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The ChAPAS Handbook and Clinical Interview For the assessment of mental health problems in children and adolescents

The ChAPAS Handbook and Clinical Interview For the assessment of mental health problems in... Book review The ChA-PAS Handbook and Clinical Interview: For the assessment of mental health problems in children and adolescents Stephen Moss, Robin Friedlander, Pauline Lee Pavilion Publishing Ltd (2007) ISBN: 978 184196 215 3 The Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Interview Schedule The supporting handbook is very clear and gives (ChA-PAS) has been designed to enable professionals to comprehensive instructions about how to use the tool, assess mental health problems in children and why it has been developed in a certain way, when and adolescents. It was developed following the introduction how to involve informants, and how to interpret scores. of a similar set of assessments for adults with an While the ChA-PAS is a very useful approach to guided intellectual disability – the PAS-ADD system. The ChA-PAS assessment, the context of its use must be considered interview can be used with children from the general carefully. As the authors point out, it could have benefit in population and it is equally relevant for children with an a multiplicity of services and across tiers of provision. intellectual disability. The benefit of the interview However, if used in universal or primary care services it is schedule is that it enables the development of improved vital that there are very clear care pathways for children reporting from adult informants. However, the authors who are identified with emerging mental health needs, suggest that skilled clinicians can also use the interview with defined links into specialist CAMHS and support for with children and adolescents. professionals who are using the tool. The authors do stress The ChA-PAS schedule covers a range of mental health that training is required to achieve valid results, and it problems (disorders) including emotional disorders, should be emphasised that the tool is perhaps better used psychosis, ADHD, conduct disorder and it can be used for by professionals with training in mental health, especially the screening of autistic spectrum disorders. The if they are using it within isolated, or community services. handbook does point out that it does not cover It should also be suggested that professionals who do not challenging behaviours, as it focuses on ‘core’ disorders. It have mental health training, but are working with should, therefore, be used as part of a wider children with mental health needs, will find the tool comprehensive assessment of the child and their family, valuable, but do require comprehensive training to social and cultural context. The tool is a very useful aid to support their use of the tool. the process of diagnosis, however, it is not intended to The ChA-PAS interview could be recommended for use replace it, and it is vital that professionals bear this aspect by child mental health professionals working at the in mind when using the tool. The schedule is fairly interface with universal service ie. CAMHS primary mental comprehensive and covers a wide range of diagnostic health workers, as an initial screening tool, as well as for pointers that include the ability to score the severity of specialist CAMHS and CAMHS learning disability services. symptoms and reflection on change. Validity is achieved through the use of the schedule across a range of Reviewed by Dr Fiona Gale informants. The tool is not only useful in the formulation Regional CAMHS Programme Lead/Fellow, of opinion around a child’s mental health needs, but has East Midlands, National CAMHS Support Service, CSIP, the potential to be used to monitor outcomes on an and Children, Young People and Mental Health, CCAWI, individual or service wide basis. University of Lincoln. In addition to its use with a range of informants, the tool could also be beneficial for use across a range of agencies. This could promote collaborative understanding, working and planning in order to meet a child’s identified needs. The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice Volume 3 Issue 1 April 2008 © Pavilion Journals (Brighton) Ltd http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice Emerald Publishing

The ChAPAS Handbook and Clinical Interview For the assessment of mental health problems in children and adolescents

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN
1755-6228
DOI
10.1108/17556228200800008
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Abstract

Book review The ChA-PAS Handbook and Clinical Interview: For the assessment of mental health problems in children and adolescents Stephen Moss, Robin Friedlander, Pauline Lee Pavilion Publishing Ltd (2007) ISBN: 978 184196 215 3 The Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Interview Schedule The supporting handbook is very clear and gives (ChA-PAS) has been designed to enable professionals to comprehensive instructions about how to use the tool, assess mental health problems in children and why it has been developed in a certain way, when and adolescents. It was developed following the introduction how to involve informants, and how to interpret scores. of a similar set of assessments for adults with an While the ChA-PAS is a very useful approach to guided intellectual disability – the PAS-ADD system. The ChA-PAS assessment, the context of its use must be considered interview can be used with children from the general carefully. As the authors point out, it could have benefit in population and it is equally relevant for children with an a multiplicity of services and across tiers of provision. intellectual disability. The benefit of the interview However, if used in universal or primary care services it is schedule is that it enables the development of improved vital that there are very clear care pathways for children reporting from adult informants. However, the authors who are identified with emerging mental health needs, suggest that skilled clinicians can also use the interview with defined links into specialist CAMHS and support for with children and adolescents. professionals who are using the tool. The authors do stress The ChA-PAS schedule covers a range of mental health that training is required to achieve valid results, and it problems (disorders) including emotional disorders, should be emphasised that the tool is perhaps better used psychosis, ADHD, conduct disorder and it can be used for by professionals with training in mental health, especially the screening of autistic spectrum disorders. The if they are using it within isolated, or community services. handbook does point out that it does not cover It should also be suggested that professionals who do not challenging behaviours, as it focuses on ‘core’ disorders. It have mental health training, but are working with should, therefore, be used as part of a wider children with mental health needs, will find the tool comprehensive assessment of the child and their family, valuable, but do require comprehensive training to social and cultural context. The tool is a very useful aid to support their use of the tool. the process of diagnosis, however, it is not intended to The ChA-PAS interview could be recommended for use replace it, and it is vital that professionals bear this aspect by child mental health professionals working at the in mind when using the tool. The schedule is fairly interface with universal service ie. CAMHS primary mental comprehensive and covers a wide range of diagnostic health workers, as an initial screening tool, as well as for pointers that include the ability to score the severity of specialist CAMHS and CAMHS learning disability services. symptoms and reflection on change. Validity is achieved through the use of the schedule across a range of Reviewed by Dr Fiona Gale informants. The tool is not only useful in the formulation Regional CAMHS Programme Lead/Fellow, of opinion around a child’s mental health needs, but has East Midlands, National CAMHS Support Service, CSIP, the potential to be used to monitor outcomes on an and Children, Young People and Mental Health, CCAWI, individual or service wide basis. University of Lincoln. In addition to its use with a range of informants, the tool could also be beneficial for use across a range of agencies. This could promote collaborative understanding, working and planning in order to meet a child’s identified needs. The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice Volume 3 Issue 1 April 2008 © Pavilion Journals (Brighton) Ltd

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The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice – Emerald Publishing

Published: Apr 1, 2008

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