Current Psychiatric Disorder Research Articles

The course of suicide risk following traumatic injury.

Although traumatic injuries affect millions of patients each year and increase risk for psychiatric disorder, no evidence currently exists regarding associated suicidal risk. This study reports a longitudinal investigation of suicidal risk in the 2 years after traumatic injury. A prospective design cohort study was conducted in 4 major trauma hospitals across Australia. A total of 1,129 traumatically injured patients were assessed during hospital admission between April 2004 and February 2006 and were followed up at 3 months (88%), 12 months (77%), and 24 months (72%). Lifetime psychiatric disorder was assessed in hospital using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, version 5.5, which was also used to assess the prevalence of suicidality, psychiatric disorder, and exposure to adverse life events at 3, 12, and 24 months after traumatic injury. Approximately 6% of patients reported moderate/high suicidal risk at each assessment. At each assessment, half of suicidal patients reported no suicidal risk at the previous assessment. Suicidality at 24 months was predicted by current pain levels (odds ratio [OR] = 1.16; 95% CI, 1.09-1.23), recent life events (OR = 1.30; 95% CI,1.17-1.44), and current psychiatric disorder (OR = 17.07; 95% CI, 7.03-41.42), whereas only 36.6% of suicidal patients had consulted a mental health professional in the previous month, and 66.2% had consulted a primary care physician. Suicidal risk affects a significant proportion of patients who experience a traumatic injury, and the risk for suicide fluctuates markedly in the initial years following the injury. Primary care physicians need to be trained to assess for suicidal risk in the initial years after a traumatic injury.

Self-Esteem of 8-14-Year-Old Children with Psychiatric Disorders: Disorder- and Gender-Specific Effects.

In this study, we investigated the relation between global and domain-specific self-esteem and psychiatric disorders. A sample of 577 children aged 8-14years was recruited via psychiatric hospitals and from the general population. Parents were given a diagnostic interview to assess children's psychiatric diagnoses (current/past). Parents and children completed questionnaires on child symptoms. Children completed a questionnaire on global and domain-specific self-esteem (scales: scholastic competence, social acceptance, athletic performance and physical appearance, global self-esteem). Self-esteem of children with current psychiatric disorders was lower than that of healthy controls (η p2 between 0.01 and 0.08). Concerning scholastic competence, social acceptance and global self-esteem, children with past psychiatric disorders scored also lower than healthy controls. Different current psychiatric disorders showed specific but small effects on dimensions of self-esteem (β between -0.08 and 0.19). Moreover, we found a gender×group interaction, indicating that girls with depressive and adjustment disorders were specifically impaired in their global self-esteem and perception of their physical appearance. Findings might help clinicians to focus on particular domains of self-esteem during the diagnostic process and to define adequate treatment goals.

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation.

Nicotine receptor partial agonists for smoking cessation.

Mental Health Problems in Recently Incarcerated Male Adult Drug Users in Taiwan: Patterns, Rates, and Implications for Treatment

This study aimed to explore the extent of association between the classes and patterns (single vs. multiple) of drug use and the psychiatric disorders among recently incarcerated male drug users to help formulate drug policies for correctional facilities and provide adequate treatment for incarcerated drug users. Data were recruited from 414 male first-time incarcerated illicit drug users in one detention center in Taiwan. Their lifetime historical profiles of illicit drug use were then assessed and their associations with current psychiatric disorders were compared with 257 community controls. Heroin and meth/amphetamine were the most commonly used drugs among single and combined users. Heroin users were more likely to exhibit major depression and social phobia; meth/amphetamine users showed more psychotic disorder and antisocial personality disorder than community controls. Multiple drug users were associated with two-thirds of the psychiatric disorders. This study suggests that heroin and meth/amphetamine users require specific treatments, which may effectively address associated psychopathologic conditions. Interventions for mental disorders for some detainees are also recommended.

