Child Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic Research Articles

Association between hallucinations and sensory processing difficulties in children and adolescents.

Hallucinations are serious symptoms that can lead to high levels of distress, functional impairment, and increased risk of suicide in both adults and children. However, their etiology and treatment remain unclear. Hallucinations and sensory processing difficulties (SPDs) are associated with various psychiatric disorders, including mood, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This study aimed to investigate the potential association between hallucinations and SPDs in a pediatric population. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 335 children aged 6-18 years who visited the child psychiatry outpatient clinic at Osaka Metropolitan University Hospital between April 2020 and March 2023 and continued treatment for at least three months. After excluding those with intellectual disabilities or uncontrolled epilepsy, 304 participants were included in the analyses. The presence of hallucinations was assessed through interviews with the children and their parents. SPDs were evaluated using the Short Sensory Profile. Binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between hallucinations and SPDs, adjusting for age, sex, autism spectrum disorder, socioeconomic difficulties (low-income, single-parent households), and the presence of mood and anxiety disorders. Hallucinations were present in 64 children (21%). Logistic regression analysis showed a significant positive association between SPDs and hallucinations, even after adjusting for age, sex, autism spectrum disorder, socioeconomic difficulties, and the presence of mood and anxiety disorders (odds ratio, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.008-1.036; p = 0.002). The results of this study suggest a potential association between hallucinations and SPDs in pediatric patients. Further prospective studies are needed to explore the causal relationship between these factors and determine whether interventions for SPDs can alleviate hallucinations in children.

Assessment of Comorbid Psychopathologies, Psychosocial Factors and Psychiatric Treatment Approach in Children and Adolescents with Sleep Bruxism

Background: Previous studies have revealed a close relationship between a variety of psychopathologies and psychosocial factors, and bruxism. However, psychosocial factors and psychiatric difficulties in children and adolescents with bruxism have not been extensively studied. In the current study, we sought to examine the sociodemographic characteristics, psychosocial factors, and comorbid psychopathologies of children and adolescents with sleep bruxism. Materials and Methods: The study included 67 children and adolescents between the ages of 4-17 who were diagnosed with sleep bruxism and followed up at two different Child and Adolescent Psychiatry outpatient clinics between 2018 and 2024. Data on behavioral and emotional characteristics and comorbid psychiatric disorders of these patients, clinical features of bruxism, and treatment approaches to bruxism were retrospectively investigated. Results: Our results indicated that 41.8 of the sample had at least one comorbid psychiatric disorder, and 10.4% had subthreshold psychiatric symptoms. The most common comorbid psychiatric disorders were anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, nocturnal enuresis, and conduct disorders. In 41.8% of cases, bruxism was linked to psychosocial factors. Comorbid psychiatric disorders were significantly more prevalent in the school and adolescent age groups than in preschoolers. Similarly, the connection between bruxism and psychosocial factors became more evident with age. The frequency of a positive family history of bruxism was 44.8%. As treatment options for bruxism, the behavioral approach and pharmacotherapy were preferred in 88.1% of cases, and only the behavioral approach was applied to 11.9%. The most common drugs used in pharmacotherapy were hydroxyzine, tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotics, atypical antidepressants, and melatonin. In terms of response to treatment, 83.6% of the sample responded (completely or partially), while 16.4% did not respond or were resistant to treatment. Conclusions: This study yielded that psychiatric comorbidity is quite common in the pediatric population with sleep bruxism. The outcomes suggest that bruxism is not only a dental problem but is also associated with a variety of psychopathologies and psychosocial factors. Therefore, health professionals who may encounter bruxism should be aware of the relationship between bruxism and psychopathologies and psychosocial factors. It is recommended that children with bruxism be investigated carefully in a multidisciplinary and holistic approach from a bio-psycho-social perspective and screened for psychosocial and psychiatric difficulties.

