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Purpose: Autistic camouflaging is a collection of strategies used to hide autistic characteristics. It can have serious consequences on autistic people's mental health and needs to be addressed and measured in clinical practice. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the French adaptation of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire. Methods: 1227 participants (744 autistic, 483 non-autistic) answered the French version of the CAT-Q in an online survey or on paper. Confirmatory factor analysis, measurement invariance testing, internal consistency analysis (McDonald's ω), and convergent validity with the DASS-21 depression subscale were conducted. Test-rest reliability was assessed on a sample of 22 autistic volunteers using intraclass correlation coefficient. Results: A good fit was found for the original three-factor structure as well as a good internal consistency, excellent test-retest reliability and highly significant convergent validity. Measurement invariance testing indicates however that the meaning behind items is different for autistic vs. non-autistic people. Conclusion: The French version of the CAT-Q can be used in clinical settings to assess camouflaging behaviors and intent to camouflage. Further research is needed to clarify the camouflage construct and whether reported measurement noninvariance are due to cultural differences or a true difference in what camouflaging might mean for non-autistic people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Forcibly displaced populations are highly vulnerable to psychosocial distress and mental disorders, including alcohol misuse. In an ongoing trial that seeks to develop a transdiagnostic intervention addressing psychological distress and alcohol use disorders among conflict-affected populations, we will carry out a cost-effectiveness evaluation using a capability-based Oxford Capabilities Mental Health (OxCAP-MH) measure. The OxCAP-MH is a 16-item questionnaire developed from the Capability Approach, that covers multiple domains of functioning and welfare. The aim of the current paper is to present the results of the translation, cultural adaptation and valuation of the OxCAP-MH into Juba Arabic for South Sudanese refugees living in Uganda. We adhered to the official Translation and Linguistic Validation process of the OxCAP-MH. To carry out the translation, the Concept Elaboration document, official English version of the OxCAP-MH, and the Back-Translation Review Template were used. Four independent translators were used for forward and back translations. The reconciled translated version was then piloted in two focus group discussions (N = 16) in Rhino refugee settlement. A most important to least important valuation of the sixteen capability domains covered in the OxCAP-MH was also done. Results: The Juba Arabic version of the OxCAP-MH was finalized following a systematic iterative process. The content of the Juba Arabic version remained unchanged, but key concepts were adapted to ensure cultural acceptability, feasibility, and comprehension of the measure in the local context of Rhino refugee settlement. Most participants had low levels of literacy and required support with filling in the tool. Participants suggested an additional capability that is currently not reflected in the OxCAP-MH, namely access to food. Furthermore, discussions around the valuation exercise of the sixteen domains led to two separate importance scales, which showed relevant differences. Conclusions: In this context, the OxCAP-MH was considered culturally acceptable. The valuation exercise proved cognitively demanding. Participants voiced confusion over how to answer the questions on the OxCAP-MH instrument due to low levels of literacy. These concerns invite consideration for future research to consider how measures such as the OxCAP-MH can be made more accessible to individuals with low literacy rates in resource poor settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Research shows that women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) are at risk for a range of adverse mental health outcomes, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidality. However, few studies use measures that reflect the broad range of IPV exposures that women experience. This paper examines the associations between multiple IPV types and adverse mental health among a sample of survivors engaged in care. Methods: This article draws on data from a web-based survey administered to 377 women seeking IPV services in a Southwestern U.S. state. Multivariate regression analyses with multiple imputation were conducted to investigate the net association between multiple types of IPV and three mental health outcomes: depression, PTSD, and a prior suicidal attempt or threat, controlling for socio-demographics and self-rated health. Results: Multivariate analyses indicated significant associations between reproductive coercion (β = 6.89, p <.001), technology-facilitated violent threats (β = 5.27, p <.05), and psychological vulnerability/abuse (β = 4.45, p <.05) and symptoms of depression. Findings also indicated significant net associations between reproductive coercion (β = 7.05, p <.001), technology-facilitated humiliation (β = 4.87, p <.05), and psychological vulnerability/abuse (β = 7.76, p <.001) and increased PTSD symptomology. Finally, psychological vulnerability/abuse (aOR = 3.36, p <.01) increased the likelihood of reporting a prior suicidal attempt or threat. Conclusion: Women reporting reproductive coercion, technology-facilitated abuse, and psychological vulnerability/abuse had a higher risk of adverse mental health. