The Impact of Psychosocial Factors on Self-Reported Reading Difficulties in a Large Representative Population Sample

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
A.M. Undheim ◽  
A.M. Sund
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Population Sample ◽  
Reading Difficulties ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Self Report ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Large Representative

Aims:The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships in early adolescence between self-reported reading difficulties (RD) and psychosocial and socio-demographic factors in a large representative population sample of 2464 adolescents (50.8% girls) with a mean age of 13.7 (SD: range: ) in Norway.Methods:Sub-sample: Students with self-reported RD; 7.5% (N = 191) of the total sample, 7% girls (N= 88) and 8.5% boys (N =103).Standardized self-report measures of depressive symptoms based on DSM-IV symptom criteria, (The Mood and Feelings Questionnaire), and on self esteem (The Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents) and attachment (The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment) were used.Results:Adolescents with RD were compared to classmates. In univariate analyses RD adolescents demonstrated higher levels of depressive symptoms, more school stress, had lower school grades and lower attachment to parents. They also scored lower on Global Self-worth and on Social Acceptance scales. Further, they reported reduced levels of psycho-functioning during the previous year because of mental health problems. They also had received more help and had used more medication for such problems.In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, receiving help for mental health problems and reduced psycho-functioning showed the strongest association with student RD status (OR=2.32 and OR=1.75, respectively). No gender differences were found.Conclusion:The study demonstrated important differences between adolescents with and without RD. Adolescents with RD might be more at risk for mental health problems than others.

scholarly journals Mental health problems and correlates among 746 217 college students during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak in China

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Ma ◽  
J. Zhao ◽  
Y. Li ◽  
D. Chen ◽  
T. Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
College Students ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Senior Year ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Aims Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a major public health concern all over the world. Little is known about the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in the general population. This study aimed to assess the mental health problems and associated factors among a large sample of college students during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Methods This cross-sectional and nation-wide survey of college students was conducted in China from 3 to 10 February 2020. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess psychosocial factors, COVID-19 epidemic related factors and mental health problems. Acute stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured by the Chinese versions of the impact of event scale-6, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, respectively. Univariate and hierarchical logistic regression analyses were performed to examine factors associated with mental health problems. Results Among 821 218 students who participated in the survey, 746 217 (90.9%) were included for the analysis. In total, 414 604 (55.6%) of the students were female. About 45% of the participants had mental health problems. The prevalence rates of probable acute stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms were 34.9%, 21.1% and 11.0%, respectively. COVID-19 epidemic factors that were associated with increased risk of mental health problems were having relatives or friends being infected (adjusted odds ratio = 1.72–2.33). Students with exposure to media coverage of the COVID-19 ≥3 h/day were 2.13 times more likely than students with media exposure <1 h/day to have acute stress symptoms. Individuals with low perceived social support were 4.84–5.98 times more likely than individuals with high perceived social support to have anxiety and depressive symptoms. In addition, senior year and prior mental health problems were also significantly associated with anxiety or/and depressive symptoms. Conclusions In this large-scale survey of college students in China, acute stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms are prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple epidemic and psychosocial factors, such as family members being infected, massive media exposure, low social support, senior year and prior mental health problems were associated with increased risk of mental health problems. Psychosocial support and mental health services should be provided to those students at risk.

