Treatment Of Mental Health Issues Research Articles

Preliminary Criteria For Ict in Assisting Students With Psychological Problems

A rising quantity of research designates that adolescents’ and students’ psychological problems pose a risk to them and society. Research indicates that students frequently utilize Information and Communications Technology (ICT) services to get informed about mental health, and to resolve their psychological problems. A critical and reflective analysis of the scientific literature, and a critical examination and reflective synthesis, theories, and practice on the use of ICTs and digital media for the treatment of psychological problems have been employed in this study. The study identifies gaps in research theory and practice regarding the use of ICTs and digital services for the prevention and treatment of mental health issues among adolescents and the student population. The article proposes ten preliminary criteria for ICT use in the treatment of psychological problems as a direction for further research.

Transdiagnostic and tailored internet intervention to improve mental health among university students: Research protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundEmerging adulthood is often associated with mental health problems. About one in three university students report symptoms of depression and anxiety that can negatively affect their developmental trajectory concerning work, intimate relationships, and health. This can interfere with academic performance, as mood and anxiety disorders are key predictors of dropout from higher education. A treatment gap exists, where a considerable proportion of students do not seek help for mood and anxiety symptoms. Offering internet interventions to students with mental health problems could reduce the treatment gap, increase mental health, and improve academic performance. A meta-analysis on internet interventions for university students showed small effects for depression and none for anxiety. Larger trials are recommended to further explore effects of guidance, transdiagnostic approaches, and individual treatment components.MethodsThis study will offer 1200 university students in Sweden participation in a three-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating a guided or unguided transdiagnostic internet intervention for mild to moderate depression and anxiety, where the waitlist control group accesses the intervention at 6-month follow-up. Students reporting suicidal ideation/behaviors will be excluded and referred to treatment within the existing healthcare system. An embedded study within the trial (SWAT) will assess at week 3 of 8 whether participants in the guided and unguided groups are at higher risk of failing to benefit from treatment. Those at risk will be randomized to an adaptive treatment strategy, or to continue the treatment as originally randomized. Primary outcomes are symptoms of depression and anxiety. Follow-ups will occur at post-treatment and at 6-, 12-, and 24-month post-randomization. Between-group outcome analyses will be reported, and qualitative interviews about treatment experiences are planned.DiscussionThis study investigates the effects of a transdiagnostic internet intervention among university students in Sweden, with an adaptive treatment strategy employed during the course of treatment to minimize the risk of treatment failure. The study will contribute knowledge about longitudinal trajectories of mental health and well-being following treatment, taking into account possible gender differences in responsiveness to treatment. With time, effective internet interventions could make treatment for mental health issues more widely accessible to the student group.

Sports and Physical Exercise Therapy in the Treatment of Mental Health Issues in Children and Adolescents

Sports and Physical Exercise Therapy in the Treatment of Mental Health Issues in Children and Adolescents Abstract: Mental disorders are among the most common chronic diseases in childhood and adolescence in Germany and worldwide. The health benefits of a physically active lifestyle during adolescence are well documented. Furthermore, a growing body of evidence suggests a positive impact of physical activity on mental health and emotional well-being. Longitudinal studies also show an association between physical activity and reduced risk of developing a mental disorder. Therefore, therapeutic exercise plays an important role in child and adolescent psychiatry. High-quality randomized-controlled trials are needed to substantiate the described effects.

