Susanne Ohmann

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in Adolescents with Borderline Personality Disorder and Ultra-High Risk Criteria for Psychosis: A Post Hoc Subgroup Analysis of a Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To investigate whether long-chain omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) improve functioning and psychiatric symptoms in young people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) who also meet ultra-high risk criteria for psychosis. Methods: We conducted a post hoc subgroup analysis of a double-blind, randomized controlled trial. Fifteen adolescents with BPD (mean age 16.2 years, [SD 2.1]) were randomized to either 1.2 g/day n-3 PUFAs or placebo. The intervention period was 12 weeks. Study measures included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, and the Global Assessment of Functioning. Side effects were documented with the Udvalg for Kliniske Undersøgelser. Fatty acids in erythrocytes were analyzed using capillary gas chromatography. Results: At baseline, erythrocyte n-3 PUFA levels correlated positively with psychosocial functioning and negatively with psychopathology. By the end of the intervention, n-3 PUFAs significantly improved functioning and reduced psychiatric symptoms, compared with placebo. Side effects did not differ between the treatment groups. Conclusions: Long-chain n-3 PUFAs should be further explored as a viable treatment strategy with minimal associated risk in young people with BPD.

Evaluating an InfoVis Technique Using Insight Reports

The evaluation of Information Visualization (InfoVis) techniques can help to identify specific strengths and weaknesses of these methods. The following article describes the results of an empirical study assessing the contribution of an interactive InfoVis method based on a spring metaphor (GRAVI), exploratory data analysis (EDA) and machine learning (ML) to ease understanding. The application domain is the psychotherapeutic treatment of anorectic young women. The three methods are supposed to support the therapists in finding the variables which influence success or failure of the therapy. To conduct the evaluation we developed a report system which helped subjects to formulate and document in a self-directed manner the insights they gained when using the three methods. The results indicate that the three methods are complementary and should be used in conjunction.

Applying information visualization techniques to capture and explore the course of cognitive behavioral therapy

Tracking and especially comparing psychotherapeutic processes is a complex task involving a large number of individual and complexly related parameters. Therefore, descriptive and classical statistical methods are only suited for partial analyses. To overcome these limitations we introduce LinkVis, a new Information Visualization (InfoVis) tool used to visualize and evaluate psychotherapeutic processes. LinkVis is developed and clinically tested on the basis of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy treating anorectic girls. The user gets new insight into the data under investigation due to the combination of three different visualization techniques: scatterplots, Chernoff faces, and parallel coordinates. LinkVis supports exploring of complex time-dependent data in order to gain more information about the psychotherapeutic process, especially when comparing different patients and groups.

Practitioner Review: School-based interventions in child mental health.

BACKGROUND School-based interventions (SBIs) are well-established and effective treatments for improving child mental health. Specific school-based topics include prevention (Tier I-III) and interventions (e.g. cognitive-behavioural programmes and daily report cards). METHODS We performed a systematic literature search in five commonly used online databases (ERIC, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO and PSYNDEX) for English-language articles published between 1993 and 2015. Additional sources included reference lists of relevant articles and book chapters. RESULTS We identified a number of successful behavioural or cognitive-behavioural programmes yielding moderate to strong effects for a range of emotional and behavioural problems. The implementation of these programmes and the collaboration of the involved settings (school and home) and persons are important factors for their effectiveness under real-life conditions. CONCLUSIONS Effective SBIs are valuable tools for students with mental health problems if evidence-based cognitive-behavioural interventions are applied and rules of translational algorithms and implementation science are respected.

Mixing evaluation methods for assessing the utility of an interactive InfoVis technique

We describe the results of an empirical study comparing an interactive Information Visualization (InfoVis) technique called Gravi++ (GRAVI), Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) and Machine Learning (ML). The application domain is the psychotherapeutic treatment of anorectic young women. The three techniques are supposed to support the therapists in finding the variables which influence success or failure in therapy. To evaluate the utility of the three techniques we developed on the one hand a report system which helped subjects to formulate and document in a self-directed manner the insights they gained when using the three techniques. On the other hand, focus groups were held with the subjects. The combination of these very different evaluation methods prevents jumping to false conclusions and enables for an comprehensive assessment of the tested techniques. The combined results indicate that the three techniques (EDA, ML, and GRAVI) are complementary and therefore should be used in conjunction.