Insights into Chronic Functional Movement Disorders: The Value of Qualitative Psychiatric Interviews

Patients with functional movement disorders (FMDs) are commonly seen by neurologists and psychosomatic medicine psychiatrists. Research literature provides scant information about the subjective experiences of individuals with this often chronic problem. To enhance our understanding of psychologic aspects of FMDs by conducting qualitative interviews of research subjects. In total, 36 patients with FMDs were recruited from the Human Motor Control clinic at the National Institutes of Health. Each subject participated in a qualitative psychiatric interview and a structured diagnostic psychiatric interview. Of our 36 subjects, 28 had current or lifetime psychiatric disorders in addition to conversion disorder and 22 had current disorders. Qualitative interviews provided rich information on patients' understanding of their illnesses and impaired cognitive processing of emotions. Our study supports the addition of open-ended qualitative interviews to delineate emotional dynamics and conceptual frameworks among such patients. Exploratory interviews generate enhanced understanding of such complex patients, above and beyond that gained by assessing DSM diagnostic comorbidities.

Are Patients with Psychogenic Movement Disorders More Likely to be Healthcare Workers?

Reported risk factors for the development of a psychogenic movement disorder (PMD) include young age, female gender, history of abuse, current or past psychiatric disorder, lower levels of education and socioeconomic status, and employment as a healthcare worker. Although employment in healthcare is included in several diagnostic criteria for PMD, as well as in many case series, this association has never been validated. Using the University of Maryland Movement Disorder Database (UMMDD), we identified PMD cases, as well as patients with isolated focal dystonia as controls. An experienced movement disorder specialist diagnosed all patients, and all cases met criteria for clinically established PMD. Demographic and occupational histories were obtained from medical records and were supplemented by telephone interviews. PMD cases and controls were compared using t tests/χ2 tests. Controls (n=148) were older than PMD cases (n=132), with an average age of 61.4 and 52.1years, respectively (P<0.001); there were no significant differences between groups with respect to gender, education level, and ethnicity. The proportion of healthcare workers was not significantly different between PMD cases and controls (25% of PMD cases vs. 20% of controls; P=0.28). In contrast to traditional teaching, this investigation demonstrates that in our patient population, patients with a PMD were no more likely to be employed as healthcare workers than patients with isolated focal dystonia. This study calls into question the use of employment in healthcare as a reliable criterion to support the diagnosis of PMD.

Formal Psychiatric Disorders are not Overrepresented in Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia.

While psychiatric misdiagnosis is well-known in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), a systematic evaluation of standardized criteria for psychiatric disorders in bvFTD is still missing. Our aim was to define frequency and character of DSM-IV psychiatric disorders among patients with probable and definite bvFTD compared to possible bvFTD, other neurodegenerative diseases, and psychiatric diagnoses, using MINI-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. We additionally compared psychiatric prodromes between these groups. Subjects were participants of the late-onset frontal lobe (LOF) study, a longitudinal multicenter study. In each patient, after baseline diagnostic procedure, a neurologist and geriatric psychiatrist made a joint clinical diagnosis. Independently, a structured diagnostic interview according to DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria (MINI-Plus) was performed by a trained professional blinded to clinical diagnosis. Out of 91 patients, 23 with probable and definite bvFTD, 3 with possible bvFTD, 25 with a non bvFTD neurodegenerative disease, and 40 with a clinical psychiatric diagnosis were included. Overall frequency of formal current and past psychiatric disorders in probable and definite bvFTD (21.7% current, 8.7% past) did not differ from other neurodegenerative diseases (12.0% current, 16.0% past) or possible bvFTD (66.7% current, 66.7% past), but was less than in patients with a clinical psychiatric diagnosis (57.5% current, 62.5% past; p < 0.01). In probable and definite bvFTD unipolar mood disorders were most common. Formally diagnosed psychiatric disorders are not overrepresented in probable bvFTD, suggesting that psychiatric misdiagnosis in bvFTD can be reduced by strictly applying diagnostic criteria. In suspected bvFTD close collaboration between neurologists and psychiatrists will advance diagnostics and subsequent treatment.

