Psychosocial Program Research Articles

Facing COVID-19: Guidelines for Gypsy People

view of the risk of transmission and contamination by SARS-Cov-2, at the beginning of the pandemic period of the Covid-19 clinical syndrome. Theoretical reference: The Roma people correspond to an ethnic group with their own language, Romani, flag and anthem recognized by the UN. Historically, they are considered to have originated in India, having gone through diasporas. One of them would have been towards the Iberian Peninsula. However, along with Jews, Arabs and other minority groups, they were also exiled from there and brought to Colonial Brazil. Therefore, their history has remained invisible to the present day, consequently, prejudices and stereotypes are also maintained in the new continent. These socio-cultural determinants impact the health of this population in various aspects. Although there are public policies aimed at health care for the Roma people in Brazil, they are very little known by both, Roma people and health professionals. Method: This historical record is methodologically presented as a case study because it takes the opportunity to discuss the phenomenology involved in preparing health education materials. Results and Conclusion: As results, the hand hygiene booklet and the video on movement and rhythm were presented. Next, the communication intentions outlined in figures in the Booklet for the Gypsy People with preventive guidelines for Covid-19 were discussed point by point. These intervention strategies were discussed, highlighting the need-to-know basic cultural aspects so that collective health objectives can be achieved, making the information meaningful to this ethnic group. To achieve this, gypsies from the Gypsy Union of Brazil and people authorized by them to speak about their culture participated: together with students from the Multidisciplinary League of Human Physiology and Pathophysiology (LAFFH/UNIFASE), the Environmental Health, Parasitology, Bioethics Extension Project (SAPB-LIPAT-FF/UFRJ), the Laboratory of Studies on the Aging Process of the Psychosocial Care Program of the Institute of Psychiatry of UFRJ (PROVE-MEPPSO-IPUB/UFRJ), having circulated such information via a smartphone application to gypsies from Rio de Janeiro, other states in the country and even other Latin American countries. The Homeopathy Service of the 7th Ward of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia Hospital in Rio de Janeiro joined this movement of primary health care and psychosocial care via matrix support. It made its health space available for online educational activities, in addition to the Public Health Course of the undergraduate medical school. Implications of research: All superior educational schools involved extended information to gypsy groups present in the various metropolitan regions of Rio de Janeiro to which they provide services. As a limitation, the limited number of people who gave feedback to health professionals (although they did give feedback to their leaders) is attributed, making it necessary to investigate the phenomenon observed. There is also a need for a pedagogical metric evaluation of the booklet used. The conclusion is that these preliminary activities, prior to the use of mass vaccination for vulnerable groups, are positive, especially given the perceived risk of new outbreaks of Covid-19. Originality/value: As a contribution, in addition to the preventive information aimed at reducing transmissibility and accidents with 70% alcohol, it was carefully adapted to the cultural aspects of the gypsy people. Therefore, work on primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary prevention for this ethnic group will continue.

The Perspective of Young Maghrebi People With a Migratory Background and Their Social Agents on Substance Use During the Migration Process: A Qualitative Study.

People with a migratory background often face traumatic experiences increasing the risk of mental health problems and substance use. It is important to gain a greater understanding of the perspectives of substance use among North African young people with a migratory background and social agents. A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted. Purposive sampling methods were used to recruit 14 male participants and 9 social agents. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus groups, and processed by thematic analysis. Four themes were identified: beginning of cross-border consumption that worsens at the reception centers; different ways of obtaining and accessing substances; reasons leading to substance use; and mental health care needs during the migration process. The implementation of individual-centered and culturally adapted psychosocial support programs can significantly contribute to mitigating psychological challenges, preventing substance use, and promoting greater well-being among people with a migratory background.

Spiritual Meaning Making and Trauma Recovery: Evaluation of a Psycho-social Intervention for Earthquake Survivors in Turkey.

