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Background: Self-harm is a significant public health concern during adolescence. Most cases of self-harm do not come to the attention of professional services, however, where adolescents do disclose self-harm, the majority confide in their friends. Objective: Therefore, more needs to be understood about the protective function and risks friends may pose in the context of self-harm and personal implications of this behaviour. This review synthesises current research in this area. Methods: A systematic search of five healthcare databases was conducted, yielding nine papers, comprising of ten studies. Most studies recruited participants from schools. Papers were appraised using three quality appraisal tools relevant to study designs. Results: The synthesis found that friends act as first-line support for adolescents who self-harm, demonstrating emotional and physical availability and acting as a vehicle for terminating this behaviour and disclosure to adults. However, supporting friends who self-harm can be all-consuming, negative peer dynamics may perpetuate self-harm and group and personal vulnerability factors may increase risk of friends engaging in self-harm themselves. Conclusions: There are some indications that adolescents who self-harm may self-select friendship groups in which this behaviour is known to occur. The synthesis suggests adolescents need to be empowered to support peers who self-harm through mental health promotion and awareness-raising training at universal levels (e.g., whole school approaches). Leads for mental health in schools may also be important contact points for adolescents to disclose concerns to and seek personal support. Further practice and research implications are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Technology and its use within mental health services has advanced dramatically over recent years. Opportunities for mental health services to utilise technology to introduce novel, effective, and more efficient means of delivering assessment, and treatment are increasing. Objective: The current rapid-evidence paper reviews evidence regarding the introduction of novel technology to support young people's mental health and psychological well-being. Methods: A rapid evidence review was conducted. PSYCHINFO and CINAHL were searched for research articles between 2016 and 2021 that were specific to young people, mental health, and technology developments within this domain. N = 27 studies which explored the introduction, feasibility, and value of technology for mental health purposes were included in a narrative synthesis. Quality or risk of bias analyses were not completed. Results: Overall, technological advancements in young people's care were considered positive and engaging for young people. Factors including resources, efficiency of care, engagement, therapeutic effectiveness, ethical considerations, therapeutic alliance, and flexibility were considered within this review. Nevertheless, potential barriers include clinician concerns, socioeconomic factors, and motivation. Conclusion: Effective and sustained use of technology within young people's mental health services will depend on the technology's usability, efficiency, and ability to engage young people. This paper expands on existing research by reviewing a broader range of technology proposed to support young people's mental health and well-being. This will assist in the application of novel technological advancements by indicating effectiveness, preferences, potential barriers, and recommendations for the feasibility and efficacy of introducing technology into young people's services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Systematic reviews have shown attachment-based parenting programs to lead to improvements in parenting sensitivity and infant attachment, but none have focused specifically on the impact of attachment-based parenting programs on externalizing symptoms in young children. Objective: The objective of this study was to review published randomized controlled trial evidence regarding the impact of attachment-based early parenting interventions on externalizing behaviors in children aged 1–5 years. Methods: A systematic search of published literature available through to May 2020 was conducted. Seven published papers reporting results from trials testing six attachment-based parenting interventions were identified. Results: Three of the seven programs were shown to be associated with statistically significant improvements in child externalizing behavior (Helping Encourage Affect Regulation, Child-Parent Psychotherapy, Parent–Child Interaction Therapy—Toddlers). For one program (Child-Parent Psychotherapy), there was also evidence in one study that improvements in child externalizing behaviors were sustained at 6-month follow-up. A number of methodological limitations were present among the studies identified, most commonly reliance on parent-report measures of externalizing behavior. Conclusions: Taken together, results indicate that parenting interventions designed to promote secure parent–child attachment relationships may be effective in reducing externalizing behaviors in children aged 1–5 years of age. Further research is required to test programs in different populations and with longer follow-up times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Safeguarding social inclusion for children with disabilities remains an elusive and difficult goal. Children with disabilities are lonelier than their peers, less involved in their communities, and less likely to experience overall well-being. Objective: The primary purpose of this research is to conduct a critical review of literature on approaches aimed at promoting social inclusion for children with a range of disabilities. By systematically analyzing the literature, key themes and theoretical orientations are identified and critically examined. In keeping with a critical review, our goal is to expose assumptions, trends and gaps in our understanding of what it means to promote social inclusion for children with disabilities. Method: Review methods included rigorous criteria for selection followed by established protocols for evaluating studies. Quality of Study Rating Forms (Gibbs, 1989, 2003) were used to examine peer-reviewed research published from 2005–2017. A final selection of 147 studies are included in this review. Results: A critical assessment of the literature revealed that the majority of interventions are aimed at 'fixing' the child in order to make them more socially competent in their environments. In particular, social skills training was the predominant