Understanding and Addressing Mental Health Disorders: a Workplace Imperative
This article seeks to provide a broad overview of the workplace mental health literature, highlight practical implications of current research, and formulate key recommendations for stakeholders. Various aspects of disability related to mental health disorders, their associated financial costs, and the impact of stigma are covered. This article also discusses key strategies for assessing mental health problems among employees and reviews different types of interventions in the workplace.Recent FindingsWorkplace mental health is an evolving area, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. While established national workplace...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - August 17, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
The Foundations of Autistic Flourishing
AbstractPurpose of ReviewAll people —including Autistic people—deserve to live flourishing lives. But what does a flourishing life look like for Autistic people? We suggest that the hidden biases, methodological errors, and key assumptions of autism science have obscured answers to this question. Here, we seek to initiate a broade r discussion about what the foundations for a good Autistic life might be and how this discussion might be framed.Recent FindingsWe identify five ways in which autism science can help us all to secure those foundations, including by (1) giving Autistic well-being prominence in research, (2) a...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - August 8, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
A Review of Telepsychiatry for Pediatric Patients in the Emergency Setting
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe purpose of this review is to summarize factors contributing to the current state of pediatric mental health access in ED settings and synthesize the existing literature on the use of telepsychiatry to extend access to care, with particular focus on feasibility and sustainability.Recent FindingsChildren are presenting to emergency departments (EDs) with mental health concerns at an increasing rate, while ED capacity to treat psychiatric needs in children remains insufficient. This growing problem is compounded by decreased access to outpatient care and inpatient psychiatric beds, resulting in ex...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - August 1, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Fantasy Sexual Material Use by People with Attractions to Children
AbstractPurpose of ReviewWith the Internet allowing consumers easy access to fantasy and fictional sexual materials (FSM), it is becoming increasingly important to understand the context of their use among specific populations. Of particular, social, clinical, and legal interest is FSM use by people who are attracted to children and whether this may have a risk-enhancing or protective impact on their likelihood of committing a contact or non-contact sexual offence.Recent FindingsThere is a lack of data currently available in relation to the use of FSM by those with sexual attractions to children. Evidence from allied areas...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - July 31, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Light Therapy for Adolescent Depression: A Scoping Review
AbstractPurposeDepressive disorders in adolescents are a major health concern associated with developmental, social, and educational impairment. Bright Light Therapy (BLT) is a feasible and effective treatment for depressive disorders in adults, but few controlled trials have been conducted with children or adolescents. This scoping review focuses on the current state of knowledge for BLT in the treatment of adolescent depression. We reviewed the literature for novel data and methodologic approaches using BLT and pediatric and young adult populations.Recent FindingsBLT is a tolerable treatment with few side effects. Howeve...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - July 25, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
The Effects of Social Determinants of Health on Child and Family Mental Health: Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis review aims to expand understanding of the effect of SDOH on youth and family mental health outcomes. The review highlights significant findings from recent literature across SDOH categories (Economic Stability, Education Access/Quality, Health Care Access/Quality, Neighborhood/Built Environment, and Social/Community Context). This review also aims to demonstrate how the COVID-19 pandemic influences these effects.Recent FindingsEconomic instability (i.e., poverty, food insecurity) is associated with poorer MH outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic limited access to mental health resources, including ...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - July 20, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Responding to Suicide in School Communities: An Examination of Postvention Guidance from Expert Recommendations and Empirical Studies
AbstractPurpose of ReviewWe review the published literature on a school ’s response after a student dies by suicide (“postvention”). We examine published recommendations based on expert guidance and empirical studies that have evaluated postvention measures.Recent FindingsExperts recommend careful communication with family, staff, and students that adheres to published suicide reporting guidelines. Experts also emphasize the importance of identifying and supporting high-risk students. Few robust, controlled studies have identified effective postvention measures. Effective measures tended to occur in group settings (e...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - July 20, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Publishing on a Shoestring: Understanding Barriers, Challenges, and Unique Opportunities to Academic Productivity in Psychiatry
