Child And Adolescent Mental Health Research Articles

Debate: Bridging the gap - role of nonspecialists in child and adolescent mental health care.

The first point of contact for patients and families seeking professional help for health problems is often in nonspecialist community healthcare settings that vary widely across the countries in funding sources, resources and support from specialist services. They typically involve general practitioners, family physicians, general and community paediatricians, and nonphysician health workers such as nurses, social workers and public health professionals. This article discusses the role of nonspecialists in addressing the challenges of limited resources in Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) care services as healthcare systems struggle to meet the high demand. Stakeholders and decision-makers need to reconsider traditional healthcare models and service delivery. Integrating nonspecialist community care can be a potential solution but is beset with ethical, geopolitical, practical and economic challenges. The urgency and complexity of the issue are highlighted, emphasising the need for global discussion around CAMH care.

Debate: How much should nonspecialists be involved in mental health care when resources are limited? A perspective from low- and middle-income countries.

Millions of children and young people (CYP) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have no access to mental health care. This huge treatment gap is primarily due to limited availability of trained mental health professionals. We propose task-sharing as a scalable strategy to expand access to child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) interventions in LMICs. Task-sharing involves using the few mental health specialists in LMICs to train and supervise nonspecialists to provided CAMH interventions. There is strong evidence of clinical and cost effectiveness of task-shared mental health interventions for adults in LMICs and promising evidence for CYP. To succeed, task-shared programmes need to be embedded in a balanced system-wide care setting that includes stakeholder involvement. The existing mental health specialists may require additional training in leadership, supervision, mentoring, service design and evaluation in order to meet the additional expectations of managing task-sharing programmes. The nonspecialists to be trained would need assurances about workload, ongoing supervision, clinical back up for cases that exceed their expertise, certification for their training and career progression. CAMH task-sharing offers good promise for increasing CYP's access to mental health interventions in LMICs. However, planners need to be aware of the important practical, ethical and contextual considerations necessary for success and sustainability.

Using the universal design for learning framework to improve child and adolescent mental health

AbstractPoor mental health in childhood and adolescence has a significant impact on both physical and mental health throughout life. However, growing evidence suggests that current levels of child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) care are insufficient to meet the needs of many children and adolescents in the United States as evidenced by increasing rates of mental health problems, inequities in diagnosis, and inaccessibility of services. This article provides a discussion of current problems in CAMH and school mental health services and emphasizes a developmental perspective of CAMH, including the co‐occurrence of school difficulties and mental health concerns. A universal design for learning framework for school‐wide mental health programs is suggested as a means of addressing barriers to care and promoting prevention and early intervention in CAMH.

Child and adolescent mental health services in Khartoum State, Sudan: a desktop situational analysis.

Sudan is a Northeast African country, with 61.7% of its population under 24 years. With a large youth population and significant cultural and linguistic diversity, Sudan, like most low-income countries, has contributed minimal data to global child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) research. This study aimed to perform the first ever situational analysis of CAMH services and systems in Khartoum State, Sudan. The study focused on Khartoum state and covered the calendar years 2019 and 2020. Using the World Health Organization Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems (WHO-AIMS) version 2.2 adapted for CAMH, the study focused on the publically available data sources. Findings were described and presented in tables and figures using the WHO-AIMS template. The situational analysis found no CAMH-specific policies, no separate budget for CAMH, and no supervising body for CAMH services in Khartoum. Three tertiary mental health hospitals provided CAMH services, all combined with adult mental health services. Essential medicines were available in all facilities, except methylphenidate available only in 3 central pharmacies. There was no free access to essential psychotropic drugs for children and adolescents except in emergency settings. Data about training to primary healthcare providers and the process of referral to specialized services were limited. A school mental health programme existed which provided early identification and management of CAMH problems in schools. The workforce was small and variable across all levels of care. No formal public health awareness campaigns and little evidence of formal intersectoral collaboration on CAMH were identified. A health information system existed, but no CAMH-specific items were reported. Among a handful of publications on CAMH, no national studies on CAMH were identified. This situational analysis represented the first systematic collation of data and information about CAMH in Sudan. Findings highlighted some areas of strength, but also many gaps in CAMH services and systems. We acknowledge the need to complement the desktop analysis with in-depth data collection with stakeholders across multiple levels, but hope that this will serve as a first step towards strengthening CAMH services in Sudan and other low-income countries.

