Mental Health Research Articles

All you need is [somebody's] love "third-party reproduction" and the existential density of biological affinity.

What is the true significance of biological kinship? During the last decades, it seemed to be uncontroversial that abandoned and even adopted people feel the negative impact of biological parents' absence throughout life in several ways (Miller et al. 2000; Keyes, Margaret A., Anu Sharma, Irene J Elkins, and William G. Iacono, Matt McGue. 2008. The Mental Health of US Adolescents Adopted in Infancy. Archive Pediatric Adolescense Medicine 162(5): 419-425.). However, in the case of people conceived via "third-party reproduction", especially in sperm donation, the disruption of the kinship network derived from natural bonds tends to be presented as something irrelevant. This article disputes that assumption, explores its relationship with a deconstructivist vision that presents kinship as a purely social construct and defends the personal and existential value of a person's biological bonds with her parents. While analysing the anthropological shift inherent to the way some political discourses present the nuclear family and heterologous biotechnology, it proposes renewed philosophical attention on the significance of filiation and human affinity. This article argues for the density of genealogical ties and defends that the consecration of an individual "right to a child", namely (but not exclusively) through the normalised access to sperm banks, is incompatible with the rights of the child, since it deprives people from knowing not only who but also how is their father.

Advanced thinking on Trauma: Victims of Crime in the Mental Health Context.

This article addresses often-overlooked forms of client-centered criminal victimization, focusing on the victim's experience of lost power and liberty and the enduring consequences of these traumas. It examines how perpetrators rationalize inflicting psychological, emotional, physical, and sometimes sexual harm, which leaves victims with severe, debilitating symptoms. For many, life after victimization feels intangible and unfamiliar. Effectively supporting victims requires a deep understanding of the roots of their suffering, including the collective cognitive dissonance and victim-blaming that can obstruct trauma-informed recovery. The analysis includes under-researched categories of crime victims, such as those affected by coercive control, gaslighting, stalking, institutional abuse, gang violence, crimes against whistleblowers, and healthcare safety violations. This content highlights the need for psychologists, clinicians, and multidisciplinary teams to understand the unique psychological impacts linked to victimization, including Acute Stress Disorder, PTSD, Complex PTSD, dissociative disorders, and other associated conditions like anxiety, OCD, substance use disorders, and prolonged grief.

Development of a revised version of the SCRAM questionnaire to evaluate sleep, circadian rhythms, and mood characteristics

ABSTRACT Sleep quality, chronotype, and mood may be closely interconnected processes. Typically, such constructs are measured independently, leaving out important information regarding their intrinsic relationships. The Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, and Mood (SCRAM) questionnaire is a promising tool for measuring sleep, chronotype, understood as diurnal preference, and depressive symptomatology, and the interrelationships between them. Anxiety has also been linked to sleep quality, chronotype, and depression, but there is currently no scale that measures these constructs together. This study aims to validate a revised version of the SCRAM questionnaire (rSCRAM), incorporating items to measure anxious mood. 486 Italian participants were involved in two studies. In Study 1, principal component analysis (PCA) identified representative anxiety elements from validated questionnaires. In Study 2, after adding the anxiety elements, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) established a 4-factor, 16-item model. The rSCRAM demonstrated excellent psychometric properties: high internal consistency (α = 0.72–0.90) and a strong test-retest reliability of the scales over 2 weeks (r = 0.73–0.82), a high correlation for convergent validity, and low correlations for divergent validity. The rSCRAM questionnaire measures the constructs for which it was created and revised. Including the anxiety scale enhances its utility in assessing mental health constructs within a single instrument.

