Mental Health Research Research Articles

“I think we're on a cusp of some change:” coping and support for mental wellness among Black American women

IntroductionPublic discussions in the media (e.g., social media and reality shows) about Black women's mental health have become more common. Notably, celebrities have become more vocal about their own mental health challenges and sought to normalize seeking care. This study aimed to gain a better understanding of Black women's: (1) past and current causes of stress, anxiety, and depression, and coping skills used; (2) their attitudes and perceptions toward mental health and receiving mental health treatment; and (3) times in their life they felt anxious or depressed, and what type of support or resources would have been helpful to have access to.MethodsFocus groups were conducted with 20 women (mean age 36.6 years, SD 17.8 years), with 5 participants per group. Descriptive qualitative content analysis of the focus group transcripts was conducted.ResultsResults consistently showed that intersectional identities of being both Black and a woman resulted in feelings of both hypervisibility and invisibility, representation matters when it comes to mental health providers, an increased openness to therapy across age groups, and a willingness to try digital health tools (e.g., smartphone app) for mental health needs. There is still work to be done to normalize mental health treatment among Black women.DiscussionSubgroups within the community (e.g., young adults) have less stigma around mental health and are acting as catalysts for change. Intentional inclusion of Black women in mental health research and evolving treatment paradigms is important to eliminate inequities in access to culturally relevant mental health care.

Co-Design of an Escape Room for e-Mental Health Training of Mental Health Care Professionals: Research Through Design Study.

Many efforts to increase the uptake of e-mental health (eMH) have failed due to a lack of knowledge and skills, particularly among professionals. To train health care professionals in technology, serious gaming concepts such as educational escape rooms are increasingly used, which could also possibly be used in mental health care. However, such serious-game concepts are scarcely available for eMH training for mental health care professionals. This study aims to co-design an escape room for training mental health care professionals' eMH skills and test the escape room's usability by exploring their experiences with this concept as a training method. This project used a research through design approach with 3 design stages. In the first stage, the purpose, expectations, and storylines for the escape room were formulated in 2 co-design sessions with mental health care professionals, game designers, innovation staff, and researchers. In the second stage, the results were translated into the first escape room, which was tested in 3 sessions, including one web version of the escape room. In the third stage, the escape room was tested with mental health care professionals outside the co-design team. First, 2 test sessions took place, followed by 3 field study sessions. In the field study sessions, a questionnaire was used in combination with focus groups to assess the usability of the escape room for eMH training in practice. An escape room prototype was iteratively developed and tested by the co-design team, which delivered multiple suggestions for adaptations that were assimilated in each next version of the prototype. The field study showed that the escape room creates a positive mindset toward eMH. The suitability of the escape room to explore the possibilities of eMH was rated 4.7 out of 5 by the professionals who participated in the field study. In addition, it was found to be fun and educational at the same time, scoring 4.7 (SD 0.68) on a 5-point scale. Attention should be paid to the game's complexity, credibility, and flexibility. This is important for the usefulness of the escape room in clinical practice, which was rated an average of 3.8 (SD 0.77) on a 5-point scale. Finally, implementation challenges should be addressed, including organizational policy and stimulation of eMH training. We can conclude that the perceived usability of an escape room for training mental health care professionals in eMH skills is promising. However, it requires additional effort to transfer the learnings into mental health care professionals' clinical practice. A straightforward implementation plan and testing the effectiveness of an escape room on skill enhancement in mental health care professionals are essential next steps to reach sustainable goals.

Call for abstracts for mental health research symposium

Call for abstracts for mental health research symposium

The impact of sexual abuse in childhood on adolescents' non-suicidal self-injury behavior: A moderated mediation model.