Clinical Features, Psychiatric Comorbidities and Treatments in Childhood OCD in terms of OCD Severity, Age and Gender

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features, psychiatric comorbidities, and treatments of childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), with consideration given to OCD severity, gender and age. Method: The study included 104 children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 17 who were diagnosed with OCD and followed up in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry outpatient clinics between 2016 and 2023. The study examined the sociodemographic characteristics, clinical features, comorbid psychiatric disorders, and treatment approaches of children and adolescents with OCD. Results: The sample had a mean age of 13.1 ± 2.7 years, and the mean age at onset of OCD was 11.9 ± 2.7 years (range: 5-17 years). Those with mild OCD had a significantly lower mean age at presentation and onset of OCD compared to those with moderate and severe OCD (p=0.012, p=0.02, respectively). Patients with severe OCD had longer illness duration (p=0.009) and outpatient follow-up (p=0.004) compared to those with moderate OCD. Boys had significantly higher rates of family history of psychiatric disorders (p=0.006), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder/oppositional defiant disorder (p=0.003), and tic disorder (p=0.035) comorbidity rates than girls, while girls had higher rates of anxiety disorders (p=0.022) comorbidity. The study found that repeating and counting compulsions were more common in adolescents than in preadolescents (p=0.003, all). Conclusion: These results suggest that clinical presentation and comorbidity may vary with disease severity, gender and age, in children and adolescents with OCD. Early intervention is crucial to prevent clinical progression, worsening, and mental health sequelae.

Peer Bullying and Psychiatric Diagnoses in Adolescents with Nonsuicidal Self-Injury

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, peer bullying rates and NSSI characteristics in adolescents who engage in self-injuring behavior. Materials and Methods This case-controlled cross-sectional study was conducted between 1 March 2020 and 1 May 2021 in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Paediatrics outpatient clinic of a hospital in the Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey. The data of 50 adolescents with NSSI and 60 adolescents without NSSI attending school were compared. The data in the study were obtained using sociodemographic form prepared by the researchers, the Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia Interview Schedule for School-Age Children—Present and Lifetime Version—Dsm–5, Peer Bullying Scale Adolescent Form and Self-Injurious Behaviour Assessment Inventory. Results Fifty adolescents (70% female) with a mean age of 15.4 years (S.D. = 1.4) with NSSI were included as case group and 60 adolescents (66.7% female) with a mean age of 15.5 years (S.D. = 1.3) without NSSI were included as control group. Banging/hitting self was the most common NSSI method, while affect regulation was the most common function. In the case group, verbal, isolation and damage to belongings among the victim subtypes in the last year were found to be significantly higher than in the control group. It was found that there was a positive correlation between the variety of self-injury methods and bullying exposure scores in adolescents with NSSI. Depression disorders, anxiety disorders, oppositional defiant disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder diagnoses were found to be more prevalent in the group with NSSI. Conclusions Based on the finding, it was found that psychiatric diagnoses are more common in adolescents with NSSI, peer bullying subtypes are seen at a higher rate, and as bullying scores increase, the variety of NSSI methods also increases. It is thought that providing psychiatric evaluation and treatment for adolescents with NSSI, establishing cooperation with school and family for peer bullying, developing preventive mental health policies and effective intervention programmes may be beneficial.

Self-compassion and psychological mindedness in depressed Turkish adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury

ABSTRACT Objective Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a significant mental health issue among depressed adolescents. This study aimed to investigate roles of psychological mindedness (PM) and self-compassion among depressed Turkish adolescents with NSSI. The mediating roles of PM and self-compassion between depression severity and NSSI were evaluated. Method 119 depressed adolescents evaluated at a child psychiatry outpatient clinic in Turkey were categorised based on NSSI experience. Self-compassion and psychological mindedness scales (covering psychological interest, insight, help-seeking, and capacity for change subscales) were measured. Results PM and self-compassion scores were lower in depressed adolescents with NSSI than adolescents without NSSI. Psychological interest (Odds Ratio (OR): 0.886, Confidence Interval (CI): 0.788–0.996), capacity for change (OR: 0.902, CI: 0.815–0.998), and self-compassion (OR: 0.937, CI: 0.879–0.999) emerged as protective factors against NSSI. Also, significant indirect effects of PM and self-compassion were observed between depression severity and NSSI. Seeking psychological help related to both intrapersonal and interpersonal functions, whereas psychological interest specifically related to interpersonal functions. Conclusions PM and self-compassion appear as protective factors, with certain PM components linked to intrapersonal and interpersonal functions of NSSI. Thus, integrating interventions to boost PM and self-compassion into depression treatment strategies could be crucial.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and specific learning disability co-occurring in a case with Silver-Russell syndrome