Realist assessment of fidelity during the implementation of the PARTNERS collaborative care intervention for people with diagnoses of severe mental illness within a cluster randomised controlled trial

Many with severe mental illnesses are underserved by disjointed service provision. PARTNERS aims to address this via collaborative care with recovery-based coaching. PARTNERS was evaluated in a randomised controlled trial. Understanding how intervention delivery compared to the model, why this was, and under what circumstances, aids interpretation of trial results and optimisation of future implementation. This paper reports the results of a Realist assessment of fidelity, exploring delivery compared to model and refining programme theory. Practitioners, service users, supervisors, primary care representatives, and researchers (n = 39) were interviewed. Additional data included session recordings, follow up interviews, practitioner reflective logs, supervision logs, contact data, service user surveys, and meeting minutes. A framework analysis with evaluative coding was used to assess the extent to which delivery matched the Realist initial programme theory, and how, why and under what circumstances this was the case. Retroductive analysis was used to refine the programme theory. Delivery was good, but varied by practitioner and over time. Delivery improved over time, as practitioner understanding of the intervention increased. Refinements to the programme theory include training leading to practitioners forming collaborative relationships with service users most of the time, but unidentified contextual factors causing variation in consistency. Whether training led to practitioners liaising across different bodies was dependant on the contextual factors of existing relationship skills and previous connections. System-level difficulties in providing consistent supervision made it difficult to assess the impact of this mechanism on delivery. Variation in delivering means caution should be applied when interpreting trial results. Implementation of practitioner-level change without implementing system-level change limits the ability to fully implement the model and to draw conclusions as to effectiveness. Current changes to NHS community mental health care may make this more achievable. Further research is needed to understand the role of supervision and optimal training. Trial registration: This is the realist process evaluation of the cluster randomised controlled trial ISRCTN95702682. REC approval: West Midlands–Edgbaston Research Committee 29/06/2017, ref: 14/WM/0052 (trial registration number ISRCTN95702682).

"There's no us vs. them, it's just us": a creative approach to centring lived experience within the AVATAR2 trial.

This article describes a Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) led creative workshop space held within a clinical trial of a talking therapy for distressing voices (AVATAR2). PPI adds significant value to clinical research and ensures the work is meaningful to patients and their supporters. However, known issues include tokenism, a common power imbalance between PPI colleagues and researchers and a lack of opportunity for PPI to shape the research. PPI has played a key role at all stages of the AVATAR2 trial, including design, recruitment of staff and participants, data collection, analysis, and dissemination. An active and creative group of people was established, with over 30 members flexibly involved across all four sites. PPI group members were from diverse backgrounds, with lived experience of mental health conditions and recovery, and including carers. During this work, PPI colleagues identified that they would value a creative space which would help to promote the study but extend beyond an exclusive focus on trial deliverables. A regular creative workshop was established to support PPI colleagues in their creative work, including material such as poetry, blogs, art and podcasts. PPI colleagues and trial staff have cowritten a reflective piece to share their experiences on the impact of the creative workshops, organised into four themes. We found the workshops to be a powerful tool for forging relationships among trial staff and PPI colleagues, while also fostering personal development. We reflected on how the workshops built up the confidence of attendees and supported demanding trial activities such as public speaking. Finally, we discussed the impact of the workshops on wider trial culture, by upholding the values of the team and challenging the status quo.

Stress Detection System using Machine Learning and Sensors

This project presents a novel stress detection system that leverages machine learning and sensor technology to monitor and assess stress levels in real-time. As stress has become a widespread concern affecting mental health, our system integrates wearable sensors—such as heart rate monitors, galvanic skin response sensors, and accelerometers—to capture physiological data indicative of stress. The project involves several key components: data collection and preprocessing, feature extraction, and the development of machine learning models capable of accurately classifying stress levels based on the sensor data. Various algorithms, including Support Vector Machines and Neural Networks, will be employed and optimized for performance. The system is designed to provide real-time feedback to users, offering insights and personalized recommendations for stress management based on detected levels. A user-friendly interface will enable individuals to track their stress over time, fostering greater awareness and encouraging proactive coping strategies

