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Purpose: To assess the generalizability of findings from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating emotion recognition (ER) training for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: We present a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the determinants of external validity in RCTs on ER training. Generalizability of the findings across situations, populations, settings, treatment delivery, and intervention formats was considered. Results: We identified 13 eligible studies. Participants were predominantly boys with ASD in the normative IQ range (IQ > 70), with an age span from 4 to 18 years across studies. Interventions and outcome measures were highly variable. Several studies indicated that training may improve ER, but it is still largely unknown to what extent training effects are translated to daily social life. Conclusion: The generalizability of findings from currently available RCTs remains unclear. This underscores the importance of involving children with ASD and their caregivers in informed treatment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Social skills group training (SSGT) for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is widely applied, but effectiveness in real-world practice has not yet been properly evaluated. This study sought to bridge this gap.Method: This 12-week pragmatic randomized controlled trial of SSGT compared to standard care alone was conducted at 13 child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient units in Sweden. Twelve sessions of manualized SSGT ("KONTAKT") were delivered by regular clinical staff. Participants (N = 296; 88 females and 208 males) were children (n = 172) and adolescents (n = 124) aged 8 to 17 years with ASD without intellectual disability. The primary outcome was the Social Responsiveness Scale rating by parents and blinded teachers. Secondary outcomes included parent- and teacher-rated adaptive behaviors, trainer-rated global functioning and clinical severity, and self-reported child and caregiver stress. Assessments were made at baseline, posttreatment, and 3-month follow-up. Moderator analyses were conducted for age and gender.Results: Significant treatment effects on the primary outcome were limited to parent ratings for the adolescent subgroup (posttreatment: -8.3; 95% CI = -14.2 to -1.9; p = .012, effect size [ES] = 0.32; follow-up: -8.6; 95% CI = -15.4 to -1.8; p = .015, ES = 0.33) and females (posttreatment: -8.9; 95% CI = -16.2 to -1.6; p = .019, ES = 0.40). Secondary outcomes indicated moderate effects on adaptive functioning and clinical severity.Conclusion: SSGT for children and adolescents with ASD in regular mental health services is feasible and safe. However, the modest and inconsistent effects underscore the importance of continued efforts to improve SSGT beyond current standards.Clinical Trial Registration Information: Social Skills Group Training ("KONTAKT") for Children and Adolescent With High-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders; https://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT01854346. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Earlier research has investigated the association between parental separation and long-term health outcomes among offspring, but few studies have assessed the potentially moderating role of mental health status in adolescence. The aim of this study was to analyze whether parental separation in childhood predicts depression in adulthood and whether the pattern differs between individuals with and without earlier depression. Methods: A community-based sample of individuals with adolescent depression in 1991-93 and matched non-depressed peers were followed up using a structured diagnostic interview after 15 years. The participation rate was 65% (depressed n = 227; non-depressed controls n = 155). Information on parental separation and conditions in childhood and adolescence was collected at baseline. The outcome was depression between the ages 19-31 years; information on depression was collected at the follow-up diagnostic interview. The statistical method used was binary logistic regression. Results: Our analyses showed that depressed adolescents with separated parents had an excess risk of recurrence of depression in adulthood, compared with depressed adolescents with non-separated parents. In addition, among adolescents with depression, parental separation was associated with an increased risk of a switch to bipolar disorder in adulthood. Among the matched non-depressed peers, no associations between parental separation and adult depression or bipolar disorder were found. Conclusions: Parental separation may have long-lasting health consequences for vulnerable individuals who suffer from mental illness already in adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Adolescent depression predicted adult use of anti-infectives and anti-inflammatories. • This was evident in females with persistent adolescent depression in particular. • The association may be driven by continued mental health problems in adulthood. • Findings stress the need for collaborative and coordinated mental health care. New insights into how depression is linked to physical health throughout the lifespan could potentially inform clinical decision making. The aim of this study was to explore the association of adolescent depression with subsequent prescriptions of anti-infectives and anti-inflammatories in adulthood. The study was based on the Uppsala Longitudinal Adolescent Depression Study (ULADS), a Swedish prospective cohort study initiated in 1991. Depressed (n = 321) and non-depressed (n = 218) adolescents were followed prospectively using patient registries. The associations of adolescent depression (age 16–17 years) with subsequent prescription of anti-infectives and anti-inflammatories (age 30–40 years), were analysed using generalized linear models. Sub-analyses explored the impact of diagnostic characteristics in adolescence and reception of anti-depressants prescriptions in adulthood. The results suggest that females with persistent depressive disorder in adolescence have a higher rate of future prescriptions than non-depressed peers, with adjusted incidence rate ratio of 1.42 (1.06 to 1.92) for anti-infectives and 1.72 (1.10 to 2.70) for anti-inflammatories. These associations were mainly driven by those who were also prescribed antidepressants during the same period. Associations were less robust for females with episodic or subsyndromal depression in adolescence and for males. These findings emphasize the importance of integrated mental health services at the primary healthcare level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We aimed to outline the early risk factors for adult bipolar disorder (BPD) in adolescents with mood disorders. Methods Adolescents (16-17 years old) with mood disorders (n = 287; 90 participants with hypomania spectrum episodes and 197 with major depressive disorder [MDD]) were identified from a community sample. Fifteen years later (at 30-33 years of age), mood episodes were assessed (n = 194). The risk of developing BPD (n = 22), compared with MDD (n = 104) or no mood episodes in adulthood (n = 68), was estimated via logistic regression. Adolescent mood symptoms, non-mood disorders, and family characteristics were assessed as potential risk factors. Results Among the adolescents with mood disorders, a family history of BPD was the strongest predictor of developing BPD compared with having no mood episodes in adulthood (OR = 5.94; 95% CI = 1.11-31.73), whereas disruptive disorders significantly increased the risk of developing BPD compared with developing MDD (OR = 2.94; CI = 1.06-8.12). The risk that