Heavy Metal and Thiol/Disulfide in Children with Attention-Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder.

Background: In the etiology of attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oxidative stress and heavy metal exposure are still controversial topics. In this study, our goal was to examine heavy metal levels and oxidative balance in newly diagnosed patients with ADHD and reveal whether heavy metal levels have an effect on the oxidation balance. Methods: The study included 35 patients with newly diagnosed ADHD and 31 healthy control groups of similar age and gender. Participants' parents or caregivers completed a semi-structured questionnaire regarding their children's breastfeeding and prenatal and postnatal smoking exposures. The levels of heavy metals lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium were measured with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, and a unique automated spectrophotometric approach was used to quantify serum total thiol, native thiol, and disulfide quantities and ratios. Results: The rate of smoking during pregnancy was significantly higher in the ADHD group than in the control group (P = .030). Compared to the control group, the native and total thiol levels of children with ADHD were significantly higher (P < .001). Likewise, the ADHD group had significantly higher Hg levels compared to the control group (P = .002). Cadmium levels were substantially greater in the control group compared to the ADHD group (P < .001). However, there was no significant difference between Pb levels in the ADHD and the control group (P = .844). Conclusion: Exposure to Hg and prenatal smoking may contribute to the development of ADHD in childhood. In response to oxidative stress, the young brains of children with ADHD may enhance their antioxidant levels.

Evaluation of long-term psychopathology and sleep quality in children and adolescents who presented to a university pandemic clinic with possible COVID-19 symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: The first articles about the impact of COVID-19 infection focused on the physical health and existing well-being of children and adolescents. However, little is known about the long-term effects of the disease itself, especially being infected with the virus and even the possibility of the infection on their mental health. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the long-term psychological effects of the disease. METHOD: The study was designed as cross-sectional quantitative research. For this, the medical records of all 8-18-year-old children who presented to a university pandemic clinic in 2020 with possible COVID-19 symptoms were scanned. One hundred 62 children, with the first presentation date of 6 months ago and earlier, were divided into three groups. Group 1 consisted of children with chronic diseases who were hospitalized at the time of admission and continued to be hospitalized in the follow-up after they were PCR( +; polymerase chain reaction +). Group 2 comprised children without chronic diseases and continued outpatient follow-up after they were PCR(+). Finally, Group 3 was constituted by children with chronic diseases who were hospitalized at the time of admission but were discharged after their test was negative. A control group was also included. RESULTS: It was found that presenting to a pandemic clinic with possible COVID-19 symptoms, being PCR-positive for COVID-19, and being hospitalized with a verified disease posed a significant risk to children for the development of mental disorders, including anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and sleep disorders. CONCLUSION: Thus, prompt identification of at-risk populations, early intervention, and effective management of diagnosed disorders is necessary. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Effect of Impairment on the Prevalence and Comorbidities of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in a National Survey: Nation-Wide Prevalence and Comorbidities of ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and comorbidities of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by evaluating a large-scale nation-wide sample of children. METHOD: The inclusion criterion was being enrolled as a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th-grade student. A semi-structured diagnostic interview (K-SADS-PL), DSM-IV-Based Screening Scale for Disruptive Behavior Disorders, and assessment of impairment (by both parents and teachers) were applied to 5,842 participants. RESULTS: The prevalence of ADHD was 19.5% without impairment and 12.4% with impairment. Both ADHD with and without impairment groups had similar psychiatric comorbidity rates except for oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD) diagnoses. Impairment in the ADHD group resulted in significantly higher ODD and CD diagnoses. CONCLUSION: Even when impairment is not described, other psychiatric disorders accompany the diagnosis of ADHD and may cause impairment in the future. Impairment in the diagnosis of ADHD significantly increases the likelihood of ODD and CD.

Depression-Anxiety Symptoms and Stigma Perception in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

