Structure, content and availability
The textbook contains 10 sections divided into 59 chapters, comprising 1435 pages.
An introductory section provides an overview of general topics concerning CAMH and ends with a section addressing different topics related to the field, for example emergencies, alternative treatments, clinical quality and patient safety, the United Nations’ Convention on the rights of the child and historical aspects.
Seven of the remaining eight sections approach specific disorders: “Perinatal and early childhood risk and protective factors”, which includes early maltreatment and failure in primary health care (associate editor: L. Newmann); “Developmental disorders”, for example autism spectrum disorders, underachievement and learning difficulties, enuresis and encopresis (associate editor: J. Liu); “Externalizing disorders”, for example attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and its non-pharmacologic treatment (associate editor: F. D. Zepf); “Mood disorders”, for example depression, suicide and self-harming behaviors (associate editor: G. Walter); “Anxiety disorders”, for example separation anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, reactions to trauma (associate editor: C. Soutullo); “Substance use disorders”, including alcohol, cannabis and other substance use and misuse; and “Other disorders”, including eating-, tic-, borderline personality- and schizophrenic disorders, atypical gender development and problematic internet use. The section “Psychiatry and Pediatrics” outlines non-psychiatric conditions in children and adolescents which have a psychiatric background, including somatoform and sleep disorders, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, or pediatric delirium (associate editor: A. S. Martin).
Since 2013, 18 new chapters were added to the textbook; three in 2013, four new chapters both in 2014 and 2015 and another seven new chapters since 2016 [
13].
The chapters provide a thorough introduction to a large variety of topics. For additional information, literature suggestions and links are provided in each chapter. As an example, the chapter “Early maltreatment and exposure to violence” (S. M. K. Tan, N. K. Nor, L. S. Fong, S. Wahab, S. Marimuthu and C. L. Fong) gives a good introduction to and a clear overview of the topic. Different types of maltreatment are explained and difficulties in finding a definition of child maltreatment are depicted in a differentiated and understandable manner. An array of graphs, synoptic tables and video-clips illustrate the contents of the chapter. The influence of toxic stress on the development of a child is, for example, explained in a video-clip. Additionally, practical advice is given and strategies for prevention of child maltreatment are outlined. As a minor critical point, whereas sexual abuse is examined in detail, a more thorough presentation of the other kinds of child maltreatment would be desirable.
Additionally, presentations for dissemination of the contents are available in the new version on 17 topics.
Self-assessment exercises for self-directed learning are available for several chapters of the new version. In our opinion, it would be worthwhile to offer both, prepared presentations and self-assessment exercises, in all chapters.
The original version of the textbook is in English, but with the new version, 49 chapters are available in French, Spanish, Hebrew, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian, Norwegian and/or Japanese. The range of available translations are constantly being extended [
13].
The textbook can be downloaded chapter by chapter in separate PDF files, which ensures availability even in regions and facilities with restricted internet access. The presentations are offered as Microsoft PowerPoint files, which can also be opened with older and free presentation software. In some chapters, hyperlinks to videos are used. Most of the videos are available on YouTube and therefore accessible in most parts of the world. Other hyperlinks to reports, further information or important homepages are also directly accessible in the PDF files. Therefore, while reading the chapters as an introduction, hyperlinks can be used for obtaining more detailed and in-depth information.
In addition, there is also an extremely useful app available for smartphones and tablets, which can be downloaded for free and is optimized for offline reading (“IACAPAP Text” available for iOS and Android). Users of the app can access all contents of the textbook and be notified of updates.
