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There is evidence of an overall decline in women's mental health, particularly those with young children, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, research has also found heterogeneity in women's mental health responses. This longitudinal study sampled low-income women with young children by recruiting from the government's child care financial subsidy waitlist. To examine heterogeneity in women's mental health responses to COVID-19, a latent transition analysis was employed to identify profiles of anxiety, depression, and stress among 289 low-income mothers. Using these identified profiles, we examined the transitional patterns between profiles before and during COVID-19 and the sociodemographic and familial factors related to these profiles. A three-profile solution was identified prior to COVID-19 and a four-profile solution during COVID-19, with some profiles exhibiting qualitatively different defining characteristics. Latent transition analyses found diverse patterns of mental health changes after the onset of COVID-19. Mothers with better mental health prior to COVID-19 tended to have the most stable mental health during COVID-19. In contrast, mothers who were highly stressed prior to COVID-19 were equally likely to improve or decline after the onset of the pandemic. In addition, the relationships between race, parenting practices, child temperament, and child mental health were significantly related to mothers' mental health profiles. These findings describe mothers' experiences and areas where policymakers and practitioners can tailor support to low-income women with young children., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Serious mental health diagnoses are prevalent among youth who "age out" of foster care by reaching the maximum age for child welfare service eligibility. Post-emancipation, little is known about how youth engage in community mental health services, or leverage informal social networks, to navigate independence. Twenty emancipating youth completed three interviews over 16 months. All emancipated into poverty; most lived alone and initially connected to adult community mental health teams. Four service use and informal support profiles emerged from analysis: (1) Navigators (n = 2) actively used mental health services and provided limited informal support; Treaders (n = 9) passively used mental health services and heavily exchanged informal support; Survivors (n = 5) used mental health services when in crisis and heavily provided informal support; and Strugglers (n = 4) avoided mental health services and took resources from informal connections. Findings have implications for both child and adult mental health and social service providers., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: Aim: To study the peculiarities of the mental health of children with special educational needs after 1.5 years of full-scale war in Ukraine., Patients and Methods: Materials and Methods: The mental health of children with special educational needs (SEN) as well as the peculiarities of the impact of hostilities on their emotional and volitional sphere was assessed through the anonymous survey of their parents using the questionnaire developed by the authors (25 questions). The research, which was conducted in 2023 using a Google form, involved 466 parents having children with SEN aged 6 to 10., Results: Results: It was found that among the surveyed families raising children with SEN, 30.7 % of children were in the combat zone or zone of temporary occupation for a week to a month, 19.1 % - for more than a month; 36.9 % of children experienced relocation, 23.4 % were separated from their parents, 19.7 % witnessed hostilities; 49.4 % of children experienced an unstable psycho-emotional state ("emotional swings") during 1.5 years of war in Ukraine, 40.1 % - restlessness, 38.6 % - anxiety; 23.2 % of parents noted that their children were "hooked" on computer games and social networks, 11.2 % - had problems with sleep, 10.5 % - demonstrated the emergence or increase in cognitive problems., Conclusion: Conclusions: The negative impact of prolonged stress during the war on the mental health of children with SEN has been revealed, which requires psychological support for such children from parents and psychologists.

Background: Youth mental health challenges are an emerging and persistent global public health issue despite efforts for improvement. As part of a broader social innovation study to transform youth mental health systems, this scoping review assesses interventions that aim for systems-level changes to improve the mental well-being of transitional age youth (TAY) (15-25 years) in high-income countries., Methods: The scoping review method of Arksey and O'Malley (International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8, 2005, 19) was used. Seven health and social service databases were utilized with study inclusion criteria applied. Titles and abstracts were screened by two independent reviewers, and four members of the research team were involved in the review and thematic analysis of selected studies., Results: A total of 5652 peer-reviewed articles were screened at the title and abstract level, of which 65 were assessed in full for eligibility, and 29 were included for final analysis. The peer-reviewed articles and gray literature were based in seven different high-income countries and published between 2008 and 2019. Four major themes to support youth mental health were identified in the literature: (a) improving transitions from youth to adult mental healthcare services; (b) moving care from institutions to the community; (c) general empowerment of youth in society; and (d) youth voice within the system. Inconsistent or limited systems-level approaches to TAY mental health care were noted., Conclusions: There remains a need for innovative, evidence-based approaches to improve TAY mental health care., (© 2022 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.)

Mental health problems affect large numbers of young people. Integrated systems are required that can be applied in diverse settings to reach youth 'where they are'. We evaluated the process of implementing a three-step youth mental health and wellbeing system in diverse community settings according to three implementation outcomes: feasibility, penetration and acceptability. The study describes 49 applications of the 'Life-Fit-Learning system' designed to assess the mental health and wellbeing of youth (Assess step), provide feedback on assessment results (Reflect step), and connect them to resources and services proportionate to their needs (Connect step). Within a participatory research approach, 3798 administrations were conducted with youth between 9 and 18 years and 90 administrations were conducted with adults. Implementation was based on the four phases of the Quality Implementation Framework and was staged to integrate stakeholder and consumer feedback and experience gained from focus groups and two pilot phases before full implementation. Feasibility ratings of successful implementation ranged from 86.7 to 96.4% across applications and settings. High penetration rates were achieved. The Life-Fit-Learning system successfully reached 91.9% to 96% of youth with the Assess and Reflect steps and low intensity Connect step resources. Of those, 14.7% to 23% were identified at-risk for mental health problems and 93% to 97% of those at-risk youth additionally received Connect step co-delivered group-based programs (moderate intensity care) and/or individual treatment (high intensity care). Youth and parents reported high satisfaction across all steps and delivery modes. With strong collaboration, an integrated model of care can be delivered feasibly, effectively and satisfactorily to reach large numbers of young people across settings., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Climate change is the largest threat to human health of the twenty-first century. Women are disproportionately affected by climate change. While the physical health impacts of climate change are an active area of research, works related to the mental health impacts are less developed. Furthermore, the mental health impacts of climate change on women are a particular area of interest due to women's disproportionately negative experiences with climate change and climate change-related events. Therefore, the purpose of this scoping review is to understand what is known from the existing literature regarding the mental health impacts of climate change on women. The methods for this review follow the Arksey and O'Malley framework for a scoping review. By searching databases for publications that discuss women, mental health, and climate change, and screening for relevant work, 20 studies that met inclusion criteria were included in the review. Themes derived from the reviewed studies include negative mental health outcomes, gender-based violence, burdens of care and responsibility, attachment to land and traditions, and the importance of intersectionality. From these findings, there is a clear need for climate policies on adaptation and mitigation to reflect women's unique needs to ensure their health and safety., (© 2022. Crown.)

