After participating in this activity, learners should be better able to:• Evaluate the evolution of social cognitive abilities as a developmental process• Assess the evidence regarding social cognition difficulties in youth at clinical high risk for psychosisIndividuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis exhibit a broad range of difficulties, including impaired social cognition, which may represent a target for early identification and intervention. Several studies have examined various domains of social cognition in CHR individuals. Most focus on adolescent and young adult populations, but given the accumulating evidence that impairment exists before the onset of psychotic disorders, it is critically important to begin to look for these risk markers in younger children. The present article reviews 25 studies on CHR that examine any of the following four domains of social cognition: emotion processing, theory of mind, social perception, or attribution bias. Eligible studies were identified through a comprehensive literature search, conducted using electronic databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE and PsycINFO, and combinations of key social-cognition and CHR search terms. Despite some mixed results, the existing literature establishes that CHR individuals display social-cognitive impairment, though it remains unclear as to how and when that impairment develops. Thus, by using the literature on social cognition in typically developing children as a model and reference, and by looking at the evolution of social-cognitive abilities as a developmental process, our review presents a valuable new perspective that indicates the necessity of further investigation in younger, at-risk populations. Implications for treatment and future research are discussed.

The purpose of this communication is to report our observations on the treatment of a diverse group of adolescent patients who were chronically infected with hepatitis C and received pegylated interferon and ribavirin. The currently accepted optimal therapy for adults with chronic hepatitis C is weekly injections of pegylated interferon and twice daily oral ribavirin. Information on interferon alone or in combination with ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C in children is limited. There is no published information on pegylated interferon and ribavirin in pediatric patients who previously failed interferon therapy. Ten patients 11 to 18 years old received weekly pegylated interferon and twice daily ribavirin for hepatitis C. Treatment continued for 48 weeks, except for 1 patient with hepatitis C virus type 3a who was treated for 24 weeks and 1 patient who did not complete the course of treatment. The period of observation continued from November 2002 to December 2004. Within this group were 3 pediatric patients who had previously failed interferon therapy for hepatitis C. All but 1 patient had a viral response (no detectable virus) at some time during or after the treatment. Three patients achieved sustained viral response (no detectable virus 6 mo after the therapy). One patient who previously failed interferon therapy was among the sustained responders. In response to treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin, children and adolescents with chronic hepatitis C achieve results similar to those seen in adults. Previous antiviral therapy does not preclude positive response to pegylated interferon and ribavirin.