S12: Recent advances in therapies for late-life neuropsychiatric disorder

Symposium OverviewThis international symposium combining experts from Canada, Australia and the USA and supported by the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry will present an update on the recent advances in therapeutic interventions for late life mood and cognitive disorders, including late life depression, anxiety and apathy associated with dementia, and preventive strategies including mind-body interventions. Four leaders of the field will present the summary of novel studies: starting with Dr. Benoit Mulsant (CA) presenting the results of the recently completed OPTIMUM study of novel strategies optimizing treatment of late-life treatment resistant depression. He will be followed by Dr. Krista Lanctot’ (CA) update on novel therapies for apathy associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and Dr Nancy Pachana (AU) will present on non-pharmacological approaches to treatment of anxiety associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Finally, Dr. Helen Lavretsky (USA) will present on the recent studies of mind-body therapies used to treat and prevent late life depression and cognitive decline, along with the discussion of the underlying neurobiological mechanisms. The panel will conclude with a brief discussion of future directions in the development of therapeutic interventions.Treatment-resistant depression in late life has been understudied and is lacking evidence supporting augmentation or switching strategies. Recently completed OPTIMUM multi-site study (funded by the PCORI) sought to compare effectiveness of augmentation strategies (bupropion or aripiprazole) to switch to bupropion, in the first step of 1-week acute treatment followed by randomization into the 2nd step of augmentation with Lithium or switch to nortriptyline. The augmentation strategies in the first step produced the most robust response compared to switching, and did not differ in the 2nd step. Primary outcomes included remission rates and wellbeing measures. A discussion of future directions will be provided at the end of this presentation.In those with Alzheimer’s disease, apathy is common and associated with decreased quality of life, increased risk of decline and increased mortality. As such, apathy is increasingly recognized as an important treatment target. Recent advances in diagnosis and treatment will be reviewed.In this presentation, several methodological issues will be discussed, such the importance and prevalence of apathy in Alzheimer’s disease (AD); current diagnostic criteria for apathy in neurocognitive disorders, and will present the results of recent pharmacologic interventions for apathy in AD.In this presentation, new focused and innovative treatments for anxiety in persons with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease with co-morbid anxiety will be discussed. Anxiety is common in Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's disease and contributes to increased disability and poorer quality of life. Yet only a small fraction of such patients received any form of treatment for mental health issues. Non-pharmacological approaches to address anxiety are advantageous in these populations. Research on tailored CBT and innovations such as virtual reality approaches for these groups will be discussed.Standard pharmacological therapies for treatment of late life depression offer limited efficacy with the downside of adverse events and drug-drug interaction. Novel strategies are needed for more effective and safe treatment and prevention strategies for mood and cognitive disorders in late life. This presentation will focus on the recently completed studies of Tai Chi for treatment of late life depression, and yoga for prevention of cognitive decline in older women at risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Neural and peripheral biomarkers of treatment response will be described. Future directions in mind-body therapies research will be outlined.

Stress and Emotion Detection System Using IoT and Machine Learning with a Fuzzy Inference-Based Mental Health Risk Assessment Module

This research paper describes the conceptualization, deployment, and application of a stress and emotion detection system (SEDS) that utilizes emerging technologies including machine learning, the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), and fuzzy logic. Particle Photon microcontrollers were used to collect and analyze data from non-invasive biosensing devices, input switches for behavioral, emotional, and cognitive stress indicators, and input signals generated by the machine learning-based facial identification sub-module, which detects an individual's emotional states (happy, sad/upset, angry/irritable, or nervous/scared). The acquired parameters were stored and made readily accessible using IoT cloud services and dedicated mobile phone applications. The emotional condition of an individual was assessed by the utilization of the Personal Image Classifier tool within the MIT App Inventor, which involved the analysis of facial expressions. Furthermore, the SEDS was integrated with a module for mental health risk assessment which employs fuzzy logic to categorize the user's stress-related psychological health threat level as very low, low, moderate, high, or extremely high based on the data collected. The customized smartphone application provided users specific recommendations for effectively managing their mental health, based on stress level assessments. When the SEDS determined that the level of mental health risk posed by stress was high, it automatically generated a referral notification and transmitted it via text message to the mental health care professional, facilitating the provision of appropriate psychological counseling. Based on the collected data, the stress and emotion detection system produced results that were comparable to those from the DASS21 stress scale. The system demonstrated an improved accuracy of 90% in a test involving thirty individuals who volunteered to participate. The machine learning-based emotion detection system achieved a classification accuracy of 86.67% in correctly detecting happy, neutral, sad, angry, or nervous feelings through the analysis of facial expressions. This research is designed to provide mental health care professionals such as guidance counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists with the resources essential to facilitate the evaluation and treatment of mental health issues. It also aims to raise people's understanding and detection of psychological conditions through enhanced awareness initiatives.

