Shared Reading and Risk of Social-Emotional Problems.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends literacy promotion as well as routine developmental surveillance during well-child visits to improve academic, relational, and health outcomes. In this study, we examined the possible association between shared reading and social-emotional problems among young children. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of longitudinal records for children aged 30 to 66 months presenting for visits to an academic pediatric primary care center between July 1, 2013, and February 1, 2019. The outcome was evidence of social-emotional problems, defined by an Ages and Stages: Social Emotional Questionnaire (ASQ:SE) score above the established cutoff. The predictor was caregiver-reported frequency of shared reading (most = 5-7 days per week, some = 2-4 days per week, rarely = 0-1 days per week) at a previous visit. Generalized linear models with generalized estimating equations were used to assess the association between the longitudinal outcome and predictor, adjusting for child demographics and needs reported on routine social history questionnaires. RESULTS: Analyses included 5693 children who completed at least 1 ASQ:SE (total of 7302 assessments) and had shared reading frequency documented before each ASQ:SE assessment. Children were predominantly Black (75%) and publicly insured (80%). Sixteen percent of ASQ:SE scores were suggestive of social-emotional concerns; 6% of caregivers reported sharing reading rarely. Children with rare shared reading had a higher risk of an ASQ:SE above cutoff compared with those with shared reading on most days (adjusted risk ratio, 1.62; 95% confidence interval, 1.35-1.92). CONCLUSIONS: Less-frequent caregiver-reported shared reading was associated with higher risk of social-emotional problems in young children presenting for primary care. This highlights potential relational and social-emotional benefits of shared reading.

Negative Symptoms and Functioning in Youth at Risk of Psychosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: After participating in this activity, learners should be better able to:• Evaluate the relationship between negative symptoms and functioning in youth at clinical high risk for psychosis. AIM: Youth at CHR for psychosis often demonstrate significant negative symptoms and poor functioning, though the magnitude and direction of the relationship between the two remains unknown. The objective of this systematic review is to summarize the relationship between negative symptoms and functioning in CHR samples. METHOD: Electronic databases CINAHL, EBM, Embase, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO were searched from inception. Studies were selected if they included any study that reported a relationship between negative symptoms and functioning in youth at clinical high risk (CHR). The correlation coefficient r was converted to Cohen's d, and all random-effects meta-analyses were performed using the transformed values. RESULTS: Forty-one studies met the inclusion criteria, including a total of 4574 individuals at CHR for psychosis. Negative symptom total scores were significantly associated with poorer global functioning (d, -1.40; 95% CI, -1.82 to -0.98; I = 79.4%; p < .001 [9 studies, n = 782]), social functioning (d, -1.10; 95% CI, -1.27 to -0.93; I = 10.40%; p < .001 [12 studies, n = 811]), and role functioning (d, -0.96; 95% CI, -1.17 to -0.76; I = 41.1%; p < .001 [9 studies, n = 881]). In addition, negative symptoms were consistently associated with poor premorbid functioning. When examining negative symptom domains, avolition, anhedonia, and blunted affect were each significantly and independently associated with poorer social functioning and role functioning. In terms of prediction models, negative symptoms contributed to the prediction of lower functioning across multiple studies. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis demonstrates a strong relationship between negative symptoms and functioning in youth at clinical high risk for psychosis.

Biocognitive Classification of Antisocial Individuals Without Explanatory Reductionism.

Effective and specifically targeted social and therapeutic responses for antisocial personality disorders and psychopathy are scarce. Some authors maintain that this scarcity should be overcome by revising current syndrome-based classifications of these conditions and devising better biocognitive classifications of antisocial individuals. The inspiration for the latter classifications has been embedded in the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) approach. RDoC-type approaches to psychiatric research aim at transforming diagnosis, provide valid measures of disorders, aid clinical practice, and improve health outcomes by integrating the data on the genetic, neural, cognitive, and affective systems underlying psychiatric conditions. In the first part of the article, we discuss the benefits of such approaches compared with the dominant syndrome-based approaches and review recent attempts at building biocognitive classifications of antisocial individuals. Other researchers, however, have objected that biocognitive approaches in psychiatry are committed to an untenable form of explanatory reductionism. Explanatory reductionism is the view that psychological disorders can be exclusively categorized and explained in terms of their biological causes. In the second part of the article, we argue that RDoC-like approaches need not be associated with explanatory reductionism. Moreover, we argue how this is the case for a specific biocognitive approach to classifying antisocial individuals.

Testing adults by questionnaire for social and communication disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, in an adult mental health service population.

