Life Charting of Affective Disorders

CNS Spectrums ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 21-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriele S. Leverich ◽  
Robert M. Post
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Affective Disorders ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Effective Management ◽  
Treatment Approaches ◽  
Bipolar Illness ◽  
Longitudinal Course ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Number Frequency ◽  
Chronic Course

AbstractThe recurrent and frequently chronic course of affective disorders requires careful delineation of the number, frequency, and pattern of prior and current episodes and their response to pharmacotherapies to help develop optimal assessment and treatment approaches for these Potentially lethal medical illnesses. To better track and monitor the longitudinal course of unipolar and bipolar illness and to promote more effective management, we developed the retrospective and prospective National Institute of Mental Health Life Chart Methodology (NIMH-LCM). The principles of retrospective and prospective life charting are the focus of this article. Following introductory background information on affective disorders, the influence of Kraepelin's work and his use of life charts are reviewed as the basis and framework for the NIMH-LCM. The use of life charting both retrospectively and prospectively is discussed, with examples of its utility and benefits.

Transitioning towards official clinical guidelines for the diagnostics and treatment of severe behavioural problems in children across Europe: current state and future directions.

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra-Raluca Gatej ◽  
Audri Lamers ◽  
Robert Vermeiren ◽  
Lieke van Domburgh
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Clinical Guidelines ◽  
Clinical Decision Making ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
European Guidelines ◽  
Current State ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Evidence Based Treatments ◽  
Multifactorial Approach

Severe behaviour problems (SBPs) in early childhood include oppositional and aggressive behaviours and predict negative mental health outcomes later in life. Although effective treatments for this group are available and numerous clinical practice guidelines have been developed to facilitate the incorporation of evidence-based treatments in clinical decision-making (NICE, 2013), many children with SBPs remain unresponsive to treatment (Lahey & Waldman, 2012). At present, it is unknown how many countries in Europe possess official clinical guidelines for SBPs diagnosis and treatment and what is their perceived utility. The aim was to create an inventory of clinical guidelines (and associated critical needs) for the diagnostics and treatment of SBPs in youth mental health across Europe according to academic experts and mental health clinicians’ opinions. To investigate the aim, two separate online semi-structured questionnaires were used, one directed at academics (N=28 academic experts; 23 countries), and the other at clinicians (N=124 clinicians; 24 countries). Three key results were highlighted. First, guidelines for SBPs are perceived as beneficial by both experts and clinicians. However, their implementation needs to be reinforced and content better adapted to daily practice. Improvements may include taking a multifactorial approach to assessment and treatment, involving the systems around the child, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Second, academic experts and clinicians support the need for further developing national / European guidelines. Finally, future guidelines should address current challenges identified by clinicians to be more applicable to daily practice.

The Assessment and Treatment of Trichotillomania

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary A.-H. Christenson
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Treatment ◽  
Habit Reversal ◽  
Hair Pulling ◽  
Psychiatric Interview ◽  
Treatment Approaches ◽  
Time Treatment ◽  
Habit Reversal Therapy ◽  
Situational Characteristics ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Additional Support

The successful treatment of trichotillomania necessitates an initial clinical evaluation of the cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and situational characteristics contributing to an individual’s hair pulling. Assessment also requires a comprehensive psychological/psychiatric interview to assess for comorbid illness, which may either contribute to hair pulling or require separate attention. Several instruments have been designed to assist in quantifying the core symptoms of trichotillomania and can be useful for monitoring treatment progress over time. Treatment approaches include medication, hypnosis, and behavioral therapies, especially modifications of habit reversal therapy. Controlled studies are few in number and are limited to only a few behavioral treatment approaches and medication classes. Research suggests that variations of habit reversal therapy have the greatest efficacy of the interventions investigated thus far. There is additional support for treatment with clomipramine, N-acetylcysteine, and olanzapine, in contrast to multiple other drugs that have been studied or suggested as useful for trichotillomania.

scholarly journals Professional Sport and Initial Mental Health Public Disclosure Narratives

2020 ◽  
pp. 216747952097731
Author(s):  
Christopher Elsey ◽  
Peter Winter ◽  
Susan Jayne Litchfield ◽  
Sharon Ogweno ◽  
James Southwood
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Conversation Analysis ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Public Mental Health ◽  
Professional Sports ◽  
Public Disclosure ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
The Media ◽  
Sporting Activities

The disclosure of absences from professional sporting activities to the media is a routine and generally unproblematic part of a sporting career. However, when the reason for the absence relates to mental health concerns, players can encounter difficulties in trying to define, describe and conceptualise their own issues while attempting to maintain privacy as they undergo assessment and treatment. Drawing on ethnomethodology and conversation analysis principles and methods, this paper explores first/initial public mental health disclosure narratives produced by players and sporting organizations across several professional sports via media interviews, press statements, and social media posts. The analysis focuses on (in)voluntary accounts produced by teams or players themselves during their careers and examines the different communication strategies they employ to categorise and explain their predicament. The analysis reveals how some players provide partial or proxy public disclosure announcements (due to a desire to mask issues or delayed help-seeking and assessment), whereas others prefer fuller disclosure of the problems experienced, including diagnoses and on-going treatment and therapy regimes. The paper outlines the consequences of these disclosure strategies and considers the implications they can have for a player’s wellbeing in these stressful circumstances.