Violent behaviour in UK military personnel returning home after deployment

2011 ◽  
Vol 42 (8) ◽  
pp. 1663-1673 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. MacManus ◽  
K. Dean ◽  
M. Al Bakir ◽  
A. C. Iversen ◽  
L. Hull ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Military Personnel ◽  
Alcohol Misuse ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Antisocial Behaviour ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Violent Behaviour ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundThere is growing concern about an alleged rise in violent behaviour amongst military personnel returning from deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of violence in a sample of UK military personnel following homecoming from deployment in Iraq and to examine the impact of deployment-related experiences, such as combat trauma, on violence, and the role of sociodemographics and pre-enlistment antisocial behaviour.MethodThis study used baseline data from a cohort study of a large randomly selected sample of UK Armed Forces personnel in service at the time of the Iraq war (2003). Regular personnel (n=4928) who had been deployed to Iraq were included. Data, collected by questionnaire, included information on deployment experiences, sociodemographic and military characteristics, pre-enlistment antisocial behaviour, post-deployment health outcomes and a self-report measure of physical violence in the weeks following return from deployment.ResultsPrevalence of violence was 12.6%. This was strongly associated with pre-enlistment antisocial behaviour [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 3.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.9–4.4]. After controlling for pre-enlistment antisocial behaviour, sociodemographics and military factors, violence was still strongly associated with holding a combat role (aOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.6–2.5) and having experienced multiple traumatic events on deployment (aOR for four or more traumatic events 3.7, 95% CI 2.5–5.5). Violence on homecoming was also associated with mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder (aOR 4.8, 95% CI 3.2–7.2) and alcohol misuse (aOR 3.1, 95% CI 2.5–3.9).ConclusionsExperiences of combat and trauma during deployment were significantly associated with violent behaviour following homecoming in UK military personnel. Post-deployment mental health problems and alcohol misuse are also associated with increased violence.

Mental health problems in the Gomel region (Belarus): an analysis of risk factors in an area affected by the Chernobyl disaster

1996 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 845-855 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Havenaar ◽  
W. Van Den Brink ◽  
J. Van Den Bout ◽  
A. P. Kasyanenko ◽  
N. W. Poelijoe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Population Sample ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
General Anxiety Disorder ◽  
General Anxiety ◽  
Nuclear Disaster ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Impact

SynopsisThe epidemiology of mental problems in the Gomel region in the republic of Belarus was studied in a two-stage survey of a broad based population sample (N = 1617), using the General Health Questionnaire (12-item version) and the Munich Diagnostic Checklist for DSM-III-R. The Gomel region is one of the areas that was most severely affected by the Chernobyl nuclear diaster in 1986. In the studied population sample 64·8% had a GHQ-score above the threshold of 2. A DSM-III-R psychiatric disorder was present in 35·8%, with especially high rates for affective (16·5%) and anxiety disorders (12·6%). Dysthymia, general anxiety disorder, adjustment disorders and ‘not otherwise specified syndromes’ made up almost two-thirds of the observed morbidity (22·9%). A higher prevalence of mental health problems, both in terms of the GHQ and the DSM-III-R was observed among people who have been evacuated and in mothers with children under 18 years of age. These data indicate that the Chernobyl nuclear disaster may be partly responsible for the high prevalence of (milder) psychiatric disorders and psychological distress in the Gomel region, even 6 years after the event. Future studies comparing the data from Gomel region with an unexposed area will have to provide a more definite answer concerning the impact of this nuclear disaster on mental health.

Changes in rehabilitation actors’ mental health literacy and support to employers: An evaluation of the SEAM intervention

Work ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Annika Lexén ◽  
Maria Emmelin ◽  
Lars Hansson ◽  
Bengt Svensson ◽  
Susann Porter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Rehabilitation Professionals ◽  
Knowledge And Beliefs ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND: Lack of mental health literacy among rehabilitation professionals and employers in the return-to-work of persons with mental health problems resulted in the development of a three-day group training program, the Support to Employers from rehabilitation Actors about Mental health (SEAM) intervention. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of SEAM on rehabilitation professionals’ knowledge and beliefs, attitudes, and supporting behaviors towards people with mental health problems and employers as part of the return-to-work process. METHODS: In this longitudinal study, 94 rehabilitation professionals were included. Data were collected prior to (T1), immediately after (T2) and 6 months after SEAM training (T3) using knowledge and attitude scales and a questionnaire on supporting behaviors. SEAM includes training in Mental Health First Aid, presentations and discussions on current research on work and mental health, and strategies and communication guidelines to use when meeting service users and employers as part of the return-to-work of persons with mental health problems. SEAM also includes a homepage with targeted employer information. Data were analyzed using non-parametric statistics. RESULTS: SEAM significantly increased rehabilitation professionals’ knowledge of mental health (T1-T2: z = –2.037, p = 0.042; T2-T3: z = –5.093, p = 0.001), and improved their attitudes towards persons with mental health problems (T1-T2: z = 4.984, p = 0.001). Professionals (50–60%) also estimated that they had increased their use of supporting strategies towards service users and employers. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that SEAM can increase mental health literacy among rehabilitation professionals and lead to a greater focus on service users’ resources and work ability, as well as on employers’ support needs.

scholarly journals Does the Type of Exposure to Workplace Violence Matter to Nurses’ Mental Health?