This study sets out to develop a psycho-social model for assessing the effectiveness of spiritually oriented logotherapy for earthquake victims with PTSD following the 6 February 2023, Kahramanmaraş earthquake in Turkey. The findings of this study will undoubtedly contribute to the development of post-disaster spiritual support services. We developed and implemented a six-week "Psycho-Social Training Programme through Spiritually Oriented Meaning" in the cities of Malatya, Elazığ and Kahramanmaraş, which were significantly affected by the earthquake. A randomised controlled trial (RCT) design was used, with participants randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group. Pre-test and post-test assessments were conducted to evaluate the programme's impact. The findings were clear: the programme significantly reduced PTSD symptoms (p < .05), proving the effectiveness of a meaning-oriented approach in the survivors' healing process. Additionally, the programme made a positive contribution to spiritual support services and provided a model to meet post-disaster psychological needs. This programme demonstrated its potential as an effective method for addressing PTSD and enhancing spiritual recovery in earthquake survivors.

Effectiveness of Non-Pharmacological Interventions in the Management of Pediatric Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review

(1) Background: Chronic pain in children remains an under-researched area, especially compared to acute pain. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions in the management of pediatric chronic pain and their impact on the well-being of both children and their families. Given the growing interest in integrative treatments to reduce reliance on pharmacological solutions, this review addresses the need for alternative therapeutic approaches. (2) Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines, covering studies published between 2019 and 2024 from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus. Eligible studies included children aged 2 to 18 years with chronic pain who received non-pharmacological interventions. Data were extracted on intervention types, participant characteristics, and outcomes. The risk of bias was assessed using RoB2 for randomized trials and ROBINS-I for non-randomized studies. (3) Results: A total of 11 studies involving 1739 children were included, assessing interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy, personalized psychosocial follow-up programs, hypnotherapy, music therapy, and digital tools. The results demonstrated significant reductions in pain severity, improvements in emotional and physical well-being, and high patient satisfaction. However, the generalizability of findings was limited by the small sample sizes and variability in study designs. (4) Conclusions: Non-pharmacological interventions appear effective in managing pediatric chronic pain, offering improvements in pain reduction and quality of life. Further research is needed to optimize these approaches and confirm their long-term benefits across diverse populations. These interventions represent promising alternatives or complements to pharmacological treatments in pediatric pain management.

Identifying and optimizing psychosocial frailty in surgical practice

Psychosocial frailty is under-screened for and under-treated in patients undergoing surgery, even though patients with psychosocial frailty are at increased risk for postoperative complications. Numerous approaches exist to identifying psychosocial frailty in the preoperative period, ranging from neighborhood-level indices to patient-level, patient-reported data. Presurgical optimization of psychosocial frailty has returned mixed results, focusing primarily on psychological well-being with limited attention paid to addressing a patient's social risk profile. Mediators and moderators of psychosocial frailty in surgical outcomes must be further elucidated before investigators can appropriately trial psychosocial optimization programs that benefit patients. In recent years, new policies and system-level changes have incentivized screening for psychosocial frailty, and additional reimbursement strategies should be formulated to address frailty in the preoperative period in a feasible, sustainable, and cost-effective manner.

Exploring the association between mental health and extreme weather events related to climate change: a scoping review

BackgroundThe aim is to assess the association between mental health and extreme weather events related to climate change and identify resilience-based interventions to support mental health for those affected by extreme weather events related to climate change. Methods In November 2022, we undertook a scoping review following standard guidelines, searching databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, CINAHL, Cochrane, and Web of Science. We reported study demographics, climate change-related exposures, mental health-related outcomes, and resilience outcomes. The methodological quality of included studies was not assessed as this is not a requirement for scoping reviews. FindingsTwenty-seven studies published between 2011–22 (three on the overall impact of climate change, 11 on ambient temperature, nine on hurricanes, three on flooding, and one on wildfire) were included that assessed the association between extreme weather events related to climate change and mental health. Studies included cross-sectional surveys (n=14), secondary data analysis (n=12, with 8 studies based on clinic or hospital record data), and longitudinal data collection (n=1). Mental health-related outcomes included depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)/ related stress disorders, schizophrenia, and other mental health conditions. Eight studies reported resilience outcomes. We reported which extreme weather events related to climate change are more likely to be associated with which kind of mental health problem. Ambient temperature showed an association with mental health-related hospital or emergency department visits or hospital admissions in both new cases and people with existing mental health conditions. Extreme weather events such as hurricanes and floods showed associations with depression, anxiety, and/or PTSD. Apart from one longitudinal study evaluating a psycho-social support program, we did not identify any interventions to support people's mental health when faced with extreme weather events. InterpretationThough all included studies reported an association between extreme weather events related to climate change and mental health conditions, there is a lack of related interventions. As specific extreme weather events seem to be associated with specific kinds of mental health problems, there is a need for interventions that will be tailored both to the specific nature of extreme weather events, the kinds of impact they create, and the needs and circumstances of those who are impacted and should be culturally adapted to make them acceptable, engaging, and effective. FundingNone.

