Faculty Bibliography

Introduction: Equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) have gained prominence as a viable therapeutic approach for a range of mental health and developmental problems, yet is not widely known and not conventionally provided within the social work educational curriculum. Thus, the purpose of this study is to provide a review of various certification bodies available to social workers in order to bring EAATs into their therapeutic work. Methods: A multi-stage process, including consultation with experts in the field and an online search was undertaken to locate certification programs for mental health professionals. Results: Seven certification organizations were identified; programs varied with respect to mental health pre-requisites, type of certification, training components, and cost. Discussion: There has been substantial growth in EAAT for children with mental health and developmental problems, and there are a range of certification types to select from. Factors to consider when choosing which type of certification to pursue, and barriers to certification are discussed.

Purpose : We have used hyperspectral imaging to extract candidate spectra of fluorophores ex-vivo in normal and diseased RPE (PMID 25574430; ARVO 15' EAbstracts 3956 & 4369). Herein we characterize a distinct AF signal of melanosomesmelanolipofuscin (M/ML) granules in the RPE of donors with geographic atrophy (GA) and neovascular AMD. Methods : Hyperspectral AF images were captured at 18 locations from 6 RPE/Bruch's-membrane flat-mounts of donor eyes with late AMD. Imaging was performed at 2 excitation bands, 436-460 and 480-510 nm; emission was captured between 420-720 nm in 10 nm intervals. Mathematical factorization was applied to extract abundant emission spectra and their spatial abundance images from RPE organelles (labeled S1-S3) and drusen/sub-RPE deposits (labeled SDr). To correlate AF with M/ML, images were compared with those captured by bright-field (BF) microscopy at the same locations. Results : At 436 nm excitation, a broad AF signal S3 (Fig.1: Spectra & S3) was extracted at all 18 locations, with mean emission maximum of 631+/-25 nm, range 580-650 nm. The S3 spatial abundance image demonstrated correlation with areas containing M/ML granules in 14/18 locations on BF images (77.8%), and in 12/18 locations on AF composite images (66.7%) (Fig.1: BF & AF). Spectra S1 and S2 showed general correlation with lipofuscin/ML (LF/ML) (Fig.1: S2), not with M/ML granules. Conclusions : Hyperspectral imaging of the RPE in AMD extracted a consistent AF signal in the red wavelengths that strongly correlated to areas dense with M/ML granules. A similar signal was more diffusely distributed in normal RPE, suggesting a progressive pathophysiology of interest in AMD. Further investigation of melanin distribution in AMD using super-resolution structured illumination and imaging mass spectrometry is warranted

The Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood: Revised Edition (DC:0-5; ZERO TO THREE) is scheduled to be published in 2016. The articles in this section are selective reviews that have been undertaken as part of the process of refining and updating the nosology. They provide the rationales for new disorders, for disorders that had not been included previously in the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood: Revised Edition (DC:0-3R; ZERO TO THREE, 2005), and for changes in how certain types of disorders are conceptualized.

Research has begun to identify factors that may moderate the effects of interventions for symptomatology associated with child sexual abuse (CSA). However, there is disagreement about which factors may be important for different populations. The present investigation examined predictors of treatment outcomes among 166 predominantly economically disadvantaged and culturally diverse CSA survivors between the ages of six and ten, who were treated using game-based cognitive-behavioural therapy (GB-CBT). Predictor variables included demographic characteristics (i.e. age, gender, ethnicity, household income) and abuse-related risk factors (i.e. degree of invasiveness of abuse, frequency of instances of CSA and type of relationship to the perpetrator). Treatment outcomes included internalising and externalising symptoms, sexually inappropriate behaviours, knowledge of abuse and personal safety skills. Results indicate that participants' responsiveness to treatment was not impacted by demographic or abuse-related risk factors. Thus, group treatment appears to be effective for treating a wide range of problems following CSA, irrespective of clients' varied demographic background and abuse characteristics