Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is diagnosed by the clinical decision of a trained professional based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition or International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision diagnostic criteria. To obtain information for diagnostic formulation, professionals should explore detailed developmental history, and can use structured or semi-structured assessment tools to observe interaction between the child and parents or strangers. Diagnostic assessment should include a profile of the strength and weaknesses of the individual and should be conducted using an optimal approach by a multidisciplinary team with appropriate techniques and experience. Assessment of language, cognitive, neuropsychological, and adaptive functioning should be conducted in ASD individuals prior to establishing an individualized treatment plan. Genetic testing, brain magnetic resonance imaging or electroencephalogram testing can be considered for identification of underlying causes.

The issues related to the sexuality of the people with developmental disorders are many because a low level of intellectual function and sociality do not equate to a low level of sexual curiosity and sexual desire. This study aimed to review the evaluation and treatment through a forensic psychiatric evaluation case of sexual offenders with developmental disorders. An assessment of sex offenders with developmental disorders should be comprehensive. The risk of recidivism, cognitive distortion about sex, impulsivity, and comorbid psychiatric disorders should be included. Some therapeutic programs have been developed, and they exhibited the effect through the decreased rate of recurrence of sexual offenses. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to the development of therapeutic programs of sexual offenders with developmental disorder.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based school bullying prevention program for the adolescent perpetrators of school violence. METHODS: total of 395 middle and high school students (male=316, female=79) were included in this study. The changes after the program were evaluated using several self-rating scales for the assessment of the degree of depression, loneliness, impulsivity, self-esteem, and interpersonal reactivity compared with the baseline scales. RESULTS: The school bullying prevention program significantly reduced the degree of depression severity (t=5.985, p<0.001) and increased the self-esteem (t=-2.67, p=0.008) of the teenagers. This tendency was more pronounced among those teenagers under the age of 16. In the participants with high impulsivity or low empathy at baseline, the impulsivity scale decreased (t=2.617, p=0.009), while the interpersonal reactivity scale increased (t=-3.364, p=0.001) after the program. CONCLUSION: The results of our study suggest that this CBT-based program developed for the prevention of school bullying can be effective in preventing further school violence. Further research to evaluate the long-term effects of the program is necessary.
Adolescent* ; Bullying ; Cognitive Therapy ; Depression ; Empathy ; Humans ; Impulsive Behavior ; Loneliness ; Violence* ; Weights and Measures

Objective: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children and adults characterized by cognitive and emotional self-control deficiencies. Previous functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) studies found significant group differences between ADHD children and healthy controls during cognitive flexibility tasks in several brain regions. This study aims to apply a machine learning approach to identify medication-naive ADHD patients and healthy control (HC) groups using task-based fNIRS data. Methods: fNIRS signals from 33 ADHD children and 39 HC during the Stroop task were analyzed. In addition, regularized linear discriminant analysis (RLDA) was used to identify ADHD individuals from healthy controls, and classification performance was evaluated. Results: We found that participants can be correctly classified in RLDA leave-one-out cross validation, with a sensitivity of 0.67, specificity of 0.93, and accuracy of 0.82. Conclusion RLDA using only fNIRS data can effectively discriminate children with ADHD from HC. This study suggests the potential utility of the fNIRS signal as a diagnostic biomarker for ADHD children.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and the correlates of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) in firefighters. We also investigated the mediating role of NSSI frequency in the association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and suicidal behavior. Methods: A total of 51,505 Korean firefighters completed a web-based self-reported survey, including demographic and occupational characteristics, NSSI, PTSD, depression, and suicidal behavior. Multivariable logistic regression analyses and serial mediation analyses were performed. Results: The 1-year prevalence of NSSI was 4.67% in Korean firefighters. Female gender, the presence of recent traumatic experience, and PTSD and depression symptoms were correlated with NSSI. Serial mediation analyses revealed that NSSI frequency mediated the association between PTSD, depression, and suicidal behavior; it indicates more severe PTSD was sequentially associated with more severe depression symptoms and more frequent NSSI, leading to higher risk of suicidal behavior. Conclusion NSSI is prevalent and may play a significant mediating role when PTSD is associated with suicidal behavior in firefighters. Our results imply the need for screening and early intervention of NSSI in firefighters.

Background: School-aged children born very preterm have been suggested to have worse cognitive and behavioral outcomes than children born full-term. Executive function (EF) is a higher level of cognitive function related to academic achievement. The present study aimed to evaluate the cognitive (including EF) and behavioral outcomes of Korean children born extremely preterm (EP) and to analyze any biological or socioeconomic risk factors for poor cognitive outcomes in this population. Methods: A total of 71 infants weighing < 1,000 g at birth or born before 30 weeks of gestation (EP group) who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit from 2008 to 2009 were included in this study and compared with 40 term-birth controls. The Korean Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition, Advanced Test of Attention (ATA), Stroop test, Children's Color Trails Test (CCTT), and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) were used.Additionally, the Korean Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL) and Korean ADHD Rating Scale (K-ARS) were completed. Perinatal and demographic data were collected and analyzed. Results: The mean full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) score in the EP group was significantly lower than that of the term control group (89.1 ± 18.3 vs. 107.1 ± 12.7; P < 0.001).In the EP group, 26 (37%) children had an FSIQ score below 85, compared to only one child (3%) in the control group. Furthermore, the EP group showed significantly worse EF test results (ATA, Stroop test, CCTT, WCST). Except for the higher social immaturity subscore in the EP group, the K-CBCL and K-ARS scores were not different between the two groups. EP children who received laser treatment for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) had an 8.8-fold increased risk of a low FSIQ score, and a 1-point increase in the discharge weight Z-score decreased the risk of a low FSIQ score by approximately half in this EP cohort. Conclusion This is the first Korean study to investigate the cognitive and behavioral outcomes of school-aged children born EP. In the study cohort, EP children exhibited significantly lower FSIQ scores and EF than their full-term peers, and 37% of them had cognitive problems. Nonetheless, except for social immaturity, the behavioral problems werenot different in EP children. Severe ROP and low discharge weight Z-score were identified as independent risk factors for low FSIQ score after adjusting for birth weight.