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a well-established risk factor for a range of psychological and behavioral issues, including non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), making it a critical area of research for understanding adolescent mental health. Despite its prevalence, the mechanisms underlying their relationship remain insufficiently explored. This study aims to explore the relationship between CSA and NSSI behavior, as well as the mediating role of social avoidance and the moderating role of perceived family support. 1737 Chinese adolescents with a mean age of 14.86years (SD=1.65) from hospitals' psychiatric departments in nine provinces of China were recruited to complete surveys on CSA experiences, NSSI behavior, and social support. The results suggested that the effect of CSA on adolescent NSSI behavior was mediated by social avoidance, and the effect of CSA on social avoidance and NSSI behavior varied by the level of perceived family support. CSA led to social avoidance and increased risk for NSSI behavior. Higher levels of perceived family support had a protective effect, which reduced the motives of social avoidance and NSSI behavior. These findings revealed the risk of CSA and emphasized the role of social avoidance as an NSSI motive and the protective role of perceived family support for adolescents experiencing CSA. The clinical implications emphasize the need for interventions targeting family support and alternative coping strategies in the Chinese context. Additionally, future research should explore the complexity of intra- and extra-familial abuse and the roles of peer and professional support.

Towards collaborative data science in mental health research: The ECNP neuroimaging network accessible data repository

Towards collaborative data science in mental health research: The ECNP neuroimaging network accessible data repository

Building the next generation of researchers: an “EPIC” student mentoring process

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe an intervention-based research mentoring opportunity for higher education students in health- and mental health-related disciplines.Design/methodology/approachThis paper includes a retrospective case study to demonstrate the application of a unique research mentoring method with a voluntary interdisciplinary team of undergraduate and graduate students on a project funded by the National Institutes of Health in the United States of America. The research mentoring experience is described through a pedagogical approach based directly on the focal intervention under study (e.g. GenerationPMTO).FindingsWe present the process of an intervention-based model of research mentoring as a unique opportunity to build student research skills and provide exposure to evidence-based interventions applicable to general health populations. Findings demonstrate the research team’s success in forming a collaborative research mentoring environment, performing key research tasks effectively and making reliable fidelity ratings.Practical implicationsThis paper provides novel insight into an isomorphic process using intervention-based research mentoring as a pedagogy to enhance students’ research skills and application.Originality/valueUnderstanding effective research mentoring approaches can influence the trajectory for future generations of mental health researchers and scholars who may not otherwise be exposed to research in their clinical training programs or courses of study. This paper provides insight and recommendations for how mentors can engage higher education students intentionally in research opportunities using intervention-based research mentoring.

Are indicated prevention and effective early intervention achievable goals for youth with bipolar mood disorders?

Compared with other areas of mental health research that are focused on the active and early management of youth presenting in the early stages of major mental disorders, there has been a relative lack of focus on young people with emerging or established bipolar disorders. Recently, this has stimulated both international professional societies (e.g., International Society for Bipolar Disorders [ISBD] Early Intervention Task Force) and funding agencies from Canada, UK, Australia, and the USA – including the Daymark Foundation (Jain et al. 2023), Wellcome Trust (2022), National Health and Medical Research Council, and BD2 – to promote a focus on identifying the major challenges in this field and gathering support for novel research and clinical service programmes.

Comparative Analysis of Statistical Models for Epilepsy Incidence

Purpose: The paper aims to identify the best-fit trajectory model among selected model candidates on the epilepsy dataset, emphasising time and demographic factors. Design/Methods/Approach: The study employed secondary monthly count data from the District Health Information Management System-2 (DHIMS-2) of the Ghana Health Service. The data was analysed using zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression, zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression, and geometric regression (GR) models. These models were evaluated based on their goodness-of-fit to the dataset. Findings: The geometric regression (GR) model emerged as the best-fit model compared to the ZIP and ZINB models. The results revealed that epilepsy incidence in the Saboba District is sex-dependent, with a significant p-value of 0.0369. Furthermore, the study found that epilepsy prevalence is relatively lower in younger children (0-9 years) and older adults (60-70+ years). Participants within the economically active age group (18-59 years) were found to be at the highest risk. Moreover, the year 2015 recorded the highest epilepsy incidence, while 2013 had the lowest. Research Limitation: The study solely used a dataset from the Saboba District, Ghana. As a result, its conclusion may not be broadly applicable. Practical implications: The study provides crucial information for healthcare policymakers to develop targeted interventions for epilepsy. It emphasizes the need to protect the rights of people living with Epilepsy (PLWE), integrate risk factors into outreach programs, and improve access to healthcare services. These findings can help health systems incorporate better treatment and care strategies for high-risk populations. Social implications: The study highlights the significant social impact of epilepsy, particularly on the economically active population. It stresses the importance of addressing the stigma and discrimination faced by PLWE through public education and awareness campaigns. Originality /value: This study uses advanced statistical models to offer a vigorous methodological lens for analysing epilepsy data, thus supporting future research and policy development in mental health and epilepsy management in Ghana and beyond.

