Mental Health Protective Factors Research Articles

The mental health benefits of relationship formalisation among lesbians and gay men in same‐sex relationships

Objectives:To examine links between same‐sex relationship formalisation – such as registered domestic partnerships and commitment ceremony unions – and mental health among lesbians and gay men, after controlling for differences in other relationship characteristics. Methods:Data were collected via an online survey of a national sample of Australian lesbians and gay men aged 16 years and older, with the sample for analysis confined to those in a same‐sex relationship (n=1,420). The K10 Psychological Distress Scale was used as an indicator of mental health. Results:Being in a formalised relationship was associated with lower distress for those aged 16–39 years but not for those aged 40+ years; whereas, intending to formalise was associated with higher distress among the older group. These associations remained significant after controlling for cohabitation, feeling able to seek partner emotional support, relationship tenure and financial arrangements. Conclusions and implications:Relationship formalisation appears to be an important protective factor for mental health among gay men and lesbians, especially among younger sexual minority individuals. These findings suggest that affording same‐sex couples the opportunity to formalise their relationship is not only a civil rights issue but also a public health issue.

Protective factors for mental health and well-being in a changing climate: Perspectives from Inuit youth in Nunatsiavut, Labrador

The Canadian Arctic is experiencing rapid changes in climatic conditions, with implications for Inuit communities widely documented. Youth have been identified as an at-risk population, with likely impacts on mental health and well-being. This study identifies and characterizes youth-specific protective factors that enhance well-being in light of a rapidly changing climate, and examines how climatic and environmental change challenges these. In-depth conversational interviews were conducted with youth aged 15–25 from the five communities of the Nunatsiavut region of Labrador, Canada: Nain, Hopedale, Postville, Makkovik, and Rigolet. Five key protective factors were identified as enhancing their mental health and well-being: being on the land; connecting to Inuit culture; strong communities; relationships with family and friends; and staying busy. Changing sea ice and weather conditions were widely reported to be compromising these protective factors by reducing access to the land, and increasing the danger of land-based activities. This study contributes to existing work on Northern climate change adaptation by identifying factors that enhance youth resilience and, if incorporated into adaptation strategies, may contribute to creating successful and effective adaptation responses.

Research priorities for public mental health in Europe: recommendations of the ROAMER project.

The ROAdmap for MEntal health Research in Europe project aimed to create an integrated European roadmap for mental health research. Leading mental health research experts across Europe have formulated consensus-based recommendations for future research within the public mental health field. Experts were invited to compile and discuss research priorities in a series of topic-based scientific workshops. In addition, a Delphi process was carried out to reach consensus on the list of research priorities and their rank order. Three web-based surveys were conducted. Nearly 60 experts were involved in the priority setting process. Twenty priorities for public mental health research were identified through the consensus process. The research priorities were divided into summary principles-encompassing overall recommendations for future public mental health research in Europe-and thematic research priorities, including area-specific top priorities on research topics and methods. The priorities represent three overarching goals mirroring societal challenges, that is, to identify causes, risk and protective factors for mental health across the lifespan; to advance the implementation of effective public mental health interventions and to reduce disparities in mental health. The importance of strengthening research on the implementation and dissemination of promotion, prevention and service delivery interventions in the mental health field needs to be emphasized. The complexity of mental health and its broader conceptualisation requires complementary research approaches and interdisciplinary collaboration to better serve the needs of the European population.

Justice Sensitivity in Childhood and Adolescence

AbstractIndividuals differ in their sensitivity toward injustice. Justice‐sensitive persons perceive injustice more frequently and show stronger responses to it. Justice sensitivity has been studied predominantly in adults; little is known about its development in childhood and adolescence and its connection to prosocial behavior and emotional and behavioral problems. This study evaluates a version of the justice sensitivity inventory for children and adolescents (JSI‐CA5) in 1472 9‐ to 17‐year olds. Items and scales showed good psychometric properties and correlations with prosocial behavior and conduct problems similar to findings in adults, supporting the reliability and validity of the scale. We found individual differences in justice sensitivity as a function of age and gender. Furthermore, justice sensitivity predicted emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents over a 1‐ to 2‐year period. Justice sensitivity perspectives can therefore be considered as risk and/or protective factors for mental health in childhood and adolescence.

