'Mind the Kids': an ACAMH podcast

In this episode of Mind the Kids, the podcast from the Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH), host Dr. Clara Faria — academic clinical fellow in child psychiatry — is joined by Professor Lauren Kenworthy, Division Chief, Neuropsychology Director, Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders Pediatric Neuropsychologist, at the Children's National Hospital, based in Washington DC.
Professor Kenworthy shares findings from her landmark study, 'Executive Function Challenges Persist into Young Adulthood and Predict Mental Health Outcomes in Autism', published in JCPP — ACAMH's flagship peer-reviewed journal. Drawing on over 300 autistic individuals and more than 900 observations spanning ages 2 to 25, this is one of the most comprehensive longitudinal investigations into executive function trajectories and mental health outcomes in autism to date.
The episode unpacks what executive functions are — the brain-based cognitive abilities governing flexibility, working memory, and impulse control — and why they matter so profoundly for the mental health of autistic young people. With approximately 70% of autistic children and 63% of autistic adults experiencing mental health challenges at any given time, Professor Kenworthy explains why understanding the relationship between executive dysfunction and depression and anxiety in autism is not just academically important, but urgent.
Among the most striking findings: executive function challenges — particularly cognitive inflexibility — remain clinically elevated from early childhood all the way through young adulthood, persisting even in young people who have had access to clinical support. Anxiety symptoms worsen significantly for autistic girls, with measurable divergence from their male peers emerging around age 12 — a finding with major implications for autism diagnosis, gender differences in autism, and targeted mental health intervention.
Professor Kenworthy also shares her work developing Unstuck and On Target, a school-based executive function intervention designed to be delivered by educators — not just clinicians — addressing the urgent need for scalable, real-world, evidence-based autism support in schools. The conversation covers participatory research, the 12-year evidence-to-implementation gap, the limits of existing interventions including ABA, and why autistic voices must be central to the future of autism research and intervention design.
Essential listening for clinicians, researchers, educators, and anyone with a stake in autism mental health, early intervention, and neurodevelopmental research.
Read the paper 'Executive function challenges persist into young adulthood and predict mental health outcomes in autism' https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.70149
Lauren Kenworthy, Lauren Baczewski, Alan H. Gerber, Cara E. Pugliese, A. Chelsea Armour, Kelsey D. Csumitta, Gabrielle E. Reimann, Caroline Candy, Gregory L. Wallace, Matthew S. Fritz
First published: 11 April 2026
Get a free CPD/CME certificate for listening to this podcast by registering for a FREE ACAMH Learn account at https://bit.ly/4fF4BBW
Visit https://www.acamh.org
Facebook and LinkedIn search / ACAMH
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/assoc.camh
Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/acamh.bsky.social
X https://x.com/acamh

This episode of the Mind the Kids podcast features Dr. Joanne Park, clinical psychologist and Principal Investigator of the Parenting Resilient Kids (Park) Lab at Mount Royal University, Canada. Hosted by Clara Faria, the conversation explores emerging research on “climate worry” in early adolescence, drawing on Dr. Park’s recent publication in Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
Dr. Park examines whether concerns about climate change represent a distinct psychological construct or are simply an extension of generalised anxiety. The discussion unpacks the difference between affective climate worry—emotional responses to climate change—and cognitive climate worry, which reflects more developed fears about future impact. Importantly, the findings suggest that climate worry is not only common among younger adolescents but may also have unique associations with wellbeing, independent of general anxiety.
The episode also highlights key developmental, social, and gender-related factors shaping how young people experience climate-related distress. Dr. Park discusses why girls and gender-diverse adolescents may report higher levels of climate worry, and considers how clinicians, educators, and parents can respond without over-pathologising what may be a rational reaction to the climate crisis.
This conversation is essential listening for clinicians, researchers, and educators interested in child and adolescent mental health, particularly those working with anxiety, emotional development, and the psychological impact of global challenges. It also offers practical insight into how to support young people in managing climate-related concerns through adaptive coping and resilience-building strategies.
Read the CAMH journal paper ‘Prevalence, conceptual distinctiveness, and cross-sectional correlates of climate worry in Canadian adolescents’ - https://doi.org/10.1111/camh.70076
Joanne L. Park, Audrey-Ann Deneault, Brae Anne McArthur, Suzanne Tough, Sheri Madigan
First published: 18 February 2026
Get a free CPD/CME certificate for listening to this podcast by registering for a FREE ACAMH Learn account at https://bit.ly/4fF4BBW
Visit https://www.acamh.org
Facebook and LinkedIn search / ACAMH
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/assoc.camh
Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/acamh.bsky.social
X https://x.com/acamh