Barriers and facilitators to accessing adolescents' mental health services in Karachi: users and providers perspectives.

Adolescents' Mental Healthcare (MHC) is influenced by numerous factors, and adolescents occasionally seek professional help for mental health (MH) issues. These factors become more complex within low-middle-income countries (LMICs); therefore, this study aims to understand barriers and facilitators to access mental health services among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years old from the perspective of users (parents) and providers (Mental Healthcare Providers - MHPs). Using a qualitative exploratory design, a semi-structured interview guide was developed using Andersen's health service utilization model. In-depth interviews were conducted with MHPs (n = 21) and parents of adolescents (n = 19) in the psychiatry department of public and private hospitals in Karachi, from October-December 2021. Data was thematically analyzed using an inductive approach. The findings revealed a consensus of users and providers in all three categories of the Andersen model and referred the compulsion as the major driving force to MHC access and utilization rather than personal choices. Within pre-disposing, need, and enabling factors; the participants highlighted a unique perspective; users regarded frequent migration, daily wage loss, and women's societal status as barriers while the need for marriage and patient willingness were stated as facilitators. Whereas, MHPs indicated societal tolerance, the burden on the health system, and the absence of Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) services as major gaps in service delivery. Service utilization is mainly facilitated by the severity of illness rather than healthy choices and beliefs, and accessibility and affordability. It is therefore imperative to prioritize adolescent MH through promotion and prevention approaches and address service delivery gaps to prevent treatment delays via task-shifting and capacity building of the health workforce.

OP33 Child And Adolescent Mental Health Care Models: A Scoping Review

IntroductionMental illnesses are among the most common health problems in children and adolescents worldwide, and their prevalence has recently increased. At the same time, many countries face gaps in care and a shortage of services. To address these challenges, countries are developing child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) strategies and adopting their models of care. This paper aimed to give an international overview of these strategies and care models to support decision makers and stimulate mutual learning and improved CAMH care.MethodsWe identified core topics within published CAMH strategies and care model documents from seven selected countries within the Global North, which represented different healthcare systems, geographical regions, and public health traditions to maximize variety. We systematically extracted data on the identified topics and summarized them narratively by applying qualitative content analyses.ResultsThe documents addressed the following core topics: awareness raising activities; prevention and promotion; detection; treatment; telemedicine; care pathways; transitional psychiatry; vulnerable patient groups; user participation; infrastructure; workforce development; implementation; digital tools for case management; and data acquisition and research. A stand-alone CAMH strategy exists in most countries.Recommendations on CAMH care often followed a public mental health approach and placed a high priority on mental health promotion and cross-sectional organization and funding of CAMH care services. Key principles of future CAMH care included: increased flexibility of care settings; early intervention; an open and non-judgmental attitude among staff; and strengths orientation instead of focusing on deficits and diagnoses.ConclusionsReducing the prevalence of mental illness and current shortcomings in care requires action at the policy level (e.g., developing a CAMH strategy with a focus on mental health promotion and installing cross-sectoral governance), organizational level (e.g., reorganizing treatment settings and pathways of care), and individual level (e.g., strengthening user involvement and workforce development). Applying the recommended approaches in other countries will likely require redesign, ideally with a participatory approach and evaluation alongside piloting.

A postgraduate training programme in child and adolescent mental health in a lower-middle-income country: a partnership model from Nigeria.

This paper describes a postgraduate training programme in child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) in Nigeria. It explains the background, curriculum development, teaching, evaluation and outcomes. By its 10th year the programme had trained 166 CAMH professionals from 14 African countries. Many of the graduates are running clinical CAMH services in their countries, mostly pioneered by them. They are also conducting CAMH training, including as faculty on the programme, and some are in international CAMH leadership roles. Key success elements of the programme that can be replicated in other low- and middle-income countries include international partnership, adopting a train-the-trainer approach, using a curriculum that covers clinical aspects of CAMH while also developing leadership and research skills, use of free-access training resources, and access to seed funding.

Parent-Child Inpatient Treatment in Child and Adolescent Mental Healthcare: Predictors of Child Outcomes.

