Lifetime Victimization in Children and Adolescents With ADHD.

The objective of this study is to describe the frequency and type of victimization in a Spanish child and adolescent clinical ADHD sample and to analyze the association between the types of victimization and the severity of the symptoms. The sample is composed of 106 outpatients in treatment for ADHD, according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) criteria. Symptom severity was measured by the Conners-3 scales. ADHD and comorbid diagnostics were evaluated with the Mini-Kid interview. The victimization experiences were studied using the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ). Children with child maltreatment history showed a greater intensity of hyperactivity/impulsivity, aggression and behavioral disorders as well as depression and anxiety disorders. The presence of peer victimization was associated with inattention, learning disorders, executive functioning, and relationship problems. Episodes of victimization should be considered in the treatment of the ADHD. Child maltreatment history is more associated with hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms, while peer victimization is more associated with attentional symptoms.

Emotional regulation for adolescents: a group-based treatment pilot study through the STEPPS programme.

BACKGROUND: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) usually begins in adolescence and manifests itself in adult life. Early intervention can improve the prognosis or reduce its severity. Nevertheless, there are currently few studies of adolescent patients with severe emotion instability and borderline personality traits. AIMS: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving (STEPPS) programme in a sample of 21 adolescents (aged 13-17 years) in the Child and Adolescents Mental Health Center of Tarragona in Spain. METHOD: We evaluated BPD traits using the Diagnostic Interview for Borderline Disorder-Revised (DIB-R) and the Global Clinical Impression Scale of Illness Severity for TLP (CGI-TLP). We compared pre- and post-treatment scores for the DIB-R, CGI-GI scale, general psychopathology using the Personality Inventory for Adolescents (PAI-A) and impulsivity with the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11). The therapeutic objectives were evaluated with the Borderline Estimate Severity over Time (BEST) scale. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant improvement in the scores for the affective area and in the total score of the DIB-R, a decrease in the percentage of patients who failed to meet criteria for BPD, and an improvement (although not statistically significant) in the scores of the BEST scale throughout the treatment. The results of the CGI-GI scale showed global improvement in almost 72% of patients. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that STEPPS can be an effective treatment to improve BPD symptoms and is very useful in community settings with limited resources in which efficient treatment alternatives must be sought. However, this conclusion must be interpreted with caution, as there is no comparison control group.

Importancia de la detección del trastorno por déficit de atención/hiperactividad en el adulto / Importance of screening attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults

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