OBJECTIVES: Autism is difficult to identify in adults due to lack of validated self-report questionnaires. We compared the effectiveness of the autism-spectrum quotient (AQ) and the Ritvo autism-Asperger's diagnostic scale-revised (RAADS-R) questionnaires in adult mental health services in two English counties. METHODS: A subsample of adults who completed the AQ and RAADS-R were invited to take part in an autism diagnostic observation schedule (ADOS Module 4) assessment with probability of selection weighted by scores on the questionnaires. RESULTS: There were 364 men and 374 women who consented to take part. Recorded diagnoses were most commonly mood disorders (44%) and mental and behavioural disorders due to alcohol/substance misuse (19%), and 4.8% (95% CI [2.9, 7.5]) were identified with autism (ADOS Module 4 10+). One had a pre-existing diagnosis of autism; five (26%) had borderline personality disorders (all female) and three (17%) had mood disorders. The AQ and RAADS-R had fair test accuracy (area under receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve 0.77 and 0.79, respectively). AQ sensitivity was 0.79 (95% CI [0.54, 0.94]) and specificity was 0.77 (95% CI [0.65, 0.86]); RAADS-R sensitivity was 0.75 (95% CI [0.48, 0.93]) and specificity was 0.71 (95% CI [0.60, 0.81]). CONCLUSIONS: The AQ and RAADS-R can guide decisions to refer adults in mental health services to autism diagnostic services.

Development and Calibration of the TBI-QOL Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities and TBI-QOL Satisfaction With Social Roles and Activities Item Banks and Short Forms.

OBJECTIVE: To develop traumatic brain injury (TBI)-optimized versions of the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (Neuro-QoL) Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities and Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities item banks, evaluate the psychometric properties of the item banks developed for adults with TBI, develop short form and computer adaptive test (CAT) versions, and report information to facilitate research and clinical applications. DESIGN: We used a mixed methods design to develop and evaluate Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities and Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities items. Focus groups defined the constructs, cognitive interviews guided item revisions, and confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory methods helped calibrate item banks and evaluate differential item functioning related to demographic and injury characteristics. SETTING: Five TBI Model Systems centers in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling adults with TBI (N=556). INTERVENTIONS: None. OUTCOME MEASURES: Traumatic Brain Injury-Quality of Life (TBI-QOL) Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities and TBI-QOL Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities item banks. RESULTS: Forty-five Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities and 41 Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities items demonstrated good psychometric properties. Although some of the items are new, most were drawn from analogous banks in the Neuro-QoL measurement system. Consequently, the 2 TBI-QOL item banks were linked to the Neuro-QoL metric, and scores are comparable with the general population. All CAT and short forms correlated highly (>0.90) with the full item banks and demonstrate comparable construct coverage and measurement error. CONCLUSION: The TBI-QOL Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities and TBI-QOL Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities item banks are TBI-optimized versions of the Neuro-QoL Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities and Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities item banks and demonstrate excellent measurement properties in individuals with TBI. These measures, particularly in CAT or short form format, are suitable for efficient and precise measurement of social outcomes in clinical and research applications.

Behavioral phenotype and sleep problems in SATB2-associated syndrome.

AIM: To determine the nature and frequency of behavioral phenotypes and sleep disturbances in individuals with SATB2-associated syndrome (SAS). METHOD: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and an age-appropriate sleep questionnaire were distributed to the parents of individuals with SAS. All scores were compared to available normative data. RESULTS: Thirty-one individuals completed the assessment (18 females, 13 males; mean age 7y 4mo [SD 4y 1mo], range 2-16y). Individuals with SAS had significantly higher Total Difficulty scores than the normative sample (14.9 [SD 5.8] vs 7.1 [SD 5.7], p<0.001). A high frequency of emotional problems (22.6% vs 8%, p=0.01), peer problems (48.4% vs 10%, p<0.001), hyperactivity (48.4% vs 9%, p<0.001), and low prosocial behaviors (45.2% vs 9%, p<0.001) contribute to the behavioral profile in SAS. Concurrent sleeping difficulties were also frequently identified. Ten individuals in the 5 to 15 years age range had at least one sleep disorder (mean Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children total score 40.9 [SD 8.4] vs 35.1 [SD 7.7], p<0.001). INTERPRETATION: With previous limited available objective neurobehavioral data on the SAS population, we reported evidence of high-risk for a broad spectrum of burdensome behavioral phenotype and concurrent sleeping difficulties, the latter being particularly prevalent during early childhood. Routine assessment and treatment for behavioral issues and sleep problems is recommended. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: Emotional and peer problems, hyperactivity, and low prosocial behavior are common in SATB2-associated syndrome. The Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire Total Difficulty scores are atypical in nearly half of individuals. Behavioral difficulties are perceived as burdensome to over half of the parents. Nearly half of individuals have at least one sleep disorder. Sleep-wake transition disorders were most common.

