Answered By: Todd White
Last Updated: Jun 15, 2015     Views: 75

This should be a fairly straight forward question, but it will take a few steps to answer. So, here we go ...

a).  Head to the Library's database menu at: http://libguides.css.edu/az.php

b).  From the list of databases, select PsychInfo, and login (if you are off-campus).

c).  You will see the basic search screen for PsychInfo. Underneath the search box, there is a link for "advanced search." Click on it.

d).  In the upper left of the advanced search screen is a link for the thesaurus. Click on it.

e).  In the search box below the large blue bar running across the screen, type in psychotropic and click on the browse button.

f). This will give you a cross-reference. PsychInfo does not use the term "psychotropic," instead they just use "drugs.

                   Psychotropic Drugs Use Drugs

g.  Click on the the highlighted term "drugs"

h.  You will now be at a thesaurus screen where drugs is a subject heading. Click and highlight the square box to the left of the term "drugs." Click on the "add" button in the light blue toolbar. This will add "DE drugs" to the search box at the top of the screen. Click on the blue search box to the right of that box.

i.  Your search should yield over 23,000 results (don't worry!). In the left-hand menu is a "bread box" to refine your results. In that section, click on "show more." This will bring up a pop-up screen of search options. Now we can get down to business.

j.  In the left-hand column, under "age groups," select "childhood (birth - 12 years).

    In the right-hand column, select the following:
     "language" - choose "english."
     "methodology" - choose "longitudal study" [this is the important one, since it will give you studies conducted over a number of years

Now click on search. This should give you over 50 results. Looking through them, there appear to be about a half-dozen that might fit the bill.

Note: You might also want to search Medline. In advanced search, add psychotropic in one search box, and longitudinal in the second. Click on search. You can then refine the search by language & age. This search should yield over 70 citations.

Good luck with your research.

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