This case presentation discusses the management of comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and specific learning disability (SLD) in a female adolescent diagnosed with Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS). A 13-year-old female patient presented to the child psychiatry outpatient clinic eight months ago with complaints of reading and writing difficulties and forgetfulness. When she was four years old, she was diagnosed with SRS. Somatotropin therapy was initiated for the patient. Based on psychiatric examination, family interviews, psychometric assessments, and information obtained from school, the patient was diagnosed with ADHD and SLD. The patient was started on methylphenidate treatment, gradually titrated to a dose of 27 mg/day. She was also referred for special education for the SLD diagnosis. In the literature, it has been reported that in most children with SRS, intelligence is within the normal range, and they often receive diagnoses of ADHD and/or SLD. Studies have shown that although, executive function disorders are not significantly associated with SRS in comparison to control groups, there is an increased risk. Children and adolescents with this rare congenital disorder are at risk for psychiatric disorders, and periodic evaluation by a child psychiatrist is recommended.

Depressive symptoms and coping patterns in a sample of Egyptian mothers of ADHD children

BackgroundAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is considered to be one of the most common neurodevelopmental conditions found in children. The global prevalence in the age group 6–17 years falls between 2 and 18%. Studies have found that mothers of ADHD children are more prone to experience depression, anxiety, social isolation, stress, and self-blame.Aims and objectivesTo assess the prevalence of depression and its severity among mothers with children found to have ADHD compared to mothers of the control group, we also investigate the coping mechanisms employed by mothers with ADHD children and identify any potential correlation between coping strategies utilized by mothers in the case group and the severity of depression.Patients and methodsIn this cross-sectional study, we recruited 100 participants from the outpatient child psychiatry clinic at Ma’amoura Psychiatric Hospital in Alexandria, Egypt. Two participant groups were assembled: Group I (case) consisted of 50 mothers whose children had ADHD, and Group II (control) consisted of 50 mothers whose children did not have ADHD. Both groups underwent the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) inventory.ResultsA significant relationship was observed between the Beck Score and hyperactive and combined ADHD types; however, no significant correlation was found between the Beck Score and the inattentive ADHD type. Regarding the coping styles with stress, the current study’s results found that in (case group) turning to religion had the highest sub-scale mean, followed by seeking social support and emotional support, while the lowest sub-scale score mean was humor, followed by denial. By employing univariate logistic regression analysis to identify depression predictors in group I, the results showed that the increase in the score of less useful coping by 1 was a probable factor to increase the possibility of depression by OR = 1.438 (1.186–1.743). Combined and hyperactive ADHD types were found to increase the risk of depression by OR 6.706 (1.309–34.353).ConclusionDepressive complaints were more prevalent among mothers of children with ADHD compared to the control group. We found a statistically important relationship between Beck Depression Scores (depressive symptom severity) in mothers with ADHD children and having hyperactive or combined ADHD types in their children. We also found a statistically significant positive correlation between the severity of depression and some coping styles as turning to religion and seeking social support.

