Effectiveness of school-based mental health playgroups for diagnosable and at-risk preschool children.
This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of an on-site integrated school-based mental health services and consultation program for preschool children and their families. The sample consisted of 47 children and parents in 3 childcare centers who came from low-socioeco nomic, urban backgrounds. Parents provided questionnaire data on children’s social-emotional functioning at 2 assessment times. Children’s ages ranged between 2 and 4 years at Time 1. Approximately half of the sample consisted of children who were selected for and received twice-weekly peer play psychotherapy (PPP) and, at-times, other mental heal...
Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - June 20, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Bekar, Özlem; Shahmoon-Shanok, Rebecca; Steele, Miriam; Levy, Jaclyn; deFressine, Lauren; Giuseppone, Katie; Steele, Howard Source Type: research

Mental health treatment seeking patterns and preferences of Appalachian women with depression.
This study’s findings reiterate the need for improved quality and increa sed availability of depression treatment in rural areas. In addition, culturally appropriate depression interventions must acknowledge rural cultural values of self-reliance and barriers to obtaining social support that lead many women to endure depression in isolation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry)
Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - June 20, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Snell-Rood, Claire; Hauenstein, Emily; Leukefeld, Carl; Feltner, Frances; Marcum, Amber; Schoenberg, Nancy Source Type: research

Vicarious resilience: Complexities and variations.
This article presents results from a qualitative study further exploring the concept of vicarious resilience. Thirteen therapists working with survivors of torture in 3 different locations were interviewed to better understand the complexities and variations of vicarious resilience. The analysis focuses on the therapists ’ perception of clients’ resilience and the therapists’ awareness of how this affects the therapists themselves. Four major themes emerge: change in the therapists’ self-perception and their general outlook on the world, altered spirituality, modified thoughts about self-care, and new views on trau...
Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - June 19, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Edelkott, No ëmi; Engstrom, David W.; Hernandez-Wolfe, Pilar; Gangsei, David Source Type: research

Population targeting amid complex mental health programming: Are California ’s Full Service Partnerships reaching underserved children?
California ’s Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) created Full Service Partnership programs (FSPs) targeting socially and economically vulnerable children with mental illness who are underserved by counties’ public mental health treatment system. To determine whether FSPs reach a distinctive group of childre n, this study compares indicators of FSP-targeted underservice for FSP entrants (n = 15,598) versus everyone treated in the counties’ public mental health systems (n = 282,178) and for FSP entrants versus entrants in the most intensive Medicaid delivered program in California, Therapeutic Behavior al Services (TBS,...
Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - June 2, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Cordell, Katharan D.; Snowden, Lonnie R. Source Type: research

The moderating role of cultural affiliation in the link between emotional closeness to grandparents and adolescent adjustment difficulties and prosocial behavior.
A growing body of research has shown the positive contribution of grandparents to adolescents ’ well-being. However, studies often overlook the cultural context in which this relationship is embedded. The current study examined whether emotional closeness to the grandparent identified by the adolescents as their closest grandparent varied among Arab and Jewish adolescents and whether cultu ral affiliation serves as a moderator in the association between emotional closeness to grandparents and adolescent adjustment difficulties and prosocial behaviors. The study was based on a sample of 2,751 Jewish and Arab secondary sch...
Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - June 1, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Attar-Schwartz, Shalhevet; Khoury-Kassabri, Mona Source Type: research

The process of desistance among core ex-gang members.
Research has established robust links between gang membership, delinquency, violence and victimization. Yet studies examining the process of gang desistance in general and that of core gang members in particular, are quite rare. The current study aims to identify factors associated with desistance of core gang members as well as describe the nature of the process that these “formers” have undergone. Thirty-nine core ex-gang members (80% males and 20% females) from the San Francisco Bay area and Los Angeles, with an average length of 11.6-years gang membership, were interviewed regarding their involvement in the gang an...
Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - May 30, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Berger, Rony; Abu-Raiya, Hisham; Heineberg, Yotam; Zimbardo, Philip Source Type: research

Obsessive –compulsive disorder in African American children and adolescents: Risks, resiliency, and barriers to treatment.
This article reviews risk factors, protective factors, and barriers to treatment in African American children and adolescents with OCD. This review conceptualizes cultural differences in symptomology, low income, reduced access to care, racism, and mental health stigma, as risk factors. Also d iscussed are the roles of family factors in the development and maintenance of the disorder, including family accommodations, conflictual family communication, and parenting styles. Potential protective factors are also examined, including a positive ethnic identity, social support, present-centered time orientation, and religious co...
Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - May 30, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Williams, Monnica T.; Jahn, Matthew E. Source Type: research

