Mental Disorders Commons^™

Research To Practice: Vocational Rehabilitation Services Received By Youth With Autism: Are They Associated With An Employment Outcome?, Jaime Lugas, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Frank A. Smith

Research to Practice Series, Institute for Community Inclusion

While youth with autism represent a small percentage of all vocational rehabilitation (VR) closures, the number who closed out of VR more than tripled between 2003 and 2008 (see Institute for Community Inclusion Data Note 26). As increasing numbers of youth with autism are accessing VR services, it is important to understand how they are using these services and the relationship of these services to outcomes and costs.

Diagnosing Conflict-Of-Interest Disorder, Lisa Cosgrove

Counseling and School Psychology Faculty Publication Series

In June 2010, the Association of American Medical Colleges issued the third and final portion of its conflict-of-interest policy initiatives. The task force on “Conflicts of Interest in Clinical Care” did not mince words when it described the impetus for these initiatives: “It is imperative that the possibility or perception of [financial conflict of interest] be advertently examined and appropriately evaluated to ensure that academic medicine in all of its missions is fundamentally dedicated to the welfare of patients and the improvement of public health.”

This report is especially timely because of recent questions raised by investigative journalists and policy …

Psychiatric Taxonomy, Psychopharmacology And Big Pharma, Lisa Cosgrove

Counseling and School Psychology Faculty Publication Series

Clinicians practicing today need to be aware of the ways in which the current industry-dominated climate may undermine the integrity of the scientific process and, thus, may compromise patient care. In the mental health field, corporate sponsorship bias can affect psychiatric taxonomy and clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG). Financial conflicts of interest (FCOI) can occur when there are financial associations between researchers, authors, or panel members developing psychiatric diagnostic and treatment guidelines, and the pharmaceutical industry, or when randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are industry funded. Therefore, clinicians need to be especially vigilant about the informed consent process when patients are prescribed …

Undue Pharmaceutical Influence On Psychiatric Practice, Lisa Cosgrove, Harold J. Bursztajn

Counseling and School Psychology Faculty Publication Series

Within the past few years, increasing concerns have arisen about the ways in which corporate sponsorship of clinical trials and continuing medical education activities may bias the information that is published and disseminated about the benefits and risks of medications. Questions have also been raised about the extent of industry influence on the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic and treatment guidelines—namely, its DSM and Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Pharmaceutical Philanthropic Shell Games, Lisa Cosgrove, Harold J. Bursztajn

Counseling and School Psychology Faculty Publication Series

In response to increasing public distrust and congressional concerns regarding pharmaceutical company influence on medical research and education, professional organizations have taken steps to phase out or regulate industry-sponsored educational support. A related problem is industry funding of philanthropic organizations, such as patient advocacy groups. Thus, when the office of Sen Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) recently reported that the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill received substantial pharmaceutical funding, there was concern among the membership’s psychiatric patients and their families.

Advantages Of Using Estimated Depression- Free Days For Evaluating Treatment Efficacy, Steven D. Vannoy, Patricia Arean, JüRgen UnüTzer

Steven D Vannoy

Objective: Several common methods for measuring treatment response present a snapshot of depression symptoms. The construct of estimated depression-free days (DFDs) simultaneously captures treatment outcome and estimates the patient’s experience of depression over time. The study compared this measure with traditional measures used in depression treatment research. Methods: This secondary data analysis was based on data from the Improving Mood—Promoting Access to Collaborative Treatment trial, a multisite depression treatment study conducted in 18 primary care clinics in five states and representing eight health care sys- tems. The sample of older adults (N=906) had been randomly assigned to receive collaborative care …