Management of Current Psychiatric Disorders

Objective: Describe and analyse the experience of family physicians in managing current psychiatric disorders to obtain a better understanding of the underlying reasons of under-detection and inadequate prescribing identified in studies. Methods: A qualitative study using in-depth interviews. Sample of 15 practicing family physicians, recruited by telephone from a precedent cohort (Sesame1) with a maximum variation: sex, age, single or group practice, urban or rural. Qualitative method is inspired by the completed grounded theory of a verbatim semiopragmatic analysis from 2 experts in this approach. Results: Family physicians found that current psychiatric disorders were related to psychological symptoms in reaction to life events. Their role was to make patients aware of a psychiatric symptom rather than establish a diagnosis. Their management responsibility was considered in contrasting ways: it was claimed or endured. They defined their position as facilitating compliance to psychiatrist consultations, while assuring a complementary psychotherapeutic approach. Prescribing medication was not a priority for them. Conclusions: The identified under-detection is essentially due to inherent frontline conditions and complexity of clinical forms. The family physician role, facilitating compliance to psychiatrist consultations while assuring a support psychotherapy is the main result of this study. More studies should be conducted to define more accurately the clinical reality, management and course of current psychiatric disorders in primary care.

Five-year follow-up of people diagnosed with compulsive shopping disorder

BackgroundThe authors assessed clinical symptoms and self-reported shopping and spending behavior in people diagnosed with compulsive shopping (CS) at a 5-year follow-up interview. MethodsAll met the criteria of McElroy et al. for lifetime CS and had the disorder for >1year. Structured and semistructured instruments and self-report questionnaires were used to collect data. ResultsOf the original 26 subjects, 17 (65%) were interviewed and are the focus of this report. At follow-up, their ages ranged from 23 to 67years (mean=44years). Lifetime psychiatric comorbidity was common, but few had current psychiatric disorders at follow-up. Interest in shopping and spending decreased for eight (47%), stayed the same for five (29%), and increased for four (24%) subjects. Eleven subjects (65%) reported having attempted to quit their CS and three (18%) reported successfully doing so. Triggers for returning to CS included feelings of pressure/excitement/tension to shop; boredom; negative feelings such as sadness, depression, frustration, or anger; and the desire for positive feelings like happiness, power, or elation. Mean scores on the Compulsive Buying Scale (CBS) and the shopping version of the Yale–Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale showed overall improvement in CS symptoms (d=1.16 and d=−1.19, respectively); subjects were also less impulsive (d=−0.48). At baseline and follow-up, those with a lifetime mood disorder tended to have greater CS severity. ConclusionsWhile the subjects showed overall improvement, most had ongoing symptoms of CS. The implications of the findings are discussed.

High prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients with skin-restricted lupus: a case-control study.

Psychiatric disorders have been extensively documented in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients with skin-restricted lupus (SRL) remains unknown, although SRL is more common than SLE. To assess current and lifetime prevalence of Axis I psychiatric disorders among outpatients with SRL and to examine the factors associated with psychiatric disorders among such patients. A multicentre case-control study involving outpatients with SRL and controls matched for sex, age and education level. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview was used for psychiatric evaluation. We evaluated 75 patients and 150 controls. Of these, 49% of patients vs. 13% of controls fulfilled the criteria for at least one current psychiatric disorder (P < 0·001). The following disorders were significantly more frequent among patients than controls: current and lifetime major depressive disorder (9% vs. 0%, P < 0·001 and 44% vs. 26%, P = 0·01), generalized anxiety disorder (23% vs. 3%, P < 0·001 and 35% vs. 19%, P = 0·03), panic disorder (7% vs. 0%, P = 0·004 and 21% vs. 3%, P < 0·001), current suicide risk (24% vs. 7%, P = 0·003), alcohol dependence (7% vs. 0%, P = 0·004) and lifetime agoraphobia (20% vs. 9%, P = 0·01). Lupus duration and lupus past treatment by thalidomide were significantly higher among patients with current psychiatric disorders. This study demonstrates a high prevalence of several psychiatric disorders (anxiety, depression, suicide risk, alcohol dependence) in patients with SRL.

Sex addiction: Myth or reality

Objective Since the concept of sexual was first introduced in the 1970's, two schools of thought have emerged amongst sexologists and mental health providers regarding whether hypersexual behavior should be characterized as an addiction, or if it is part of a co-existing psychiatric disorder. The objective of this study is to help clarify this debate. Method A literature review was conducted to explore these opposing viewpoints. Articles published from the year 2000 to present relating to the topic of addiction, hypersexuality, sexual compulsivity/impulsivity were reviewed to determine whether or not hypersexual behavior can be characterized as an or if it can only co-exist with a current psychiatric disorder. Result The activities of sexual behavior are pleasurable due to the release of endorphins and enkephalins, and the receptors in the brain that bind these neuropeptides are the same ones that bind exogenous chemicals that produce the euphoric feelings described in addiction. Some proponents of have even advised a 12-step treatment program because it is an characterized by patterns of compulsive sexual behavior despite adverse consequences-relationship difficulties, neglect of work obligations and social/family responsibilities to pursue or participate in sexual behaviors, and excessive amounts of time seeking these opportunities. Conclusion Despite standard and even increasing use of the term sex addiction in media and popular culture, mental health professionals remain divided in regards to this subject. The notion of hypersexual behavior as an warrants further exploration, especially since how it is defined may dictate treatment modality.