Background: School-aged children born very preterm have been suggested to have worse cognitive and behavioral outcomes than children born full-term. Executive function (EF) is a higher level of cognitive function related to academic achievement. The present study aimed to evaluate the cognitive (including EF) and behavioral outcomes of Korean children born extremely preterm (EP) and to analyze any biological or socioeconomic risk factors for poor cognitive outcomes in this population. Methods: A total of 71 infants weighing < 1,000 g at birth or born before 30 weeks of gestation (EP group) who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit from 2008 to 2009 were included in this study and compared with 40 term-birth controls. The Korean Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition, Advanced Test of Attention (ATA), Stroop test, Children's Color Trails Test (CCTT), and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) were used.Additionally, the Korean Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL) and Korean ADHD Rating Scale (K-ARS) were completed. Perinatal and demographic data were collected and analyzed. Results: The mean full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) score in the EP group was significantly lower than that of the term control group (89.1 ± 18.3 vs. 107.1 ± 12.7; P < 0.001).In the EP group, 26 (37%) children had an FSIQ score below 85, compared to only one child (3%) in the control group. Furthermore, the EP group showed significantly worse EF test results (ATA, Stroop test, CCTT, WCST). Except for the higher social immaturity subscore in the EP group, the K-CBCL and K-ARS scores were not different between the two groups. EP children who received laser treatment for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) had an 8.8-fold increased risk of a low FSIQ score, and a 1-point increase in the discharge weight Z-score decreased the risk of a low FSIQ score by approximately half in this EP cohort. Conclusion This is the first Korean study to investigate the cognitive and behavioral outcomes of school-aged children born EP. In the study cohort, EP children exhibited significantly lower FSIQ scores and EF than their full-term peers, and 37% of them had cognitive problems. Nonetheless, except for social immaturity, the behavioral problems werenot different in EP children. Severe ROP and low discharge weight Z-score were identified as independent risk factors for low FSIQ score after adjusting for birth weight.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the Korean Comprehensive Scale for the Assessment of Challenging Behavior in Developmental Disorders (K-CSCB). METHODS: In total, the parents of 189 patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 168 controls completed the K-CSCB, the Behavior Problems Inventory (BPI) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The reliability and validity of the K-CSCB was investigated. RESULTS: The K-CSCB was found to be a reliable instrument (Cronbach's α=0.97). There was a significant difference between the ASD and control groups in all subscale scores. Scores on the K-CSCB subscales were significantly correlated with those on the BPI and CBCL. The diagnostic validity was 97.7%, and the cut-off score with the highest sensitivity and specificity was 12.5 points. CONCLUSION: The K-CSCB is the first tool in Korean to assess problematic behavior in individuals with ASD, and this study shows that it is a valid and reliable instrument. We expect the K-CSCB to be widely used in clinical and research settings.
Autism Spectrum Disorder ; Autistic Disorder ; Checklist ; Child ; Child Behavior ; Humans ; Neurodevelopmental Disorders ; Parents ; Psychometrics ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by impaired social communication and repetitive, restricted behaviors and activities. The prevalence of ASD has been increasing for the past 2 decades, but evidence-based therapeutic approaches are lacking for patients with ASD. To date, there is no cure for the core symptoms of ASD, and the existing treatments focus on improving the patient's function and adaptation by using behavioral intervention methods. Behavioral interventions have been proven to show the greatest effect when applied before the age of 2 years, for at least 40-60 hours per week. Many clinicians and ASD families are unfamiliar with the treatment methods, and consequently, may seek unproven and potentially hazardous methods. The purpose of this article was to present an extensive and updated review on evidence-based ASD behavioral interventions that are commonly used in clinical settings.
Child ; Autism Spectrum Disorder* ; Humans ; Prevalence

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) occurs with a high prevalence of comorbid disorders, and these comorbid disorders can affect assessment, clinical symptoms, prognosis, and treatment strategies for children with ADHD. The goal of this study was to develop a clinical practice guideline for ADHD and its specific comorbid disorders. Due to limited numbers of previous clinical studies, current recommendations are based on literature review and expert consensus among Korean child and adolescent psychiatrists. We suggest the use of multidisciplinary evaluations, interview techniques, and assessment tools in order to differentiate major comorbid disorders from ADHD. Specific ADHD comorbid disorders (e.g., medical comorbidity, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, specific learning disorder, tic disorder, and substance use disorder) have suggested treatment protocols that include pharmacological and behavioral treatments. Children and adolescents with ADHD may have comorbid disorders. The use of current clinical practice guidelines will be helpful when treating ADHD children with comorbid disorders.
Adolescent ; Anxiety Disorders ; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders ; Bipolar Disorder ; Child ; Clinical Protocols ; Comorbidity ; Conduct Disorder ; Consensus ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Psychiatry ; Specific Learning Disorder ; Tic Disorders