Informing Psychosocial Care for Young Couples Coping with Early-Onset Breast Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Examination of Unmet Service Needs and Their Association with Psychological Distress in the First Year Post-Diagnosis.

Objective: Young women diagnosed with breast cancer report greater psychological and physical morbidity than both older women and healthy peers. Similarly, young partners experience elevated cancer-related distress. Psychosocial oncology programs are not frequently attuned to the needs of young adult patients and may exclude their social networks. This marks a critical gap in psychosocial care delivery. The study investigated unmet service needs, psychological distress, and care preferences of young couples managing breast cancer in the first year post-diagnosis. Methods: Forty dyads (n = 80) of women aged 18-45 and their partners completed measures of anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and a service use questionnaire adapted from previously published Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) literature. The resulting 25 items assessed perceived care needs and service utilization across three domains: informational, emotional/supportive, and practical issues. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, and bivariate correlations were computed. Actor and partner effects of unmet needs on mental health outcomes were investigated with generalized estimating equations (GEE). Results: Patients and partners were in their late thirties, mostly non-Hispanic White, married, highly educated, and employed. Approximately 60% of patients and 43%-66% of partners presented one or more unmet service needs, which correlated with greater distress. Unmet needs about information related to exercise, recurrence, nutrition, and symptom management were prevalent. Unmet supportive service needs of both patients and partners included age-appropriate programs, sexual health, and family counseling. Women reported practical needs for work/school accommodations, integrative care, financial issues and health coverage; while financial concerns, health insurance, and caregiving demands were priorities for partners. Conclusion: Young couples facing early-onset breast cancer experience large proportions of unmet service needs. These challenges were exacerbated by the lack of developmentally targeted psychosocial programs pertaining to informational, supportive, and practical care needs. Enhancing providers' understanding of the psychosocial issues affecting young couples' well-being, and the implementation of systematic procedures to detect and respond to their distress, is urgently needed.

Understanding depression, anxiety and stress in young people living with HIV in Ghana

Ghanaians with perinatally acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection now live into adulthood. It is known that adolescents and young adults living with HIV have a high risk of mental health comorbidity. Despite increasing global attention on HIV–mental health interactions, the field remains understudied in Ghana, with an attendant lack of national integrated care solutions. This study aimed to measure the burden and explore the context of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms among young people living with HIV receiving care at a tertiary care hospital in Ghana. This was an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study. Depression, anxiety and stress symptoms were measured using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, and their associations with quality of life (QoL), socioeconomic status, internalised stigma, disease stage and HIV-related risk-taking behaviours were explored. After preliminary quantitative data analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted for those who screened positive for depression and/or anxiety to explore their experience with this comorbidity. This study found a low prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms, which were associated with higher stigma scores and lower QoL. We believe this low prevalence to be attributable to the effect of several psychosocial interventional programmes, which were previously piloted with the study cohort that have gradually normalised mental health discussions. Participants also showed marked resilience and knowledge about their condition. The results of this study present an opportunity to advocate and scale up effective locally adapted and strength-based solutions to address the mental illness–HIV syndemic in Ghanaian young people living with HIV.

Feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a self-directed online psychosocial intervention for women with metastatic breast cancer: Finding My Way-Advanced

PurposeFew digital interventions target patients with advanced cancer. Hence, we feasibility-tested Finding My Way-Advanced (FMW-A), a self-guided program for women with metastatic breast cancer.MethodsA single-site randomised controlled pilot trial was conducted. Participants were recruited through clinicians, professional networks, and social media and randomised to intervention or usual-care control. Participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention (FMW-A; a 6-week, 6-module CBT-based online self-directed psychosocial program for women with MBC + usual care resources) or control (usual care resources: BCNA’s Hope and Hurdles kit). Feasibility outcomes included rates of recruitment, uptake, engagement, and attrition. Distress, QOL, and unmet needs were evaluated for signals of efficacy, and qualitative feedback was collected to assess acceptability.ResultsDue to COVID-19 and funding constraints, the target recruitment of 40 was not reached (n = 60 approached; n = 55 eligible; n = 35 consented). Uptake was high (n = 35/55; 63.6%), engagement modest (median 3/6 modules per user), and attrition acceptable (66% completed post-treatment). Efficacy signals were mixed: compared to controls, FMW-A participants experienced small improvements in fear of progression (d = 0.21) and global QOL (d = 0.22) and demonstrated a trend towards improvements in cancer-specific distress (d = 0.13) and role functioning (d = 0.18). However, FMW-A participants experienced small-to-moderate deteriorations in general distress (d = 0.23), mental QOL (d = 0.51), and social functioning (d = 0.27), whereas controls improved. Qualitatively, participants (n = 4) were satisfied with the program, perceived it as appropriate, but noted some sections could evoke transient distress.ConclusionThe study demonstrated feasibility (high uptake and acceptable retention) and generated realistic recruitment estimates. While FMW-A appears promising for targeting cancer-specific distress and fear of progression, the mixed findings in quality of life and general distress warrant further revisions and testing.

Effectiveness of psychosocial education program on postnatal depression, stress, and perceived maternal parenting self-efficacy among pregnant women in South India

ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the effect of a psychosocial education program on postnatal depression (PND), perceived stress, (PSS), and perceived maternal parenting self-efficacy (PMPSE). MethodsA randomized controlled trial design was used with stratified block randomization.The sample size consisted of 128 pregnant women. The women in the experimental group were provided with a psychosocial education program along with standard care, and the control group received standard care with an information pamphlet. Post-test assessments (PND, PSS, and PMPSE) were performed at 1 week, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks after delivery in both groups. ResultsThe result of the effect of the intervention on outcome variables on repeated measures ANOVA revealed that there was a positive statistically significant reduction in scores of postnatal depression [F (1, 119) = 18.832, p = 0 < 0.001] and perceived stress [F (1,119) = 22.488, p = < 0.001] and no statistically significant change in perceived maternal parenting self-efficacy in the experimental group [F (1,119) = 0.036, p = 0.850]. ConclusionThe psychosocial education program was found to be effective in reducing postnatal depression and stress related to pregnancy and childbirth to enable a smooth transition to motherhood. Practice implicationsGiven the benefits the program provides to women, this psychosocial education program could be incorporated into routine antenatal care for pregnant women.

Improving resilience and mental well-being among refugees residing at asylum centers in the Netherlands: A pre-post feasibility study

BackgroundFew studies have explored the effects of mental health and psychosocial support programs among refugees residing at asylum centers. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a positive psychology intervention called BAMBOO among refugees temporarily residing at asylum centers in the Netherlands. MethodData was collected at 35 asylum centers from 243 participants who completed five weekly two-hour sessions. Pre- and post-changes in resilience, happiness, and positive and negative affect were assessed using a one-group pretest–posttest design. Also, program fidelity, participant satisfaction, and program activity suitability were evaluated. ResultsCompleter and intention-to-treat analyses revealed a significant medium increase in resilience, a large increase in happiness, a small increase in positive affect, and a medium decrease in negative affect. Reliable change indices showed a positive change in 24 % of the participants on resilience and 13 % on positive and negative affect, respectively. Participant retention was 80 %. Moreover, participant satisfaction was high. Also, a substantial proportion of participants evaluated reading and writing-based activities as less suitable in comparison to activities based on verbal and creative expression, physical movement, and meditation/prayer. ConclusionsFindings showed significant increases in scores from pre- to post-assessment on resilience, happiness, and positive affect and a decrease in negative affect. Since the study design limits the ability to attribute causation, future controlled studies should be conducted to stablish stronger evidence regarding the program's effects. Additionally, the program could benefit from further adaptation to enhance its cultural sensitivity. Trial registration number: ISRCTN18019972