adolescents with MDD would develop adult BPD, versus having no mood episodes in adulthood, was elevated among those with an early disruptive disorder (OR = 3.62; CI = 1.09-12.07) or multiple somatic symptoms (OR = 6.60; CI = 1.70-25.67). Only disruptive disorders significantly predicted adult BPD among adolescents with MDD versus continued MDD in adulthood (OR = 3.59; CI = 1.17-10.97). Only a few adolescents with hypomania spectrum episodes continued to have BPD as adults, and anxiety disorders appeared to increase this risk. Conclusions Although most of the identified potential risk factors are likely general predictors of continued mood disorders, disruptive disorders emerged as specific predictors of developing adult BPD among adolescents with MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Greater access to evidence-based psychological treatments is needed. This review aimed to evaluate whether internet-delivered psychological treatments for mood and anxiety disorders are efficacious, noninferior to established treatments, safe, and cost-effective for children, adolescents and adults. Methods: We searched the literature for studies published until March 2013. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were considered for the assessment of short-term efficacy and safety and were pooled in meta-analyses. Other designs were also considered for long-term effect and cost-effectiveness. Comparisons against established treatments were evaluated for noninferiority. Two reviewers independently assessed the relevant studies for risk of bias. The quality of the evidence was graded using an international grading system. Results: A total of 52 relevant RCTs were identified whereof 12 were excluded due to high risk of bias. Five cost-effectiveness studies were identified and three were excluded due to high risk of bias. The included trials mainly evaluated internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (I-CBT) against a waiting list in adult volunteers and 88% were conducted in Sweden or Australia. One trial involved children. For adults, the quality of evidence was graded as moderate for the short-term efficacy of I-CBT vs. waiting list for mild/moderate depression (d = 0.83; 95% CI 0.59, 1.07) and social phobia (d = 0.85; 95% CI 0.66, 1.05), and moderate for no efficacy of internet-delivered attention bias modification vs. sham treatment for social phobia (d = −0.04; 95% CI −0.24, 0.35). The quality of evidence was graded as low/very low for other disorders, interventions, children/adolescents, noninferiority, adverse events, and cost-effectiveness. Conclusions: I-CBT is a viable treatment option for adults with depression and some anxiety disorders who request this treatment modality. Important questions remain before broad implementation can be supported. Future research would benefit from prioritizing adapting treatments to children/adolescents and using noninferiority designs with established forms of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We investigated whether adolescents with hypomania spectrum episodes have an excess risk of mental and physical morbidity in adulthood, as compared with adolescents exclusively reporting major depressive disorder (MDD) and controls without a history of adolescent mood disorders. Methods A community sample of adolescents (N = 2 300) in the town of Uppsala, Sweden, was screened for depressive symptoms. Both participants with positive screening and matched controls (in total 631) were diagnostically interviewed. Ninety participants reported hypomania spectrum episodes (40 full-syndromal, 18 with brief episode, and 32 subsyndromal), while another 197 fulfilled the criteria for MDD without a history of a hypomania spectrum episode. A follow up after 15 years included a blinded diagnostic interview, a self-assessment of personality disorders, and national register data on prescription drugs and health services use. The participation rate at the follow-up interview was 71 % (64/90) for the hypomania spectrum group, and 65.9 % (130/197) for the MDD group. Multiple imputation was used to handle missing data. Results The outcomes of the hypomania spectrum group and the MDD group were similar regarding subsequent non-mood Axis I disorders in adulthood (present in 53 vs. 57 %). A personality disorder was reported by 29 % of the hypomania spectrum group and by 20 % of the MDD group, but a statistically significant difference was reached only for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (24 vs. 14 %). In both groups, the risk of Axis I disorders and personality disorders in adulthood correlated with continuation of mood disorder. Prescription drugs and health service use in adulthood was similar in the two groups. Compared with adolescents without mood disorders, both groups had a higher subsequent risk of psychiatric morbidity, used more mental health care, and received more psychotropic drugs. Conclusions Although adolescents with hypomania spectrum episodes and adolescents with MDD do not differ substantially in health outcomes, both groups are at increased risk for subsequent mental health problems. Thus, it is important to identify and treat children and adolescents with mood disorders, and carefully follow the continuing course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: This study aimed to describe the quantity, scope, and fundamental characteristics of recently published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of psychological interventions. Methods: We queried two major databases (PsycINFO and PubMeD) for primary reports published in 2010 of RCTs of psychological interventions for participants with a medical condition. We collected data on the characteristics of the trials, participants, interventions, outcomes, and reports. Results: Of 3696 retrieved reports 295 primary publications were included. About half (53%) of trials included participants with a mental disorder and more than half evaluated interventions based on a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) framework. A majority of trials recruited participants in North America and Europe (79%). A minority of the trials focused on children and adolescents (17%) or the elderly (8%). The median sample size of the intervention arm was n=41. Thirty-nine percent of trials reported solely patient-reported outcomes. Only 5% of reports indicated funding from for-profit organizations. The median 2010 impact factor of the journals in which reports were published was 2.96. Conclusion: This snapshot of the research on psychological interventions suggests that the evidence base for psychological interventions is expanding mainly for CBT interventions for adults in high-income countries. Although the restrictive inclusion criteria limit the generalizability of these results, researchers and funding agencies might be advised to strive for greater diversity regarding interventions, geographical/cultural settings and age groups. Regularly updated reviews of this research field, with gradually refined methodology and increased scope, may further inform funders and researchers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Depression in adolescence has been linked to substantial role impairment in adulthood. Recent longitudinal research suggests that individual and contextual factors might account for this association, but the sole reliance on self-reported outcome measures in most previous studies remains a potential shortcoming. Adolescent-persistent depressive disorder was associated with increased risks of long-term unemployment (OR = 2.4; 95% CI 1.2-4.5; p < 0.01), sick leave (OR = 2.5; 95% CI 1.3-4.5; p < 0.01), and social welfare assistance (OR = 5.6; 95% CI 1.5-21.3; p < 0.05) in midadulthood. [Extracted from the article]

