André Tomlin and Douglas Badenoch voice a note of caution about the Lancet Psychiatry meta-analysis of cannabis use in young people. The study links cannabis use in children with low educational attainment, cannabis dependence, illicit drug use and suicide attempts in later life.
[read the full story...]Motivational interviewing does not prevent alcohol misuse in young people
This new Cochrane systematic review finds that motivational interviewing has no effect on reducing alcohol-related problems or risky behaviours such as drunk driving in young people.
[read the full story...]Face-to-face psychotherapy for chronic pain in children and adolescents: Cochrane review calls for better primary research
Lisa Burscheidt summarises a recent Cochrane review of psychotherapy for chronic pain in children and adolescents, which concludes that psychological therapies should be considered as a treatment, but better primary studies are needed to help steer pain management decisions.
[read the full story...]Can schools prevent eating disorders?
In 2012 there was a call from Parliament to research school interventions to reduce body dissatisfaction. Helen Bould reports on an RCT of school-based prevention programme for eating disorders, which highlights the need for more work in this area.
[read the full story...]Homelessness and mental illness in children and young people
This study explores the prevalence of psychiatric disorder and comorbidity among a UK sample of young people with experience of homelessness. It finds an extremely high prevalence of mental illness, combined with low levels of mental health service use.
[read the full story...]Internet-based alcohol and cannabis prevention: Climate Schools and salami slicing
Matt Field summarises the findings of a recent cluster RCT that uses internet-based prevention (an Australian programme called Climate Schools) to reduce alcohol and cannabis use, truancy, psychological distress and moral disengagement.
[read the full story...]Antidepressants, safety warnings and suicide risk in young people
Andrew Shepherd reviews the recent controversial BMJ study that suggests the FDA black box warning about antidepressant use in young people, may have inadvertently caused an increase in suicidal behaviour. He finds it’s not quite that clear cut.
[read the full story...]Incredible Years Parent Training has a role in improving outcomes for all children
Fiona Warner-Gale presents the findings of a meta-analytic review of the Incredible Years Parent Training programme, which is found to be effective at modifying disruptive and prosocial child behaviour. This evidence will be of interest to many, including policymakers, planners and practitioners.
[read the full story...]Kinship care may be a viable out-of-home placement option for maltreated children, but more research is needed
Lisa Burscheidt reports on a recent Cochrane review that looks at the effects of kinship care versus traditional foster care for the safety, permanency and well-being of children removed from the home for maltreatment.
[read the full story...]Bullying and cyberbullying increase the risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in adolescents
Bullying is just not good for you. Here on Mental Elf, we’ve already picked some great examples of studies demonstrating this. André blogged about how bullied children are more likely to develop psychosis, and how bullies are at higher risk for teen pregnancy, and not so long ago, I told you how Wolke et al demonstrated that [read the full story…]