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Introduction: Transitioning to civilian life after military service can be challenging for both Veterans and their families. Accessible mental health services are crucial during this period to provide support. The objective of this review was to conduct a rapid review to capture the barriers and identify facilitators that influence access to mental health services for Veterans and their families during the post-service transition period. Methods: This review was conducted using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions as a methodological framework and followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses - Rapid Review (PRISMA-RR). Results: A total of 60 articles and 67 independent samples were included in the final data analyses. Across the included articles, this review identified 23 barriers and 14 facilitator themes. Issues navigating the mental health care system was identified as the main challenge among Veterans and their families, and those who received support navigating the system identified this as a significant facilitator. Applying the Theoretical Domains Framework, most of the identified barriers and facilitators were categorized into environmental context and resources domain. Discussion: The heterogeneity in Veterans' and Veteran families' experiences with mental health care-seeking may suggest that access to mental health care for Veterans and Veteran families cannot be solved by addressing one type of barrier alone. Instead, coordinated efforts to address prioritized systemic, logistical, social, and inter-/intrapersonal obstacles are essential for improving access and optimizing mental health care outcomes. These insights underscore the complexity of considerations for Veterans and families accessing mental health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ketamine has emerged as a promising treatment alternative for the management of chronic pain. Despite encouraging findings in civilian populations, and favourable results from trials examining its efficacy in military populations, there is still a dearth of information pointing to optimal specifications related to ketamine administration for pain, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military populations. This meta-analysis and systematic review synthesised available evidence on the effectiveness, tolerability, and feasibility of ketamine in the management of chronic pain and mental health conditions in military populations. Methods: This review followed the Cochrane's Guide for systematic reviews of interventions and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) as frameworks for data collection and synthesis. Results: A total of 11 studies and 22 independent samples were retained for data analyses. Across samples, improvements in pain, depression, and PTSD outcomes were evident, with the use of ketamine leading to significant reductions, g = 1.76, SE = 0.19, 95% CI (1.39, 2.13), Z = 9.26, p <.001. These effect sizes were robust with moderate-to-large effects. In addition, the reductions in symptoms were observed in both active-duty and Veteran groups, and for different routes of ketamine administration, frequencies of ketamine administration, duration of ketamine treatments, dosage, study design, and allowance for concurrent treatments. Discussion: This review provides a preliminary synthesis of available evidence which suggests that ketamine may be a potential option for the treatment of depression, PTSD, and chronic pain in military populations. The viability of ketamine as an alternative treatment may be particularly impactful for those who are treatment resistant, experience chronic symptoms, and/or have exhausted conventional treatments. More research is warranted in order verify the findings presented in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals are often prohibited in public areas, which limit opportunities for people to experience improvements in well-being from their presence. Visual representations of animals, such as videos, may serve as an alternative intervention to the physical presence of live animals. University students, in particular, may benefit from virtual animal-assisted interventions, given that they report high rates of stress, and opportunities to interact with live animals at tertiary institutions are generally limited. This study recruited 200 participants from introductory psychology courses through a research participant pool at Toronto Metropolitan University in Canada. Following exposure to a mental arithmetic stressor that was 3 minutes in length, participants were randomly assigned to watch a 3-minute video that featured either a dog, puppy, nature, or blank screen. In light of previous research that found that infantile facial features elicit greater attention and positive affect among viewers compared with mature facial features, this study hypothesized that the video of the puppy would be the most effective at enhancing wellbeing. Data were collected through the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the Subjective Appraisal of Video Affects (SAVA). The results revealed that the puppy video produced significantly higher scores of happiness relative to the nature and control videos (F(8.54,557.94) = 3.29, p < 0.001, ηp2= 0.05). Additionally, participants reported that the puppy video was significantly more effective at