An Integrative Review of Psychosocial Intervention Programs for Children and Adolescents who Experienced Traumatic Events

Background: This integrative review study aims to analyze the core components, intervention strategies, and effects of psychosocial intervention programs conducted for children and adolescents in Korea who have experienced traumatic events.Methods: The integrative review involved a search of major domestic databases using key terms such as 'children’, 'adolescents’, 'trauma’, 'post-traumatic stress’, 'intervention’, and 'education’. A total of 10 studies were selected for analysis based on predefined criteria.Results: The 10 selected studies were categorized into three types of interventions based on the environment and structure of the intervention delivery: individual-based interventions targeting only children and adolescents, family-based interventions involving family members, and school-based interventions conducted within schools. These interventions were found to be effective in addressing mental health issues caused by trauma in children and adolescents.Conclusions: Despite the serious nature of traumatic experiences among children and adolescents, this integrative review found that domestic research on psychosocial interventions for this population lacks rigorous study design and is limited in the selection of participants and trauma events. Therefore, the study suggests the need for the development and dissemination of more proactive psychosocial interventions for children and adolescents. The findings of this study are expected to serve as foundational data for the development of trauma managing programs for this population.

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Health of Nursing Staff: Qualitative Research

Purpose: To explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual health of the members of the nursing team and to identify the coping measures adopted by them. Methods: This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach. The study involved 42 Brazilian nursing professionals. Data were collected between June and July 2022 and analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method. Results: Three themes emerged: (I) Effects of the pandemic on the health of nursing professionals, (II) Major difficulties faced by nursing professionals during the pandemic, and (III) Protection measures adopted by nursing professionals during the pandemic. Also, eleven sub-themes were identified. Nursing professionals participating in this study reported that the COVID-19 pandemic affected their physical, psychological/mental, social, and spiritual health. Lack of material and human resources, increased demand and professional devaluation, social distancing, facing death, and lack of information and social commitment were cited as the main problems faced by the participants. Nursing professionals resorted to different measures to protect their health. Conclusion: The health of nursing staff was enormously impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was determined that nursing professionals and health institutions need to be better prepared to face crises. Continuing education should be developed to better train nursing staff for future outbreaks. Health administrators have key roles in protecting the physical and psychosocial health of healthcare workers by providing sufficient and quality protective personal equipment, training in occupational health, and developing psychosocial support programs.

Outcomes of integrating livelihood into mental health and psychosocial support program among survivors of torture: A mixed-method study from western Nepal.

From 1996 to 2006, Nepal experienced a decade-long armed conflict that adversely impacted survivors of torture. The conflict posed threats to various facets of their lives, such as men-tal health, socio-economic status, human rights, and the process of reintegration into their original communities. This study was done with the survivors of torture from the armed conflict. This study aims to generate evidence on the impact of livelihood support (supporting individuals with earning their livelihood through business development, farming/animal husbandry and mi-cro-entrepreneurship) upon mental health and psychosocial wellbeing as well as social empower-ment of survivors of torture. In total, 44 out of 46 torture survivors reported improvement in their mental health and psychosocial well-being after the livelihood intervention was instituted. Significant reduction in the severity of symptoms of depression (21.7% to 2.3%), anxiety (15.2% to 6.8%), and post-traumatic stress disorder (44.4% to 4.5%) was observed with medium to high effect size. Similarly, improvement in social relationship, economic status, and autonomy (increase in self-confidence and motivation) were noticed post-intervention. Our study concludes that the livelihood intervention has significantly contributed to economic uplift, improved mental health, psychosocial well-being, social empowerment and quality of life among the survivors of torture. The data provide preliminary evidence of positive outcomes from integrating a livelihood program into an MHPSS (Mental Health and Psychosocial Support) program. Although the lack of a control group prevents us from isolating the specific impacts of the livelihood program, our qualitative data indicate that the intervention is well-received, culturally rel-evant, and promising. The study has yielded certain recommendations for further research.