Investigation of the Relationship Between Internet Addiction, Food Addiction and Impulsivity in Adolescents Presenting at the Child Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Internet addiction, food addiction, and impulsivity in children and adolescents aged 12-18 years who presented at the child psychiatry outpatient clinic of a university hospital. Methods: This study included 207 patients aged 12-18 years who presented at the child and adolescent psychiatry clinic. All the study participants completed the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11), and the Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children 2.0 (YFAS-C 2.0). Results: The individuals who scored above the IAT total score cut-off point had substantially higher scores on the YFAS-C 2.0, BIS-11 total scores, and BIS-11 cognitive impulsivity and non-planning subscale than the participants who scored below the IAT total score cut-off point. According to the results of logistic regression analysis, the YFAS-C 2.0 and BIS-11 total scores were found to be related to Internet addiction. Conclusion: The study's findings indicate that impulsivity and food addiction might be significant risk factors for Internet addiction.

Abuse and Neglect of Children With Specific Learning Disorders in Türkiye: A Case-Control Study.

Although it is often stated that children with special needs are at risk of being abused and neglected, research conducted on the abuse of children with specific learning disorders (SLDs) is limited. This case-control study aims to compare exposure to neglect and abuse among children diagnosed with SLDs (case group) and children with typical development (control group). The study included children aged 6 to 12 years who were referred to the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic and Pediatric Clinic of a hospital in Türkiye. The data collection process included 196 participants and lasted for 7 months in 2020. Based on the analysis of the data collected with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children-Present and Lifetime Turkish Version (K-SADS-PL-T) and the Abuse Assessment Questionnaire, we determined that children with SLDs were physically and emotionally abused more than the children of the control group. In addition, they witnessed violence between their parents more than the control group. Physical abuse, emotional abuse and witnessing family violence were identified as significant predictors for SLD. The presence of SLDs is a significant risk factor for children to be exposed to abuse even in the absence of ADHD as a comorbidity.

CHARACTERISTICS AND PATTERNS OF PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS AMONG CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN KARACHI PAKISTAN

Objective To assess the patterns of psychiatric illness among children and adolescents presented at psychiatric clinic of a public sector teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Study Design A cross sectional study Place and Duration of the study The study was conducted at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry outpatient clinic of the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) in Karachi, during February 2019 to October 2019. Methodology Using consecutive, non-probability sampling, all male and female participants, age less than 18 were recruited from the study setting. Data collection was done using a pre-designed semi-structured proforma. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results A total of 250 pediatric patients visiting the psychiatric clinic were enrolled in this study. These included 161 (64.4%) males and 89 (35.6%) females. Mean age was 9.55 ±3.374 years. 31 (12.4%) patients reported directly to the psychiatry clinic while 160 (64%) patients were referred from pediatric medicine clinics. The remaining 59 (23.6%) patients were referred from adult psychiatry clinics. 126 (50.4%) were diagnosed to have stress and related disorders, 85 (34%) patients were diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders. About 5 (2%) patients were diagnosed with psychotic and mood disorders, 34 (13.6%) were diagnosed with other nonspecific disorders. Conclusion The study reveals a male predominance among children and adolescents at a public sector hospital, with a high referral rate from pediatricians. The diverse mental health issues include stress, neurodevelopmental, and other diagnoses, highlighting the need for deeper investigation and targeted clinical attention.

Being the Mother of a Special Child: Resilience and Marital Adjustment in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This study aims to examine the levels and the relationship between resilience and marital adjustment in mothers of a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Seventy mothers with a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder who have been followed up in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic of Bakırköy Training and Research Hospital for Psychiatry Neurology and Neurosurgery and 74 mothers with a typically developing child to form the control group were included in the study. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale was applied to assess the severity of autism symptoms in children. Sociodemographic form, Beck Depression Scale and Beck Anxiety Scale were applied. The Psychological Resilience Scale for Adults was used to assess resilience. The Marital Adjustment Scale was applied to evaluate the participants' marital adjustment. The level of resilience (P < .001) and marital adjustment (P = .002) in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder were found to be lower when compared to mothers with a typically developing child. There is a negative correlation between the level of resilience and the severity of autism (P = .002) (r = -0.361). A positive correlation was found between marital adjustment and resilience (P < .001) (r = 0.465). High levels of depressive symptoms (P = .003), low marital adjustment (P = .003), and low educational level were found to be predictive of low resilience (P = .044). Taking advantage of the fact that resilience is a dynamic process, there is a need to develop strategies to increase resilience in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder, which will also give rise to individual and marital well-being.

