Current Psychiatry Reviews - Volume 6, Issue 3, 2010

The Residency Requirements Committee of the ACGME recommends that psychiatric residents receive training in cognitive behavioral psychotherapy (CBP). Despite these recommendations, some training programs are slow to implement these requirements and many struggle to develop didactic and clinical curricula to meet these criteria. This article provides a model for training psychiatry residents in cognitive b Read More

Most of the psychopharmaceuticals used in children and adolescents have not gone through the clinical trials process; only slightly more have had research studies accomplished in this age group, particularly in younger children. Given the pressure to treat mood and behavioral disorders early, many of the medication decisions we make are based on experiences with adults. Therefore, it is prudent to review the potential proble Read More

A systematic review of the literature on the prevalence, theories and correlates of child labor was done with emphasis on mental health. The methodologies of these literatures are variable in their strength and weakness. Some surveys are intensive and informative. Exploitation of young children's labor is extensive in developing countries such as Ethiopia, where an estimated every 4th under 15 year old is a child laborer. Read More

Objective: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is effective and generally safe in depression. Its effectiveness and side effects are suggested to be related to the electrical stimulus administered relative to the seizure threshold. Since aging seems to raise the seizure threshold in ECT, we reviewed the literature for evidence correlating advanced age and seizure threshold, and for hypotheses explaining why seizure thresho Read More

Delirium in older patients is a common problem, whether patients are seen in a community setting, in a hospital for medical or surgical intervention or in an intensive care unit. Evaluation of elderly patients with confusion is challenging and in delirium several aspects of cognition, including perception, mental data processing and memory, must be considered. Delirium is thought to result from imbalances in cholinergic, dopa Read More

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by recurrent, distressing obsessions and repetitive compulsive behaviors or mental rituals frequently performed to reduce the distress associated with the obsessions. This paper reviews maladaptive and adaptive coping responses used by individuals with OCD, including compulsions as an avoidant coping response, psychotherapeutic and pharmacological treatments, soc Read More

Over the century, many studies have proposed an association between madness and kin advantages. The first study focusing specifically on reproductive rates among persons suffering from schizophrenia and their relatives was published in 1959. Currently, there are 62 studies of that kind indexed in the main scientific databases, most of which confirm the existence of kin advantages after one generation. Considering t Read More

Our primary objective was to determine the continuing medical education needs of family physicians involved in the Transition into Primary Care Psychiatry (TIPP) program and secondly to assess fulfillment of Canadian Medical Education Directives for Specialists (CanMEDS) roles by TIPP associated family physicians. Family physicians were asked about educational needs, comfort levels, attitudes and beliefs towards ment Read More

Depression in not uncommon in late life. Psychotic depression, a more severe form of depression is more common in late life than younger patients. Data indicate that approximately 25% of patients with depression in late life present with psychotic symptoms. In this review, we systematically searched four main databases; EMBASE, PsychINFO, Medline and Cochrane Collaboration on the pharmacotherapy of lat Read More

Adolescence is a period of heightened exploration, emotional and physical change. During this time, engagement in risk behaviours occurs often, affecting physical, mental and social health and well-being. Risk factors can include experimentation with substances and may lead to social and legal problems, disability and accidental death. We searched CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC, Medline, Social Policy & Practice and PubMed to id Read More