Developing and testing the F-SIM, a measure of social inclusion for people with mental illness.

Social inclusion is an important contributor to good mental health and greater mental health outcomes for people with psychiatric disorders. A psychometrically-sound measure of social inclusion is required to facilitate progress in this area. The aim here was to report on preliminary findings from a novel, user-friendly measure of social inclusion that comprehensively assesses the construct. Preliminary testing of the Filia Social Inclusion Measure (F-SIM) was conducted with ninety participants (30 consumers; 30 family members/carers; 30 community members). Participants completed the self-report measure and a usability questionnaire. Preliminary findings demonstrated poorer social inclusion for people with mental illness compared to those without, with differences seen in each of five domains (housing and services, social functioning, occupational functioning, finances and health). Differences were also seen regarding family members or carers, with consistently poorer social inclusion than general community members observed. Participants reported the F-SIM as easy to use, and considered it to measure social inclusion well, indicating good face validity. The F-SIM demonstrates an ability to differentiate between groups. Implications for use and suggestions for future research are detailed. Following further psychometric assessment, the F-SIM will have wide applicability in clinical and research settings.

Strengthening the Voice of Those with Mental Health Issues: A Community Approach to Developing a Mental Health Identification System.

This article describes how an action research approach was used to involve a community of individuals with mental health issues and their support systems in the development and adoption of a mental health identification (ID) card. The intent of the card was to provide individuals with mental health issues a way to communicate and manage the idiosyncratic nature of their behaviors. A credit card-size ID card was developed that has the individual's picture, address, diagnosis, idiosyncratic behaviors, best approach with the individual when those behaviors are present, medications, allergies, and emergency contact information. Benefits and concerns about the ID system in regard to the cardholder, card recipients, the provision of consent, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliance, and the balancing of reducing and increasing stigmas and stereotypes emerged throughout the process. In the end, the ID card has come to be seen as a social justice mechanism that allows for communication and awareness for those with mental health issues.

Assessing Online and Offline Adolescent Social Skills: Development and Validation of the Real and Electronic Communication Skills Questionnaire.

Studies examining the associations between Internet use and social skills are increasingly frequent. However, most of them only evaluate offline social skills and consider them as equivalents to online social skills. So far, no instrument allowed differentiating social skills depending on online versus offline contexts. This study aimed to develop and validate the Real and Electronic Communication Skills questionnaire (RECS), a new measure evaluating several dimensions of social skills in two different contexts (i.e., face-to-face and computer-mediated communication). Results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses among a sample of 657 adolescents and young adults (mean age = 17.68 years; 67% female) showed that the best fitting model for each context is a bifactor solution, with one general factor (Social Competence) and four specific factors (Sociability, Emotion Decoding, Disclosure, and Assertiveness). Each specific factor was differentially correlated with theoretically relevant subscales of the Social Skills Inventory, confirming the external validity of the RECS. The RECS is the first instrument allowing not only to assess social competence in online settings but also to quantify the relationships between offline social skills and their online counterpart. Given its ease of use and brevity, the RECS is a useful and promising instrument to capture social skills in both online and offline contexts.

Long-term social dysfunction after trauma: What is the prevalence, risk factors, and associated outcomes?

BACKGROUND: Social functioning-the ability to participate in organized or informal family, friend, or peer groups and communal activities-is intertwined with physical and emotional health. Although trauma can have a lasting effect on both the physical and emotional well-being of patients, little is known about the long-term impact of injury on social functioning. We sought to determine the prevalence of, risk factors for, and outcomes associated with long-term social dysfunction after trauma. METHODS: Adults with moderate-to-severe injuries managed at three Level I trauma centers were contacted at 6 to 12 months after injury to inquire about social dysfunction. Demographics, socioeconomic parameters, and injury-related and hospital course information were also obtained. A stepwise backward logistic regression model was fitted to determine independent risk factors of social dysfunction, and multiple logistic regression models were used to determine associations between social dysfunction and post-traumatic stress disorder, functional limitations, and return to work. RESULTS: Of the 805 screened patients, 45.2% reported social dysfunction. Patients with social dysfunction were more likely to be African American, be Medicaid beneficiaries, be of lower education, require mechanical ventilation, be discharged less often to home, have a lower mean age and had longer hospital stays. In multivariable analysis, low education, longer hospital stay, past psychiatric illness, and African-American race independently increased the risk for social dysfunction. Furthermore, patients with social dysfunction were more likely to screen positive for post-traumatic stress disorder (odds ratio: 16.25 [95% confidence interval: 9.49-27.85]), be experiencing functional limitations (odds ratio: 2.80 [95% confidence interval: 1.76-4.44]), and to not have returned to work (odds ratio: 5.65 [95% confidence interval: 3.92-8.14]). CONCLUSION: Lower educational attainment, long hospital stay, past pyschiatric illness, and African-American race appear to predispose to social dysfunction after trauma, which in turn is associated with a positive post-traumatic stress disorder screen, functional limitations, and delayed return to work.