Highlights from the article: B Background: b Social skill group training (SSGT) is one of the most common interventions for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is a neurodevelopmental disorder influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Additionally, we have performed exome sequencing for the same individuals and will then build a comprehensive genetic model including all level genetic variants to better understand the individual treatment responses for SSGT in ASD. B Results: b The patients who carry large CNVs (> 500kb) showed significant worse outcome at 12 weeks post-treatment ( = 15.35, p = 0.017) and 3-months follow-up ( = 14.19, p = 0.028).

Background: Psychological treatments for common mental disorders are increasingly being delivered remotely via the internet. Evidence suggests that internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) is superior to waitlist. However, the benefits are unclear of using this treatment modality as an add-on to treatment as usual (TAU) in regular healthcare., Methods: The literature was systematically searched up to August 2021 for randomized trials of internet-delivered psychological treatments using TAU as the comparator. Eligible participants were diagnosed with depressive, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, or trauma- and stress-related disorders. Outcomes of interest were symptoms, functioning, quality of life, healthcare utilization, and negative effects. Results were synthesized using random-effects meta-analyses. Quality of evidence was assessed using GRADE., Results: The included studies evaluated iCBT for adults with depression (k = 9), depressive or anxiety disorders (k = 4), and post-traumatic stress disorder (k = 2) and were conducted in primary care or similar settings. For depression, low-certainty evidence suggested beneficial short-term effects on symptoms (g = -0.23; 95 % CI: = -0.37, -0.09), response rate (OR = 2.46; 1.31, 4.64), and remission (OR = 1.70; 1.19, 2.42;). The certainty of evidence was very low for long-term effects, other outcomes, and other disorders., Limitations: TAU varied across studies and was often insufficiently described., Conclusions: iCBT as a complement to usual care for adult with depression may result in a small incremental effect, which potentially could be clinically important. Studies are lacking for several common disorders and for children, adolescents, and the elderly. More robust studies of long-term effects are also needed, to better inform clinical decision-making., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the effects of neurocognitive training methods on targeted cognitive functions in children and adolescent with ADHD., Method: A pragmatic four-arm randomized controlled trial compared two types of neurofeedback (Slow Cortical Potential and Live Z -score) and Working-memory training (WMT) with treatment as usual. N  = 202 participants with ADHD aged 9 to 17 years were included. A battery of cognitive function tests was completed pretreatment, posttreatment, and after 6-months., Results: The effects of WMT on spatial and verbal working-memory were superior to neurofeedback and treatment as usual at posttreatment, but only partially sustained at follow-up. No other consistent effects were observed. We found no clear indications that effects were moderated by ADHD presentation, ongoing medication, age, or sex., Conclusion: The sustained effects of neurocognitive training on cognitive functioning in children and adolescents with ADHD may be limited. Future research should focus on more personalized forms of neurocognitive training.

Neurofeedback (NF) as a treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been evaluated in several trials, but the specificity and generalizability of effects remain unclear. This four-arm randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of Slow Cortical Potential (SCP; standard NF protocol) and Live Z-score (LZS; non-standard NF protocol) delivered in high-frequency format (five sessions per week during five weeks), compared to Working-memory training (WMT; active comparator) and Treatment-as-usual (TAU; passive comparator). N = 202 children/adolescents aged 9 to 17 years with ADHD participated. The primary outcome measure was multi-report (self-, teacher-, and parent-report) ADHD core symptoms on the Conners-3, assessed at baseline, posttreatment, and 6-months follow-up. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed model. Between-group differences were scarce and did not show a distinct pattern. Superiority of LZS over TAU at endpoint were observed for teacher-rated measures only, while significant differences between SCP and TAU were restricted to posttreatment measurements. Contrary to our expectations, LZS outperformed SCP at endpoint for teacher-rated hyperactivity (-5.37; 95% CI: -10.14 to -0.60; p = .028; d = -.36) and overall ADHD symptoms (-2.20; -4.18 to -0.22; p = .030; d = -.41). There was no indication that either form of NF was superior to WMT. No severe adverse events were reported during the trial, whereas transient stress-related problems were quite frequent. Overall, the results from this pragmatic trial do not provide convincing support for broad implementation of NF in child and adolescent psychiatric services. Future research should try to clarify for whom and under what circumstances NF might be a viable treatment option., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Exome sequencing has been proposed as the first-tier genetic testing in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we performed exome sequencing in autistic individuals with average to high intellectual abilities (N = 207) to identify molecular diagnoses and genetic modifiers of intervention outcomes of social skills group training (SSGT) or standard care. We prioritized variants of clinical significance (VCS), variants of uncertain significance (VUS) and generated a pilot scheme to calculate genetic scores of rare and common variants in ASD-related gene pathways. Mixed linear models were used to test the association between the carrier status of VCS/VUS or the genetic scores with intervention outcomes measured by the social responsiveness scale. Additionally, we combined behavioral and genetic features using a machine learning (ML) model to predict the individual response. We showed a rate of 4.4% and 11.3% of VCS and VUS in the cohort, respectively. Individuals with VCS or VUS had improved significantly less after standard care than non-carriers at post-intervention (β = 9.35; p = 0.036), while no such association was observed for SSGT (β = -2.50; p = 0.65). Higher rare variant genetic scores for synaptic transmission and regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II were separately associated with less beneficial (β = 8.30, p = 0.0044) or more beneficial (β = -6.79, p = 0.014) effects after SSGT compared with standard care at follow-up, respectively. Our ML model showed the importance of rare variants for outcome prediction. Further studies are needed to understand genetic predisposition to intervention outcomes in ASD., (© 2021 The Authors. Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