Suicidal ideation and attempts among adolescents from a tertiary hospital in Turkey: A comparative study of pre and postpandemic periods.

This study aims to compare changes in rates of suicidal ideation (SI) and attempts (SA) among adolescents during pre, mid and later periods of the pandemic. This study included adolescents who presented to the adolescent medicine clinic in Turkey between March-May 2019 (prepandemic = T0), March-May 2021(mid period of the pandemic = T1) and March-May 2022 (late period year of the pandemic = T2). SI and SA data were assessed through the electronic hospital records of the "HEEADSSS" inventory. The charts of 2113 adolescents were evaluated. The rates of both SI (p = .015) and SA (p = .026) were determined to be higher during the pandemic (T1+T2) compared to the pre-pandemic period, with a 1.4-fold increase in SI and a 1.5-fold increase in SA. The rates of SI did not differ according to gender, (p = .090). In contrast, SA rate was significantly higher in females (7.3%) than males (3.6%) (p = .001). This study reveals an increase in SI and SA among adolescents during the first 2years of the pandemic. In challenging times, health professionals should prioritize the identification and treatment of mental health issues, including screening for depression and suicide risk.

Relationship between perceived social support and mental health among Chinese college football athletes: a moderated mediation model

Previous researches have confirmed that perceived social support has a profound effect on individuals’ mental health. However, the effects and potential mechanisms of perceived social support on mental health of college athletes are still largely unknown, especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the relationship between perceived social support and mental health in college football athletes, and to evaluate whether hopelessness and psychological pressure affected this relationship. A sample of 672 Chinese college football athletes (37.9% girls; Mage = 20.43 years; SDage = 1.68) were investigated with the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Surveys were voluntary and anonymous. The findings revealed that, after adjusting for demographic factors, hopelessness mediated the relationship between Chinese college football athletes’ perceived social support and their mental health. Furthermore, psychological pressure moderated the negative association between perceived social support and hopelessness, and the association was stronger for them with high-level psychological pressure. These results underline the need for focused strategies in the prevention and treatment of mental health issues among Chinese college football athletes.

Predicting Depression Risk from Facial Video-Derived Heart Rate Estimates

Common mental disorder is caused due to depression. Medical study shows that heart rate is linked to depression. Heart rate can give early warning of potential depression. Heart rate could predict the risk of depression. This link helps diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues like depression. Heart rate of healthy person is 60-85 beats per minute. When a person is depressed, his heart rate is not in normal range. Heart rate of depressed human being is increased beyond 85 beats per minute. Depression can be predicted with a 90% accuracy by analyzing a person’s heart rate. Using Eulerian Video Magnification algorithm, it is possible to calculate heart rate of person from facial video. Which gives benefit that no need of physical contact with the person. In the proposed research Heart rate is calculated by inputting face videos. Questionnaire is formed that contains 32 questions useful for depression assessment. Real time video dataset is collected while asking depression questionnaire to the people of all age groups. Using Eulerian Video Magnification algorithm, facial video is amplified and heart rate is estimated. Based on range, dataset is labeled as depressed or not depressed. By applying machine learning algorithms like Decision Tree (DT), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Random forest (RF), dataset is classified with accuracy ranging from 96% to 100%. The performance of this research when compared with related work carried out for same research purpose, it is observed that accuracy obtained for this research work is 51% to 85.7% till date. This research gives more accurate model with new approach to predict risk of depression using heart rate estimated from facial videos.

Consumer Expectations and Attitudes About Psychotherapy: Survey Study.