Following COVID-19, there has been increasing concern about the well-being of children and young people across the United Kingdom; however, our major problem is the lack of robust data. We discuss emerging research capturing the impact of restrictions and experiences of COVID-19 on children and young people. We suggest further and more detailed analysis is urgently required to inform an evidence-based response. We conclude that although most of the UK's kids are probably OK, it is essential that those who are in need of support receive timely and informed intervention., (© 2021 The Authors. Child and Adolescent Mental Health published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.)

Maternal risks such as poor mental health, partner violence, and substance misuse can undermine child health and development. Maternal and early childhood home visiting programs address these risks primarily through referral and coordination with community-based services, yet effects on these outcomes have been small. This study assessed the strengths of local home visiting sites' systems to support coordination of mental health, partner violence, and substance use services. Investigators recruited home visiting sites (N = 88) representing diverse models from a national practice-based research network, the Home Visiting Applied Research Collaborative (HARC). Web-based surveys assessed five implementation system supports for coordination and nine coordination activities drawn from the Measurement Framework for Coordination developed earlier in the project. Surveys also assessed seven coordination barriers identified in previous research. Sites varied in their implementation supports and coordination activities; on average, sites had stronger systems in place to support screening and referring families than to support linkage and follow-up. Implementation supports and activity scores were higher for mental health and partner violence than for substance use. Across all service needs, scores were highest for offering a referral and documenting the caregiver's agreement for exchange of information between providers. Scores were lowest for offering a warm handoff. Lack of open slots and lack of transportation were major barriers to successful coordination for all three services. Results suggest that home visiting coordination could be strengthened by focusing on infrastructure for linkage and follow-up with services in the broader system of care.

This study took a family systems perspective and tested spillover theory to examine the transmission of stress from parents to children during COVID-19. Using a longitudinal design with a 1-year interval, we tested the association between parent perceived stress and perceived child stress, and the sequential mediating effects of poor family functioning and parent–child closeness. The data comprised 134 parents residing in the US who were assessed from the initial first peak of COVID-19 infections in 2020 to 2021, 1 year later. Results indicated that when controlling for covariates, there was a significant association between parent perceived stress and perceived child stress. What is more, poor family functioning and parent–child closeness fully mediated the former link in sequence. These findings highlighted the need for improving family relationship quality when providing interventions that target families suffering in stressful contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the impact of physical activity on the mood states of active and insufficiently active Italian adolescents and the relationships with sleep quality, sex, and academic performance, analyzing guidelines for the post-COVID-19 scenario. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, quantitative, and descriptive study. Data collection was carried out through an electronic questionnaire via Google Forms. Adolescent students from schools in the Lazio region, Italy, were evaluated. Results: In total, 437 Italian adolescents were included, with a mean age of 15.9 ± 1.37 years. The average time of exercise reported by the students was 277 min per week. Physical activity appears to be positively correlated with improved mood states, particularly in adolescents who engage in 150 min or more of physical activity per week, who exhibited notably higher levels of vigor. It was found that female adolescents presented a worse mood state, greater tension, depression, anger, fatigue, and mental confusion, and worse vigor when compared to boys and that adolescents who had poor sleep quality presented significantly worse mood state. Adolescents with an insufficient perception of academic performance demonstrated a significantly worse mood state, tension, depression, anger, and mental confusion, with a submerged mood profile when compared to adolescents who perceived themselves as excellent, with an iceberg profile. In the regression analysis, it was found that for each minute of physical activity practiced, the score in the state of vigor of the adolescents increased by 0.02 and mental confusion decreased by 0.002. Conclusion: From the present findings, we conclude that recommendations on PA practices for adolescents should be strengthened, as a way to mitigate possible damage to mood states, especially in the post-COVID-19 scenario. Future studies need to deepen the relationships between the mental health, sex, and academic performance of adolescents to strengthen positive mood states and elucidate information on the type, intensity, and dosage of physical activity to achieve mood benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autistic children and their caregivers in Argentina often lack access to information, resources and evidence-based interventions. Caregiver empowerment may help support families to uphold their child's rights and access suitable education and support. This study aimed to examine the perceptions on empowerment of caregivers of autistic children in Argentina. This was a phenomenological, qualitative study. We conducted 32 semi-structured individual interviews remotely. Participants included caregivers, health service providers, non-governmental organisation representatives, special education teachers and policy representatives. Data were analysed thematically. We developed three main themes: Caregiver agency: from intuitive coping strategies to entrepreneurship; 'I had to cut down on therapy': Economic instability and inequality affecting service access; and Equipping caregivers to be empowered. Both caregivers and professionals talked about the contribution of socio-economic inequalities to caregivers' sense of disempowerment. Caregivers identified coping strategies and discussed their experiences with advocacy. They expressed that in-person and online support groups have an empowering effect. Based on participant views, strategies supporting caregiver empowerment may involve: interventions are co-designed by professionals and caregivers; focusing on caregiver mental health; and addressing the profound impact of poverty on the quality of life of families. Caregivers of children with developmental disabilities, including autism, often struggle to access services, information and resources in Argentina. Little is known about how caregivers can be empowered to support their children as they wish to in the Argentinian setting. We spoke with 32 people online to understand existing and potential practices of supporting caregivers. The people we spoke with included caregivers, health service providers, non-governmental organisations' representatives providing services or technical support, special education teachers and policy representatives. Participants said that poverty, and inequalities in accessing support, impact how caregivers can support their children. They mentioned examples that help caregivers feel empowered, such as peer support groups and caregiver training. Many caregivers spoke about how they became advocates for their children and how they developed initiatives such as advocacy campaigns and well-being support groups. Caregivers in Argentina may be empowered in various ways, and the following strategies can improve empowerment: strengthening collaboration between professionals and caregivers; focusing on caregiver mental health; and addressing the profound impact of poverty on the quality of life of families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious social and public health problem in the United States. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and poor mental health are associated with IPV. Sexual minority men (SMM) experience each of these disproportionately; however, limited studies have examined the interrelationships of these variables among SMM. Cross-sectional data from the first wave (September 1, 2020–April 25, 2021) of the National Couples' Health and Time Study were used to assess the prevalence of physical, sexual, and psychological IPV victimization and perpetration and the association with ACEs and depression, anxiety, and stress among cisgender men in same-gender and different-gender relationships. Log-binomial regression was used to evaluate relationships, stratified by couples' gender identity. In a sample of 1,681 men, including 689 sexual minority men, 40.6% reported IPV victimization and 33.1% reported IPV perpetration. Stratified by couples' gender identity, victimization and perpetration were reported more frequently among men in different-gender relationships compared to men in same-gender relationships (40.7% vs. 33.9%; 33.2% vs. 30.2%). Psychological victimization and perpetration were the most commonly reported. Among men in same-gender relationships, depression symptoms had the highest association with IPV victimization (prevalence ratio [PR] = 2.14, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.56–2.95) and perpetration (PR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.24–2.39). Research, clinical screenings, and other settings that focus on understanding and intervening on partner violence victimization and perpetration should intentionally consider the experiences of SMM in order to effectively promote healthy relationships and optimal mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study explored how coping moderates the association between discrimination and health outcomes in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) and heterosexual midlife and older adults. Methods: This study analyzed longitudinal data from 163 LGB and 326 propensity-matched heterosexual midlife and older adults over approximately 20 years, using the Midlife in the United States study. Results: Discrimination was associated with slower chronic condition accumulation over time for LGB individuals. Problem-focused and avoidance coping moderated discrimination's impact on mental health in LGB participants over time, and in heterosexual participants, they moderated the association between discrimination and chronic conditions. Discussion: The results suggest a potential "steeling" effect in LGB midlife and older adults facing higher discrimination levels. Furthermore, the findings suggest that effective coping strategies for mitigating the adverse impacts of discrimination on physical and mental health may vary by sexual orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The burden of childhood trauma (violence, injury/illness, loss) in low-resource settings is high, although the effect of trauma on children's mental and cognitive health is under-researched. Child gender may moderate the association between trauma and outcomes; boys are more likely to experience trauma, but girls are more likely to show distress following trauma. Methods: We draw on data from the Bachpan cohort (n = 888), a sample of mother-child dyads in rural Pakistan, to investigate these associations among 6-year-old children in a South Asian, low-resource setting. Mothers reported on children's lifetime exposure to 15 possible traumas and their current mental health. In addition, children were assessed for their verbal skills, working memory, and inhibitory control. We estimated trauma prevalence and used generalized estimating equations to test the association between number of traumatic events and child mental health and cognitive skills in the overall sample and by gender. Results: 90.5% of children experienced at least one trauma. The most common traumas were death of a loved one (47%) and hearing about war/terrorism on the TV/radio (48%). On average, boys experienced more traumas (M = 3.00) than girls (M = 2.67). Specifically, boys were more likely than girls to experience an injury or hospitalization (30% vs. 21%, p <.05) and to hear about war/terrorism on the TV/radio (52% vs. 43%, p <.05). Trauma was associated with increased mental health difficulties and increased anxiety scores. There was little evidence that trauma exposure was associated with child cognitive skills. The strength of association between trauma and outcomes was similar for boys and girls. Conclusions: Findings show that childhood trauma exposure is common in this setting and associated with worse mental health problems among young boys and girls. Results suggest that trauma-informed interventions are important for supporting child mental health in South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Resilience refers to the process of demonstrating better outcomes than would be expected based on the adversity one experienced. Resilience is increasingly measured using a residual approach, which typically assesses adversity and mental health outcomes over a longitudinal timeframe. It remains unknown to what extent such a residual-based measurement of resilience is sensitive to variation in acute stress resilience, a candidate resilience factor. Methods: Fifty-seven emerging adults enrolled in tertiary education completed measures of adversity and emotional experiences. To assess stress recovery, participants were exposed to a lab-based adverse event from which a Laboratory Stress Resilience Index was derived. Results: We derived a residual-based measure of emotional resilience from regressing emotional experience scores onto adversity scores. This residual-based measure of emotional resilience predicted variance in the Laboratory Stress Resilience Index over and above that predicted by both a traditional resilience measure and the emotional experiences measure. These findings suggest that acute stress resilience may be a factor underpinning variation in emotional resilience, and that the residual-based approach to measuring resilience is sensitive to such variation in stress resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Adolescents are especially susceptible to the harmful effects of secondhand smoke exposure. Mental health issues may be one of these negative consequences. This study aimed to explore the association between secondhand smoke exposure and anxiety among Korean adolescents. Methods: This study used the nationwide representative cross-sectional data obtained from the 4-year (2020-2023) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey. In total, 214514 individuals aged 12–18 years were included in this study (109910 males and 104604 females). Secondhand smoke exposure was assessed based on responses to questions concerning the days they were exposed (at home and in public places), while anxiety levels were measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 scale. Multivariable logistic regression analysis divided by sex was performed to explore the association (p=0.0173 for interaction by secondhand smoke exposure and sex), and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: Among the study population, 8.8% of the male and 15.6% of the female participants had anxiety. After adjusting for covariates, adolescents with secondhand smoke exposure had a higher likelihood of reporting anxiety than those without the exposure (male, OR=1.23; 95% CI: 1.16–1.29; female, OR=1.27; 95% CI: 1.21–1.33). In additional stratified analyses, this association was more prominent among those who were never smokers, were exposed for more days, and had severe levels of anxiety. Conclusions: This study found that secondhand smoke exposure was associated with anxiety in adolescents; hence, proper political interventions to reduce secondhand smoke exposure may be required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between mental health, job satisfaction, and commitment among regular staff or employees working within an educational institution. A discussion of method queries includes descriptive correlation and causal research design. There are one hundred eighty-four (184) respondents 'of the Liceo de Cagayan University, who are randomly selected and meet the criteria of at least one (1) year and above in service. Survey questionnaires were adapted, modified, and used to gather the relevant data. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics such as mean, correlation, and regression are used. The findings of the study revealed that all eight (8) subvariables of mental health and job satisfaction have a statistically significant correlation to employees' level of commitment. This indicates that as the various factors, including those related to mental health and job satisfaction, increase, there is a corresponding increase in employees' commitment to the institution. Thus, the hypothesis positing a significant relationship between mental health, job satisfaction, and commitment among employees in the institution is supported and confirmed. We also found out that the variable that best predicts employees' commitment is personal life. As to the extent of the direct effect of the said predictor, for every one-point increase in personal life, the employees' commitment will have an increase of 0.237. Therefore, their personal lives affect their mental health. This may result in job dissatisfaction and affect their commitment to the institution, leading to a decision to leave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Adoption of potentially consciousness-altering practices may be leading to a rise in emergent phenomena (EP): sudden unusual mental or somatic experiences often interpreted as spiritual, mystical, energetic, or magical in nature. It is unclear how frequently these altered states of consciousness occur and what the clinical implications may be. Anecdotal accounts and prior literature suggest that EP may be common, under-reported, and followed by either positive or negative changes to well-being. We sought to supplement prior evidence on the prevalence and effects of EP among general populations with large-scale quantitative measurements. Method: We measured the prevalence of EP, while not on mind-altering substances, through completion of online surveys by representative samples from three international communities (n = 3135). The communities sampled were UK Qualtrics online panelists, US-based MTurk workers, and the readers of a popular rationalist blog. Samples were broadly representative of underlying populations. Results: Forty-five percent of participants reported experiencing non-pharmacologically induced EP at least once in their lives, including derealization (17%), unitive experiences (15%), ecstatic thrills (15%), vivid perceptions (11%), changes in perceived size (10%), bodily heat or electricity (9%), out-of-body