Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry最新文献

{"title":"Pharmacoepidemiologic Trends and Factors Associated With Use and Dosing of Newer Antidepressants in 8357 Patients Across Asia: A Two-Decade Perspective","authors":"Jiangbo Ying,&nbsp;Qian Hui Chew,&nbsp;Tian-Mei Si,&nbsp;Roy Abraham Kallivayalil,&nbsp;Andi J. Tanra,&nbsp;Amir Hossein Jalali Nadoushan,&nbsp;Kok Yoon Chee,&nbsp;Afzal Javed,&nbsp;Pornjira Pariwatcharakul,&nbsp;Seon-Cheol Park,&nbsp;Shih-Ku Lin,&nbsp;Kuan-Lun Huang,&nbsp;Toshiya Inada,&nbsp;Sandeep Grover,&nbsp;Yu-Tao Xiang,&nbsp;Norman Sartorius,&nbsp;Naotaka Shinfuku,&nbsp;Takahiro A. Kato,&nbsp;Ross J. Baldessarini,&nbsp;Kang Sim","doi":"10.1111/appy.70017","DOIUrl":"10.1111/appy.70017","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Introduction</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Previous studies of antidepressant prescribing patterns largely were limited to a single location or time, and very few involved Asia. This Asian Psychotropic Prescription Patterns Consortium study investigated pharmacoepidemiologic trends and factors associated with use and dosing of newer antidepressants across 12 Asian sites in 2003, 2013, and 2023.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Data from each site included demographic, treatment setting, clinical features, and type and dosage of antidepressants prescribed. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were examined using univariate methods, followed by multivariable logistic and linear modeling.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Of 8357 adult participants (59.8% female), 82.8% received at least one modern antidepressant. Use of these drugs was strongly associated with more recent year, younger age, inpatient status, and affective or anxiety-related disorders. Higher daily antidepressant doses were associated with inpatient status, male gender, more recent year, and younger age.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This large, multisite study provides a two-decade overview of evolving antidepressant-prescribing patterns in 12 Asian sites and highlights patient characteristics associated with prescription of newer antidepressants and their dosage. Needed are further studies of psychotropic prescribing practices related to specific illness subtypes and their impact on psychosocial functioning over time among Asian patients.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147479889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding Autonomy in End-Of-Life Dementia Care: Cultural and Ethical Perspectives From Japan","authors":"Kae Ito,&nbsp;Narei Hong,&nbsp;Huali Wang","doi":"10.1111/appy.70015","DOIUrl":"10.1111/appy.70015","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;End-of-life care is deeply shaped by culturally embedded conceptions of life and death, and this is especially relevant for persons living with dementia, whose decision-making capacity tends to decline toward the end of life. In Japan, these challenges are shaped by a sociocultural context in which family involvement in healthcare decisions is both expected and institutionally embedded. While recent policy initiatives have promoted advance care planning (ACP) to support patient preferences, its implementation in dementia care remains complex (Ito et al. &lt;span&gt;2026&lt;/span&gt;).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Despite these policy advances, ethical understanding has not always kept pace, creating confusion among both professionals and the public.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A 2024 national survey revealed that 70% of Japanese people endorsed advance directives and proxy designations, yet most resisted making such arrangements legally binding. Many preferred to let family members make final decisions without formal designation. This pattern reflects the Japanese cultural norm that “If our hearts are in sync, we understand without words.” The cultural preference for implicit understanding clashes with modern medicine's demand for explicit, documented decision-making intended to preserve autonomy even after capacity is lost.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Surveys illustrate how this preference operates in end-of-life decision-making. Sixty percent of older adults have never discussed end-of-life wishes, though many believe their families know them. In contrast, 77% of adult children report never hearing their parents' wishes; nevertheless, nearly half believe they know what their parents wanted (Shimada &lt;span&gt;2015&lt;/span&gt;). When silence replaces conversation, is autonomy preserved through trust—or lost through assumption?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Professional understanding lags as well. In our survey of 549 healthcare professionals, 86% believed families had legal authority to consent on behalf of adult patients, though no such authority exists in Japanese law. About 30% regarded a DNAR order issued after family consultation as ACP, about half regarded ACP as a process for forgoing active treatment, while 81% considered family-only discussions as “shared decision-making.” These findings suggest that both conceptual and practical confusion remain pervasive across professional groups. Notably, equating ACP with treatment withdrawal, when combined with ambiguous legal frameworks, risks undermining patients' fundamental rights to receive care. Clearer ethical and legal guidance is urgently needed in clinical practice.