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms that underlie these varied associations and to develop a cohesive practice model attuned to integrated needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have demonstrated that psychological needs frustration strongly influences adolescent depression. However, this influence's underlying mechanisms remain unknown, and related protective factors have not been identified. Based on an integration of basic psychological needs theory, the cognitive vulnerability model of depression, and findings regarding the link between psychological suzhi (a Chinese cultural construct that includes a hierarchical and integrated set of positive psychological qualities) and mental health, we assessed a structural equation model examining the mediating role of self-esteem and moderating role of psychological suzhi in the relationship between psychological needs frustration and depression. Participants were 1552 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 12.30, SD = 0.54, 49.10% male) who effectively completed paper-based questionnaires. The results indicated that psychological needs frustration significantly and positively predicted adolescent depression. Furthermore, the relationship between psychological needs frustration and depression was significantly mediated by self-esteem and significantly moderated by psychological suzhi; specifically, psychological suzhi buffered the association between psychological needs frustration and adolescents' depression. Additionally, we provide further evidence for the relationship between psychological needs frustration and depression, revealing the relevant underlying mechanisms and protective factors; these findings have practical relevance in the prevention and treatment of Chinese adolescents' depression. Highlights: Psychological needs frustration significantly and positively predicted adolescent depression. Self-esteem played a mediating role between psychological needs frustration and depression. Psychological suzhi played a moderating role in the association between psychological needs frustration and depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement based care (MBC), a practice that uses patient reported outcome measures (PROMs), is not widely used in behavioral health settings and little is known about the patient experience with MBC in safety-net settings. This study aimed to understand patient experiences completing PROMs on paper when presenting to an outpatient, behavioral health setting within a public safety-net hospital. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 participants in English and Spanish. Participants were 42 years old (SD = 12.7), mostly white (36.4%) and Black (31.8%). Thematic analysis was used to analyze findings. Overall, participants were engaged with PROMs and described them as helpful for themselves and their clinicians. Participants also expressed themes focused on PROMs user-friendliness, including formatting, time to complete measures, and participant characteristics such as attention and literacy. These findings are important to consider to ensure equitable access to MBC when implemented in behavioral health in the health safety-net setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused concern regarding suicide risk mitigation while requiring many clinicians to transition to telehealth. We hypothesized that this transition would increase suicide intent, suicide desire, and depressive symptom ratings from pre-COVID-19 to peri-COVID-19. Patients at a southeastern US outpatient psychotherapy training clinic reported on suicide risk and depressive symptoms before and after the transition to telehealth treatment. Additionally, the effect of continuation of treatment on suicide risk was also analyzed. Suicide risk levels (n=39) and depressive symptoms (n=25) did not increase following the transition to telehealth. Self-reported suicide desire ratings significantly decreased from pre- to peri-pandemic assessments. Findings suggest that telehealth, among other sociocultural factors, became somewhat of a "port in a storm," such that it may have provided protections from exacerbations of mental health concerns and further vulnerabilities towards increased suicide risk. This paper concludes with relevant implications and suggestions for community health clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing need for mental health support and a shortage of therapists have led to the development of the eXtended-reality Artificial Intelligence Assistant (XAIA). This platform combines spatial computing, virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide immersive mental health support. Utilizing GPT-4 for AI-driven therapy, XAIA engaged participants with mild-to-moderate anxiety or depression in biophilic VR environments. Speaking with an AI therapy avatar in VR was considered acceptable, helpful, and safe, with participants observed to engage genuinely with the program. However, some still favored human interaction and identified shortcomings with using a digital VR therapist. The study provides initial evidence of the acceptability and safety of AI psychotherapy via spatial computing, warranting further research on technical enhancements and clinical impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life Course Theory contends that school transitions can interrupt academic and wellbeing trajectories, depending on child, family, and school factors. Hierarchical regression analyses examined how autistic traits were associated with school transition outcomes. Autistic traits explained 12% of the variance in Quality of Life (QOL), 24% of the variance in mental health and 9% of the variance in school belonging. When autistic traits were accounted for, gender was a significant predictor of changes in QOL whereas changes in school belonging were predicted by cognitive functioning, parent education, school attendance and school refusal. Changes in mental health after transition were mostly predicted by family factors including family structure, family functioning and