Child and Adolescent Mental Health – serie

Self-harm in adolescence and late teens is known to be increasing, though it is difficult to detect and inconsistently recorded. This thorough, practical and evidence-based book provides guidance for professionals and parents caring for children and young people at risk of self-harm and suicide.Claudine Fox and Keith Hawton discuss risk factors for self-harm, including depression, substance abuse and antisocial behaviour, and critically examine key screening instruments that can be used to assess risk. They describe how suicidal behaviour can be managed and prevented, and look at the effectiveness of aftercare treatment for those who self-harm, including school-based suicide-prevention programs and family therapy. Also addressed are common myths about self-harm and the problem of varying definitions in this field.Deliberate Self-Harm in Adolescence clearly summarizes and evaluates current research into suicidal behaviour - it is essential reading for social workers, mental health professionals, GPs, teachers and parents.

This book offers a thorough examination and discussion of the evidence on attachment, its influence on development, and attachment disorders.In Part One, the authors outline attachment theory, the influence of sensitive and insensitive caregiving and the applicability of attachment theory across cultures. Part Two presents the various instruments used to assess attachment and caregiving. Part Three outlines the influence of attachment security on the child's functioning. Part Four examines the poorly understood phenomenon of attachment disorder. Presenting the evidence of scientific research, the authors reveal how attachment disorders may be properly conceptualised. Referring to some of the wilder claims made about attachment disorder, they argue for a disciplined, scientific approach that is grounded in both attachment theory and the evidence base. The final part is an overview of evidence-based interventions designed to help individuals form secure attachments.Summarising the existing knowledge base in accessible language, this is a comprehensive reference book for professionals including social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, teachers, lawyers and researchers. Foster and adoptive parents, indeed all parents, and students will also find it of interest.

Cannabis is at the centre of ongoing controversial and often confused debate. Opinions on its potential impact on health are sharply divided: some argue that it poses serious risks to mental health and that adolescent use may lead to psychotic illness in young adulthood, or that it acts as a gateway to hard drugs such as cocaine or opiates. Conversely, others point to alcohol or tobacco being far more harmful yet entirely legal.Cannabis and Young People aims to shed light on the current debates by reviewing all the available evidence on a range of issues relating to the use of cannabis among children and adolescents and summarizing the main conclusions in clear, jargon-free language.Areas covered include:* Patterns of cannabis use* Changes in usage* Young people's views on cannabis* The potential harmful effects, including mental health problems, educational attainment, antisocial behaviour* The family and social factors that can initiate cannabis use* The progression to regular use* The effects of decriminalizationThis book will be an essential read for anyone needing informed, authoritative information about cannabis and its effects.

Self-harm in adolescence and late teens is known to be increasing, though it is difficult to detect and inconsistently recorded. This thorough, practical and evidence-based book provides guidance for professionals and parents caring for children and young people at risk of self-harm and suicide.Claudine Fox and Keith Hawton discuss risk factors for self-harm, including depression, substance abuse and antisocial behaviour, and critically examine key screening instruments that can be used to assess risk. They describe how suicidal behaviour can be managed and prevented, and look at the effectiveness of aftercare treatment for those who self-harm, including school-based suicide-prevention programs and family therapy. Also addressed are common myths about self-harm and the problem of varying definitions in this field.Deliberate Self-Harm in Adolescence clearly summarizes and evaluates current research into suicidal behaviour - it is essential reading for social workers, mental health professionals, GPs, teachers and parents.

Bringing together current research on mental health services for children from minority ethnic backgrounds, this much-needed resource provides guidance for both practice and policy. In the light of their interviews with child and adolescent mental health managers about their approaches to service development, the authors argue that the delivery of effective services can be achieved only by recognizing the diversity of cultures and individual needs of minority groups and encouraging more communication between service providers.They consider how ethnicity is defined, and how the field of mental health has developed in the West according to Western concepts of health and well-being, and show how an understanding of the key practice issues and policy and academic debates can enable professionals to develop and fine-tune their cultural competence. With details of a number of projects and services, as well as a list of resources and organizations, policy makers, service managers and commissioners, as well as professionals at the front-line, will find this an essential guide to recognizing and engaging with the diversity of children's backgrounds and needs.Child and Adolescent Mental Health SeriesWritten for professionals, and parents, these accessible, evidence-based resources are essential reading for anyone seeking to understand and promote children and young people's mental health. Drawing on the work of FOCUS, a multidisciplinary project based at the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Research Unit, each title in the series brings together practical and policy-level suggestions with up-to-the-minute analysis of research.