USO INDISCRIMINADO DOS OPIOIDES POR PROFISSIONAIS DE SAÚDE: UMA REVISÃO INTEGRATIVA

Introduction: The opioid epidemic is a global public health crisis that affects several regions, including one that is not always highlighted: health professionals. General objective: to analyze the complexity of the indiscriminate use of opioids by health professionals. Method: This is an integrative literature review, following five stages with a search in the LILACS, BDENF, MEDLINE, and SciELO databases from 2019 to 2024. Results: 109 articles were found; 06 articles were used to prepare the study. Discussion: According to the Brazilian guidelines on opioid abuse, patients with chronic pain and healthcare professionals are among the groups most at risk of acquiring opioid dependence. Concern about the abuse of psychoactive substances by healthcare professionals is not new. Historically, the population of doctors and other healthcare workers has been more exposed to the risk of abusing psychoactive substances, including prescription drugs such as benzodiazepines, opiates and amphetamines. Conclusion: The disordered use of opioids by healthcare professionals is a multifaceted problem that requires a comprehensive and collaborative approach to combat. Healthcare institutions, regulatory bodies and society in general have an important role to play in promoting a safer and more supportive working environment. Emphasizing the importance of the mental health and well-being of healthcare professionals, as well as implementing preventive measures and effective interventions, is essential to reducing opioid use and ensuring that these professionals can continue to provide quality care while protecting their own health and safety.

About this thing we call mental health literacy

About this thing we call mental health literacy

Factors influencing spousal support for women with perinatal depression in seeking formal assistance: a qualitative study

ObjectiveSeeking formal help can significantly improve the outcomes of perinatal depression (PND). However, currently, women with PND are not consistently seeking formal help. Research indicated that spouses played a crucial role in helping women recognize PND and encouraging them to seek formal help. This study aimed to explore the factors that prevent spouses from supporting women with PND in seeking formal help, based on the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice (KAP) theory.MethodsThis is a qualitative study, utilizing semi-structured interviews to explore the factors that influence spouses to support women with PND to seek formal help. The interviews were conducted at a tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China from September 2023 to October 2023. Purposive sampling was used, and the sample size was determined by data saturation. Data analysis was conducted using Colaizzi’s seven-step method.ResultsTwelve spouses had a mean age of 34.92 years (SD 5.81); n = 7 (58.33%) were new fathers. The influencing factors identified in this study can be explained by KAP theory, ultimately three major themes and six sub-themes emerged: (1) individual knowledge factors: lack of proper recognition of PND, (2) individual attitude factors: negative attitude toward PND screening and treatment and (3) service provider factors: imbalance between supply and demand for perinatal mental health services.ConclusionSpouses who lacked supportive behavior were influenced by individual factors, including knowledge factors and attitude factors, as well as service provider factors. These identified factors can guide future research and the development of interventions to improve perinatal mental health services and encourage family support in seeking formal help.

Health Care Service Utilization Among People with HIV, Chronic Pain, and Depression: Utilization and Cost Outcomes from the HIV-PASS Study.

In the United States (U.S.), 90% of annual health care expenditures are devoted to people with chronic physical and mental health conditions. For people with HIV (PWH), two common, chronic comorbidities are pain and depression. This report assesses the impact of a brief psychotherapy intervention for PWH and comorbid chronic pain and depression on health care service utilization. Data from the HIV Pain and Sadness Study (HIV-PASS) randomized trial were used. Electronic health records were reviewed to tabulate use of the following services: (a) outpatient rehabilitation; (b) outpatient psychiatric; and (c) hospital-based (e.g., emergency department). Estimated average marginal effects were analyzed to determine how many times a participant accessed the service and the charge at each event. The sample consisted of 187 adults recruited from three U.S. sites. Individuals randomized to the three-month, seven session HIV-PASS intervention had average charges for hospital-based services that were significantly less during the post-treatment phase (months 4-12; 95%CI: -$16,612, -$131; p =.046) than those randomized to the comparison condition. On average, comparison condition participants were charged $8,371 more for hospital services in the 8-month period following intervention. No significant differences between treatment conditions were observed in use of outpatient rehabilitation, outpatient psychiatric services, or hospital-based care. Consistent with predictions, lower health care charges among those randomized to the HIV-PASS behavioral intervention were incurred for hospital services, indicating that a brief behavioral intervention could lead to decreased use of more emergent and expensive care services among persons with HIV, depression, and chronic pain.