inducing relaxation compared with the control video (F(3,199) = 7.58, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.10). These results suggest that watching a video of a puppy can be useful to improve wellbeing among university students. This study offers novel contributions to the limited literature examining the impact of visual representations of infant animals on stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological safety, defined as perceptions that an individual within a team is supported and feels safe to take interpersonal risks, voice opinions, and share ideas, is vital for organizational effectiveness. However, there is no consensus on how workplace psychological safety should be measured. We developed the Psychological Safety Inventory (PSI) in response to organizational needs to accurately assess psychological safety. A 70‐item version of the PSI was administered to 497 employees from Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Based on factor analytic findings, we reduced the preliminary PSI to a 30‐item, five‐factor scale. The PSI showed high reliability and correlated as anticipated with convergent measures. Overall, the PSI is a valid and reliable measure of workplace psychological safety. Practitioner points: Feeling psychologically safe, whether at an individual or organizational level, is vital for organizational effectiveness.However, there is no consensus on how psychological safety should be measured in an occupational setting.Given this lack of consensus and limited reliability and validity information for available measures, there is a need for the development of a comprehensive psychological safety scale.We developed a comprehensive self‐report measure of psychological safety for use in workplace contexts titled the Psychological Safety Inventory (PSI).Based on exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, we reduced the preliminary PSI to a 30‐item, five‐factor scale.The PSI subscales and total scale showed high reliability and correlated as anticipated with other measures of psychological safety, leadership, team climate, organizational perceptions, and organizational support.Our research can be used to inform organizational practices, such that leaders can assess their teams' levels of psychological safety to evaluate areas of need within the workplace context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal-assisted intervention (AAI) has been used as a means of stress relief in clinical and general settings; however, animals are not always allowed in certain spaces. Adapting AAI to video or virtual mediums could improve accessibility and is temporally relevant given the recent shift to online interventions. The current study explored: (1) whether an active video (dog or nature) watched before a stressor would improve wellbeing more than tranquil videos; (2) whether exposure to a dog video improves wellbeing more than a nature video; and (3) whether exposure to either a dog or nature video improves outcomes more than exposure to a control video. One hundred and seven undergraduates were randomly assigned to watch one of five videos (active dog, tranquil dog, active nature, tranquil nature, and control) for 3 minutes and then complete a 3-minute stress task. Subjective (anxiety, stress, happiness, relaxation, positive affect, and negative affect) and physiological (blood pressure and heart rate) outcomes were collected at baseline, video, stressor, and recovery time points. Results showed that the activity level of the dog in the video did not influence outcomes. However, relative to the control group, the dog-video condition showed decreases in stress from baseline to video and a smaller decrease in stress from stressor to recovery. Additionally, relative to the nature-video condition, the dog-video condition showed a slightly higher increase in happiness scores from baseline to video. Lastly, relative to the control group, the nature-video condition showed increased relaxation scores from baseline to video and a larger decrease in relaxation scores from video to stressor. This research may inform the development of alternate modes of AAIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Military members report higher instances of trauma exposure and subsequent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) relative to civilians. Encounters with children in war and conflict settings may have particularly unsettling consequences. However, the nature of these consequences has yet to be systematically examined. Objective: This systematic review sought to identify and document deployment-related encounters with children and associated outcomes reported by military personnel, as well as identify any current training programs, policies, or procedures in place regarding encountering children during deployment. Method: A total of 17 studies with 86 independent samples were included. Analyses were based primarily on qualitative data. Results: Based on the review, 77 military personnel samples documented their experiences encountering children during deployment. Most commonly, child encounters included armed children, porters/human shields, suicide bombers, and ambiguous interactions. Outcomes from encountering children during deployment were diverse, occurring both during the encounter, and described by many as persisting years following the exposure. Consequences of encounters as described