Clinical Outcomes and Cost Implications of a Community Psychosocial Rehabilitation Service for Severe and Persistent Mental Illness in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Introduction: Individuals with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) present distinct challenges in mental healthcare due to the chronic and complex nature of their conditions. This study was conducted to assess the clinical efficacy and potential cost-effectiveness of a multidisciplinary community-based psychosocial rehabilitation team serving individuals with SPMI in Nova Scotia, Canada. Method: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a community-based psychosocial rehabilitation program on individuals with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) in Nova Scotia, Canada. This research focused on clinical outcomes and potential cost savings following a one-year intervention, offering critical insights into the benefits of community-based care for this population. A cohort of 137 clients accepted into the community rehabilitation service (Connections Dartmouth) between September 2016 and September 2020 was analyzed. Each participant received one year of community rehabilitation intervention. Using data from the Canadian Medical Service Insurance (MSI) billing system, this research compared the use of inpatient services and Emergency Department visits in the year prior to and the year following the intervention. The findings provide valuable evidence on the role of community rehabilitation in reducing healthcare utilization for individuals with SPMI. Results: The results demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in mean admission rates and length of inpatient admissions in the year following rehabilitation compared to the pre-rehabilitation year. A substantial percentage of patients experienced no inpatient admissions (88% vs. 60%) or Emergency Department visits (82% vs. 67%) in the post-rehabilitation year, compared to the pre-rehabilitation year. There was a significant reduction in inpatient days by 90%, translating into substantial cost savings. The findings highlight the potential economic benefits of community rehabilitation for people with SPMI. Conclusions: This uncontrolled study suggests that community rehabilitation is associated with positive clinical outcomes for individuals with SPMI in terms of reduced inpatient service use and associated costs. Further research, including controlled studies and cost-effectiveness studies, into the community psychosocial rehabilitation services in the Canadian setting is needed.

Implementation of intentionally structured psychosocial through folk games and traditional sports in elementary school students

This study aimed to examine the impact of intentionally structured psychosocial programs through folk games and traditional sports on elementary school students. Psychosocial factors influence individual thoughts and behaviors, and traditional games and sports are known for their character-building and cultural values. The research used a pretest-posttest group design with a quantitative approach, focusing on 5th-grade students from Sumur Batu 06 Public Elementary School in Central Jakarta. The primary instrument was the Questionnaire on Psychosocial Adjustment Needs of Grade 7 Students, covering social cognitive, socio-emotional, social, teacher-student, peer, parent, and sibling relationships. The study followed Kendellen's model, which emphasizes focusing on one psychosocial component per lesson, introducing it at the lesson's beginning, teaching it throughout the lesson, and reviewing it at the end. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 22, including only students with at least 80% attendance who completed both pre-tests and post-tests. Normality tests confirmed that data from both integrated and non-integrated groups were normally distributed, while homogeneity tests showed that the samples were from a homogeneous population. Paired sample t-tests revealed significant improvements in psychosocial outcomes for both groups, with the integrated group showing a t-value of 7.453 (Sig. 0.000) and the non-integrated group a t-value of 5.121 (Sig. 0.000). These results indicate a significant positive effect of psychosocially integrated traditional games and sports on the psychosocial development of elementary school students. Keywords: Intentionally Structured, Psychosocial, Sports, Traditional Games

Quality of Life, Coping Strategies, and Psychosocial Support Status of Caregivers Having Children With Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: A Cross-Sectional Study From Bangladesh.

