Primary Care and Neurology in Psychiatry Residency Training: a Survey of Early Career Psychiatrists.

OBJECTIVE: A survey of recently certified psychiatrists was conducted to obtain their feedback about the contribution of the primary care and neurology components of residency training to their professional development and to their current needs as practitioners. METHODS: A 22-item survey was developed based on issues discussed at a forum on residency competence requirements and administered electronically to four cohorts of recently certified psychiatrists. RESULTS: The response rate was 17% (1049/6083). Overall, the respondents described both their primary care and neurology experiences as helping them accomplish several goals for their professional development. The majority were satisfied with their primary care training and felt well-prepared to enter practice. The most common suggestions for improving the primary care component were better integration with psychiatry and providing longitudinal experiences and more outpatient experience. They were somewhat less satisfied with their neurology training, and only about half felt well-prepared for the neurologic aspects of psychiatry practice. The most common suggestions for improving neurology training were to provide more time in neurology with experiences that were more relevant to psychiatry such as outpatient and consultation experiences. Some also thought longitudinal experiences would be useful. CONCLUSIONS: These psychiatrists were generally satisfied with the primary care and neurology components of residency training and felt that they had contributed to their professional development. Their suggestions for improvement contribute to the rich discussion among training directors and other psychiatry educators about these components of residency training.

Navigating the Perfect Storm: Ethical Guidance for Conducting Research Involving Participants with Multiple Vulnerabilities.

The development of ethical guidelines and regulations regarding human subjects research has focused upon protection of vulnerable populations by relying on a categorical approach to vulnerability. This results in several challenges: First, Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) struggle to interpret and apply the regulations because they are often vague and inconsistent. Second, applying the regulations to subjects who fit within multiple categories of vulnerability can lead to contradictions and the rejection of research that would be permissible if only one category were applicable. Finally, some potential subjects have social and other context-based vulnerabilities that are not described in the federal regulations and therefore not considered in IRB deliberations. IRBs and investigators lack guidance on how to address the problem of multiple vulnerabilities in a way that strikes a balance between protection and respect for persons. In this essay, we evaluate the acceptability of the existing federal regulations with respect to research participants with multiple vulnerabilities, offer strategies for rethinking the concept of vulnerability, and outline a context-based normative framework to account for the compounding effects of multiple vulnerabilities.

The Road Ahead in Education: Milestones for Geriatric Psychiatry Subspecialty Training.

OBJECTIVE: The Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Milestone Project is the next step in a series of changes revamping the system of graduate medical education. In 2013 the ACGME completed the general psychiatry milestones. The ACGME then pursued creation of milestones for accredited psychiatric subspecialty fellowships. This article documents the work of the geriatric psychiatry subspecialty milestones work group. It reports the history and rationale supporting the milestones, the milestone development process, and the implications for geriatric psychiatry fellowship training. METHODS: In consultation with the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and the ACGME Psychiatry Residency Review Committee, the ACGME appointed a working group to create the geriatric psychiatry milestones using the general psychiatry milestones as a guide. CONCLUSION: The geriatric psychiatry milestones are the result of an iterative process resulting in the definition of the characteristics vital to a fellowship-trained geriatric psychiatrist. It is premature to assess their effect on psychiatric training. The true impact of the milestones will be determined as each training director uses the milestones to re-evaluate their program curriculum and the educational and clinical learning environment. The ACGME is currently collecting the information about the milestone performance of residents and fellows to further refine and determine how the milestones can best be used to assist programs in improving training.

The milestones for psychosomatic medicine subspecialty training.

BACKGROUND: The Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education Milestones project is a key element in the Next Accreditation System for graduate medical education. On completing the general psychiatry milestones in 2013, the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education began the process of creating milestones for the accredited psychiatric subspecialties. METHODS: With consultation from the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine, the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education appointed a working group to create the psychosomatic medicine milestones, using the general psychiatry milestones as a starting point. RESULTS: This article represents a record of the work of this committee. It describes the history and rationale behind the milestones, the development process used by the working group, and the implications of these milestones on psychosomatic medicine fellowship training. CONCLUSIONS: The milestones, as presented in this article, will have an important influence on psychosomatic medicine training programs. The implications of these include changes in how fellowship programs will be reviewed and accredited by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education and changes in the process of assessment and feedback for fellows.

