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Published on: August 1, 2017
BOAM: A Visual, Explanatory Diagnostic and Psychoeducation System Used in Collaboration with Families-Feasibility and
Eva S Potharst1,2, Damiët Truijens1, Isabelle C M Seegers1
1UvA Minds, Academic Outpatient (Child and Adolescent) Treatment Centre of the University of Amsterdam, Banstraat 29, 1071 JW Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Insights
The BOAM diagnostic system offers a feasible approach for children with neurodevelopmental issues impacting mental health. This method aids families in understanding complex symptoms, potentially improving treatment outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Mental Health Services Research
Background:
- Neurodevelopmental problems in children are often overlooked in mental health services, with emotional and behavioral symptoms dominating.
- The BOAM (Basic needs, Order, Autonomy and Meaning) system offers a novel diagnostic framework to simplify complex symptoms and underlying neuropsychological issues.
- BOAM emphasizes a transparent, collaborative process with families to enhance self-knowledge and mutual understanding of mental health challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical feasibility of the BOAM diagnostic trajectory and its subsequent treatment.
- To assess the suitability of BOAM for children unresponsive to or relapsed after treatment as usual (TAU).
Main Methods:
- A clinical feasibility study involving 34 children with treatment-resistant or relapsed mental health issues.
- Parents completed validated questionnaires pre-test, post-test, and at 3-month follow-up.
- Data collected included child psychopathology, attention, executive functioning, family functioning, relationships, and parenting stress.
Main Results:
- A low treatment drop-out rate of 2.9% was observed.
- Parents reported positive perceptions of the BOAM trajectory post-assessment.
- Questionnaires indicated sensitivity to change, suggesting appropriateness for future effectiveness studies.
- A high percentage of missing measurements (41% post-test and follow-up) was noted as a limitation.
Conclusions:
- The BOAM diagnostic trajectory and treatment appear to be a feasible alternative for children with mental health issues who have not responded to TAU.
- Further effectiveness studies are warranted, addressing the limitation of missing data.
Abstract:
Many children referred to mental health services have neurodevelopmental problems, which are not always recognized because the resulting emotional and behavioral problems dominate diagnosis and treatment. BOAM (Basic needs, Order, Autonomy and Meaning) is a new diagnostic system consisting of imaginative models that explain the complexity of symptoms and underlying neuropsychological problems in a simple way. It is designed to be used in a transparent, collaborative process with families, so that family members can better understand the nature of mental health problems, thus increasing self-knowledge and mutual understanding. In this study, the feasibility of the BOAM diagnostic trajectory and subsequent treatment informed by this trajectory are evaluated clinically in 34 children who have not responded to or relapsed after treatment as usual (TAU). Parents completed questionnaires pre-test, post-test and at a 3-month follow-up. The treatment drop-out rate was 2.9%. Post-test, parents rated the BOAM trajectory positively. The questionnaires (measuring child psychopathology, attention, executive functioning, family functioning, partner relationships and parenting stress) demonstrated sensitivity to change, and therefore, seems appropriate for a future effectiveness study. A limitation was the high percentage of missing measurements both post-test (41%) and at the follow-up (41%). The BOAM diagnostic trajectory and subsequent treatment may be a feasible alternative for children who do not respond to or relapse after TAU.
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