Kognitiv-verhaltenstherapeutische Gruppentherapie für Jugendliche mit angstbedingter Schulverweigerung. Eine Beobachtungsstudie

School refusal is a multicausal disorder with an estimated prevalence of about 5%. Patients are at risk for developing educational, social, and behavioral problems. Studies evaluating therapeutic interventions are, however, rare. Objectives: We prospectively investigated adolescents with prolonged school refusal who took part in a standardized group treatment program to find out if the program was suited for this group and if comorbid problems influenced the therapeutic progress. Patients and Methods: We investigated 18 adolescents admitted for prolonged school refusal. They were 10-14 years old and met ICD-10 criteria for social phobia (F40.1). All attended 16 sessions of manual-based, cognitive behavioral group therapy (CBT) [Joormann und Unnewehr, 2002] and were psychologically tested before, during and at the end of CBT. Results: 14 patients completed the study and the pre- and posttherapeutic assessment. Social phobia, clinical, and depression scores improved but not significantly. Temperamental factors ‘persistence’, ‘self-directedness’, and ‘cooperativeness’ were associated with better therapeutic success, ‘harm avoidance’ with higher social phobia scores and a less substantial clinical improvement. All patients had at least one comorbid axis-1 diagnosis, most frequently separation anxiety. Nearly all patients had impaired executive functions, and nearly all parents had psychiatric problems. Conclusions: The Joormann and Unnewehr CBT program was somewhat effective. Considering the high number of comorbidities, longer duration of treatment, additional treatment components and parental psychotherapy are recommended.

Internet gaming disorder in children and adolescents: a systematic review

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a serious disorder leading to and maintaining pertinent personal and social impairment. IGD has to be considered in view of heterogeneous and incomplete concepts. We therefore reviewed the scientific literature on IGD to provide an overview focusing on definitions, symptoms, prevalence, and aetiology.

„Cyberbullying“ unter Jugendlichen

ZusammenfassungCyberbullying, die missbräuchliche Verwendung elektronischer Kommunikationsmedien mit dem Ziel, andere zu verletzen, zu demütigen oder einzuschüchtern, führt zu langfristigen Traumatisierungen mit schwerwiegenden, z. T. lebensbedrohlichen Konsequenzen. Im Durchschnitt ist etwa ein Viertel aller Jugendlichen von diesem Problem betroffen. Der vorliegende Beitrag gibt einen Überblick über Phänomenologie, Symptome, Hintergründe, Konsequenzen und Präventionsmöglichkeiten, um zur aussichtsreichen Bekämpfung gegen dieses bisher praktisch völlig vernachlässigte Phänomen aufzurufen. Ziele sind die Einführung flächendeckender Maßnahmen zur Prävention von Cyberbullying sowie das Erkennen bereits eingetretener Folgen und ihre Behandlung.AbstractCyberbullying refers to the misuse of electronic media, aiming at harming, humiliating or intimidating others and leads to severe, long-lasting traumatization and even life-threatening consequences. On average approximately one quarter of adolescents are affected by this problem. This article gives an overview of the phenomenology, symptoms, background, consequences and possibilities for prevention, in order to call for a promising way of combating this previously practically completely neglected problem. The aim is the introduction of comprehensive measures for preventing cyberbullying, the recognition of symptoms and treating the sequelae.

Klinische Psychologie in der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie

Die Universitatsklinik fur Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie wurde 1975 als eigenstandige Klinik innerhalb der medizinischen Fakultat gegrundet. Im ursprunglichen Namen findet sich der Begriff „Neuropsychiatrie“ als Hinweis auf die enge Verwobenheit neurobiologischer und psychosozialer Faktoren im Verlauf der kindlichen Entwicklung und deren Storungen. Erst in jungerer Zeit kam es zu einer Trennung von Kinderneurologie und Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie, nicht zuletzt aufgrund der zunehmenden Komplexitat beider Fachgebiete.