About this Research Topic
Mental health of children and young people is a public health concern. Those with persistent, complex needs such as reactive attachment disorder, persistent self-harm, personality disorders and neurodevelopmental disorders – i.e. those with the poorest functioning and most complex psychiatric presentations - are often out of mental health services by age eighteen. Barriers to diagnosis and treatment of complex mental health in children and young people include missed diagnosis and poor early identification. This implies long term disadvantage in young people, which leads to clinical and self-experiential discrimination, and to widening social, health and occupational disadvantage.
Whilst early detection and prevention of youth mental illness is well known, translating research into successful intervention requires ongoing development. The focus of adolescent epidemiology has not been on disorders primary viewed within the adult taxonomy. This may partly be due to the differences in diagnostic categorization and therapeutic models of service provision amongst child and adult services in most countries. For example, child services are less diagnostically driven, making the identification of specific at-risk groups (i.e. ADHD, at-risk of psychosis, mood disorders and personality disorders) challenging. Lack of transition data limits the discontinuities in service provision for children (0-5), adolescents (12-18) and young adults (18+) with most complex needs.
The aim of this Research Topic is to highlight the gaps in knowledge (mechanisms, complex interventions trials research, service user perspective) in early intervention research.
We welcome Original, Observational and Review studies on the following topics :
• Developmental psychopathology research for expanding the current evidence base on early intervention;
• Service user perspective on pathways to care: children and young person’s lived experience – where are the gaps?;
• Research focusing on early intervention and identification of complex mental health needs (e.g. Neurodevelopmental disorders, PSTD, Borderline personality disorder, Bipolar disorder, eating disorders, psychosis);
• Risk and resilience factors for understanding severe mental health experiences;
• Early Intervention Perspective on suicide prevention;
• What is the role of early intervention in child and adolescent mental health? -Pros and Cons of specialist versus universal services.
Whilst early detection and prevention of youth mental illness is well known, translating research into successful intervention requires ongoing development. The focus of adolescent epidemiology has not been on disorders primary viewed within the adult taxonomy. This may partly be due to the differences in diagnostic categorization and therapeutic models of service provision amongst child and adult services in most countries. For example, child services are less diagnostically driven, making the identification of specific at-risk groups (i.e. ADHD, at-risk of psychosis, mood disorders and personality disorders) challenging. Lack of transition data limits the discontinuities in service provision for children (0-5), adolescents (12-18) and young adults (18+) with most complex needs.
The aim of this Research Topic is to highlight the gaps in knowledge (mechanisms, complex interventions trials research, service user perspective) in early intervention research.
We welcome Original, Observational and Review studies on the following topics :
• Developmental psychopathology research for expanding the current evidence base on early intervention;
• Service user perspective on pathways to care: children and young person’s lived experience – where are the gaps?;
• Research focusing on early intervention and identification of complex mental health needs (e.g. Neurodevelopmental disorders, PSTD, Borderline personality disorder, Bipolar disorder, eating disorders, psychosis);
• Risk and resilience factors for understanding severe mental health experiences;
• Early Intervention Perspective on suicide prevention;
• What is the role of early intervention in child and adolescent mental health? -Pros and Cons of specialist versus universal services.
Keywords: diagnosis, treatment, young people, early detection, prevention, risk factors, resilience
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