There is mixed evidence on the association between headache and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as headache and ADHD medications. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the co-occurrence of headache in children with ADHD, and the effects of ADHD medications on headache. Embase, Medline and PsycInfo were searched for population-based and clinical studies comparing the prevalence of headache in ADHD and controls through January 26, 2021. In addition, we updated the search of a previous systematic review and network meta-analysis of double-blind randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on ADHD medications on June 16, 2020. Trials of amphetamines, atomoxetine, bupropion, clonidine, guanfacine, methylphenidate, and modafinil with a placebo arm and reporting data on headache as an adverse event, were included. Thirteen epidemiological studies and 58 clinical trials were eligible for inclusion. In epidemiological studies, a significant association between headache and ADHD was found [odds ratio (OR) = 2.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.63-2.46], which remained significant when limited to studies reporting ORs adjusted for possible confounders. The pooled prevalence of headaches in children with ADHD was 26.6%. In RCTs, three ADHD medications were associated with increased headache during treatment periods, compared to placebo: atomoxetine (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.06-1.56), guanfacine (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.12-1.82), and methylphenidate (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.09-1.63). The summarized evidence suggests that headache is common in children with ADHD, both as part of the clinical presentation as such and as a side effect of some standard medications. Monitoring and clinical management strategies of headache in ADHD, in general, and during pharmacological treatment are recommended.

Background: Non-shared environment (NSE) effects account for around one-third of the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the knowledge of mechanisms and phenotypic profiles associated with NSE in ASD is scarce., Methods: A systematic search was conducted using Embase, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO for studies published in English between 1990 and August 2020 using co-twin control design to compare behavioral and biological phenotypes among monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs concordant/discordant for ASD, clinical autism symptoms, or autistic traits. Risk of bias was assessed through a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale., Results: Twenty six articles were included. Differential DNA methylation and gene expression were found among ASD discordant twins; however, genetic results were inconsistent. Neurological disorders and early medical events were associated with ASD and autistic traits, while no within pair differences were found for minor physical anomalies or head circumference. Structural and functional brain imaging studies and research on social and other cognitive/behavioral functions were inconclusive. Risk of bias assessment found that all studies used the same exposure (or outcome) measures to collect data for participants and most used either secure health-related records or structured interviews for ascertainment of exposure; however, only a handful of studies representative of the population from which they were drawn. Formal assessment of risk of publication bias (i.e., funnel plot) was not possible., Conclusions: Our results suggest that NSE in ASD could be associated with heterogeneous postzygotic genetic mechanisms and manifest as a range of biological and behavioral phenotypes. Extant findings were limited by relatively few studies, small sample sizes, and methodological diversity. More research is needed on co-occurring biological and behavioral phenotypes using a consistent format for designing, analyzing, and reporting MZ ASD discordant twin studies in order to further examine the role of NSE in the etiology of ASD., Competing Interests: All authors declare no direct conflict of interest related to this review; however Lynnea Myers, Pei‐Yin Pan, Karl Lundin Remnélius, Janina Neufeld, and Sven Bölte are authors of some of the included studies. Sven Bölte discloses that he has in the last three years acted as an author, consultant, or lecturer for Medice and Roche. He receives royalties for textbooks and diagnostic tools from Hogrefe, Kohlhammer, and UTB.Since this systematic review did not directly involve human subjects, no ethical permission was needed., (© 2021 The Authors. JCPP Advances published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.)

Background: The support needs of people with neurodevelopmental disorders are not sufficiently met during the initial years of adulthood., Aim: To evaluate feasibility and preliminary effects of a novel programme designed to empower young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to make progress within significant life domains (i.e. work, education, finance, housing/household management, health, leisure/participation in society, and relationships/social network)., Material and Method: TRANSITION is a 24-week programme that combines group-based workshops with personalised support based on goal attainment scaling. The study enrolled 26 young adults (50% females; age 17-24 years) in the normative intellectual range, diagnosed with ASD ( n  = 8), ADHD ( n  = 4), or both ( n  = 14). The intervention was delivered by the regular staff of publicly funded psychiatric services in Stockholm, Sweden., Results: The programme was possible to implement with minor deviations from the manual. Participants and staff generally viewed the intervention positively, but also provided feedback to guide further improvement. There was a high degree of attendance throughout, with 21 participants (81%) completing the programme. All completers exceeded their predefined goal expectations within at least one domain., Conclusions: The TRANSITION-programme is a promising concept that deserves further evaluation.