Background Although caregiving is considered a normal phenomenon for parents, delivering care to a child with neurodevelopmental disabilities can be taxing and disastrously impact parents' quality of life (QoL). This study explored the relationship between QoL, coping strategies, and psychosocial support status of caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Methodology This cross-sectional study included 906 caregivers of children having neurodevelopmental disabilities utilizing the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief and Perceived Stress Scale. A tailored questionnaire gauged coping strategies and psychosocial support. Linear regression was used to identify significant contributors. Results Most caregivers (78.8%) experienced a moderate level of stress, and their QoL scores were 14.4 (SD = 2.5) for physical health, 12.0 (SD = 2.4) for psychological health, 14.6 (SD = 1.9) for social relationships, and 12.1 (SD = 2.1) for the environment. Mothers had the lowest QoL of all caregivers. Negative influences on QoL encompassed caregiver and child age, perceived stress, and lower socioeconomic status. A higher coping score positively predicted a high health-related QoL score. Gender differences were observed in psychosocial support sources. Conclusions The study underscores the need for policymaking considering findings to develop psychosocial intervention programs for enhancing the QoL of caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Examining posttraumatic growth among Turkish family caregivers of cancer patients

Cancer is a deadly disease that affects millions of people worldwide and is a source of great difficulty, stress, and trauma not only for patients but also for their caregivers. The physical and emotional suffering that patients experience by patients can lead their caregivers to cope with constant anxiety, sadness, and uncertainty. Moreover, during the cancer treatment process, caregivers must make a great effort to meet the needs of patients and support them. This situation may negatively affect the quality of life and psychological health of cancer patients’ caregivers and may lead them to experience trauma. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine posttraumatic growth’s relationship with age, the transformative power of suffering, and hope in family caregivers of cancer patients. Participants consisted of 314 Turkish family caregivers of cancer patients (73.2% women; Mage = 39.89 years) selected by using convenience sampling method. Participants answered a data collection tool consisting of a demographic information form, the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, Trait Hope Scale, and Transformative Power of Suffering Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient analysis, simple mediation analysis, and moderated mediation analysis. The results of this study revealed that hope mediated the association between the transformative power of suffering and posttraumatic growth in family caregivers of cancer patients, whereas age moderated this relationship. Psychosocial support programs for cancer caregivers could benefit from incorporating interventions that explore the transformative potential of suffering and cultivate hope. Tailoring these interventions to address the specific needs of different age groups may enhance their effectiveness. Future researchers should investigate the factors associated with posttraumatic growth in caregivers across diverse cultures, age ranges, and cancer diagnoses.

Fostering Prosociality in Refugee Children: An Intervention With Rohingya Children.