experiences (8%), and perception of non-physical lights (5%). Respondents reported a mix of positive and negative well-being outcomes following EP, with 13% claiming moderate or greater suffering and 1.1% claiming life-threatening suffering. Of those who experienced suffering, 63% did not seek help. Conclusions: EP are widespread among the studied populations with potential for both positive and negative outcomes, the latter of which do not appear to be adequately addressed through recourse to clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Longitudinal studies have reported decreased mental health symptoms throughout the COVID-19 crisis, while others have found improvements or no changes across time. However, most research was carried out in developed countries, with a high incidence of COVID-19 and, in several cases, mandatory lockdowns. Considering that Uruguay (a developing country) had a low COVID-19 incidence at the moment of this study and has implemented a mild lockdown, we aimed to evaluate the effect of time and mobility (using Google mobility data) on symptoms of anxiety and depression. A longitudinal panel study with six repeated measures was carried out to evaluate depressive (BDI-II) and anxiety (STAI-S) symptoms during the pandemic. A decline in symptoms of anxiety and depression was found across time. Interestingly, this effect was modulated by age; a greater difference in the symptomatology between age groups was found at the beginning of the measurements than at the end, with the youngest reporting the most severe symptoms. Finally, we found that depressive symptoms decreased as mobility increased. Overall, our findings indicate an improvement in mental health as quarantine passed and mobility increased but following a different pattern depending on age. Monitoring these trajectories is imperative moving forward, especially in vulnerable groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children and Young People (CYP) from minoritized ethnic backgrounds experience structural inequalities in Children and Young People's Mental Health Settings (CYPMHS). This mixed methods study explores whether CYP's ethnicity is associated with their treatment outcomes (operationalised as 'measurable change') from CYPMHS. A multilevel multi-nominal regression analysis, controlling for age, gender, referral source, presenting difficulty, case closure reason, suggests that CYP from Asian backgrounds (OR = 0.82, CI [0.70, 0.96]) and Mixed-race (odds ratio (OR) = 0.80; 95% CI [0.69, 0.92]) are less likely to report measurable improvement in mental health difficulties compared to White British CYP. Three themes from a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 15 CYP from minoritized ethnic backgrounds focused on views and experiences of ending mental health support are also presented. CYP view personalised support and the right therapist as conducive to good endings and valued a range of outcomes pertaining to empowerment. Experiences of stigma and inequalities may begin to explain the less positive outcomes experienced by Asian and Mixed-race CYP found in the regression analysis. The implications of these findings and future areas of research are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) nursing has become more prominent with the increase in chronic HIV infections. This study examined articles related to HIV nursing to determine how the profession has developed and its future direction. Design: A bibliometric analysis was conducted. Methods: HIV nursing‐related articles published in the Web of Science core collection between 1999 and 2022 were searched. VOSviewer was used to identify the contributions of countries, institutions and authors in HIV‐related care. Collaborative maps, hot topics and keywords trends were analysed using VOSviewer and CiteSpace. Results: A total of 1513 publications were extracted. An increase in articles published between 1999 and 2012 was observed. After 2012, the increase in the number of publications was relatively stable. Since 2016, a downward trend in the number of publications has occurred. The USA, South Africa and the UK were the leading contributors to publications related to HIV nursing. The focus of the HIV nursing research has gradually shifted from "HIV infection", "risk factors", and "transmission routes" to "social support", "depression", and "public health". The result shows that increased collaboration among countries/regions can improve the development of HIV nursing and effectively reduce the global HIV infection rate. The mental health of patients has become a research centre in the field of HIV nursing. This study provides direction in clinical practice and future research areas in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anxiety and depressive disorders typically emerge in adolescence and can be chronic and disabling if not identified and treated early. School-based universal mental health screening may identify young people in need of mental health support and facilitate access to treatment. However, few studies have assessed the potential harms of this approach. This paper examines some of the potential mental health-related harms associated with the universal screening of anxiety and depression administered in Australian secondary schools. Methods: A total of 1802 adolescent students from 22 secondary schools in New South Wales, Australia, were cluster randomised (at the school level) to receive either an intensive screening procedure (intervention) or a light touch screening procedure (control). Participants in the intensive screening condition received supervised self-report web-based screening questionnaires for anxiety, depression and suicidality with the follow-up care matched to their symptom severity. Participants in the light touch condition received unsupervised web-based screening for anxiety and depression only, followed by generalised advice on help-seeking. No other care was provided in this condition. Study outcomes included the increased risk of anxiety, depression, psychological distress, decreased risk of help-seeking, increased risk of mental health stigma, determined from measures assessed at baseline, 6 weeks post-baseline, and 12 weeks post-baseline. Differences between groups were analysed using mixed effect models. Results: Participants in the intensive screening group were not adversely affected when compared to the light touch screening condition across a range of potential harms. Rather, participants in the intensive screening group were found to have a decreased risk of inhibited help-seeking behaviour compared to the light touch screening condition. Conclusions: The intensive screening procedure did not appear to adversely impact adolescents' mental health relative to the light touch procedure. Future studies should examine other school-based approaches that may be more effective and efficient than universal screening for reducing mental health burden among students. Trial registration Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12618001539224) https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=375821. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African American women have a higher likelihood of experiencing lifetime trauma compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Trauma exposure may be associated with higher substance misuse and greater adverse sexual and mental health outcomes. This study expands upon previous empirical findings to characterize the effect of trauma history on substance use, sexual health, and mental health among young African American women. This study included 560 African American women aged 18–24 years in Atlanta, Georgia. Trauma history was defined as having ever experienced a traumatic event based on the Traumatic Events Screening Inventory (TESI). Relative to women not reporting a trauma history and controlling for age, education, and employment, women who experienced trauma were over 2.5 and 2.3 times, respectively, more likely to report alcohol misuse and marijuana misuse. They were 3.0 times more likely to experience peer normative pressure for substance use. Women who experienced trauma were 2.1 times more likely to have multiple sex partners, 2.9 times more likely to have peer norms for risky sex, 1.8 times more likely to perceive barriers to using condoms with sex partners, 2.1 times more likely to report lower communication frequency about sex, 2.0 times more likely to report lower self-efficacy for refusing sex, and 1.9 times more likely to report less relationship control. Women with a trauma history were also 5.0 times more likely to have experienced intimate partner violence, 2.1 times more likely to report high depression symptomatology, 4.0 times more likely to report high overall stress, 3.2 times more likely to have worse coping skills, and 1.8 times more likely to have poor emotional regulation. Findings suggest that trauma history may increase myriad adverse psychosocial health outcomes. Screening for trauma history may help inform the provision of services. Intensified TESI screenings may help identify a history of trauma and assist in identifying adverse health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to extend the literature on psychological contracts, employee mental health, self-control and equity sensitivity among employees in Ghana. Data for this study came from a sample of 484 employees from an organisation in the telecommunication sector of Ghana. The details of the study were discussed with employees after which they were given the choice to participate in the study. The present study found that psychological contract breach