Social skills group training (SSGT) is a frequently used behavioral intervention in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the effects are moderate and heterogeneous. Here, we analyzed the effect of polygenic risk score (PRS) and common variants in gene sets on the intervention outcome. Participants from the largest randomized clinical trial of SSGT in ASD to date were selected ( N  = 188, 99 from SSGT, 89 from standard care) to calculate association between the outcomes in the SSGT trial and PRSs for ASD, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and educational attainment. In addition, specific gene sets were selected to evaluate their role on intervention outcomes. Among all participants in the trial, higher PRS for ADHD was associated with significant improvement in the outcome measure, the parental-rated Social Responsiveness Scale. The significant association was due to better outcomes in the standard care group for individuals with higher PRS for ADHD (post-intervention: β  = -4.747, P  = 0.0129; follow-up: β  = -5.309, P  = 0.0083). However, when contrasting the SSGT and standard care group, an inferior outcome in the SSGT group was associated with higher ADHD PRS at follow-up ( β  = 6.67, P  = 0.016). Five gene sets within the synaptic category showed a nominal association with reduced response to interventions. We provide preliminary evidence that genetic liability calculated from common variants could influence the intervention outcomes. In the future, larger cohorts should be used to investigate how genetic contribution affects individual response to ASD interventions., Competing Interests: Competing interestsS.B. is an author of the German and Swedish KONTAKT manuals and receives royalties from Huber/Hogrefe publishers. S.B. discloses that he has in the last 5 years acted as an author, consultant, or lecturer for Shire/Takeda, Medice, Roche, Eli Lilly, Prima Psychiatry, and S.B. Education and Psychological Consulting AB. He receives royalties for text books and diagnostic tools from Huber/Hogrefe, Kohlhammer and UTB. N.C.-O. and U.J. are authors of the Swedish KONTAKT manuals. The other authors do not report financial interests or potential competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2020.)

Purpose: To present the Uppsala Longitudinal Adolescent Depression Study, initiated in Uppsala, Sweden, in the early 1990s. The initial aim of this epidemiological investigation was to study the prevalence, characteristics and correlates of adolescent depression, and has subsequently expanded to include a broad range of social, economic and health-related long-term outcomes and cost-of-illness analyses., Participants: The source population was first-year students (aged 16-17) in upper-secondary schools in Uppsala during 1991-1992, of which 2300 (93%) were screened for depression. Adolescents with positive screening and sex/age-matched peers were invited to a comprehensive assessment. A total of 631 adolescents (78% females) completed this assessment, and 409 subsequently completed a 15-year follow-up assessment. At both occasions, extensive information was collected on mental disorders, personality and psychosocial situation. Detailed social, economic and health-related data from 1993 onwards have recently been obtained from the Swedish national registries for 576 of the original participants and an age-matched reference population (N≥200 000)., Findings to Date: The adolescent lifetime prevalence of a major depressive episode was estimated to be 11.4%. Recurrence in young adulthood was reported by the majority, with a particularly poor prognosis for those with a persistent depressive disorder or multiple somatic symptoms. Adolescent depression was also associated with an increased risk of other adversities in adulthood, including additional mental health conditions, low educational attainment and problems related to intimate relationships., Future Plans: Longitudinal studies of adolescent depression are rare and must be responsibly managed and utilised. We therefore intend to follow the cohort continuously by means of registries. Currently, the participants are approaching mid-adulthood. At this stage, we are focusing on the overall long-term burden of adolescent depression. For this purpose, the research group has incorporated expertise in health economics. We would also welcome extended collaboration with researchers managing similar datasets., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2018. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Social skills group training (SSGT) is widely used for intellectually able children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous studies indicate small to moderate effects on social communication capacities. The duration of most available programs is relatively short, and extended training might lead to further improvement. This randomized controlled trial compared an extended 24-week version of the SSGT program KONTAKT with standard care. The weekly sessions gradually shifted in content from acquisition of new skills to real-world application of the acquired skills. A total of 50 participants with ASD (15 females; 35 males) aged 8-17 years were included. The study was conducted at two child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient units in Sweden. The primary outcome was the Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition (SRS-2) rated by parents and blinded teachers. Secondary outcomes included parent- and teacher-rated adaptive behaviors, trainer-rated global functioning and clinical severity, and self-reported child and caregiver stress. Assessments were made at baseline, posttreatment, and at 3-months follow-up. Parent-rated SRS-2 scores indicated large effects posttreatment [- 19.2; 95% CI - 29.9 to - 8.5; p < .001, effect size (ES) = 0.76], which were maintained at follow-up (- 20.7; 95% CI - 31.7 to - 9.7; p < .0001, ES = 0.82). These estimates indicate substantially larger improvement than previously reported for shorter SSGT. However, the effects on teacher-rated SRS-2 and most secondary outcomes did not reach statistical significance. Our results suggest added benefits of extended SSGT training, implying that service providers might reach better results by optimizing the delivery of SSGT.

