{"title":"Violence and Mental Illness: Principles, Pathways, and Perspectives of Peril.","authors":"","doi":"10.1176/appi.focus.26024101","DOIUrl":"10.1176/appi.focus.26024101","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":73036,"journal":{"name":"Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing)","volume":"24 1","pages":"73-74"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13003238/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147640667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Structured Violence Risk Assessments: Generations Ahead of Clinical Judgment.","authors":"Charles Scott, Barbara McDermott","doi":"10.1176/appi.focus.20250035","DOIUrl":"10.1176/appi.focus.20250035","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Violence risk assessments are a common and important aspect of mental health professionals' work in a range of settings. Providers must be aware of important components of violence risk assessments, including emerging standards of assessing risk of future harm. This review summarizes generations of risk assessments, factors to consider when choosing a risk assessment instrument, and the use of structured violence risk assessments in different settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":73036,"journal":{"name":"Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing)","volume":"24 1","pages":"10-16"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13003260/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147640696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of Digital Literacy Training on Outcomes for People With Serious Mental Illness in Community and Inpatient Settings.","authors":"Erica Camacho, John Torous","doi":"10.1176/appi.focus.25023025","DOIUrl":"10.1176/appi.focus.25023025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The authors explored whether a digital literacy program, Digital Outreach for Obtaining Resources and Skills (DOORS), could improve self-reported functional skills and clinical outcomes among people with serious mental illness.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The 8-week program was offered to participants receiving treatment in community mental health centers (N=113) and an inpatient psychiatric unit (N=74). Pre- and postintervention self-report surveys were collected. Descriptive statistics and two-tailed t tests were used for analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>For patients treated in a community center, improvements were observed in 27 of the 29 self-reported functional skills that measured digital literacy. Changes in seven of these skills were statistically significant. Although these participants reported larger improvements in clinical outcomes than did inpatient participants, no statistically significant changes in symptoms were seen in either setting.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Digital skills training is necessary to increase access to care through technology. DOORS can improve self-reported digital literacy, but further research is necessary to determine its immediate impact on symptoms.</p>","PeriodicalId":73036,"journal":{"name":"Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing)","volume":"23 4","pages":"489-493"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12818703/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146144876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"From Theory to Therapy: The Evolution and Future of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis in U.S. Mental Health Care.","authors":"Sarah L Kopelovich, Poppy Brown, Kate Hardy","doi":"10.1176/appi.focus.20250019","DOIUrl":"10.1176/appi.focus.20250019","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cognitive-behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp) is an evidence-based intervention targeting distress and impairment associated with psychotic symptoms. Despite strong empirical support and international endorsement, it remains underutilized in U.S. psychiatric and forensic settings. This article traces CBTp's theoretical foundations and chronicles its U.S. development, highlighting key milestones, policy shifts, and clinical applications. A narrative review of cognitive-behavioral models, landmark trials, and federal and state implementation initiatives reveals CBTp's evolution from educational and behavioral intervention models into a flexible approach incorporating cognitive, behavioral, motivational, and environmental strategies for the full psychosis spectrum. Recent years have seen diversification into group-based, low-intensity, and digital formats, with growing access via state-sponsored training. Persistent barriers include clinician training, reimbursement, and integration into routine care. Understanding CBTp's theoretical roots, evidence base, and U.S. history can help mental health practitioners advance its integration. Psychiatrists are well positioned to advocate for and participate in enhancing access.</p>","PeriodicalId":73036,"journal":{"name":"Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing)","volume":"23 4","pages":"429-438"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12818709/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146088197","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ethical and Legal Aspects of Treating Schizophrenia.","authors":"Jacob M Appel","doi":"10.1176/appi.focus.20250017","DOIUrl":"10.1176/appi.focus.20250017","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":73036,"journal":{"name":"Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing)","volume":"23 4","pages":"442-445"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12818696/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146088238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Laura J Fochtmann, Jennifer Medicus, Seung-Hee Hong, Emily A Kuhl
{"title":"Practice Assessment Tool for the Care of Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder.","authors":"Laura J Fochtmann, Jennifer Medicus, Seung-Hee Hong, Emily A Kuhl","doi":"10.1176/appi.focus.20250032","DOIUrl":"10.1176/appi.focus.20250032","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by a long-term pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, unstable self-image, marked impulsivity, and/or affective instability. In addition, these features can be evidenced by efforts to avoid real or feared abandonment, chronic feelings of emptiness, mood reactivity, recurrent self-injurious or suicidal behavior, other impulsive behaviors with potential for self-damaging effects, intense anger or difficulty with anger control, and transient paranoid ideation or stress-related dissociative symptoms. BPD is associated with substantial lifetime burdens and psychosocial impairments, including high rates of co-occurring psychiatric disorders; disruptions in interpersonal relationships, school, work, and housing; and suicide attempts and nonsuicidal self-injury. Consequently, early identification and treatment of BPD are crucial. The <i>American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Borderline Personality Disorder</i> aims to enhance knowledge and increase the appropriate use of interventions for BPD, thereby improving the quality of care and treatment outcomes. To this end, this evidence-based Performance in Practice tool can facilitate the implementation of a systematic approach to practice improvement for the care of individuals with BPD. This practice assessment activity can also be used in partial fulfillment of Continuing Medical Education and ABPN Continuing Certification, Improvement in Medical Practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":73036,"journal":{"name":"Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing)","volume":"23 4","pages":"446-460"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12818698/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146088255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Call to Action for Starting Clozapine: Increasing Clozapine Use and Safety in a Post-REMS Era.","authors":"Jonathan G Leung, Robert O Cotes","doi":"10.1176/appi.focus.20250023","DOIUrl":"10.1176/appi.focus.20250023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Clozapine remains the only medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for managing treatment-resistant schizophrenia and for reducing the risk of recurrent suicidal behavior in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Despite its known benefits, its use remains suboptimal with non-evidence-based treatments often trialed before clozapine. These delays have been shown to reduce the likelihood of clozapine response or increase the risk of early discontinuation. With the elimination of the Clozapine Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy program, one barrier that had impeded clozapine use has been negated. However, barriers persist that are related to clinicians' perceptions of clozapine and knowledge related to appropriate titration, monitoring, and management of adverse drug reactions. With a growing body of evidence suggesting that current FDA-recommended hematologic monitoring is overly cautious, there is future potential that these requirements become less stringent. This marks an important time to bring forth a call to action for increased use of clozapine and focus on important clozapine-related initiation and monitoring strategies. Such strategies include slower initial titration, understanding differences in clozapine metabolism across different genetic ancestry groups, awareness of inflammatory reactions, recognition of pneumonia-related mortality, and appropriate bowel care. This review highlights best and evidence-based practices to help clinicians increase clozapine prescribing and ensure that patients have the greatest opportunity for a successful, potentially life-saving clozapine trial.</p>","PeriodicalId":73036,"journal":{"name":"Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing)","volume":"23 4","pages":"375-388"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12818699/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146088191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}