is directly associated with mental health and indirectly related to mental health through equity sensitivity and self-control. The findings suggest that psychological contracts are important aspects of the employment relationship that could be used to enhance employee mental health. Furthermore, enhancing employees' self-control and resolving issues of individuals high on equity sensitivity are effective ways that organisations can deploy to sustain mental health in the face of psychological contract breaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic threatens to exacerbate the school psychology personnel crisis. There is a dearth of knowledge regarding how the pandemic has impacted school psychology trainers and course delivery. In this national study, 92 school psychology trainers completed an online questionnaire regarding technological instructional changes, job satisfaction, and their own mental health well-being during the pandemic. Findings suggest that during the portion of the pandemic assessed most trainers reported that they: (a) switched from in-person instruction to primarily online instruction, (b) were mostly satisfied with their jobs, and (c) generally experienced a positive sense of well-being. Furthermore, a sizable portion of those that switched to a mixture of hybrid and online instruction during the pandemic endorsed that they are likely to continue to use these modalities after the pandemic subsides. Unfortunately, although school psychology trainers presented as generally resilient workforce during the pandemic, almost 20% participants screened positive for possible depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Mental health inequalities across social identities/positions during the COVID-19 pandemic have been mostly reported independently from each other or in a limited way (e.g., at the intersection between age and sex or gender). We aim to provide an inclusive socio-demographic mapping of different mental health measures in the population using quantitative methods that are consistent with an intersectional perspective. Methods: Data included 8,588 participants from two British cohorts (born in 1990 and 2000–2002, respectively), collected in February/March 2021 (during the third UK nationwide lockdown). Measures of anxiety and depressive symptomatology, loneliness, and life satisfaction were analysed using Multilevel Analysis of Individual Heterogeneity and Discriminatory Accuracy (MAIHDA) models. Results: We found evidence of large mental health inequalities across intersectional strata. Large proportions of those inequalities were accounted for by the additive effects of the variables used to define the intersections, with some of the largest gaps associated with sexual orientation (with sexual minority groups showing substantially worse outcomes). Additional inequalities were found by cohort/generation, birth sex, racial/ethnic groups, and socioeconomic position. Intersectional effects were observed mostly in intersections defined by combinations of privileged and marginalised social identities/positions (e.g., lower-than-expected life satisfaction in South Asian men in their thirties from a sexual minority and a disadvantaged childhood social class). Conclusion: We found substantial inequalities largely cutting across intersectional strata defined by multiple co-constituting social identities/positions. The large gaps found by sexual orientation extend the existing evidence that sexual minority groups were disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Study implications and limitations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mental health literacy is receiving increasing research attention due to growing concerns for mental health globally. Among children, teachers have recently been recognized as playing a vital role in the recognition and reporting of potential mental health issues. Methods: A nationally sampled cross-section of teachers was surveyed to examine the discriminant validity of the mental health literacy measure across levels of teaching. A survey collected a total of n=369 teacher responses in Switzerland (Kindergarten = 76, Primary = 210, Secondary = 83). Item response theory (IRT) analyses were conducted. Results: Inspection of psychometric properties indicated removal of two weak performing items. The 15-item measure exhibited a significant mean difference, such that class-responsibility function scored higher (M= 2.86, SD = .45) than non-responsible function (M= 2.68, SD = .45) teachers [t(309) = -2.20, p = .01]. It also exhibited a significant mean difference, such that more subjective experienced scored higher (M= 2.86, SD = .45) than less subjective experienced (M= 2.68, SD = .45) teachers [t(210) = -8.66, p < .01]. Discussion: Hypotheses regarding age and role tenure were in the expected direction, but non-significant. The MHL measure for teachers demonstrated sound measurement properties supporting usage across teaching levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: As a multidimensional stressor, the COVID-19 pandemic posed a significant threat to mental health, with studies showing younger age groups to be particularly vulnerable. Thus, this study aimed to monitor mental health, potential risk/protective factors, and pandemic-related variables among young university students during the pandemic. Methods: Students of the University of Greifswald (M age = 23.0 years, 73.9% female) participated in five cross-sectional online surveys in December 2020 (N = 1,127), March 2021 (N = 760), June/July 2021 (N = 531), December 2021 (N = 1,226), and December 2022 (N = 814). Sociodemographic data, depression and anxiety severity, loneliness, quality of life, coping strategies, resilience, self-esteem, and emotion regulation were measured. First, results from December 2020 were compared to pre-pandemic normative data. Second, the time course during the pandemic was analyzed. Third, linear models were calculated to examine the influence of risk and protective factures on depression and anxiety severity. Results: Higher levels of depression, anxiety, and loneliness, as well as lower levels of self-esteem, physical and mental health, social relationships and well-being were found in December 2020 compared to pre-pandemic. Levels of depression and anxiety severity peaked in December 2022. Female sex, loneliness, and previous mental treatment showed associations with higher depression and anxiety severity, while higher self-esteem, resilience and use of reappraisal strategies appeared to act as protective factors. Discussion: The study indicates the pandemic's detrimental impact on students' mental health and quality of life. Identified risk and protective factors provide guidance for tailored prevention and treatment, as well as the design of measures for future pandemics and other crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe deterioration in mental health and disrupted care provision during the COVID-19 increased unmet needs for mental health. This review aimed to identify changes in mental health services for patients in response to the pandemic and understand the impact of the changes on patients and providers. Methods: Following the Cochrane guidance for rapid reviews, Cochrane CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase and PsycInfo were searched for empirical studies that investigated models of care, services, initiatives or programmes developed/evolved for patients receiving mental health care during COVID-19, published in English and undertaken in high-income countries. Thematic analysis was conducted to describe the changes and an effect direction plot was used to show impact on outcomes. Results: 33 of 6969 records identified were included reporting on patients' experiences (n = 24), care providers' experiences (n = 7) and mixed of both (n = 2). Changes reported included technology-based care delivery, accessibility, flexibility, remote diagnostics and evaluation, privacy, safety and operating hours of service provision. These changes had impacts on: (1) care access; (2) satisfaction with telehealth; (3) comparability of telehealth with face-to-face care; (4) treatment effectiveness; (5) continuity of care; (6) relationships between patients and care providers; (7) remote detection and diagnostics in patients; (8) privacy; (9) treatment length and (10) work-life balance. Conclusions: A shift to telecommunication technologies had a significant impact on patients and care providers' experiences of mental health care. Improvements to care access, flexibility, remote forms of care delivery and lengths of operating service hours emerged as crucial changes, which supported accessibility to mental health services, increased attendance and reduced dropouts from care. The relationships between patients and care providers were influenced by service changes and were vastly depending on technological literacy and context of patients and availability and care access ranging from regular contact to a loss of in-person contact. The review also identified an increase in care inequality and a feeling of being disconnected among marginalised groups including homeless people, veterans and ethic minority groups. Telehealth in mental care could be a viable alternative to face-to-face service delivery with effective treatment outcomes. Further research is needed to better understand the impact of the changes identified particularly on underserved populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Anales de Psicología is the property of Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Murcia 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.)