by military personnel included: hesitation to complete mission objectives, mental health concerns, moral struggles, social isolation, and sleep disturbances. Of the 86 included reports, only nine provided information regarding training at any stage (pre-, during, or post-deployment) in relation to encountering children. Much of the available information underscored the lack of training, with six reports highlighting the lack of pre-deployment training and five reports describing the lack of policies, including rules of engagement, as they relate to encountering children during deployment. Only two reports described post-deployment procedures made available to military personnel following exposure to children while on deployment. Conclusions: Results from this review will be used to identify available research, develop and support training initiatives, and increase awareness regarding implications of encountering children during deployment. We further provide recommendations regarding research needs, policy implementation, and current training gaps. A systematic review that identified and documented deployment-related encounters with children and associated outcomes reported by military personnel, as well as identified current training programs, policies, or procedures in place regarding encountering children during deployment. The review found child encounters included armed children, porters/human shields, suicide bombers and ambiguous interactions with consequences, described by military personnel, of mental health concerns, moral struggles (e.g. loss of faith), sleep disturbances, social isolation, and inability to work. Available data showcased a lack of training, lack of policies, and lack of post-deployment interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this pilot study was to examine the effects of different videos of an unfamiliar dog (tranquil and active) on subjective mental state measures. All participants watched two videos of an unfamiliar dog (tranquil and active). Subjective measures of stress, anxiety, alertness, attention, likeability, and cuteness were assessed. The results showed that the tranquil dog video significantly decreased anxiety only. Additionally, the active dog video significantly decreased stress and anxiety. Across the videos, the results showed the active dog video significantly improved subjective alertness and attention when compared with the tranquil dog video. Lastly, the active dog video was rated more likeable and cuter relative to the tranquil dog video. The practical implications of these findings could include how to improve various subjective mental states for humans in public settings (e.g., hospital) where nonhuman animals are not always allowed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research indicates that animal-assisted therapy programs can reduce stress responses. However, animals are not always permitted in public settings. Thus, alternative forms to the physical presence of an animal could be beneficial. The objective of this study was to determine (1) whether exposure to an active-dog video can help improve subjective and physiological responses to stress more than a tranquil-dog video, (2) whether exposure to dog videos can improve subjective and physiological stress responses more than nature videos, and (3) whether exposure to dog (and nature) videos can improve subjective and physiological stress responses more than a control video. Participants (n = 103; female = 78, male = 25) completed a stressful task and were randomly assigned to watch one of five videos: active dog (dog playing with a toy), tranquil dog (dog lying down quietly), active nature (fast-paced waterfall in a forest), tranquil nature (slow-moving stream in a forest), or blank screen (control video; a video of a black screen). Improvements in subjective (i.e., decrease in stress, anxiety, negative affect, and/or increase in happiness, relaxation, positive affect) and physiological (decrease in heart rate and blood pressure) responses to the stressor were examined. This study found no evidence that the active-dog video improved subjective or physiological responses more than the tranquil-dog video. However, this study found evidence that dog videos can decrease subjective anxiety and increase positive affect more than nature videos. Similarly, this study also found that dog videos can decrease subjective anxiety and increase happiness and positive affect more than can the control video. The effects of the dog videos and nature videos (and control video) on the remaining subjective measures and all physiological responses did not differ. Together, the results show some evidence that dog videos may be better at improving subjective anxiety, happiness, and positive affect responses than nature and/or control videos. However, the results did not show evidence that dog videos could alleviate any physiological responses more than the other videos. Practical applications of these findings include how to improve subjective anxiety and affect responses in public settings (e.g., universities) when animals are not allowed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives The effect bilingualism has on older adults' inhibitory control has been extensively investigated, yet there is continued controversy regarding whether older adult bilinguals show superior inhibitory control compared with monolinguals. The objective of