Complaints, Diagnosis, Follow-up and Treatment of Patients Applying to 0-6 Years Old Child Psychiatry and Developmental Pediatrics Outpatient Clinic

Aim: By studying children aged 0-6 with outpatient and health board admissions, we aimed to contribute valuable insights to the literature on early childhood support, focusing on admission complaints, diagnosis distribution, treatments, and patient follow-ups. Materials and Methods: Between 01.08.2022 and 01.02.2022, patients aged 0-6 from Diyarbakir Gazi Yaşargil Hospital's Pediatric and Adolescent Mental Health and Developmental Pediatrics clinic, including those seeking health board evaluations, were studied. This prospective analysis examined patient demographics, complaints, diagnoses, health board interactions, treatments, and additional medical conditions. Patient follow-up data were scanned from the system for analysis before concluding the retrospective study. Results: Of the 600 patients included in the study, 337 patients came to the health board outpatient clinic, 160 to the child psychiatry outpatient clinic and 103 to the developmental pediatrics outpatient clinic. 220 (36.7%) were female and 380 (63.3%) were male. The most common presenting complaints of the patients were speech delay, mobility, report renewal and irritability. In our study, the presenting diagnoses were global developmental delay, isolated speech delay, ASD, ADHD, articulation disorder, behavioral problems, stuttering and specific learning disorder (SLD) with decreasing frequency. It was observed that 77.5% of the patients had no follow-up and the highest rates of follow-up were ADHD (67.4%) and ASD (56.9%). It was observed that 87.5% of the patients with a health board application had no follow-up. Conclusion: Determining the diagnosis, follow-up and treatments of the patients may guide the areas in which child psychiatrists and developmental pediatricians should work more intensively in the future. Early diagnosis, screening initiatives, awareness campaigns, and training for parents, teachers, and health professionals, along with telehealth, multidisciplinary strategies, and school collaborations, enhance health board applications and patient follow-up.

Assessing service usage and protective factors in a pediatric psychiatry clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Youth with developmental and pre-existing mental health conditions have been particularly vulnerable to declines in psychological functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to first, analyze service usage within an outpatient child and adolescent psychiatry clinic in the months preceding and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and second, to examine associations with potential protective factors against mental health concerns in a treatment-engaged sample. Service usage was examined using clinic billing data, and reports on protective factors were gathered via parent survey of 81 children ages 6-17 years who received mental health treatment in an outpatient psychiatry clinic during the pandemic. Protective factors were assessed at the individual, family, and community levels, and included children's use of coping strategies, parental resilience, and parents' perceived social supports. Study outcomes, including mental health concerns, mental health emergencies, pandemic-related distress, and social impact of the pandemic, were analyzed via Pearson correlations and simultaneous multiple linear regressions. Findings suggest increased service usage and child coping, parental resilience, and social connectedness as factors associated with fewer mental health concerns in youth with psychiatric concerns during the pandemic. This study lends support for expanding psychiatric services with continued use of telemedicine platforms. Further, findings suggest a mental health benefit to optimizing individual, parental, and community-based resources to enhance children's psychological functioning, particularly for youth with pre-existing mental health conditions.

Predictors of Pharmacological Treatment Response in Children and Adolescents with Anxiety Disorders

