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Norms, Needs and New Frontiers in Pediatric Mental Health

Norms, Needs and New Frontiers in Pediatric Mental Health 1024 683 Madison Storm

An interview with Eric Youngstrom, PhD, director of the Institute for Mental and Behavioral Health Research at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.  

At Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the Institute for Mental and Behavioral Research (IMBHR) is driving discovery through improved assessments, effective treatments and digging deep to answer the ‘why’ behind clinical challenges. Specializing in areas such as mood disorders, autism, sleep, substance misuse, and self-injurious thoughts and behavior, this team is dedicated to advancing the best care in an ever-evolving specialty.  

What are the biggest challenges you see in mental health research, and what is Nationwide Children’s doing about them?

Mental health is one of the few areas in medicine where outcomes have been getting worse instead of better. Rates of anxiety, depression, self-injury and substance misuse have all been climbing. Nationwide Children’s is committing to not only stopping the rise but actively reversing it. One of the key strategies is improving assessment: identifying problems earlier, understanding them more clearly and matching them with the right interventions. By identifying problems sooner, we can often use less intensive treatments that are more accessible and less costly. It’s about getting ahead of the curve and offering support before problems escalate.  

IMBHR just developed their first strategic plan. What does this entail and how will it guide research being done in the institute?

The strategic plan prioritizes research areas based on unmet needs and opportunities for impact. It identifies high-need conditions — such as attention problems, aggression, anxiety and sleep disturbances — that interfere with learning and development. The plan also highlights where families are asking for help and where funders are investing. It’s a roadmap for where to grow the team and focus resources; it’s interdisciplinary, bridging service lines across the hospital and connecting research to clinical care.  

Improved assessment has been identified as a priority area for the institute. What does this look like at Nationwide Children’s, and what innovations from IMBHR are you most excited about?

We’ve built a comprehensive map of assessments currently available to clinicians and identified tools that need upgrading. A lot of the assessment tools we’re using are excellent choices with great research behind them, but they lack normative data; no one has invested in figuring out what’s typical for a child or teenager. No one knows the answers to the first question parents have when they visit the clinic: is this normal? 

We’re investing in building those norms, which will allow us to give families clearer, more meaningful feedback. For example, instead of asking if a teen feels perfect, we can now say “Here’s what an average amount of worry looks like.” That’s powerful. It helps normalize experiences and guide care more effectively.  

Personally, I’m excited about the work we’re doing in mood disorders — an area I’ve focused on throughout my career — but the broader investment across conditions is what makes this initiative so impactful.  

How do you envision the future of mental and behavioral health assessments evolving in clinical practice?

I think the future lies in shifting our focus from process to outcomes. I recently read a book on AI that made a point of changing our thinking around outcomes, and it directly applies to the work we’re doing. It’s not about increasing the number of visits or diagnoses — it’s about improving health, providing solutions that help patients feel better and live healthier lives. Families don’t want more time in clinics; they want solutions. The goal should be less despair and more resilience, more light instead of looking at what’s dark. That means rethinking what success looks like — not just eliminating symptoms, but helping kids thrive. I think we’ll see these [our processes] evolve to support resilience, emotional well-being and developmental growth.  IMBHR is embracing this vision by redefining the finish line: not just treating illness but promoting wellness. It’s a radical but necessary shift, and it’s one I believe will transform how we care for children and families.   

About the author

Senior Strategist, Research Communications | Website

Madison Storm is the Senior Strategist of Research Communications at Nationwide Children's Hospital. She earned her bachelor's in multimedia journalism from Virginia Tech in 2021 and went on to achieve her master's in health communication from Johns Hopkins University in 2023. Her passion for transforming the complex to clear is supported by various experiences writing for consumer audiences.

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