Epigenetics and Child Psychiatry: Ethical and Legal Issues.

Epigenetics has the potential to revolutionize diagnosis and treatment in psychiatry, especially child psychiatry, as it may offer the opportunity for early detection and prevention, as well as development of new treatments. As with the previous introduction of genetic research in psychiatry, there is also the problem of unrealistic expectations and new legal and ethical problems. This article reviews the potential contributions and problems of epigenetic research in child psychiatry. Previous legal and ethical issues in genetic research serve as a guide to those in epigenetic research. Recommendations for safeguards and guidelines on the use of epigenetics with children and adolescents are outlined based on the identified issues.

Introduction and commentary on the psychiatry milestones.

OBJECTIVE: The Psychiatry Milestones are a major change in the accreditation of residency training and evaluation of residents and programs. This introduction provides an overview of the papers in this issue describing the Psychiatry Milestones and a commentary on the process of their development. METHODS: The author describes the challenges and experiences in creating the Psychiatry Milestones as a member of the Working Group and Advisory Group. RESULTS: While there were many potential obstacles in development, the Psychiatry Milestones were created due to the efforts of all those involved. CONCLUSION: The inclusive and participatory process was successful and serves as a model for the implementation and further development of the Psychiatry Milestones.

An Article-Based Format for Medical Specialty and Subspecialty Maintenance of Certification.

INTRODUCTION: This article describes an article-based alternative for maintenance of certification that the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology developed and began pilot testing in 2019. The rationale for and components of the pilot program are presented along with data on participant performance and feedback from the first year of implementation in three primary specialties (neurology, child neurology, and psychiatry) and one subspecialty (child and adolescent psychiatry). METHODS: Evaluation of the pilot program was guided by a widely used validity framework. Data were collected that addressed the five categories of validity evidence: content, response process, internal structure, relation to other variables, and consequences. RESULTS: Enrollment ranged from 66.7% for psychiatrists to 75.3% for child neurologists. For the 2019 cohort, the pass rates ranged from 92.6% for child and adolescent psychiatry to 98.7% for neurology, and very small numbers of diplomates failed or did not complete the process. For psychiatrists, there was a modest, but significant, relationship between performance on previous and subsequent maintenance of certification examinations. Ninety percent or more agreed that: the articles were easy to access and helpful to their practices; the mini-tests were a fair assessment of their understanding of the articles; and their test-taking experience was satisfactory. DISCUSSION: Most eligible diplomates participated in the article-based pilot project, and they strongly preferred this format to the traditional multiple-choice examinations. Most important, the pilot was perceived to be a meaningful and relevant learning activity that had a positive effect on patient care.

Psychiatric disorders and suicide in the nation's largest state prison system.

This study examined the relationship between the overall rate of psychiatric disorders and suicides in the nation's largest state prison population. Data from 234,031 Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmates who were incarcerated for any duration between September 2006 and September 2007 were analyzed by Poisson regression, to assess the independent associations of major psychiatric disorders and demographic characteristics with suicide. Across the entire study cohort, 41 inmates (18 per 100,000) were reported to have committed suicide during the 12-month follow-up period; 21 of them had a diagnosis of a serious mental illness. An elevated risk of suicide was observed among inmates with major depressive disorder (relative risk [RR] = 5.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.9-13.8), bipolar disorder (RR = 4.6, CI = 1.3-15.9), and schizophrenia (RR = 7.3, CI = 1.7-15.9). The highest overall risk was present in those inmates with a nonschizophrenic psychotic disorder (RR = 13.8, CI = 5.8-32.9). These findings highlight the importance of maintaining suicide prevention programs in correctional settings, with particular emphasis on screening and monitoring of patients with severe psychiatric disorders.

