Interactive effect of adverse child experiences and suicidal thoughts and behaviors on adolescent alcohol and cannabis use frequency.

OBJECTIVE: Adolescents with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and suicidality may engage in high levels of substance use to alleviate distress. Most studies of associations among ACEs, suicidality, and substance use rely on retrospective reports by adults. Comparatively less is known about concurrent relationships between ACEs, suicide risk, and substance use in adolescents, which is important for prevention. This study tested if the associations between ACEs and drinking and between ACEs and cannabis use would be even stronger among youth with suicidal ideation or attempt, relative to youth without suicidal ideation or attempt. METHOD: High schoolers (N = 1,625; 50.8% male; 47.1% female; 2% nonbinary) from western New York completed the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Ordinal regressions tested main effects and interactions of the number of ACEs and suicidal ideation/behavior (i.e., none, ideation/plan, attempt) on categories of past-month drinking and cannabis days of use, controlling for age, gender, and race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Significant ACEs by suicide interactions on adolescent drinking indicate that the association between ACEs and drinking was stronger for adolescents with suicide attempt adjusted odds ratio (AOR = 2.63) compared to youth with no ideation or attempt (AOR = 1.56) and suicidal ideation/planning only (AOR = 1.58). Main effects of ACEs (AORs = 1.95-2.08) and suicide attempt (vs. no suicidal ideation/attempt [AOR = 2.11] and suicidal ideation/plan [AOR = 2.11]) were associated with greater cannabis use; interactions were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Associations between ACEs and drinking were particularly strong for adolescents with suicide attempt. Conversely, ACEs and suicide attempt were independently associated with cannabis use. Mitigating against ACEs may reduce both adolescent alcohol and cannabis use. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The impact of adverse childhood experiences on adolescent health risk indicators in a community sample.

OBJECTIVE: Despite growing awareness of the high prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in community samples of adolescents, little work has examined the impact of ACEs on adolescence and well-being during this critical period of development. Much research has focused on retrospective reports of ACEs by adults and adult physical and mental health, finding that ACEs contribute to a range of diseases and mental health disorders in adulthood. This study examined differences in self-reported mental health, nonsuicidal self-injury, suicidality, violence, and substance use between adolescents without self-reported history of ACEs, youth with one self-reported ACE, and youth with self-reported multiple (2 or more) ACEs. METHOD: The sample included 1,532 adolescents who completed the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey in their local high schools. By local consensus, this national survey was augmented with questions exploring prevalence of 11 commonly identified ACEs. RESULTS: After controlling for age, gender, and race, youth with multiple ACEs reported 3 to 15 times the odds of a range of negative health experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate a serious burden of ACEs on adolescent social emotional well-being. This study did not include youth in out of school placements or who were not present the day the survey was given, and thus represent youth who may benefit from universal prevention and intervention programs. Universal screening of ACEs and health-related outcomes suggests that reporting multiple ACEs is strongly related to a wide range of mental health, violence, and substance use histories. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Enhancing traditional behavioral parent training for single mothers of children with ADHD.

Behavioral parent training is an efficacious treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, single-mother households are at high risk for poor outcomes during and following behavioral parent training. This study randomly assigned cohorts of 120 single mothers of children (ages 5-12 years) with ADHD to a waitlist control group, a traditional behavioral parent training program, or an enhanced behavioral parent training program -- the Strategies to Enhance Positive Parenting (STEPP) program. Intent-to-treat analysis demonstrated benefits of participating in behavioral parent training, in general, and the STEPP program more specifically at immediate posttreatment on child and parental functioning. Moreover, the STEPP program resulted in increased engagement to treatment. However, results indicated that behavioral parent training does not normalize behavior for most children and treatment gains are not maintained.

Parent Burden in Accessing Outpatient Psychiatric Services for Adolescent Depression in a Large State System.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined barriers facing parents who seek outpatient psychiatric care in a large state system for adolescents with depression. METHODS: A total of 264 outpatient facilities licensed to treat youths in New York were contacted by using a mystery shopper methodology. Callers tracked the number of call attempts, in-person appointments, and other steps required prior to seeing a psychiatrist. RESULTS: Fewer than two-thirds of parents made a psychiatry, therapy, or intake appointment. Of those who did not make an appointment, 19% received no referrals. Most callers made at least two calls and spoke with at least two people before initiating scheduling. Virtually all clinics required at least one intake or therapy appointment before receipt of a psychiatry appointment. Parental burden did not differ by region, urbanicity, clinic type, seasonality (spring or summer), or insurance status. CONCLUSIONS: Families of youths with mental health needs face considerable burden in accessing timely treatment.

Usual Care for Adolescent Depression From Symptom Identification Through Treatment Initiation.