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Japanese experience may reflect broader ethical challenges observed across parts of Asia. First, there is no shared conceptual framework for autonomy in Asia. Western bioethics prioritizes self-determination, emphasizing independence, informed consent, and legal safeguards. In contrast, many Asian societies value harmony, filial duty, and collective responsibility (Shirahama &lt;span&gt;2001&lt;/span&gt;). These differing moral foundat","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12967681/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147375893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"ACONAMI: A Case for Asian Mental Health Transformation","authors":"Daniel Shuen Sheng Fung,&nbsp;Yoshinori Cho,&nbsp;Young-Sook Kwak","doi":"10.1111/appy.70016","DOIUrl":"10.1111/appy.70016","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147375913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association Between Excess Body Weight and Mental Health Disorders Among Reproductive-Aged Women in Bangladesh","authors":"Mst Sabrina Moonajilin,&nbsp;Borun Chandraaroy,&nbsp;Rajib Ul Islam,&nbsp;Labina Taher,&nbsp;Fariha Noshin,&nbsp;Tabeen Taher,&nbsp;Sabkat kamal","doi":"10.1111/appy.70014","DOIUrl":"10.1111/appy.70014","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Research on the association between excess body weight (EBW) and mental health among Bangladeshi women is limited. The present study investigated the relationship between EBW and symptoms of anxiety and depression among reproductive-aged women in Bangladesh.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study used data from the 2022 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), which included 19 407 ever-married women aged 18 to 49 years. A body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg per square meter or higher indicates EBW. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9). Weighted bivariate analyses and multivariable survey-adjusted ordered logistic regression models estimated associations between EBW and mental health outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic, reproductive, and economic variables.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A total of 18.7% of participants were classified as overweight or obese. Mild anxiety was reported by 22.6%, and mild depression by 24.2%. In unadjusted analyses, EBW showed a significant association with anxiety. However, after adjusting for covariates, this association was no longer significant. Instead, age, marital disruption, lower educational attainment, and lower household wealth emerged as important predictors of both anxiety and depression. No significant independent association was observed between EBW and the severity of anxiety or depression.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The results indicate that psychological distress is more likely to result from socioeconomic and marital disruptions than from EBW alone. Policy initiatives should prioritize mental health screening and psychosocial support, especially for women facing marital instability or economic hardship.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Patient and Public Involvement</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Patients and/or the public were not involved in the design, conduct, reporting, or dissemination plans of this research.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146083972","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Symptom Complexity Subtypes Show Distinct Individualism–Collectivism Orientations in Adolescents With Depressive Episodes, With Loneliness Mediating Their Relationship","authors":"Rui Zhou,&nbsp;Yi-Hui Liu,&nbsp;Yong-Yi He,&nbsp;Jia-Rong Liang,&nbsp;Mu-Tong Chen,&nbsp;Nan Chen,&nbsp;Fu-Jun Jia,&nbsp;Cai-Lan Hou","doi":"10.1111/appy.70011","DOIUrl":"10.1111/appy.70011","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Introduction</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Adolescent depressive episodes exhibit significant symptom complexity and heterogeneity, necessitating an integrated approach to identify distinct subtypes. Cultural orientations (individualism and collectivism) and loneliness are crucial factors impacting adolescent mental health. This study identifies symptom complexity subtypes in Chinese adolescents with depressive episodes, investigates cultural orientation differences between these subtypes, and explores the role of loneliness.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A total of 110 adolescents were included. K-means clustering was used to generate symptom complexity subtypes based on disease duration, self-injury, mood disorder, depressive, and anxiety symptoms. Cultural orientations were assessed using the Individualism–Collectivism Scale, loneliness using the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and other relevant variables were collected via self-report. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to explore associations among cultural orientations, loneliness, and symptom complexity.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Two subtypes were identified: low-complexity and high-complexity. The high-complexity subtype exhibited elevated loneliness levels (t = −6.16, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), more severe childhood trauma and bullying, and greater social media addiction. This group also reported higher vertical individualism (t = −2.02, <i>p</i> = 0.046) and lower vertical collectivism (t = 2.05, <i>p</i> = 0.043). SEM revealed a significant indirect association between higher individualism tendency and increased symptom complexity mediated by loneliness (β = 0.21, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001 and β = 0.53, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001, respectively).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Incorporating cultural orientation assessments into clinical practice may improve treatment outcomes for adolescents with depressive episodes by identifying those at risk for complex symptom presentations and informing subsequent culturally-tailored therapeutic interventions.