«The well-being and mental health of children and adolescents are issues of global importance that require immediate and concrete action from every expression of society. We must not forget that health is a fundamental human right for all individuals.” This is the appeal launched today by Ernesto Caffopresident of the Child Foundation, on the occasion of 17th International training seminar in child and adolescent psychiatry promoted by Child Foundation e Blue Telephone. The day at the Villa Aurelia conference center, which is part of the week of International training seminar dedicated to exploring the new frontiers of mental health in the youth field, it hosted authoritative world figures in neuropsychiatry and child psychiatry. At the opening of the proceedings, the director of the technical table on mental health, Alberto Siracusano, recalled that «the global problem of mental health of children and adolescents requires intervention, an increase in research and the creation of greater knowledge, not only in the health but also in the social field, which is of extreme importance. The ministry is ready and willing to take on the responsibility of addressing the mental health problems of children and adolescents. This is why we welcome innovation in knowledge and methodologies, emphasizing multidisciplinary and global approaches.”
According to theInternational Organization for Migration, one in seven individuals between the ages of 10 and 19 worldwide suffers from mental disorders. In Europe, as many as 9 million adolescents are struggling with mental health problems, mainly marked by depression, anxiety and behavioral disorders. Furthermore, It is surprising that suicide is the leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 15 and 19, with a significantly higher risk for marginalized and discriminated against groups. Even in Italy the situation is equally serious: from the latest survey by Telefono azzurro, carried out with the support of Bva Doxa, it emerges that in our country one in five kids feels anxious, while for one in three asking for help from a mental health expert is a source of shame. These data are confirmed by the increase in contacts by children with dedicated assistance and support lines. In 2022, the WHO recorded 12,638,633 contacts on the hotlines on the topic of mental health and violence by minors.
“Listening to the voices of children and adolescents is essential to respond adequately and effectively to their mental health needs,” underlines Professor Caffo. “Effective communication fosters trust and encourages openness, leading to better support and intervention. Mental well-being is a global problem that affects different actors and, at the same time, requires new categories to be understood. This is why it becomes essential to share knowledge and reflections between various experts at an international level to implement concrete actions to improve the mental health of the little ones.”
Ernesto Caffo, president of the Child Foundation
For over 20 years, the Child Foundation has been committed to shaping the future of global mental health. To date, over 500 researchers have been trained and come from all over the world: their contribution is fundamental to taking a step forward in knowledge and research for greater collective awareness regarding the psychological well-being of children and adolescents.
As he recalled Gian Vittorio Caprara, full professor of psychology at the Sapienza University of Rome, «knowledge of the development and functioning of the personality is fundamental for guiding interventions and public policies aimed at promoting the well-being of individuals and the prosperity of societies. It is necessary to put the person at the center of psychological investigation to enhance and develop the aptitudes and abilities that match the full realization of the potential of individuals.”
“As far as mental health is concerned, the situation varies depending on the part of the world you come from,” he underlined James Frederick Leckman, professor of child psychiatry, psychology and pediatrics at Yale University, one of the most authoritative exponents in his field in the USA. «But we must all do more and work together to find a way to make a real difference in terms of the well-being and health of children and their families. They are the new generations and we need to find a way to help them progress in their lives and careers. In terms of suicide incidents, there is a huge difference among young girls and young women compared to boys. It’s interesting: those who are most likely to commit suicide are boys and young adults, but in reality young women are the ones who are most likely to have a suicidal intention which can be quite serious.”
“There are several reasons why mental health in children and adolescents is important: you cannot be healthy if you do not have good mental health, because the body is healthy if the mental health system works,” he said Bennett L. Leventhal, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Chicago. «We have to make the whole person feel good. Mental health in children and adolescents is often ignored because people don’t pay attention to it or are ashamed, as there is a stigma around it. Today we know that 15-20% of children have mental disorders; they live with us and we have a duty to take care of them. It is a matter of great urgency because these children are suffering and the situation is continuing to worsen. Suicide rates increase due to events such as Covid, wars, violence, migration, so it is urgent that we all work on this issue.”
Among others, they spoke Alan Apterprofessor of child and adolescent psychiatry at Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel, Tel Aviv University; Manpreet Kaur Singhprofessor of clinical health sciences, University of California; John Piacentiniprofessor of psychiatry and bio-behavioral sciences, UCLA; Anne Marie Albanoprofessor of medical psychology – in psychiatry – at Columbia University, New York; Eric Fombonneprofessor emeritus of child and adolescent psychiatry, Oregon Health Science University in Portland, Oregon; Joaquin Fuentesof the Policlínica Gipuzkoa (where he directs the Asdeu project, promoted by the European Commission); Gian Vittorio Caprarafull professor of psychology at Sapienza University of Rome.
The seminar was sponsored by Wpa Cap, Sapienza University of Rome e University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.