IMPORTANCE: Published guidelines describing effective adolescent depression care in primary care settings include screening, assessment, treatment initiation, and symptom monitoring. It is unclear the extent to which these steps are documented in patient health records. OBJECTIVE: To determine rates of appropriate follow-up care for adolescents with newly identified depression symptoms in 3 large health systems. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this analysis conducted from March to September 2014, structured data retrospectively extracted from electronic health records were analyzed for 3 months following initial symptom identification to determine whether the patient was followed up and, if so, whether treatment was initiated and/or symptoms were monitored. Records were collected from 2 large health maintenance organizations in the western United States and a network of community health centers in the Northeast. The study group included adolescents (N = 4612) with newly identified depression symptoms, defined as an elevated score on the Patient Health Questionnaire (≥ 10) and/or a diagnosis of depression. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Rates of treatment initiation, symptom monitoring, and follow-up care documented within 3 months of initial symptom identification. RESULTS: Among the 4612 participants, the mean (SD) age at index event was 16.0 (2.3) years, and 3060 were female (66%). Treatment was initiated for nearly two-thirds of adolescents (79% of those with a diagnosis of major depression; n = 023); most received psychotherapy alone or in combination with medications. However, in the 3 months following identification, 36% of adolescents received no treatment (n = 1678), 68% did not have a follow-up symptom assessment (n = 3136), and 19% did not receive any follow-up care (n = 854). Further, 40% of adolescents prescribed antidepressant medication did not have any documentation of follow-up care for 3 months (n = 356). Younger age (ages 15-17 years: odds ratio [OR], 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.92 and ages 18-20 years: OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.70-0.99; P = .008), more severe initial symptoms (moderate: OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.82-1.21; moderate to severe: OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.19-1.80; and severe: OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.65-2.79; P < .001), and receiving a diagnosis (major depression/dysthymia: OR, 2.65; 95% CI, 2.20-3.20 and unspecified depression/adjustment disorder: OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.43-2.14; P < .001) were significantly associated with treatment initiation. Differences in rates of follow-up care were evident between sites (site 2: OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.45-2.16 and site 3: OR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.72-2.57), suggesting that differences within health systems may also affect care received. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Most adolescents with newly identified depression symptoms received some treatment, usually including psychotherapy, within the first 3 months after identification. However, follow-up care was low and substantial variation existed between sites. These results raise concerns about the quality of care for adolescent depression.

Access to Care for Youth in a State Mental Health System: A Simulated Patient Approach.

OBJECTIVE: To examine access to psychiatric care for adolescents with depression in outpatient specialty clinics within a state mental health system, using a simulated patient approach. METHOD: Trained callers posed as the mother of a 14-year-old girl with depression, following a script. A stratified random sample (n = 264) of 340 state-licensed outpatient mental health clinics that serve youth was selected. Clinics were randomly assigned to season and insurance condition. We examined whether access varied by season, clinic characteristics, and caller insurance type. Weighted logistic and linear mixed effects regression models were fitted to examine associations with appointment availability and wait times. RESULTS: Among clinics at which a treatment appointment could be scheduled, appointment availability differed by season. Clinics that had participated in state-sponsored trainings targeting access were more available. Wait times for treatment appointments varied by season and region. Wait times in New York City were shorter than in some other regions. Although callers were 4.1 times more likely to be able to schedule a psychiatry appointment in the spring, wait times for psychiatry appointments were significantly longer in the spring than in the summer (49.9 vs. 36.7 days). Wait times for therapy appointments were significantly shorter in community than in hospital clinics (19.1 days vs. 35.3 days). CONCLUSION: Access to psychiatric care for youth with depression was found to be variable in a state system. State-sponsored trainings on strategies to reduce wait times appear to improve care access. The simulated patient approach has promise for monitoring the impact of health care policy reforms on care quality measures.

Screening for and Diagnosis of Depression Among Adolescents in a Large Health Maintenance Organization.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this analysis was to determine changes in patterns of depression screening and diagnosis over three years in primary and specialty mental health care in a large health maintenance organization (HMO) as part of a project to develop quality measures for adolescent depression treatment. METHODS: Two series of aggregate data (2010-2012) were gathered from the electronic health records of the HMO for 44,342 unique adolescents (ages 12 to 21) who had visits in primary and mental health care. Chi square tests assessed the significance of changes in frequency and departmental location of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) administration, incidence of depression symptoms, and depression diagnoses. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in PHQ-9 use, predominantly in primary care, consistent with internally generated organizational recommendations to increase screening with the PHQ-9. The increase in PHQ-9 use led to an increase in depression diagnoses in primary care and a shift in the location of some diagnoses from specialty mental health care to primary care. The increase in PHQ-9 use was also linked to a decrease in the proportion of positive PHQ-9 results that led to formal depression diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of depression screening in primary care increased over the study period. This increase corresponded to an increase in the number of depression diagnoses made in primary care and a shift in the location in which depression diagnoses were made, from the mental health department to primary care. The frequency of positive PHQ-9 administrations not associated with depression diagnoses also increased.