Family inpatient units in child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) services engage all admitted family members in the treatment of children's symptoms. Studies demonstrated improvements in child and family functioning following family inpatient treatment, but evidence regarding predictors of treatment outcome is lacking. We analyzed data of families (n = 66) who received a four-week inpatient treatment for families with severe parent-child interaction problems. Hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed that parents who recalled harsher parenting practices of their own fathers reported greater improvements in their children's externalizing and internalizing problems. Greater improvements in externalizing problems were further predicted by lower parental educational level, less adverse impacts of stressful life events, and less internalizing child problems prior to admission. We therefore conclude that family inpatient treatment was particularly effective for children in families with lower parental education and a history of harsh parenting.

The impact of poverty-reduction intervention on child mental health mediated by family relations: Findings from a cluster-randomized trial in Uganda

Reviews that synthesize global evidence on the impact of poverty reduction interventions on child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) report inconclusive results and highlight the need to unpack the mechanisms that connect poverty-reduction to CAMH. To address this gap, we examine the proposition that family relations is an important relational factor transmitting effect of poverty on CAMH, and test whether family relations mediate the effect of poverty-reduction intervention on depression, hopelessness, and self-concept among AIDS orphans in Uganda.We use longitudinal data collected over the course of 48 months in a cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted among N = 1410 AIDS orphans from n = 48 schools in Uganda. To examine the relationship between intervention, latent mediator (family relations and support) and CAMH outcomes (Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS), and Depression), we ran structural equation models adjusting for clustering of individuals within schools.Relative to the control group, participants in both treatment arms reported lower levels of hopelessness and depression, and significantly higher levels of self-concept. They also report significantly higher levels of latent family relationship in all three models. In both treatment arms, the direct effect of the intervention on all three outcomes is still significant when the latent family relations mediator is included in the analyses. This suggests partial mediation. In other words, in both treatment arms, the significant positive effect of the intervention on children's depression, hopelessness, and self-concept is partially mediated by their family relationship quality.Our findings support the argument put forward by the Family Stress Model showing that the poverty-reduction program improves children's mental health functioning by improving family relationships. The implications of our study extend beyond the narrow focus of poverty reduction, suggesting that asset-building interventions have broader impacts on family dynamics and child mental health.

The impact of facilitators and rural immersion on medical student engagement during a child and adolescent mental health videoconference workshop.

Child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) disorders are a major public health problem in Australia, especially outside metropolitan areas. The issue is compounded by a shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists (CAPs). CAMH receives minimal coverage in health professional training, training opportunities are scarce, and support for generalist health professionals, who treat most cases, is lacking. Novel approaches to early medical education and teaching are required to strengthen the available skilled workforce in rural and remote settings. This qualitative study explored the factors influencing medical student engagement in a CAMH videoconferencing workshop as part of the Rural Clinical School of WA. Our results confirm the priority of personal characteristics of medical educators, over clinical and subject matter expertise, on student learning. This research affirms that general practitioners are well-placed to facilitate recognition of learning experiences, especially given that students may not readily recognise exposure to CAMH cases. Our findings support the effectiveness, efficiencies, and benefits of utilising general medical educators in supporting child and adolescent psychiatry expertise in delivering subspecialty training within medical school curricula.

General Practitioner referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Did they differ during Covid-19?

The COVID pandemic has been associated with poorer mental health in youth. This study aimed to evaluate any change in General Practitioner (GP) referral pattern to Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) services during the first 10 months of Covid-19 and compare with a similar time frame in 2019. All accepted referrals to aCAMH Service in Dublin during the study time frame were reviewed. Referral letters were batch anonymised and clinical data extracted using a study specific proforma for analysis. Referral numbers between the two time periods did not statistically differ. Proportionally more females were referred during the pandemic, increasing to 56.9%, n = 99, compared to 43.1%, n = 75 in 2019 (p = 0.01). Referrals were more often designated by the clinician as urgent during the pandemic (61.3%, n = 98) than before (39%, n = 62, p < 0.001). Referrals outlining self-harm or suicidal ideation increased significantly, from 42.1% (n = 67) to 55.9% (n = 90) (p = 0.014). Referrals for externalising problems fell from 2019 rates; ADHD (21.4%, n = 34 vs 11.1%, n = 18; p = 0.013), ASD (26.4%, n = 42 vs 16.1%, n = 26; p = 0.038) and conduct problems (23.3%, n = 37 vs 7.4%, n = 12; p < 0.001). Although numbers for psychosis in 2019 were low (10.7%, n = 17), these also fell significantly in 2020 (2.5%, n = 4; p < 0.001). The finding of reduced referrals for ADHD and ASD has not previously been reported. With concerns regarding educational loss linked to online learning, it is crucial that these youth are not doubly disadvantaged by delayed referral and education decline.