Reader-friendliness
The different chapters are coherent and easy to read, texts are structured consistently and clearly. The frequent use of illustrations adds positively to reading comprehension. Each chapter provides keynotes of the topic, highlighted in special boxes. An example is the chapter “The clinical examination of children, adolescents and their families” (T. Lempp, D. de Lange, D. Radeloff and C. Bachmann). It starts with an exceedingly helpful guide ‘Ways to read this chapter’, that supports the different target groups in getting familiar with any sections which are especially interesting to them. Furthermore, the authors point out the importance and relevance of the different topics covered before approaching aims, strategies, methods, and tools concerning the examination. The chapter is clearly and logically structured and completed by practical advice in textboxes, charts and videos. It ends with advice on communication and on how to proceed in cases of unclear diagnosis.
Following this example of great achievement in order to further improve reading comprehension, at the beginning of each chapter a summary and a guide on how to read the chapter would be useful throughout the textbook.
In conclusion, it is advisable to read the textbook in the electronical version, as the printed version does not support several tools such as hyperlinks or the detailed presentation of complex figures. Thanks to the modular character of the textbook, the single chapters can be updated continuously.
Practical relevance
Apart from knowledge transfer, many of the authors focus on the everyday work of CAMH and allied professionals (e.g. also general health professionals such as nurses or general practitioners and social workers) and offer some highly important indications and tools for professional practice (e.g. questionnaires for psychological assessment). The frequent use of practical examples raises the practical usefulness of the contents of each chapter. Simple advice and practical points to consider, along with the extensive use of illustrations, are particularly useful for busy practitioners. Furthermore, in several chapters, numerous case studies are provided, helping to enhance internalization of the topic. In some of the chapters, questions concerning these case studies are available, which further promotes transfer of learned contents into daily practice.
For example, in the chapter on selective mutism (B. Oerbeck, K. Manassis, K. Romvig Overgaard, and H. Kristensen), several case studies are provided after a theoretical introduction and description of the topic. These are meant to illustrate the range of presentations and promote the examination of different treatment options for selective mutism. One of the case studies has to be solved autonomously by the readers.
The authors of some chapters encourage to submit comments and even offer to answer questions via Facebook, a hyperlink to the website is included in the text [
13].
Knowledge and dissemination
Open access publishing and new digital media provide an unparalleled opportunity of knowledge transfer and dissemination, which is utilized by the IACAPAP textbook. To date, several chapters have provided different materials, such as presentations and case studies, which can be used to disseminate the content of the textbook to other healthcare workers. While some materials and tools are directly included in the chapters, prepared digital presentations are provided separately in each chapter.
The materials provided in the chapters often include videos, which either give an overview or offer deeper insight into the specific topics. In addition, diagnostic instruments are presented and made available, which are also meant to be shared with colleagues. In the chapter “Autism spectrum disorder” (J. Fuentes, M. Bakare, K. Munir, P. Aguayo, N. Gaddour, and Ö. Öner) a simple form of dissemination is suggested: The reader is asked to write a summary based on the contents of the chapter and to send it to colleagues. The chapter itself is well structured and informative, and the summary is a possibility to disseminate the most important messages to a broader audience including non-specialists or community health workers. The case studies mentioned above can also be used for group learning by discussing them with colleagues.
The structure of most of the presentations is well thought through and presents the contents of the chapters clearly. In order to enhance readability and to avoid sensory overload, prepared handouts with respective figures or charts can be distributed at presentations. The presentation on “Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)” (created by J. Chilton) is, for example, an extremely well-structured and reader-friendly presentation. The learning objectives and importance of the topic is emphasized at the beginning. In the presentation, a stringent procedure addresses epidemiology, course, symptoms, consequences and comorbidities of the disease, etiology, risk factors, diagnostic tools, different treatments and finally hyperlinks for further information. What should be especially highlighted are case studies, which show ADHD in different cultural backgrounds and make it a subject of discussion. The presentation on “The clinical examination of children, adolescents and their families” (created by H. Klasen) combines theoretical input and practical methods on how to deal with patients and their families. Additionally, different exercises are included in the presentation in order to promote application of the learned contents.
A particular welcome feature is that all presentations can be edited by the reader, which is a huge advantage for preparing individual presentations for dissemination.