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145910316","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Major Depressive Disorder With Psychiatric Emergency in Hong Kong: A Review and Practice Recommendation of the Asian Association of Neuropsychopharmacology","authors":"Ho Bun Lam,&nbsp;Tak Lam Lo,&nbsp;Kwok Leung Au Yeung,&nbsp;Ngo Cheung,&nbsp;Eric Yat-Wo Cheung,&nbsp;Chi Kin Fu,&nbsp;Chun Lam,&nbsp;Yiu Ki Lee,&nbsp;Ronnie Sze-Yuan Pao,&nbsp;Wing Kuen Sung,&nbsp;Sik Chuen Ting,&nbsp;Fan Kwong Tsang,&nbsp;Chi Keung Wong,&nbsp;Ting-Chi Vanessa Wong,&nbsp;Ming Cheuk Wong,&nbsp;Pui-Lam Isaac Yip,&nbsp;Ki Yan Mak","doi":"10.1111/appy.70010","DOIUrl":"10.1111/appy.70010","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Psychiatric emergency (PE) as related to major depressive disorder (MDD) is most commonly understood as the presentation of suicidality or a risk of violence to others. However, MDD-PE can have a wide variety of clinical presentations. The challenges in treating PE arise from the difficulty in fully defining and diagnosing this condition, especially by emergency department and non-psychiatric medical personnel. Additionally, determining the appropriate level of care, as well as resource and other constraints, further complicates the management of MDD-PE. This manuscript reviews the definition, diagnosis, and management of MDD-PE globally, and provides recommendations for clinicians in the context of Hong Kong clinical practice. It reflects the outcomes of a meeting of psychiatrists in Hong Kong convened by the Asian Association of Neuropsychopharmacology. The primary goal of the diagnostic process is to determine a patient's level of risk to themselves and others. The main recommendations include educating clinicians on the diverse presentation of MDD-PE and non-clinical factors that may contribute to risk assessment—emphasizing contextual factors during history-taking. The recommendations also include the stratification of patients into three categories depending on (1) whether hospitalization is warranted and (2) the urgency and intensity of required intervention, with the aim of optimizing resources. Finally, the role of novel interventions, such as fast-acting or non-invasive ones, is discussed.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":"17 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145562420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Effect of Hope on Functional Recovery in Patients With Schizophrenia: A Cross-Sectional Study","authors":"Eda Ay,&nbsp;Hatice Polat","doi":"10.1111/appy.70009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/appy.70009","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objective</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To determine the effect of hope on functional recovery in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This correlational, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic of a hospital in eastern Türkiye between June 2022 and January 2023. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Herth Hope Index (HHI), and the Functional Remission of General Schizophrenia (FROGS) scale. The study included 136 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. Data were analyzed using percentage distributions and mean values, as well as Pearson correlation and regression analyses.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The mean total FROGS score of the patients was found to be 47.25 ± 15.2, while the mean total HHS score was 45.22 ± 22.63. A statistically significant positive correlation was identified between the mean scores of all subscales of the FROGS and HHS, as well as between their total scores (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Regression analysis revealed that the level of hope in patients with schizophrenia had a 60% effect on functional recovery (<i>F</i> = 203.61; <i>R</i>² = 0.603; <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The findings of this study indicated that patients diagnosed with schizophrenia had moderate levels of hope but low functional recovery scores. Additionally, a significant and positive relationship was observed between hope and functional recovery, demonstrating that hope is an influential factor in enhancing functional recovery. Therefore, it is recommended that interventions aimed at increasing levels of hope be planned and implemented within treatment and rehabilitation programs.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":"17 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145479971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations of Square Dancing With Depression and Anxiety: Nationwide Study Findings From a Network Perspective","authors":"Meng-Yi Chen,&nbsp;Wei Bai,&nbsp;Ling Zhang,&nbsp;Sha Sha,&nbsp;Zhaohui Su,&nbsp;Teris Cheung,&nbsp;Robert D. Smith,&nbsp;Gabor S. Ungvari,&nbsp;Todd Jackson,&nbsp;Qinge Zhang,&nbsp;Yu-Tao Xiang","doi":"10.1111/appy.70008","DOIUrl":"10.1111/appy.70008","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Background</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Depression and anxiety are global public health challenges among older adults. Square dancing, a popular activity for older Chinese adults, is believed to relieve these disturbances. This study compared the prevalence, severity, and network structures of depression and anxiety among older square dancers versus non-dancers (i.e., those who do not engage in square dancing).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Propensity score matching (PSM) created square dancer and non-dancer groups using data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed with the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), respectively. Central symptoms and bridge symptoms were estimated in each group using expected influence (EI) and bridge EI, respectively.