Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

abstract: The purpose of this study is to understand and explore the perspectives of caregivers of children receiving mental health services in the Southwest. The data collected examines areas of caregiver satisfaction of services including, perceived barriers and agency’s ability to effectively apply the System of Care model’s core values. Participants (N=100) were interviewed using the System of Care Practice Review, Revised. Data results include descriptive quantitative analysis, correlation and means comparisons, and thematic analysis of qualitative responses. The research indicates that as a whole, caregivers are satisfied with child mental health services. Data suggests that providers should continue to strive for improvement and excellence in several areas of service, including intervention effectiveness, family participation, cultural competence, communication and interpersonal relationships. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Social Work 2015

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is commonly reported to be more prevalent in children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. In this thesis I will explore in more detail the association between socioeconomic disadvantage and ADHD. This thesis comprises six studies, starting with a systematic review in order to evaluate existing published evidence, which is followed by a qualitative study that explores educational practitioners’ conceptualisation of the causes of ADHD. A series of three analyses utilising existing data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) then explore which measures of socioeconomic status (SES) are associated with a research diagnosis of ADHD and potential mediators of this association, and whether timing, duration or changes in exposure to financial difficulty impact on the SES-ADHD association. In the final study in this thesis, I explore whether SES-health associations in general are likely to be due to epigenetic differences in children exposed to low SES. Existing literature provides evidence that an association between SES and ADHD is commonly detected. The facet of SES most predictive of ADHD was mother-reported experience of difficulty affording basic necessities (financial difficulty), associated with an increased risk of a research diagnosis of ADHD of 2.23 (95%CI 1.57, 3.16). Exposure to financial difficulty between birth and age seven was associated with higher levels of ADHD symptoms across childhood of 0.78 points on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Hyperactivity subscale (95% CI 0.54, 1.00, p < 0.001), whereas later exposure to financial difficulty was not associated with ADHD symptoms. In addition, I found tentative evidence that different patterns of SES exposure are associated with different levels of ADHD symptoms, with those consistently low SES having symptom scores 0.41 points higher than those in difficulty (95% CI 3.46, 3.57, p<0.001). I did not find strong evidence that low SES impacts on epigenetic profiles across childhood. These findings add to emerging evidence of an association between SES and ADHD that has implications for theory and policy.

M.Cur. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

This chapter discusses psychopharmacological treatment for children's emotional and psychiatric disorders. It considers approaches to the selection of pharmacological agents. It then reviews the current state of psychopharmacological treatment with children and adolescents, focusing on pharmacological agents for the treatment of established psychiatric diagnoses and psychopharmacological agents selected to control or treat behaviors experienced by the child regardless of the presence of a clear diagnosis.

The students at a rural middle school in South Central Appalachia are struggling with increased rates of depression and anxiety, toxic stress, and multiple ACEs with few resources to help. With the input of community stakeholders, four medical students from the ETSU Quillen College of Medicine organized and conducted a pre and post survey assessing sixth grade student’s (n=60) perceived stress, coping skills, and parental/guardian relationships before and after four classes focusing on mental health awareness, positive and negative coping skills, and resilience. Pre/post surveys used modified versions of the perceived stress scale, parent adolescent scale, and coping scale for children and youth. Statistically significant relationships were found between the different scales, showing: students who had better coping skills were more likely to perceive less stress in their lives; students who perceived more stress after learning positive coping skills reported using more positive coping skills; and on pre-survey, students who reported a better parent-adolescent relationship also reported using more positive coping skills. Students who reported a less healthy parent-adolescent relationship also reported having more stress in their lives. It was also identified that most students reported academics and grades as well as lack of friendships as their main stressors. Long-term interventions with more sessions are needed in the future to continue to help students in rural middle schools as well as further expand on lessons to better serve these children's needs.

M.S.

Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 41-45-Xx).

Child and adolescent mental health represents a key area of concern and public health relevance. Mental health disorders are one of the most prevalent illnesses affecting young people and contribute significantly to the global burden of disease. Childhood and adolescent mental health problems often persist into adulthood and as such frequently result in lifelong negative consequences. Yet despite the growing concern with regards to the mental health needs of children and adolescents, not much research, both internationally and particularly locally, has focused on the provision of mental health services to children and adolescents. Additionally, little has been published on the changes and trends in diagnostic rates and assessment procedures over time. Only a few international studies have investigated mental health trends in children and adolescents; hence, there is a crucial need for South African data to inform preventative and curative services for children in South Africa. This present study therefore investigated the trends and patterns relating to diagnostic rates and assessment practices in children and adolescents over time at a local South African psychological community service centre in Pietermaritzburg. The study was a retrospective chart review and the sample consisted of 679 case files from children and adolescents between 3-17 years of age, who had been seen at a local psychological service centre between 1987-1989, 1997-1999 and 2007-2009. The case files were systematically analysed with regards to diagnosis and assessment practices. It was hypothesised that the years of continuous social and political conflict in the Pietermaritzburg area, namely 1987-1989, had a direct impact on the psychological development and well-being of children and adolescents from this area, and that this would be reflected in the case files from the corresponding years. The research findings with regard to the assessment practices were comparable to the internationally observed trends relating to choice of tests and procedures. In addition, the findings of the current study also showed similar trends with regard to the increasing diagnostic rates for ADD/ADHD, Mood Disorder, and Autism Spectrum Disorders as were observed internationally. Additionally, the reported decreasing diagnostic rates for Mental Retardation and behaviour disorders were also found in this local study. However, the internationally observed increases in Anxiety Disorder diagnoses contrast with the findings of this study, where the results revealed that the rates for Anxiety Disorder and PTSD were considerably higher in the late 1980s and 1990s. This finding supports the initial hypothesis that the violence and social unrest had an effect on children’s psychological well-being. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 100-106).