Training beyond borders: A WPA pilot project for Child and Adolescent Mental Health course in Pakistan

Background: The World Psychiatric Association (WPA) strives to close the gap between expertise in high income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). WPA volunteering programme is a project framework wherein area specific experts from HICs volunteer to support local experts in the LMICs in training their own professionals. This paper reports on the outcome of a collaborative project on Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) training in Pakistan. Methods: Thirty participants from twenty three different institutions across Pakistan were selected on the basis of their interest in CAMH. Two volunteers (ST and MH) met online with the Pakistani representatives (NI and QUH) to develop a programme. They also regularly met online between the sessions to evaluate adjustments in order to increase appropriateness of the offered content according to participants‘ feedback and suggestions. Results: The pre- and post-course evaluation revealed statistically significant improvement in knowledge and skills gained in different topics covered in the course (P-value&lt;0.001) as well as improvement in confidence in applying the theoretical knowledge of CAMH problems in their daily clinical practice (P-value&lt;0.001) Conclusions: The WPA volunteering programme is a valuable strategy to deliver effective and much needed training in low resource settings. Long-distance learning via live online sessions is effective and worthwhile, especially when they provide opportunities for participants to learn from interactive sessions.

Identifying multilevel and multisectoral strategies to develop a Theory of Change for improving child and adolescent mental health services in a case-study district in South Africa

BackgroundThe lack of child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) policies and implementation plans constitute major barriers to CAMH services in low resource settings. Engaging with on-the-ground stakeholders to identify possible contextually appropriate strategies for developing a CAMH collaborative system and inform CAMH plans and policies is important to ensure that resultant policies and plans are feasible and appropriate. Together with key stakeholders across multiple sectors, this study aims to (i) co-identify causal factors and potential strategies to overcome bottlenecks in one district in SA as a case study; and (ii) Co-develop a Theory of Change (ToC) for increasing access to CAMH services within the resource constraints of a remote resource-scarce district as a case study.MethodsA participatory workshop was held with key stakeholders (n = 40) from the Departments of Health (DoH), Basic Education (DBE), and Social Development (DSD) and three community-based organisations offering CAMH services in the district. The stakeholders identified context-specific causal factors and possible strategies to address the bottlenecks in the workshop. All the factors identified in the workshop were compared and consolidated. A ToC map was developed based on the data obtained from the workshop. The ToC was further refined by conducting a follow-up virtual workshop with stakeholders (n = 15).ResultsMapping out the strategies identified in the workshop facilitated the development of a ToC model for the resource-scarce context. Key multilevel and multisectoral task-sharing strategies emerged in support of the development of a collaborative system of care that includes the development of (i) community awareness programs and user-friendly CAMH psychoeducation and screening tools to strengthen mental health literacy and facilitate early identification at the community level; (ii) an intersectoral working group to facilitate intersectoral collaboration (iii) a functional district CAMH referral system, (iv) youth-friendly CAMH care packages.ConclusionsIn scarce-resource contexts, it is feasible to work collaboratively with key stakeholders across multiple sectors to identify feasible multilevel and multisectoral strategies that can be used to develop a ToC for improved access to CAMH services within a task-sharing approach.