Background: An individual's subjective perception of well-being is increasingly recognized as an essential complement to clinical symptomatology and functional impairment in children's mental health. Measurement of quality of life (QoL) has the potential to give due weight to the child's perspective., Scope and Methodology: Our aim was to critically review the current evidence on how childhood mental disorders affect QoL. First, the major challenges in this research field are outlined. Then we present a systematic review of QoL in children and adolescents aged 0-18 years formally diagnosed with a mental and behavioural disorder, as compared to healthy or typically developing children or children with other health conditions. Finally, we discuss limitations of the current evidence base and future directions based on the results of the systematic review and other relevant literature., Findings and Conclusions: The systematic review identified 41 eligible studies. All were published after the year 2000 and 21 originated in Europe. The majority examined QoL in neurodevelopmental disorders, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (k = 17), autism spectrum disorder (k = 6), motor disorders (k = 5) and intellectual disability (k = 4). Despite substantial heterogeneity, studies demonstrate that self-reported global QoL is significantly reduced compared to typical/healthy controls across several disorders and QoL dimensions. Parents' ratings were on average substantially lower, casting doubt on the validity of proxy-report. Studies for large diagnostic groups such as depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, (early onset) schizophrenia and eating disorders are largely lacking. We conclude that representative, well-characterized normative and clinical samples as well as longitudinal and qualitative designs are needed to further clarify the construct of QoL, to derive measures of high ecological validity, and to examine how QoL fluctuates over time and is attributable to specific conditions or contextual factors., (© 2016 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.)

Background: There has been a steady increase in the prescription of antidepressants for the elderly. This study comprises a systematic review of randomized, placebo-controlled trials of antidepressants for treatment of depressive disorder in people aged 65 years or more., Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAL, and PsycINFO were searched until May 2016. Where appropriate, the results were synthesized in meta-analyses., Results: Twelve trials met the inclusion criteria. For patients with major depressive disorder, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI) were not superior to placebo in achieving remission (OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.61-1.03) or response (OR=0.86, 95% CI: 0.51-1.10) after 8 weeks of treatment (three trials). However, maintenance treatment with SSRIs was superior to placebo in preventing relapse (OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.13-0.36; NNT=5, 95% CI: 3-6; two trials). Duloxetine was superior to placebo in achieving remission (OR: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.20-2.65; NNT=9, 95% CI: 6-20; three trials) and response (OR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.96-4.08; two trials) in recurrent major depression after 8 weeks, but increased the risk of adverse events that can be problematic in the elderly., Limitations: The quality of evidence was generally low or moderate, emphasizing the uncertainty of the results. Study populations only partly covered the heterogeneous population of elderly with depressed mood, limiting the generalizability., Conclusion: The results underscore the importance of close monitoring of the effects of antidepressants in treatment of elderly patients with a depressive disorder. Methods for early detection of non-responders and effective treatment options for this group are needed., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Depression in elderly people is a major public health concern. As response to antidepressants is often unsatisfactory in this age group, there is a need for evidence-based non-pharmacological treatment options. Our objectives were twofold: firstly, to synthesize published trials evaluating efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of psychological treatment of depression in the elderly and secondly, to assess the quality of evidence., Method: The electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAL, Scopus, and PsycINFO were searched up to 23 May 2016 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of psychological treatment for depressive disorders or depressive symptoms in people aged 65 years and over. Two reviewers independently assessed relevant studies for risk of bias. Where appropriate, the results were synthesized in meta-analyses. The quality of the evidence was graded according to GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation)., Results: Twenty-two relevant RCTs were identified, eight of which were excluded from the synthesis due to a high risk of bias. Of the remaining trials, six evaluated problem-solving therapy (PST), five evaluated other forms of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and three evaluated life review/reminiscence therapy. In frail elderly with depressive symptoms, the evidence supported the efficacy of PST, with large but heterogeneous effect sizes compared with treatment as usual. The results for life-review/reminiscence therapy and CBT were also promising, but because of the limited number of trials the quality of evidence was rated as very low. Safety data were not reported in any included trial. The only identified cost-effectiveness study estimated an incremental cost per additional point reduction in Beck Depression Inventory II score for CBT compared with talking control and treatment as usual., Conclusion: Psychological treatment is a feasible option for frail elderly with depressive symptoms. However, important questions about efficacy, generalizability, safety and cost-effectiveness remain.

The scientific knowledge about adverse effects of psychological therapies and how such effects should be detected is limited. It is possible that children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable and need specific support in order to express adverse effects. In this exploratory study, we used a qualitative approach to explore practitioners' experiences of this phenomenon. Fourteen practitioners providing psychological therapy within the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Service were interviewed. Qualitative content analysis was applied to the data. Four overarching categories brought up by the practitioners were identified: vagueness of the concept (reflecting that the concept was novel and hard to define), psychotherapist-client interaction (encompassing aspects of the interaction possibly related to adverse effects), consequences for the young person (including a range of emotional, behavioural and social consequences) and family effects (e.g. professional complications and decreased autonomy for the parent). Professional discussions on these issues could improve psychological therapy for children and adolescents. Based on our findings and previous research, we propose three basic aspects to consider when adverse effects are detected and managed in this context: typology (form, severity and duration), aetiology (hypothesis about the causes) and perspective (adverse effects seen from the points of view of different interested parties)., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

Systematic reviews have traditionally focused on internal validity, while external validity often has been overlooked. In this study, we systematically reviewed determinants of external validity in the accumulated randomized controlled trials of social skills group interventions for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. We extracted data clustered into six overarching themes: source population, included population, context, treatment provider, treatment intervention, and outcome. A total of 15 eligible randomized controlled trials were identified. The eligible population was typically limited to high-functioning school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder, and the included population was predominantly male and Caucasian. Scant information about the recruitment of participants was provided, and details about treatment providers and settings were sparse. It was not evident from the trials to what extent acquired social skills were enacted in everyday life and maintained over time. We conclude that the generalizability of the accumulated evidence is unclear and that the determinants of external validity are often inadequately reported. At this point, more effectiveness-oriented randomized controlled trials of equally high internal and external validity are needed. More attention to the determinants of external validity is warranted when this new generation of randomized controlled trials are planned and reported. We provide a tentative checklist for this purpose., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

