Psychosocial Intervention Strategies Research Articles

Accelerating depression intervention: identifying critical psychological factors using MCDM-MOORA technique for early therapy initiation

BackgroundA thorough psychosocial assessment is time-consuming, often requiring multiple sessions to uncover the psychological factors contributing to mental illness, such as depression. The duration varies depending on the severity of the patient’s condition and how effectively the psychotherapist can establish rapport. However, prolonged assessment periods pose a significant risk of patient deterioration.MethodsThe comprehensive psychosocial intervention, led by the Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approach utilizing the Multi-Objective Optimization by Ratio Analysis (MOORA) method, played a pivotal role in identifying the key psychological factors contributing to the depression of the client among the 21 factors specified by BDI-II analysis.ResultsThe integration of the MOORA strategy compared to traditional psychotherapy on 254 samples demonstrates a Jaccard similarity coefficient of 0.8, with a minimum error margin of 7% (vulnerability index = 0.57), indicating a significant agreement between the two approaches, both converging towards a similar solution. For patients with extreme depression, the number of sessions reduced from 18 ± 2 to 11 ± 2, showing a 33–35% reduction (χ2 = 6.94, p = 0.008). Severe depression patients experienced a reduction from 14 ± 2 to 8 ± 1 sessions i.e., 34–39% reduction (χ2 = 8.32, p = 0.004). Moderate depression patients saw sessions drop from 9 ± 1 to 5 ± 1, i.e., 37–43% reduction (χ2 = 0.29, p = 0.001). The accuracy for detecting dominant psychological factors improved to 82.88% for extreme, 86.74% for severe, and 90.34% for moderate depression, respectively. ConclusionThe implementation of MOORA facilitated the identification and prioritization of key psychosocial intervention strategies, making the process significantly faster compared to traditional methods. This acceleration greatly enhanced the precision and efficacy of the work. Additionally, critical vulnerable factors were identified through ordered statistics and correlation analysis [Pearson (r) = 0.8929 and Spearman’s rank (ρ) = 0.7551] on the Beck Depression Inventory-II model. These findings were supported by other MCDM schemes such as EDAS and TOPSIS, demonstrating high stability and robustness in dynamic decision-making environments, maintaining consistency across scenarios adapted by different psychotherapists. Overall, the combined application of MCDM (MOORA) and targeted psychological interventions yielded substantial positive outcomes in enhancing the well-being of individuals with psychological illnesses, such as depression, cognitive, affective, and somatic syndromes.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults: a multilayered approach to a serious disorder of inattention to the future.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects people of all ages, yet its presentation varies as the person matures and social demands increase from childhood into adulthood. Interestingly, when analyzing the disorder in adults, it is not immediately clear what the 'attention deficit' in the ADHD denomination exactly means. Adults with ADHD have a broad range of difficulties, far beyond an attentional deficit, that impact negatively their social functioning and often lead to failures in all walks of life. Therefore, in this review, I attempt to reconcile the notion of attention deficit with the protean manifestations of ADHD in adults through a proposal that ADHD symptoms have as a common denominator an inattention to the future. I build this construct through a multilayered approach, progressing from the epidemiological and clinical considerations for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) diagnosis, to a deeper understanding of the disorder, discussing how these patients fail to anchor the present into the future (i.e., to be attentive to future consequences), thus failing to approximate future goals from present action. Integrating cognitive observations with imaging abnormalities, it is possible to propose that ADHD in adults is perhaps the most prevalent frontal lobe disorder in humans, ultimately impacting upon psychosocial management and treatment strategies.

Psychological Impact of COVID 19 Pandemic on Mental Health of Children Admitted to a Tertiary Care Centre

Background To prevent the COVID 19 transmission and reduce the burden on health systems, schools were closed and classes shifted to home-based distance learning models with online learning activities. Being quarantined in homes caused great psychological burden to children. This study was done to study the impact of COVID 19 on mental health of children and their screen and sleep behaviour before and during the pandemic.MethodsAdmitted children aged between 4-14 years and their siblings of same age group were enrolled after getting informed consent from their parents. The information regarding their socio-demographic factors, screen time, sleep time, physical activity and psychological problems were assessed using Paediatric symptom checklist Questionnaire. Outcome was measured by the scores obtained according to their age. Screen time and sleep behaviour was assessed using the guidelines proposed by American Academy of Paediatrics.ResultsTwenty-seven (15.81%) of 171 children had psychological impairment. The 11–14-year-olds and children living in urban area were more affected. All participants had abnormal screen time with respect to their age during COVID 19 pandemic and 99.4 % had increased screen time compared to pre COVID era. Abnormal sleep pattern was seen in 26.9 % and compared with pre-Covid times 73.6 % of the participants had less physical activity. Conclusions Implementation of psychosocial intervention and lifestyle modification strategies at community level is the need of the hour. Post Covid era remnant and sequalae of psychological impairment needs to be assessed.

