Acculturation, Internalizing Mental Health Symptoms, and Self-Esteem: Cultural Experiences of Latino Adolescents in North Carolina

In Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, the wildfire of May 2016 forced the population of 88,000 to rapidly evacuate in a traumatic and chaotic manner. Ten percentage of the homes in the city were destroyed, and many more structures were damaged. Since youth are particularly vulnerable to negative effects of natural disasters, we examined possible long-term psychological impacts. To assess this, we partnered with Fort McMurray Public and Catholic Schools, who surveyed Grade 7–12 students (aged 11–19) in November 2017, 2018, and 2019—i.e., at 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 years after the wildfire. The survey included validated measurement scales for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, drug use, alcohol use, tobacco use, quality of life, self-esteem, and resilience. Data analysis was done on large-scale anonymous surveys including 3,070 samples in 2017; 3,265 samples in 2018; and 3,041 samples in 2019. The results were unexpected and showed that all mental health symptoms increased from 2017 to 2019, with the exception of tobacco use. Consistent with this pattern, self-esteem and quality of life scores decreased. Resilience scores did not change significantly. Thus, mental health measures worsened, in contrast to our initial hypothesis that they would improve over time. Of note, we observed higher levels of mental health distress among older students, in females compared to male students, and in individuals with a minority gender identity, including transgender and gender-non-conforming individuals. These findings demonstrate that deleterious mental health effects can persist in youth for years following a wildfire disaster. This highlights the need for multi-year mental health support programs for youth in post-disaster situations. The indication that multi-year, post-disaster support is warranted is relatively novel, although not unknown. There is a need to systematically investigate factors associated with youth recovery following a wildfire disaster, as well as efficacy of psychosocial strategies during later phases of disaster recovery relative to early post-disaster interventions.

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Home Is Where You Hang Your Hat: Host Town Identity, But Not Hometown Identity, Protects Against Mental Health Symptoms Associated with Financial Stress

Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology ◽

10.1521/jscp.2018.37.3.159 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 37 (3) ◽

pp. 159-181 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

A. Elahi ◽

J. C. McIntyre ◽

C. Hampson ◽

H. J. Bodycote ◽

K. Sitko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Population Survey ◽

Financial Stress ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Survey Study ◽

Health Study ◽

Place Of Residence ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Health Symptoms ◽

Local Neighborhood

Debt and financial insecurity are associated with stress, low self-worth, and poor health. Joining and identifying with social groups (social identification) promotes better health and higher self-esteem. Here, we examined whether identifying with one's local neighborhood protected people from developing mental health symptoms associated with financial stress. We analyzed data from a general population survey (Study 1, N = 4319) and a student mental health survey (Study 2, N = 612) conducted in the North West of England. We administered measures of financial stress, self-esteem, neighborhood identity, and mental health, and conducted moderated mediation analyses to test our predictions. Study 1 (population survey) demonstrated that stronger identification with one's local neighborhood attenuated the adverse effects of financial stress on self-esteem and subsequent mental health. Study 2 (student survey) showed that strong host town identities buffered students from mental health symptoms related to financial stress. Strong hometown identities, however, showed no buffering effect. The findings suggest that one way financial stress impacts mental health is by eroding self-esteem. Identifying with one's current place of residence appears to disrupt this pathway, while identifying with one's previous place of residence does not provide the same psychological protection.

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The efficacy of exercise referral as an intervention for Irish male prisoners presenting with mental health symptoms

International Journal of Prisoner Health ◽

10.1108/ijph-12-2016-0073 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 109-123 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Shay O’Toole ◽

Jim Maguire ◽

Pearse Murphy

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Control Group ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Health Symptoms ◽

Content Type ◽

Male Prisoners ◽

Exercise Referral ◽

Positive Results

Purpose The use of exercise as an intervention to improve health in the general population is well documented. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether an exercise referral scheme can be an effective health promotion tool for male prisoners in Ireland, presenting with mental health symptoms. Design/methodology/approach This mixed methods study with a pre- and post-intervention design was conducted in Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, which has a capacity for approximately 790 prisoners. Reliable and validated symptom assessment scales were used to assess levels of depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem and anger amongst a sample of 40 prisoners pre- and post-intervention. The scales used were the Depression, Anxiety and Stress scale or DASS-42 (Lovibond and Lovibond, 1995), the Novaco Anger Scale (Novaco, 1994), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) and the Zung Self-Rated Anxiety Scale (Zung, 1971). Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with a subset of the participants post-intervention to further test and contextualise the symptom ratings. The data gathered from the self-rating scales were imported into SPSS 22 for statistical testing for significance. Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test was then used to measure significance of changes. Thematic analysis was performed on the qualitative data. Findings In the post-intervention, significant levels of improvement were achieved in the levels of depression, anxiety (DASS), anxiety (Zung), stress, anger, and self-esteem for 29 of the 30 prisoners who completed the study. The incidence of normal mood scores rose from 33 to 90 per cent after the intervention; the incidence of extremely severe scores for anxiety changed from 40 to 7 per cent, severe stress scores changed from 27 to 3 per cent, normal stress levels rose from 17 to 73 per cent, marked anger ratings reduced from 40 to 3 per cent and low self-esteem levels reduced from 20 per cent of participants pre-intervention to 7 per cent post-intervention. In the main, participants perceived the experiences and outcomes of the intervention positively. Research limitations/implications There are some limitations to the design of this study. Operational circumstances within the prison at the start of this study prevented the authors from accessing a larger sample. A control group would add greatly to the study but this was not possible within a single prison setting. The possible influence of extraneous variables such as increased attention and social contact, and more time out of one’s cell may have contributed to improved symptom scores as much as the exercise intervention in this study. This possibility was recognised from the outset but the authors proceeded because the aim was to test if an exercise referral package (and all that inevitably goes with that) would make a difference for symptomatic prisoners. Practical implications The organisation and smooth running of the intervention and the positive results therein underpinned the practicality of this project. The significantly positive results contribute new knowledge to the profile of Irish male prisoners’ mental health. Social implications This study could be the foundation for a larger study or set of studies which should include a control group and one or more female prisoner cohorts. The impact of positive changes in prisoners’ mental health on the prison staff and environment could also be researched. This type of study could lead to important social implications in relation to its impact on prisoner rehabilitation. Originality/value This study was the first of its kind to explore the effectiveness of exercise referral as a health promotion intervention for Irish male prisoners presenting with mental health symptoms.