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The study included 401 square dancers and a matched sample of 1163 non-dancers. The prevalence and severity of depression and anxiety were significantly lower among square dancers compared to non-dancers. In contrast, network structures of depressive and anxiety symptoms were similar between the two groups. “Uncontrollable worrying” and “Felt sadness” were the most central symptoms, and “Nervousness”, “Bothered by things” and “Felt nervous/fearful” were key bridge symptoms across both groups.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Participation in square dancing is associated with reduced overall prevalence and severity of depression and anxiety among older adults, but is not associated with a unique network structure of these syndromes compared to non-participation. Consequently, psychosocial interventions developed for depression and anxiety based on the network structure of non-dancers may also be applicable for square dancers who experience anxiety and depression.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":"17 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145123911","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Call to Enhance Pediatricians' Capacity in Delivering Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in China","authors":"Meirong Pan,&nbsp;Ni Tang,&nbsp;Jianguang Qi,&nbsp;Zhengjie Zhu,&nbsp;Qingjiu Cao,&nbsp;Tianmei Si","doi":"10.1111/appy.70007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/appy.70007","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;Mental disorders are leading causes of disability in children and adolescents in China, affecting 30.8 million individuals (Dong et al. &lt;span&gt;2025&lt;/span&gt;). Despite escalating needs, China's child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) face severe workforce shortages, exacerbated by systemic inefficiencies with unmet lower-tier services demands (Jiang et al. &lt;span&gt;2024&lt;/span&gt;). Strengthening pediatricians' CAMHS capacity is a viable solution aligned with WHO's stepped-care model (WHO Team &lt;span&gt;2021&lt;/span&gt;). Despite global consensus on essential mental health competencies among pediatricians (Foy et al. &lt;span&gt;2019&lt;/span&gt;), significant gaps persist in China, both in targeted surveys and policy frameworks, specifically addressing child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) competency development among pediatricians.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Our national survey of 537 pediatricians highlights urgency: 496 (92.36%) encountered pediatric mental health cases. Of these, 75.60% reported moderate-to-high stress when delivering CAMHS, primarily due to insufficient CAP skills. Only 32.77% received CAP-specific training, primarily through self-directed learning (&lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; = 84, 47.73%) and conferences (&lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; = 82, 46.59%). Strong consensus existed for CAMHS competency development (&lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; = 517, 96.27%), prioritizing communication skills, early recognition of mental health conditions, and multidisciplinary teamwork (Figure 1).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To address the gaps, we urgently call for immediate actions, including: (1) mandatory CAP training adapting best practices to local needs focusing on communication skills and early disorder recognition to boost pediatricians' willingness and competence in CAMHS; (2) a national CAP e-library, grounded on foundational resources like mhGAP (World Health Organization &lt;span&gt;2017&lt;/span&gt;), to provide standardized content, reduce geographic disparities, and integrate guidelines, lectures, case studies, and regional resources for referrals; and (3) support from the National Health Commission and academic leadership, including policy directives, increased CAMHS funding, and CAP rotation quality assessment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Enhancing pediatricians' CAMHS capacity through these steps will help China build a sustainable CAMHS workforce for youth needs, improve outcomes, and offer a scalable model for other Asia-Pacific nations facing similar workforce shortages and seeking to expand CAMHS within primary care frameworks.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Meirong Pan conceived the study design and performed data collection, extraction, and analysis, and drafted the paper. Ni Tang conceived the study design and performed data collection, extraction, and analysis. Jianguang Qi conceived the study design and performed data extraction. Zhengjie Zhu performed data extraction. Tianmei Si conceived the study design and performed data collection, extraction, and analysis; drafted and reviewed the paper. All authors reviewed the final manuscript.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The authors have nothing to report.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This study","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":"17 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/appy.70007","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145012302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Commentary on “Cross-Cultural Differences in the Pathways to Internet Gaming Disorder”","authors":"Mei-Yun Lu,&nbsp;Lien-Chung Wei","doi":"10.1111/appy.70006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/appy.70006","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8618,"journal":{"name":"Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry","volume":"17 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144923820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}