Prevalence of Low Self-Esteem Among Patients Treated in the Craniofacial Surgery Department of an international Reference Hospital

IntroductionCraniofacial surgery is a specialized field that addresses congenital and acquired deformities of the head and face. While the physical outcomes of craniofacial surgery are well-documented, less attention has been given to the psychological well-being of adult patients. This abstract aims to explore self-esteem issues among adult patients treated at the Craniofacial Surgery Sector of HCPA (Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre), where a substantial proportion of adult patients have reported self-esteem problems.Objectives1.To assess the prevalence of self-esteem issues among adult patients (≥18 years old) attending the HCPA Craniofacial Surgery Sector.2.To examine potential contributing factors to self-esteem problems in this specific patient population.3.To evaluate the impact of self-esteem on the mental health and psychosocial functioning of adult craniofacial surgery patients.4.To propose recommendations for psychosocial support and intervention strategies tailored to the needs of adult patients in this context.MethodsThis cross-sectional study involved 132 adult patients who had undergone or were scheduled for craniofacial surgery at HCPA. Participants reported self-esteem issues in their talk with the hospital’s physicians, and their medical records were reviewed to collect demographic and clinical data. Additionally, participants provided information about their mental health status and psychosocial functioning.ResultsAmong the 39 adult patients included in the study, 37 (94.9%) reported experiencing self-esteem issues, such as lack of confidence or feeling unattractive. The most commonly reported contributing factors were visible facial differences, social interactions, and prior surgical experiences. Patients with lower self-esteem had a higher likelihood of reporting symptoms of depression and anxiety and reported lower overall psychosocial functioning compared to those with higher self-esteem.ConclusionsThis reveals a strikingly high prevalence of self-esteem issues among adult patients attending the Craniofacial Surgery Sector at HCPA. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing and addressing the psychological well-being of adult craniofacial surgery patients. Comprehensive psychosocial support, including counseling, peer support, and interventions to enhance self-esteem, should be integrated into the care of these patients. By addressing self-esteem concerns, healthcare providers can improve the mental health and overall quality of life of adult craniofacial surgery patients.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

A Scoping Review of Physical Activity Interventions Among Sexual Minority Adults: A Call to Action for Future Research.

The purpose of this scoping review was to summarize the existing interventions focused on promoting PA among sexual minority (SM) adults. A search strategy was developed in consultation with a research librarian for PubMed, Web of Science, SportDiscus, and CINAHL. The scoping review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Randomized and nonrandomized interventions that focused on increasing PA among SM adults were included. Data on study design, sample demographics, purpose of research, methodology, intervention components, theory-based constructs used, PA measures, and outcomes of the intervention were extracted. Our search yielded 7289 articles, with 26 articles requiring full-text review. Four interventions were identified that focused on increasing PA among SM adults, with 2 focusing on lesbian/bisexual women, 1 focusing on lesbian/gay cancer survivors, and 1 focusing on men who have sex with men. Two of the 4 studies were successful at increasing PA, with varying psychosocial theories (ie,social cognitive theory and theory of reasoned action) and intervention strategies (ie,PA counseling, group meetings, and pedometers). Findings of this review demonstrate a clear lack of PA interventions targeting SM adults, limiting the available knowledge required for preventionists, practitioners, and health care professionals to effectively promote PA through behavioral modification among this group.

Tailoring parenting styles and family-based interventions cross-culturally as an effective prevention strategy for youth substance use: a scoping review.