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Farinaz Havaei
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Workplace Violence ◽  
Violence Exposure ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Cumulative Exposure ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Indirect Exposure ◽  
The Impact

Workplace violence is a prevalent phenomenon in healthcare, particularly among nursing professionals. Exposure to workplace violence may be direct through firsthand involvement, indirect through secondhand witnessing, or both. Even though implications for victims of workplace violence have been well-studied, less is known about the various types of exposure and their effects on nurse mental health. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of workplace-violence exposure types on the mental health of nurses, while accounting for the intensity of the incident/s. This study employs an exploratory correlational design with survey methods. Nurses from British Columbia (BC), Canada, were invited by the provincial nurses’ union to complete an electronic survey in Fall 2019. A total of 2958 responses from direct-care nurses in acute-care settings were analyzed using logistic regression. The results showed that mental-health problems increased with cumulative exposure; even though nurses with solely indirect exposure to workplace violence did not report greater mental-health problems, those experiencing solely direct exposure, or both direct and indirect exposure, were two to four times more likely to report high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and burnout compared to their counterparts with no exposure. There is an urgent need for better mental-health support, prevention policies and practices that take into account the type of workplace-violence exposure.

scholarly journals Does Mother–Child Interaction Mediate the Relation Between Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Children’s Mental Health Problems?

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 1257-1268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marleen M. E. M. van Doorn ◽  
Rowella C. W. M. Kuijpers ◽  
Anna Lichtwarck-Aschoff ◽  
Denise Bodden ◽  
Mélou Jansen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Children’S Mental Health ◽  
Children's Mental Health ◽  
Maternal Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Child Interaction ◽  
Mother Child Interaction

Mental Health Problems and Help-Seeking among Adolescents

2021 ◽  
pp. 189-202
Author(s):  
E.V. Rezun ◽  
◽  
H.R. Slobodskaya ◽  
N.B. Semenova ◽  
T.O. Rippinen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Emotional And Behavioral Problems ◽  
Seeking Help

The mental health problems among adolescents have long-lasting effects throughout life. However, research evidence indicates that only 10–30% of adolescents who needed mental health care had received specialized help. The present study reports the prevalence of mental health problems and help-seeking among adolescents, taking into account gender and age differences. The sample included 1752 adolescents (47 % boys,) aged 12-17 years. Data were collected on in two Siberian cities (Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk) using an international self-report questionnaire developed for the school-based Eurasian Child Mental Health Study. Participants were recruited from 18 schools, students completed questionnaires anonymously during school lessons. Statistical analysis included analysis of variance (ANOVA), multiple regression analysis, and crosstabs using a chi-squared test. The level of emotional and behavioral problems in Siberian adolescents was slightly higher than that found in European and Asian countries. Twenty three percent of adolescents reported frequent headaches (at least once a week), 11 % reported frequent abdominal pain and 14% suffered from frequent sleep disturbances (3–5 times a week or more). Girls reported a significantly higher level of problems than boys, with the largest gender differences for emotional problems, recurrent pains and sleep disturbances. Weekly consumption of alcohol and daily use of nicotine among boys was more common than among girls (3 % and 6 %, respectively), whereas less frequent use of alcohol and nicotine was commoner in girls (16 %) than in boys (10 %); 7 % of boys and girls had tried drugs at least once. Suicidal thoughts were reported by 22 % of adolescents, 6 % reported suicide attempts and 6 % reported repeated self-harm. One third of adolescents considered seeking outside help and 9 % had actually done so. Girls reported more help-seeking than boys; older girls sought help more often than younger and middle-aged ones. Around one third of adolescents sought help from their relatives; 26 % from friends, the Internet or other non-professional sources; 5 % reported seeking help from a doctor or nurse, and 3 % from a psychologist. The most important independent predictors of seeking help were emotional symptoms, suicidal ideation and hyperactivity/inattention. The results suggest a need for future investigation of the factors associated with help-seeking behavior among adolescents. It is also necessary to develop mental health promotion programs for adolescents, interventions to improve mental health literacy and access to mental health care.