Effects of a summer treatment program on functional sports outcomes in young children with ADHD.

Participation in youth sports can be very beneficial, but children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may participate less often and less successfully. The current study evaluated functional sports outcomes for children with ADHD who attended an intensive behavioral treatment program that included a sports training component, and it compared outcomes to children with ADHD who did not attend the program. Results suggest that treatment resulted in significant improvements in many aspects of children's sports functioning, including knowledge of game rules, in vivo game performance, and fundamental skill tasks (motor proficiency, ability to trap a soccer ball appropriately, reduced handball penalties in soccer, and improved ability to catch a baseball). Parents also reported improved sports skills and good sportsmanship in the treatment group. No differences between groups were evident on additional skill tasks evaluating accurately kicking a soccer ball, throwing a baseball, or hitting a baseball off a tee. These results suggest intensive behavioral intervention that includes sports training can significantly improve functional sports outcomes for young children with ADHD.

Peer influence on youth's snack purchases: a laboratory analog of convenience store shopping.

OBJECTIVE: This paper reports the results of two experiments using a laboratory analog to examine the influence of taxes and subsidies on youth's snack food purchases when alone (Experiment 1) and when in the presence of a same-gender peer (Experiment 2). METHOD: Adolescents (12-14-years-old) completed a purchasing task, during which prices of snack foods were manipulated, either alone in Experiment 1 (N=37) or in the presence of an unfamiliar peer in Experiment 2 (N=52). RESULTS: In both experiments, purchases of unhealthy snacks decreased and purchases of healthy snacks increased when the price of unhealthy snacks were taxed (increased). In Experiment 1 (alone), participants did not purchase more healthy snacks when the price of these snacks were subsidized (decreased). However, in Experiment 2 (when participants were in the presence of a peer), participants purchased more healthy snacks when these snacks were subsidized. CONCLUSION: Taxes and subsidies affect adolescents' snack purchasing, as does the presence of peers. The results of this study highlight factors that influence healthy and unhealthy snack purchasing behavior in young adolescents.

A meta-analysis of behavioral treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

There is currently controversy regarding the need for and the effectiveness of behavior modification for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) despite years of study and multiple investigations reporting beneficial effects of the intervention. A meta-analysis was conducted by identifying relevant behavioral treatment studies in the literature. One-hundred seventy-four studies of behavioral treatment were identified from 114 individual papers that were appropriate for the meta-analysis. Effect sizes varied by study design but not generally by other study characteristics, such as the demographic variables of the participants in the studies. Overall unweighted effect sizes in between group studies (.83), pre-post studies (.70), within group studies (2.64), and single subject studies (3.78) indicated that behavioral treatments are highly effective. Based on these results, there is strong and consistent evidence that behavioral treatments are effective for treating ADHD.

The efficacy and tolerability of methylphenidate and behavior modification in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and severe mood dysregulation.

OBJECTIVES: This study examines the tolerability and efficacy of methylphenidate (MPH) and behavior modification therapy (BMOD) in children with attention-deficity/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and severe mood dysregulation (SMD). METHODS: Children (ages 5-12) from a summer program for ADHD were screened for SMD and additional manic-like symptoms using structured assessments and direct clinical interview with the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). The SMD group was comprised of 33 subjects with SMD and elevated YMRS scores (mean = 23.7). They underwent weekly mood assessments plus the daily ADHD measures that are part of the program. The comparison group (n = 68) was comprised of the rest of the program participants. Using a crossover design, all subjects in both groups were treated with three varying intensities of BMOD (no, low, high) each lasting 3 weeks, with MPH dose (placebo, 0.15 mg/kg t.i.d., 0.3mg/kg t.i.d., and 0.6 mg/kg t.i.d.) varying daily within each behavioral treatment. RESULTS: Groups had comparable ADHD symptoms at baseline, with the SMD group manifesting more oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder (ODD/CD) symptoms (p < 0.001). Both groups showed robust improvement in externalizing symptoms (p < 0.001). There was no evidence of differential treatment efficacy or tolerability. Treatment produced a 34% reduction in YMRS ratings in SMD subjects (p - 0.001). However, they still exhibited elevated YMRS ratings, more ODD/CD symptoms (p < 0.001), and were more likely to remain significantly impaired at home than non-SMD subjects (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MPH and BMOD are tolerable and effective treatments for children with ADHD and SMD, but additional treatments may be needed to optimize their functioning.