Make a Joyful Noise: Integrating Music into Child Psychiatry Evaluation and Treatment.

Music is a significant part of daily life for most youth, affording clinical opportunities to cultivate positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. Clinical inquiry into what types of music elicit different emotions, how music fits into daily life routines, how music connects one to others, and how music anchors life events can improve the clinician-patient alliance and patient well-being practices. Music may be useful in home and school settings to help youth manage diverse moods. Practicing an instrument effectively accelerates accomplishment and pleasure, which applies to other life activities.

Does Acute Propranolol Treatment Prevent Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety, and Depression in Children with Burns?

OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether acute propranolol treatment prevented posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression in children hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit for large burns. We hypothesized that the prevalence of PTSD, anxiety, and depression would be significantly less in the propranolol than nonpropranolol groups. METHODS: Children who had previously participated in a randomized controlled clinical trial of acute propranolol and nonpropranolol controls were invited to participate in long-term follow-up interviews. Eligible participants from 1997 to 2008 were identified from the electronic medical records, and data were collected in 2010-2011. Measures included the Missouri Assessment of Genetics Interview for Children to assess lifetime PTSD, Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale to assess anxiety, and two depression inventories Children's Depression Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory-II. RESULTS: Of 202 participants, 89 were in the propranolol group and 113 were nonpropranolol controls. Children were an average of 7 years postburn. The average total body surface area burned was 56.4 + 15.1% (range = 24%-99%). The mean dose of propranolol was 3.64 ± 3.19 mg/kg per day (range = 0.36-12.12). The duration of propranolol inpatient treatment days varied, mean days 26.5 ± 19.8. The prevalence of lifetime PTSD in the propranolol group was 3.5% and controls 7.2%, but this difference was not statistically significant. We controlled for administration of pain medications, anxiolytics, and antidepressants overall and no significant differences were detected in the rates of PTSD, anxiety, or depression. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of PTSD, anxiety, and depression was similar in children who received propranolol acutely and those who did not. This may be influenced by the standard of care that all children received timely pharmacotherapy for pain and anxiety management and psychotherapy beginning in their acute phase of treatment.

Prevalence of major psychiatric illness in young adults who were burned as children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of major psychiatric illness in a group of young adults who suffered significant burn injury as children. METHOD: A total of 101 persons (58 males, 43 females), aged 21 +/- 2.6 years, 14.0 +/- 5.4 years postburn of 54% +/- 20% total body surface area, were assessed for serious past and present mental illness by using a Structured Clinical Interview (SCID) for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) Axis I diagnoses. RESULTS: The SCID findings demonstrated that the prevalence of any Axis I major mental illness was 45.5% for the past month (current) and 59.4% for lifetime. These rates of overall disorder and the rates for most specific disorders were significantly higher than those found in the US population of comparable age. Logistic regression was used to examine demographic and burn characteristics as predictors of current and lifetime psychiatric disorder within the burn survivor sample. The female gender was significantly associated with higher rates of any current disorder. Other demographic and burn characteristics were not significantly related to the overall prevalence of current or lifetime disorder. Only a small number of those with disorders reported any current mental health treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Significant burn injury as a child leads to an increased risk of developing a major mental illness. Young adults who suffered major burn injury as children should be screened for these illnesses to initiate appropriate treatment.

The importance of family environment for young adults burned during childhood.

This study examined the role of family environment for young adult burn survivors making the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Ninety-three young adults who sustained large burns as children were asked to describe their families using the Family Environment Scale (FES). When examining the difference between burn survivors and the normative sample of the FES, burn survivors did not perceive their current family environment different than the normative group. However, burn survivors endorsed more items in the areas of achievement orientation and moral-religious emphasis, and less involvement in intellectual-cultural activities. We also examined the relationship between family characteristics on the FES and psychological adjustment of burn survivors as measured by the Young Adult Self-Report (YASR). Increased conflict on the FES was positively associated with YASR total problem score, internalizing behaviors, and externalizing behaviors. In addition, participation in recreational and social activities and organization both inversely correlated with YASR total problem score. In conclusion, increased family conflict was associated with decreased psychological adjustment of burn survivors as measured by the YASR total problem score.