Prosocial behavior is a distinguishing characteristic of human nature. Although prosocial behaviors emerge early in development, contextual factors play an important role in how these behaviors are manifested over development. A large body of research focuses on the trajectory of prosocial development across diverse cultures and investigating contexts that foster it. Against this backdrop of developmental research endeavoring to understand and enhance the cooperative side of humanity, is the catastrophic impact of profoundly negative forces on social-emotional development for children forced to flee from violent conflict. Close to half a million Rohingya children, whose families were forced to flee genocide in Myanmar, now live in the largest refugee camp in the world. To examine the resilience of human prosociality in the face of extreme adversity, we documented initial levels of prosociality in Rohingya refugee children living in a mega-camp (Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh) and the extent to which those levels were improved following a multifaceted intervention designed to foster prosociality. The research was a partnership between Rohingya community members with lived experience, humanitarian practitioners, and developmental researchers. A sample of 152 Rohingya children (5-12 years) participated in pre- and postintervention assessments of prosocial behaviors and related cognitive-affective processes. The 10-day collaboration-based intervention was implemented between November 2021 and January 2022 by Rohingya researchers. Birthplace was used as a proxy measure of trauma level. Children born in Myanmar (N = 88) directly experienced relatively higher levels of trauma (genocide, forced migration) than children who were born in the camp after their families fled from Myanmar (N = 64). Children were individually tested pre- and postintervention with a task battery, including a helping (Origami) and two sharing tasks (Dictator Game [DG], Forced Choice sharing) measuring prosocial behavior. Assessments of related cognitive-affective processes included measures of empathic responding and emotion perspective-taking in story tasks (Imagine, Judgment) and executive function (EF) skills (Younger: Hearts & Flowers; Older: Dimensional Change Card Sorting). Small group intervention sessions conducted over 10 days targeted these prosocial behaviors and cognitive-affective processes and were based on collaborative activities, emotion perspective taking and EF skills training with the same partner throughout the intervention phase. We used latent change modeling to examine initial levels (preintervention) and intervention-related changes in these measures from pre- to postintervention. Prosocial responding was found across all measures (preintervention) and improvements (pre- to postintervention change) were apparent across most measures. Age and birthplace variables were significant predictors of initial levels and intervention-related change. Initial levels: Regarding age, older children (9-12 years) showed higher levels than younger children (5-8 years) of sharing in the Forced Choice task but lower levels in the DG. Older children also showed higher levels of empathic responding when asked to report how they would feel and respond to another person's misfortune in the Imagine task. Regarding birthplace, prior to the intervention camp-born children showed higher levels than Myanmar-born children of helping in the Origami task and reported more behavioral responses indicating how they would respond to misfortune in the Imagine task. In contrast, Myanmar-born children had higher levels of sharing in the DG and consistently chose equality over inequality in the Forced Choice sharing task, even when their partner would receive more, indicating a pattern of generosity in these children. Myanmar-born children had lower levels than camp-born children on EF measures. Intervention-related change: Regarding age, older but not younger children were more likely to increase choices for equality over inequality on the Forced Choice sharing task following the intervention. Regarding birthplace and helping, camp-born children increased behaviors that helped their partner make origami shapes themselves ("how-to" helping), whereas Myanmar-born children increased behavior that took over folding for their partner ("do-for" helping). For sharing tasks, Myanmar-born but not camp-born children increased sharing in the DG and showed an increased pattern of generosity in Forced Choice sharing task. In the Imagine story task, children born in Myanmar were more likely than those born in camp to increase empathic responding (i.e., imagining how they would feel). Children born in Myanmar showed less improvement on EF measures than children born in the camp. Taken together, these findings provide evidence that in a context of extreme adversity, Rohingya children exhibited prosociality and benefitted from a multifaceted intervention. Our research adds credence to the view that human prosociality is a fundamental characteristic of humanity that not only survives but can be enhanced in even the most adverse of childhood environments. Our multifaceted intervention, which was implemented within a collaborative social context and targeted prosocial behaviors and related cognitive-affective processes, was designed to be easily implemented within existing psychosocial support programs in refugee contexts. As the numbers of children affected by violent conflict and forced migration rise alarmingly worldwide, there is a critical need to expand research partnerships that aim to improve developmental outcomes for these millions of children.

Expanding community-based participatory action research practices to clubhouses through sustainable research activities.

There is growing utilization and acknowledgement of the benefits of community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) in advancing health practices and equity. However, the sustainability and full impact of CBPAR in health care settings faces many obstacles and limitations. The present article examines the synergies between CBPAR and Clubhouse programs, presents the demonstration and ongoing implementation of sustainable CBPAR practices at Fountain House in New York City, and offers lessons learned for other Clubhouses and similar programs seeking to integrate CBPAR. Alignment in practice and principles between CBPAR and Clubhouse programs are presented. The innovation and ongoing sustainable CBPAR practices in the Fountain House Clubhouse program are examined with a contribution of practice guidance for other Clubhouse and similar programs in further adopting and learning CBPAR into participatory health practices. Clubhouse psychosocial rehabilitation programs present structurally conducive settings for the success and sustainability of CBPAR activities and projects. The Fountain House examination and demonstration of integrating CBPAR sustainably into core Clubhouse programming presents opportunities for further integration, research, and practice guidance in uniquely leveraging features of the Clubhouse model to advance health equity and rehabilitative outcomes through CBPAR. The opportunity for incorporating structural CBPAR activities within Clubhouse programs can be informed by the experience, processes, and lessons applied in the Fountain House example. Further research into the rehabilitation, program, and equity benefits of Clubhouse and CBPAR integration could uniquely contribute to the advancement of sustainable participatory research practices across the mental health field generally. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).