Although mental illness is common among adults in the United States, access to, and public perception of, mental health care continue to present as key barriers to care. Given the importance of attitudes toward, and perceptions of, mental health treatment in the successful access to mental health care and treatment of mental health issues, the primary goal of this survey study was to further investigate consumer perspectives of psychotherapy among adults in the United States; specifically, adding to the literature by investigating perceptions of both the general public and patients receiving telehealth. More specifically, the aims were to better understand openness to, and satisfaction with, therapy; perceptions, preferences, and expectations around therapy; and perceptions of psychotropic medication. An electronic survey was administered to current and former patients (those receiving psychotherapy) of Brightside, a nationwide telehealth company, as well as to the general public; both were convenience samples. Using the same survey questions, Brightside surveyed its own members (using Qualtrics; Qualtrics International Inc) and the general population (using SurveyMonkey's Audience tool; Momentive). This survey included questions about basic participant demographics, as well as questions about current mental health treatment, perceptions about therapy, and therapists' qualities. A total of 714 people completed the survey. The data were fairly evenly split between those collected from Brightside patients (368/714, 51.5%) and those collected from the general public (346/714, 48.5%). Combining both samples, overall participation was 67.1% (479/714) women; 73.1% (522/714) White, 7.3% (52/714) Asian, 6.7% (48/714) African American, and 7.4% (53/714) Hispanic or Latinx; largely aged 25 to 34 years (255/714, 35.7%) or 35 to 44 years (187/714, 26.2%); from either the Mid-Atlantic (131/714, 18.3%) or South Atlantic (129/714, 18.1%) regions of the country; and most (402/714, 56.3%) earning annual salaries of US $30,000 to US $100,000. There were generally favorable perceptions of both psychotherapy and psychiatric medication. Selecting a therapist as well as cost and insurance are the common factors in therapy that are important to patients. The most commonly held perception of psychotherapy duration was indefinite (250/714, 35%). Very few (58/714, 8.1%) thought that therapy typically lasts 1 to 3 months. Most of the participants (414/714, 58%) thought that evidence-based practice was important. Public education is needed to increase awareness of the typical duration and cost of psychotherapy. There seem to be generally favorable perceptions of both psychotherapy and psychotropic medication. Selecting a therapist as well as cost and insurance are the common factors in therapy that are important to patients. Practitioners and those marketing their services might consider using their marketing campaigns to counter some of the more common falsely held beliefs.

Attention-based Speech Emotion Recognition Approach for Medical Application

Abstract: Presently AI is used in various medical fields. Mental health is an important part of the overall health of a person and speech is the primary form for expression of emotion. Thus, Speech Emotion Recognition can be used to understand emotions of the person and help doctors focus on the cure. Speech Emotion recognition is analysis and classification of speech signals to detect the underlying emotions. This paper proposes a model for speech emotion recognition using an attention mechanism. The model is developed using Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs), and a combination of 2D CNN layers and LSTM recurrent layers for temporal aggregation. The proposed model is evaluated using a dataset of speech recordings containing eight emotion categories. The results show that the model achieves 89% accuracy. The attention mechanism is found to improve the recognition performance by focusing on relevant emotional information and ignoring irrelevant information. This research has potential applications in clinical settings in detection as well as treatment for mental health issues.

Population level administrative data evidence of visits to the emergency department by youth with intellectual/developmental disabilities in BC, Canada

IntroductionThe literature indicates that youth with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) have poor health and that access to health services decreases as they transition from pediatric to adult services. At the same time their use of emergency department services increases. The objective of this study was to compare use of emergency department services by youth with IDD to youth without IDD, with particular emphasis on the transition period from pediatric to adult health care services. MethodsThis research used a population level administrative health data base for the province of British Columbia Canada for 2010–2019 to examine the use of emergency departments by youth with IDD (N = 20,591) compared to a population group of youth without IDD (N = 1,293,791). Using the ten years of data, odds ratios for visits to the emergency department were calculated adjusting for sex, income and geographical area within the Province. In addition, difference-in-differences analyses were calculated for age matched subsets of the two cohorts. ResultsOver the ten year period, 40.60% of youth with IDD visited an emergency department at least once, compared to 29.10% of youth without IDD. Youth with IDD had an odds ratio of visiting an emergency department 1.697 (1.649, 1.747) times that of youth without IDD. However, when odds were adjusted for a diagnosis of either psychotic illness or anxiety/depression, the odds for youth with IDD visiting emergency compared to youth without IDD were reduced to 1.063 (1.031, 1.096). Use of emergency services increased as youth aged. Type of IDD also affected use of emergency services. Youth with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome had the greatest odds of using emergency services compared to youth with other types of IDD. DiscussionThe findings from this study indicate that youth with IDD have higher odds of using emergency services than youth without IDD although these increased odds appear to be largely driven by mental illness. In addition, use of emergency services increases as the youth age and transition from pediatric to adult health services. Better treatment of mental health issues within this population may reduce their use of emergency services.

