Blog
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Neuroanatomical Variability and Early Substance Use Initiation: Insights from the ABCD Study
Adolescence is a period of rapid brain development, making it a sensitive window for experiences that may shape long-term outcomes. A new study from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) project examined whether neuroanatomical variability is linked to early initiation of alcohol, nicotine, or cannabis. Drawing on baseline brain images taken before substance use began, the researchers found regionally specific differences in cortical thickness and surface area among early initiators. The findings highlight the complexity of adolescent neurodevelopment and point to the value of large-scale, longitudinal studies in clarifying how brain structure and behaviour unfold together.
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Clinical Academic Training in England or How to Become an Academic Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist 101
Clinical academia in the United Kingdom is facing a paradox; while training the next generation of clinical academic doctors in the UK is becoming more competitive and restrictive, with many candidates disputing one position, on the other hand, the overall number of clinical academics is diminishing. So, amid increasing competition, why and how to pursue a clinical academic career in child and adolescent psychiatry?
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Honouring Excellence in Peer Review – Peer Review Week 2025
As a part of Peer Review Week 2025, to show our gratitude for the ongoing support and service of our reviewers to the journals, and the wider scientific community, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all peer reviewers. We are proud to present the list of Top Reviewers for the 2024 calendar year.
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Enhancing Motivation in Adolescents With ADHD: Long-Term Insights From the STAND Trial
ADHD is a long-term condition that often continues into adulthood, bringing academic, social, and health challenges. A new community trial tested Supporting Teens’ Autonomy Daily (STAND), a programme that combines motivational interviewing with parent–teen collaboration and training in organisation, time management, and planning skills. The study found that STAND improved outcomes when delivered by licensed therapists, highlighting both promise and implementation challenges.
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Unlocking Children’s Internal Worlds: 25 Years of the Story Stem Assessment Profile (SSAP)
Dr Saul Hillman – For more than 25 years, we have been training professionals in the use of the Story Stem Assessment Profile (SSAP), a powerful and nuanced tool designed to help us understand the internal worlds of children aged 4 to 10 years old.
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Families and Children in Wartime Ukraine: Prelude to an Online Course on Families in Context of War and Social Conflict Through the Lens of Attachment
For practitioners and policymakers, it is important to realise that the extraordinarily high levels of parental burnout signal serious mental health challenges ahead, even well beyond the end of the war.
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Social Fears in Children: The Roles of Parental Communication and Child Temperament
A recent longitudinal study by Zeytinoglu and colleagues (2025) provides insights into how parental verbal communication and child characteristics contribute to the transmission of social fears. The study shows the impact of both positive and negative maternal statements about ambiguous social situations, finding that positive comments were linked to reductions in children’s social fear beliefs, while negative comments predicted increases, especially among children who were behaviourally inhibited or had high anxiety.
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Thank you to all our 2024 Reviewers
ACAMH wants to express our gratitude to every single reviewer from 2024 for their invaluable contributions to the JCPP, the CAMH journal and JCPP Advances, and the wider academic community as a whole. We are deeply appreciative of the time and effort required to provide detailed, thoughtful reviews. Reviews serve a vital function in the production of fascinating papers and exciting progress in the field of child and adolescent mental health.
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Understanding How Parenting Programs Work: Key Behaviour Changes and Individual Differences in Outcomes
A 2025 study by Sigurðardóttir and colleagues brings together findings from 14 European randomized controlled trials with 3,252 families, all evaluating social learning-based parenting programmes. The study examined in detail how these programmes can support the reduction of disruptive behaviours in children.
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ACAMH Awards 2025 Shortlist – Recognising Advancements in CAMH Research and Practice
It is our pleasure to announce the shortlist of nominees for the 2025 ACAMH Awards.
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