Objective: This study is the first in a series of four empirical investigations to develop International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The objective was to use a systematic review approach to identify, number, and link functional ability and disability concepts used in the scientific ASD literature to the nomenclature of the ICF-CY (Children and Youth version of the ICF, covering the life span)., Methods: Systematic searches on outcome studies of ASD were carried out in Medline/PubMed, PsycINFO, ERIC and Cinahl, and relevant functional ability and disability concepts extracted from the included studies. These concepts were then linked to the ICF-CY by two independent researchers using a standardized linking procedure. New concepts were extracted from the studies until saturation of identified ICF-CY categories was reached., Results: Seventy-one studies were included in the final analysis and 2475 meaningful concepts contained in these studies were linked to 146 ICF-CY categories. Of these, 99 categories were considered most relevant to ASD (i.e., identified in at least 5% of the studies), of which 63 were related to Activities and Participation, 28 were related to Body functions, and 8 were related to Environmental factors. The five most frequently identified categories were basic interpersonal interactions (51%), emotional functions (49%), complex interpersonal interactions (48%), attention functions (44%), and mental functions of language (44%)., Conclusion: The broad variety of ICF-CY categories identified in this study reflects the heterogeneity of functional differences found in ASD--both with respect to disability and exceptionality--and underlines the potential value of the ICF-CY as a framework to capture an individual's functioning in all dimensions of life. The current results in combination with three additional preparatory studies (expert survey, focus groups, and clinical study) will provide the scientific basis for defining the ICF Core Sets for ASD for multipurpose use in basic and applied research and every day clinical practice of ASD., (© 2015 The Authors Autism Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Autism Research.)

To gain an understanding of the high-frequency elastic properties of silicone rubber, a finite element model of a cylindrical piezoelectric element, in contact with a silicone rubber disk, was constructed. The frequency-dependent elastic modulus of the silicone rubber was modeled by a fourparameter fractional derivative viscoelastic model in the 100 to 250 kHz frequency range. The calculations were carried out in the range of the first radial resonance frequency of the sensor. At the resonance, the hyperelastic effect of the silicone rubber was modeled by a hyperelastic compensating function. The calculated response was matched to the measured response by using the transitional peaks in the impedance spectrum that originates from the switching of standing Lamb wave modes in the silicone rubber. To validate the results, the impedance responses of three 5-mm-thick silicone rubber disks, with different radial lengths, were measured. The calculated and measured transitional frequencies have been compared in detail. The comparison showed very good agreement, with average relative differences of 0.7%, 0.6%, and 0.7% for the silicone rubber samples with radial lengths of 38.0, 21.4, and 11.0 mm, respectively. The average complex elastic moduli of the samples were (0.97 + 0.009i) GPa at 100 kHz and (0.97 + 0.005i) GPa at 250 kHz.

Objective: Increasing rates of disability pension (DP) have been observed among young adults. We studied specific psychiatric DP diagnoses and subsequent risk of suicidal behaviour in a series of three cohorts of young adult in Sweden., Method: In a nationwide register study, we included all young adults who in 1995, 2000, and 2005, respectively, were 19-23 years old and lived in Sweden (n≈500,000 per cohort). Rates of DP and specific psychiatric DP diagnoses were recorded in each cohort. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for suicidal behaviour during the following five years, with the corresponding age group as reference, were calculated by Cox proportional hazard regression, adjusted for demographic variables and previous own and parental suicidal behaviour., Results: The overall proportion with DP in this age group increased from 0.92% in 1995 to 2.29% in 2005, with particularly large increases in psychiatric diagnoses such as hyperkinetic disorders, pervasive developmental disorders, and depression/anxiety. The overall proportion of young disability pensioners attempting suicide during the five-year follow-up increased from 2.21% in the 1995 cohort to 3.81% in the 2005 cohort. Within most psychiatric DP diagnoses, the risk of attempted suicide did not change significantly over time, whereas suicide attempts increased in the reference group. Accordingly, the HRs for suicide attempt decreased in some psychiatric DP diagnoses. The highest adjusted HRs were observed for depression/anxiety (16.41; CI: 9.06 to 29.74) and schizophrenia (9.37; 6.13 to 14.31) in the 1995 cohort. The rate of suicide among young disability pensioners during follow-up ranged from 0.19% in 1995 to 0.37% in 2005, mainly occurring in individuals with psychiatric diagnoses., Conclusion: Suicidal behaviour has become more prevalent among young disability pensioners, which co-occurred with an increased tendency to grant DP in psychiatric diagnoses with a known high risk of suicidal behaviour. Preventive measures are warranted.