PH Professional Network: Mental Health and PH: APRNs and RNs Having a Positive Effect

Pulmonary hypertension is a complex and progressive disease. Patients suffering from pulmonary hypertension may also experience mental health issues. Screening and treatment for mental health issues in the pulmonary hypertension population is imperative but remains a challenge. Advanced practice registered nurses and registered nurses are key to overcoming these challenges.

Perspective on equitable translational studies and clinical support for an unbiased inclusion of the LGBTQIA2S+community.

Research regarding the mental health of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, 2 Spirit (LGBTQIA2S+) community has been historically biased by individual and structural homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia, resulting in research that does not represent the best quality science. Furthermore, much of this research does not serve the best interests or priorities of LGBTQIA2S + communities, despite significant mental health disparities and great need for quality mental health research and treatments in these populations. Here, we will highlight how bias has resulted in missed opportunities for advancing understanding of mental health within LGBTQIA2S + communities. We cite up-to-date research on mental health disparities facing the LGBTQIA2S + community and targeted treatment strategies, as well as guidance from health care professionals. Importantly, research is discussed from both preclinical and clinical perspectives, providing common language and research priorities from a translational perspective. Given the rising tide of anti-transgender sentiment among certain political factions, we further emphasize and discuss the impact of historical and present day ciscentrism and structural transphobia in transgender mental health research, from both clinical and translational perspectives, with suggestions for future directions to improve the quality of this field. Finally, we address current best practices for treatment of mental health issues in this community. This approach provides an opportunity to dispel myths regarding the LGBTQIA2S + community as well as inform the scientific community of best practices to work with this community in an equitable manner. Thus, our approach ties preclinical and clinical research within the LGBTQIA2S + community.

Safety and Tolerability of Intramuscular and Sublingual Ketamine for Psychiatric Treatment in the Roots to Thrive Ketamine Assisted Therapy Program

IntroductionKetamine has been increasingly used to treat mental health conditions yet there is a lack of safety data on intramuscular (IM) and sublingual (SL) dosing in a community setting. The Roots to Thrive Ketamine assisted Therapy (RTT-KaT) program is a 12-week program with 12 Community of Practice (CoP) group therapy sessions and three ketamine sessions.ObjectivesTo provide preliminary data on RTT-KAT adverse events to subsequently inform safe use of IM and SL ketamine for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.MethodsRetrospective chart review of the RTT-KaT Program on four cohorts (n=128) between September 2020 to December 2021. Eligible patients include those with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, generalized anxiety, burnout/adjustment disorder, substance use disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, disordered eating, and disordered sleep. Baseline characteristics and adverse events were captured including medication administration before, during, and after RTT-KaT sessions. Chi-squared test with Yates’ continuity correction was used to assess side effects in subgroups from ketamine administration.ResultsRTT-KaT was well tolerated with no loss to follow up. There were 351 IM (mean dose = 102.553mg) and 96 SL (mean dose = 276.667mg) sessions of ketamine. Of the 448 sessions, the prevalence of elevated blood pressure increased by 12.31% from baseline (36.85%), with all post-treatment elevations being transient. The prevalence of elevated blood pressure post-KaT session was also similar between IM (+11.69% from 37.71% baseline) and SL (+15.12% from 32.98% baseline) administration. Regarding adverse effects, 12.05% of sessions experienced nausea , 2.52% had an episode of vomiting , 3.35% had a headache , and seven sessions experienced dizziness. The incidence of adverse events was not significantly associated with past psychedelic experiences (X2 = 0.0543, p-value = 0.8157), nor past psychiatric diagnosis (X2 = 0.0109, p-value = 0.917). . There was no significant association between administration route and incidence of nausea, which was the most common side effect(X2 = 1.112, p-value = 0.2916). Male gender was also significantly associated with lower incidence of nausea (X2 = 4.2841, p-value = 0.03847).ConclusionsThe group therapy model described provides a comprehensive approach and presents a promising model for operating a KaT program outside of a clinical trial setting.These findings suggest good safety and acceptability for RTT-KaT among individuals seeking treatment for mental health issues. Majority of participants did not experience adverse reactions and the adverse events that were recorded involved transient symptoms that were resolved with rest and/or medications.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Safety and tolerability of intramuscular and sublingual ketamine for psychiatric treatment in the Roots To Thrive ketamine-assisted therapy program: a retrospective chart review.