Impaired glucose metabolism moderates the course of illness in bipolar disorder

BackgroundThe longitudinal course of bipolar disorder (BD) is highly heterogeneous, and is moderated by the presence of general medical comorbidities. This study aimed to investigate the moderating effects of impaired glucose metabolism (IGM) on variables of illness course and severity in a BD population. MethodsFifty-five patients with BD were evaluated. All subjects were evaluated with respect to current and past psychiatric and medical disorders, as well as lifetime use of any medication. Body mass index (BMI) and metabolic parameters were obtained. IGM was operationalized as pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes mellitus. ResultsThirty (54.5%) individuals had IGM. After adjustment for age, gender, ethnicity, alcohol use, smoking, BMI and past and current exposure to psychotropic medications, individuals with IGM, when compared to euglycemic participants, had an earlier age of onset (RR: 0.835, p=0.024), longer illness duration (RR: 1.754, p=0.007), a higher number of previous manic/hypomanic episodes (RR: 1.483, p=0.002) and a higher ratio of manic/hypomanic to depressive episodes (RR: 1.753, p=0.028). Moreover, we observed a moderating effect of IGM on the association between number of mood episodes and other variables of illness course, with the correlation between lifetime mood episodes and frequency of episodes being significantly greater in the IGM subgroup (RR: 1.027, p=0.029). All associations observed herein remained significant after adjusting for relevant confounding factors (e.g. age, alcohol and tobacco use, exposure to psychotropic agents, BMI). LimitationsCross-sectional design, small sample size. ConclusionsComorbid IGM may be a key moderator of illness progression in BD.

Axis-I psychiatric morbidity in a sample of Egyptian competitive athletes

Background Competitive sport environment puts athletes under a significant amount of psychological burden and stress. Despite the great effort and recent interest in athletic achievements, studies on the prevalence of mental health disorders in athletes are still lacking. Aim This study aimed to provide an insight into the prevalence of different psychiatric morbidities in a sample of Egyptian competitive athletes and to identify the association of psychiatric morbidity prevalence with the athlete's sex, weekly training hours, sport type, and sport injury as a unique experience facing the athletes. Participants and methods A total of 101 competitive athletes were recruited from some of the sporting clubs in Cairo and Giza by using a stratified random sampling method. They were interviewed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I) diagnoses. Results SCID-I showed that 31.6% of the participants had current Axis-I psychiatric diagnosis, whereas 34.7% of them reported a history of past psychiatric morbidity. Phobic and adjustment disorders were the most common current psychiatric disorders among athletes. Depressive disorder not otherwise specified and dysthymia were encountered more in female athletes, and substance use was more common in their male counterparts. Combat players had the highest rate of adjustment disorder (48%), whereas the power games athletes had the highest rate of drug abuse (12%). Significant physical injury during the past year was associated with high rates of dysthymia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social phobia. Conclusion Athletes in Egypt showed among them a high rate of Axis-I psychiatric diagnoses, which could not be ignored and necessitates professional mental health attention for early detection and intervention.

Psychiatric comorbidities among Iranian elderly patients on methadone maintenance treatment.