This study utilized a concurrent, triangulation mixed method design to explore pandemic mental health dynamics in the context of technology usage. We surveyed 406 adults from predominantly rural regions in the US (n = 118 LGBTQ+-identifying) (Step 1), and completed follow-up in-depth interviews with n = 43 LGBTQ + people from the original sample (Step 2). Our integrated findings highlight how LGBTQ + people’s heightened mental health concerns were related to downstream processes and patterns of heavily relying on certain technologies, smartphones in particular, during the pandemic. Service providers and policymakers can utilize the findings to tailor effective LGBTQ + programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children and young people who are care-experienced have poorer outcomes in comparison to their peers. The NSPCC states these young people are four times more likely to experience mental health difficulties (Bentley et al., 2016) and a recent meta-analysis indicated up to 46% of children in residential homes have symptoms of mental health difficulties (Westlake et al., 2023). Instability and transitions from care to independence further compound these difficulties. Services and professionals at this critical time are expected to reduce support and there are barriers in accessing adult services. As part of Stockport's Staying Close offer, a Wellbeing Hub has been incorporated. This psychology and social work led team aims to alleviate some of the challenges this cohort face through psychologically informed care pathways, staff support and training, direct interventions and support in transitioning to adult services. The Staying Close offer aims to bridge the gap between child and adult services to ensure young people receive needed support and are able to thrive during a critical period of their lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Need for Cognition (NFC) describes one's inclination towards and enjoyment of effortful cognitive activities and has been associated with favourable academic outcomes. Yet, recent evidence also points to beneficial outcomes regarding well-being. This review gives an overview of the literature on the role of NFC in well-being in healthy adults by combining random-effects meta-analyses and a qualitative integration of evidence. Studies investigating NFC and facets of well-being were acquired via database searches and a call for unpublished results. Higher NFC was found to be associated with lower neuroticism, anxiety, negative affect, burnout, public self-consciousness, and depression and with higher positive affect, private self-consciousness, and satisfaction (| | ~ .20 with 95% confidence intervals excluding zero for all examined outcomes). While tests for publication and selection bias in the meta-analyses were negative, heterogeneity was often observed. NFC was further associated with aspects of a more stable identity and higher social confidence, while associations with addictive behaviours and physical health were inconsistent. One mechanism driving these patterns seems to be a higher perceived control in individuals with higher NFC that increases active coping, but also reduces the effectiveness of health interventions by fostering a sense of overconfidence in own resources. Thus, this review provides a leverage point for future research on NFC and well-being to improve prevention and intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) seem to be a popular way to develop pre-adolescents' regulation abilities, psychological health, and life satisfaction, especially in difficult times. However, research into the effects of MBPs and factors influencing their effectiveness is still scarce and mixed. In the interest of understanding how MBPs can effectively be used to enhance pre-adolescents' regulation abilities, psychological health, and life satisfaction, this study aimed (a) to analyze and compare the effects of two 16-week-MBPs with different implementation dosages and (b) to evaluate the moderating role of participants characteristics on MBP effects. Method: During the COVID pandemic, we conducted this quasi-experimental study, in which we compared three groups of Portuguese sixth graders (n = 105): daily MBP group (one long plus four short lessons per week), weekly MBP group (one long lesson per week), and a control group receiving socioemotional instruction. In particular, we examined MBP effects on attentional control, emotion regulation, psychological distress, and life satisfaction. Also, we evaluated the moderating role of participants' gender, age, socioeconomic status, and baseline status on these effects. Results: In comparison to the other groups, the daily MBP showed lower expressive suppression and stress symptoms as well as higher life satisfaction. Moreover, both MBP groups reported greater cognitive reappraisal than the control group. While the effects of MBPs on emotion regulation were found to be moderated by gender, age, and baseline expressive suppression, no additional moderating effects were observed. Conclusions: These findings support the perspective that MBPs can serve as a broad preventive strategy, effectively promoting pre-adolescents' psychological health and life satisfaction during challenging times. Preregistration: This study is not preregistered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) experience increased rates of emotional and behavioral crises that necessitate assessment and intervention. Psychiatric disorders can contribute to crises; however, screening measures developed for the general population are inadequate for those with DD. Medical conditions can exacerbate crises and merit evaluation. Screening tools using checklist formats, even when designed for DD, are too limited in depth and scope for crisis assessments. The Sources of Distress survey implements a web-based branching logic format to screen for common psychiatric and medical conditions experienced by individuals with DD by querying caregiver knowledge and observations. Objective: This paper aims to (1) describe the initial survey development, (2) report on focus group and expert review processes and findings, and (3) present results from the survey's clinical implementation and evaluation of validity. Methods: Sources of Distress was reviewed by focus groups and clinical experts; this feedback informed survey revisions. The survey was subsequently implemented in clinical settings to augment providers' psychiatric and medical history taking. Informal and formal consults followed the completion of Sources of Distress for a subset of individuals. A records review was performed to identify working diagnoses established during these consults. Results: Focus group members (n=17) expressed positive feedback overall about the survey's content and provided specific recommendations to add categories and items. The survey was completed for 231 individuals with DD in the clinical setting (n=161, 69.7% men and boys; mean age 17.7, SD 10.3; range 2-65 years). Consults were performed for 149 individuals (n=102, 68.5% men and boys; mean age 18.9, SD 10.9 years), generating working diagnoses to compare survey screening results. Sources of Distress accuracy rates were 91% (95% CI 85%-95%) for posttraumatic stress disorder, 87% (95% CI 81%-92%) for anxiety, 87% (95% CI 81%-92%) for episodic expansive mood and bipolar disorder, 82% (95% CI 75%-87%) for psychotic disorder, 79% (95% CI 71%-85%) for unipolar depression, and 76% (95% CI 69%-82%) for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. While no specific survey items or screening algorithm existed for unspecified mood disorder and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, these conditions were caregiver-reported and working diagnoses for 11.7% (27/231) and 16.8% (25/149) of individuals, respectively. Conclusions: Caregivers described Sources of Distress as an acceptable tool for sharing their knowledge and insights about individuals with DD who present in crisis. As a screening tool, this survey demonstrates good accuracy. However, better differentiation among mood disorders is needed, including the addition of items and screening algorithm for unspecified mood disorder and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. Additional validation efforts are necessary to include a more geographically diverse population and reevaluate mood disorder differentiation. Future study is merited to investigate the survey's impact on the psychiatric and medical management of distress in individuals with DD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Psychotraumatology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd 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.)

