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Background: Mental illness is among the most common health conditions in the U.S., yet clients needing mental health services such as psychotherapy may not be able to receive these services because of mental health providers such as psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs). PMHNP students could be used as future clinicians to address this gap. However, little is known about PMHNP students' attitudes, knowledge, and modality preferences for providing psychotherapy. Aims: The purpose of this study was to qualitatively assess how PMHNP students' attitudes, knowledge, and modality preferences may change after educational exposure to this content in theories and modalities of psychotherapy course in a post-master's PMHNP program. Methods: A qualitative description design was used to collect data from formal writing assignments of 33 PMHNP students at the beginning and end of a one-semester course on theories and psychotherapy modalities. Responses were analyzed to form themes and categories while maintaining qualitative rigor. Results: Attitudes, knowledge, and preferred psychotherapeutic modalities changed from the beginning of the course when compared to the end. An increase in comfort, knowledge, and the preferred number of modalities increased both qualitatively and quantitatively throughout the course. Conclusions: Providing psychotherapy is an essential skill that is an important component of PMHNP education. More research is needed to learn the most efficient ways to increase attitudes, knowledge, and preferred modality. PMHNP faculty should encourage students to develop and refine beginning competency in psychotherapy during PMHNP educational programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data collected from the Florida Medical Monitoring Project, we sought to compare the prevalence of overall HIV-related stigma, including its subdimensions among persons with HIV and disability(s) and persons with HIV without disability in Florida. Disability was classified as having difficulty in one or more areas: activity limitations, participation restrictions, and functional or sensory activities. HIV-related stigma was assessed using the HIV Stigma Scale, which measures (1) overall stigma (2) negative self-image, (3) personalized, and (4) anticipated stigma. Multivariate analysis indicates that the crude prevalence ratios of overall stigma, including negative self-image, personalized, and anticipated stigma among persons with HIV and disability(s) were 1.43, 1.24, 1.20, and 1.23 compared to persons with HIV without disability, respectively. After adjusting for confounders, the prevalence ratios of HIV-related stigma ranged from 1.33–1.07 among persons with HIV and disability(s) compared to persons with HIV without disability. The implications of these findings reveal that persons with HIV and disability(s) are more vulnerable to HIV-related stigma. Researchers could consider distinct stigma interventions tailored towards persons with HIV and disability(s) in Florida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loneliness has reached epidemic proportions, affecting nearly one-in-two adults in the United States and is particularly potent in sexually minoritized men (SMM). Individual differences in optimism and pessimism may exert protective or maladaptive effects for the impact of discrimination on loneliness. This study investigated interrelationships between optimism/pessimism, discrimination, and loneliness within a sample of sexual minoritized men (SMM). Self-report data from 103 SMM were used from a six-month study from August 2020 to February 2022 in South Florida. A novel chronicity-based coding approach was used to determine whether associations of optimism/pessimism and loneliness vary based on different frequencies of exposure to discrimination. Hierarchical multivariable regression models were conducted to examine associations of optimism-pessimism and the moderating effect of chronicity-based discrimination on loneliness. SMM reporting higher pessimism and lower optimism reported greater levels of loneliness and exposure to discrimination, and chronicity-based discrimination was negatively associated with optimism, and positively associated with pessimism. Associations of optimism, but not pessimism, with loneliness were moderated by discrimination. Among the sample, optimism had a protective effect on loneliness for those experiencing moderate exposure to discrimination. Future research should consider the longitudinal impact of optimism/pessimism and discrimination on loneliness among SMM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]