The challenge of substance use among youth continues to be a highly concerning public health issue across the globe. The notion that parenting lifestyles and family-based intervention can help in the prevention of adolescent substance use have received robust attention from policy makers, researchers' clinicians and general public, nonetheless, there is scarcity of high quality evidence to support these concepts. To review available literature which assessed the effects of parenting styles and family-based interventions on the prevention of adolescent substance use. A scoping review of literature to identify studies published in English between 2012 and 2022 was conducted searching Scopus, MEDLINE, PsychInfo, and CINAHL databases focused on effects of parenting styles and family-based interventions in the prevention of adolescent substance use.Keywords of family-based intervention strategies and possible outcomes of parenting styles on youth substance use were coded from the results, discussion, or conclusion. Strategies were inductively categorized into themes according to the focus of the strategy. A total of 47 studies, published between 2012 and 2022 in English language included. Narrative synthesis illustrated that parental involvement, restriction of mature-rated content, parental monitoring, authoritative parenting styles, and parental support and knowledge can help in the prevention of adolescent substance use. On the contrary, poor parent-child bonding, overprotection, permissive parenting, parental frustrations, authoritarian and harsh parenting styles promoted adolescent substance use disorders. Proximal risk factors like peer influence, previous use of other substances, and risky behaviours had more effect than just parenting styles. Culturally tailored family-based intervention strategies such as "Preventive Parenting", "Parent Training", and "Parent Involvement", with focus on "Technology Assisted Intervention", particularly "SMART "(Substance Misuse among Adolescents in Residential Treatment) are found as effective family-based intervention strategies to mitigate substance use in youth. Culturally tailored family-based behavioural strategies psychosocial intervention strategies can be considered of the most effective strategies to prevent substance use disorders in youth.

Improving treatment of women with schizophrenia: a review of the recent literature

Effective clinical management of women with schizophrenia is therapeutically challenging. While there have been recent advances in the understanding of neurobiological, hormonal, and female reproductive cycle factors that play a decisive role in the development and progression of schizophrenia in women, this knowledge has not yet been fully translated into treatment practice. The aim was to apply the best evidence available to optimally treat women with schizophrenia at various periods of the lifespan. A narrative review was conducted of recent advances (2018–2023) in aspects of schizophrenia in women that demand sex-specific treatment. Sex steroids impact antipsychotic absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination, passage through the blood-brain barrier, and blood flow rate to the brain. For these reasons, premenopausal women with schizophrenia, as compared to male age peers, require lower doses of most antipsychotic drugs and suffer comparatively more adverse events (metabolic, sexual, and cardiovascular) at similar doses. Apart from pharmacologic treatment, women have specific reproductive planning needs and need protection from sexual exploitation and domestic abuse. In addition, when pregnant, schizophrenia women show a high risk of gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia that requires prevention. Prevention is also needed against long-term health hazards for their offspring. Another period of therapeutic challenge specific to women is menopause. The collected evidence points to women-specific recommendations for both biological and psychosocial treatment strategies for schizophrenia.

Examination of the relationship between post-traumatic growth and social support and life satisfaction in wounded veterans in Turkey

AimThis study aims to examine the effects of social support and life satisfaction on post-traumatic growth in wounded veterans in Turkey. Methods1175 wounded veterans participated in the cross-sectional study. The sociodemographic questionnaire, the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale were used to collect data. Data were analyzed via SPSS. ResultsThe results of the study show that the mean age is 43.04 ± 7.36. The participants are low in education and socioeconomic level. The mean of the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory score is 43.44 ± 21.18, the mean of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support score is 50.01 ± 15.23, and the mean of the Satisfaction With Life Scale score is 9.86 ± 4.04. The results of the study show that there is a positive relationship between social support and life satisfaction and post-traumatic growth. ConclusionIt can be suggested to develop psychosocial intervention strategies and service delivery systems to promote the life satisfaction, social support mechanisms of wounded veterans.

(384) International Clinical Guidelines for Sexual Health Care in Prostate Cancer Survivorship

