A computer-based version of the self-report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was developed with colourful graphics illustrating each question. One hundred and two children referred to child and adolescent mental health services were recruited and randomly allocated to complete either the new computer-based version or the paper original. A further 112 children from local schools were recruited and completed the computer-based version of the scale. All children who took part in the study were aged between 8 and 15 years. The paper version of the SDQ is recommended for use in children aged 11 and over and, in this age group, the computer-based questionnaire was able to discriminate between the clinical and community sample (ROC = 0.761, 95 % CI 0.676-0.846). Comparison of the paper-based SDQ and computer-based SDQ within the clinic sample found trends towards better test-retest reliability, inter-rater reliability and significantly better user satisfaction in the computer version compared to the paper-based version. The computer-based SDQ has the added advantage of results being automatically added to a spreadsheet out of view from the user reducing the chance of operator error in coding and entering the data. These preliminary results suggest that the computer-based version of the SDQ may represent a further improvement on the paper SDQ. All versions of the SDQ, including the computer-based version, can be downloaded from the Strengths and Difficulties website address www.sdqinfo.com.

depression i s common and oj3en debilitating. O f p a r t i d z r concern are those acutely depressed bipolar patients who have not responded to previous Erials of antidepressants. This investigation made use of naturalistic data collected using a standardized assessment fbrmut to determine the antdepressant @ c q and @etizve switch rate with paroxetine treatment fir bipolar depression. The charts of 20 depressed outpatients who received paroxetine, and who met DSM-III-R criteria f o r bipolar disorder, were identified and data harvested pertaining to psychiatric history and presence of abnormal mood symptoms during treatment with paroxetine. All patients included had previously failed treatment with at least one standard antidepressant agent. The observed rates of antidepressant @ c q and treatment-emergent mania were 65% and lo%, respectively. These results suggest that paroxetine is a n efiective treatment f o r bipolar depression and is less likely than most other antidepressant medications to induce treatment-emergent afective switch. Depression 3: 182-186 (1995). O 199s Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of counselling and therapy offered by the voluntary sector for women with postnatal depression or distress. Twenty-seven women accepted for individual counselling or therapy were assessed at baseline, and 3 and 6 months after therapy. They were assessed using standardized measures of depression, parenting stress, marital relationship and maternal self-efficacy. Data were collected by home interviews by an independent researcher. The study sample was representative of those referred for therapy. Scores on measures of depression, parenting self-efficacy and parenting stress decreased significantly over time. Scores of marital satisfaction did not change. The scores of 16 out of 27 (60%) had fallen to below 14 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. There was no difference between those having individual or group therapy. It is not feasible, logistically or ethically, to carry out a randomized controlled trial of counselling which is negotiated between client and therapist. The results from this prospective study of support given by the voluntary sector suggest that it can be effective in alleviating symptoms of postnatal depression.