approach used to address social exclusion. Conclusions: Existing literature appears to reinforce traditional views of disability. Future research would benefit from greater inclusion of children's and youth's own perspectives on social inclusion in the context of childhood disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children and adolescents are major computer and technology gadget users. While serious games hold important promises for promoting health-related behavioral change and mental health among children and adolescents, their efficacy is yet unclear. Objectives: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to offer a comprehensive picture on the evidence-based status of serious games for mental health promotion and health-related behavioral change in children and adolescents. Method: We included 34 clinical and experimental randomized studies investigating the efficacy of serious games on mental health promotion and health-related behavioral change in children and adolescents. Results: Results showed a small, but significant effect size with very high heterogeneity. Participants' age, number of sessions, the length of session, and study quality significantly moderated the effect size, with younger participants, fewer and shorter sessions, and lower quality of the study being associated with higher effect sizes. The effect size was not significant for follow-up measurements. Conclusions: The evidence supporting the use of serious games in children and adolescents for purposes of health promotion is limited. These conclusions must be considered with caution given the bias of publication. We need more adequately conducted studies testing well-specified serious games before we can draw clear conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Work family balance (WFB) is an individual's perception of the fit between work and family roles. Among employed parents of typically developing children WFB has been demonstrated to impact work functioning and physical and psychological health. Emerging from this mature field of research are examinations of WFB among parents of children with disabilities. Objective: Our objective was to identify research to conduct a review and examine the expectation that individual and organizational factors impact WFB among employed parents of children with disabilities. Also, we identify existing research gaps in the literature, discuss how existing policies may need to be altered to better assist employed parents of children with disabilities, and identify ways practitioners can better assist these families. Methods: We searched PsycInfo, EBSCO Host Web, and Proquest Central for English-language articles and dissertations. To obtain additional studies, we searched identified studies' reference lists. We used the same databases to search for studies published by authors who have already published on WFB among parents of children with disabilities. Fifty-four studies examining WFB among employed parents of children with disabilities were identified. Results: Individual factors that had an impact on WFB were child age, number of children, childcare availability, relationship status, perception of one's work role, and type and severity of the child's disability. Organizational factors that had an impact on WFB were supervisory support, workplace policies, and organizational culture. Conclusions: The extant research of WFB among employed parents of children with disabilities indicates that numerous variables impact these individuals' WFB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Monitoring youth treatments requires outcome instruments sensitive to change. The Y-OQ and the Y-OQ-SR measure behavioral change during psychological treatment. Objective: The focus of this study was to compare treatment progress of youth in studies using the Youth Outcome Questionnaire (YOQ) or the Youth Outcome Questionnaire Self Report (YOQSR) in wilderness and non-wilderness treatment programs. Methods: Seventy-six manuscripts were examined. Inclusion criteria were (a) contained a version of the YOQ, (b) implemented mental health treatment, (c) contained sufficient data to obtain an effect size, and (d) had at least two data points (e.g., intake and termination). The final number of studies included for the Y-OQ was 15 and for the Y-OQ-SR was 11. Results: Random effects model results, for studies using the YOQ, indicated a large (Cohen in Psychol Bull 112(1):155, 1992) effect size (g = .98, 95 % CIs [.71, 1.26]). The YOQ-SR results also indicated a large effect size (g = .80, 95 % CIs [.63, .96]). Treatment setting demonstrated a difference between wilderness and non-wilderness programs. For the Y-OQ (parent/guardian observation) effect sizes were higher for wilderness programs Q = 91.82, df = 1, p < .001 and for the Y-OQ-SR (adolescent's self report) effect sizes were higher for non-wilderness programs Q = 8.62, df = 1, p = .003. Conclusions: Treatment programs for youth using the Y-OQ and Y-OQ-SR to measure behavioral change, are indicating strong and positive effects from pre to post testing. Clinicians should consider routinely monitoring progress of their clients to better understand changes between pre and post testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Culture is a universal phenomenon, but most interest about culture during pregnancy has focused on medical care, neglecting psychological aspects of normative development. Objective: The purpose of this article was to examine normative gestational experiences using the framework of a broaden and build model of culture, positive pregnancy, and youth development. Methods: The review involved 43 studies, books, and book chapters (1981-2013) obtained from electronic databases, focusing on parental attitudes, available care, parental expectations, cultural values, and nutrition likely to affect the unborn. Results: Several protective factors emerged, such as positive expectations, early prenatal care, protective cultural values, appropriate nutrition, sensitive health care providers, and interdependent, supportive relationships; the absence of some of these protective factors predicted prenatal, perinatal or postnatal complications, likely to affect the health and mental health of youth. Conclusions: The review's findings are congruent with theoretical propositions. Positive feelings and expectations broaden prenatal care, adequate nutrition and avoidance of substance use. In turn, these positive activities help build social support and interdependent relationships that promote maternal and infant health, in the context of protective cultural norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]