STRENGTHENING CAREGIVER SUPPORT: ASSESSING AND ADDRESSING CAREGIVERS’ MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS

Abstract Family caregivers (typically patients’ unpaid relatives/friends) are vital to patient care, but their mental health needs are often overlooked. This may be exacerbated by the fact that the caregiving role can be isolating, stressful, and time-consuming. This symposium highlights promising findings related to the identification of caregiver mental health and well-being needs and potential interventions in the community and Veterans’ Health Administration (VHA). First, Dr. Moo will present findings from a national survey of caregivers of older Veterans that shows the impact of care responsibilities, health care navigation, and environment on caregiver quality of life. Second, Dr. Van Orden will describe her investigation of suicide ideation, perceived burden, and social connection among caregivers of persons with dementia. Third, Dr. Humber will describe the impact of a tele-geriatric psychiatry service in two VHA regions on caregivers of rural-dwelling older Veterans with neurocognitive and or psychiatric disorders. Last, Dr. VanPutten will discuss adaptations of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for caregivers in high-conflict caregiving situations with persons with neurocognitive disorders. She will describe adaptations made to a DBT skills training group related to the influence of caregiver physical health problems on detecting and applying core DBT skills. Dr. Ranak Trivedi, the national Training Director of the Elizabeth Dole National Center of Excellence for Veteran and Caregiver Research and member of the Research Collaborative of the National Alliance of Caregiving, will close with discussion of the presentations and will highlight opportunities for future caregiver mental health research.

Applications of Behavioral Economics and Neuroeconomics in Mental Health

Objective: The integration of behavioral economics and neuroeconomics into mental health offers innovative perspectives on understanding and addressing psychological disorders. This overview aims to synthesize current knowledge and explore the implications of these interdisciplinary approaches in the context of mental health. Method: In this narrative review, we summarized the current evidence regarding the applications of behavioral economics and neuroeconomics approaches in the field of mental health. Results: Behavioral economics and neuroeconomics provide valuable insights into the cognitive and emotional processes underlying mental health disorders, such as irrational decision-making, impulsivity, and self-control issues. Concepts such as loss aversion, temporal discounting, and framing effects inform the development of innovative interventions and policy initiatives. Behavioral economic interventions, including nudges, incentives, and commitment devices, show promise in promoting treatment adherence, reducing risky behaviors, and enhancing mental well-being. Neuroeconomics contributes by identifying neural markers predictive of treatment response and relapse risk, paving the way for personalized treatment approaches. Conclusion: The integration of behavioral economics and neuroeconomics into mental health research and practice holds significant potential for improving the understanding of psychological disorders and developing more effective, personalized interventions. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of action, optimize intervention strategies, and address ethical considerations associated with these approaches in mental health settings.

Considering the interconnected nature of social identities in neuroimaging research.

