There is evidence that mood stabilisers as a group are significantly better than placebo in reducing aggressive behaviour, but not all mood stabilisers appear to share this effect. There is evidence of efficacy for carbamazepine/oxcarbazepine, phenytoin and lithium. Many studies, however, were at risk of bias and so further randomised controlled trials are recommended.

Mother and baby units (MBUs) provide inpatient psychiatric care for mothers and their infants up to a year after childbirth. They are commissioned to support the mother–infant relationship as well as stabilize maternal mental health. As their efficacy at meeting these aims had not previously been systematically assessed, this paper reviewed the international literature relating to psychological outcomes following MBU admission. A systematic search of five databases identified 23 papers eligible for inclusion, reporting on a range of outcomes indicating positive effects on maternal mental health and the mother–infant relationship and an absence of adverse effects on child development. The review also highlighted specific groups responding less favorably to MBU admission, eg, mothers with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Although the included studies were of variable methodological quality, the research findings consistently indicated positive effects. Implications for research and clinical practice are outlined in the discussion.

Background: Safe alternatives to custody for offenders with mental disorder are vital, not least as self-harm, and violence rates are rising among them in prisons. In England and Wales, the Criminal Justice Act 2003 allows a mental health treatment requirement (MHTR) to supplement a community or suspended prison sentence, but this combination is poorly understood and rarely sought.Aim: To explore offenders' perspectives on the MHTR. Methods:We interviewed all 25 consenting offenders under an MHTR in two probation areas. Verbatim transcripts of their audio-taped narratives were analysed using grounded theory methods.Results: Their core concern was "instability," characterised by many health and social difficulties and resolved by achieving stability, which included not reoffending as well as becoming healthy, substance free, and "having a life." Most considered that the MHTR helped their motivation and service provision, but some cited poor supervisor accessibility, supervisor role confusion, and sense of stigma under the order as stressful and threatening good outcomes. Conclusions: This first account of offenders' perspectives on the MHTR suggests a model in which, under it, offenders see themselves making progress as courts require. They understand the risk of return to court and imprisonment if in breach. This model of understanding how MHTRs work could provide for professional guidance and evaluation of their effectiveness.

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