The 34th National Congress of the Turkish Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: A Scientific Milestone in Turkiye
By: Dr Hakan Öğütlü, Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Diseases, Specialist and Clinical Associate Professor, University College Dublin School of Medicine, Ireland.
The 34th National Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Disorders Congress, organized by the Turkish Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (TACAP), was successfully held with broad participation from April 29 to May 3, 2025, at the Pine Bay Holiday Resort Hotel in Kuşadası, Aydin, Turkiye. The event, themed "Protecting Children and Youth in a Changing World," was spearheaded by the Association's President, Prof. Dr. Neslihan İnal, who actively participated in various sessions and delivered opening remarks. In her speech, she emphasized the association's steadfast commitment to child and adolescent mental health in Turkiye and outlined its future vision.
Figure 1: Group picture of Congress attendees.
International Experts and Current Issues Define the Congress
The congress was enriched by the participation of many internationally renowned figures, including Prof. Dr. Andrés Martin, Prof. Dr. Jörg M. Fegert, Prof. Dr. Kerim Munir, Prof. Dr. Manon Hillegers, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Daniel Fung, Prof. Dr. Campbell Paul, and Dr. Matthew Hodes. These invited speakers shared valuable insights on critical topics in child and adolescent psychiatry, such as "Digital Health Challenges and Child Protection," "Building Bridges in Child and Adolescent Mental Health: Preparing Joint Research Projects," "The Prodrome of Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents," and "Mental Health Services in Southeast Asia." Additionally, current issues like "Protecting Children with Conscious Psychopharmacology and Reasonable Screen Time," and sessions focused on academic skills such as "Manuscript Writing," drew significant interest.
The congress program also featured various courses, including "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Children and Youth in the Neurodiversity Group, Specifically Autism and ADHD," "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Obesity and Weight Management," and "Forensic Psychiatry Practices in Children and Adolescents." Panels addressed many important topics, such as "Emotional Regulation in the Digital Age," "Approaching Children in Disaster Situations," and "Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents."
WICAMHD 2025 Symposium Offers a Global Perspective
On the first day of the congress, April 29, 2025, the WICAMHD (World Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day) 2025 Symposium, a global awareness initiative, was also held in a hybrid format. With the theme "Bridging Worlds: Mental Health Support for Displaced Children and Families," the symposium featured opening remarks by WICAMHD Organizing Chair Dr. Daniel Fung and IACAPAP President Dr. Luis Rohde. Following this, experts Dr. Campbell Paul ("Understanding the Infant and Family Experience of Forced Displacement: The Role for Mental Health Services"), Prof. Dr. Füsun Çetin Çuhadaroğlu ("The Challenges of Displacement for Adolescents"), Dr. Matthew Hodes ("Support for Displaced Children and Families: Personal Reflections on What We've Learnt and Where We're Going"), Dr. Chiara Servili ("Building Systems for Young People's Mental Health in Settings Affected by Displacement"), and Dr. Anthony Guerrero ("Finding Opportunities Globally to Care for Youth Vulnerable to Displacement") delivered presentations focusing on the mental health of displaced children and families.
Figure 2: WICAMH Day team with the Congress organizers.
Scientific Achievements Crowned with Awards
The congress also recognized valuable scientific studies and projects in the field of child and adolescent mental health. The Ord. Prof. Dr. Fahrettin Kerim Gökay Research Award highlighted significant studies. The first-place award was shared by Elif Özkan and colleagues for their work "Journey to the World of Anime: Psychiatric Reflections of Anime Watching Behaviors in Adolescents," and Gökçen Deniz Yalçın and colleagues for their research "Evaluation of Cases Diagnosed with Specific Learning Disorder in Terms of Foveal Parameters, Ocular Dominance, Visual Perception, Attention and Memory Processes." The second-place award was presented to Buse Akıncı and team for "Dimensional Assessment of Repetitive Behaviors (DARB) Turkish Validity and Reliability Study," and to Zehra Nur İnal and Mehmet Karadağ for "Comparison of Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Leptin Levels After Interpersonal Relations Psychotherapy in Patients Diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa.”
The Turkish Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Project Award, aimed at encouraging innovative approaches, was granted to Kürşat Alperen Korkut and colleagues for their project "Multi-Modal Artificial Intelligence Supported Diagnosis Model in Autism Diagnosis."
One of the congress's prestigious awards, the Prof. Dr. Atilla Turgay Best Research Award, was given to Merve Çıkılı Uytun and team for their notable and practice-oriented study " "Intervention for Childhood Anxiety Disorder: "Treasure Master" a CBT-Based Mobile Game for Improving Mental Health".
Finally, the Turkish Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Prof. Dr. Ülkü Ülgür Research Award, supporting scientific research in the field, was awarded to Gonca Özyurt and her research group for their comprehensive study "The Effect of Psychoeducational Psychotherapy on Neurocognitive Functions, Quality of Life and Emotion Regulation in Adolescents Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder". In her speeches at the award ceremony, Association President Prof. Dr. Neslihan İnal once again emphasized the importance of encouraging young researchers and supporting scientific work for the association.
Figure 3: Teens Choir of Children with Autism.
Conclusion
The 34th National Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Disorders Congress concluded by making significant contributions to the advancement of child and adolescent mental health in Turkiye, offering valuable scientific content and interaction opportunities that received positive feedback from participants. The concert given by a choir of teenagers with Autism at the closing ceremony was not only touching for everyone, but also a beautiful example of the effective results of our professional contributions. Further details and materials from the congress can be accessed at https://cocukergen2025.com/.
This article represents the view of its author(s) and does not necessarily represent the view of the IACAPAP's bureau or executive committee.