A Review of Intersection of Social Determinants and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

Abstract Pakistan faces the accelerated growth of a young population each year. The country's many structural challenges include an unstable economy, poverty, gender inequality, health disparities, and vulnerable systems (especially sectors serving education and justice). The advent of the 21st century has witnessed rapid societal change globally. This societal evolution has inevitably shaped the sociocultural landscape for Pakistan's children, families, and childrearing practices as well, yet the social determinants remain stacked against them. Although children make up one-third of the Pakistan population, they remain the most physically, economically, and socially vulnerable group. For children growing up in low-income families, which are the majority, these challenges are magnified to a greater degree. These children are more likely to experience multiple family transitions, frequent moves, and change of schools. The schools they attend are poorly funded, and their neighborhoods more disadvantaged. The parents of these children have fewer resources to invest in them. Thus, the home environment becomes less cognitively stimulating, and parents invest less in education. Living in poverty and struggling to meet daily needs can also impair parenting. Socioeconomic deprivation during childhood and adolescence can have a lasting effect, making it difficult for children to escape the cycle of poverty as adults because the adverse effects of deprivation on human development accumulate. Health services for children are also underresourced. This state is evident by the extreme shortage of child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) services in a country with a significantly high disease burden among children and adolescents experiencing mental health disorders. The article examines the social determinants of CAMH in Pakistan and their implications for the orientation and effectiveness of child mental health services.

A scoping review of the Choice and Partnership Approach in child and adolescent mental health services.

Child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) problems are prevalent and inefficient mental health (MH) care systems can contribute to poor outcomes. The Choice and Partnership Approach (CAPA) is a MH care delivery model aiming to provide efficient, high-quality care. Although widely used, no CAPA research review exists. We conducted a scoping review to fill this gap. Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO databases were searched from inception to June 2021. Grey Matters and Google were used to search the grey literature. We identified 5322 records. Removal of duplicates left 4720 documents, which were successively screened and data extracted by pairs of co-authors. The final dataset comprised six published and three non-published studies, conducted primarily at CAMH sites in England, Scotland, Australia, or Canada. Each study had multiple research objectives, which we summarized into seven categories. Positive outcomes were reported for most objectives, but attributing causality to CAPA was hampered by research methodology. Observational designs were used in all studies and approaches to analyzing data varied considerably. Research gaps included the lack of healthcare economics studies of CAPA and no assessment of facilitators and barriers. Current research on CAPA provides intriguing findings meriting further investigation. We suggest strategies to improve future studies.

Piloting online training in the Pacific-Ophelia project for child and adolescent mental health.

In June 2020, St Vincent's Mental Health, Fiji National University, and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry collaborated to deliver online, specialized child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) training to Pacific-based healthcare workers. This accompanying research aimed to understand the telehealth model and structures that would sustain an engaged community of practice and support the development of professional networks across the Pacific. Quantitative and qualitative feedback was analyzed to understand participation and self-rated measures of skills, knowledge, and confidence in providing health care for children and young people, as well as experiences of training, including access, engagement, and applicability of the initiative to the Pacific Islands health care organizations. Ophelia Training was able to meet the stated learning objectives. The data from all stakeholders identifies the value of a telehealth initiative incorporating training, technical assistance, knowledge networks, and professional coaching as a capacity building approach. This program offers an integration of research and practice. This regional approach to understanding telehealth capacity for Pacific Island mental health services is valuable for informing decision-making with respect to clinical care, management, workforce training and policy. It also provided an opportunity to improve health inequalities, by improving access to CAMH training via telehealth.

Management of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Italian Units of Child and Adolescent Mental Health: Diagnostic and Referral Pathways.

Overall, the present pilot study provides detailed information on clinical management for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) referral and diagnosis processes that are mandatory for child and adolescent mental health management. The analysis of ASD management, even if carried out on a selected sample of Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) units, represents a good approximation of how, in Italian outpatient settings, children and adolescents with ASD are recognised and eventually diagnosed. One of the aims of the study was to verify the adherence of Italian CAMH units to international recommendations for ASD referral and diagnosis and whether these processes can be traced using individual chart reports. Overall, the analysis evidenced that Italian CAMH units adopt an acceptable standard for ASD diagnosis, although the reporting of the ASD managing process in the individual chart is not always accurate. Furthermore, data collected suggest some improvements that CAMH units should implement to fill the gap with international recommendations, namely, establishing a multidisciplinary team for diagnosis, improving the assessment of physical and mental conditions by the use of standardised tools, implementing a specific assessment for challenging behaviours that could allow timely and specific planning of intervention.

