The mental health and well-being of children and adolescents are critical public health concerns globally. This cross-sectional study analysed nationally representative data from the combined 2016-2022 National Survey of Children's Health (n = 239,534) to produce estimates of parent-reported diagnoses of children's anxiety, depression and…

Anxiety and externalizing concerns create notable challenges for families. One factor that has been widely studied in relation to anxiety concerns, which may also be influenced by externalizing symptoms, is parental accommodation. Most research on parental accommodation has tended to focus on behaviors, while not accounting for accommodation…

The current study outlines the successful behavioral assessment and treatment of compulsive behaviors in a high-functioning adolescent with autism. After a functional assessment suggested that compulsive behavior was maintained by both social--negative and social--positive reinforcement, we demonstrated effects of functional communication…

Childhood adversity takes a toll on lifelong health. However, investigations of unpredictability as a form of adversity are lacking. Environmental unpredictability across multiple developmental periods and ecological levels was examined using a multiethnic, longitudinal birth cohort (1998-2000) oversampled for unmarried parents. Data were from the…

Parental stress is a well-documented phenomenon. The relationships between parental stress, parent-child dynamics, and child outcomes are complex and bidirectional. Although this intricate interaction is well recognized, we specifically examined the impact of child-related variables on parental stress. Although many child factors can contribute to…

This was an exploratory cross-sectional study comparing 45 children with ASD to 24 typically developing drug-naïve controls, group-matched on age, sex, and body mass index. Objective data was obtained using the following: an ambulatory circadian monitoring device; saliva samples to determine dim light melatonin onset (DLMO): and three…

Examining self-reported problems of students receiving school mental health (SMH) services holds promise for informing strategies across all tiers of school support. However, no prior research has investigated students' self-reported needs. The current study coded open-ended youth problem statements (N = 1212) from a diverse sample of 455 students…

The quality of life of autistic children and their parents is impacted by the stress they experience, their coping strategies and the availability of professional health, social and educational support services. Recent changes in the structural organisation of child disability professional supports in Ireland mean that in-depth knowledge about…

Background: Children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often experience symptoms of various mental disorders along with the characteristics that define ASD. High rates of several psychiatric disorders have been reported in people with ASD such as anxiety, depression, cognitive problems, emotional regulation difficulties and…

Sexual minorities report poorer mental health relative to heterosexual counterparts, but this is underexplored in Latinx youth. This study compares internalizing symptoms and externalizing behaviors in Latinx adolescents with Same Sex Behaviors (LASSB) to their Latinx adolescent peers who did not report same sex behaviors (non-LASSB). It also…

Objective: This review summarizes evidence pertaining to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological health of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Materials and Methods: An electronic search was conducted using four major databases--PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Using an umbrella…

School refusal is a serious problem that negatively affects academic performance, connection to school, and socioemotional well-being of students. Numerous scientific works have suggested that school refusal is associated with internalizing problems. However, it is necessary to determine how this condition may affect certain academic variables,…

Introduction: Emotional and behavioral problems are common in adolescents with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities (MBID). Basic Psychological Needs Theory connects fulfillment of basic psychological needs (autonomy, relatedness, competence) to ill-being (mental health problems). The associations between the frustration and satisfaction…

Objectives: Autistic children frequently exhibit irritability, which can manifest as aggression, self-injurious behaviour, and severe tantrums, leading to significant impairments. Two atypical antipsychotics have been licensed by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of irritability in autistic children, although a significant…

Autistic youth engage in higher levels of screen time and are more likely to experience mental health problems than their typically developing peers; however, few studies have investigated a potential relationship between daily screen time hours and mental health in autistic youth. This study examined the relations among daily screen time hours…