INTRODUCTION: In our study, the effect of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on the internalized stigma perception, symptoms of depression and anxiety and the quality of life is investigated in the mothers of children with this disorder. METHODS: Our research includes 69 patients who applied to Dicle University Medical School Hospital Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department polyclinic between April 20-December 25, 2017 and were followed-up at least 6 months with ASD diagnosis. Socio-demographic data form assessing the personal and familial characteristics of the patients were filled out by the clinician. Patients' mothers were applied Beck Depression Scale (BDS), Beck Anxiety Scale (BAS), Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) Scale and Autism Quality of Life Questionnaire - Parent Version (AQoLQPV). RESULTS: Of the 69 patients participated in the study, 58 patients were boys (84%) and 11 patients were girls (16%) and the mean age was 4,5±1,3 years. Perception of internalized stigma, depression and anxiety symptoms of the patients' mothers were detected as moderate. Patients' mothers' quality of life and life satisfaction score were found to be low. A significant positive relationship was found between the internalized stigma perception and the symptoms of anxiety and depression. A significant positive correlation was detected between the anxiety symptoms and the depression symptoms. A significant negative relationship was found between internalized stigma perception, symptoms of anxiety and depression and mother quality of life sub-scale, sub-scale of how the autism-specific challenges are perceived as problems by the parents and life satisfaction score. CONCLUSION: With this study it was detected that as the education level of the mothers of the children followed-up with autism diagnosis increased, their internalized stigma perception decreased. It was demonstrated that there was a significant positive relationship between the internalized stigma perception and the symptoms of anxiety and depression in mothers. It was also detected that as the mothers' internalized stigma perception increased, their quality of life decreased. Investigating the internalized stigma perception, symptoms of anxiety-depression and quality of life of the mothers of the children diagnosed with autism, our study emphasizes the necessity for handling these problems.

The prevalence of childhood psychopathology in Turkey: a cross-sectional multicenter nationwide study (EPICPAT-T).

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of childhood psychopathologies in Turkey. METHOD: A nation-wide, randomly selected, representative population of 5830 children (6-13 years-old) enrolled as a 2nd,3rd or 4th grade student in 30 cities were evaluated for presence of a psychiatric or mental disorder by a Sociodemographic Form, Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL), and DSM-IV-Based Screening Scale for Disruptive Behavior Disorders in Children and Adolescents scales. Impairment criterion was assessed via a 3 point-Likert scale by the parent and the teacher independently. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of any psychopathology was 37.6% without impairment criterion, and 17.1% with impairment criterion. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder was the most frequent diagnosis, followed by anxiety (19.5% and 16.7% without impairment, 12.4% and 5.3% with impairment, respectively). Lower education level and presence of a physical or psychiatric problem of the parents were independent predictors of any psychopathology of the offspring. CONCLUSION: This is the largest and most comprehensive epidemiological study to determine the prevalence of psychopathologies in children and adolescents in Turkey. Our results partly higher than, and partly comparable to previous national and international studies. It also contributes to the literature by determining the independent predictors of psychopathologies in this age group.

Psychiatric Morbidity Among a School Sample of Syrian Refugee Children in Turkey: A Cross-Sectional, Semistructured, Standardized Interview-Based Study.

Now in its eighth year, the Syrian civil war has caused displacement of more than half the population before the war and is viewed as the single largest contributing factor to many of the worsening global trends of children living in areas affected by conflict.1.

Recantation of Sexual Abuse Disclosure Among Child Victims: Accommodation Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Disclosing the sexual abuse may be related on many individual and/or environmental factors in all age groups. The sociocultural context is the most influential factor of the disclosing process especially for those living in patriarchal cultural values. This study compares the impacts of sexual abuse and other sociodemographic variables between recanting and non-recanting victimized groups in Adana city from Turkey. METHODS: The samples attending our department were divided into two groups: group 1 comprised victims who recanted their first abuse disclosure, and group 2 comprised victims who insisted on the veracity of their first report at further evaluations. The characteristics of the child, family, and abuser were compared between recanting victims and non-recanting victims by retrospective data. RESULTS: Each group included 27 children, for a total of 54 subjects. All adverse social reactions after the sexual abuse, including keeping secrets and a repressive family attitude, were higher among group 1 victims than group 2 victims (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Although they are victimized by protecting family integrity, victims may show a tendency to keep secrets and to not immediately disclose an abuse event.

Prevalence of Childhood Affective disorders in Turkey: An epidemiological study.

AIM: To determine the prevalence of affective disorders in Turkey among a representative sample of Turkish population. METHODS: This study was conducted as a part of the "The Epidemiology of Childhood Psychopathology in Turkey" (EPICPAT-T) Study, which was designed by the Turkish Association of Child and Adolescent Mental Health. The inclusion criterion was being a student between the second and fourth grades in the schools assigned as study centers. The assessment tools used were the K-SADS-PL, and a sociodemographic form that was designed by the authors. Impairment was assessed via a 3 point-Likert type scale independently rated by a parent and a teacher. RESULTS: A total of 5842 participants were included in the analyses. The prevalence of affective disorders was 2.5 % without considering impairment and 1.6 % when impairment was taken into account. In our sample, the diagnosis of bipolar disorder was lacking, thus depressive disorders constituted all the cases. Among depressive disorders with impairment, major depressive disorder (MDD) (prevalence of 1.06%) was the most common, followed by dysthymia (prevalence of 0.2%), adjustment disorder with depressive features (prevalence of 0.17%), and depressive disorder-NOS (prevalence of 0.14%). There were no statistically significant gender differences for depression. Maternal psychopathology and paternal physical illness were predictors of affective disorders with pervasive impairment. CONCLUSION: MDD was the most common depressive disorder among Turkish children in this nationwide epidemiological study. This highlights the severe nature of depression and the importance of early interventions. Populations with maternal psychopathology and paternal physical illness may be the most appropriate targets for interventions to prevent and treat depression in children and adolescents.