Psychometric properties of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory for Children in Chilean population affected by the earthquake of 2010.
The present study examines the psychometric properties of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory for Children in its brief version (PTGI –C-R; Kilmer et al., 2009), an inventory that measured positive personal changes that occur after experiencing a traumatic event. The PTGI-C-R was applied to 393 children from 10 to 15 years of age affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Chile February 27, 2010. The scale showed good internal co nsistency and discriminant validity in relation to an inventory of posttraumatic stress symptoms. It was also able to discriminate between children who had high exposure to the earthquake and chil...
Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - May 22, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Andrades, Mariela; Garc ía, Felipe E.; Reyes-Reyes, Alejandro; Martínez-Arias, Rosario; Calonge, Isabel Source Type: research

Potentially traumatic events and mental health problems among children of Iraqi refugees: The roles of relationships with parents and feelings about school.
This study examined mental health problems among children of Iraqi refugees, most of whom were Christian. Exposure to potentially traumatic events was hypothesized to predict more symptoms of depression and traumatic stress. Moreover, youth reports of supportive relationships with parents and positive feelings about school were examined in relation to mental health problems. These promotive factors were expected to mitigate the hypothesized association between traumatic event exposure and mental health problems. Participants were 211 youth recruited from agencies and programs serving Iraqi refugees in a large metropolitan ...
Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - May 18, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Trentacosta, Christopher J.; McLear, Caitlin M.; Ziadni, Maisa S.; Lumley, Mark A.; Arfken, Cynthia L. Source Type: research

Sex and the nursing home.
This article addresses the ability to assessed competence to consent to sex in similar situations. The current rules and attitudes about senior sex in nursing homes needs to be reevaluated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry)
Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - May 18, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Levine, Murray Source Type: research

Optimizing foster family placement for infants and toddlers: A randomized controlled trial on the effect of the foster family intervention.
This study shows that the FFI has a significant positive effect on parenting skills as measured with EAS and on Responsiveness of the foster child. Findings are discussed in terms of impact and significance relating to methodology and design of the study and to clinical relevance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry)
Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - May 18, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Van Andel, Hans; Post, Wendy; Jansen, Lucres; Van der Gaag, Rutger Jan; Knorth, Erik; Grietens, Hans Source Type: research

Domestic violence survivors’ empowerment and mental health: Exploring the role of the alliance with advocates.
This study explored in a sample of help-seeking survivors (N = 370) whether the strength of the alliance between survivors and their advocates is related to lower symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and whether this association is mediated by survivors’ sense of empowerment in the domain of safety. The structural equation model we tested also controlled for variables that might influence these relationships, including race/ethnicity, financial strain, and length of stay in the program. As expected, stronger alliance was associated with reduced symptoms of both depression and PTSD, through the ...
Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - May 18, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Goodman, Lisa A.; Fauci, Jennifer E.; Sullivan, Cris M.; DiGiovanni, Craig D.; Wilson, Joshua M. Source Type: research

“Calculating The Toll Of Trauma” in the headlines: Portrayals of posttraumatic stress disorder in the New York Times (1980–2015).
Public awareness about traumatic stress is needed to address trauma as a public health issue. News media influence public awareness, but little is known about how traumatic-related disorders are portrayed in the news. A content analysis was conducted of all articles that mentioned posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in The New York Times between 1980 –2015. There were 871 articles analyzed. The number of PTSD articles published annually increased dramatically, from 2 in 1980 to 70 in 2014. Overall, 50.6% of articles were focused on military populations. Combat was identified as the trauma exposure in 38.0% of articles, ...
Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - May 15, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Purtle, Jonathan; Lynn, Katherine; Malik, Mashal Source Type: research

A grounded theory of bisexual individuals ’ experiences of help seeking.
Bisexual people constitute the largest sexual minority group in North America and experience significant mental health disparities in relation to heterosexuals, gays, and lesbians. In this article, we will examine the process and experience of help seeking among bisexuals. This was a community-based study that collected qualitative interview data from 41 diverse bisexual people from across Ontario, Canada. We analyzed the interview data using grounded theory and constructed an understanding of bisexuals ’ experiences of help seeking. We have conceptualized an overarching model that illustrates 4 interrelated stages: (a) ...
Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - May 4, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: MacKay, Jenna; Robinson, Margaret; Pinder, Sarah; Ross, Lori E. Source Type: research

Psychological health and academic success in rural Appalachian adolescents exposed to physical and sexual interpersonal violence.
We present baseline rates of each form of IPV for these rural male and female adolescents and assessed the strength and statistical significance of these associations between physical and sexual IPV and other risk factors using χ2 tests and relative risk ratios. Results suggested that each form of IPV was associated with greater risk for depression and suicidal behaviors, substance use, risky sexual behaviors for both sexes, and lower academic grades for females. Relative risk ratios tended to be more robust and statistic ally significant for females compared with males on most risk behaviors. Furthermore, victimization f...
Source: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry - May 4, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Martz, Denise M.; Jameson, John Paul; Page, Amy Dellinger Source Type: research