Mental Health Needs Research Articles

School staff perceptions of the impact of school counselling on young people, the school and integration into the school system

AbstractIntroductionThis research explored the views of staff in secondary schools on school counselling for young people. Data were drawn from the Effectiveness and Cost Effectiveness Trial of Humanistic Counselling in Schools (ETHOS) study, an RCT of school counselling across 18 state‐funded secondary schools in London.MethodsQualitative semi‐structured interviews were held with school staff (n = 16) from a sub‐sample of 10 participating schools from the RCT. The interviews explored the perceived impact of school counselling on the school and students. Thematic analysis was conducted using the NVivo qualitative data analysis software.ResultsThree key themes were identified: (1) school context: rising mental health need and varying provision for mental health; (2) school staff perspectives on the impact of counselling: increased openness and improvements in mood, dedicated space to open up, putting skills into practice, one size does not fit all, and role of personal connection; and (3) long‐term impact of counselling in schools: integration as central to success and counselling as a stepping stone for further support.ConclusionThis research provides insights into school staff views of secondary school counselling in the context of delivery through a research trial. Effective ways of integrating counselling services into schools are identified.

Implementing a Grief Support Program in a Black Church to Support the Mental Health Needs of People in Bereavement.

Implementing a Grief Support Program in a Black Church to Support the Mental Health Needs of People in Bereavement.

Investigating College Student Mental Health Needs and Barriers Using Natural Language Processing

College students’s mental health has been declining, despite efforts by universities to improve outreach and programming. Though a variety of resources are available, students, especially those who experience marginalization, often do not engage with them. LGBTQ+ students in Florida, in particular, may face unique challenges. To understand marginalized college students’s mental health experiences, we conducted ten focus group interviews (N = 65) with students with various marginalized identities. Using Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, we conducted sentiment analysis with respect to students’s responses on interview questions (e.g., mental health needs, how needs are met/not met) among LGBTQ+ and other minority groups. Overall, LGBTQ+ students yielded a more negative sentiment than the other groups, with a marginally significant (at 0.1 level) difference suggested by Wilcoxon rank sum test. This project presents a novel approach to leveraging traditional qualitative methods and AI, provides deeper understanding of the mental-health-related needs of marginalized college students, and practical implications for prevention and intervention efforts to promote college students’s mental health.

Understanding and Assisting the Recovery of Non-English-Speaking Trauma Survivors: Assessment of the NESTS Pathway.

Spanish-speaking trauma and burn patients have unique needs in their post-discharge care navigation. The confluence of limited English proficiency, injury recovery, mental health, socioeconomic disadvantages, and acute stressors following hospital admission converge to enhance patients' vulnerability, but their specific needs and means of meeting these needs have not been well described. This prospective, cross-sectional survey study describes the results of a multi-institutional initiative devised to help Spanish-speaking trauma and burn patients in their care navigation after hospitalization. The pathway consisted of informational resources, intake and follow up surveys, and multiple points of contact with a community health worker who aids in accessing community resources and navigating the healthcare system. From January 2022-November 2023, there were 114 patients identified as eligible for the NESTS pathway. Of these, 80 (70.2%) were reachable and consented to participate, and 68 of these patients were approached in person during their initial hospitalization. After initial screening, 60 (75.0%) of the eligible patients had a mental health, social services, or other need identified via our survey instrument. During the initial consultation with the CHW, 48 of the 60 patients with any identified need were connected to a resource (80%). Food support was the most prevalent need (N=46, 57.5%). More patients were connected to mental health resources (N=16) than reported need in this domain (N=7). The NESTS pathway identified the specific needs of Spanish-speaking trauma and burn patients in their recovery, notably food, transportation, and utilities. The pathway also addressed disparities in post-discharge care by connecting patients with community resources, with particular improvement in access to mental healthcare.

Beyond Reading: Psychological and Mental Health Needs in Adolescents with Dyslexia.

Overall, children and adolescents diagnosed with dyslexia or ADHD show an increased risk for psychological and mental health problems, and dyslexia and ADHD tend to coexist frequently. Thus, the main objective of this study was to examine psychological and mental health problems in dyslexia. Participated 95 adolescents with dyslexia (DG), comorbid dyslexia + attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, combined subtype (D + ADHD-CG), and a comparison group with typical development (TDCG). Self-reported measures of anxiety and depression, and parent and teacher versions of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were used. Self-reports of internalizing problems showed that adolescents in the GD and D + ADHD-CG groups had more depression and stated anxiety problems with a very high percentage above the clinical cut-off point than the CG. Both the parent and teacher reports showed that the DG and D + ADHD-CG groups obtained higher mean values and a higher number of adolescents above the clinical cut-off of internalizing, externalizing, and total problems than the TDCG. The comorbid D + ADHD-CG group had the highest internalizing and externalizing problems. In conclusion, our findings indicate that the internalizing and externalizing problems experienced by adolescents with dyslexia and comorbid ADHD should be recognized early and treated promptly by education professionals.