The emotional well-being and mental health of Hispanic immigrants in the United States: understanding the impact of traumatic experiences and coping styles

ABSTRACT This cross-sectional study examined factors that impact the emotional well-being of Hispanic immigrants. This study considered the experience of stigma, acculturative stress, and traumatic events on the emotional well-being of Hispanic immigrants, while exploring various coping strategies that are employed. Data from 198 Hispanic immigrants in the United States was collected from an online survey, and a multiple linear regression was used with several predictor groups. Results indicated statistical significance between traumatic experiences, acculturative stress, positive/negative religious coping, and avoidant coping styles on the emotional well-being of Hispanic immigrants. These findings hold significance for social workers and offers considerations for assessment, treatment, and advocacy.

Interconnection between adolescents' and family members' sleep.

Deficient sleep has been linked to a broad range of physical, cognitive and mental health impacts, in particular during adolescence. It is thus essential to understand its underlying mechanisms, including family factors. The goal of our study was to assess through combined subjective and objective assessments, how family members' daily variations in sleep are interconnected, between parents and siblings of adolescents. A total of 111 participants within 30 families were included, of whom 30 adolescents (14.5 years +/- 2.1 years, 46.7% boys), 30 siblings (12.8 years + /- 3.8, 40% boys), 30 mothers (43.5 years +/- 5.5) and 21 fathers (47.5 years +/- 7.6). Sleep was objectively assessed using parallel actigraphy recordings during a single week for all family members. Adolescents' daily variation in sleep duration and timing displayed many concordances with their siblings' and their mothers' sleep, but not with their fathers' sleep. Adolescents whose parents did not set limits on sleep time or screen use went to bed over an hour later (p < 0.001) and slept over 30 min less on school nights. Our study demonstrates the important role of family sleep on adolescent sleep, through rule-setting and congruence between each family members sleep, in particular regarding sleep duration and timing.

Generalized anxiety disorder and job performance can predict job stress among nurses: A latent profile analysis.

Nursing is a stressful profession that can impact the physical and mental health of nurses as well as the safety of patients. Furthermore, various factors may affect the job stress of nurses. However, recent studies mainly focused on the overall level of job stress and its related factors, ignoring the population heterogeneity of nurses' job stress. A total of 440 nurses participated in the questionnaire survey between March 2023 and April 2023. Data were collected using the Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire, the Nursing Job Stressor Inventory, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale, and the Nurse Job Performance Scale. A latent profile analysis was used to identify the latent profiles of job stress. Kruskal-Wallis H test and ordinal logistic regression were used to explore the predictors of different profiles. The job stress of nurses could be classified into four profiles: relatively low job stress, relatively high job stress, high job stress, and the highest job stress. Generalized anxiety disorder, job performance, health status, and dislike of nursing as a career were predictors of different profiles. The majority of nurses were classified into profile 2, and their job stress was relatively high. Lowering anxiety levels, enhancing job performance, improving nurses' health status, and changing professional attitudes toward nursing may be effective ways to reduce nurses' job stress.

Optimizing Student Management Strategies and Student Engement in Vocational Technical Colleges

This research aimed to assess the efficacy of student management practices and their influence on academic engagement among vocational-technical students in China. The study evaluated crucial aspects such as the admissions procedure, student assistance programs, attendance tracking, and technology to pinpoint obstacles and potential areas for improvement. Data was gathered using quantitative approach to assess their perspectives on management practices and academic involvement. The results indicated that using technology had a beneficial effect on student involvement. However, there were notable areas for improvement, such as student support services, attendance tracking, and the admissions process. The student support services were deemed unsatisfactory, with restricted availability and inadequate influence on academic achievements. The attendance tracking system was operational, but it did not impact student participation. On the other hand, the admissions procedure was equitable, but it lacked individualized assistance for students. Furthermore, the research revealed that students had modest intrinsic motivation, self-regulated learning, and goal-setting. Nevertheless, the level of academic aid provided needed to be improved, and the potential for collaborative learning was not fully realized due to participation difficulties. The study revealed that the mental health care provided was insufficient, and the inflexible academic schedule hindered students’ capacity to engage in interdisciplinary studies or modify their course loads based on individual circumstances. In addition, students expressed a lack of participation in decision-making procedures, which led to feelings of disconnection.

