Examining the characteristics and clinical features of in- and between-session suicide risk assessments among psychiatric outpatients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the characteristics of suicide risk assessments completed using the Decision Tree framework both in and between psychotherapy sessions, clinical features of patients for whom between-session assessments are indicated, and data collected across assessments. METHOD: Data were collected from 1,358 suicide risk assessments conducted with psychiatric outpatients (N = 41) at elevated suicide risk engaged in care at a psychology training clinic. RESULTS: Participants completed an average of 4.75 (standard deviation = 4.95) suicide risk assessments (2.81 ± 4.43 between-session assessments) per each month in treatment. Assessment frequency and patient ratings of suicidal desire and intent were each significantly associated with therapist risk level categorizations. CONCLUSION: The Decision Tree framework's in- and between-session assessments have the potential to be implemented in a routinized format among psychiatric outpatients at elevated suicide risk. Additional research is needed to establish the feasibility and clinical utility of this framework across samples and providers.

International adoption of children with birth defects: current knowledge and areas for further research.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize the existing literature on the international adoption of children with birth defects and identify areas for further research. RECENT FINDINGS: International adoption brings thousands of children to the United States each year, and children with birth defects are overrepresented in this population. Studies have demonstrated disparities in the health of children adopted from different countries as well as the complexity of medical care needed after adoption. SUMMARY: Although the health of children involved in international adoption has been well studied, there is a lack of information about the experiences of the adoptive parents of children with birth defects. We discuss a pilot study conducted on adoptive parents of children with a specific birth defect, orofacial clefting, and discuss areas for future research.