Co-Producing a Package of Novel Online Resources to Support the Mental Health Needs of People With Persistent Pain: BeeFree.

Co-Producing a Package of Novel Online Resources to Support the Mental Health Needs of People With Persistent Pain: BeeFree.

Expanding Access and Equity: The Use of Telehealth by Schools to Address Child and Adolescent Mental Health Needs

Expanding Access and Equity: The Use of Telehealth by Schools to Address Child and Adolescent Mental Health Needs

Care gaps among people presenting to the hospital following self-harm: observational study of three emergency departments in England

ObjectivesThis study aims to examine the proportions of patients referred to mental health, social and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) services and general practice and to assess care gaps...

State Differences in Children’s Mental Health Care

ObjectivesThis study estimates and compares variation in the probability of child unmet need for mental health care and difficulties accessing care for each state in the United States. Estimates are also generated and compared for three socioeconomic and demographic subgroups nationwide: racial/ethnic group, household income, and insurance type. MethodsUsing a retrospective, cross-sectional design, this study pooled 2016-2019 National Survey of Children’s Health data. National, state, and subgroup adjusted probabilities of caregiver-reported child unmet need for mental health care and ease of access to mental health care were generated from logistic regression models with marginal post-estimation. ResultsAdjusted national probabilities of caregiver-reported child unmet mental health need and difficulty in accessing care were 0.21 and 0.46, respectively. State probabilities of unmet need ranged from 0.08 to 0.32. One state was significantly above the national estimate; nine states were below it. State probabilities of difficulty accessing mental health care ranged from 0.28 to 0.57; nine states’ probabilities were significantly below the national estimate and two states were significantly above it. Estimates of unmet mental health need and difficulty accessing care varied more widely across states than across racial or ethnic groups, income groups, insurance groups. ConclusionsGeographic inequities in children’s mental health care access persist; in some cases, they are larger than sociodemographic inequities.

Supporting the Mental Health Needs of Neurodivergent Students: Outcomes of a Mental Health Literacy Program for Primary School Educators

This study evaluated the effectiveness of neurodiversity training modules from a mental health literacy program for primary school staff offered over a three-year period (2013–2015), entitled ‘Teaching and Mental Health’. Using archival data, this study aimed to identify how much teachers learned, how confident they were about using this newly acquired knowledge, and how well the training met the teachers’ learning needs. This study also aimed to explore the relationship between knowledge and confidence, and how satisfaction indicators affected this relationship. Key ethical considerations of neurodiversity training and outcome measurement are discussed. A pre-test and post-test survey design was conducted with 99 primary school teachers from the Brisbane region in Australia. Analyses included three paired-samples t-tests, descriptive statistics, a linear regression analysis, and a mediation analysis. Significant increases of knowledge and confidence were found compared to baseline, and mean satisfaction ratings were high. Knowledge was a significant predictor of confidence, and mental health presenter ratings partially mediated this relationship. It is proposed that future delivery of the program should invest in improving presenter effectiveness.

Animal Protection Officers: Professional Identity, Professional Stressors, and Mental Health Needs

Abstract Animal protection officers (APOs) fulfill critical community roles but are underrepresented in academic literature. This study explored APOs’ professional identities, professional stressors, positive job aspects, and mental health needs and access. Our mixed-methods design featured a survey followed by interviews. The survey was disseminated to APOs from four local agencies. Results from 18 respondents revealed that seeing a child injured by an animal or an animal injured by a human were the most stressful work situations. Positive job aspects included helping animals, public education, and supporting community safety. Only four respondents had accessed mental health services for job-related issues. Nine respondent interviews yielded themes addressing how APOs make meaning, stressors and resilience factors, and mental health supports. Recommendations based on survey and interview responses are provided.

Risk of suicide after hospitalizations due to acute physical health conditions—a cohort study of the Norwegian population

