Military spouses with deployed partners are at greater risk of poor perinatal mental health: a scoping review

BackgroundPoor mental health in the perinatal period is associated with a number of adverse outcomes for the individual and the wider family. The unique circumstances in which military spouses/partners live may leave them particularly vulnerable to developing perinatal mental health (PMH) problems.MethodsA scoping review was carried out to review the literature pertaining to PMH in military spouses/partners using the methodology outlined by Arksey and O’Malley (2005). Databases searched included EBSCO, Gale Cengage Academic OneFile, ProQuest and SAGE.ResultsThirteen papers fulfilled the inclusion criteria, all from the USA, which looked a PMH or well-being in military spouses. There was a strong focus on spousal deployment as a risk factor for depressive symptoms and psychological stress during the perinatal period. Other risk factors included a lack of social/emotional support and increased family-related stressors. Interventions for pregnant military spouses included those that help them develop internal coping strategies and external social support.ConclusionsUS literature suggests that military spouses are particularly at risk of PMH problems during deployment of their serving partner and highlights the protective nature of social support during this time. Further consideration needs to be made to apply the findings to UK military spouses/partners due to differences in the structure and nature of the UK and US military and healthcare models. Further UK research is needed, which would provide military and healthcare providers with an understanding of the needs of this population allowing effective planning and strategies to be commissioned and implemented.

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Maternal Mental Illness and Early Parenting Interventions

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.062 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. S64-S64

Author(s):

A.L. Sutter-Dallay

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Transition To Parenthood ◽

Stressful Life Event ◽

Perinatal Care ◽

Critical Time ◽

Well Being ◽

Perinatal Period ◽

Transitional Period ◽

Perinatal Mental Health ◽

Competing Interest

The importance of the “1001 critical days” (conception to age 2) underlies the need to act early in life to enhance children's developmental outcomes. Lack of intervention is likely to affect the children of today but also the generations to come. For adults, transition to parenthood is a major stressful life event. The strong emotional load of this experience can make this transitional period much more challenging for adults with psychological, social and economic vulnerabilities, and lead to unadjusted interactions.Then, applying the “transactional model of development” (Sameroff, 2009) to the early perinatal period helps us to understand how the needs of infants can easily affect a parent's mental state and induce inadequate parenting behaviors. These in turn make the infant's interactions more difficult and the infant's development more likely to be impaired. Perinatal mental health is thus an important public health challenge for it is essential to provide services to enhance maternal and infant emotional well-being at a moment that is simultaneously when the mother's social and emotional vulnerabilities are at their height and a critical time in the child's development.Perinatal mental health policies, including joint care of parents and infants, must provide positive support for the potential virtuous circle between the skills and vulnerabilities of the infant and the parents.This presentation will explore the different types of joined perinatal care for parents and infants that cover a range of services, from parent-infant psychotherapies to joint mother-baby hospitalizations.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.

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Walking on sunshine: scoping review of the evidence for walking and mental health

British Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1136/bjsports-2017-098827 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 52 (12) ◽

pp. 800-806 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Paul Kelly ◽

Chloë Williamson ◽

Ailsa G Niven ◽

Ruth Hunter ◽

Nanette Mutrie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Systematic Reviews ◽

Scoping Review ◽

A Priori ◽

Well Being ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Future Research ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

National Guidelines

Background/objectivesWalking has well-established positive relationships with, and effects on, physical health. In contrast, while poor mental health contributes substantially to global health burden, an overview of the benefits from walking has not previously been published. We aimed to scope the literature and present what is known, and highlight what is not known, about walking and mental health.MethodsDesign: Scoping review.Data sources: Ovid (Medline), ProQuest, Web of Science.Screening and reporting: 13 014 records were identified and screened by a team of researchers. Included full texts were analysed and reported according to mental health outcome.ResultsFor the 8 mental health outcomes (identified a priori), there were a total of 5 systematic reviews and 50 individual papers included. Depression had the most evidence and existing systematic reviews were reported. Evidence for anxiety, psychological stress, psychological well-being, subjective well-being and social isolation and loneliness varied in volume and effectiveness, but no harmful effects were identified. There were no studies for walking and resilience. The setting and context of walking seems to be important variables.ConclusionThe evidence base that suggests walking benefits mental health is growing, but remains fragmented and incomplete for some important outcomes. Policy and national guidelines should promote the known mental health benefits of increased walking and future research should directly address the gaps we have identified.

