Association For Child And Adolescent Mental Health (acamh)

What are the different ways in which child maltreatment is measured in research? How do different measures of maltreatment impact the relationship with psychopathology? Why are there inconsistencies in reports of maltreatment? All this and more answered as Professor Umar Toseeb interviews Dr. Oonagh Coleman about why prospective and retrospective measures of maltreatment differ.

What are some of the characteristics of autism in childhood? What are Social Stories? How can the Social Stories™ intervention address the social and emotional health of autistic children in UK primary schools? All this and more answered as Professor Umar Toseeb interviews Professor Barry Wright, Dr. Jane Blackwell, Dr. Kerry Bell, and Emma Standley about their pragmatic randomised controlled trial of the Social Stories™ intervention.

What is the Asido Foundation? Why is it important to contextualise mental health in Nigeria? What impact does language have in destigmatising mental health in local communities? All this and more answered as Tanatswa Chikaura interviews Professor Jibril Abdulmalik about the Asido Foundation. The Asido Foundation are the recipients of the 2024 ACAMH Innovative Research, Training or Practice in Lower- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) Award.

What is social connection? How do the three dimensions of social connection impact mental health? Are there cross-country differences for certain social connection factors and their association with mental health difficulties? All this and more answered as Professor Umar Toseeb interviews Dr. Bettina Moltrecht and Dr. Mauricio Hoffmann about their latest research into social connection and adolescent internalising and externalising symptoms.

What is Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR)? Why is it important to facilitate YPAR in schools? What is the future for YPAR? All this and more answered as Dr. Clara Faria interviews Jaspar Khawaja and Dr. Chris Bagley about their latest research into Youth Participatory Action Research and the ‘Breaking the Silence’ project.

Watch the episode for FREE on ACAMH Learn In this episode of Inside the Teen Brain: Screenagers, Professor Pete Etchells joins Dr. Jane Gilmour to explore the complex relationship between digital technology and adolescent mental health. Professor Etchells challenges common narratives around screentime, offering a nuanced perspective on the evidence surrounding social media, smartphone use, and attention span in young people. The conversation delves into key research findings, and the need for more precise definitions in studies on technology use. Professor Etchells also highlights the importance of fostering digital literacy and resilience, rather than relying on restrictive policies, to better support adolescents in navigating the digital world. This episode provides valuable insights for professionals, educators, and parents looking to understand and engage with teens' online experiences more effectively.  Learning Objectives A. To understand the complexities of the relationship between digital technology

What is ‘generational trauma’? Do social inequalities play a role in accessing CAMHS? How important is representation in therapy? All this and more answered as Professor Umar Toseeb interviews Dr. Kenisha Jackson about access to, and experiences of, mental health care for marginalised children.

10.13056/acamh.13687 Is adolescent mental health an early warning system for contemporary society? Are mental health difficulties in adolescence on the rise? What societal changes are impacting adolescent mental health? All this and more answered as Professor Umar Toseeb interviews Professor Gonneke Stevens about adolescent mental health in a rapidly changing world.

Watch the video at Inside the Teen Brain: The Heart of the Matter In this episode of Inside the Teen Brain, Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore joins Dr. Jane Gilmour to explore the complexities of emotional regulation in adolescence. Dr. Kennedy-Moore discusses how emotions serve as valuable sources of information rather than problems to be eliminated, emphasizing the importance of helping teens develop emotional literacy. The conversation highlights practical strategies, such as using feeling cards, the angry adult formula, and soft criticism, to support young people in understanding and managing their emotions. The episode also delves into the powerful role of peer relationships, social learning, and self-reflection in adolescent development, providing valuable insights for professionals, parents, and educators working with teenagers. Learning Objectives 1. To understand the role of emotions as a source of information rather than just a challenge to be managed. 2. To explore practical techniques that help teenagers

What are Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)? Do meaningful dimensions of childhood adversity exist? Should victimisation be considered an adverse childhood experience? All this and more answered as Professor Umar Toseeb interviews Athena Chow about her latest research into the existence of meaningful dimensions of childhood adversity.

What is the difference between languishing and depression? Is flourishing an indirect route to happiness? What are the six domains of human excellence? All this and more answered as Professor Umar Toseeb interviews Professor Corey Keyes about his work, the positive psychology movement, and the two continua model of mental health.

Watch the video here In this episode, Inside the Teen Brain: A Second Chance, Professor Rosie Meek explores the role of risk-taking, peer influence, and emotional regulation in adolescence, particularly among young people in the criminal justice system. She discusses how participation in structured sports programmes can provide a positive outlet for frustration, improve emotional regulation, and foster transformative changes in identity. Drawing on qualitative findings and real-world examples, Professor Meek highlights how sports settings create opportunities for young people to develop discipline, teamwork, and trust—skills that can translate into healthier behaviours and reduced conflict. The conversation also emphasizes the importance of mentoring and collaborative, youth-centred approaches to engage at-risk adolescents and help them reset their life paths.  Learning Objectives 1. To understand the role of structured activities, such as sports, in fostering emotional regulation and identity development a

What are the neural mechanisms of food choice among adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN)? Is there a link between brain and behaviour among adolescents with AN? Do reward systems play a role early on in illness? All this and more answered as Dr. Clara Faria interviews Dr. Caitlin Lloyd about her research into food choice and neural reward systems in adolescents with anorexia nervosa.