BackgroundIt is well known that individuals recently discharged from psychiatric inpatient care face a high risk of suicide. Severe physical health conditions have also been linked to suicide risk. The risk of suicide following discharge from somatic hospitals is not known for individuals admitted due to acute physical health conditions.MethodsA Cohort study using data from the entire Norwegian population aged 12 years and older from 2008 to 2022 linked with information on health service use and cause of death. We used Cox regression with age as time axis to estimate sex-adjusted hazard ratios of suicide following discharge for ages 12 to 64 years and 65 years and older. We also performed analyses after excluding hospitalizations with indications of concurrent mental disorders, self-harm, or suicide attempts. To assess individual risk, we performed an adapted case-crossover analysis among discharged patients who died from suicide.ResultsA total of 4 632,980 individuals aged 12 to 64 years and 1,469,265 individuals aged 65 years and older were included. Compared to unexposed individuals at similar ages, we found an increased risk of suicide in the first 4 weeks after discharge, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 7.0 (95% confidence interval (CI) 5.9 to 8.3) among those aged 12 to 64 years and 6.8 (95% CI 5.4 to 8.6) among those 65 years and older. In the younger age group, the risk was attenuated, with a HR of 2.4 (95% CI 1.7 to 3.2) after excluding hospitalizations with indications of concurrent mental disorders, self-harm, or suicide attempts. The corresponding HR was 4.8 (95% CI 3.5 to 6.4) among those 65 years and older, declining to 1.9, (1.2 to 3.1) in weeks 5 to 8 and 1.2 (0.7 to 2.2) in weeks 21 to 24. The case-crossover analysis confirmed that individuals 65 years and older were particularly vulnerable.ConclusionsThe heightened risk of suicide following discharge from acute somatic hospitalization, even in the absence of concurrent mental disorders, self-harm, or prior suicide attempts, underscores the critical need for comprehensive mental health and existential support for patients post-discharge.

Developing a group-based psychoeducation intervention for adoptive parents and foster carers in a specialist child and adolescent mental health service setting

Children and young people in foster and adoptive families are considered more vulnerable to a high level of mental health need when compared to peers who are not care-experienced or adopted. Acceptance of this view amongst clinical providers and policy makers has necessitated the development of specialist provision and dedicated care pathways within child and adolescent mental health services. In this provision, practitioner-initiated quality improvement projects help in appraising the effectiveness of clinical interventions in local contexts, as well as identifying areas for service learning and practice reflection. This article reports on the evaluation of a mentalisation-based psychoeducation group intervention for adoptive parents and foster carers. The evaluation activity took place in a single child and adolescent mental health service setting, starting during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the intervention being implemented online via videoconferencing. In the article, after introducing the intervention (based on the Family Minds model), an analysis of clinical data collected pre- and post-intervention is reported. Few results of the analysis regarding the two pre- and post-measures reached statistical significance, indicating only changes in the magnitude of stress in the parent/carer-child system. A series of reflections are posed that consider what this finding means in developing fit-for-purpose support for adoptive parents and foster carers in child and adolescent mental health service contexts.

Development of the Cultural Adaptations Content Checklist: Measuring cultural adaptations to evidence-based psychological interventions for racial and ethnic minoritized youth.

Disparities in mental health need and service use among racial and ethnic minoritized (REM) youth remain a pervasive public health concern in the United States. Cultural adaptations (CAs) have been put forth as a way to increase the cultural and contextual relevance of evidence-based psychological interventions (EBIs) to improve treatment outcomes among REM youth. Currently, no measure of CAs to EBIs for REM youth in the United States exists in the literature. Using a multistage method, this study sought to develop such a tool, the Cultural Adaptations Content Checklist (CACC). In a previous foundational study conducted via a systematic literature review, authors identified a comprehensive list of existing CAs. In the first two stages, we used a modified Delphi method as a part of which expert practice and research stakeholders (N = 17) provided feedback on CA types, definitions, and groupings via survey methodology. In the third stage, we conducted cognitive interviews with a subset of participants (n = 10) to assess participant comprehension of the CACC. The final CACC was developed and consists of 36 CA types organized into eight groups. Implications for use of the CACC in research and practice are presented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A profile of the mental health needs of children in out-of-home care in Wales between 2019-2020

Objective and approachYoung people who have experience of being in out-of-home care are more likely to have poorer mental health when compared to those in the general population. However, some of the most highly cited literature around prevalence rates of different mental health conditions are becoming outdated. Data held in the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank was used to better understand the mental health needs of this group. Health data from General Practitioner records, emergency department, and inpatient admissions were linked to the 2019/20 data from children’s social services. ResultsMental health was considered in relation to two facets: indicators and conditions. Indicators included incidents of self-harm, drug or alcohol use, while conditions included symptoms or diagnoses of five different mental health conditions (anxiety, depression, eating disorder, conduct disorder, and severe mental illnesses). Prevalence was looked at across general demographic characteristics, as well as those specific to the care experience. Logistic regression models examined if a young person’s care experience could predict the likelihood of mental health need. Conclusions The findings from this piece of work will inform current understanding of the vulnerabilities of this group. Future work will compare the needs of this group to others, including Children Receiving Care and Support, as well as the general population. ImplicationsThis work will provide an update to existing literature. The findings have the potential to contribute to discussions about how we best support this group and will inform approaches to meeting the health needs of care-experienced young people.