scholarly journals Self-reported suboptimal sleep and receipt of sleep assessment and treatment among persons with and without a mental health condition in Australia: a cross sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra P. Metse ◽  
Caitlin Fehily ◽  
Tara Clinton-McHarg ◽  
Olivia Wynne ◽  
Sharon Lawn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Health Condition ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Mental Health Condition ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sleep Assessment ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Sleep Parameters

Abstract Background Poor sleep and poor mental health go hand in hand and, together, can have an adverse impact on physical health. Given the already disproportionate physical health inequities experienced by people with a mental health condition worldwide, the need to consider and optimise sleep has been highlighted as a means of improving both physical and mental health status. Sleep recommendations recently developed by the United States’ National Sleep Foundation incorporate a range of sleep parameters and enable the identification of ‘suboptimal’ sleep. Among community-dwelling persons with and without a 12-month mental health condition in Australia, this study reports: [1] the prevalence of ‘suboptimal’ sleep and [2] rates of sleep assessment by a health care clinician/service and receipt of and desire for sleep treatment. Methods A descriptive study (N = 1265) was undertaken using self-report data derived from a cross-sectional telephone survey of Australian adults, undertaken in 2017. Results Fifteen per cent (n = 184) of participants identified as having a mental health condition in the past 12 months. Across most (7 of 8) sleep parameters, the prevalence of suboptimal sleep was higher among people with a mental health condition, compared to those without (all p < 0.05). The highest prevalence of suboptimal sleep for both groups was seen on measures of sleep duration (36–39% and 17–20% for people with and without a mental health condition, respectively). In terms of sleep assessment and treatment, people with a mental health condition were significantly more likely to: desire treatment (37% versus 16%), have been assessed (38% versus 12%) and have received treatment (30% versus 7%). Conclusions The prevalence of suboptimal sleep among persons with a mental health condition in Australia is significantly higher than those without such a condition, and rates of assessment and treatment are low for both groups, but higher for people with a mental health condition. Population health interventions, including those delivered as part of routine health care, addressing suboptimal sleep are needed.

scholarly journals A Mental Health Drop-In Centre Offering Brief Transdiagnostic Psychological Assessment and Treatment in a Paediatric Hospital Setting: A One-Year Descriptive Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 5369
Author(s):  
Matteo Catanzano ◽  
Sophie D Bennett ◽  
Marc S Tibber ◽  
Anna E Coughtrey ◽  
Holan Liang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young People ◽  
Psychological Assessment ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Hospital Setting ◽  
Considerable Proportion ◽  
Paediatric Hospital ◽  
Cognitive Behaviour ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
One Year

Aim: This study was part of a broader project to examine the acceptability, feasibility and impact of a transdiagnostic mental health drop-in centre offering brief psychological assessment and treatment for children and young people and/or their families with mental health needs in the context of long-term physical health conditions (LTCs). The aims of this investigation were to characterise: (i) the use of such a centre, (ii) the demographics and symptoms of those presenting to the centre, and (iii) the types of support that are requested and/or indicated. Methods: A mental health “booth” was located in reception of a national paediatric hospital over one year. Characteristics of young people with LTCs and their siblings/parents attending the booth were defined. Emotional/behavioural symptoms were measured using standardised questionnaires including the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Participants subsequently received one of four categories of intervention: brief transdiagnostic cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), referral to other services, neurodevelopmental assessment or signposting to resources. Results: One hundred and twenty-eight participants were recruited. The mean age of young people was 9.14 years (standard deviation: 4.28); 61% identified as white and 45% were male. Over half of young people recruited scored in the clinical range with respect to the SDQ. Presenting problems included: anxiety (49%), challenging behaviour (35%), low mood (22%) and other (15%). Conclusions: A considerable proportion of young people with LTC in a paediatric hospital scored in the clinical range for common mental health problems, indicating a potential for psychological interventions.

Genetic Models of Affective Disorder: Application to Twin Data

1980 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 289-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miron Baron
Keyword(s):  
Affective Disorder ◽  
Affective Disorders ◽  
Monozygotic Twins ◽  
Threshold Models ◽  
Twin Data ◽  
Bipolar Illness ◽  
Major Locus ◽  
Unipolar Disorder ◽  
Locus Model ◽  
Multiple Threshold

Twin data on bipolar and unipolar affective disorders are analyzed by multiple threshold models of inheritance. The two illness types are represented in the models on a continuum of genetic–environmental liability in which bipolar illness has a higher liability threshold than unipolar disorder. Autosomal single major locus model provides an acceptable fit to observed concordance rates in monozygotic twins. The multifactorial-polygenic model is rejected.

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