Problem-solving Training Intervention Research Articles

Linking Problems Reported by Care Partners of Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease and Lewy Body Dementia to the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health.

AimThis study aims to classify, describe, and compare the problems reported by care partners of adults with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Lewy body dementia (LBD) using the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF)MethodsProblems that care partners experience were collected during a problem-solving training intervention. The meaningful concepts were then extracted and linked to the ICF using a standardized linking technique.Results402 meaningful concepts were extracted from 128 problems reported by care partners. 79.4% of the concepts were linkable to the ICF. “Body functions” was most frequently addressed followed by “Activities and participation.” LBD care partners reported more problems (M = 23.6 ± 13.4) on average than AD care partners (M = 19.4 ± 12.1). LBD care partners reported greater relative proportions of problems in mental function (emotional and sleep functions) than AD care partners.ConclusionThis study suggests that the experience of LBD care partners may include significantly more challenges and may be more emotionally demanding than the care experience of AD care partners. Interventions designed to support care partners of adults with dementia may need to be tailored to meet the needs of care partners based on the care receiver’s type of dementia.

Effect of the Problem-solving on the Mental Well-being of Mothers With Autistic Children

Background: The birth of an exceptional child in a family can decrease the mental well-being of family members. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the family-centered problem-solving intervention on the mental well-being of the mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental research with a pre-test, post-test, follow-up design and a control group. The statistical population of the study included all the mothers of children with autism disorder in Kermanshah City. Using the purposeful sampling method, we selected 30 mothers of autistic children studying at a rehabilitation center and randomly assigned them into the two groups of experimental (n=15) and control (n=15). In this study, the Satisfaction With Life Scale (Diener et al., 1985) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (Watson et al., 1988) were used to measure mental well-being. After collecting the pre-test data of the mothers in the experimental group, 10 2-hour sessions (for a month) of family-centered problem-solving programs were administered. Also, the post-test and follow-up phases were executed after the end of the sessions and a 1-month interval, respectively. Finally, the obtained data were analyzed considering the repeated measures design. Results: The results showed a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores in the variable studied. However, the post-test and follow-up scores did not significantly differ in the variable studied. Conclusion: The results of this study supported the effectiveness of family-centered problem-solving training intervention on mental well-being and its subscales. Therefore, the family-centered problem-solving training program is of great importance as a preventive program.

Military Health Provider Training and Evaluation of a Problem-Solving Intervention to Reduce Distress and Enhance Readiness Among Service Members.

Department of Defense (DoD) has identified problem-solving training (PST) as a promising prevention/early intervention for mental health disorders. PST is a four-session group intervention that emphasizes building problem-solving and coping skills to mitigate emotional dysregulation and the adverse effects of stressful events. It was adapted from problem-solving therapy, which is an evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral approach that has shown effectiveness with treating depression and managing suicide risk. The current evaluation examined a pilot program that: (1) trained DoD providers in the delivery of PST, (2) conducted PST intervention groups with active duty personnel, and (3) developed PST master trainers to train other providers. Clinical (e.g., psychologists) and non-clinical (e.g., chaplains) providers attended a 2.5-day workshop of didactic coursework and experiential training on conducting PST, with a subset of providers selected to attend an additional workshop to become master trainers in PST. Providers (n = 82) who attended a PST Facilitator Workshop completed pre- and post-workshop assessments of self-efficacy in PST skills. Eight providers evaluated a Master Trainer Workshop. After completing workshop training, providers conducted PST intervention groups with service members (n = 435), who were experiencing distress, with or without a mental health diagnosis, and whose needs were appropriate for a prevention/resiliency-based skills group. Service members completed the following pre- and post-PST group outcome measures: (a) Outcome Questionnaire-30 (OQ-30) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) as measures of distress; and (b) Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) to assess resilience, which contributes to readiness. They also completed the Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised: Short Form (SPSI-R:S), as a process measure for the intervention. The SPSI-R:S, which assesses how individuals cope when faced with problems, includes the following subscales: (1) positive problem orientation, (2) negative problem orientation, (3) rational problem-solving, (4) impulsivity/carelessness style, and (5) avoidance style. Service members also completed a post-group evaluation of PST. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, paired sample t-tests, and correlational analyses. Providers showed pre- to post-facilitator workshop increases in self-efficacy of PST skills (all p < 0.001) and those selected as master trainers evaluated their workshop training favorably, particularly the role-playing exercises. Analyses of pre- vs. post-PST group intervention measures among service members indicated that OQ-30 and PHQ-9 scores declined, while BRS and SPSI-R:S total scores increased (all p < 0.001). In addition, correlational analyses of change scores showed that the SPSI-R:S subscales negative problem orientation and avoidance style were negatively correlated with BRS and positively correlated with OQ-30 and PHQ-9 (all p < 0.001). Service members gave positive post-group evaluations of PST effectiveness and program materials. DoD providers reported increased self-efficacy in skills required for the delivery of a four-session PST group intervention after participating in a pilot program of training workshops. The pilot of the PST group intervention showed an association with improvements on service members' self-reported measures related to distress, readiness, and coping. In addition, changes in problem-solving measures were associated with changes in outcome measures. Follow-on research is needed to further investigate if PST is effective in preventing more severe forms of distress.

The Hopelessness Theory of Depression: Clinical Utility and Generalizability

To date, “basic” research has dominated the empirical literature on hopelessness theory. The next logical step in this area of research is to determine if the theory can be used to help people. We conducted three studies to determine if the cognitive vulnerability factor featured in hopelessness theory could be reliably measured in diverse samples in a treatment context and if it could predict depressive therapeutic outcomes. Study 1 used a sample of male juvenile detainees (n = 296; 70% from underrepresented groups) and found that cognitive vulnerability moderated the effectiveness of a social problem solving training intervention. Study 2 used a clinical sample of U.S. Veterans (n = 16; 56% from underrepresented groups) enrolled in a cognitive behavioral therapy group for depression and found that cognitive vulnerability predicted post-therapy depressive outcomes. In both Study 1 and Study 2, higher levels of cognitive vulnerability resulted in poorer treatment outcomes (i.e., greater post-treatment levels of depressive symptoms). Study 3 used a clinical sample of U.S. Veterans (n = 76; 67% from underrepresented groups) enrolled in a behavior activation group and found no effect of cognitive vulnerability on post-therapy depressive outcomes. The results of the three studies indicate that hopelessness theory’s cognitive vulnerability construct can be reliably measured in diverse samples in real world clinical contexts and that it has the potential to be a useful predictor of clinical outcomes in the context of cognitively focused treatments.

Telephone-delivered problem-solving training after mild traumatic brain injury: Qualitative analysis of service members' perceptions.

The purpose of this study was to identify the specific reasons for service members' satisfaction or dissatisfaction with problem-solving training (PST), telephone delivery, and other aspects of a telephone-delivered PST intervention in order to determine what might enhance this approach for future clinical use. Standard qualitative methods were employed, using a "process" coding strategy to explore the conceptual perceptions of the intervention experience as suggested by the data recorded from final telephone interviews of 80 service members who participated in a randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of telephone-delivered PST after having sustained concussions or mild traumatic brain injuries during recent (PsycINFO Database Record

FOCUS on the Family Caregiver: A Problem‐Solving Training Intervention

Problem‐solving interventions have documented effectiveness in treating distress among a variety of clientele. The authors discuss the application of training in social problem solving with family caregivers of persons who have incurred severe physical disabilities. Specifically, the authors outline training procedures (i.e., Project FOCUS) that enable counselors to assist family caregivers in developing effective problem‐solving skills that may translate to increased wellness for each caregiver, and by extension, their care recipients.