Faculty Bibliography

Objectives: The United States is among the most diverse nations worldwide, boasting a majority percentage of the population comprised of ethnic minorities. Despite this, there remains a longstanding and pervasive history of racism toward several minority ethnic groups. According to a 2019 report from the Pew Research Center, race relations in America have worsened in recent times. Racism is a social determinant of health. Experiences of racism significantly impact the identity and self-perception of children and adolescents. It is therefore critical to examine how the unique racial experience of prominent ethnic minority groups shapes their developing identities and to accurately inform best practices in mental health diagnosis and treatment.
Method(s): Presenters will review the historical context of racism in the United States for the following prominent minority groups: African American, Latinx, East Asian, and South Asian. Each presenter will expand on the experience of racism specific to each ethnic group, identify unique negative biases, and review how these dynamics of discrimination impact adolescent identity development. Presenters will also share clinical pearls for how to explore topics of racial discrimination with youth in treatment.
Result(s): The experience of racism in adolescence has a significant impact on the developing adolescent identity and increases the risk of poor self-esteem, social isolation, and mental illness.
Conclusion(s): Racism is an unquestionably prevalent social issue affecting Americans of varying ethnic backgrounds. The experience of racism can be unique for differing ethnic groups. Because racism has a significant impact on the identity of developing youth and can increase the risks of mental illness, it is imperative for psychiatrists to consider race and ethnic bias in our discussions, assessments, and treatment of our patients. ETHN, ADOL, IDD
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Objectives: The presentation will provide practical applications of research studies that demonstrate the negative impact of social determinants of race, gender, and sexual orientation on patient health and treatment outcomes. The presentation will allow participants to examine the intersections of race, gender, and sexual orientation as essential elements to discuss openly with patients, as a method of strengthening the therapeutic alliance and acceptance of mental health treatment.
Method(s): The data will be presented on implicit bias and its effect on the patient-physician relationship and health care outcomes. The data also will be presented on the use of conversations with patients on race, gender, and sexuality in empowering both clinicians and their patients toward improved treatment outcomes.
Result(s): When conversations of politics, diversity, and inclusion are juxtaposed with issues of race, gender, and sexual orientation, the effects on health care and impact on treatment become highly complex. If these challenging and important conversations are left unexplored by clinicians, it can be detrimental to both patients and families.
Conclusion(s): Exploring topics of race and sexual/gender identity with patients is challenging and uncomfortable for many clinicians, but these conversations can yield surprising and often powerful clinical information that lends itself to improved outcomes and therapeutic alliance. This can occur through the explicit acknowledgment of stressors facing minority populations, as well as the identification of effective supports and coping strategies. ETHN, GID, LGBT
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OBJECTIVE: To investigate growth of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the Preschool ADHD Treatment Study (PATS) before and after initiation of treatment with methylphenidate at titrated doses (average, 14.2 mg/day) administered three times daily, 7 days/week for asymptotically equal to1 year. METHOD: The heights and weights of 140 children with ADHD were measured up to 29 times in the PATS protocol, starting at an average age of 4.4 years. The relationship between standard (z) scores and time on medication was examined using mixed-effect regression to estimate change in relative size (slope). RESULTS: Average relative size at baseline was significantly (p<.0001) greater than zero for z height (+0.45) and z weight (+0.78), indicating greater than expected height (by 2.04 cm) and weight (by 1.78 kg). During treatment, slopes were significantly (p<.0001) less than zero for z height (-0.304/yr) and z weight (-0.530/yr), indicating reduction of growth rates. For 95 children who remained on medication, annual growth rates were 20.3% less than expected for height (5.41 cm/yr-6.79 cm/yr=-1.38 cm/yr) and 55.2% for weight (1.07 kg/yr-2.39 kg/yr=-1.32 kg/yr). CONCLUSIONS: Risks of reduced growth rates should be balanced against expected benefits when preschool-age children are treated with stimulant medication

OBJECTIVE: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often accompanied by clinically significant anxiety, but few empirical data guide treatment of children meeting full DSM-IV criteria for ADHD and anxiety disorders (ADHD/ANX). This study examined the efficacy of sequential pharmacotherapy for ADHD/ANX children. METHOD: Children, age 6 to 17 years, with ADHD/ANX were titrated to optimal methylphenidate dose and assessed along with children who entered the study on a previously optimized stimulant. Children with improved ADHD who remained anxious were randomly assigned to 8 weeks of double-blind stimulant + fluvoxamine (STIM/FLV) or stimulant + placebo (STIM/PL). Primary efficacy measures were the Swanson, Nolan, Atkins, and Pelham IV Parent and Teacher Rating Scale ADHD score and the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale total score. ADHD, ANX, and overall Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scores were also obtained. RESULTS: Of the 32 medication-naive children openly treated with methylphenidate, 26 (81%) improved as to ADHD. Twenty-five children entered the randomized trial. Intent-to-treat analysis indicated no differences between the STIM/FLV (n = 15) and STIM/PL groups on the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale or Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement-defined responder rate. Medications in both arms were well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Children with ADHD/ANX have a response rate to stimulants for ADHD that is comparable with that of children with general ADHD. The benefit of adding FLV to stimulants for ANX remains unproven