parent education but were also significantly predicted by sleep problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children and adolescents in residential care often present with emotional and/or behavioral problems associated to previous adverse experiences such as abuse and neglect. Consequently, child welfare systems have developed therapeutic residential care (TRC) programs to address the most complex needs of this population. The aim of this study is to explore the characteristics of youths in TRC comparing them with those of youth in general residential care (GRC), and to detect the factors predicting referral to TRC programs. The sample consisted of 900 adolescents aged 12–17 years old (M = 15.57; SD = 1.33; 66.2% boys), from General Residential Care (n = 554) and Therapeutic Residential Care (n = 346). Profile information was collected through official files and an ad hoc questionnaire. Mental health problems were evaluated using the youth self-report (YSR). Significant sociodemographic differences were found between groups. Also, a higher frequency of emotional abuse and neglect, worse mental health, more breakdowns in child welfare measures and risk behaviors were found among adolescents in TRC. Sociodemographic and familial characteristics, features of the protective process and risk behaviors were associated to referral to TRC programs. Youths in GRC and TRC present with mental and behavioral problems that make it necessary to implement prevention programs and early detection procedures. Screening and evaluation of youth's mental health and establishment of concrete criteria are suggested to ensure appropriate referral to the most suitable resource according to the individual needs of adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential impact on mental health of home schooling and social isolation due to COVID-19 lockdowns has led to widespread concern, particularly for adolescents. However, studies including pre-pandemic data from longitudinal cohorts with an assessment of the longer-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic beyond the first months of 2020 are scarce. This longitudinal study of 1534 adolescents attending a secondary school in Hunan province investigated self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression using two validated scales (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders, Child Mood and Feelings Questionnaire) at six time points before, during, and after the 2020 national lockdown restrictions in China. Perceived COVID-related stress was assessed by an author-developed scale at two timepoints during the lockdown. We investigated trends in symptoms over time with a fixed effects model and multiple imputations of missing data. Counter to our expectations, depressive and anxiety symptoms were reduced during the 2020 lockdown relative to pre-lockdown (depression: b = − 3.37, SE = 0.345, Cohen's d = − 0.25, p < 0.0001; anxiety: b = − 4.55, SE = 0.382, Cohen's d = − 0.30, p < 0.0001). Symptoms remained significantly reduced even after lockdown restrictions eased. Higher symptom levels during lockdown were associated with greater self-reported COVID-related stress (depression: b = 0.11, SE = 0.026, p < 0.0001; anxiety: b = 0.11, SE = 0.036, p < 0.0001). Although COVID-related stresses correlated with higher levels of anxiety and depression, the lockdown period was associated with improved symptom levels in the adolescents taking part in our study. School closures may have improved the mental health of adolescents in China. We speculate this beneficial effect of lockdown can be explained by the adverse effects of attending school itself such as exposure to bullying and achievement pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A barrier for reemployment of people with mental health issues/mental illness (MHI) is workplace stigma and discrimination. In this RCT the effectiveness of a stigma-awareness intervention addressing finding work, retaining work and decisional stress were evaluated. Methods: A cluster RCT was conducted in 8 Dutch municipal practices. Randomisation took place at practice level. Participants were unemployed people with MHI, receiving social benefits. The intervention consisted of a decision aid for workplace disclosure for participants and a 2 × 3 h stigma-awareness training for their employment specialists. Primary outcomes were measured at baseline, 3-, 6- and 12-months. Multilevel analyses, containing random intercepts of participants nested in organizations, were conducted to analyse the effects of the intervention. Results: Participants (N = 153) were randomized to an experimental (n = 76) or control group (n = 77). At six months, significantly more participants of the experimental group (51%) had found work compared to the control group (26%). At twelve months, significantly more participants of the experimental group (49%) had retained work compared to the control group (23%). Intention-to-treat analyses showed that randomization to the experimental group was associated with finding (OR(95%CI) = 7.78(1.33–45.53), p = 0.02) and retaining (OR(95%CI) = 12.15(2.81–52.63), p < 0.01) work more often at twelve months. Analyses showed that the experimental and control group did not differ in decisional stress. Conclusions: Our stigma awareness intervention was effective for finding and retaining work. As the percentage of people who found and retained work almost doubled, this suggests that on a societal level, a vast number of unemployed people could be reemployed with a relatively simple intervention. Trial Registration: The study was retrospectively registered at the Dutch Trial Register (TRN: NL7798, date: 04-06-2019). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the COVID-19 pandemic further unfolds, it becomes a key theoretical and practical question to identify trajectories of child psychological well-being and to explore risk and resilience factors for developmental adjustment. The current study addressed this research gap by means of an ecological design: A (lockdown)–B (relaxation)–B (relaxation)–A (lockdown). We collected parental reports via online questionnaires over four measurement occasions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany (non-probabilistic sample): from the first lockdown (T1—spring 2020, N = 1769) to the following period of relaxation (T2—summer 2020, n = 873; T3—fall 2020, n = 729) on to the second lockdown (T4—winter 2020/21, n = 748). Key measures at T1–T4 were child emotional and behavioral problems as well as hyperactivity, child emotional and family-related well-being, parental strain, and parent–child relationship quality. We found evidence for quadratic growth models. While child problem behaviors (b = 0.32, p < 0.001) and emotional well-being (b = − 0.33, p < 0.001) improved after the first lockdown during subsequent periods of relaxation before worsening again in the second lockdown, child family-related well-being steadily decreased over all four measurement points (T1–T2: p < 0.001; T2–T3: p = 0.045; T3–T4: p = 0.030). Importantly, parental stress emerged as a strong risk factor (ps < 0.11) and the parent–child relationship quality constituted a resilience factor (p = 0.049) for child psychological well-being. These findings have major implications for policies aiming to further child health during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the context of Greece, many instruments measuring constructs pertinent to child and adolescent mental health lacked a locally-validated, freely-available version. As part of a nationwide survey, we translated and cross-culturally adapted a collection of seventeen brief, largely-employed assessment tools that can be used at scale. Methods: This study is part of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Initiative in Greece (CAMHI), a capacity-building program focusing on enhancing mental health care for children and adolescents living in Greece. We conducted a nationwide survey assessing mental health symptoms, parenting practices, service availability and quality, mental health literacy and stigma, and professional practices within the country. As part of this process, we selected outcomes and instruments after consulting the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) and the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN). From our selection, we identified 17 instruments that did not have a Greek-validated version available for use. These instruments were translated and cross-culturally adapted following a structured procedure, including independent back-and-forth translations, synthesis of versions, expert revision, and pilot testing. Some instruments were slightly modified to meet CAMHI survey purposes. Results: A cross-culturally adapted version in Greek was made available for the following instruments: Pediatric Symptoms Checklist (PSC); Deliberate Self Harm Inventory (DSH) (modified); Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen-2 (CATS-2); ABCD Screen Use (modified); Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham-IV (SNAP-IV); Parent Behavior Inventory (PBI); Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS)—(modified); Australian Mental Health Vignettes; Reported and Intended Behavior Scale (RIBS); Barriers to Access to Care (BACE) (modified); Experience of Service Questionnaire (ESQ) (modified); and Multitheoretical List of Therapeutic Interventions (MULTI-30) (modified). Conclusion: A collection of these widely-used assessment tools is now adapted for the local context and freely accessible at [https://osf.io/crz6h/]. Researchers and health professionals in Greece can utilize this resource to screen, evaluate, and monitor various constructs related to mental health in accordance with the most effective practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psychological distress is highly noticeable among caregivers working in residential youth care (RYC). Maintaining and enhancing caregivers' professional mental health and quality of life is crucial to achieve effective outcomes in RYC. Nevertheless, trainings to protect caregivers' mental health are scarce. Considering the buffering effect over negative psychological outcomes, compassion training could be beneficial in RYC. Objective: This study is part of a Cluster Randomized Trial examining the effects of the Compassionate Mind Training for Caregivers (CMT-Care Homes), looking at professional quality of life and mental health of caregivers working in RYC. Method: The sample was composed of 127 professional caregivers from 12 Portuguese residential care homes (RCH). RCHs were randomly allocated at experimental (N = 6) and control group (N = 6). Participants were assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and 3 and 6-month follow-ups, answering to the Professional Quality of Life Scale and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. Program effects were tested using a two-factor mixed MANCOVA, with self-critical attitude and education degree as covariates. Results: MANCOVA showed a significant Time × Group interaction effects (F = 1.890, p =.014; η p 2 =.050), with CMT-Care Homes participants presenting lower scores on burnout, anxiety, and depression at 3 and 6-months follow-ups, when compared with controls. Participants that received CMT-Care Homes considered the program useful to deal with pandemic threats and with youth during lockdowns. Conclusion: This study shows the benefits of the CMT-Care Homes in helping professional caregivers reducing burnout, anxiety and depression, and dealing with pandemic challenges in RYC. Trial registration: This cluster randomized trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (TRN: NCT04512092) on 6th August 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]