Although sleep problems often comprise core features of psychiatric disorders, inadequate attention has been paid to the complex, reciprocal relationships involved in the early regulation of sleep, emotion, and behavior. In this paper, we review the pediatric literature examining sleep in children with primary psychiatric disorders as well as…

Reviews the literature dealing with the role of computers in psychiatric interviewing, and with the role of the computer as a patient or as a therapist. Efforts to develop forms of computer-assisted therapy are described, and implications for the mental health field are suggested. (40 references) (LRW)

Recent research amongst mental health service users reveals how important spiritual care and counsel are and how few resources are available to provide this service from psychiatry, religious organizations or secular counseling services. Describes the results of three research projects in Somerset and explores the significance of the recovery of…

Increasing numbers of patients will be discharged from mental hospitals because of changes in delivery services. Approximately 650,000 patients will return to their families. This presents new challenges to family therapists. Presented at the Annual Conference of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, Washington, DC, October…

Discusses the National Institute of Mental Health's (NIMH) epidemiological studies of childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorders. Notes the significant number of students with diagnosable psychiatric disorders uncovered by the NIMH. Concludes with an agenda for action at the school, district, and governmental levels to include school…

Few questions in psychotherapy are of greater importance than the relationship among practitioners, researchers, and managed care. The present and future roles of psychotherapy are covered here. Despite ample evidence that psychotherapy does work, its effectiveness continues to be questioned. When psychotherapy research emerged some 50 years ago,…

A positive self image is necessary for good mental health, yet societal influences have a negative impact on the self esteem of Hispanic people living in the United States. Hispanics are caught between the cultural poles of the values of the Hispanic community and the demand for acculturation into the dominant society. Adverse influences on…

This document is part of a series of monographs on community-based services for children and adolescents who are severely emotionally disturbed. The series is the product of a national study of community-based service approaches which identified over 200 programs serving emotionally disturbed children and included visits to several programs…

The authors suggest that specific methodologies for assessing child satisfaction with treatment can be systematically developed once a more explicit developmental framework has been delineated in the area of children's understanding of medical and psychiatric disorders and their treatments. (Author/BW)

This report represents the testimony of Dr. Mary Ann Hutchison, Project Director of the mental health demonstration and research discretionary grant, "Strengthening Head Start Families: Reducing High Risk Through Mental Health Prevention/Intervention," who discusses the importance of reauthorization of Head Start's mental health…

Providing housing and supports for people with psychiatric disabilities, particularly those who are homeless, is a major public policy challenge. Summarizes ways in which the concept of these needs is rapidly shifting in the mental health field. This population is increasingly seen as capable of full-community participation and integration. (AF)

As legislation permits, the state and federal rehabilitation programs have become increasingly involved in rehabilitation of psychiatrically disabled persons. The National Institute of Mental Health and the Rehabilitation Services Administration cooperate to implement federal policy in a number of programs. (JAC)

This article outlines problems associated with large mental hospitals, describes how knowledge gained from these problems can be used to create alternative treatment programs, and introduces the papers in this special issue on community-based treatment programs for individuals with developmental disabilities. (JDD)

To positively affect psychiatrically disabled clients, rehabilitation practitioners require the ability to diagnose and increase client skills, to maintain one's personal effectiveness, and to coordinate one's efforts with the other persons involved in the comprehensive rehabilitation effort. Training programs need to be comprehensive and…

Various concepts of culture related to ethnicity, language use, values, material goods, and rituals have influenced development of culturally competent mental health programs. Describes how understanding of culture's complexity influences assessment of Hispanic clients at three inpatient bilingual/bicultural psychiatric programs in New York City.…