CommentaryChallenges in international collaboration in child and adolescent psychiatry

Abstract

International collaboration in child and adolescent psychiatry has historically been weak and fragmented. The field has also lagged in developing remedies for improving collaboration. This article identifies barriers to successful collaboration and examines problems in the areas of finance, professional development, knowledge dissemination, professional organisations, public policy and the political environment, priority setting, nomenclature, as well as ethical challenges. The article then identifies some promising initiatives and proposes solutions to improve international collaboration in child and adolescent mental health.

Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health 2010, 22(2): 83–89