Resilience and mental health in adult survivors of child abuse associated with the institution of the Austrian Catholic Church.

In recent years, reports of institutional abuse within the Catholic Church have emerged and research on the consequences on mental health is in its beginnings. In this study, we report findings on current mental health and resilience in a sample of adult survivors of institutional abuse (N = 185). We compared 3 groups of survivors that differed regarding their current mental health to investigate aspects of resilience, coping, and disclosure. The majority of the sample was male (76.2%), the mean age was 56.28 (SD = 9.46) years, and more than 50.0% of the sample was cohabiting/married. Most of the survivors reported severe mental health problems. Known protective factors (education, social support, age) were not associated with mental health in our sample. Our findings corroborate that institutional abuse has long-term effects on mental health. We found that fewer emotional reactions during disclosure, task-oriented coping, and optimism were associated with better mental health. The study was limited by a cross-sectional design, but we conclude that the kind of institutional abuse reported is especially adverse, and thus typical protective factors for mental health do not apply. Future research should focus on intrapersonal factors and institutional dynamics to improve treatment for persons affected by institutional abuse.

Social capital and reported discrimination among people with depression in 15 European countries

Social capital is a protective factor for mental health. People with depression are vulnerable to discrimination and its damaging impact. No previous studies have explored the link between social capital and experienced or anticipated discrimination in people with depression. This study aims to test the hypothesis that levels of self-reported discrimination in people with depression are inversely associated with social capital levels. A total of 434 people with major depression recruited in outpatient settings across 15 European countries participated in the study. Multivariable regression was used to analyse relationships between discrimination and interpersonal and institutional trust, social support and social network. Significant inverse association was found between discrimination and social capital in people with major depression. Specifically, people with higher levels of social capital were less likely to have elevated or substantially elevated levels of experienced discrimination. Higher level of social capital may be closely associated with lower level of experienced discrimination among patients with major depression. It is important to explore these associations more deeply and to establish possible directions of causality in order to identify interventions that may promote social capital and reduce discrimination. This may permit greater integration in society and more access to important life opportunities for people with depression.

Acculturation, Gender, and Mental Health of Southeast Asian Immigrant Youth in Canada

The relationships between mental health, protective factors and acculturation among Southeast Asian youth were examined in this study using a gender-based analysis. Population-based data from the 2008 British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey were used to examine differences in extreme stress and despair by acculturation. Associations between emotional distress and hypothesized protective factors were examined using logistic regression. Stratified analyses were performed to assess gender-related differences. Recent immigrant youth reported higher odds of emotional distress. Family connectedness and school connectedness were linked to lower odds of extreme stress and despair among girls. Family connectedness was associated with lower odds of extreme stress and despair among boys. Higher cultural connectedness was associated with lower odds of despair among boys but with higher odds of extreme stress among girls. Findings are discussed in relation to acculturation and gender-based patterns in protective factors for mental health among Southeast Asian immigrant youth.

EPA-1299 - Social support as a protective factor for mental health in romanian immigrants: exploratory factor analysis of the duke-UNC

Social support is an important variable involved in the process of health/disease. In the particular case of immigrants, social support is also related to the success of their life project and the integration in the society that received them. Although Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire is one of the most used with immigrants (e.g. National Health Survey), it has never been adapted to this population. In this research, Duke-UNC was adapted to Romanian immigrants living in Spain, in order to analyze the relationship between social support and mental health. Verify the factorial structure and the psychometric properties and analyze the relationship between social support and mental health. We administered Duke-UNC and GHQ-12 to a sample of Romanian immigrants ( N = 116, mean age = 33.26; SD = 11.04), and conducted an exploratory factor analysis. In the case of Duke-UNC, the results showed a structure of one factor that accounts for 51.46% of the variance. Cronbach's alpha value was .90. A significant negative correlation was found between the social support and the mental health ( r = -0.34, p < .000). This shows that people who have more social support also enjoy better health state. This study demonstrates that Duke-UNC is a practical instrument that can be used to assess Romanian immigrants'social support. This variable has to be taken into account when therapeutic interventions and health programs are created for immigrants because of its relationship with mental health.