Abstract Introduction During the past 20 years, researchers have studied various aspects of the impact of prostate cancer therapies on patients, partners and couples. Patients and partners reported distress and negative consequences for their relationships resulting from treatment-related sexual side-effects of prostate cancer therapies. Research on rehabilitation strategies in prostate cancer survivorship has focused largely on biomedical interventions although psychosexual intervention research is also gaining ground. This research has never been summarized in such a way that clinicians can use the findings to provide evidence-based support for prostate cancer patients and their partners in survivorship. Objective An international panel of experts has developed a guideline that informs clinicians, patients and partners about the impact of prostate cancer therapies on the sexuality of patients and partners, and on their sexual relationships. It provides guidance for biopsychosocial rehabilitation strategies that help patients and partners recover sexual intimacy after prostate cancer therapy. Methods The guideline panel included international, multidisciplinary clinical experts and researchers in prostate cancer, a reference librarian and a guideline methodologist. A systematic review of the literature, using the Ovid MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, PsychINFO, LGBT Life, and Embase databases was conducted (1995-2022). The review was conducted according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Study selection is reported, based on PRISMA guidelines. Evidence for each statement was assigned a strength (A-C) and a level of recommendation (strong, moderate, conditional) which was based on benefit/risk balance. Data synthesis included meta-analyses of high-quality studies (determined by the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool). Results The guideline is contextualized within cultural, ethnic and racial diversity. The needs of individuals with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities are also recognized. Forty-seven statements were generated, guided by a theoretical model of sexual recovery after prostate cancer therapies and by principles that promote clinician-initiated discussion of realistic expectations of sexual outcomes and mitigation of sexual side-effects through biopsychosocial rehabilitation. The statements focus on counseling about the impact of prostate cancer therapies on patients’ and partners’ sexuality and couples’ relationships as well as on biomedical and psychosocial treatment strategies for sexual dysfunction. The guideline statements address the assessment of sexual function and distress, and barriers to providing sexual health care in prostate cancer survivorship in globally varied health care systems. Conclusions The guideline documents the distressing sexual sequelae of prostate cancer therapies and makes evidence-based recommendations for sexual rehabilitation in prostate cancer survivorship. Areas for future research are also outlined. The guideline was supported and funded by the Movember Foundation. Disclosure Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Author disclosures 1. Capogrosso 2. Northouse 3. Matthew 4. Elliott 5. Mulhall 6. Capellari 7. Incrocci 8. Faraday 9. Loeb 10. Mehta 11. Howell 12. McPhail J 13. McPhail S 14. Brandon 15. Paich 16. Erickson 17. Shifferd 18. Duby 19. Yap 20. Goltz 21. Odiyo 22. Salter 23. Nelson 24. McLeod 25. Trost 26. Wittmann – 10% salary paid by Movember 27. Bober – honorarium from UpToDate 28. Bennett - Endo Pharma - speaker 29. Coloplast - speaker, training grant. 30. Glode – Janssen, Aurora Oncology, Bayer, Exelixis, ProTechSure Scientific, Gonex, Patents, Seattle Genetics 31. Kirby – Lilly, Astra Zeneca, GSK, others 32. Wang – Boston Scientific, Teleflex, Coloplast 33. Pollack – Gilead 34. Burnett - Grant/research support: Endo Pharmaceutical, Boston Scientific, NIH Consultant/advisor: Boston Scientific, Coloplast, Reflexonic, Astellas, Novartis, Futura Medical, Comphya SA, Myriad Genetics Patent Holder: MHN Biotech Boards: UCF, AUA PAC, Mentoring Mae teens in the Hood Editor/editorial board: Urology Practice, Andrology, Canadian Journal of Urology, International Urology and Nephrology, Urology Times Other: UroMissionsWorks Inc (Non-profit) 35. Skolarus – UpToDate 36. Koontz - receives research funding from Janssen Scientific Affairs, Merck Pharmaceuticals, Blue Earth Diagnostics, and has received personal fees (ie advisory board) for Blue Earth Diagnostics.

Understanding patient experience of distal tibia or ankle fracture: a qualitative systematic review

To systematically review qualitative studies of patients with distal tibia or ankle fracture, and explore their experience of injury and recovery. We undertook a systematic review of qualitative studies. Five databases were searched from inception to 1 February 2022. All titles and abstracts were screened, and a subset were independently assessed. Methodological quality was appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist. The GRADE-CERQual checklist was used to assign confidence ratings. Thematic synthesis was used to analyze data with the identification of codes which were drawn together to form subthemes and then themes. From 2,682 records, 15 studies were reviewed in full and four included in the review. A total of 72 patients were included across the four studies (47 female; mean age 50 years (17 to 80)). Methodological quality was high for all studies, and the GRADE-CERQual checklist provided confidence that the findings were an adequate representation of patient experience of distal tibia or ankle fracture. A central concept of 'being the same but different' conveyed the substantial disruption to patients' self-identity caused by their injury. Patient experience of 'being the same but different' was expressed through three interrelated themes, with seven subthemes: i) being proactive where persistence, doing things differently and keeping busy prevailed; ii) living with change including symptoms, and living differently due to challenges at work and leisure; and iii) striving for normality, adapting while lacking in confidence, and feeling fearful and concerned about the future. Ankle injuries were disruptive, draining, and impacted on patients' wellbeing. Substantial short- and longer-term challenges were experienced during recovery. Rehabilitation and psychosocial treatment strategies may help to ameliorate these challenges. Patients may benefit from clinicians being cognisant of patient experience when assessing, treating, and discussing expectations and outcomes with patients.

