Infant Mental Health Prevention and Treatment: A Systematic Review Examining the Role of Homelessness

AbstractPurposeWhereas many prevention and treatment programs exist for children and families, there have been no reviews specifically examining infant mental health outcomes. Furthermore, despite high rates of infants and families experiencing homelessness, little work has evaluated the effectiveness of these parenting programs in such vulnerable populations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to a) systematically examine prevention and treatment parenting programs targeting infant mental health outcomes in infants from birth to age 2 years, b) highlight strengths and limitations of current interventions, and c) identify gaps in the existing literature to inform future mental health intervention science in areas of greatest need, specifically within the context of homelessness.MethodsFrom over 15,000 publications initially identified, thirty-three prevention and treatment programs met inclusion criteria for this review. Each program was reviewed for level of scientific evidence.ResultsOf the thirty-three programs reviewed, eleven (33%) were classified as promising. An additional 18% were classified as ineffective, emerging, and effective. Lastly, only four programs (12%; Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, Triple P-Positive Parenting Program, and Video-feedback Intervention Parenting Program) were classified as evidence-based based on infant mental health outcomes. Few of the identified programs have been implemented in homeless shelters, with no randomized control trials to date.ConclusionsThere is a dearth of literature examining programs targeting infant mental health. Even those programs considered evidence-based have not been thoroughly examined among families in shelter settings.

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Training frontline community agency staff in dialectical behaviour therapy: building capacity to meet the mental health needs of street-involved youth

The Journal of Mental Health Training Education and Practice ◽

10.1108/jmhtep-07-2015-0034 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 121-132 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Elizabeth McCay ◽

Celina Carter ◽

Andria Aiello ◽

Susan Quesnel ◽

Carol Howes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Dialectical Behavior Therapy ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Community Agency ◽

Behaviour Therapy ◽

Agency Staff ◽

Content Type ◽

Youth Outcomes

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of the dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) training which was provided to community agency staff (N=18) implementing DBT in the community with street-involved youth. Design/methodology/approach Staff participated in a multi-component approach to training which consisted of webinars, online training, self-study manuals, and ongoing peer consultation. To evaluate assess the effectiveness of the training, questionnaires assessing evaluating DBT skills knowledge, behavioral anticipation and confidence, and DBT skills use, were completed at baseline, immediately post-training, four to six months post-training, and 12-16 months post-training. Additionally, the mental health outcomes for youth receiving the DBT intervention are reported to support the effectiveness of the training outcomes. Findings Results demonstrate that the DBT skills, knowledge, and confidence of community agency staff improved significantly from pre to post-training and that knowledge and confidence were sustained over time. Additionally, the training was clinically effective as demonstrated by the significant improvement in mental health outcomes for street-involved youth participating in the intervention. Practical implications Findings suggest that this evidence-based intervention can be taught to a range of staff working in community service agencies providing care to street-involved youth and that the intervention can be delivered effectively. Originality/value These findings help to close the knowledge-practice gap between evidence-based treatment (EBT) research and practice while promoting the implementation of EBT in the community to enhance positive youth outcomes.

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Mental health of health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and evidence-based frameworks for mitigation: A rapid review

10.1101/2021.01.03.21249166 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ajay Major ◽

Fay J Hlubocky

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Health Care ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Rapid Review ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Care Workers ◽

Pubmed Database

Background: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the mental health of health care workers (HCWs), and optimal strategies to provide psychological support for HCWs are not currently established. Aims: To rapidly review recently-published literature on the mental health of HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Query of all quantitative research through the PubMed database on the mental health of HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic which utilized validated mental health instruments. 723 articles were screened and 87 articles were included. Results: Nearly all included studies were cross-sectional, survey-based assessments of the prevalence of and risk factors for mental illness. Only one interventional study was identified. Prevalence of mental health outcomes varied widely: 7.0-97.3% anxiety, 10.6-62.1% depression, 2.2-93.8% stress, 3.8-56.6% post traumatic stress, 8.3-88.4% insomnia, and 21.8-46.3% burnout. Risk and protective factors were identified in personal and professional domains, including degree of COVID-19 exposure, adequacy of protective equipment, and perception of organizational support. Conclusions: The myriad risk factors for poor mental health among HCWs suggests that a comprehensive psychosocial support model with individual- and organization-level interventions is necessary. Further longitudinal research on specific evidence-based interventions to mitigate adverse mental health outcomes among HCWs is urgently needed as the pandemic continues.

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Associations between evidence-based practice and mental health outcomes in child and adolescent mental health services

Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/1359104515589637 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 287-296 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Jessica Deighton ◽

Rachel Argent ◽

Davide De Francesco ◽

Julian Edbrooke-Childs ◽

Jenna Jacob ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Evidence Based Practice ◽

Adolescent Mental Health ◽

Child And Adolescent ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Evidence Based

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Infant mental health in intensive care: Laying a foundation for social, emotional and mental health outcomes through regulation, relationships and reflection

Journal of Neonatal Nursing ◽

10.1016/j.jnn.2020.11.011 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 33-39

Author(s):

Joy V. Browne

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Intensive Care ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Infant Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Social Emotional

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Mental Health Among Adolescents from Returned Portuguese Immigrant Families

Swiss Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1024/1421-0185/a000015 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 69 (3) ◽

pp. 131-139 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Félix Neto

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Immigrant Families ◽

Health Problems ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Control Group ◽

Older Adolescents ◽

The Mean ◽

Portuguese Adolescents

This study investigated mental health problems and their predictors among adolescents from returned immigrant families. The sample consisted of 360 returned adolescents (mean age = 16.8 years; SD = 1.9). The mean duration of a sojourn in Portugal for the sample was 8.2 years (SD = 4.5). A control group of 217 Portuguese youths were also included in the study. Adolescents from immigrant families reported mental health levels similar to those of Portuguese adolescents who have never migrated. Girls showed more mental health problems than boys. Younger adolescents showed fewer mental health problems than older adolescents. Adaptation variables contributed to mental health outcomes even after acculturation variables were accounted for. Implications of the study for counselors are discussed.

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