In the last few years, ketamine is becoming increasingly common in the treatment of mental health conditions, but there is a lack of safety data informing intramuscular and sublingual dosing in a community-focused group psychotherapy setting. The Roots To Thrive ketamine-assisted therapy (RTT-KaT) program is a unique 12-week RTT-KaT program with 12 community of practice (a form of group therapy) sessions and three ketamine medicine sessions. This study reports on adverse effects of intramuscular and sublingual ketamine dosing in a community group psychotherapy setting among 128 participants across four cohorts. Retrospective chart review. A chart review of the RTT-KaT Program was performed retrospectively on four cohorts (n = 128) that participated in 448 sessions running between September 2020 and December 2021. Baseline characteristics and adverse events were captured including medication administration before, during, and after RTT-KaT sessions. Analyses by session and by individual were conducted. Chi-square test with Yates' continuity correction was used to assess side effects in subgroups from ketamine administration. RTT-KaT was well tolerated with none of the 128 participants dropping out of the program. Primarily, of the 448 sessions, 49.16% had elevated blood pressures post-KaT session by session. In terms of other adverse effects, 12.05% of participant-sessions experienced nausea, 2.52% had an episode of vomiting, 3.35% had a headache, and seven participant-sessions experienced dizziness. Analysis by individual revealed congruent findings. These findings suggest good safety and tolerability for RTT-KaT among individuals seeking treatment for mental health issues. The majority of participants did not experience adverse reactions and the adverse events that were recorded involved transient symptoms that were resolved with rest and/or medications. The group therapy model described provides a comprehensive approach and presents a promising model for operating a KaT program in a community setting.

Efforts To Enhance Mental Health Among School-Aged Children During The Covid-19 Pandemic Through The Teacher And Parent Empowerment

School-aged children, as a developmental stage, are a group at high risk for mental health issues, particularly during this pandemic of COVID-19. Children may be perpetrators, witnesses, or victims of violence or irregularities perpetrated directly or through social media. This community service activity is designed to improve the mental health of children during the COVID-19 pandemic through early detection, prevention and early treatment of mental health issues through parental and teacher empowerment programs. When children learn online and do more activities at home with their families, there are many factors that affect children's mental health. For instance, cyberbullying, addiction to gadgets and the Internet, withdrawing from family interactions, anxiety, dishonesty and discipline in the performance of duties and children as witnesses and victims of abuseby those closest to them. This is not widely known by the school, teachers, counsellors and parents clearly, which results in the state of the child getting worse. Through an empowerment program that was conducted with socialization and training on early detection, preventive efforts and early treatment of mental health problems among school-aged children, they can discover early deviations that occur and take preventive measures with early treatment efforts. Henceforth, through this empowerment program, teachers and parents work together to carry out counselling activities and reflection sessions to understand the issues faced by students so that they can intervene immediately. Teachers and parents can work as a team to help children improve physical and mental health through online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

The role of intergenerational family stories in mental health and wellbeing.

Patterns of memory sharing begin early in one’s life, informing relationships, one’s history, and one’s sense of cultural belonging. Memory sharing among families has been the focus of research investigating the relationship between mental health and intergenerational memory. A burgeoning body of research is showing that intergenerational knowledge of one’s family history is associated with positive mental health and wellbeing. However, research on the specific mechanisms and potential applications of such findings are just beginning to emerge. In particular, studies examining intergenerational storytelling point to the importance of culture and gender as critical factors underlying how stories are told and the extent to which these stories are associated with wellbeing. Such findings hold important promise for the pentation and treatment of mental health issues. As research in this area continues to evolve, the identification and characterization of factors and mechanisms underlying intergenerational family stories and wellbeing may help to guide the integration of family stories into mental health interventions.