The fragility of therapists and clients as a generative context

AbstractThis article describes our work at the interface between the legal and the psychosocial in relation to mental health needs arising in families. Working at the legal–psychosocial interface, interventions and treatment strategies are not given in advance but are built with all those involved, including the family and those who may be significant for the family as well as family therapists and judicial practitioners. In addition, psychology students from the UBA (Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina) who are engaged for their professional practice in the area of Justice—Working with Families in the Legal Field—observe and actively participate in this process. The work at the legal–psychosocial interface is interdisciplinary and requires a permanent dialogic effort among all practitioners of the different disciplines in order to promote alternatives that generate innovative solutions.

Caregivers matter: Neurological vulnerability for pediatric brain tumor survivors.

Pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTS) are at risk of worse quality of life (QOL) due to the impact of neurotoxic treatments on the developing nervous system. Parenting factors such as protectiveness have been linked to worse QOL in childhood cancer survivors generally, but have yet to be explored for PBTS. We examined whether parenting behaviors moderated the association between neurotoxic treatment and QOL for PBTS. PBTS (n = 40; ages 10-25) and their caregivers (n = 47) completed measures of parenting behaviors including warmth (support/connectedness) and psychological control (protectiveness) and QOL. We divided the sample into moderate/high and low neurotoxicity groups based on chart review using the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Rating of Treatment Intensity and examined moderator effects. Survivor-reported primary caregiver warmth moderated the relationship between neurotoxicity and caregiver-reported QOL. Moderate/high neurotoxicity was associated with lower caregiver-reported QOL only when survivor-reported primary caregiver warmth was low, P = .02. Similar results were found for survivor-reported QOL. Caregiver-reported psychological control moderated the association between neurotoxicity and caregiver-reported QOL such that neurotoxicity only affected QOL at high levels of psychological control, P = .01. Heightened associations between parenting and QOL in the context of neurotoxic treatments underscore the need to better support PBTS. Findings are consistent with research suggesting that family factors may be particularly important for children with other neurological insults. Limitations include cross-sectional design and a small/heterogeneous clinical sample with low ethnic/racial diversity. Prospective studies are needed to refine evidence-based screening and develop psychosocial intervention strategies to optimize QOL for PBTS and their families.

A Clinical Investigation: Study on Psychosocial Characteristics, Social Support and Intervention Strategies of Outpatient Cancer Pain Patients

A Clinical Investigation: Study on Psychosocial Characteristics, Social Support and Intervention Strategies of Outpatient Cancer Pain Patients

Prevalence of anxiety among the adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic in Uttar Pradesh

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the mental health of the global population. The purpose of this study is to investigate anxiety levels of adult population in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: The study utilized a web-based cross-sectional survey design. A total of 236 participants were enrolled via snowball sampling method. Standardized tool coronavirus anxiety scale was used to collect the data regarding COVID-19 related anxiety. The data was collected during August-November 2021.Results: Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 20. The mean age of the participants was 26.64+8.38 years, with the majority being female (65.3%). Approximately half (48.3%) of the participants were healthcare professionals (HCWs). The results revealed that only 5.5% of the participants were anxious about COVID-19, with healthcare workers being the most anxious.Conclusions: During the COVID-19 crisis, appropriate supportive interventions should be implemented with the goal of providing targeted mental health services to those who are more likely to suffer from mental disorders. The psychosocial intervention and support strategy should cover specifically frontline workers who are tasked with the role of combating virus.