the current meta-analysis was to examine the reliability and magnitude of the bilingualism effect on older adults' inhibitory control as measured by the Simon and Stroop tasks. In addition, we examined whether individual characteristics moderate the bilingual advantage in inhibition, including age (young–old vs old–old), age of second language acquisition, immigrant status, language proficiency, and frequency of language use. Research Design and Methods A total of 22 samples for the Simon task and 14 samples for the Stroop task were derived from 28 published and unpublished articles (32 independent samples, with 4 of these samples using more than 1 task) and were analyzed in 2 separate meta-analyses. Results Analyses revealed a reliable effect of bilingualism on older adults' performance on the Simon (g = 0.60) and Stroop (g = 0.27) tasks. Interestingly, individual characteristics did not moderate the association between bilingualism and older adults' inhibitory control. Discussion and Implications The results suggest there is a bilingual advantage in inhibitory control for older bilinguals compared with older monolinguals, regardless of the individual characteristics previously thought to moderate this effect. Based on these findings, bilingualism may protect inhibitory control from normal cognitive decline with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pets can reduce stress in their owner; however, they are not always permitted in public and institutional places. This study examined the impact of people viewing a picture of their pet versus other images on stress levels. One hundred and twenty participants were randomly assigned to one of six conditions. These involved completing a mental arithmetic task while viewing a picture of either their personal pet; an unfamiliar animal; a familiar, supportive person; a stranger; a pleasant image of nature; or no image. Stress was measured through subjective and physiological methods. For participants, viewing a picture of their pet did not reduce their stress response to the task, while viewing a picture of a familiar, supportive person increased the stress response, relative to the controls. Post-stressor, participants in the personal-pet condition rated the picture as making them feel more relaxed, compared with the other conditions. Active interaction with a pet may be required to reduce stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Counselling & Psychotherapy / Revue Canadienne de Counseling et de Psychothérapie is the property of Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background/rationale: The carbon dioxide (CO2) challenge has been reliably used in laboratory settings as a panicogen in clinical populations. However, the magnitude of these effects on healthy and non-clinical control populations are not clear. The aim of this meta-analysis and systematic review is to provide quantitative estimates of those effects. Specifically, the current paper will evaluate the relative efficacy of the CO2 challenge in eliciting both subjective and physiological arousal in healthy and non-clinical control populations.Method: A total of 16 articles with 35 independent samples were included in the meta-analysis, while 37 studies with 74 independent samples were included in the systematic review.Results: Both the meta-analysis and systematic review found the CO2 challenge to elicit an increase in subjective distress via self-reported anxiety and fear. Physiological responses via blood pressure and heart rate were heterogeneous in studies sampled, with no significant changes observed across studies. Moderator analyses revealed the variations in findings may be attributed to participant screening and invasive sampling.Discussion: Findings highlight the CO2 challenge as a useful tool in the provocation of subjective distress. Implications for both the use of the CO2 challenge and its anticipated effects in healthy and non-clinical control populations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The beliefs we hold about stress play an important role in coping with stressors. Various theoretical frameworks of stress point to the efficacy of reframing stress-related information through brief reappraisal interventions in order to promote adaptive coping. Purpose: The goal of the current meta-analysis and systematic review is to substantiate the efficacy of reappraisal interventions on stress responsivity compared to control conditions. Differences in experimental methodologies (e.g., type of stressor used, timing of reappraisal intervention, and content of intervention instructions) will be examined to further delineate their effects on intervention outcomes. Methods: The literature searches were conducted on May 16, 2018 using PsycINFO, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, and PILOTS databases with no date restriction. The search terms included stress, reframing, reappraisal, mindset and reconceptualising. A total of 14 articles with 36 independent samples were included in the meta-analysis, while 22 articles with 46 independent samples were included in the systematic review. Random-effects model was used to test the null hypothesis using two-tailed significance testing. Fisher’s Z value was reported for each corresponding test. Heterogeneity tests are reported via Cochran’s Q-statistics. Results: Findings from both the meta-analysis and systematic review revealed that