Boredom is a ubiquitous emotion that has strong behavioral and mental health impacts. Research suggests that how people experience and regulate emotions is influenced by their beliefs about them. What lay beliefs about boredom do people have? The present research sought to answer this question using a mixed-methods approach. In Study 1, we conducted a series of individual and focus-group interviews (N = 29) to explore how people evaluate boredom. In Study 2, we developed and validated a 15-item self-report measure, the Boredom Beliefs Scale (BBS), in Hong Kong Chinese (N = 231) and American (N = 498) samples. In Study 3, we examined the scale's convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity in a British sample (N = 296). We identified three lay boredom beliefs—the extent to which people recognize the functions of boredom (boredom functionality), affectively dislike this emotion (boredom dislike), and believe its experience to be normal (boredom normalcy). The three-factor BBS was demonstrated to be a reliable and valid scale that showed meaningful relationships with measures of emotion beliefs, boredom, and well-being. Our findings enrich the current literature by introducing a new construct, boredom belief, which has both theoretical and applied significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Previous research suggests that the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were stronger during the first months of it. It has also been proposed that those impacts depended on gender and other social determinants. AIMS: We aim to describe the change in prevalence of mental health problems (symptoms of common mental disorders [CMD], alcohol, and drug use) between two time periods during the pandemic, and the association of mental health problems with social determinants, in adolescents and young adults in Mexico. METHODS: We conducted a repeated cross-section analysis of data from VoCes-19, an online survey in November 2020 to February 2021 and November 2021 to March 2022 (combined n = ×224,099). We assessed the change in the prevalence of mental health problems, the differences in prevalence and change in the prevalence by gender, and the association of social determinants and pandemic-related variables with mental health problems, by means of multivariate regression models. RESULTS: The prevalence of CMD decreased (46.0% vs. 42.4%), while the prevalence of alcohol (frequent use 8.4% vs. 10.3%) and drug use (4.6% vs. 7.7%) increased. The three conditions increased more among girls/young women and trans/queer/non-binary participants than among boys/young men. CONCLUSIONS: The results point to the importance of considering the gendered social context of young people. A better understanding of the social circumstances that relate with mental health is required to inform interventions for these age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical and empirical work within social psychology has highlighted the impact of the sense of distributive injustice —the evaluation of unfairness in the distribution of outcomes or rewards—and adverse mental health outcomes. Drawing on a sample of Canadian workers from the Canadian Work, Stress, and Health Study (CAN-WSH; N = 2,376), we consider whether three facets of religiosity—perceived divine control, religious attendance, and prayer—have stress buffering potency when it comes to perceived underpayment. We also test whether these associations vary by gender. Our results suggest that for men who reported being underpaid, higher levels of divine control were protective for psychological distress. By contrast, weekly religious attendance was a stress buffer for women who were underpaid. We draw from research at the intersection of sociology of religion and gender to interpret our findings. Taken as a whole, our findings underscore the importance of assessing religiously-based resources for individuals who perceive they are underpaid and speak to how understanding the effectiveness of coping resources, including those found within religious life, are contingent upon social status—a hallmark of the sociological tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Threatening or obscene messaging is repeated, unwanted texts, emails, letters or cards experienced by the recipient as threatening or obscene, and causing fear, alarm or distress. It is rarely examined as an aspect of intimate partner violence. We describe the prevalence of exposure to threatening/obscene messaging from a current or ex-partner; characteristics of victims; and associations with other forms of violence and abuse, mental disorder, self-harm, and suicidality. Methods: Cross-sectional probability-sample survey of the general population in England aged 16 +. Multivariable regression modelling tested associations between receipt of threatening/obscene messaging and current common mental disorder, past-year self-harm and suicidality. Results: Threatening/obscene messages were received from a current/ex-partner by 6.6% (95%CI: 5.9–7.3) of adults who had been in a relationship; 1.7% received these in the past year. Victims were more likely to be female, under 35, single or divorced, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and to have experienced other forms of sexual and partner violence and abuse. Those who received threatening/obscene messages in the past year were more likely to experience common mental disorder (adjusted odds ratio 1.89; 1.01–3.55), self-harm (2.31; 1.00–5.33), and suicidal thoughts (2.00; 1.06–3.78). Conclusion: Threatening/obscene messaging commonly occurs in the context of intimate partner violence. While often occurring alongside sexual and physical violence, messaging has an additional association with mental disorder and suicidality. Routine enquiry in service settings concerning safety, including those working with people who have escaped domestic violence, should ask about ongoing contact from previous as well as current partners. This should include asking about messaging, as well as other forms of potentially technology-enabled abuse which may become increasingly common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health problems bring substantial individual, community and societal costs and the need for innovation to promote good mental health and to prevent and treat mental health problems has never been greater. However, we know that research findings can take up to 20 years to implement. One way to push the pace is to focus researchers and funders on shared, specific goals and targets. We describe a consultation process organised by the Department of Health and Social Care and convened by the Chief Medical Officer to consider high level goals for future research efforts and to begin to identify UK-specific targets to measure research impact. The process took account of new scientific methods and evidence, the UK context with a universal health care system (the NHS) and the embedded research support from the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network, as well as the views of individual service users and service user organisations. The result of the consultation is a set of four overarching goals with the potential to be measured at intervals of three, five or ten years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The campus lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected mental health among university students. However, the heterogeneity in responses to campus lockdown is still poorly known. We collected threewave prospective data on university students' mental health in Shanghai, China, in 2022: (i) in February before the pandemic; (ii) in April at the initial COVID-19 campus lockdown; and (iii) in May amidst the citywide lockdown. Overall, 205 university students completed sociodemographic questionnaires, the General Health Questionnaire-12 items (GHQ-12), and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 items (DASS-21). Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the longitudinal changes in mental health and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Latent class mixed models (LCMM) were constructed to identify distinct trajectories. Multinomial regression models were used to identify factors associated with status variation patterns. Mean GHQ-12 scores were 8.49, 9.66, and 11.26 at pre-pandemic and lockdown T1 and T2, respectively (p <0.001). Mean scores for depression, anxiety, and stress were (5.96, 10.36, and 8.06, p <0.001), (7.13, 6.67, and 7.16, p =0.243), and (9.83, 7.28, and 11.43, p <0.001), respectively. Changing trends of numbers of participants with clinical symptoms were consistent with those of mean scores. LCMM fitted three distinct trajectory classes, respectively, for GHQ-12, depression and anxiety symptoms, and four classes for stress symptoms. Participants with fair or poor peer relationships were more likely to belong to vulnerable trajectories concerning depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. This study proves heterogeneity in mental health of university students in response to pandemic campus lockdown and highlights the necessity for identifying vulnerable groups to provide targeted support in future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the novel coronavirus had an impact not only on public health but also on the mental health of the population. Public sentiment on mental health and depression is often captured only in small, survey-based studies, while work based on Twitter data often only looks at the period during the pandemic and does not make comparisons with the pre-pandemic situation. We collected tweets that included the hashtags #MentalHealth and #Depression from before and during the pandemic (8.5 months each). We used LDA (Latent Dirichlet Allocation) for topic modeling and LIWC, VADER, and NRC for sentiment analysis. We used three machine-learning classifiers to seek evidence regarding an automatically detectable change in tweets before vs. during the pandemic: (1) based on TF-IDF values, (2) based on the values from the sentiment libraries, (3) based on tweet content (deep-learning BERT classifier). Topic modeling revealed that Twitter users who explicitly used the hashtags #Depression and especially #MentalHealth did so to raise awareness. We observed an overall positive sentiment, and in tough times such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, tweets with #MentalHealth were often associated with gratitude. Among the three classification approaches, the BERT classifier showed the best performance, with an accuracy of 81% for #MentalHealth and 79% for #Depression. Although the data may have come from users familiar with mental health, these findings can help gauge public sentiment on the topic. The combination of (1) sentiment analysis, (2) topic modeling, and (3) tweet classification with machine learning proved useful in gaining comprehensive insight into public sentiment and could be applied to other data sources and topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: School-based mindfulness interventions in children have shown benefits to child well-being. Here, we investigated the effectiveness of a remote, app-based mindfulness intervention for promoting well-being in children. Method: We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with two control groups to examine the effects of an 8-week mindfulness intervention in U.S. children ages 8–10. We compared pre-post effects between a mindfulness intervention using the Inner Explorer app, and two audiobook control interventions. The 279 children who participated in the interventions were assessed on self-report measures of anxiety and depression symptoms, perceived stress and trait mindfulness and we also collected parental reports. Results: Over 80% of children completed the intervention in each condition. There was evidence for reduced self-perceived stress in children and reduced negative affect in children by parental reports using the mindfulness app, but no significant reduction for anxiety or depression symptoms. In general, between-group effect sizes were small (d < 0.45). Regular use, defined as at least 30 days of mindfulness practice within the study period, was associated with reduced child negative affect by parental reports, as well as reduced parental stress and child self-perceived stress. Conclusions: These findings suggest that home use of a mindfulness app in young children can have a positive impact on children's emotional well-being if the app is used regularly, specifically for at least 30 days in the 8-week study period. Strategies aimed at promoting regular use of the mindfulness app at home could lead to even better outcomes for children. Preregistration: Preregistered on OSF at https://osf.io/23vax [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While infection rates, lockdown policies, and labor market conditions substantially varied across COVID-19 waves, the majority of evidence on young adults' mental health remains focused on initial responses in early 2020. The variability of the relationship between economic activity and mental health over time therefore remains poorly understood in this age group. Methods: Using linear mixed models, we investigated the relationship between current activity and changes in activity and mental distress (GHQ-12) among 1,390 young adults aged 16–34 via the UK Household Longitudinal Study COVID-19 survey. The association was explored in the first (from April to July 2020) and second (from September 2020 to March 2021) infection waves. Current activity was defined as "not working", "working <17.5 hours/week", "17.5–35 hours/week", and "> = 35 hours/week". Changes in activity were derived from current and pre-pandemic working hours and divided into four categories: "working with no reduced hours", "working fewer hours", "no longer working", and "did not work before the pandemic". Results: During the first wave, no association reached statistical significance. During the second wave: 1) compared to "currently not working", working 35 or more hours was associated with decreased distress (b = -1.54; 95%CI -2.39, -0.69) and working less than 17.5 hours was not (b = -0.62; 95%CI -1.66, 0.41); 2) compared to "working with no reduced hours compared with before the outbreak", no longer working was associated with increased distress (b = 1.58, 95%CI 0.61, 2.55) and working with reduced hours was not (b = 0.47, 95%CI -0.24, 1.17). Conclusion: Above the mental health inequalities experienced at the start of the pandemic, full-time work–even with variation in work hours–continued to be a protective factor against mental distress among young adults during the second wave in the UK. Stable, full-time work can better support this age group's mental well-being over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While studies from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic have described initial negative effects on mental health and exacerbating mental health inequalities, longer-term studies are only now emerging. Method: In total, 34 465 individuals in the UK completed online questionnaires and were re-contacted over the first 12 months of the pandemic. We used growth mixture modelling to identify trajectories of depression, anxiety and anhedonia symptoms using the 12-month data. We identified sociodemographic predictors of trajectory class membership using multinomial regression models. Results: Most participants had consistently low symptoms of depression or anxiety over the year of assessments (60%, 69% respectively), and a minority had consistently high symptoms (10%, 15%). We also identified participants who appeared to show improvements in symptoms as the pandemic progressed, and others who showed the opposite pattern, marked symptom worsening, until the second national lockdown. Unexpectedly, most participants showed stable low positive affect, indicating anhedonia, throughout the 12-month period. From regression analyses, younger age, reporting a previous mental health diagnosis, non-binary, or self-defined gender, and an unemployed or a student status were significantly associated with membership of the stable high symptom groups for depression and anxiety. Conclusions: While most participants showed little change in their depression and anxiety symptoms across the first year of the pandemic, we highlight the divergent responses of subgroups of participants, who fared both better and worse around national lockdowns. We confirm that previously identified predictors of negative outcomes in the first months of the pandemic also predict negative outcomes over a 12-month period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]