Cannabis is at the centre of ongoing controversial and often confused debate. Opinions on its potential impact on health are sharply divided: some argue that it poses serious risks to mental health and that adolescent use may lead to psychotic illness in young adulthood, or that it acts as a gateway to hard drugs such as cocaine or opiates. Conversely, others point to alcohol or tobacco being far more harmful yet entirely legal.Cannabis and Young People aims to shed light on the current debates by reviewing all the available evidence on a range of issues relating to the use of cannabis among children and adolescents and summarizing the main conclusions in clear, jargon-free language.Areas covered include:* Patterns of cannabis use* Changes in usage* Young people's views on cannabis* The potential harmful effects, including mental health problems, educational attainment, antisocial behaviour* The family and social factors that can initiate cannabis use* The progression to regular use* The effects of decriminalizationThis book will be an essential read for anyone needing informed, authoritative information about cannabis and its effects.

This book offers a thorough examination and discussion of the evidence on attachment, its influence on development, and attachment disorders.In Part One, the authors outline attachment theory, the influence of sensitive and insensitive caregiving and the applicability of attachment theory across cultures. Part Two presents the various instruments used to assess attachment and caregiving. Part Three outlines the influence of attachment security on the child's functioning. Part Four examines the poorly understood phenomenon of attachment disorder. Presenting the evidence of scientific research, the authors reveal how attachment disorders may be properly conceptualised. Referring to some of the wilder claims made about attachment disorder, they argue for a disciplined, scientific approach that is grounded in both attachment theory and the evidence base. The final part is an overview of evidence-based interventions designed to help individuals form secure attachments.Summarising the existing knowledge base in accessible language, this is a comprehensive reference book for professionals including social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, teachers, lawyers and researchers. Foster and adoptive parents, indeed all parents, and students will also find it of interest.

`This is the latest in a series of accessible, evidence-based resources from Jessica Kingsley Publishers for those seeking to understand and promote young people's mental health. Trawling through the evidence, the authors start by looking at the nature and prevalence of conduct disorders including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and how they relate to factors such as depression, substance misuse and learning disabilities. They also look at preventive methods and services available to adolescents in the wake of Ever Child Matters. The book then deals with different approaches to treatment, from individual programmes using cognitive behaviour therapy to family, school-based and pharmacological interventions. It suggests family therapies are the most promising, with little evidence supporting the efficacy of medication.'- Youth Work NowOffending behaviour in young people is a problem not only for affected neighbours and communities; it is also a serious problem for the young people involved. Behaviour problems and involvement in criminal activities have been linked to continued offending, substance misuse, lack of education and work - all factors that are linked, in turn, with shorter life expectancy.This book reviews the literature on a number of techniques and treatment approaches designed for use with adolescent conduct disorder and young offenders. The authors also provide an overview of the condition including its developmental pathway; the criteria for diagnosing conduct disorder, and services for adolescents.Conduct disorder and offending behaviour in young people are complex problems that need multi-agency, multifaceted solutions. This book aims to contribute to the design of services by drawing on a wide range of high-quality research, and presents it for the non-specialist. It is essential reading for child and adolescent mental health practitioners, social workers, youth offending teams and other professionals working with young people with conduct problems and their families.

Bringing together current research on mental health services for children from minority ethnic backgrounds, this much-needed resource provides guidance for both practice and policy. In the light of their interviews with child and adolescent mental health managers about their approaches to service development, the authors argue that the delivery of effective services can be achieved only by recognizing the diversity of cultures and individual needs of minority groups and encouraging more communication between service providers.They consider how ethnicity is defined, and how the field of mental health has developed in the West according to Western concepts of health and well-being, and show how an understanding of the key practice issues and policy and academic debates can enable professionals to develop and fine-tune their cultural competence. With details of a number of projects and services, as well as a list of resources and organizations, policy makers, service managers and commissioners, as well as professionals at the front-line, will find this an essential guide to recognizing and engaging with the diversity of children's backgrounds and needs.Child and Adolescent Mental Health SeriesWritten for professionals, and parents, these accessible, evidence-based resources are essential reading for anyone seeking to understand and promote children and young people's mental health. Drawing on the work of FOCUS, a multidisciplinary project based at the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Research Unit, each title in the series brings together practical and policy-level suggestions with up-to-the-minute analysis of research.