overall, reappraisal interventions are effective in attenuating subjective responsivity to stress. Standard differences in means across groups are 0.429 (SE = 0.185, 95% CI = 0.067 to 0.791; z = 2.320, p = .020). However, reappraisal intervention groups did not outperform control groups on measures of physiological stress, with standard differences of -0.084 (SE = 0.135, 95% CI = -0.349 to 0.180; z = -0.627, p = .531). Moderator analysis revealed heterogeneous effects suggesting large variability in findings. Conclusions: On one hand, findings may suggest a promising avenue for the effective management of self-reported stress and optimization of stress responses. However, more research is needed to better elucidate the effects, if any, of reappraisal interventions on stress physiology. Implications for the use of reappraisal interventions on stress optimization are discussed in the context of theoretical frameworks and considerations for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have reported that exposure to pet therapy (PT) can reduce physiological and subjective stress and anxiety levels. The aim of this meta‐analysis is to examine the efficacy of PT as a method for reducing physiological stress levels (blood pressure and heart rate) and subjective stress and anxiety scores (self‐reported stress/anxiety). Further, we examined the effects of sample characteristics and modifications to the PT (different age groups and health status of participants across samples, whether a stressor was present, and individual versus group PT) as potential moderators of the relationship between PT and stress reactivity. Our searches incorporated articles published from May 2017 and earlier in PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and PubMed. This meta‐analysis included 28 articles with 34 independent samples and contained a total of 1,310 participants. Using a random effects model, we determined that significant differences occurred in heart rate, self‐reported anxiety, and self‐reported stress after PT exposure compared with before PT. However, we did not detect significant differences in blood pressure after PT. Sample characteristics and modifications to the PT significantly moderated the effect of PT on stress responses. Our results suggest that PT can be an effective program for reducing stress reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A retraction to the article "The Effect of Bilingualism on Older Adults' Inhibitory Control: A Meta-Analysis" that was published in a 2021 issue of The Gerontologist is presented.

Background: Older adults living in long term care, rehabilitation hospitals, and seniors' residences often experience reduced mobility, sometimes resulting in confinement indoors and isolation, which can introduce or aggravate symptoms of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and apathy. As Virtual Reality (VR) technologies become increasingly accessible and affordable, there is a unique opportunity to enable older adults to escape their restricted physical realities and be transported to both stimulating and calming places which may improve their general well-being. To date no robust evaluations of the use of immersive VR therapy [experienced through a head-mounted-display (HMD)] for older adults within these settings have been reported. VR-therapy may prove to be a safe, inexpensive, non-pharmacological means of managing depressive symptoms and providing engagement and enjoyment to this rapidly growing demographic. Objectives: Establish whether it is feasible to use immersive VR technology as therapy for older adults who have reduced sensory, mobility and/or impaired cognition. This includes evaluation of tolerability, comfort, and ease of use of the HMD, and of the potential for immersive VR to provide enjoyment/relaxation and reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms. Methods: Sixty-six older adults (mean age 80.5, SD = 10.5) with varying cognitive abilities (normal = 28, mild impairment = 17, moderate impairment = 12, severe impairment = 3, unknown cognitive score = 6), and/or physical impairments, entered a multi-site non-randomized interventional study in Toronto, Canada. Participants experienced 3 to 20 min of 360°-video footage of nature scenes displayed on Samsung GearVR HMD. Data was collected through pre/post-intervention surveys, standardized observations during intervention, and post-intervention semi-structured interviews addressing the VR experience. Results: All participants completed the study with no negative side-effects reported (e.g., No dizziness, disorientation, interference with hearing aids); the average time spent in VR was 8 min and 76% of participants viewed the entire experience at least once. Participants tolerated the HMD very well; most had positive feedback, feeling more relaxed and adventurous; 76% wanted to try VR again. Better image quality and increased narrative video content were suggested to improve the experience. Conclusion: It is feasible and safe to expose older adults with various levels of cognitive and physical impairments to immersive VR within these settings. Further research should evaluate the potential benefits of VR in different settings (e.g., home/community based) and explore better customization/optimization of the VR content and equipment for the targeted populations., (Copyright © 2020 Appel, Appel, Bogler, Wiseman, Cohen, Ein, Abrams and Campos.)