Considerable heterogeneity exists in the expression of complex human behaviors across the cognitive, personality and mental health domains. It is increasingly evident that individual variability in behavioral expression is substantially affected by sociodemographic factors that often interact with life experiences. Here, we formally address the urgent need to incorporate intersectional identities in neuroimaging studies of behavior, with a focus on research in mental health. We highlight how diverse sociodemographic factors influence the study of psychiatric conditions, focusing on how interactions between those factors might contribute to brain biology and illness expression, including prevalence, symptom burden, help seeking, treatment response and tolerance, and relapse and remission. We conclude with a discussion of the considerations and actionable items related to participant recruitment, data acquisition and data analysis to facilitate the inclusion and incorporation of diverse intersectional identities in neuroimaging.

Implementing Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable (FAIR) Principles in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Research: Mixed Methods Approach.

The FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles are a guideline to improve the reusability of data. However, properly implementing these principles is challenging due to a wide range of barriers. To further the field of FAIR data, this study aimed to systematically identify barriers regarding implementing the FAIR principles in the area of child and adolescent mental health research, define the most challenging barriers, and provide recommendations for these barriers. Three sources were used as input to identify barriers: (1) evaluation of the implementation process of the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model by 3 data managers; (2) interviews with experts on mental health research, reusable health data, and data quality; and (3) a rapid literature review. All barriers were categorized according to type as described previously, the affected FAIR principle, a category to add detail about the origin of the barrier, and whether a barrier was mental health specific. The barriers were assessed and ranked on impact with the data managers using the Delphi method. Thirteen barriers were identified by the data managers, 7 were identified by the experts, and 30 barriers were extracted from the literature. This resulted in 45 unique barriers. The characteristics that were most assigned to the barriers were, respectively, external type (n=32/45; eg, organizational policy preventing the use of required software), tooling category (n=19/45; ie, software and databases), all FAIR principles (n=15/45), and not mental health specific (n=43/45). Consensus on ranking the scores of the barriers was reached after 2 rounds of the Delphi method. The most important recommendations to overcome the barriers are adding a FAIR data steward to the research team, accessible step-by-step guides, and ensuring sustainable funding for the implementation and long-term use of FAIR data. By systematically listing these barriers and providing recommendations, we intend to enhance the awareness of researchers and grant providers that making data FAIR demands specific expertise, available tooling, and proper investments.

The trials and triumphs of co-producing an evaluation plan: A principles-focused evaluation

BackgroundRecovery Colleges are mental health-oriented education programs that are rooted in principles of peer support and co-production. Co-production, in this context, involves people with lived experience of mental health and addiction challenges and people with other forms of expertise (e.g., mental health professionals, administrators, and researchers) collaborating on the design and actualization of programs and initiatives. Despite co-production being a central feature of Recovery Colleges, very few Recovery College evaluations appear to be co-produced. In addition, there is a lack of research that evaluates the quality of the co-production processes in developing evaluations. The Recovery College at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, called the Collaborative Learning College, established an Evaluation Subcommittee with the goal of co-designing and implementing an evaluation plan for the program. In response to the dearth of literature on co-producing Recovery College evaluations and the quality of such collaborative processes, the Evaluation Subcommittee conducted a principles-focused evaluation to assess the quality of their process of co-producing an evaluation plan.MethodsAll members of the Evaluation Subcommittee collaboratively developed and agreed on three principles that they felt were most important in their co-production process. Using a self-narrative approach, each member then produced a reflection on the importance of the principles, the degree to which the committee adhered to them, and the impact. Finally, members engaged in collaborative thematic analysis and co-wrote this manuscript.ResultsThe results of this study outline member’s purposes for joining the Evaluation Subcommittee, the strengths and challenges related to embodying the collaborative principles, and the associated impacts.ConclusionsThe findings demonstrate the value of co-producing health education evaluations with people with lived experience and highlight important lessons learned through the Evaluation Subcommittee’s collaborative process, specifically related to mitigating the impacts of power imbalances. These lessons can be valuable for others to consider in their co-production processes.