Background: Data suggest that certain psychological interventions can induce harm in a significant number of patients. While the need for adequate reporting of harms in clinical trials has repeatedly been emphasized, it is uncertain whether such information is routinely collected and reported in trials within this research field., Method: We used the two major databases in clinical psychology and medicine (PsycINFO and PubMed) to identify original publications from 2010 reporting randomized controlled trials of psychological interventions for patients with mental and behavioral disorders. Two reviewers searched the full-text reports for information about monitoring of adverse events, side effects, and deterioration., Results: A total of 132 eligible trials were identified. Only 28 trials (21%) included information that indicated any monitoring of harms on patient level. Four (3%) of these trials provided a description of adverse events as well as the methods used for collecting these data. Five of the trials (4%) reported adverse events but did not give complete information about the method. An additional four reports (3%) briefly stated that no adverse events occurred, whereas 15 trials (11%) only provided information on deterioration or indicated monitoring of deterioration. The probability of including harm-related information was related to the journal impact factor., Conclusion: Important information about harms is not reported systematically within this research field, suggesting that the risk of reporting bias is nontrivial in conclusions about the risk-benefit ratio of psychological treatments. Guidelines on how to define, detect, and report harms related to psychological interventions could facilitate better reporting., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Both "social causation" and "social selection" offer plausible explanations for an association between education and mental health. We aimed to explore these processes in unipolar depression, with a specific focus on school performance and family tradition of education., Method: Grandchildren (N = 28,089, 49% female, aged 13-47 years in 2002) of a cohort born in Uppsala, Sweden, in 1915-1929 were studied in national registers. We obtained data on final grade point average (GPA) in compulsory school, hospitalizations for unipolar depression, grandparental/parental education and other parental social characteristics. Hospitalization in adolescence and adulthood were studied separately, as were hospitalization for depression with or without a lifetime externalizing disorder., Results: Low compulsory school GPA (1-2 SD or >2 SD below average vs. average GPA) was associated with increased rate of adolescent hospitalization for unipolar depression, both with externalizing comorbidity [hazard ratio (HR) point estimates of 66-80] and without (HR point estimates of 4-6). By contrast, low GPA was only associated with first-time hospitalization in adulthood for the subgroup with externalizing comorbidity (HR point estimates of 4-6). These associations were largely independent of family education and social characteristics. Overall, low parental/grandparental education was not related to increased rates of hospitalization., Conclusion: The association between school performance and hospitalization for depression depended on adolescent hospitalization or externalizing comorbidity, suggesting that disorders with an early onset are decisive. Contrary to the social patterning of many health outcomes, low grandparental/parental education did not appear to increase the rate of hospitalization for unipolar depression in the offspring.

Background: There is a lack of population-based long-term longitudinal research on mental health status and functional physical/somatic symptoms. Little is known about the long-term mental health outcomes associated with somatic symptoms or the temporal relationship between depression and such symptoms. This 15-year study followed up adolescents with depression and matched controls, screened from a population-based sample, who reported different numbers of somatic symptoms., Methods: The total population of 16-17-year-olds in Uppsala, Sweden, was screened for depression in 1991-1993. Adolescents who screened positive and an equal number of healthy controls took part in a semi-structured diagnostic interview. In addition, 21 different self-rated somatic symptoms were assessed. Sixty-four percent of those adolescents participated in a follow-up structured interview 15 years later., Results: Somatic symptoms in adolescence predicted depression and other adult mental disorders regardless of the presence of adolescent depression. In adolescents with depression, the number of functional somatic symptoms predicted, in a dose response relationship, suicidal behavior, bipolar episodes, and psychotic episodes as well as chronic and recurrent depression. Contrary to expectations, the somatic symptoms of abdominal pain and perspiration without exertion better predicted depression than all DSM-IV depressive symptoms. Abdominal pain persisted as an independent strong predictor of depression and anxiety, even after controlling for other important confounders., Conclusions: Somatic symptoms in adolescence can predict severe adult mental health disorders. The number of somatic symptoms concurrent with adolescent depression is, in a stepwise manner, linked to suicidal attempts, bipolar disorders, psychotic disorders, and recurrent and chronic depression. These findings can be useful in developing treatment guidelines for patients with somatic symptoms.

Purpose: The prescription drugs have, to our knowledge, not been much studied in epidemiological samples with long-term follow-up. Accordingly, our purpose was to analyze the use of prescription drugs in adults with adolescent depression., Methods: A population-based cohort of adolescents (n = 2465) was screened for the presence of depressive symptoms and diagnosed according to a structured interview. Totally, 362 individuals were identified as depressed and compared with 250 non-depressed controls. The prescription drugs were evaluated at the age of 29-31 years from a register kept by the National Health and Welfare Board., Results: The formerly depressed females received significantly more prescription drugs, such as antidepressants, antiepileptics, antibacterials, antimycotics, and antihistamines for systemic use as well as other drugs, compared with controls (15.6 ± 27.4 vs 8.2 ± 7.4 recipes, p < 0.001). Formerly depressed males did not differ from controls regarding prescription drugs., Conclusions: The females but not males with adolescent depression subsequently received more prescription drugs than non-depressed peers. Depressed female adolescents received more psychotropic and non-psychotropic drugs later in life compared to the non-depressed. This might be as a result of physical illnesses, different treatment-seeking behaviors, or somatizing reactions., (Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Aim: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of somatic symptoms in depressed adolescents and in their healthy peers. A second aim is to investigate the correlation, in the depressed adolescents, between the number of somatic symptoms and severe concurrent symptoms, signs and life events., Methods: The total population of 16-17 year olds - in the city of Uppsala - was screened for depression and then interviewed using a structured interview questionnaire. Depressed subjects and matched controls were identified. A total of 177 pairs were used for pair-wise analyses of somatic symptoms. Severe symptoms, signs and life events were selected for analysing their relation to depression with somatic symptoms., Results: The adolescents with depressive disorders experienced considerably more somatic symptoms than their healthy controls. The duration and depth of the depression correlated with the number of somatic symptoms. There was a strong correlation between depression with many somatic symptoms and suicidal plans/thoughts, suicidal attempts, disruptive behaviour, as well as multiple stressful relationships., Conclusion: This study demonstrates that somatic symptoms are common in adolescent depression. Multiple somatic symptoms within depression imply a higher severity in terms of duration, depth and psychiatric comorbidity. The strong correlation with suicidal plans, suicidal attempts and disruptive behaviour is concerning., (© 2010 The Author(s)/Journal Compilation © 2010 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.)