The continuing shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists.

OBJECTIVE: The national shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists has prompted efforts to improve recruitment. It is uncertain whether these efforts will be sufficient to address this shortage and its impact on youth mental health services. METHOD: Data were compared from 1990 to 2001 by state, county characteristics, number of youths, and percentage of youths living in poverty to determine any changes in the number and distribution of child and adolescent psychiatrists. Trends in the number of residents and age distribution of child and adolescent psychiatrists were also analyzed. RESULTS: The number of child and adolescent psychiatrists has increased, but it still falls below estimates projected to adequately serve youth mental health needs. Disparities in child and adolescent psychiatrist distribution persist, with significantly fewer in rural counties or counties with a high percentage of children living in poverty. The age of child and adolescent psychiatrists has shifted, with fewer below age 35. The number of residents in training has not changed significantly since 1995. CONCLUSIONS: The shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists remains and is still accentuated for those living in rural areas or in poverty. Despite the increased number of child and adolescent psychiatrists, the number of residents and changes in workforce age indicate that the shortage will continue.

The effectiveness of a pain and anxiety protocol to treat the acute pediatric burn patient.

This retrospective review of 286 acute pediatric burn survivors treated in 2001 evaluated the effectiveness of a pharmacotherapeutic protocol for pain, anxiety, and itching. Background pain, procedural pain, exercise pain, anxiety, incidence of acute stress disorder (ASD), and itch were measured with standardized instruments. When this review was compared to similar reviews done in 1993-1994 and 1998, a steady trend toward using more potent pain medications in this patient population is evident. While the use of acetaminophen alone decreased from 50.6% of patients in 1993-1994 and 26.3% in 1998 to 7.3% in 2001, the use of opiates increased from 44.8% in 1993-1994 and 66.9% in 1998 to 81.3% of patients in 2001. Likewise, the use of benzodiazepines for anxiety has increased from 59.8% in 1998 to 77.5% of patients in 2001. During that same period the incidence of ASD decreased from 12.1% in 1993-1994 to 8.7% of patients in 2001. For effective pain and anxiety management, the average administered dose of lorazepam and morphine also increased, providing impetus to revise the pharmacotherapeutic pain protocol. Having a standard pain protocol furnishes a framework for periodic review and facilitates updating of pain and anxiety treatment practices.

Legal issues, rights, and ethics for mental health in juvenile justice.

The legal issues, rights, and ethics of working with minors, the mentally ill, and those involved in the justice system are among the most demanding areas for health professionals. To provide appropriate and competent service for youth involved in the juvenile justice system, mental health professionals must be aware of the legal and ethical expectations and constraints. This article reviews the major laws, court decisions, professional standards, and available research on these topics. The recent trends and current questions are discussed in relationship to clinical practice. The rapid pace of change seen in these areas will continue, and it is imperative that mental health professionals contribute to the debate.

Psychosurgery for self-injurious behavior in Tourette's disorder.

One of the most serious and difficult-to-treat conditions in child and adolescent psychiatry is self-injurious behavior (SIB). SIB can be associated with a number of psychiatric disorders, including mental retardation, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, pervasive developmental disorders, stereotypic movement disorder, and Tourette's Disorder. A variety of neurosurgical procedures have been used to treat both intractable SIB and severe Tourette's Disorder. Understandably, there are few reports concerning psychosurgery in children and adolescents for any condition or disorder. This report describes the use of cingulotomy and subsequent limbic leucotomy in an adolescent boy with Tourette's Disorder for SIB. His repetitive and medically serious SIB and failure of all other treatments prompted this intervention after careful, comprehensive review and discussion. Following the second surgery, the severity and frequency of his SIB were reduced.