Psychometric Properties of the Parent Version of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale in a Clinical Sample of Turkish Children and Adolescents.

The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale-Parent version (RCADS-P) is a self-report questionnaire that assesses dimensions of DSM-based anxiety and depressive disorders in children and adolescents. The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Turkish version in a clinical sample of 483 children and adolescents. The child and parent versions of the RCADS, parent versions of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and Adolescent Symptom Inventory-Depression Scale were administered. Current psychiatric diagnoses were assessed via the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children, Present Version. The RCADS-P demonstrated high internal consistency and test-retest reliability, and good convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the DSM-related six-factor structure. With its demonstrated favorable psychometric properties, the Turkish RCADS-P is currently the only validated parent-report instrument that assesses DSM-based anxiety and depressive disorders in children and adolescents in Turkey.

Posttraumatic stress and depression in Yazidi refugees.

AIM: The aim of this investigation was to determine the frequency of mental pathologies in children and adolescents of the Yazidi minority group who immigrated to Turkey from Iraq. The refugees were asked about preventive and risk factors that occurred before and after their immigration. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The sample comprised 55 children and adolescents (30 males and 25 females) who were Yazidi refugees and had settled in the Uçkuyular, Oguz, Onbasi, and Ugurca villages of Batman, Turkey. The study was conducted 9 months after the refugees had immigrated. The participants were evaluated in their native language through a semistructured interview titled "Reliability and Validity of Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children - Present and Lifetime Version - Turkish Version". A sociodemographic form was prepared so that investigators could understand their traumatic experiences before and after the migration and their current social conditions. All the interviews were conducted in the participants' native language without the help of translators. The investigators filled out the sociodemographic forms. RESULTS: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was detected in 20 children (36.4%), depression in 18 (32.7%), nocturnal enuresis in six (10.9%), and anxiety in four (7.3%). The following factors were found to be associated with depression: witnessing violence and/or death, being a girl, having older parents, being the elder child, and having multiple siblings (P<0.05). Risk factors for PTSD, depression, and comorbid conditions included witnessing violence and/or death (P<0.05). Four participants were observed to have both PTSD and depression (7.3%). CONCLUSION: Most of the refugee children had experienced serious traumatic events in their home country. PTSD, depression, and comorbid mental problems are frequently seen in refugee children.

Forensic reporting of a case of sexual abuse broadcast on periscope.

Children who are investigated or prosecuted for an action that is considered a crime by the law, or children who were placed in security facilities due to his/her actions are defined as "children forced into crime". The period between ages 12-18 years is adolescence, during which crime rates are relatively high. The incidence of sexual behavior of adolescents on social media, which may be considered a crime, has increased in recent years due to technological improvements and increase in the use of social media. Also, the crime rates involving adolescents have increased due to environmental influences, familial factors, and mental disorders. Mental disorders such as conduct disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and mood disorders have been found to be associated with sexual abuse in young persons in previous literature. In this study, we present the case of a boy who sexually abused his younger brother at the age of 14 years 2 months and broadcast this abuse on "Periscope". In this case study, we aimed to discuss the relationships between sexual abuse, social media, and psychiatric disorders.

Risk factors predicting posttraumatic stress reactions in adolescents after 2011 Van earthquake.

OBJECTIVE: Our aims were to investigate the prevalence of PTSD, depression, anxiety-related disorders, and dissociative symptomotology, and to assess the risk factors for development of psychopathology among children and adolescents after the 2011 Van earthquake in Turkey. METHODS: The screening was conducted among 738 participants at 6months post-earthquake using the CPTSD-Reaction Index, State and Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children, Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders, Child Depression Inventory, Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index, Metacognitions Questionnaire for Children, and Adolescent Dissociative Experiences Scale. RESULTS: Less than half (40.69% of) of the participants reported severe levels of PTSD symptoms, 53.04% were at greater risk for developing an anxiety-related disorder, 37.70% met the criteria for clinical depression, and 36.73% revealed pathological levels of dissociative symptomotology. State-trait anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity were significant antecedents of psychopathology. CONCLUSION: We concluded that anxiety sensitivity is a significant risk factor in various types of psychopathology, but metacognitions seem to have a limited utility in accounting for poor psychological outcomes in young survivors of earthquake.