Self-esteem, peer pressure, and demographic predictors of attitude toward premarital sexual practice among first-year students of Woldia University: Implications for psychosocial intervention

Adolescence is s period of storm and stress mainly caused by dramatic social, emotional, biological, and psychological changes. Unless supported and guided by parents, teachers, peers, and other stakeholders, they may be exposed to a variety of risky sexual behaviors. In the study area, there is no research work showing the influences of peers, self-esteem, and demographic factors on the premarital sexual practice among students. Ideas and knowledge gained in this area will enable the delivery of effective health and psychosocial intervention strategies. Thus, the objectives of this research were to assess self-esteem, peer pressure, and demographic predictors of attitude toward premarital sex among Woldia University first-year students. Correlational design was used and 343 students were selected as samples by a simple random sampling method. Relevant information was gathered using a questionnaire. The data were quantitatively analyzed using logistic regression, one sample, and an independent sample t-test. This research work showed that level and exposure to peer pressure among first-year university students having the experience of premarital sex have below-average levels of self-esteem (t = −40.93, p = 0.000) and have been exposed to a higher level of peer pressure (t = 23.27, p = 0.000). The study suggests that male first-year students with the experience of premarital sex have a higher level of self-esteem and exposure to peer pressure than their female counterparts. Self-esteem negatively predicted attitude toward premarital sex. Therefore, the researcher recommended delivering effective counseling and gender-based guidance, and life skill training for fresh students in the university.

The lived experiences and psychosocial impact of hearing loss on the quality of life of adults with Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis.

BackgroundAminoglycosides used in the treatment of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) are known to result in hearing loss. The effects of an acquired hearing loss with an MDR-TB diagnosis may have an increased adverse impact on the overall quality of life of an individual; however, there is minimal research in the area.ObjectivesThis study explores the psychological and emotional impact of hearing loss in adults with MDR-TB; and describes the experiences of the social, economic, and vocational impact of hearing loss in adults with MDR-TB.MethodA qualitative research study was conducted on 10 participants, with a confirmed diagnosis of MDR-TB and hearing loss. The researcher used a semi-structured questionnaire to collect data during face-to-face, audio-recorded interviews.ResultsHearing loss in patients diagnosed with MDR-TB has a significant adverse impact on the lived experiences of patients. Stigma, discrimination, psychological distress, adverse changes in family status and family relationships, financial constraints, and social challenges were some of the common issues reported by participants. Unemployment posed a significant challenge, resulting in participants having no economic stability because of MDR-TB, which was then worsened by the hearing loss; consequently, generating a great deal of stress. Participants reported feelings of worthlessness, a loss of identity, lack of motivation, feelings of embarrassment, and loss of independence.ConclusionThere is a significant irreversible social, psychological, and economic impact of hearing loss that has a direct impact on the lived experiences of MDR-TB patients and their families even after cure of MDR-TB. There is a need for improved treatment methods with psychosocial intervention strategies that equip patients to alleviate the adverse effects they experience.

A systematic review of psychosocial interventions for child soldiers: types, length and main findings

ABSTRACT This systematic review was carried out to identify and evaluate psychosocial intervention strategies and procedures addressed to child soldiers. Following an exploration of peer-reviewed articles published between 2004 and 2018 in the PILOTS, Psycnet, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, 28 of them were finally selected. The predominant theme was post-traumatic stress disorder. The intervention techniques used to deal with this and other problems consisted of established therapies (i.e. interpersonal psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy), creative-expressive activities (such as dance, music and drama), and other activities promoting training and social interaction (skills training for leadership, self-regulation and reintegration). The cultural adaptation of the techniques and instruments used for intervention was limited to the translation of the instruments – but without verifying their comprehensibility in the majority of cases, which constitutes a problem when assessing the impact of the interventions carried out in the target population. Given that in most cases the results obtained from the interventions present limitations regarding their explanatory potential and generalisation, this review highlights aspects that can inform and improve psychosocial interventions and research geared towards the recovery of the collective of child soldiers.

Psychosocial and Mental Health Issues of the Migrants Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic in India: A Narrative Review.

