Symptomatic Overlap and Misdiagnosis A challenge in diagnosing psychiatric illness in early childhood lies in the symptomatic overlap between different psychotic conditions and a myriad of emotional, behavioral, and developmental disorders, resulting in alarmingly high rates of misdiagnosis, particularly at the time of onset. For instance,...
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. Key differences, however, lie in the severity and nature of...
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 reports that...
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. Anger is often a symptom of depression that is overlooked in youth. It can be hard to distinguish...
Understanding the etiology of psychiatric illness has been a focus of considerable research over many decades. Current research (2017) in the Clinical Neuropsychiatry Journal of Treatment Evaluation supports that multi-factorial, genetic-influenced interactions are the common etiological mechanism in the development of mental health symptoms for most people....
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 subconscious...
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, youth...
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...
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 between 2016...
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...
In April of this year, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) published a large compilation of research and resources addressing barriers in access to essential mental health care for children. The CDC cites that nearly one in five children experiences symptoms of an emotional or...
Educators and school mental health professionals often are in a frontline position to notice warning signs and symptoms of the onset of a psychiatric illness in youth. These warning signs often will include somatic symptomatology. A 2000 study in Interpersonal and Biological Processes found that somatic complaints...
There is considerable psychology behind introversion personality traits and how they influence mental health in the classroom and socially. Psychologists and educators must consider introverted characteristics when treating and educating students in this group. Personality traits of being introverted versus extroverted are among the oldest...
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...
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is one of the ten most disabling disorders. The prevalence of the onset of OCD in childhood is relatively high, with 1 to 3% of children experiencing this disorder. Untreated, research links child-onset OCD with significant functional impairment...
Ever-changing challenges in this modern era, such as post-pandemic reintegration into work and school and the battle over technology, place many more challenges on families. The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) reports that the need for family therapy continues to rise, with a 50-fold...
The versatility and effectiveness of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) in treating various populations continues to be validated by research in the field. Opportunities for change exist in the responses to youthful offenders, with research supporting a treatment philosophy versus one of punishment. The Office of Juvenile...
As human beings, we are wired for connection. Attachment theory concludes that the relationships with caregivers in infancy and early childhood will influence how healthy relationships are in adulthood. Not only can attachment impact healthy connections, but it also may influence the risk of developing...
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is a treatment option developed for children who have experienced a traumatic event and suffer symptoms consistent with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that more than two-thirds of children identify that...
In the year 2020, there was approximately 6 million children ages 0 to 17 taking psychiatric medications and with surge in behavioral health symptoms youth are experiencing as a result of the pandemic, that number is only going to increase. There is concern however about...
Technological advancement in this digital age creates an ever-changing landscape for mental healthcare. There has never been a greater need for psychologists to have new and innovative means to reach people struggling with increased psychological distress. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on...
Historically, diagnosing mental illness is not like diagnosing other chronic diseases. MRIs, X-rays, nor EKGs can detect the presence of a psychiatric illness. As recent as 2012, psychiatric professionals have claimed that identifying a mental illness is more “subjective.” The American Psychological Association reported in...
Good mental health is the buzz in this post-pandemic world. Everywhere you turn, there is evidence of the focus on mental health. In June of 2022, the Federal government passed legislation that would reauthorize and expand behavioral health programs. Technology allows people to access mental health...
Mental illness does not discriminate who it will afflict and while many people feel like childhood is a carefree time in life, this is when most mental illnesses will begin to develop. The onset of mental health symptoms generally occurs when most children are entering...
Spending any time watching the News can leave you feeling bewildered and confused about what seems to be a high prevalence of violence in our society. Violence however, as a human behavior can be better understood when you examine the factors that contribute to people...