{"title":"Principal perspectives","authors":"David P. Lichtenstein Ph.D.","doi":"10.1002/cbl.30976","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cbl.30976","url":null,"abstract":"<p>For my annual back-to-school column, I spoke to a few principals I've been consulting with over the past few years. They work at the high- and elementary-school level, each with about 20 years of experience as principal or in other leadership roles. Together, they told a complex story about challenges for students and teachers these days. Rather than fact-check their assertions, I supplemented their narratives with a national survey of educators (NCES, n.d.), employing data from as recently as 2024.</p>","PeriodicalId":101223,"journal":{"name":"The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter","volume":"42 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148754028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Researchers find early predictors of low daily living skills in teens with autism","authors":"Alison Knopf","doi":"10.1002/cbl.30974","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cbl.30974","url":null,"abstract":"<p>It is known that adolescents with autism have lower daily living skills (DLS) than adolescents without autism. A recent study has looked at this more closely, aiming to find out exactly what the DLS differences are, and what the predictors could be. There is wide variation in the independent DLS in adolescents with autism, compared with adolescents with other developmental disabilities (DD). The findings showed that early predictors of lower DLS included problems with early expressive language, fine motor skills, and attention. Understanding the predictors can help guide interventions targeted to helping the youth acquire DLS and become more independent.</p>","PeriodicalId":101223,"journal":{"name":"The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter","volume":"42 9","pages":"6-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148754026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"College students increasingly fear growing up, but find it isn't that scary","authors":"Alison Knopf","doi":"10.1002/cbl.30975","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cbl.30975","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Many millennials are more afraid of growing up than past generations, but according to a new study, those fears abated when they entered the reality of young adulthood. “Maturity fears” actually abate with maturity, the researchers found. “Our findings suggest that fears about growing older are not necessarily fixed; they appear to decrease for many people as they gain experience navigating adult roles and responsibilities,” says study author April Smith, Ph.D., of Auburn University. “At the same time, more recent generations of college students consistently reported higher maturity fears, which suggests that broader societal factors like economic uncertainty, social pressures, and concerns about the future may be shaping how young people view adulthood.”</p>","PeriodicalId":101223,"journal":{"name":"The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter","volume":"42 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148754027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"How to bond when your baby is in the NICU","authors":"Alison Knopf","doi":"10.1002/cbl.30977","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cbl.30977","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A study I reviewed for this issue focused on the need to help parents with stress when their baby is in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a long article detailing the importance of “parent identity” which can be difficult to develop in the NICU. They need to bond with their baby, who may be in an isolette, unable to be even be touched, much less held, surrounded by wires. It's far from what the parents, and especially the mom, envisioned. But it's important to let them develop this identity.</p>","PeriodicalId":101223,"journal":{"name":"The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter","volume":"42 9","pages":"9-10"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148754022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Managing eating disorders in outpatient therapy: Clinical tools and best practices","authors":"Pamela A. Scalise Psy.D.","doi":"10.1002/cbl.30972","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cbl.30972","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Eating disorders encountered in outpatient practice span a broad spectrum: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED). Eating disorders rank among the most lethal psychiatric conditions with an estimated prevalence of 6 to 8% among adolescents, though are often undetected or overlooked in outpatient settings (Galmiche et al., 2019). In a society that normalizes and celebrates weight loss, “atypical” anorexia (i.e., when a patient meets the cognitive and behavioral criteria for anorexia but is not technically considered underweight) may result in weight loss being praised rather than recognized as a symptom of a serous eating disorder. It is important to recognize that weight is an unreliable indicator of severity, and a patient need not appear emaciated to be in genuine medical danger. Rather, eating disorders are multisystem illnesses with far-reaching medical consequences that extend well beyond changes in weight or eating behaviors.