The Often-Circuitous Path to Affirming Mental Health Care for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Adults
We describe recent research regarding access to affirming mental health services for transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) adults and explore new resources available for therapists to inform evidence-based practice with TGD clients.Recent FindingsBarriers and facilitators at all socioecological levels impact TGD adults ’ mental health help-seeking. TGD adults often interface with mental health providers while accessing gender-affirming medical care, though new standards of care are likely to alter this typically common path to mental health services. Efforts to improve therapist education, such as therapy manual s, are in...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - February 11, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Sexual Dysfunctions and Problematic Sexuality in Personality Disorders and Pathological Personality Traits: A Systematic Review
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis aim of the present systematic literature review is to critically analyze problematic sexuality and sexual dysfunctions in personality disorders (PDs) and pathological personality traits.Recent FindingsAn initial pool of 123 studies was found, out of which 17 met the selection criteria and were therefore included. Traumatic experiences as childhood sexual abuse and adverse childhood experiences characterize the relationship between sexual behavior and PDs. From this point of view, sexual compulsivity and sexual risk behaviors, typical of BPD and ASPD, respectively, are among the pathognomonic a...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - February 4, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) Bleeding Risk: Considerations for the Consult-Liaison Psychiatrist
AbstractPurpose of ReviewTo present a clinically oriented review of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)-related bleeding issues commonly addressed by consult-liaison psychiatrists.Recent FindingsConcomitant medical, surgical, or hospital-based conditions exacerbate the risk of SSRI-related bleeding even though a review of the literature suggests it is only marginally elevated. Psychiatrists and other clinicians need to consider these conditions along with antidepressant benefits when answering the question: to start, hold, continue, or change the antidepressant?SummaryWhere an evidence base is limited, mechanisti...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - January 28, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Anxiety-Related Disorders in the Context of Racism
This report aims to review recent evidence demonstrating the link between racial discrimination and various anxiety-related disorders.Recent FindingsAnxiety-related disorders were the most significant mediator for daily discrimination and suicidal thoughts, above both depression and substance use. Further, studies showed that racial discrimination promotes posttraumatic stress and racial trauma among people of color. Systemic racism puts people of color at a higher risk for anxiety disorders than White people. Clinical case examples provide lived evidence of diverse racial and ethnic individuals suffering from anxiety-rela...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - January 16, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Assessment and Treatment of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
AbstractPurpose of ReviewTo review the literature pertaining to the assessment and treatment of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) ten years following its introduction toDSM-5.Recent FindingsSeveral structured clinical interviews for assessing ARFID have been developed, each with its own strengths and limitations. There is no clear leading self-report measure for tracking treatment progress and outcome in ARFID. Medical assessment is comprised of examining anthropometrics, vitamin deficiencies, and other comorbidities. To date, several studies have reported on cognitive behavioral therapy, family-based treat...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - January 14, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Postpartum Psychosis
AbstractPurpose of ReviewPostpartum psychosis is a psychiatric emergency that can affect the health and life of mothers, infants, and families. Postpartum psychosis (PPP) is distinct from non-postpartum psychosis in many ways, and it is crucial to study and understand PPP to identify, treat, and possibly prevent this condition. We therefore sought to review the latest research findings about PPP with the intention of updating readers about the latest evidence base.Recent FindingsMultiple physiologic pathways have been implicated in the development of PPP, and further understanding these pathways may allow for early detecti...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - January 13, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Binge Eating Risk During Midlife and the Menopausal Transition: Sensitivity to Ovarian Hormones as Potential Mechanisms of Risk
AbstractPurpose of ReviewRecent research suggests that binge eating may be more prevalent among women in midlife than previously believed. The menopausal transition, an important developmental stage during midlife, is characterized by substantial fluctuations and eventual decreases in ovarian hormones that may contribute to increased risk. This narrative review summarizes findings from studies of binge eating during midlife and menopause and discusses the potential role of ovarian hormones in binge eating risk.Recent FindingsStudies are few in number and findings are mixed, with only some studies showing increased binge ea...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - December 24, 2022 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Management of Acute Stress Reactions in the Military: A Stepped Care Approach