Aim/Background: Anxiety disorders are frequently seen in children and adolescents and cause significant loss of functionality and a decrease in quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting treatment response in children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. Methods: 340 children and adolescents aged 6-18 years who applied to child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinics of a university hospital between May 2018 and May 2023, diagnosed with anxiety disorder, and used only drug treatment were included in the study by retrospectively examining of the patient files. The age, gender, diagnosis, disorder severity, treatment and treatment response, comorbid disorders, physical diseases, and their treatments of the patients were recorded. Results: 116 of the patients were male, and 224 were female. While the most common diagnosis was generalized anxiety disorder (62.4%), the most frequently prescribed medication was sertraline (52.4%). Having specific phobia (p=0.026), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder comorbidity (p=0.029) and using atypical antipsychotics (p=0.037) were negative predictors of treatment response. Other variables did not have any predictive effect on treatment response. Conclusions: Understanding the factors that influence treatment response in children and adolescents with anxiety disorders is crucial for determining the appropriate treatment and predicting the disorder's prognosis. Appropriate interventions addressing modifiable factors that have a negative impact on treatment response should be considered for treatment.

Adolescent smoking patterns: Associations with sociodemographic factors, cyberbullying, and psychiatric diagnoses in an outpatient clinical sample

There is a scarcity of research on smoking in adolescents within a clinical (outpatient) sample, and there is no existing knowledge on the relationship between cyberbullying and smoking in this population. The primary aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of smoking among adolescents in a clinical sample. Additionally, it aims to examine the potential associations between smoking status and factors such as socioeconomic characteristics, psychiatric diagnoses, and cyberbullying levels. A cross-sectional study was performed on 200 adolescents who visited a tertiary child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic. Participants were assessed using the DSM-5 based psychiatric evaluation, the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version-DSM-5 Turkish Adaptation (K-SADS-PL-DSM-5-T), the Revised Cyber Bullying Inventory-II, and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. The study found that 21% of the sample consisted of regular smokers, with a higher prevalence observed among older adolescents. The prevalence of depression and disruptive behavior disorders was significantly greater in the smoking group compared to other groups (p:0.043, p < 0.001, respectively). There was a significant difference in the scores for the cyberbullying bully subdimension among smokers (p = 0.013). The results of the multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated significant associations between smoking and age, maternal smoking status, friends smoking status, and a diagnosis of disruptive behavior disorder (p < 0.05 for all variables). This study reveals a significant prevalence of adolescent smoking in an outpatient clinic. These findings highlight the necessity of implementing focused smoking cessation interventions for this specific population.

The effect of internalized stigmatization on care burden in adolescent psychiatric patients and their parents.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of internalized stigma perceived by adolescents with mental disorders and their families, on the burden of care on their families. The study was conducted in a descriptive and correlational desing with adolescents and their parents who applied to the child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic between March 1 and June 1, 2022. A total 101 adolescents and 101 parents who met the sampling criteria and agreed to participate in the study. Only 1 parent per adolescent was included in the study. It was found that the mean age of the adolescents was 15.05 ± (1.80), 57.4% were female and 56.4% were secondary school graduates, and 26.7% of the adolescents, all of whom were unemployed, were diagnosed with a mood disorder, 50.5% had received outpatient treatment previously, and 22.8% had chronic diseases. It was found that the mean age of the parents who participated in the study was 45.53 ± (6.48), 77.1% were female and 28.7% were secondary school graduates. Also, 22.8% of the parents had a chronic disease, 28.7% had a chronic disease in their family and 32.7% had another family member in need of care, and 17.0% of the parents had received training on mental disorders previously. It was found that the parents' total means ZBI score was 42.74 ± (11.92). When the ZBI total scores were examined in terms of sociodemographic variables, no significant differences were found between the groups according to the variables. There was only a weak, positive and significant relationship between the age of the parents and in the present study, it was found that adolescents with mental disorders and their families experienced internalized stigmatization and this stigmatization increased the care burden on parents. Mental health and psychiatric nurses can facilitate this population's access to treatment by planning and implementing psychosocial interventions to reduce the internalized stigma of children and adolescents and their families.

