GAIA therapeutic farm: Prospective study on multidisciplinary care efficacy.

Introduction: The therapeutic farm "GAIA" in Sidi Thabet is a non-profit organization created in 2009, situated in the North-Western suburbs of the capital Tunis/Tunisia. Its main aims are the day-care for and the socio-professional integration of children and young adults between age 6 and 30 with diverse types of disability through multiple activities, such as pet assisted therapy and horticulture.

Aim: to assess the potential benefits of therapeutic on-farm management.

Tunisian Adolescents at CHR for Psychosis: A Pilot Study of Cognitive Remediation in a LMIC.

Background: Clinical high risk (CHR) youth are known to exhibit cognitive deficits at similar levels to their more severally ill counter parts. Cognitive training (CT) programs offer a promising method for early intervention and the prevention of further cognitive decline in this vulnerable population. However, there are few structured CT intervention programs addressing the needs of CHR youth in LMICs of the Middle East.

A Randomized Trial of a Swimming-Based Alternative Treatment for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is considered a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental childhood disorder extending from ages 1−2 to 12−13, associated with impairment across multiple domains, including social, emotional, and cognitive functioning. Little is known about alternative treatments for this disorder. Interest has grown in physical activity as a potential intervention for rehabilitating children with ADHD.

Assessment of theory of mind in Tunisian verbal children with autism spectrum disorder.

The present study examined performance in Theory of Mind (ToM) in a group of 31 Arabic-speaking verbal children (7-12 years-old) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), in comparison with neurotypical controls (NT) matched for age and for cognitive abilities. An innovative task in a digital format named "The Tunisian Social Situations Instrument" (TSSI) was used and allowed us to study four different subdomains of ToM: attribution of intention and epistemic ToM (cognitive ToM), affective ToM, and detection of faux pas (advanced ToM). Our study showed impairments in ToM in children with ASD, similar to those reported in the literature.

Cognitive deficits in children with autism spectrum disorders: Toward an integrative approach combining social and non-social cognition.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with neurocognitive impairment, including executive dysfunctioning and social cognition (SC) deficits. Cognitive remediation (CR) is a behavioral training-based intervention aiming to improve cognitive processes. Its first use in psychiatry interested patients with schizophrenia, in whom promising results have been shown.

Validation of the Tunisian Empathy Scale for Children (TESC) in General Population and Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Background: Several empathy assessment tests have been proposed worldwide but none of them took into account cultural variations that seem to affect empathic manifestations. The aim of this study was to create and validate an empathy assessment questionnaire for school-aged Tunisian children entitled "Tunisian Empathy Scale for Children" (TESC).

Methods: An evaluative cross-sectional study was conducted.

Validation of the Tunisian Test for Facial Emotions Recognition: Study in Children From 7 to 12 Years Old.

Facial expressions transmit information about emotional state, facilitating communication and regulation in interpersonal relationships. Their acute recognition is essential in social adaptation and lacks among children suffering from autism spectrum disorders. The aim of our study was to validate the "Recognition of Facial Emotions: Tunisian Test for Children" among Tunisian children in order to assess facial emotion recognition in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Impaired Recognition of Static and Dynamic Facial Emotions in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Stimuli of Varying Intensities, Different Genders, and Age Ranges Faces.

A multitude of research on facial emotion recognition (FER) in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have been published since several years. However, these studies have mainly used static high intensity stimuli, including adult and/or children facial emotions. This current study investigated FER in children with ASD using an innovative task, composed of a combination of static (114 pictures) and dynamic (36 videos) subtests, including children, adolescent, and adult male and female faces, with high, medium, and low intensity of basic facial emotions, and neutral expression.

Validation of the Tunisian Social Situation Instrument in the General Pediatric Population.

Background: In order to better understand the deployment of the theory of mind (ToM) in Tunisian neurotypical children, we have developed a new tool of assessment of the ToM called the "Tunisian Social Situations Instrument" (TSSI). We opted for the creation of this test in view of the intercultural differences in the development of social skills. Our purpose was to validate this tool in general pediatric population.