Machine Learning Methods in Student Mental Health Research: An Ethics-Centered Systematic Literature Review

This study conducts an ethics-centered analysis of the AI/ML models used in Student Mental Health (SMH) research, considering the ethical principles of fairness, privacy, transparency, and interpretability. First, this paper surveys the AI/ML methods used in the extant SMH literature published between 2015 and 2024, as well as the main health outcomes, to inform future work in the SMH field. Then, it leverages advanced topic modeling techniques to depict the prevailing themes in the corpus. Finally, this study proposes novel measurable privacy, transparency (reporting and replicability), interpretability, and fairness metrics scores as a multi-dimensional integrative framework to evaluate the extent of ethics awareness and consideration in AI/ML-enabled SMH research. Findings show that (i) 65% of the surveyed papers disregard the privacy principle; (ii) 59% of the studies use black-box models resulting in low interpretability scores; and (iii) barely 18% of the papers provide demographic information about participants, indicating a limited consideration of the fairness principle. Nonetheless, the transparency principle is implemented at a satisfactory level with mean reporting and replicability scores of 80%. Overall, our results suggest a significant lack of awareness and consideration for the ethical principles of privacy, fairness, and interpretability in AI/ML-enabled SMH research. As AI/ML continues to expand in SMH, incorporating ethical considerations at every stage—from design to dissemination—is essential for producing ethically responsible and reliable research.

Network approaches for physical activity and mental health research.

Network approaches for physical activity and mental health research.

Comparative bibliometric study of mental health research trends during COVID-19, Mpox, dengue, and Ebola outbreaks infectious diseases

ABSTRACT As the prevalence of mental health issues continues to rise, the impact of widespread diseases on mental health has garnered increasing attention. This study employs bibliometric analysis to evaluate the state of research on mental health concerns associated with four infectious diseases: COVID-19, mpox, dengue fever, and Ebola. Utilizing Citespace, we conducted an in-depth analysis encompassing publication trends, author networks, institutional affiliations, and international collaborations, alongside themes in references and keywords. Our findings reveal that each of these diseases has significantly affected mental health over the last two decades. Notably, the volume of mental health literature related to COVID-19 far surpasses that of the other diseases, with 34 833 documents compared to 36 for mpox, 62 for dengue, and 279 for Ebola. The United States emerges as the most influential country in this field. International cooperation during infectious diseases was not strong, and the contribution of low-middle income countries was lower than that of high income countries. Our research underscores the growing societal relevance of mental health, influenced by factors including social distancing and mortality due to these diseases. Looking ahead, there is a crucial need for enhanced international cooperation and a focused attention on the mental health of vulnerable populations during pandemics.

Longitudinal Differences in Mental Health Outcomes Among Latent Classes of Expanded Suicidality Dimensions

This study utilized latent class analysis to identify latent groups of individuals, reflecting the expanded dimensions of suicidality, which encompass not only one’s own suicidality but also that of significant others. Drawing on data from Wave 3 and Wave 5 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, the analysis included 3215 individuals. The LCA revealed three distinct latent classes: the Exposed, the Suicidal, and the Non-Suicidal and Unexposed. Subsequent analysis using the Kruskal-Wallis test found significant longitudinal differences in mental health outcomes, including depression and suicidality, among these three latent classes over a 15-year period. Specifically, the Suicidal Class scored significantly higher than the Exposed Class and the Non-Suicidal and Unexposed Class for both depression and suicidality. Additionally, the Exposed Class scored significantly higher than the Non-Suicidal and Unexposed Class. These findings have implications for mental health researchers and practitioners, including the implementation of preventive and postventive interventions in the early stages, as well as the engagement of individual, family, and community partnerships in these interventions.

No decision about me, without me: Collaborating with young people in mental health research.