scholarly journals Cultivating the compassionate self against depression: An exploration of processes of change

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S356-S356 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Matos ◽  
J. Duarte ◽  
C. Duarte ◽  
J. Pinto-Gouveia ◽  
P. Gilbert
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Processes Of Change ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Mediation Analyses ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Compassion Focused Therapy ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionCompassion and self-compassion can be protective factors against mental health difficulties, in particular depression. The cultivation of the compassionate self, associated with a range of practices such as slow and deeper breathing, compassionate voice tones and facial expressions, and compassionate focusing, is central to compassion focused therapy (Gilbert, 2010). However, no study has examined the processes of change that mediate the impact of compassionate self-cultivation practices on depressive symptoms.AimsThe aim of this study is to investigate the impact of a brief compassionate self training (CST) intervention on depressive symptoms, and explore the psychological processes that mediate the change at post intervention.MethodsUsing a longitudinal design, participants (general population and college students) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: Compassionate self training (n = 56) and wait-list control (n = 37). Participants in the CST condition were instructed to practice CST exercises for 15 minutes everyday or in moments of stress during two weeks. Self-report measures of depression, self-criticism, shame and compassion, were completed at pre and post in both conditions.ResultsResults showed that, at post-intervention, participants in the CST condition decreased depression, self-criticism and shame, and increased self-compassion and openness to receive compassion from others. Mediation analyses revealed that changes in depression from pre to post intervention were mediated by decreases in self-criticism and shame, and increases in self-compassion and openness to the compassion from others.ConclusionsThese findings support the efficacy of compassionate self training components on lessening depressive symptoms and promoting mental health.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Online Mental Health Assessments of COVID-19 Patients in South Korea

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jung Hyun Lee ◽  
Dayoung Lee ◽  
Soyoen Hyun ◽  
Ji Sun Hong ◽  
Chang-Hoon Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Patient Health Questionnaire ◽  
Health Questionnaire ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Patient Health ◽  
Post Traumatic

Experiences of infectious diseases cause stressful and traumatic life events, hence, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients could suffer from various mental health problems requiring psychological support services. This study investigates the severity of mental health problems among confirmed COVID-19 patients. From March to November 2020, we collected the data from 118 COVID-19 patients who voluntarily participated in the National Center for Disaster Trauma's online mental health assessment consisting of self-report scales like Primary Care of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder screen (PC-PTSD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15), and P4 Suicidality Screener. For control, 116 other disaster-experienced and 386 non-COVID-19-experienced participants were recruited. The COVID-19 patients showed more severe symptoms including post-traumatic symptoms, depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms than control groups across all four screening scales (p &lt; 0.001). Regarding high-risk, COVID-19 patients had an increased association with high-risk compared to the comparison groups (PC-PTSD: OR = 24.16, 95% CI = 13.52–43.16 p &lt; 0.001; PHQ-9: OR = 14.45, 95% CI = 8.29–25.19, p &lt; 0.001; GAD-7: OR=20.71, 95% CI = 10.74–39.96, p &lt; 0.001; PHQ-15: OR = 5.65, 95% CI = 3.44–9.25, p &lt; 0.001; P4: OR = 14.67, 95% CI = 8.95–25.07, p &lt; 0.001). This study's results imply that there is a high-risk of overall mental health problems, especially stronger associations of post-traumatic stress symptoms, in COVID-19 patients. These findings help inform practitioners about the psychological responses to COVID-19 experiences and to prepare appropriate interventions and services for the incremental number of confirmed cases.

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