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The effect of the "Adapted-Coping with Stress" (A-CWS) intervention on social support coping was examined, using a randomized controlled trial design. The participants were 410 ninth-grade students (ages 14 to 16 years and mostly African American) living in low-resourced neighborhoods. Participants were randomly assigned 1:1 to either the A-CWS intervention or a standard care control condition. All participants were assessed at their schools before implementation of the intervention, at intervention completion, and again at 6- and 12-month post-intervention. Engagement in social support coping was examined in both intention-to-treat and treatment-as-received samples (i.e., intervention participants who attended at least 12 A-CWS treatment sessions and participants in the standard care control condition), using latent growth models. In intention-to-treat analyses, no significant treatment effects were identified. In treatment-as-received analyses, results revealed a significant association between social support coping and treatment condition; levels of social support coping decreased over time in the control condition, but they remained relatively stable in the treatment condition. The results indicate adequate intervention adherence and efficacy of the A-CWS to sustain social support coping within a sample of youth at high risk for stress exposure and associated disorders.

Objective: We sought to identify the general health of college students. Participants: A total of 4402 university freshmen and sophomores were recruited to report their general health through an online questionnaire. Methods: Responses from the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire were analyzed. We then conducted latent class analyses to evaluate 54 different symptoms among participants. Results: A four class solution was identified, consisting of a group of asymptomatic students (35.65%), a second group of students reporting mild fatigue and sleep symptoms (38.87%), a third group reporting moderate sleep and fatigue symptoms (20.36%), and a group reporting moderate and severe complaints on the majority of symptoms (5.11%). Female students had 2.07 times the relative risk of the severe symptom class of men. Indigenous students have 2.88 times the relative risk of occupying the severe symptom class than non-indigenous students. Conclusions: The results suggest that about 5% of college students have varied symptoms of a moderate to severe degree. Future research is needed to better assess whether there are biological associations with these self-report findings, as well as to determine longer-term implications of these symptoms.

Several websites have offered patients opportunities to find out whether they meet the case definitions for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The current study describes a new online screener that can be completed by individuals who might like to determine if they meet the current ME/CFS criteria. The website is available for anyone to use, and the feedback is more comprehensive than other site, particularly in providing data on how the participants' data compares with a large ME/CFS patient population, as well as whether the current ME and ME/CFS case definitions are met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long COVID shares a number of clinical features with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), including post-exertional malaise, severe fatigue, and neurocognitive deficits. Utilizing validated assessment tools that accurately and efficiently screen for these conditions can facilitate diagnostic and treatment efforts, thereby improving patient outcomes. In this study, we generated a series of random forest machine learning algorithms to evaluate the psychometric properties of the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire-Short Form (DSQ-SF) in classifying large groups of adults with Long COVID, ME/CFS (without Long COVID), and healthy controls. We demonstrated that the DSQ-SF can accurately classify these populations with high degrees of sensitivity and specificity. In turn, we identified the particular DSQ-SF symptom items that best distinguish Long COVID from ME/CFS, as well as those that differentiate these illness groups from healthy controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most pediatric prevalence studies of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) have been based upon data from tertiary care centers, a process known for systematic biases such as excluding youth of lower socioeconomic status and those less likely to have access to health care. In addition, most pediatric ME/CFS epidemiologic studies have not included a thorough medical and psychiatric examination. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of pediatric ME/CFS from an ethnically and sociodemographically diverse community-based random sample. Method: A sample of 10,119 youth aged 5-17 from 5622 households in the Chicagoland area were screened. Following evaluations, a team of physicians made final diagnoses. Youth were given a diagnosis of ME/CFS if they met criteria for three selected case definitions. A probabilistic, multi-stage formula was used for final prevalence calculations. Results: The prevalence of pediatric ME/CFS was 0.75%, with a higher percentage being African American and Latinx than Caucasian. Of the youth diagnosed with ME/CFS, less than 5% had been previously diagnosed with the illness. Conclusions: Many youth with the illness have not been previously diagnosed with ME/CFS. These findings point to the need for better ways to identify and diagnose youth with this illness.

Social validity focuses on a program's goals, procedures, and outcome, which helps determine if an intervention is socially acceptable and valued. This study represents a conceptual replication of the investigation by Lane and colleagues (2009) regarding the psychometric properties of the Primary Intervention Rating Scale (PIRS), a teacher survey designed to measure social validity of positive behavior support. Lane and colleagues' results indicated the PIRS was a one-factor measure with strong reliability and structural validity. To substantiate these findings, we distributed an adapted version of the PIRS to teachers from a school district in the Mountain West region. We collected data from 153 elementary and middle school teachers and computed results with a series of statistical analyses including confirmatory factor analyses as well as Cronbach's alpha and Raykov's rho. We affirmed the findings of the PIRS as a one-factor measure with strong internal consistency and no significant differences in scores based on the school level. Study limitations and implications are addressed.

