Screening

Screening questionnaires

General psychopathology screens: the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Child Symptom Inventory (CSI-4) are efficient screening instruments for acute mania and depression, because they assess both mood symptoms and other psychiatric behaviors and disorders that can be confused with, or may co-occur with, bipolar disorder; however, these instruments are not specific for mania and are not sufficient to make a diagnosis.[109] Elevated anxiety or depression, aggression, and attention subscale scores (T scores >67) on the CBCL have previously been called the Child Behavior Checklist Juvenile Bipolar Disorder (CBCL-JBD) phenotype, but evidence suggests that although this profile predicts later severe psychiatric symptomatology, this is not specific for bipolar disorder.[110] ASEBA, University of Vermont: sample child behavior checklist Opens in new window

Specific mania screens: screening instruments directed more specifically at mania or hypomania (but not sufficient for a diagnosis) include parent-completed versions of the General Behavior Inventory (P-GBI), the Child Mania Rating Scale (P-CMRS), and the Young Mania Rating Scale (P-YMRS).[111][112][113] As with most other conditions in child psychiatry, cross-informant agreement is low.[94]

For children presenting to the emergency department, screening for immediate risk for suicidality is important.[114] Use of a brief validated screening tool for suicidality: for example, the Ask Suicide Screening Questions (ASQ) (validated in children ages 10 and over) or Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale for pediatrics (C-SSRC) (validated in children and adults ages 12 and over) may be helpful in this setting.[115][116]​​ Note that screening for suicidality may also be necessary in other clinical locations: for example, primary and secondary care, depending on individual risk factors.

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