POVEZANOST PSIHOLOŠKIH KARAKTERISTIKA BRAKA SA NAMEROM ŽENA DA TRAŽE PROFESIONALNU PSIHOLOŠKU POMOĆ

U cilju utvrđivanja u kojoj meri percepcija različitih aspekata kvaliteta bračnog odnosa i bračna nestabilnost, odnosno, potencijal za razvod braka, doprinose nameri žena da traže profesionalnu psihološku pomoć, ispitano je 777 žena koje žive u formalnom ili neformalnom braku. Kvalitet bračnog odnosa je meren Skalom prilagođenosti u bračnom odnosu (Dyadic Adjustment Scale – DAS: Spanier, 1976, 1989), a bračna nestabilnost je merena pokazateljima potencijala za razvod braka (Booth, Johnson &amp; Edwards, 1983). Namera da se traži profesionalna psihološka pomoć je ispitana instrumentom (Šakotić-Kurbalija, 2011) koji obuhvata iskustva iz prošlosti, sadašnjosti i nameru da se profesionalna psihološka pomoć traži u budućnosti, kao i razloge zbog kojih ispitanik ima ili nema nameru da traži profesionalnu psihološku pomoć. Primenom višestruke regresione analize, utvrđeno je da skup analiziranih prediktorskih varijabli statistički jeste značajno povezan sa namerom da se traži profesionalna psihološka pomoć, ali je ta povezanost vrlo niska R=0,23 (F(5,771)=8,28; p&lt;0,000), dok je korigovani R2=0,045; te se značajnijim čini nalaz da na spremnost žena da potraže profesionalnu psihološku pomoć u znatno većoj meri deluju neki drugi faktori. Na osnovu prikupljenih kvalitativnih podataka (pitanjem o razlozima zbog kojih ispitanica ima ili nema nameru da traži profesionalnu psihološku pomoć), pretpostavlja se da značajnu ulogu u nameri žena da traže profesionalnu psihološku pomoć imaju njihovi stavovi prema traženju profesionalne psihološke pomoći, odnosno njihove predrasude po ovom pitanju. Pošto su rana i adekvatna profesionalna psihološka pomoć osnovni protektivni faktori mentalnog zdravlja, kao implikacija za rad na prevenciji razvoja težih oblika bračne disfunkcionalnosti sledi da je od velikog značaja promovisanje rada institiucija i stručnjaka iz oblasti mentalnog zdravlja.

Methodology on the My World Survey (MWS): a unique window into the world of adolescents in Ireland

Internationally, 75% of all mental health problems emerge before the age of 25 years, and adolescence represents a critical period that strongly influences the course of these problems. To date, there is limited research on the mental health of young people aged 12-25 years in Ireland. The My World Survey (MWS) national study provides data on risk and protective factors of mental health among 14 306 young people. The MWS was conducted in two phases: Phase 1 - MWS-Second Level (MWS-SL) with adolescents aged 12-19 years, and Phase 2 - MWS-Post Second Level among young adults aged 17-25 years. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the development of the MWS-SL study. Another aim is to identify key learning points when conducting research in the second-level school system. The MWS-SL study was conducted with 6085 adolescents aged 12-19 years in 72 second-level schools. The MWS consists of standardized reliable and valid measures that have been used internationally to assess a range of risk and protective factors associated with adolescent mental health. Schools recruited for the MWS-SL study represented quite well the national distribution of second-level schools based on gender composition, disadvantaged/non-disadvantaged status and geographic location. Key learning points when collecting survey data in schools include pilot testing of survey instruments; building relationships with key stakeholders to ensure buy-in for the study from schools; establishing rigorous data collection and processing protocols; and recognizing the value of online surveys.