Interventions and social functioning in youth at risk of psychosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: Youth at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis often exhibit difficulties in social functioning and poorer social functioning may be predictive of transition to a psychotic disorder. Therefore, the primary objective of this systematic review was to summarize the impact of all interventions on social functioning in CHR samples. METHOD: Electronic databases PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase, EBM, and MEDLINE were searched from 1951 to June 2017. Studies were selected if they included any intervention that reported changes in social functioning in youth at CHR. Data were evaluated using random effects pairwise meta-analyses, stratified by time, and reported as the standardized mean difference (SMD). RESULTS: Nineteen studies met our inclusion criteria, including a total of 1513 CHR participants. The mean age was 20.5 years and 47% were male. Cognitive behavioural therapy (4 studies) did not significantly improve social functioning at 6 months (SMD = 0.06; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.35, 0.46), 12 months (SMD = -0.15; 95% CI = -0.38, 0.08) and 18 months (SMD = 0.20; 95% CI = -0.10, 0.50). Omega-3 (2 studies) did not significantly improve social functioning at 6 months (SMD = 0.01; 95% CI = -0.21, 0.24) and 12 months (SMD = -0.08; 95% CI = -0.33, 0.17). Lastly, cognitive remediation (3 studies) did not significantly improve social functioning at 2- to 3-month follow-up (SMD = 0.13, 95% CI = -0.18, 0.43). CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated that no treatment significantly improved social functioning in youth at CHR. Future randomized control trials are required that are designed to target and improve social functioning in youth at CHR for psychosis.

Autism-Related Variation in Reciprocal Social Behavior: A Longitudinal Study.

Deficits in reciprocal social behavior are a characterizing feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autism-related variation in reciprocal social behavior (AVR) in the general population is continuously distributed and highly heritable-a function of additive genetic influences that overlap substantially with those which engender clinical autistic syndromes. This is the first long-term prospective study of the stability of AVR from childhood through early adulthood, conducted via serial ratings using the Social Responsiveness Scale, in a cohort-sequential study involving children with ASD, other psychiatric conditions, and their siblings (N = 602, ages = 2.5-29). AVR exhibits marked stability throughout childhood in individuals with and without ASD.

Trajectories of behavior, attention, social and emotional problems from childhood to early adulthood following extremely preterm birth: a prospective cohort study.

To investigate trajectories of behavior, attention, social and emotional problems to early adulthood in extremely preterm survivors compared to a term-born comparison group. Longitudinal analysis of a prospective, population-based cohort of 315 surviving infants born < 26 completed weeks of gestation recruited at birth in 1995, from the UK/Republic of Ireland, and a term-born comparison group recruited at age 6. The parent-report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was completed at age 6, 11, 16 and 19 years. The Total Behavioral Difficulties Score was 4.81 points higher in extremely preterm individuals compared to their term-born peers over the period (95% CI 3.76-5.87, p < 0.001) and trajectories were stable in both groups. The impact of difficulties on home life, friendships, school or work and/or leisure activities was greater in the EPT group (RR 4.28, 95% CI 2.89-6.35, p < 0.001), and hyperactivity/inattention and peer problems accounted for the largest differences. A clinically significant behavioral screen at age 2.5 was associated with a higher Total Behavioral Difficulties Score from 6 years onwards in extremely preterm participants (Mean difference 6.90, 95% CI 5.01-8.70, p < 0.0.01), as was moderate/severe cognitive impairment at last assessment (Mean difference: 4.27, 95% CI 2.76-5.77, p < 0.001). Attention, social and emotional problems in extremely preterm individuals persist into early adulthood with significant impact on daily life. A positive behavioral screen in infancy and moderate/severe cognitive impairment are associated with early adult outcomes.

Social impairment of children with autism spectrum disorder affects parental quality of life in different ways.

