Blog
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Meet the expert: Pediatric Bipolar Disorder with Professor Dr. Boris Birmaher
On 24 April 2026, ACAMH will host a webinar Navigating Diagnostic Challenges in Pediatric Bipolar Disorder. We caught up with the presenter – Dr. Boris Birmaher, Endowed Chair in Bipolar Disease and Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine – about the topic itself, his career, and his hopes for the event.
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What Is Autism Now?
Autism was first described as a clinical condition in the mid-twentieth century and was long considered of low prevalence. Since the 1990s, autism prevalence has increased substantially, particularly in high-income countries. This rise has prompted public and professional debate, including concerns of over-diagnosis and suggestions of an “autism epidemic.” Current research and conceptual analysis suggest that these interpretations are not supported by the available evidence. Instead, changes in diagnostic practices, alongside shifts in social, educational, and economic environments, have reshaped how autism is recognised and understood.
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Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders in Children and Young People: Current Evidence and Clinical Approaches
Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders in Children and Young People: Current Evidence and Clinical Approaches Short summary Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related disorders, including Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), often begin in childhood or adolescence and can be associated with marked distress, impaired school functioning, family disruption, and increased risk of comorbidity and co-occurring symptoms.
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Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Girls and Women
ADHD has historically been conceptualised as a predominantly male condition, contributing to delayed recognition and underdiagnosis in girls and women. Longitudinal research suggests that ADHD in females is associated with long-term risks, including internalising disorders, self-harm, and psychosocial impairment, particularly when symptoms go unrecognised and untreated. Current evidence raises concerns about both over- and under-diagnosis, aiming for a better understanding of ADHD female presentation.
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Identifying Mental Health Difficulties in Children Living in Care: Is the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire enough?
This blog, by Dr. Eva Sprecher, shares new findings that suggest current UK practice may not be sufficient for identifying children in care struggling with their mental health – and we suggest what might help improve things.
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Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents: Current Evidence and Clinical Practice
Research over the past decade have refined our understanding of ADHD epidemiology, neurobiology, diagnosis, and treatment, with growing emphasis on evidence-based assessment, multimodal intervention, and shared decision-making with young people and families.
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Meet the expert: Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A), with Dr. Jake Camp
We caught up with Dr. Jake Camp, who is a senior clinical psychologist in the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and a clinical academic fellow in King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, to discuss Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Adolescents, and his career.
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AI use within early research careers: help or hindrance?
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across various disciplines has increased significantly over the past few years, and research is no different. As AI continues to become embedded within many platforms used in academia, it represents a significant consideration for the next generation of researchers.
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Professor Maggie Snowling on rethinking reading disorders
We caught up with Prof. Maggie Snowling, Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the University of Oxford and Research Fellow at St John’s College, to discuss her career, and more.
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Special Educational Needs and Young People Involved in Violence
Children and young people with special educational needs (SENs) are more likely to commit violent offences compared to those without SENs. Our research team used existing data from school and police records from over 1.5 million children and young people to unpack this relationship. The aim of our project was to identify what works to reduce violent offending and re-offending in children and young people with SENs.
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