopping/limiting drinking strategies, are recommended for students with ADHD symptoms., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study illustrated the effect of varying the number of response alternatives in clinical assessment using a within-participant, repeated-measures approach. Participants reported the presence of current attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms using both a binary and a polytomous (4-point) rating scale across two counterbalanced administrations of the Current Symptoms Scale (CSS). Psychometric properties of the CSS were examined using (a) self-reported binary, (b) self-reported 4-point ratings obtained from each administration of the CSS, and (c) artificially dichotomized responses derived from observed 4-point ratings. Under the same ordinal factor analysis model, results indicated that the number of response alternatives affected item parameter estimates, standard errors, goodness of fit indices, individuals' test scores, and reliability of the test scores. With fewer response alternatives, the precision of the measurement decreased, and the power of using the goodness-of-fit indices to detect model misfit decreased. These findings add to recent research advocating for the inclusion of a large number of response alternatives in the development of clinical assessments and further suggest that researchers should be cautious about reducing the number of response categories in data analysis.

The Project to Learn About Youth-Mental Health (PLAY-MH; 2014-2018) is a school-based, two-stage study designed to estimate the prevalence of selected mental disorders among K-12 students in four U.S.-based sites (Colorado, Florida, Ohio, and South Carolina). In Stage 1, teachers completed validated screeners to determine student risk status for externalizing or internalizing problems or tics; the percentage of students identified as being at high risk ranged from 17.8% to 34.4%. In Stage 2, parents completed a structured diagnostic interview to determine whether their child met criteria for fourteen externalizing or internalizing disorders; weighted prevalence estimates of meeting criteria for any disorder were similar in three sites (14.8%-17.8%) and higher in Ohio (33.3%). PLAY-MH produced point-in-time estimates of mental disorders in K-12 students, which may be used to supplement estimates from other modes of mental disorder surveillance and inform mental health screening and healthcare and educational services.

Evidence-based practice in psychology (EBPP) has long focused on treatment, but evidence-based psychological assessment (EBPA) is also crucial given the important role of accurate and reliable diagnostic practices in treatment planning. In terms of the diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), EBPA practices are well-established for children, and more recently for adults, but for college students in particular there are special considerations that warrant attention. College students with symptoms of ADHD have some challenges that are unique, and thus the assessment and diagnosis of ADHD in these students is unique. The aim of this review is not to cover all EBPA strategies for diagnosing ADHD in emerging adult college students; rather, we will focus on the unique considerations at play in college ADHD assessment . These include (a) conceptual matters such as the appropriateness of the DSM-5 criteria for college students, the limitations of our understanding of ADHD this population because of a lack of diversity in research studies, and the issue of late-identified ADHD; and (b) practical matters, such as specific documentation needs, how to gather and interpret self- and other-report of symptoms, how to assess impairment, and alternate explanations for ADHD-like symptoms in college students.

Previous studies examining the factor structure of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in adults using self-report measures have shown mixed results, supporting two-, three-, and bifactor solutions. The current study further investigated the structure of ADHD symptoms in adults using the Current Symptoms Scale and rigorous model evaluation in a sample of 892 college students. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to analyze and compare five-factor structures; a single-factor model, a two-factor model, a three-factor model, and two bifactor models. A single-factor model with correlated residuals best fit the data. Factor correlations with nearly all related constructs (i.e., symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder, depression, impairment, previous ADHD diagnosis, grades, and substance use) were significant in the expected directions and the model was invariant across gender. These findings contribute to a growing body of work suggesting a unidimensional factor may best represent ADHD symptoms in adults. Implications are discussed.

Objective: We explored how positive and negative life experiences of caregivers are associated with household food insecurity., Design: The Midlands Family Study (MFS) was a cross-sectional study with three levels of household food security: food secure, food insecure without child hunger and food insecure with child hunger. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was used for analyses of negative and positive life experiences (number, impact, type) associated with food insecurity., Setting: An eight-county region in South Carolina, USA, in 2012-2013., Participants: Caregivers (n 511) in households with children., Results: Caregivers who reported greater numbers of negative life experiences and greater perceived impact had increased odds of household food insecurity and reporting their children experienced hunger. Each additional negative life experience count of the caregiver was associated with a 16 % greater odds of food insecurity without child hunger and a 28 % greater odds of child hunger. Each one-unit increase in the negative impact score (e.g. a worsening) was associated with 8 % higher odds of food insecurity without child hunger and 12 % higher odds of child hunger. Negative work experiences or financial instability had the strongest association (OR = 1·8; 95 % CI 1·5, 2·2) with child hunger. Positive life experiences were generally not associated with food security status, with one exception: for each unit increase in the number of positive experiences involving family and other relationships, the odds of child hunger decreased by 22 %., Conclusions: More research is needed to understand approaches to build resilience against negative life experiences and strengthen positive familial, community and social relationships.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood disorders, and its symptoms and impairment in multiple domains begin in childhood and can extend into adulthood as well. Many youth with ADHD experience impairment in the social domain, including social skills deficits and difficulties in peer relationships. Social skills interventions, or social skills training (SST), have been developed to target social impairment and improve the social skills and functioning of youth with ADHD. Previous reviews of SST for youth with ADHD have provided mixed conclusions, with many including comprehensive, multilevel interventions for ADHD and none examining stand-alone SST for ADHD in a systematic way. The present review addresses this gap in the literature by providing the first known comprehensive, systematic review of SST alone, along with ratings of methodological rigor for each evaluation of stand-alone SST. The present review provides insight into the strengths and weaknesses in the existing SST literature, and provides suggestions for improvement and future directions for SST. An outline of "specific ingredients" and characteristics of effective SST are also presented, with the goal of providing both researchers and clinicians guidance for creating and implementing effective SST for youth with ADHD.