Involving young people with lived experience in youth mental health research is important. In recognition of the value of collaborating with experts by experience, international funders are increasingly mandating that mental health research is developed by teams that include individuals from the population of study. Yet, research into how Patient Public Involvement, specifically co-production and co-design, is implemented in youth mental health research is limited to date. The current review examined this question and identified common practices for collaborating with experts by experience in young people's mental health research. Academic databases were systematically searched for studies that had involved young people in mental health research, had described these activities, and had reported some demographic information about the experts by experience. From a total of 2130 studies that were screened, 37 studies were eligible for inclusion. The use of co-production and co-design spanned a wide range of topics, including interventions, digital support tools and psychometric studies. Interactive workshops were the primary method of engaging experts by experience, although some studies utilised interviews or focus groups. From the reviewed studies we identified common methodological practices including: Scene setting, utilising a cyclical process, ensuring appropriate engagement and recognition of the cultural context. We draw on these findings to suggest common methods for conducting co-production and co-design activities, and emphasise the importance of ensuring experts by experience are respected and safeguarded throughout their collaboration in research. We also outline areas that deserve future attention and development, and include a response from two young people aged 16-18 and their suggestions for improving and extending co-production methods.

Identifying the Black Country's Top Mental Health Research Priorities Using a Collaborative Workshop Approach: Community Connexions.

Background: The Black Country (BC) is an area of the United Kingdom covering Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, and Wolverhampton. The area is ethnically, culturally and religiously diverse. One-fifth of the total population is in the lowest socioeconomic quintile, with an uneven distribution of wealth. The area manifests unmet needs and as perceived underserved community groups. Objectives and Methods: To better understand the situation and inform future provision, listening events were organised across the BC to engage with local underserved communities. A mixed-methods design was employed, using collaborative workshops. The workshops enabled stakeholders to explore priorities, perceived barriers and solutions to mental health services' access within the BC. Results: Sixty participants verbally consented and signed in to attend the three workshops. There were nine groups that provided 247 statements on the topic, yielding a total of 12 codes and six themes (priorities). The top identified priorities were inappropriate periodisation of accessible funded healthcare needs (n = 42, 18.03%), barriers to appropriate healthcare (n = 49, 21.03%) and limited resources for training, health promotion, preventative care and support networks (n = 62, 26.61%). Conclusions: Addressing the identified priorities will require location and community-specific solutions to establish those communities' trust and engagement. Cultural stigma should not be viewed as the only barrier to access healthcare but should be considered in combination with the population's reluctance to reach out to healthcare services due to loss of trust between community groups and lack of co-design of culturally and religiously appropriate services for the community.

A Convenience Sample Looking at Microbiome Differences Between Anxious and Non-Anxious Patients in a GI Clinic

Background: The gut–brain axis, significantly influenced by the gut microbiome, is a growing focus in mental health research. This study aimed to investigate gut microbiome differences between anxious and non-anxious participants. Methods: A convenience sample of 119 participants consisted of 56 participants with self-assessed low to zero levels of anxiety and 63 with self-assessed mild to severe levels of anxiety, using the self-rated Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) test. Fresh stool samples were collected for bacterial DNA extraction. DNA library preparation was performed using shotgun methodology, sequenced with the NextSeq 500/550 High Output v2.5 300 cycle kit, and mapped using minimap2. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted using One Codex. Results: The study participants were all of white race/ethnicity and the mean age, 54 (anxious group) vs. 55 (non-anxious) yr old, was not different between groups (p = 0.75). In the anxious group, 33% were females versus 25% in the non-anxious group, p = 0.46. Six percent of the anxious group reported a prior diagnosis of depression and 8% had irritable bowel syndrome, compared to none in the non-anxious group (p = 0.02, p = 0.006, respectively). Mann–Whitney tests revealed higher relative abundances of the genera Clostridioides (p = 0.011) and Bacteroides (p = 0.002) in the anxious group. Conversely, the anxious group had lower levels of the genera Bifidobacterium (p = 2.118 × 10−10), Faecalibacterium (p = 0.020), and the Phylum Actinobacteria (p = 1.516 × 10−8). Conclusions: Our findings corroborate previous studies, showing significant gut microbiome differences between anxious individuals and their non-anxious counterparts. These results support further exploration of microbiome-centric anxiety research.