Parenting styles are pivotal in shaping a child's personality and ]how they learn to navigate their emotions into adulthood. The use of harsh and authoritarian verbal discipline has been shown to have adverse effects on a child's emotional and psychological well-being. The long-term effects of...
Phobias in children, characterized by intense and irrational fears of specific objects or situations, impact the success of youth in schools and community settings. The development of phobias is a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors, making it essential for mental health professionals and...
Disruptive disorders in youth, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and conduct disorder (CD), pose significant challenges for accurate diagnosis. Elements such as overlapping symptoms, developmental variation, comorbidity, cultural and socioeconomic influences, gender bias, and a lack of specialized training and awareness among...
Diagnosing psychiatric illness in children and adolescents is a complex and multifaceted challenge that often leaves clinicians grappling with overlapping symptoms, developmental nuances, and varying perspectives from parents, teachers, and patients. Understanding behavioral healthcare professionals' hurdles in providing accurate diagnoses and effective treatment plans is...
Disruptive disorders in youth, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and conduct disorder (CD), pose significant challenges for accurate diagnosis. Elements such as overlapping symptoms, developmental variation, comorbidity, cultural and socioeconomic influences, gender bias, and a lack of specialized training and awareness among...
In child and adolescent treatment, accurate diagnosing helps to define treatment recommendations and, ultimately, outcomes. Conduct Disorder (CD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) are two mental health conditions with an onset in childhood and adolescence. Both disorders can manifest with defiant behavior toward authority figures,...
In child and adolescent treatment, accurate diagnosing helps to define treatment recommendations and, ultimately, outcomes. Conduct Disorder (CD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) are two mental health conditions with an onset in childhood and adolescence. Both disorders can manifest with defiant behavior toward authority figures,...
Disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) encompass a group of psychiatric conditions characterized by significant disturbances in behavior, often leading to impairment in various aspects of a youth's functioning. While all children may exhibit occasional disruptive behaviors, DBDs involve severe, prolonged disturbances that necessitate clinical attention. Oppositional...
Conduct Disorder is a distinctive challenge that warrants attention in the treatment of childhood mental health disorders. Typically diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, Conduct Disorder is characterized by a persistent pattern of behaviors that infringe upon the rights of others and disregard societal norms and...
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a disruptive behavior disorder often observed in childhood and adolescence. Children with ODD exhibit symptoms of consistent defiance, hostility, and disobedience toward authority figures, leading to significant impairment in their social, academic, and familial functioning. The National Institute on Health...
Childhood and adolescence are pivotal times in the development of emotional management skills. Habits learned during this time will establish a foundation for emotional control throughout life. It can be difficult for parents, families, and educators to understand youth feelings and emotional expressions, as executive...
Narcissism is central to our self-esteem and emotions. Healthy narcissism is a balanced and functional expression of self-love and self-esteem considered normal and adaptive in everyday life. It involves having a positive and realistic self-image without crossing into the extremes of grandiosity and entitlement in...
Psychologists must be diligent in their approach when treating individuals diagnosed with narcissism. Differential diagnosis is a crucial tool that can help ensure accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) as...
Narcissism or Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is a personality disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). NPD is characterized by a lack of empathy for others, a strong need for admiration, and a pervasive pattern of grandiosity. In 1991,...
Stress and trauma bombard the human psyche throughout childhood and adulthood. In the 19th century, Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, pioneered examining how people develop cognitions to manage stressors. Freud identified that individuals develop various defense mechanisms to protect themselves from further harm using...
There is increasing concern about levels of anger and violence in our individualistic American society. Increased violence, overt acts, such as mass shootings and violent crime among youth, and less extreme forms, such as bullying, raise public concern. According to the U.S. Department of Justice,...
There is increasing concern about levels of anger and violence in our individualistic American society. Increased violence, overt acts, such as mass shootings and violent crime among youth, and less extreme forms, such as bullying, raise public concern. According to the U.S. Department of Justice,...
On May 23, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory warning about social media's impact on young people's mental health. "Teens who use social media for more than three hours a day face double the risk of depression and anxiety symptoms, which is...
Defense mechanisms are unconscious psychological responses, defined initially by Sigmund Freud in his psychoanalytic theory. People utilize defense mechanisms to protect themselves from psychological distress, such as trauma, threats to self-esteem, and anxiety. Defense mechanisms manifest in various ways; however, denial and avoidance are commonly...
Learning is essential to acquire new skills, knowledge, and understanding to promote personal and professional growth opportunities. Learning also helps us adapt to problems and challenges that occur in our lives. By gaining knowledge from experiences, we improve our ability to think critically and solve...
Mental health diagnoses such as ADHD, depression, conduct disorders, and anxiety are among the most prevalent in our youth. A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified that 9.4% of children ages 3 to 17 were diagnosed with anxiety...
Mental health professionals are frequently challenged to make clinical differential diagnoses between personality and mood disorders. As the clinical presentation of these disorders share significant features and frequently co-occurs, it can be arduous to disentangle the cause of the individual's psychopathological symptoms. While mood and...
One benefit that rose from the COVID-19 pandemic is greater innovation, creativity, and a push for virtually-based options in healthcare and behavioral health. Telepsychiatry and telehealth counseling were almost nonexistent before 2020; however, there has been an explosion of services offered via virtual platforms since...
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services reports that mental health treatment needs have increased significantly. One in five adults experiences a mental health concern, and at least one in six youth have experienced clinical depression. Suicide claimed the lives of more than 45,000 Americans in...
Screening and early detection positively influence treatment outcomes for young children. Early identification promotes more rapid treatment interventions, allowing youth to recover and benefit from their education, develop healthy relationships, access employment, and prevent the onset of more chronic and debilitating conditions as adults. The American...
Asking if a person is an introvert or an extrovert might be a great icebreaker. There is, however, considerable psychology behind these personality types and how they influence mental health. Psychologists and educators must consider introverted characteristics when treating and educating youth in this group. Personality...
Parents and parenting styles play an essential role in developing a child's mental health. Limited empirical research exists on the impact of narcissistic mothers on the mental well-being of their children. Narcissism, however, is evidence of a deep emotional wound or trauma that has not...
Emotional expression is a monumental developmental task in childhood and adolescence, and considerable research has shown gender differences. These differences influence the expression of mental health symptoms. To successfully ameliorate symptoms afflicting youth, diagnostic practices, and treatment interventions need to address the influence gender has...
Behavioral health conditions in childhood and adolescence can be either externalizing or internalizing in nature. The type of disorder influences the rate of linkage to treatment, the level of involvement in parental involvement in treatment, and treatment outcomes. Additional research into internalizing and externalizing concepts...
Pediatric onset obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of the more common mental illnesses for children and adolescents. Research suggests that the prevalence of pediatric OCD (POCD) is estimated to be about 3%. Symptom manifestations can lead to severe impairment and conflict within the family. Serious mental health...