Konsep Pencegahan Fraud: Berdasarkan Pada Pemahaman “Skizofrenia” Dan Psy-Complex Theory

Purpose: The objective of this research is to formulate a fraud prevention concept based on psychological dynamics of fraud committers. Methodology/approach: This postmodernism research uses a case study approach regarding the psychological processes of fraud committers whicah are similar to the metaphor of “Schizophrenia”. The data of this research was acquired from interviews with fraud committers, an observer, and a person with authority. The analysis was conducted using psy-complex theory, which consists of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy methods. Findings: This study finds that economic and social pressure contribute to the vulnerability of showing symptoms similar to the metaphor “schizophrenia” will get more severe (the fixated phase). This condition increase the tendency of individuals to engage in activities that are not based on logical reasoning. Therefore, the formulation of fraud prevention concept that is based on the balance in psychological dynamics, between the elements of mind, conscience, and behavior, can be used to recover human’s mental wellbeing. Practical implications: The fraud act can be committed by anyone. The regulations relating to mental health need to be considered, it’s important part of reducing an individual's motivation to cheat. Originality/value: The formulation of a fraud prevention concept rooted in the balance of human psychology, between the mind, conscience, and behaviour.

Investigation of the Relationship Between Health Anxiety and Cyberchondria in Obese Cases

Objective: Obesity is a condition that can lead to many serious health problems, and the relationship between health anxiety and cyberchondria can cause increased levels of health-related anxiety in obese individuals, consequently reducing their quality of life. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between health anxiety and cyberchondria levels in obese individuals. Materials and Methods: This descriptive and correlational study was conducted between 15 July and 21 November 2022. The sample of the study consisted of 389 obese individuals with BMI>30 who applied to the obesity centre of a university hospital. Descriptive Information Form, Health Anxiety Inventory and Cyberchondria Severity Scale were used in the study. Results: The total score of the participants in this study was 21.87± 9.70 on the Health Anxiety Scale and 81.37± 20.11 on the Cyberchondria Severity Scale. A significant positive correlation was found between health anxiety and cyberchondria levels. In addition, regression analysis showed that cyberchondria predicted 14% of health anxiety. Conclusion: Nurses working in the field of public health and mental health need to understand health anxiety and cyberchondria in order to identify attitudes and behaviors that may occur in obese individuals in physical, social and mental areas and to apply nursing interventions when necessary.

"A Liability to the University"-Addressing Student Mental Health Needs on Campus.

Students at colleges and universities report high rates of mental disorders, including depression and anxiety, and frequent suicidal ideation. School policies toward such students, however, often have appeared punitive or aimed primarily at reducing the institution's potential liability. A recent lawsuit against Yale University highlighted allegations of practices that violated several federal statutes by failing to provide reasonable accommodations for students with psychiatric disabilities. The resolution of those claims in a sweeping settlement agreement can provide a model for the many other universities that need to align their policies with federal disability law.

Limited Awareness of Long COVID Despite Common Experience of Symptoms Among African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Indigenous Adults in Arizona.

Communities of color might disproportionately experience long-term consequences of COVID-19, known as Long COVID. We sought to understand the awareness of and experiences with Long COVID among African American/Black (AA/B), Hispanic/Latino (H/L), and Indigenous (Native) adults (18 + years of age) in Arizona who previously tested positive for COVID-19. Between December 2022 and April 2023, the Arizona Community Engagement Alliance (AZCEAL) conducted 12 focus groups and surveys with 65 AA/B, H/L and Native community members. Data from focus groups were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify emerging issues. Survey data provided demographic information about participants and quantitative assessments of Long COVID experienceswere used to augment focus group data. Study participants across all three racial/ethnic groups had limited to no awareness of the term Long COVID, yet many described experiencing or witnessing friends and family endure physical symptoms consistent with Long COVID (e.g., brain fog, loss of memory, fatigue) as well as associated mental health issues (e.g., anxiety, worry, post-traumatic stress disorder). Participants identified a need for Long COVID mental health and other health resources, as well as increased access to Long COVID information. To prevent Long COVID health inequities among AA/B, H/L, and Native adults living in AZ, health-related organizations and providers should increase access to culturally relevant, community-based Long COVID-specific information, mental health services, and other health resources aimed at serving these populations.

Mental Health Disorder Symptoms Among Serving Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Public safety personnel (PSP) are at an elevated risk of being diagnosed with one or more mental illnesses. The source article highlights the high susceptibility of RCMP officers to various mental illnesses. The prevalence of mental illness among RCMP officers is higher than documented in previous research (64.7% vs. 50.2%) and various personal factors appear to be associated with heightened risk for mental illness. This research highlights and emphasizes the need for additional evidence-based mental health supports for RCMP officers to enhance their well-being and safety.