Comorbidity of psychiatric disorders and substance abuse can intensify both conditions, and when advanced age is added to the combination, the patient will face a distinctive array of issues. This study evaluated the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in elderly substance users as well as certain related factors. This cross-sectional study was performed on 160 consenting elderly substance users 60 years and over who had been on methadone maintenance. The subjects were selected from rehabilitation centers affiliated with the Welfare Organization in Tehran through convenience sampling, and were assessed for current or lifetime axis-I psychiatric disorders using the SCID questionnaire. In this study, 28.1% of substance abusers were diagnosed with at least one current psychiatric disorder. Psychiatric disorders were more common in subjects whose dependence had started prior to the age of 35, or those who had a family history of substance use. Also, 34.4% had a lifetime history of at least one psychiatric disorder, with a higher incidence among those simultaneously dependent on other substances in addition to opioids. Major depression was the most prevalent disorder among the study subjects. Based on the findings of the present study, axis-I psychiatric disorders are rather common among elderly substance users, and approximately a third of this population have a lifetime history of at least one such disorder. The type of abused substance can affect the incidence of psychiatric disorders, and simultaneous use of non-opioids and other substances can increase their prevalence.

Disrupted default mode network connectivity in male adolescents with conduct disorder.

Conduct disorder (CD) is a serious behavioral disorder of childhood and adolescence. The default mode network (DMN) is a brain network which supports self-referential cognitive processes and is typically deactivated during task performance. The aim of this study was to investigate DMN connectivity in male adolescents with pure CD compared to typically-developing controls. Eighteen male adolescents with CD and 18 sex-, age- and education-matched typically-developing (TD) participants were recruited. Current and lifetime psychiatric disorders were assessed using the Chinese version of the Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and LifetimeVersion. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were obtained using a 3.0T scanner. Independent components analysis (ICA) was used to investigate functional connectivity between theDMNand related brain regions. DMN activity was observed in medial prefrontal, posterior cingulate, and lateral parietal cortices, and extended to the brainstem. Adolescents with CD showed significantly reduced functional connectivity within the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), bilateral precuneus and right superior temporal gyrus relative to TD controls. CD is associated with reduced functional connectivity within the DMN and between the DMN and other regions. These preliminary results suggest that deficits in DMN functional connectivity may serve as a biomarker of CD.

P.6.f.010 Assessing for food addiction in an obese Chilean population seeking for bariatric surgery

The current study investigates the patterns of disease persistence and comorbidity of psychiatric disorders among patients with class III obesity in pre-operative period. For 393 treatment-seeking patients with severe obesity recruited from a bariatric center, we ascertained their psychiatric diagnosis through Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I). Following, the frequency, persistence and comorbidity pattern of psychiatric disorders in this sample were determined. Current psychiatric disorders were observed in over half of patients during preoperative period, being anxiety disorders the most frequent diagnosis. For lifetime disorders, mood disorders were the most frequent diagnosis. Most of the sample presented 2 or more concurrent lifetime psychiatric disorders. While mood and eating disorders were frequent conditions, anxiety disorders were the most persistent conditions (the highest one month-to-lifetime prevalence ratio) and were significantly correlated with bipolar, depressive and eating disorders. Psychiatric disorders are frequent and enduring conditions among patients looking for bariatric surgery. Comorbid anxiety, mood, and eating disorders are remarkable features in treatment-seeking patients with obesity. Prognostic implications of preoperative psychiatric disorders on surgery outcome should be demonstrated prospectively in intervention studies.

The Common Brain Structures Correlated with Personality Traits in Healthy Mothers and Their Daughters

ABS TRACT: The common brain structures correlated with personality traits in healthy mothers and their daughters Objective: To investigate the heritability of personality traits related to brain regions by recruiting a group of healthy mothers with their daughters. Methods: Twenty-two right handed mother-daughter pairs who gave their informed consents were included in this study. All of the participants were screened with non-patient Turkish version of Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) to rule out any current and past psychiatric disorder. The volunteers filled the TCI (Temperament and Character Inventory) and underwent MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) for brain imaging in consecutive days. The MRI scans of the participants were obtained during their follicular phase to control menstrual effect on brain volume. Image analysis was performed using SPM 8 software (Statistical Parametric Mapping) running in MATLAB 7. Image processing was based on the VBM-DARTEL (Voxel Based Morphometry) method. Age and total brain volume were included as confounding factors. To obtain common brain structures correlated with personality traits in both groups, group x personality dimension interaction analyses were performed. Results: The daughters had higher education years and they scored significantly higher NS (Novelty Seeking) points compared to their mothers. The correlation analyses revealed that HA (Harm Avoidance) in temperamental traits, SD (Self-Directedness) and ST (Self-Transcendence) in character traits were correlated significantly within mother-daughter pairs. The common brain structures which were significantly interacted in different personality traits were:

A contemporary psychometric evaluation of the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R).