The background of this study was an investigation of a sustainability issue involving how to deal with increasing deaths due to substance use as well as housing instability among those with substance use problems. Our study investigated the relationship between community-level women's employment and two key variables within Oxford House recovery homes: levels of employment and the sharing of resources among residents. These variables are crucial for the sustainability of recovery homes as they contribute to maintaining an ecological balance in communities. For our methods, we gathered data from recovery homes located in three different regions of the United States. The focus was on examining how women's employment rates in these communities correlate with the employment statuses of house residents and their resource-sharing behaviors. Regarding the results, we found a positive association between rates of employment among women in these communities and employment within the recovery housesand resource lending among residents. We conclude that women's employment at the community-level appears to be a significant macro-level factor that promotes supportive social and environmental policies. These community-level policies enhance employment opportunities and encourage interpersonal sharing within recovery homes, contributing to ecological balance and sustainability in terms of environmental, economic, and social dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates shifts in the modality of addiction recovery communities from person‐to‐person interactions to virtual platforms in the context of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. Our study involves members of the Oxford House recovery homes (n = 284), a major network of recovery‐supportive housing in the United States and abroad. Many residents participate in 12‐step meetings during their stay, traditionally conducted in‐person, but due to physical distancing regulations, many of these meetings transitioned to virtual platforms. We collected cross‐sectional survey data focusing on user perceptions of virtual 12‐step meetings in terms of accessibility, cost, convenience, support network strength and recovery network quality. Our study found significant differences in perceptions among different demographic groups, suggesting challenges in transitioning recovery support to online platforms. Notably, participants aged 46 and older showed a greater propensity to use online recovery forums and found online meetings convenient. Non‐White individuals and women demonstrated a more favourable perception of online meetings—a trend that also held true among those with at least some college education. Furthermore, the results show that those who initiated their recovery prior to the COVID‐19 lockdown viewed online methods more favourably, particularly in terms of accessibility and cost. Our data also revealed that participants who were categorically involved in 12‐step recovery (Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous) demonstrated a more positive perception of online methods in terms of the strength of social networks and social support quality, despite some resistance to virtual transition and maintaining focus. Further research is needed to understand these nuanced impacts and develop strategies to enhance the effectiveness of online recovery meetings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exit from active substance use presents barriers to achieving and maintaining health, especially as individuals lack the economic resources to afford healthcare access. Treatment settings that strengthen resources may support stability in recovery and influence health. Analyzing a sample of recovery home residents over two years (N = 494), the current study assessed individually held resources (e.g., wages, employment) and the average economic conditions of a resident's house (e.g., house employment rate) to understand their association with self-reported health status. Employment status, but not wages or transportation access, was associated with reported health scores. The average employment rate of a recovery home was also positively correlated with the health of its residents. Results indicate the need to address employment and other economic issues which plague recovering individuals. Community aftercare settings may offer such a pathway through affordable housing, employment opportunities, and supportive relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

American children spend an average of 6 hours and 32 minutes each day using various forms of media. Research has suggested that this high level of exposure has a negative impact on children's attitudes and behaviors. For example, media violence increases aggression in children, especially video games which allows children to be the aggressor and obtain rewards for violent acts against others. In addition, media influences sexual behaviors and attitudes by sending contradictory messages that glamorize sexual activity and disregard the risks of such behaviors. Along with these negative behavioral influences, media also impacts children's health and is linked to the rise of childhood obesity. From 1980 to 2000, rates of children being overweight have doubled, while obesity continually is associated with higher rates of hypertension, asthma, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The majority of research has found a link between the amount of time children spend watching TV and their body weight. Given that 81% of children age 2-7 use media unsupervised (Kaiser Family Foundation, 1999), parents need to play a more active role in monitoring their children's use of electronic entertainment activities and structuring socialization activities. In this article, we will review behavioral technologies to assist parents in reducing their children's media use.

This article focuses on individuals with Long COVID after contracting SARS-CoV-2. Although some patients have complications such as diabetes mellitus or tissue damage to the heart or lungs as a result of SARS-CoV-2 infection, our research focuses on individuals who have persistent symptoms that are not consistent with major organ dysfunction. The current article reviews methodological and conceptual issues that need to be considered in the development and use of a case definition for Long COVID and discusses the significance of appropriately phrasing questions assessing symptoms, specifying thresholds for when to count a symptom, determining how many symptoms should be required for a diagnosis, assessing symptoms over time, using multiple assessment modalities, and differentiating symptomatology from functionality. Dealing with these issues, particularly triangulating data from multiple sources, allows investigators to develop a more reliable and valid way to assess Long COVID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]