Risk and protective factors for mental health in children and adolescents – results from the BELLA study

Risk and protective factors for mental health in children and adolescents – results from the BELLA study

Mental health of displaced and refugee children resettled in high-income countries: risk and protective factors

We undertook a systematic search and review of individual, family, community, and societal risk and protective factors for mental health in children and adolescents who are forcibly displaced to high-income countries. Exposure to violence has been shown to be a key risk factor, whereas stable settlement and social support in the host country have a positive effect on the child's psychological functioning. Further research is needed to identify the relevant processes, contexts, and interplay between the many predictor variables hitherto identified as affecting mental health vulnerability and resilience. Research designs are needed that enable longitudinal investigation of individual, community, and societal contexts, rather than designs restricted to investigation of the associations between adverse exposures and psychological symptoms. We emphasise the need to develop comprehensive policies to ensure a rapid resolution of asylum claims and the effective integration of internally displaced and refugee children.

Organizational Change and Employees’ Mental Health

To examine the impact of sense of coherence (SOC) on psychiatric events in the context of organizational merger. Data were derived from a prospective "Still Working" study using questionnaire and health register data. The study population (n = 4279) consisted of employees with no psychiatric events prior to the 5-year mental health follow-up. Employees with a weaker premerger SOC were at a higher risk of perceiving the organizational change negatively (odds ratio = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.57 to 2.14) and had an elevated risk of postmerger psychiatric events (hazard ratio = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.94). A stronger SOC decreased the adverse effect of negative appraisal of change on psychiatric events. A strong premerger SOC seems to be a protective factor for mental health when the employee experiences negative changes during an organizational merger.

Religiosity and the mental health of adolescents in Great Britain

Most studies show that religion is a protective factor for mental health. A few argue that it is detrimental and the remainder conclude it makes no difference. We investigate the religiosity correlates of childhood psychopathology – strength of belief, importance of being able to practice one’s religion, and worship frequency. Questions on religiosity were included in the mental health survey of children in Great Britain administered to 2992 11–19-year-olds in 2007. The Development and Well-Being Assessment was used to generate rates of clinically recognisable mental disorders. Logistic regression analysis was used to establish the magnitude of the religiosity correlates of emotional and conduct disorders. Young people with a stated religion who had weakly held beliefs or who regarded religious practice as unimportant were those with the greater likelihood of having emotional disorders. Regular attendance at religious services or prayer meetings reduced the likelihood of having a conduct disorder.

Depression and protective factors of mental health in people with hepatitis C: A questionnaire survey

Background Most studies investigating the effects of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection on the central nervous system have focused on cognitive impairment or on the health-related quality of life, but only few on depression. Objectives This study investigated depression in HCV-infected people. Sense of coherence and social support were surveyed as protective factors of mental health. Methods In a cross-sectional study-design, 81 HCV-infected people with mild liver disease, who were not receiving antiviral therapy, were surveyed by validated measures. Anxiety (HADS), depression (BDI), psychopathological symptoms (SCL-90-R), social support (F-SozU) and resilience (SOC) were assessed. Results Higher levels of depression than normal controls ( p = .001) and a wide range of psychological symptoms were associated with HCV infection. Women, single participants, and persons with a shorter interval after first diagnosis exhibited significantly higher scores of depression. Gender and sense of coherence predicted depression scores in HCV people ( R 2 = .42, p < .001). Conclusions The expression of depression in HCV-infected people is modulated not only by biological but also by psychological factors of mental health. Sense of coherence as a protective factor has a significant impact on the degree of depression. Furthermore, the high prevalence of depression and anxiety among persons not receiving antiviral therapy justifies psychosocial screening and support for HCV people independent of antiviral therapy.

Depression and PTSD in Pashtun Women in Kandahar, Afghanistan

The objectives were (a) to establish prevalence of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Afghanistan and, (b) to investigate sociodemographic and quality of life variables, which predict depression and PTSD. Translated versions of the Beck Depression Inventory, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, and Quality of Life Inventory were administered to 125 Pashtun women in Kandahar, and statistically analyzed. Approximately half of the participants showed moderate to severe levels of depression, and more than half of the participants exhibited symptoms of PTSD. Education and income showed significant associations with PTSD symptoms or depression. The way one spends time, general health status, and general feeling towards life predicted low levels of depression and PTSD. The high prevalence of depression and PTSD indicate the continuing need for mental health intervention. While education has been found to be a protective factor for mental health in previous studies, the relationship between education and mental health appear to be more complex among Afghan women. Quality of life variables could be further investigated and incorporated into mental health interventions for Afghan women.