Traditionally, hoarding symptoms were coded under obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), however, in DSM-5 hoarding symptoms are classified as a new independent diagnosis, hoarding disorder (HD). This change will likely have a considerable impact on the self-report scales that assess symptoms of OCD, since these scales often include items measuring symptoms of hoarding. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of one of the most commonly used self-report measures of OCD symptoms, the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), in a sample of 474 individuals with either OCD (n = 118), HD (n = 201), or no current or past psychiatric disorders (n = 155). Participants with HD were diagnosed according to the proposed DSM-5 criteria. For the purposes of this study the OCI-R was divided into two scales: the OCI-OCD (measuring the five dimensions of OCD) and the OCI-HD (measuring the hoarding dimension). Evidence of validity for the OCI-OCD and OCI-HD was obtained by comparing scores with the Saving Inventory Revised (SI-R), the Hoarding Rating Scale (HRS) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Receiver operating curves for both subscales indicated good sensitivity and specificity for cut-scores determining diagnostic status. The results indicated that the OCI-OCD and OCI-HD subscales are reliable and valid measures that adequately differentiate between DSM-5 diagnostic groups. Implications for the future use of the OCI-R in OCD and HD samples are discussed.

Risk among Combat Veterans with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: The Impact of Psychosocial Factors on the Escalation of Suicidal Risk

The purpose of this study was to (a) evaluate the influence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other comorbid disorders on suicidal risk among combat veterans and (b) evaluate the impact of psychosocial factors on the escalation of suicidal risk. Data were gathered from a random and representative sample of 215 Kosovo War veterans. Subjects were assessed for the presence of lifetime and current psychiatric disorders according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Revision (DSM-IV TR) using the following questionnaires: Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck's Suicide Intent Scale (BSIS). Suicidal ideations were observed in 44 (20.5%) of the 215 subjects. High suicide risk was found in 31.8% veterans diagnosed with PTSD and comorbid major depressive disorder. In addition, high suicide risk was also observed in the group of unemployed veterans, veterans dissatisfied with social/economic attainment and veterans dissatisfied with living conditions. Our study showed that socioeconomic factors contributes to the deterioration of symptoms of major depression, PTSD and other comorbid disorders, with a direct impact of worsening suicidal ideations and suicidal behavior among war veterans.

Development and psychometric properties of the parent version of the Profile of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms (PONS) in children and adolescents.

BackgroundThe use of neuropsychiatric Patient Centred Outcome Measures (PCOMs) in routine child mental health and paediatric services is very time consuming and often requires multiple scales being completed as no single scale covers all areas of psychopathology. The use of a web-based programme can overcome these problems and contribute to improved use of PCOMs in clinical practice. We aim to develop a web-based scale (using HealthTracker™) to screen and identify young people with significant neuropsychiatric symptoms to enable early intervention.MethodsQualitative development of the Profile of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms (PONS) and quantitative evaluation of the psychometric properties of the PONS scale (parent version). Parents of 929 from the general population and 147 with neuropsychiatric disorders (5–18 years old) completed the PONS online. In addition, those children with neuropsychiatric disorders were assessed for the presence of current and lifetime psychiatric disorders using the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA).ResultsThe PONS scale (parent version) consists of 30 symptom domains rated on a 7-point scale for both frequency and impairment. We found an intra-class correlation coefficient for single measures was 0.44 (0.42-0.46 95 % CI, F = 22.84, p ≤ 0.0001) and for average measures was 0.96 (0.95-0.96 95 % CI, F = 22.84, p ≤ 0.0001). The factor analysis showed a 4-factor model: Neurodevelopmental Disability; Behavioural and Emotional Dysregulation; Psychoses and Personality Dysfunction; and Anxiety and Depression. The receiver operating characteristic area for the 4-factors was 0.96 (SE = 0.006; 0.95-0.97 95 % CI).ConclusionsThe PONS scale (parent version) is a web-based PCOM on the HealthTracker™ system that is a rapid, engaging measure that has excellent reliability and validity. The system allows for automated scoring and immediate feedback of statistical cut-off points and assists clinicians with diagnostic decision-making and optimises use of clinician time.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12887-015-0376-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.