Some commentaries express concern that the At-Risk Mental State (ARMS) designation can be stigmatizing and induce a lasting sense of personal fragility. However, no studies have actually explored the personal perspectives of those so categorized. The purpose of this study was to explore how adolescents with an ARMS label understand and experience their condition medically and personally. Six participants receiving an ARMS diagnosis were interviewed and the data analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three superordinate themes emerged: "It is better to say it," "How others would take me," and "Just to have somebody to talk to." The participants' experiences of being labeled were generally positive with limited instances of stigmatization by family and friends. Like most psychiatric diagnoses, the ARMS label has the potential to generate stigma. In practice, however, this sample of young people appeared to respect being told about the condition and to value the opportunity of talking about their experiences with mental health professionals and significant others.

The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that:• a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in DRO • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.Please consult the full DRO policy for further details.

BackgroundFew studies relating to youth mental health have actively involved young people in the design and conduct of research.AimsThis qualitative study explores the perceptions of young people about involving them in mental health research.MethodAn opportunistic sample of eight young people (aged 14–24 years) from non‐statutory mental health organizations was interviewed. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and inductive thematic analysis was conducted.ResultsSix key themes emerged reflecting a desire for young people to have the opportunity to actively contribute to every stage of the research process. Meaningful research involvement was perceived as offering opportunities to develop personal skills, contribute to making a difference and ensuring research projects were more relevant.ConclusionsYoung people with an active interest in mental health promotion demonstrate a desire to be involved in research with training in research methods likely to facilitate this process. Researchers need training on how best to actively and meaningfully involve young people in mental health research.

. (2014) 'The 'At-risk mental state' for psychosis in adolescents : clinical presentation, transition and remission.', Child psychiatry and human development., 45 (1). pp. 90-98.Further information on publisher's website:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10578-013-0380-z Publisher's copyright statement:The nal publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10578-013-0380-z.Additional information: Use policyThe full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-pro t purposes provided that:• a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in DRO • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.Please consult the full DRO policy for further details. 2 Abstract:Despite increased efforts over the last decade to prospectively identify individuals at ultrahigh risk of developing a psychotic illness, limited attention has been specifically directed towards adolescent populations (<18 years). In order to evaluate how those under 18 fulfilling the operationalised criteria for an At-Risk Mental State (ARMS) present and fare over time, we conducted an observational study. Participants (N=30) generally reported a high degree of functional disability and frequent and distressing perceptual disturbance, mainly in the form of auditory hallucinations. Seventy percent (21/30) were found to fulfil the criteria for a co-morbid ICD-10 listed mental health disorder, with mood (affective; 13/30) disorders being most prevalent. Overall transition rates to psychosis were low at 24 month follow-up (2/28; 7.1%) whilst many participants demonstrated a significant reduction in psychotic-like symptoms. The generalisation of these findings may be limited due to the small sample size and require replication in a larger sample.

Attitudes and knowledge of child and adolescent mental health clinicians in relation to the psychosis risk syndromee ip_285 355..359 Abstract Aim: To evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of clinicians in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in relation to the 'At-Risk Mental State' concept in psychosis. Methods:A questionnaire was constructed and administered to child and adolescent mental health clinicians working in North East England.

No abstract

These findings highlight that ARMS patients are likely to report higher levels of perceived family dysfunction compared to a community sample of young people. However, the mechanisms by which family perceptions may contribute to the development of distressing psychotic symptoms remain unclear and require further study. Family work, with a focus upon improving perceived expressed emotion, nurturing behaviours and hostility may at this stage represent a feasible adjunct therapy for those with ARMS.

A stepped care approach to the ARMS in young people represents a plausible potential management approach for those at high risk of serious mental health problems. However, predictive models currently lack precision and should focus on accurately identifying those at high risk for a variety of poor outcomes who may benefit most from intervention. There is also an urgent need for age-specific research in the area of psychosocial treatments for children and adolescents with schizophrenia.