In this episode of the Mind the Kids, Clara Faria speaks with Professor Nathalie Auger and Professor Howard Steiger about new research exploring how maternal anorexia nervosa may influence children’s mental health and neurodevelopment.
Using a large population-based cohort, the study examines links between maternal eating disorders and outcomes such as anorexia nervosa, attentional difficulties, and other psychiatric risks in offspring. The discussion highlights the role of genetic vulnerability, environmental exposure, and epigenetic mechanisms, offering a nuanced understanding of how risk is transmitted across generations.
The episode also considers important clinical implications, including the benefits of early treatment, the importance of reducing stigma, and how supporting maternal mental health can improve outcomes for future generations.
A must-listen for professionals in child and adolescent mental health, psychiatry, psychology, and anyone interested in eating disorders and developmental research.
Read the CAMH journal paper ‘Maternal anorexia nervosa and risk of mental and neurodevelopmental morbidity in offspring'
Sam Amar, Gabriel Côté-Corriveau, Mimi Israël, Howard Steiger, Nancy Low, Nicholas Chadi, Émilie Brousseau, Nahantara Lafleur, Nathalie Auger
First published: 02 December 2025 https://doi.org/10.1111/camh.70051
Get a free CPD/CME certificate for listening to this podcast by registering for a FREE ACAMH Learn account at https://bit.ly/4fF4BBW
Visit https://www.acamh.org
Facebook and LinkedIn search / ACAMH
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/assoc.camh
Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/acamh.bsky.social
X https://x.com/acamh

In this episode of Mind the Kids, Clara Faria is joined by Dr. Ariadna Albajara-Saenz and Dr. Amirah Wahdi to discuss adolescent mental health in low- and middle-income countries, drawing on findings from a major cross-country study published in JCPP Advances. 
The conversation explores mental health measurement across 12 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa and Southeast Asia, the challenges of comparing data across cultures, and why issues such as food insecurity, gender, and service access matter for global child and adolescent mental health research.
Together, they examine the importance of culturally sensitive mental health measures, the complexities of conducting large-scale international surveys, and what future research should prioritise to improve understanding and support for young people worldwide.
Read the paper ‘Mental health measures among adolescents in 12 low- and middle-income countries: Measurement invariance and cross-sectional analyses of Disrupting Harm survey data’ - https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.70087
Ariadna Albajara Sáenz, Sebastian Kurten, Jennifer Saxton, Daniel Kardefelt-Winther, Tamsin Ford, Amy Orben, Simon R. White
First published: 04 December 2025
Get a free CPD/CME certificate for listening to this podcast by registering for a FREE ACAMH Learn account at https://bit.ly/4fF4BBW

Visit https://www.acamh.org
Facebook and LinkedIn search / ACAMH
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/assoc.camh
Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/acamh.bsky.social
X https://x.com/acamh

Welcome to Mind the Kids, exploring cutting-edge child and adolescent mental health research. In this episode host Clara Faria, a child psychiatry fellow, welcomes Professor Tamsin Ford, University of Cambridge to discuss over diagnosis.
The episode covers key surveys from Tamsin's group looking at data including ADHD and autism trends. Plus Clara and Tamsin talk about emotional disorder increases, rigorous multi-informant assessments, NHS waiting lists, school-based supports, private sector challenges, and AI's potential for equitable care. Don't miss this evidence-based discussion for parents, teachers, and professionals!
Get a free CPD/CME certificate for listening to this podcast by registering for a FREE ACAMH Learn account at https://bit.ly/4fF4BBW
Visit https://www.acamh.org
Facebook and LinkedIn search / ACAMH
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/assoc.camh
Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/acamh.bsky.social
X https://x.com/acamh