Cognitive remediation therapy in autism spectrum disorder: Tunisian experience.

Background: Cognitive dysfunctions associated with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are nowadays highlighted. These cognitive impairments include mainly executive dysfunctioning and are linked with academic difficulties, thus representing one of the treatment targets. Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) is a new promising program aiming to remediate cognitive impairments by targeting executive functions.

Rehabilitation of ADHD children by sport intervention: a Tunisian experience.

Introduction: Childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is associated with impairment across multiple domains, including social, familial, emotional and academic functioning. Available therapies, and in particular medical treatment, fail to produce improvement in this impairment. In this context, interest has grown in physical activity and exercise as potential interventions for the treatment of children with ADHD.

Contributions of autism evaluation unit in the clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders.

Background: Based on the recognized principles of assessment of autistic disorders, the child and adolescent psychiatry department in Razi Hospital developed, in coordination with the department of neurology of Razi Hospital and the department of genetics of Charles Nicolle's Hospital an assessment unit for autism spectrum disorders.

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics in terms of severity and comorbidities of children assessed for autism spectrum disorders.

Methods: We compiled data about clinical examination of autistic symptoms using the Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised (ADI-R) and the Childhood autism Rating Scale (CARS).

Bumetanide in the management of autism. Tunisian experience in Razi Hospital.

Background: Autism is a multifactorial disease with multiple etiologic hypotheses. Some studies suggest changes in brain GABA mediated inhibition in autism, and a higher intracellular chlorine levels in autistic children. Given these data, clinical trials are conducted to test the efficacy of diuretics in improving clinical symptoms in autism.

[Tunisia: nursing practice of cognitive remediation in child psychiatry].

Cognitive remediation is today afforded a significant place in the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders. A hospital team, comprising in particular a nurse offering consultations in a child psychiatry unit in a public hospital in Tunis, shares its experience with regard to this technique which aims to restore impaired cognitive functions in order to improve the efficiency and quality of life of young patients.

Sensitivity to pain in autistic spectrum disorders: Its links with self-gressivity.

Objectives: To investigate the link between pain sensitivity in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and self-aggressive behavior.

Methods: we performed a cross-sectional study which involved 50 children fulfilling DSM-V criteria for ASD; confirmed by the Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised. The severity of autism was determined using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS).

Quality of live among parents of children with autism spectrum disorders in Tunisia.

Background: Studies on parents of children with autistic spectrum disorders' (ASD) quality of life (QOL) agree on its alteration and seek to identify risk factors in order to target interventions.

Aims: To study the QOL of a Tunisian population of parents of children with ASD and to look for risk factors specific to the Tunisian population.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study of 50 parents of 50 children who met the DSM V criteria for autism spectrum disorder.

The Cognitive Remediation Therapy Program Among Children with ADHD: Tunisian experience.

Background: Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with neuropsychological deficits including executive and attentional impairments. The cognitive remediation therapy is a new promising technique designed to improve the neurocognitive abilities damaged in ADHD.

Aim: Adapt and apply the cognitive remediation program CRT (Cognitive Remediation Therapy) for children and adolescents with ADHD and to evaluate its effectiveness on attentional and executive abilities.

Parental satisfaction of an assessment unit for autistic spectrum disorders.

Background - Based on the recognized principles of assessment of autistic disorders, the child and adolescent psychiatry department in Razi Hospital developed an assessment unit with diagnostic as well as therapeutic roles. The aim of this work was to examine its functioning and to analyze the parents' perceptions about the unit services. Methods - We gathered the parental satisfaction about the unit by the means of a hetero-questionnaire.

Theory of mind in adolescents with early-onset schizophrenia: correlations with clinical assessment and executive functions.

Objective: We examined Theory of Mind (ToM) abilities in adolescents with early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) and their correlation with clinical findings and Executive Functions (EF).

Methods: The ToM abilities of 12 adolescents with EOS were compared with those of healthy participants matched in age and educational level. The Moving Shapes Paradigm was used to explore ToM abilities in three modalities: random movement, goal-directed movement and ToM - scored on the dimensions of intentionality, appropriateness and length of each answer.