This study evaluated the life quality of Chinese parents of preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their association with child social impairment and childcare burden. The participants included 406 families of children with ASD and 513 families with typically developing (TD) children. The findings indicated that parents in the ASD group had a lower quality of life than parents in the TD group, whereas only mother of children with ASD experienced a greater childcare burden than mother with TD children. Lower parental quality of life were associated with higher social impairment of children. To further clarify the correlativity of child social impairment, parental quality of life and childcare burden, the mediation analyses were conducted. The results showed that childcare burden mediated the influence of child social impairment on maternal quality of life, while it has no mediating effect on fathers. It implies that social impairment of children affects parental quality of life in different ways.

Potentially Reversible Social Deficits Among Transgender Youth.

Recently, there has been increased attention to a putative relationship between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and gender dysphoria, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) diagnosis for those whose gender assigned at birth does not match their gender identity. Studies have shown an over-representation of ASD symptoms among transgender youth. These studies, however, have used scales that are non-specific for ASD. These ASD symptoms may represent social deficits that are secondary to social stress and deprivation, as transgender youth suffer high rates of peer and family rejection. These social deficits may not represent true ASD and may be reversible as patients are affirmed in their gender identities and social stress is reduced.

Course of Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder From Early Childhood to Early Adolescence.

OBJECTIVE: Disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) is poorly understood beyond early childhood. The course of DSED signs in a sample of children who experienced severe, early deprivation from early childhood to early adolescence was examined using variable-centered (linear mixed modeling) and person-centered (growth mixture modeling) approaches. METHOD: The study included 124 children with a history of institutional care from a randomized controlled trial of foster care as an alternative to institutional care and 69 community comparison children matched by age and sex. DSED signs were assessed at baseline (mean age 22 months), 30, 42, and 54 months of age, and 8 and 12 years of age using a validated caregiver report of disturbed attachment behavior. RESULTS: Variable-centered analyses based on intent-to-treat groups indicated that signs of DSED decreased sharply for children randomized to foster care and decreased slightly but remained high for children randomized to care as usual. Person-centered analyses showed 4 profiles (i.e., elevated, persistent modest, early decreasing, and minimal). Elevated and persistent modest courses were associated with greater placement disruptions (F3,99 = 4.29, p = .007, partial eta-squared [η2] = 0.12), older age at placement into foster care (F3,56 = 3.41, p < .05, partial η2 = 0.16), and more time in institutional care (F3,115 = 11.91, p < .001, partial η2 = 0.24) compared with decreasing and minimal courses. CONCLUSION: Early and sustained placement into families after deprivation is associated with minimal or decreasing signs of DSED across development. Shortening the amount of time children spend in institutions and preserving placements could help decrease signs of DSED into early adolescence in previously institutionalized children.

Psychometric properties of the social anxiety subscale of the Youth Anxiety Measure for DSM-5 (YAM-5-I-SAD) in a clinical sample of Spanish-speaking adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The Youth Anxiety Measure-I for DSM-5 has recently been developed to assess youth's anxiety symptomatology. As social anxiety is one of the most common disorders in adolescence, this scale includes a subscale measuring social anxiety. However, psychometric properties of the YAM-5-I social anxiety subscale (YAM-5-I-SAD) in clinical samples are lacking. This paper aims to bridge the gap. METHODS: The sample comprised 24 clinically diagnosed and 24 healthy control Spanish-speaking adolescents aged 14-17 years. RESULTS: Data revealed that the YAM-5- I-SAD yielded excellent sensitivity, which makes it particularly useful as a screening tool to early detect socially anxious adolescents. In addition, the YAM-5-I-SAD evidenced good internal consistency and construct validity. LIMITATIONS: Data are limited to the social anxiety subscale. CONCLUSIONS: The YAM-5-I-SAD is a sensitive and specific measure to screen for adolescents with social anxiety.

Neural Circuit Mechanisms of Social Behavior.

We live in a world that is largely socially constructed, and we are constantly involved in and fundamentally influenced by a broad array of complex social interactions. Social behaviors among conspecifics, either conflictive or cooperative, are exhibited by all sexually reproducing animal species and are essential for the health, survival, and reproduction of animals. Conversely, impairment in social function is a prominent feature of several neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. Despite the importance of social behaviors, many fundamental questions remain unanswered. How is social sensory information processed and integrated in the nervous system? How are different social behavioral decisions selected and modulated in brain circuits? Here we discuss conceptual issues and recent advances in our understanding of brain regions and neural circuit mechanisms underlying the regulation of social behaviors.