We provided evidence regarding the reliability and validity of measures of assets and life satisfaction (LS) for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We identified levels of LS within this population, compared these levels to those of typically developing adolescents, and described the relation between assets and LS. Forty-six adolescents with ASD and their caregivers completed questionnaires assessing LS and assets. Preliminary support was provided for the internal consistency reliability and validity of these measures in adolescents with ASD. Youth with ASD reported moderate to high levels of LS; these were lower than those of typically developing peers. Age moderated the relation between self-reported LS and some assets. Implications were discussed within the context of Schalock's (J Disabil Policy Stud 14:204-215, 2004) emerging disability paradigm.

Although previous research suggests that undergraduates with untreated or undertreated attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms may have academic motives for stimulant medication misuse, no previous work has examined the relation of ADHD symptoms, controlling for comorbid oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), to misuse, or has explored how these symptoms are differentially related to motives for misuse. Among a sample of 900 students from one public university, the current study first tested whether increased ADHD symptomology (using the Current Symptoms Scale, CSS) was associated with an increased likelihood of misusing stimulant medication, controlling for comorbid ODD. We then examined whether those with increased ADHD symptomology were more likely to report academic motives for misuse. The prevalence rate of misuse in the past year was 22%. Participants who met symptom count criteria for ADHD (controlling for comorbid ODD) were 2.90 times more likely to misuse stimulant medication than those who did not. Among misusers, those who met ADHD criteria were also 2.80 times more likely to report academic motives for misuse. These results support that stimulant medication misuse is likely driven, in part, by inadequate or absent care for the executive functioning impairments associated with ADHD. Therefore, a greater focus on assessment and treatment of college students with ADHD symptoms is warranted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The goals of this study were to (a) evaluate the presence of the positive bias (PB) in elementary-school-aged children with and without ADHD when PB is defined at the individual level through latent profile analysis and (b) examine the extent to which several correlates (i.e., social functioning, aggression, depression, and anxiety) are associated with the PB. Participants were 233 youth (30% female; 8 to 10 years of age), 51% of whom met criteria for ADHD. During an individual evaluation, children and parents completed a battery of questionnaires to assess child competence, depression, anxiety, and aggression. Children also participated in a novel group session with same-sex unfamiliar peers (half of the group was comprised of children with ADHD) to engage in group problem-solving tasks and free play activities. After the group session, peers and staff completed ratings of each child's behavior (e.g., likeability, rule following). The best fitting LPA model for parent and self-ratings of competence revealed four profiles: High Competence/Self-Aware; Variable Competence/Self-Aware; Low Competence/Self-Aware; and Low Competence/PB, in which the PB was present across domains. Only 10% of youth showed a PB and youth with ADHD were no more likely to display the PB than their non-ADHD peers with similar levels of low competence. Lastly, the Low Competence/Self-Aware profile demonstrated higher levels of anxiety and depression than the Low Competence/PB profile; the profiles did not differ on aggression or peer or staff ratings of social/behavioral functioning. Implications for understanding the PB in children with and without ADHD are discussed.

Background: Previous research on peer status of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has focused on already-established peer groups, rendering the specific social behaviors that influence peers' initial impressions largely unknown. Recently, theorists have argued that emotion dysregulation is a key aspect of ADHD, with empirical work finding relations between emotion dysregulation and social outcomes. Therefore, the current study focuses on the initial interactions among children varying in ADHD symptoms duringh a novel playgroup, proposing that emotion dysregulation displayed during the playgroup may serve as a possible pathway between ADHD symptoms and peers' initial negative impressions., Methods: Participants were 233 elementary-age children ranging from 8 to 10 years old (M = 8.83, 70% male). Parents and teachers rated children's ADHD symptoms and related impairment; 51% of the children met criteria for an ADHD diagnosis. Then, children participated with unfamiliar peers in a three-hour playgroup that included three structured and two unstructured tasks. After the tasks, children and staff rated each child on social outcomes. Coders unaware of child's diagnostic status watched videos of the groups and rated each child's global emotion dysregulation during each task., Results: Using multiple raters and methods, ADHD severity was associated with more negative peer ratings, through observed emotion dysregulation. Results were consistent for both parent and teacher ratings of ADHD severity as well as for both peer ratings of likeability and staff ratings of perceived peer likeability., Conclusions: When focusing on improving peers' initial impressions of children with ADHD symptoms, emotion dysregulation may be a valuable target for intervention., (© 2017 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.)