Şanlıurfa'da bir eğitim ve araştırma hastanesine özel gereksinim raporu için başvuran çocukların sosyodemografik ve klinik özelliklerinin değerlendirilmesi

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of cases who have applied to a research and training hospital for special needs reports for children. Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed on the medical records of children and adolescents aged 0 to 18 who applied to the Medical Board of the Şanlurfa Mehmet Akif İnan Training and Research Hospital and underwent psychiatric evaluations between June 2022 and December 2022. Results: The research covered 600 cases, of whom 39% (n=234) were female and 61% (n=366) were male, and the mean age at the time that patients applied to the child psychiatry outpatient clinic was 7.87±4.43. When the child psychiatry diagnoses in the special needs reports were examined, it was found that 78% of the cases (n=468) had at least one psychiatric diagnosis, and 86.3% (n=518) of all patients had no previous psychiatric drug use. The most common psychiatric disorder was Borderline Intellectual Functioning (n=110), followed by Specific Learning Disorder (n=64). Autism Spectrum Disorder was more common in boys whereas Severe Intellectual Disability was significantly more common in girls. There was no significant difference between the 3 different age groups in terms of the frequency of Mild Intellectual Disability, Severe Intellectual Disability, and Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnoses. Conclusion: Psychiatrists and other medical professionals can greatly benefit from knowing the characteristics of children and adolescents who apply to the medical boards for special needs reports in various parts of Turkey. To fully address this matter, further research with larger numbers of samples from various centers are required

Investigation of Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics of Forensic Cases Admitted to a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic in Şanlıurfa

Objective: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of children and adolescents for whom forensic reports were requested by judicial authorities for various reasons. Materials-Methods: The records of 110 cases referred to our hospital’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department for forensic psychiatric evaluation between January 2022 and December 2022 were evaluated retrospectively. Sociodemographic data of the cases, clinical diagnoses, contents of forensic events, and forensic report decisions were included in the analyses. Results: The mean age of the 110 patients participating in the study was 14.5 ± 2.9 years and 68.2% (n=75) of the cases were male. The judicial authorities directed the cases most frequently (n=53) for evaluating discrimination under the Turkish Penal Code 31/2, and it was determined that crime against property (41.5%) was committed most frequently. Considering the distribution of perpetrator and victim status by gender, a significant difference was found between the two genders (p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusion: Determining regional differences regarding individual and familial characteristics of child and adolescent forensic cases may contribute to the determination of factors that may adversely affect children's mental health and to the development of preventive mental interventions.

Düzce İli’nde Çocuk ve Ergen Psikiyatri Polikliniğine Başvuran Çocuk ve Ergenlerin Sosyodemografik ve Klinik Özellikleri

Aim: In our study, it was aimed to examine the sociodemographic characteristics, symptoms, psychiatric disorders of children and adolescents who applied for the first time to a university hospital child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic.&#x0D; Material and Methods: The files of 724 children and adolescents who applied to our outpatient clinic were reviewed retrospectively. 211 patients evaluated for the first time in our outpatient clinic were included in the study. Sociodemographic characteristics, first admission complaints, psychiatric diagnoses and treatments of the patients were evaluated.&#x0D; Results: The mean age of the patients included in the study were 9.90±4.07 years. It was determined that 117 (55.5%) of the patients had a previous psychiatric diagnosis. The most common complaints at presentation were attention deficit/hyperactivity (45%), irritability (20.4%), and fear-anxiety (15.2%). It was determined that 191 (90.5%) of the patients had at least one psychiatric disorders and 49 (23.2%) had at least two psychiatric disorders. The most common psychiatric disorders were ADHD (54.9%), AD (20.4%), BD (10.4%) and MDD (8.3%). It was determined that 46% of the patients received psychiatric treatment, and methylphenidate (62.9%) was the most common use.&#x0D; Conclusion: In our study, the most common complaint of the patients was attention deficit/hyperactivity, and the most common diagnosis was ADHD. Our results are similar to other studies. The presence of comorbidity increases the severity of the disorders and causes serious deterioration in psychosocial functionality. Diagnoses between genders and comorbidities should be carefully evaluated in patients applying to child and adolescent psychiatry.

Student Threats of Violence Often Signal Underlying Psychiatric Disorders

Student Threats of Violence Often Signal Underlying Psychiatric Disorders