What is ARFID? Are there structural differences in the brains of children with ARFID symptoms? Does autism and ARFID share neuroanatomical similarities?  All this and more answered as Dr. Clara Faria interviews Dr. Michelle Sader about her research into brain differences in children who show symptoms of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).

DOI: 10.13056/acamh.13672 In this Papers Podcast, Dr. Alex Lloyd and Romana Saleh discuss their co-authored JCPP Advances Methodological Review ‘No decision about me, without me: Collaborating with young people in mental health research’. There is an overview of the paper, methodology, key findings, and implications for practice. Learning Objectives 1. Insight into what is meant by Patient Public Involvement (PPI), co-production and co-design and the difference between these terms. 2. Why it is important to include young people with lived experiences in mental health research and how to convince researchers that people with lived experiences have a meaningful contribution to make to the research process. 3. What counts as lived experience and whether it is necessary to have a formal diagnosis to be regarded as having lived experience. 4. Insight into the ‘ladder of participation’ and other frameworks for participation. 5. How researchers can ensure that their engagement with people with lived experience is

Dr. Jane Gilmour talks to Dr. Dominique Thompson An important part of growing up is taking risks... but are our youngest generation still taking enough risks, or the right kind of risks? Are they in fact 'Generation Sensible', or is this a misunderstanding? How can we support them to take good risks whilst supporting their mental health? We cover all this and more in a fascinating discussion about teen risk taking.  Learning Objectives 1. To understand why teens take risks  2. To understand why this generation may be different  3. To discover some practical ways to support healthy risk taking 

DOI: 10.13056/acamh.13671 In this Papers Podcast, Dr. Lena Keuppens discusses her co-authored JCPP Advances Research Review ‘Sleep parameters and problems in adolescents with and without ADHD: A systematic review and meta-analysis’. There is an overview of the paper, methodology, key findings, and implications for practice. This paper was the recipient of the 2024 ACAMH Awards JCPP Advances Best Paper Award. Learning objectives: 1. The rationale behind the paper and the prevalence of sleep problems in adolescence with ADHD. 2. Comparing subjective and objective sleep parameters, sleep problems and sleep hygiene in adolescence with and without ADHD. 3. The importance of taking the subjective experience of sleep problems seriously. 4. The next steps for interventions considering the importance of sleep for mood regulation and for neurodevelopment. 5. Insight into a new sleep intervention for adolescents with ADHD called SIESTA (Sleep IntervEntion as Symptom Treatment for ADHD).

Dr Jane Gilmour talks about the new ACAMH series 'Inside the Teen Brain'. Jane is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist (Hon) at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and Course Director for postgraduate child development programmes at University College London, where she lectures on neuropsychology, neurodevelopmental conditions (Tourette’s syndrome, autism, OCD) and therapeutic issues. She has published numerous academic articles and chapters on these topics. Her media presence, commenting on young people’s well-being, includes appearances on BBC TV, BBC radio and broadsheet press commissions. How to Have Incredible Conversations with your Child (co-authored with Dr Bettina Hohnen) is her latest book. Using an innovative format, families use the book together in a shared experience to strengthen communication skills and their relationship. She wrote (with co-authors Dr Bettina Hohnen and Dr Tara Murphy), best-seller The Incredible Teenage Brain Book (Everything You Need to Know to Unlock Your Teen’s Potential) whic

DOI: 10.13056/acamh.13668 In this Papers Podcast, Dr. Franjo Ivankovic discusses their co-authored JCPP paper ‘Optimization of self- or parent-reported psychiatric phenotypes in longitudinal studies’. There is an overview of the paper, methodology, key findings, and implications for practice. Learning Objectives 1. The reliability and validity of consistent self-endorsement of a given psychiatric diagnosis. 2. Insight into the low agreement between parent-reported, child-reported, and clinician reported psychiatric phenotypes and why these different informants might report different levels of mental health difficulties when the target child is the same. 3. The over-endorsement and under-endorsement of symptoms of mental health difficulties when self-reporting and the impact on the prevalence of mental health conditions. 4. Insight into the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study and the narrow diagnosis construct. 5. Whether there is evidence of a relationship between the over-endorsement of sym

DOI: 10.13056/acamh.13664 In this episode, Inside the Teen Brain: Youth Experience in CAMHS, Isabella Plows shares her lived experience of accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and reflects on the key factors that supported her recovery. She highlights the importance of building trusting, consistent relationships with professionals, the value of clear communication, and the need for structured and goal-oriented care. Isabella also discusses the challenges young people face while waiting for services, offering practical suggestions such as regular updates, access to resources, and community-based support to bridge this gap. Emphasizing the importance of continuity, she highlights the value of extending CAMHS support to age 25 to better align with ongoing brain development and life transitions. This insightful conversation provides invaluable perspectives for professionals striving to improve services for young people. Learning Objectives A. To understand the importance of building tru