AbstractPurpose of ReviewClinical track faculty within psychiatry may struggle to meet goals for academic scholarship, particularly publishing. In this review, we explore potential barriers to publication and solutions to support early career psychiatrists.Recent FindingsCurrent evidence highlights challenges for faculty throughout academic practice, including barriers at the individual and systems levels. Within psychiatry, publication has favored biological studies with significant gaps in the literature serving as both an opportunity and challenge. Interventions underscore the importance of mentorship and propose incent...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - July 3, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Ketamine Use in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Emerging Data in Treatment-Resistant Depression, Insights from Adults, and Future Directions
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe following review will explore ketamine ’s antidepressant and antisuicidal properties in adults, review of what is known about ketamine’s safety in children, and summarize the limited information we have on ketamine’s role in treating depression and suicidal ideation in adolescents with depression. Future directions for ketamine’s role in child psychiatry based on animal and adult studies will also be explored.Recent FindingsOver the past 20 years, ketamine has emerged as a novel treatment for depression and suicidal ideation in adults. In recent years, these studies have been extended...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - June 30, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Pathways to Psychopathology Among Autistic Adults
AbstractPurpose of ReviewAutistic adults frequently require treatment of mental health problems. Increased rates of suicidality and diminished quality of life among autistic people may be partially attributable to psychiatric symptoms. Some risk factors for mental health problems in autistic people are likely the same as risk factors present in neurotypical individuals, but unique factors that are specific to neurodivergent individuals, and some even more specific to autistic people, may exist. Understanding pathways from autism to mental health problems could inform intervention efforts at the individual and societal leve...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - June 28, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Correction to: Global Mental Health: Where We Are and Where We Are Going
(Source: Current Psychiatry Reports)
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - June 27, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Child and Adolescent Psychological Reactions to Climate Change: A Narrative Review Through an Existential Lens
AbstractPurpose of ReviewA narrative review was conducted on research surrounding children ’s and adolescents’ experiences of emotional and mental health and wellbeing in relation to climate change; we also explored potential connections to existential themes.Recent FindingsChildren and adolescents represent a vulnerable group in relation to experiencing negative mental health impacts due to climate change. Further, this population experiences a wide range of emotions in relation to climate change, with most research reporting on worry and anxiety. Several studies that explored associations between such emotions and me...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - June 24, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Global Mental Health: Where We Are and Where We Are Going
AbstractPurpose of ReviewTo
summarize recent findings in global mental health along several domains including socioeconomic determinants, inequities, funding, and inclusion in global mental health research and practice.Recent FindingsMental illness continues to disproportionately impact vulnerable populations and treatment coverage continues to be low globally. Advances in integrating mental health care and adopting task-shifting are accompanied by implementation challenges. The mental health impact of recent global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geo-political events, and environmental change is likely to persist...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - May 31, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Reviewing the Literature on the Impact of Gun Violence on Early Childhood Development
AbstractPurpose of ReviewTo examine the impacts of gun violence on early childhood development including early childhood mental health, cognitive development, and the assessment and treatment of survivors.Recent FindingsThe literature reflects that gun violence exposure is often associated with significant mental health outcomes including anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and depression in older youth. Historically, studies have focused on adolescents and their exposures to gun violence through proximity to gun violence within their communities, neighborhoods, and schools. However, the impacts of gun violence on young childr...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - May 26, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Suicide Following the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak: Variation Across Place, Over Time, and Across Sociodemographic Groups. A Systematic Integrative Review
AbstractPurpose of reviewTo systematically examine changes in suicide trends following the initial COVID-19 outbreak, focusing on geographical and temporal heterogeneity and on differences across sociodemographic subgroups.Recent findingsOf 46 studies, 26 had low risk of bias. In general, suicides remained stable or decreased following the initial outbreak – however, suicide increases were detected during spring 2020 in Mexico, Nepal, India, Spain, and Hungary; and after summer 2020 in Japan. Trends were heterogeneous across sociodemographic groups (i.e., there were increases among racially minoritized individuals in the...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - May 25, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