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Predictors of Mental Health Symptoms, Automatic Thoughts, and Self-Esteem Among University Students

Psychological Reports ◽

10.1177/0033294117707945 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 120 (4) ◽

pp. 650-669 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Duygu Hiçdurmaz ◽

Figen İnci ◽

Sevilay Karahan

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

University Students ◽

Predictive Factors ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Health Problems ◽

Automatic Thoughts ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Health Symptoms ◽

The Relationship

University youth is a risk group regarding mental health, and many mental health problems are frequent in this group. Sociodemographic factors such as level of income and familial factors such as relationship with father are reported to be associated with mental health symptoms, automatic thoughts, and self-esteem. Also, there are interrelations between mental health problems, automatic thoughts, and self-esteem. The extent of predictive effect of each of these variables on automatic thoughts, self-esteem, and mental health symptoms is not known. We aimed to determine the predictive factors of mental health symptoms, automatic thoughts, and self-esteem in university students. Participants were 530 students enrolled at a university in Turkey, during 2014–2015 academic year. Data were collected using the student information form, the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Mental health symptoms, self-esteem, perception of the relationship with the father, and level of income as a student significantly predicted automatic thoughts. Automatic thoughts, mental health symptoms, participation in family decisions, and age had significant predictive effects on self-esteem. Finally, automatic thoughts, self-esteem, age, and perception of the relationship with the father had significant predictive effects on mental health symptoms. The predictive factors revealed in our study provide important information to practitioners and researchers by showing the elements that need to be screened for mental health of university students and issues that need to be included in counseling activities.

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Acculturation Risk and Protective Factors and Mental Health Symptoms in Immigrant Latino Adolescents

Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment ◽

10.1300/10911350802107710 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 33-55 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Paul R. Smokowski ◽

Mimi V. Chapman ◽

Martica L. Bacallao

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Protective Factors ◽

Risk And Protective Factors ◽

Latino Adolescents ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Health Symptoms

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Psychological symptomatology, self-esteem and life satisfactions of women from polygamous and monogamous marriages in Syria

International Social Work ◽

10.1177/0020872814562478 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 60 (1) ◽

pp. 196-207 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Alean Al-Krenawi ◽

Yaniv Kanat-Maymon

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Life Satisfaction ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Health Practice ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Mental Health Practice ◽

Health Symptoms ◽

Psychological Symptomatology ◽

Mental Health Symptomatology

This study is the first to examine and compare the psychological symptomatology, self-esteem and life satisfaction of women in polygamous and monogamous relationships in Syria. A convenience sample of 276 women was studied, of whom 163 were senior wives in polygamous marriages and 113 were wives in monogamous marriages. Findings revealed that senior wives in polygamous marriages experienced lower self-esteem, less life satisfaction and more mental health symptomatology than women in monogamous marriages. Many of the mental health symptoms were different; noteworthy were elevated somatization, depression, hostility and psychoticism. Implications for mental health practice, policy and further research are discussed.

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Do Rates of Mental Health Symptoms in Currently Competing Elite Athletes in Paralympic Sports Differ from Non-Para-Athletes?

Sports Medicine - Open ◽

10.1186/s40798-021-00352-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Lisa S. Olive ◽

Simon Rice ◽

Matt Butterworth ◽

Matti Clements ◽

Rosemary Purcell

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Online Survey ◽

Elite Athletes ◽

Participation Rate ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Health Symptoms ◽

Health And Wellbeing

Abstract Background This study addresses the lack of comparative data on the mental health of athletes in Paralympic sports (‘para-athletes’) and non-para athletes by examining the prevalence and correlates of mental health symptoms in a national sample of elite athletes representative of the population from which it was drawn on age and para-status. Methods A cross-sectional, anonymous, online-survey was provided to all categorised (e.g. highest level) athletes, aged 17 years and older, registered with the Australian Institute of Sport (n = 1566). Measures included psychological distress, mental health caseness, risky alcohol consumption, body weight and shape dissatisfaction, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and problem gambling. Correlates of outcomes included individual (e.g. demographic and psychosocial) and sport-related variables. Results The participation rate was 51.7% (n = 810), with valid data available from 749 athletes. No significant differences were observed between athletes from para- and non-para-sports on most mental health symptoms, with the exception of alcohol consumption (p < .001) and self-esteem (p = .007), both lower in athletes from para-sports. A trend for an interaction was found for anxiety and insomnia (p = .018), whereby the difference between athletes from para- and non-para-sports was qualified by gender. Conclusions In a large sample of elite athletes, mental health and wellbeing symptoms are comparable between athletes from para- and non-para-sports, with the exception of para-athletes reporting lower alcohol consumption but also lower self-esteem. While overall mental health and wellbeing symptom profiles are largely similar, attention to areas of differences will help to better address the unmet and distinct mental health needs of athletes from para-sports.

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