The Impact of Childhood Psychological Maltreatment on Mental Health Outcomes in Adulthood: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Childhood emotional abuse (CEA) and childhood emotional neglect (CEN) are the least well-studied forms of childhood maltreatment due to challenges in their definition and in detection. However, the available evidence suggests associations with multiple adulthood mental health problems in clinical and non-clinical populations. This systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO registration number CRD42020197833) explored the associations between CEA and CEN and a range of adulthood mental health problems based on systematic searches of eight databases. In total, 79 English and 11 Chinese studies met our inclusion criteria. Results suggested that CEA and CEN had positive associations with various adulthood mental health problems (d = 0.02-1.84), including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, suicidal ideation or attempts, personality disorders, eating disorders, and other psychological symptoms in the general population and across different geographic regions. Furthermore, findings suggested that compared with the non-clinical population, individuals in clinical populations were more likely to have experienced emotional abuse and neglect during childhood. The review highlights the need for more research on emotional abuse and emotional neglect. Furthermore, future research should include more populations from non-western countries and non-college populations. They further underline the importance of addressing issues related to CEA/CEN experiences in the prevention and treatment of mental health issues in adulthood.

Cultural idioms of distress among displaced populations: A scoping review.

Armed conflicts and natural disasters can cause significant psychological and social challenges for affected populations. Displaced populations are extremely heterogeneous in terms of culture, language, and experiences of crises. Current diagnostic criteria is insufficient when evaluating the symptoms and treatment of mental health issues across contexts. This scoping review presents information about cultural idioms of distress across displaced populations. The review includes aspects of etiology, symptomology, and proposed intervention methods. I conducted a Boolean search of academic and grey literature for studies that described cultural idioms of distress among displaced populations. Results were analyzed using thematic analysis and grounded theory. A shared sense of injustice, spirit possession, and karma are common etiologies for mental distress among displaced populations. Symptoms include somatic complaints, 'thinking a lot', and interpersonal challenges such as social isolation and a fear of others. Potential interventions are likely on a community-level, including the generation of community mechanisms for conflict-resolution, reconciliation, and culturally grounded healing rituals. It is vital to understand the ways displaced communities conceptualize their mental health in order to develop appropriate culturally grounded interventions. Understanding the etiology, symptoms, and proposed interventions can inform and improve humanitarian aid delivery of mental health and psychosocial support services.

Bangladeshi Health Practitioner Knowledge, Confidence in Diagnosis, and Treatment of Mental Health Disorders in People with Intellectual Disabilities

ABSTRACT Background Intellectual disability and mental health disorders constitute a major health problem globally with higher economic burden in low- and middle-income countries such as Bangladesh. In 2017, the World Bank estimated that 85% of the global population lived in low-middle-income countries. Limited research has explored health practitioner knowledge and/or confidence in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues in persons with intellectual disabilities (IDs) in low-income countries such as Bangladesh. Method One hundred and ninety-seven Bangladeshi-based health practitioners were grouped into 7 main professional groups according the current Bangladeshi health hierarchy (psychiatrists; traditional healers and community workers; medical doctors; nurses; psychologists; allied health: speech therapists, occupational therapists, social workers; and others: teachers physiotherapists, administration staff). A 34-item online survey was completed, which included questions measuring symptoms of common mental health disorders with reference to the Psychiatric Assessment Schedule for Adults with Developmental Disabilities, and questions measuring confidence working with persons with IDs from the Therapy Confidence Scale-Intellectual Disabilities. Results Participants demonstrated low knowledge of symptomology but were “confident” working with people with IDs. Kruskal–Wallis H tests indicated a significant effect of professional group on both overall knowledge and confidence levels, respectively. Traditional healers and community health workers had significantly more knowledge of symptoms than all other practitioners for obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, psychosis, and hypomania. Conclusion Participants demonstrated confidence, but low knowledge, in treating individuals with IDs. The development of training programs to address specific deficits in knowledge of mental health symptoms, and confidence in using assessment and assessment-based communication, is recommended.