Qualified, late specialism training

Adjustment disorder has been included in the psychiatric classifications for half a century, but despite its age, this is the first book devoted exclusively to the condition. The starting point is to delineate its origins and how it differs from normal distress. The philosophical and clinical dilemmas raised by this diagnosis are considered in the early chapters of this book. The development of new screening and diagnostic tools will assist in epidemiological studies. The radical proposal to have specific criteria for AD in ICD-11 is reviewed critically as this would lead to significant differences between DSM-5 and ICD-11. Psychobiology, treatment, and prognosis are discussed in the middle sections of this work, and specialists in a number of areas—including child and adolescent psychiatry, learning disability, occupational health, and forensic psychiatry—have made invaluable contributions. This book will fill the vacuum for doctors and other mental health professionals working with those who have AD. The generous use of case vignettes invigorates the theory behind the practice.Less

Containing detailed summaries on a comprehensive range of clinical scenarios and conditions, and organised according to the different sub-specialities of community paediatrics, this resource is an ideal companion for anyone working with children in the community.Less

Within general psychiatry, awareness of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the use of the terms ‘autism’, ‘autistic disorder’, ‘Asperger syndrome’, the ‘autism spectrum’, and ‘high functioning autism’ (HFA) are growing. However, autism has yet to become part of the accepted mainstream, core curriculum of general psychiatry. Psychiatrists are now expected to be able to recognize autism and consider its effects on their adult patients, particularly those showing signs of comorbid mental disorder, for example, schizophrenia, personality disorder, mood disorder, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). From childhood through to adulthood and old age there is a failure in autism to develop skills in reciprocal social interaction, understanding, and flexibility. This can profoundly affect behaviour in the community, personal independence, employability, and social relationships, including marriage and parenting. Most cases of autism in adults are unrecognized and undiagnosed, both within the general population and in adults using psychiatric services. This book gives a comprehensive introduction to autism and Asperger syndrome written to fit the adult clinician’s perspective. It will assist with autism recognition and diagnosis in adulthood. It is designed to enhance the clinician’s role in treating patients with co-morbid mental disorder, while understanding and taking account of the autism component. It will also help in signposting patients with autism to appropriate care and support, as family involvement diminishes, or ceases in adulthood and old age, and in the psychiatrist’s role in providing advice to the courts and in the context of detention in accordance with mental health law.Less