</p>","PeriodicalId":101223,"journal":{"name":"The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter","volume":"42 9","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148754023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Keep your eye on…","authors":"Alison Knopf","doi":"10.1002/cbl.30973","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cbl.30973","url":null,"abstract":"<p>\u0000 </p>","PeriodicalId":101223,"journal":{"name":"The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter","volume":"42 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148754024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"When our patients' statements cross a line: What can you do?","authors":"Rebecca Laptook Ph.D., Janet Anderson Ed.D., Brooke DeWitt Ph.D., Kelsey Borner Ph.D.","doi":"10.1002/cbl.30971","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cbl.30971","url":null,"abstract":"<p>We have all encountered uncomfortable and difficult interactions within the patient–therapist sphere, whether it's in the context of talking about difficult diagnoses, giving parenting feedback, helping someone gain insight into their role in an interpersonal conflict, engaging with a child or caregiver who doesn't want to be in therapy, building rapport with parents who have high conflict, and countless other scenarios. As mental health professionals, we are trained to hold space for our patients' feelings and beliefs by creating an atmosphere that is non-judgmental and empathic where one can feel safe to express themselves. We are trained to be self-reflective and self-aware of our own biases and beliefs and consider how we may be bringing those into the therapy room. But what should you do when patients' statements cross a line?</p>","PeriodicalId":101223,"journal":{"name":"The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter","volume":"42 9","pages":"1-4"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148754025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Keep your eye on…","authors":"Alison Knopf","doi":"10.1002/cbl.30967","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cbl.30967","url":null,"abstract":"<p>\u0000 </p>","PeriodicalId":101223,"journal":{"name":"The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter","volume":"42 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148553355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bridging gaps, building health after a youth's suicidal crisis: The role of community health workers","authors":"Nicole Espinal, Michelle Aiello, Gisela Jiménez-Colon, Yovanska Duarté-Vélez","doi":"10.1002/cbl.30965","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cbl.30965","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Community Health Workers (CHWs) are recognized as trusted “frontline” workers whose relationships to the communities they serve set them apart as critical agents in addressing health disparities. Drawing on their lived experiences and cultural humility, CHWs develop trust with patients to deliver person-centered support in ways that the traditional medical workforce often cannot. Patients may connect more easily with CHW's due to a more balanced power dynamic, greater flexibility, and a shared understanding of cultural beliefs around health. There is a growing call to better understand the full scope of CHW roles in different settings, such as outpatient mental health (MH) clinics, and how their contributions can make a difference in outcomes. This article seeks to highlight the collaboration between CHWs and clinicians in the Mi Gente Program, an outpatient MH clinic at Bradley Hospital, and to demonstrate how their approach improves patient care.</p>","PeriodicalId":101223,"journal":{"name":"The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter","volume":"42 8","pages":"1-4"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148553353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Patricia M. Garibaldi M.S., Avery Beatty Ph.D., Nayrobi Almonte BHSIII, Claudia McKenley B.A., Erik Hood Ph.D.
{"title":"“Lunch bunch” groups for social skills development in youth partial hospitalization programs: A case report","authors":"Patricia M. Garibaldi M.S., Avery Beatty Ph.D., Nayrobi Almonte BHSIII, Claudia McKenley B.A., Erik Hood Ph.D.","doi":"10.1002/cbl.30966","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/cbl.30966","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Group-based therapies are frequently utilized in schools and high-acuity settings to extend service capacity amid clinician shortages, while providing increased opportunities for in vivo practice of therapeutic skills in socially relevant, more generalizable contexts.<sup>1</sup> Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs) are particularly well suited to use of group therapies. PHPs provide treatment to youth with a range of concerns and developmental abilities, typically 5 days a week during school hours. Bradley Hospital's Children's Partial Hospitalization Program (CPHP) serves 19 youth aged 7–12 with a range of psychiatric presentations during average lengths of stay of 6–8 weeks. Patients receive daily individual therapy, manualized evidence-based group therapy, medication management, academic instruction, extensive skills practice through milieu-based treatment and activities, and twice-weekly family therapy sessions. While the CPHP treatment is comprehensive, one clinical need that can go under-addressed is social skills development. This gap contributes to challenging behaviors in the milieu, as well as feelings of disconnectedness and social isolation that can exacerbate the mental health symptoms that led to patients' admission to the program. To more directly address these needs, “lunch bunch” social skills groups were piloted as a supplemental, group-based intervention for patients presenting with high social motivation and social skills deficits.</p>","PeriodicalId":101223,"journal":{"name":"The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter","volume":"42 8","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148553354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}