Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood disorders.

Clinicians today face difficulties in appropriately assisting children with mood disorders, whose parents may challenge diagnostic and treatment decisions based on potentially faulty information obtained from unregulated sources (e.g., the Internet, commercial books, other media). In light of this problem, as well as the U.S. Surgeon General's recent call for increases in evidence-based diagnosis and treatment of childhood disorders, it is important that psychologists educate themselves and their clients about evidence-based practices. Evidence-based assessment and psychosocial and psychopharmacological treatment procedures for childhood unipolar and bipolar mood disorders are reviewed, and specific practice recommendations are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)