Risk Of Mental Health Difficulties Research Articles

Sexual Orientation Minorities in College Counseling: Prevalence, Distress, and Symptom Profiles

Sexual minority group members are at a higher risk for mental health difficulties than are heterosexual individuals. The results of this study showed that college student sexual minorities were common in counseling centers and that they were more likely than heterosexual students to seek counseling. The results also showed that sexual orientation groups differed in meaningful ways from one another, and many sexual orientation groups reported higher levels of psychological symptoms than did heterosexual students.

Reaching the Hard-To-Reach: How Information Communication Technologies Can Reach Young People at Greater Risk of Mental Health Difficulties

Inspire and partners have built an evidence base examining the role technology can play in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people at increased risk of developing mental health difficulties. This paper explores these findings collectively and considers how to best use information communication technologies (ICT) to meet the mental health needs of diverse young people aged 14-25. ICT offers relevant and innovative strategies for young people at increased risk of developing mental health difficulties. Whilst many young people experience social isolation and stigma, the manifestation of these issues and the strategies required to address them vary. ICT-based programs will benefit from identifying which protective factors can be most positively influenced through the unique properties of ICT, amongst whom and how. Challenges to ICT-based health services include inadequate access and training, lower literacy levels and the need for specialized technologies for people with disabilities.

Risk and protective factors for depression and substance use in an adolescent child welfare sample

Research on the mental health needs of maltreated youth in out-of-home care remains limited. The goal of the current study was to examine two common mental health concerns (i.e., depression, substance use) among 122 12–15 year olds in out-of-home placements. Specifically, we investigated potential risk and protective factors among socio-demographic, maltreatment, youth, family, and community variables. We relied on data collected through the AAR-C2, a Canadian needs assessment and outcome monitoring tool. Approximately 4 in 10 (39.2%) youth endorsed at least one mental health problem, which we defined as the youth scoring at least one standard deviation above the sample mean for the depression items and the youth indicating the presence of alcohol and/or substance use over the past year. Almost 1 in 10 (8.3%) reported struggling with both mental health issues. Results from logistic regressions indicated that adolescent females were at higher risk of experiencing depression than males, and increasing age was associated with increased risk for substance use. Turning to protective factors, results indicated that the greater the perceived quality of the youth–caregiver relationship, the lower the risk for mental health difficulties (i.e., depression, substance use). Moreover, participation in extracurricular activities appeared to protect youth against depression or substance use. Results imply that the youth–caregiver relationship and involvement in extracurricular activities are important areas to consider to promote the well-being of maltreated youth in out-of-home care.

The impact of hyperemesis gravidarum on maternal mental health and maternal–fetal attachment

Background. In addition to physical health risks, it has been postulated that hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) – severe and persistent nausea and vomiting during pregnancy – can adversely affect maternal mental health and maternal–fetal attachment.Methods. A prospective case-control design was used to compare psychological distress, social functioning and maternal–fetal attachment in 32 women with HG compared to 41 matched controls.Results. Results suggested that while HG compromised some aspects of attachment early in pregnancy (7–16 weeks gestation), this negative effect was clinically small and had faded by follow-up (after 26 weeks gestation). Comparisons did, however, show more significant and persisting psychological distress for those who had HG.Conclusions. Pregnant women with HG appear to be at elevated risk of mental health difficulties during pregnancy, even when the symptoms of HG resolve. The development of a targeted intervention specifically designed to treat mental health difficulties associated with HG is recommended.

Do Parental Coping, Involvement, Religiosity, and Racial Identity Mediate Children’s Psychological Adjustment to Sickle Cell Disease?

Many African Americans with sickle cell disease (SCD) also experience significant economic hardship. Yet, few studies of the psychosocial effects of SCD employ designs robust enough to control socioeconomic factors. This study compares the functioning of families with SCD to that of healthy controls matched for race and socioeconomic status. In general, functioning within SCD and control families did not differ. However, parents granted less autonomy to, and were less involved in the schooling of, children with SCD. Overall, SCD had a greater impact on children’s social and academic competence than on their emotional functioning. However, adolescents with SCD and their siblings were at greater risk for mental health difficulties than were controls. The more SCD interfered with living normally, the greater the risk of psychological dysfunction. Importantly, emotional well-being in parents moderated the adverse effects of SCD on children. Similarly, racial consciousness, religiosity, and emotional support enhanced parental coping.