The contribution of the BELLA study in filling the gap of knowledge on mental health and well-being in children and adolescents in Germany

The mental health of children and adolescents is an epidemiological outcome of considerable public health relevance. This is because of a comparatively high prevalence of mental health problems and disorders in children and adolescents. The 'BELLA Study on Mental Health', a modular component of the Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents conducted by the Robert Koch-Institute, assessed the prevalence of general and specific mental health problems in a representative sample of children and adolescents in Germany. Furthermore, determinants of mental health were studied in a developmental context. In the cross-sectional part of the study, participants were interviewed to assess the occurrence of risk factors and available assets (protective factors) for mental health, providing valuable data for health monitoring and planning. The sample was also repeatedly studied in a 2-year longitudinal design in order to estimate the effect size of risk and protective factors for mental health, and to analyse their combined effects on the process of mental health development. The BELLA study--as described in this supplement--supplies valuable estimates of the prevalence of mental health problems and disorders, identifies risk groups needing intervention, and describes the subjective health of children and adolescents in Germany.

Traumatic experiences and life events in people with intellectual disability

The aim of this article is to present and critically evaluate recent research on life events and traumatic experiences as predictors of psychopathology in people with intellectual disability. The area has not developed significantly in the last years. Although life events have been associated with a range of mental health problems, only few studies have tried to clarify their role in psychopathology. It is often the case that differences between life events and traumatic experiences have been overlooked, mainly because establishing a clear cut-off point between the two types of events is not always possible. In addition, traumatic experiences per se, and as potential predictors of psychopathology, have been scarcely investigated in people with intellectual disability. The role of recent life events and traumatic experiences across the life-span of people with intellectual disability deserves more research. An outstanding question is whether these events are risk factors or triggering factors, as well as how to differentiate between traumatic and life events. Identifying possible protective factors for mental health seems to be a very promising line for future research with important clinical implications.

Community involvement and adolescent mental health: moderating effects of race/ethnicity and neighborhood disadvantage

AbstractSocial development and stress process theories suggest that participation in one's community can function as a protective factor for mental health, especially for youth from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. However, the effects of community involvement on adolescent mental health could vary across racial/ethnic groups and levels of neighborhood disadvantage. The objectives of this paper are to: (1) examine the effects of various types of community involvement on adolescent mental health, and (2) assess the extent to which race/ethnicity and neighborhood disadvantage moderate the effects of community involvement on adolescent mental health. Using data from two waves (1994/95 and 1996) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (“Add Health,” N=7,863), multilevel (hierarchical) linear models were estimated that tested for interaction effects of race/ethnicity and neighborhood disadvantage. The types of community participation that impacted adolescent mental health varied across racial/ethnic groups. Neighborhood interaction and religious participation were salient for both White and Hispanic teens, but the impact of religious participation for Whites was moderated by neighborhood disadvantage. Non‐sport extracurricular activities and employment were the salient factors for Black teens, both of which were moderated by neighborhood disadvantage. The findings from this study have implications for community‐level and clinical interventions to prevent and/or treat mental health problems among adolescents. Social integration interventions should take into account adolescents' cultural backgrounds and socioeconomic contexts in order to be effective. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Age and Gender Effects on Resilience in Children and Adolescents

This cross-sectional, population-based study explores the effects of age and gender on resilience and protective factors for mental health in primary school aged children in Brisbane, Australia. Surveys were administered to 1109 male and 1163 female students (N = 2492) in 2004 to assess self-perception of resilience and associated protective factors. Female students are found to be more likely to report higher levels of communication, empathy, help-seeking and goals for future and aspirations. They also report more positive connections with parents, teachers and adults in the community, and peers in school and outside school, as well as sense of autonomy experience. These differences, however, show changes over time. The interaction between age and gender is significant for empathy and help-seeking, and for adult support at home, at school and in the community, peer support at school and outside schools, and autonomy experience. This is largely explained by the sharp decline in scores for Year 7 girls. Th...