5.6 EMERGING TOPICS IN CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY

Abstract

The objective of this presentation is to review 5 articles chosen by the Lifelong Learning Committee that address current concepts and understanding in the following areas: 1) risk and resilience for minoritized youth experiencing racism, xenophobia, and discrimination; 2) unconscious bias and how it can lead to disparities in diagnosis and treatment of disruptive disorders and ADHD in Black and Latinx youth; 3) the sequelae of spanking and how clinicians can partner with parents to stop corporal punishment; 4) addressing the challenges of providing gender-affirming medical care for youths when the parents disagree; and 5) parent management training (PMT) for addressing excessive video gaming in youth. This presentation reviews articles from the following perspectives: 1) context; 2) participants; 3) hypotheses, study design, and findings; 4) limitations; and 5) implications for clinical care and research. The studies report the following: 1) racism, discrimination, and xenophobia adversely impact developmental outcomes for youth; 2) unconscious bias can lead to misdiagnosis of disruptive behavior disorders and ADHD for minoritized youth; 3) spanking has long-term negative sequalae for youth, but parents can learn to stop spanking and to accept appropriate interventions; 4) parent disagreement is a common barrier to providing gender-affirming medical treatment for youth experiencing gender dysphoria (GD); 5) excessive video gaming is a significant problem for many parents, especially if the child has coexisting disorders such as ADHD or autism spectrum disorder, often leaving parents without the knowledge or skills needed to set limits. Recent data support adverse developmental impacts of historical and contemporary factors that impact children and families. Racism, discrimination, unconscious bias, and corporal punishment are historical and longstanding issues impacting youth. Excessive video game use and concerns about medically assisted gender affirmation for youths experiencing GD are recent but common concerns for parents seeking child and adolescent psychiatry treatment. The selected articles demonstrate that there are effective developmentally appropriate, evidence-based approaches to addressing these concerns by addressing unconscious bias and using strengths- and resilience-based treatment approaches for minoritized youth, collaborating with parents, and parent management interventions.