Linking heart and mind: development and evaluation of online information material on mental health disorders in children and adolescents with CHDs.

Psychiatric comorbidity is common in children and adolescents with CHDs. Early recognition and evidence-based treatments are crucial to prevent long-term consequences. To support early identification and reduce stigma, we 1) developed and 2) tested the usability and acceptability of online information material on common mental health disorders targeted healthcare professionals and affected families. Website content was shaped by insights from interviews with healthcare professionals across sectors, parents, and adolescents. Evaluations demonstrated promising acceptability and usability of the first prototype but indicated the need for improvements in specific aspects of content, navigation, and overall aesthetics.

The Relationship Between Work Engagement, Depression, Anxiety, and COVID-19 Anxiety in Physician Assistant Students.

Introduction: Physician assistants (PAs) are subject to high levels of burnout, depressive symptoms, and anxiety, which can negatively impact quality of care and patient outcomes. Learning how to handle stress in the classroom may increase success and engagement in PA programs. The goal of this study was to characterize burnout, depressive symptoms, and anxiety in current PA students and examine the relationship between these factors and work engagement.Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed PA students (n = 42) via convenience sampling from eighteen different PA programs across North and South Carolina in October, 2021. Questionnaires included the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-17), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), the General Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), and the COVID-19 Anxiety Scale (CIAS). Adjusted linear regression was used to assess associations between the GAD-7, PHQ-2, and CIAS and the three subscales of the UWES-17 (vigor, dedication, and absorption).Results: Students were primarily female (79%), white (79%), second-year students (62%), and had an average body mass index of 21.0 ± 3.9kg/m2. A one-unit increase in the GAD-7 was associated with a decrease in the vigor (β = -0.94, SE = 0.19, p < .01) and dedication (β = -0.42, SE = 0.15, p = .01) subscales. A one-unit increase in the PHQ-2 was associated with a decrease in the vigor subscale (β = -2.94, SE = 0.60, p < .01).Conclusions: Recognizing warning signs of declining mental health early among PA school students may be key to increasing resilience, enthusiasm, and concentration, which may enhance school/work engagement. More work is needed to elucidate potential intervention targets to increase school/work engagement in PA students.

Youth MH among key topics in 2025 legislative sessions

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) last week released a new report citing such legislative concerns for the new year as the health workforce and youth mental health, Medicaid, artificial intelligence and prescription drugs. All are key topics NCSL's policy experts anticipate will occupy state lawmakers' time in 2025 legislative sessions.

SAMHSA: Substance use by teens across sexual identities

A new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has found that LGB+ youth are more likely than straight youth to have major depression and serious thoughts of suicide. But patterns of substance use by sexual identity were nuanced.

A Community-Engaged Exploration of Childhood Adversity and Resilience to Inform Mental Health Intervention

A Community-Engaged Exploration of Childhood Adversity and Resilience to Inform Mental Health Intervention

Effect of Veteran-Focused Suicide Prevention Public Messaging on Help-Seeking Behavior and Secure Firearm Storage.

Suicide is a major public health concern in the United States. Veterans are among those at higher risk for death by suicide. Firearm ownership is one factor that contributes to veterans' elevated suicide risk. The current study sought to determine the effectiveness of an evidence-based, multi-media advertising campaign with a specific focus on veterans related to secure storage of firearms and general help-seeking attitudes during a mental health crisis. Results indicated positive changes in (a) attitudes toward seeking help from a health care provider or a friend/loved one during a mental health crisis, (b) attitudes toward firearm storage during a crisis, and (c) self-reported secure firearm storage behaviors post-advertising, particularly among veterans. Implications for future advertising campaigns, clinical interventions, and research investigations are discussed.