Background:The objective of this review was to identify and synthesize the findings of the existing literature that highlighted the psychosocial and mental health issues of the migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic in India.Materials and Methods:An exploration of the PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google search, and some other manual searches was undertaken so that no relevant study was missed. A search on Indian scientific literature and cross-references retrieved was also conducted to get further information. The period of the search has been one year from March 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021. The database was searched with the terms “migrants,” “migrant workers,” “COVID-19 pandemic,” “lockdown,” “migrant population,” “mental health issues,” “psychosocial issues” to retrieve the published literature.Results:Initially, 48 research articles were retrieved and 10 of them were excluded as they had no sufficient information about mental and psychosocial challenges faced by the migrants. In the remaining 38 articles, 9 articles were original research work (n = 9) published from India related to the impact of COVID-19 on migrants. The second category consisted of editorials or commentary or letters to the editor or policy paper on psychosocial and mental health aspects of migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 17). The third category was 11 articles on perspectives or opinions or viewpoints (n = 11) related to various psychosocial and mental health issues among migrants in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. Predominantly psychosocial issues found among migrants were living conditions, basic needs, family concerns, and joblessness. The mental health issues found among migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic included psychological distress, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders.Conclusion:Existing literature from India has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the psychosocial and mental health status of the migrants in India. This review suggests the need for more research work from the affected states of India and the development of psychosocial and mental health intervention strategies to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrants.

Engaging Parents and Health Care Stakeholders to Inform Development of a Behavioral Intervention Technology to Promote Pediatric Behavioral Health: Mixed Methods Study.

BackgroundDespite effective psychosocial interventions, gaps in access to care persist for youth and families in need. Behavioral intervention technologies (BITs) that apply psychosocial intervention strategies using technological features represent a modality for targeted prevention that is promising for the transformation of primary care behavioral health by empowering parents to take charge of the behavioral health care of their children. To realize the potential of BITs for parents, research is needed to understand the status quo of parental self-help and parent-provider collaboration to address behavioral health challenges and unmet parental needs that could be addressed by BITs.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to conduct foundational research with parents and health care stakeholders (HCS) to discover current practices and unmet needs related to common behavioral health challenges to inform the design, build, and testing of BITs to address these care gaps within a predominantly rural health system.MethodsWe conducted a convergent mixed-parallel study within a large, predominantly rural health system in which the BITs will be developed and implemented. We analyzed data from parent surveys (N=385) on current practices and preferences related to behavioral health topics to be addressed in BITs along with focus group data of 48 HCS in 9 clinics regarding internal and external contextual factors contributing to unmet parental needs and current practices. By comparing and relating the findings, we formed interpretations that will inform subsequent BIT development activities.ResultsParents frequently endorsed several behavioral health topics, and several topics were relatively more or less frequently endorsed based on the child’s age. The HCS suggested that BITs may connect families with evidence-based guidance sooner and indicated that a web-based platform aligns with how parents already seek behavioral health guidance. Areas of divergence between parents and HCS were related to internalizing problems and cross-cutting issues such as parenting stress, which may be more difficult for health care HCS to detect or address because of the time constraints of routine medical visits.ConclusionsThese findings provide a rich understanding of the complexity involved in meeting parents’ needs for behavioral health guidance in a primary care setting using BITs. User testing studies for BIT prototypes are needed to successfully design, build, and test effective BITs to empower parents to take charge of promoting the behavioral health of their children.

Parenting under pressure: A mixed-methods investigation of the impact of COVID-19 on family life.

Backgrounddevelopment and implementation of effective family-based psychosocial intervention and treatment strategies during COVID-19 will require a detailed understanding of how the virus has impacted the lives of families.Methodswritten reports on the life impacts of COVID-19 for parents (n = 56) and their children (n = 43), and a questionnaire assessing parent positive and negative affect, were collected between April and May 2020. An inductive approach was used to identify themes in written reports, followed by statistical analysis to explore associations between themes and changes in parent positive and negative affect pre- and post-writing.Resultsparents and children reported both positive and negative psychosocial impacts of the virus, though parents expressed a greater diversity of positive themes than children. Common themes reported by parents included concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on their children, health concerns for others, and the stressful balancing act of parenting, assisting with children's school work, and working from home. Many parents reported gratitude, and reflected on the upsides of the pandemic for family relationships and parent-child bonding. Parents who expressed gratitude reported a decrease in negative affect pre- to post-writing. Common child-reported themes included yearning to return to school, pandemic-related fears, and longing for social connection.Limitationsthe sample included a cross-section of mostly White (non-Hispanic), dual income, well-educated mothers, primarily from the United States.Conclusionsboth parents and children reported reduced wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research should focus on identifying how to fulfill children's social needs and lessen caregivers’ burdens during this time.