AbstractPurpose of the ReviewThis review highlights knowledge gaps surrounding the development and use of interventions for Acute Stress Reactions (ASRs). First, we propose that a stepped care approach to intervention for ASR be developed and utilized in military operational environments. A stepped care approach would include detection and assessment, followed by behavioral intervention, and then medication intervention for ASRs. Second, we discuss potential strategies that can be taken for the development of safe and effective ASR medications.Recent FindingsASRs commonly occur in operational environments, particularly in ...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - December 20, 2022 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
No Exceptions to the Rules: Professional Ethics Should Apply to Sexual Offender Civil Commitment Proceedings
AbstractPurpose of ReviewWe review the non-punitive intents and goals of sexual offender civil commitment ( “SOCC”) proceedings. We apply the impacts of open courtrooms in SOCC hearings to what is known about the provision of effective, ethical, and constitutional interventions to those committed and we examine whether open proceedings are consistent with evidence-based practices, including the risk, needs, and responsivity principles.Recent FindingsThe use of open courtrooms in SOCC proceedings presents numerous barriers to ethical, effective, and efficient interventions. Open courtrooms fuel treatment resistance, low...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - December 19, 2022 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety-Related Disorders: A Meta-Analysis of Recent Literature
AbstractPurpose of ReviewEffective treatment of anxiety-related disorders is crucial, considering the prevalence of such disorders and their association with poor psychosocial functioning. To evaluate the most recent evidence on the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety-related disorders in adults, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials published since 2017.Recent FindingsTen studies with a total of 1250 participants met the inclusion criteria. Seven of these studies examined PTSD. The findings demonstrated small placebo-controlled effects of CBT on target disorder symptom...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - December 19, 2022 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
CBT for Youth Anxiety: How Does It Fit Within Community Mental Health?
AbstractPurpose of ReviewWe review (1) the empirical literature for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for youth anxiety delivered in community settings, (2) the use of online delivery methods in this process, and (3) identified barriers and facilitators to implementation of CBT for youth anxiety in community mental health clinics (CMHCs). We provide suggestions for future work.Recent FindingsMeta-analytic reviews of effectiveness studies suggest that outcomes comparable to those of efficacy studies can be achieved in community settings, particularly when in-session exposures occur. Several online programs support delivery...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - December 9, 2022 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Telemental Health for the Homeless Population: Lessons Learned when Leveraging Care
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe purpose of this paper is to review key lessons when using telehealth within the context of mental health and homelessness. We examine technological and bandwidth issues the homeless population might face when getting telehealth services, discuss clinical process adaption needed for working remotely, and highlight the lessons learned when leveraging mental health services to homeless patients across telehealth platforms.Recent FindingsHomelessness is associated with chronic, mental health disparities and access to mental health services is often less accessible among communities with unstable ho...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - December 8, 2022 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Translating Big Data to Clinical Outcomes in Anxiety: Potential for Multimodal Integration
AbstractPurpose of the ReviewThis review describes approaches to research on anxiety that attempt to link neural correlates to treatment response and novel therapies. The review emphasizes pediatric anxiety disorders since most anxiety disorders begin before adulthood.Recent FindingsRecent literature illustrates how current treatments for anxiety manifest diverse relations with a range of neural markers. While some studies demonstrate post-treatment normalization of markers in anxious individuals, others find persistence of group differences. For other markers, which show no pretreatment association with anxiety, the marke...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - December 5, 2022 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Self-compassion in Treatment and with Ourselves
This article explores the emerging role of compassion in the treatment of individuals who have caused sexual harm. It also brings focus to the importance of self-care and self-compassion for the practitioners who do this work.Recent FindingsEarly studies into interventions designed to prevent offending behavior focused more on risk reduction than client resilience and well-being. The good lives model shifted focus to rehabilitation centered on clients' strengths. Recent critiques highlight the importance of compassion in treatment and self-compassion for practitioners working in this field.SummaryCompassion plays a fundame...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - December 1, 2022 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Intersectionality and Mental Health Among Emerging Adult Black American Men: a Scoping Review
AbstractPurpose of ReviewWe conducted a scoping review to evaluate the degree to which literature published within the past 5 years concerning mental health among Black emerging adult men in the USA engaged with intersectionality.MethodsUsing scoping review methods, we applied the following a-priori eligibility criteria: (i) sample included Black/African American men who were aged 18 –29 years, (ii) pertained to general mental wellness, depression, or anxiety, (iii) published within between 2017 and 2022, (iv) empirical and/or theoretical literature including reviews, pre-prints, and reports from organizations or prof...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - November 30, 2022 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