A situational analysis of child and adolescent mental health services and systems in the Western Cape Province of South Africa

BackgroundEven though child and adolescent mental health is a global health priority, services are very limited, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), and therefore need comprehensive strengthening. This requires knowledge of the hardware elements of the system (human resources, financing, medicines, technology, organisational structure, service infrastructure, and information systems). This study sought to examine these elements of child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) services and systems in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.MethodsThe World Health Organization Assessment Instrument of Mental Health Systems (WHO-AIMS) version 2.2 of 2005 was adapted to identify key variables of interest in CAMH. Data were collected for the calendar year 2016 and focused on the public health sector. We outlined findings based on best available data across the six domains of the WHO-AIMS.ResultsIn domain 1, we found no provincial CAMH policy or implementation plans to support the national CAMH policy and were unable to identify a CAMH-specific budget. In domain 2, there was no dedicated provincial leadership structure for CAMH, and no dedicated or ‘child- and adolescent-friendly’ mental health services at primary or secondary care levels. At tertiary level, there were only three specialist CAMH teams. The majority of CAMH resources were based in the City of Cape Town, with limited resources in the rural districts. Essential medicines were available in all facilities, and the majority of children and adolescents had access to free services. In domain 3, data were limited about the extent of training offered to primary healthcare staff, and little or no psychosocial interventions were available in primary care. Domain 4 identified a small and variable CAMH workforce across all levels of care. In domain 5, few public health campaigns focused on CAMH, and little evidence of formal intersectoral collaboration on CAMH was identified. Domain 6 identified significant limitations in health information systems for CAMH, including lack of child- and adolescent-specific and disaggregated data to establish baselines for policy development, monitoring, evaluation and CAMH research.ConclusionsThis study identified significant structural weaknesses in CAMH and presents a clear call for action to strengthen services and systems in the province and in South Africa. it would be important to expand research also to include provider and user perspectives for service strengthening.

Interprofessional Education in Child and Adolescent Mental Health: A Scoping Review.

To identify elements of effective interprofessional education (IPE) within child and adolescent mental health (CAMH), we conducted a scoping literature review. A search of four databases revealed 32 studies that met inclusion criteria describing IPE interventions regarding CAMH. Studies included a range of medical, mental health, allied health, educational, and community professionals in clinical, school-based, and community-based settings. The majority of studies have focused on autism or general child mental health. Outcomes were generally positive but skewed toward attitudinal and knowledge-based measures. Practice-based interventions tended to support higher levels of educational outcomes, including behavioral, patient-level, or systems-level changes.

Child and adolescent mental health disorders in the GCC: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BackgroundThe Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with a predominant ‘youth bulge’ among its 54 million people, has witnessed an exponential increase in research pertinent to child and adolescent mental health (CAMH). Aside from a few narrative reviews, to date, no critical appraisal examining the magnitude of CAMH has emerged from this region.AimsThis study aimed to report the prevalence rates of CAMH disorders in the GCC through a systematic review of the existing literature followed by a meta-analysis.MethodsA systematic review of the literature from the six GCC countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) was conducted. The databases used included Scopus, ProQuest, Pubmed, and a final check was performed on Google Scholar to account for any remaining studies that may have still been under review. Meta analytic techniques were then used to estimate prevalence rates of each specific mental disorder, i.e. ADHD, depression, anxiety, stress, eating disorders, and tobacco use disorder.ResultsA total of 33 studies from the six countries were included. The pooled prevalence of ADHD as per the Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale (VADHDDRS), clinical judgments, Attention Deficit Disorders Evaluation Scale (ADDES), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was found to be 13.125%, 13.38%, 26.135%, and 12.83%, respectively. The pooled prevalence of depressive symptoms solicited by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS), and Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI Kid) was 44.684%, 45.09%, and 26.12%, respectively. The pooled prevalence of anxiety according to the DASS and the MINI Kid was 57.04% and 17.27%, respectively, while the pooled prevalence of stress as per the DASS was found to be 43.15%. The pooled prevalence of disordered eating solicited by the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) was 31.55%. Lastly, the pooled prevalence of tobacco use disorder per the Global Youth Tobacco Survey was 19.39%.DiscussionTo date, this is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of its kind from the GCC. The prevalence rate of CAMH disorders appears to be in the upper range of international trends. The higher rates could be attributed to the existing studies using suboptimal methodological approaches and instruments to solicit the presence of CAMH.