Supporting caregivers of children with developmental disabilities: Findings from a brief caregiver well-being programme in South Africa.

Young children with developmental disabilities and delays who live in low- and middle-income countries are at significant risk of not reaching their full potential. We know that daily interactions with their caregivers (parents or other people taking care of them) play an important role in promoting their development. However, having a child with developmental disabilities can have a negative impact on carers' mental health and well-being, which in turn can influence their capacity to care for their children.

Childhood emotional neglect and oxytocin receptor variants: Association with limbic brain volumes.

Childhood emotional neglect (EN) is a predictor for the development of affective disorders. Oxytocin (OXT) may mediate the interplay between EN and changes in stress biological systems, brain development, and mental health outcomes. We investigated, in a cross-sectional study, the associations between EN, (epi)genetic variation in the OXT receptor () gene, and amygdalar and hippocampal volumes, two brain regions implicated in emotional processing.

Posttraumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder and childhood trauma: Differences in hippocampal subfield volume.

Volume-based hippocampal findings in Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have been inconsistent, with very little investigation of hippocampal subfields. We assessed the effects of early childhood trauma on hippocampal subfields in participants with SAD with and without early childhood trauma and PTSD, compared to healthy controls. The sample comprised 26 participants SAD with early childhood trauma, 22 participants with SAD without early childhood trauma, 17 with PTSD secondary to early childhood trauma and 25 control participants.

An Examination of Differences in Psychological Resilience between Social Anxiety Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the Context of Early Childhood Trauma.

Much of the research on anxiety disorders has focused on associated risk factors with less attention paid to factors such as resilience that may mitigate risk or offer protection in the face of psychopathology. This study sought to compare resilience in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) relative to age-, gender- and education- matched individuals with no psychiatric disorder. We further assessed the correlation of resilience scores with childhood trauma severity and type.

An analysis of early developmental trauma in social anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Background: The early contributions of childhood trauma (emotional, physical, sexual, and general) have been hypothesized to play a significant role in the development of anxiety disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD). The aim of this study was to assess childhood trauma differences between PTSD and SAD patients and healthy controls, as measured by the Early Trauma Inventory.

Methods: We examined individuals (N = 109) with SAD with moderate/severe early developmental trauma (EDT) (n = 32), individuals with SAD with low/no EDT (n = 29), individuals with PTSD with EDT (n = 17), and healthy controls (n = 31).

Child and adolescent cognitive behaviour therapy in South Africa: An editorial review.

The evidence base for cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) (1) and other psychotherapeutic interventions in child and adolescent populations in low to middle income countries such as in South Africa is almost non-existent. In this review we explored the transportability of cognitive behaviour therapy interventions into the South African mental health care environment. Further investigations of CBT's effectiveness for children and adolescents and its cultural adaptability in South Africa are needed.

Alterations in HbA1c following minimal or enhanced non-surgical, non-antibiotic treatment of gingivitis or mild periodontitis in type 2 diabetic patients: a pilot trial.

Aim: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine and compare the effects of two protocols aimed at reducing periodontal inflammation, upon the metabolic control of the diabetic condition in subjects with elevated baseline glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c).

Methods And Materials: Forty-two non-smoking type 2 diabetes subjects with mildly elevated HbA1c (>7 but < 9%) and severely elevated (>9%) were randomized to one of two non-surgical periodontal therapy protocols. Patients in the "minimal therapy" (MT) group received scaling, root planning, and oral hygiene instructions on two occasions six months apart.

Oral health and HIV.

Most oral health problems can be found in people who are either HIV positive or negative. Yet there are some important differences. A few conditions are seen almost exclusively in people with HIV, while some that are found in both populations are more problematic for people with HIV, especially those with advanced disease.

Impact of intensified dental care on outcomes in human immunodeficiency virus infection.

This study evaluated the health effects of routine and intensified dental care and disease prevention in persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We recruited 376 HIV-infected persons ages 19 to 61 with CD4 counts between 100 and 750 into a year-long two-arm randomized controlled trial. Control group subjects (n = 185) received professional dental protective treatment and checkups at baseline, 6 months, and 1 year, plus dental care.