Faculty Bibliography

Background/UNASSIGNED:The corpus callosum is implicated in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, specific structural deficits and underlying mechanisms are yet to be well defined. Methods/UNASSIGNED:) diffusivities, which reflect myelination and microstructural organization of the extracellular space. The relationships between DKI metrics and processing speed, a cognitive feature known to be impaired in ASD, were also examined. Results/UNASSIGNED: > .05). Conclusion/UNASSIGNED:Decreased DKI metrics suggested that ASD may be associated with axonal deficits such as reduced axonal caliber and density in the corpus callosum, especially in the mid and posterior callosal areas. These data suggest that impaired interhemispheric connectivity may contribute to decreased processing speed in ASD participants.

The purpose of this article is to determine the risk of schizophrenia in offspring of women exposed to x-ray radiation during pregnancy. The risk of schizophrenia was evaluated using cohort data collected in The Jerusalem Perinatal Study. The cohort of 92,408 births from 1964 to 1976 was linked to Israel's National Psychiatric Registry of all individuals hospitalized for psychiatric conditions. Cross-tabulations were analyzed for development of schizophrenia in offspring of mothers who were exposed to an x-ray procedure during the first four months of pregnancy. Relative risks (RRs) were estimated using proportional hazards models, adjusted for male sex, paternal age, family psychiatric history, and social class. The adjusted RRs for schizophrenia spectrum associated with maternal x-rays in months 3 and 4 were, respectively, 2.97 (0.94-9.35) and 1.23 (0.39-3.87). Among 80 cases with narrowly defined schizophrenia (ICD-10 = F20) maternal x-rays in months 3 and 4 were associated, respectively, with adjusted RRs of 3.08 (0.75-12.6, based on 2 cases), and 2.04 (0.64-6.46, 3 cases). Offspring of mothers exposed to x-ray radiation during the third and fourth months of pregnancy may have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

Smartphones offer a flexible tool to collect data about mental health, but less is known about their effectiveness as a method to assess variability in children's problem behaviors. Caregivers of children with autism completed daily questions about irritability, anxiety and mood delivered via smartphones across 8-weeks. Smartphone questions were consistent with subscales on standard caregiver questionnaires. Data collection from 7 to 10 days at the beginning and 7 to 10 days at the end of the study were sufficient to capture similar amounts of variance as daily data across 8-weeks. Other significant findings included effects of caregiver socioeconomic status and placebo-like effects from participation even though the study included no specific treatment. Nevertheless, single questions via smartphones collected over relatively brief periods reliably represent subdomains in standardized behavioral questionnaires, thereby decreasing burden on caregivers.

Standardized training and credentialing is increasingly important to states and healthcare systems. Workforce shortages in children's mental health can be addressed through training and credentialing of professional peer parents (called family peer advocates or FPAs), who deliver a range of services to caregivers. A theory-based training program for FPAs targeting skills and knowledge about childhood mental health services (Parent Empowerment Program, or PEP) was developed through a partnership among a statewide family-run organization, state policy leaders, and academic researchers. Prior studies by this team using highly-experienced family peer advocates (who were also co-developers of the training program) as trainers found improvements in knowledge about mental health services and self-efficacy. In 2010, to meet demands and scale the model, a training of trainers (TOT) model was developed to build a cohort of locally-trained FPAs to deliver PEP training. A pre/post design was used to evaluate the impact of TOT model on knowledge and self-efficacy among 318 FPAs across the state. Participants showed significant pre-post (6 month) changes in knowledge about mental health services and self-efficacy. There were no significant associations between any FPA demographic characteristics and their knowledge or self-efficacy scores. A theory-based training model for professional peer parents working in the children's mental health system can be taught to local FPAs, and it improves knowledge about the mental health system and self-efficacy. Studies that evaluate the effectiveness of different training modalities are critical to ensure that high-quality trainings are maintained.

Social communication disorder (SCD) is a novel diagnosis listed under the rubric of communication disorders within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5) and it is reported to be characterized by impairment in use of verbal and nonverbal communication for social aims. This review attempts to summarize the current understanding of the SCD concept along with its evolution and presents data from previous studies conducted. Suggestions for further research are also delineated. As listed in DSM-5, the criteria for this novel diagnosis are vague, display elevated comorbidity with other neurodevelopmental disorders and other childhood psychopathologies, and show partial overlap with autistic spectrum disorders both in terms of genetics and family histories. Data on cross-cultural presentations and temporal stability are also limited. The social communication model proposed by Catani and Bambini may help integrate the neurobiological findings pertaining to SCD. Valid and reliable assessment methods need to be developed for SCD. This may involve either development of novel instruments capturing the DSM-5 criteria or application of statistical methods such as item response theory to existing instruments. The relationships between broad autism phenotype, pragmatic language impairment, nonverbal learning disorder, learning disorders, autistic spectrum disorders, and SCD should be evaluated with further studies.