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Interventions to Optimise Mental Health Outcomes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction ◽

10.1007/s11469-021-00558-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jacqueline Safieh ◽

John Broughan ◽

Geoff McCombe ◽

Niamh McCarthy ◽

Timothy Frawley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Treatment Strategies ◽

Well Being ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Therapeutic Interventions ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Future Research

AbstractAdverse mental health has been a major consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. This review examines interventions to enhance mental health outcomes and well-being of populations during COVID-19. Four electronic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, and CINAHL) were searched following Arskey and O’Malley’s six-staged scoping review process. Twenty studies were included in the review. Various study populations were included to ensure greater generalisability of results. Interventions informing treatment of mental health concerns during COVID-19 were included and classified into (a) prevention of poor mental health, (b) therapeutic interventions, and (c) other interventions. Preventative strategies (n = 16) included public health education, modified social media use, technology-based interventions, physical activity, policy adaptations, and therapeutic interventions. Treatment strategies (n = 7) included adapting existing treatment and the creation new treatment programmes and platforms. While current evidence is promising, future research should focus on novel effective interventions to address mental health issues during the pandemic.

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Mental Health and Perceived Access to Care among People Who Inject Drugs in Athens, Greece

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10061181 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 1181

Author(s):

Despina Pampaka ◽

Katerina Pantavou ◽

George Giallouros ◽

Eirini Pavlitina ◽

Leslie D. Williams ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Access To Care ◽

Medical Care ◽

People Who Inject Drugs ◽

Well Being ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Hiv Positive ◽

Perceived Access

Poor mental health among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive people who inject drugs (PWID) may contribute to stigma, and together they act as barriers to medical care. This analysis aims to examine factors associated with the mental health of PWID and their network contacts, and the association of poor mental health with the experience of HIV-related stigmatizing events, with HIV-related social support, and with perceived access to care. Data were collected during the Transmission Reduction Intervention Project (TRIP) conducted in Athens, Greece (2013–2015). PWID (n = 292; n = 122 HIV-positive) were interviewed both at baseline and follow-up. Items of depression, anxiety, and general positive affect subscales of the Mental Health Inventory were used to explore the psychological distress and well-being of participants at follow-up. Items of the Access to Care Scale were used to evaluate perceived access to medical care at baseline and follow-up. Linear regression showed that unemployment was positively related to depression (β = 1.49, p = 0.019), while injecting drug use was a risk factor for a low general positive affect score (β = −3.21, p = 0.015). Poor mental health was not linked to HIV-related stigma or social support. Positive perception of access to care was associated in multivariable analyses with low depression (β = −0.22, p = 0.049). The perceived access to care score improved from baseline to follow-up (p = 0.019) and HIV-positive participants had a higher score than HIV-negative participants. Future interventions should include targets to improve the mental well-being of participants, reduce psychosocial distress, and minimize perceived barriers to accessing medical care.

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Supporting the Mental Health and Well-Being of First Responders from Career to Retirement: A Scoping Review

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x21000431 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Erin Smith ◽

Greg Dean ◽

Lisa Holmes

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Help Seeking ◽

First Responders ◽

Well Being ◽

First Responder ◽

Help Seeking Behaviors ◽

Holistic Approaches ◽

Pubmed Database ◽

Health And Well Being

Abstract Introduction: First responders are at greater risk of mental ill health and compromised well-being compared to the general population. It is important to identify strategies that will be effective in supporting mental health, both during and after the first responder’s career. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the PubMed database (1966 to October 1, 2020) and the Google Scholar database (October 1, 2020) using relevant search terms, truncation symbols, and Boolean combination functions. The reference lists of all relevant publications were also reviewed to identify further publications. Results: A total of 172 publications were retrieved by the combined search strategies. Of these, 56 met the inclusion criteria and informed the results of this overview paper. These publications identified that strategies supporting first responder mental health and well-being need to break down stigma and build resilience. Normalizing conversations around mental health is integral for increasing help-seeking behaviors, both during a first responder’s career and in retirement. Organizations should consider the implementation of both pre-retirement and post-retirement support strategies to improve mental health and well-being. Conclusion: Strategies for supporting mental health and well-being need to be implemented early in the first responder career and reinforced throughout and into retirement. They should utilize holistic approaches which encourage “reaching in” rather than placing an onus on first responders to “reach out” when they are in crisis.

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Out of tune: Perceptions of, engagement with, and responses to mental health interventions by professional popular musicians—A scoping review

Psychology of Music ◽

10.1177/03057356211019477 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 030573562110194

Author(s):

Amy Visser ◽

Megan Lee ◽

Timothy Barringham ◽

Nasim Salehi

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Distinct Group ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Interventions ◽

Therapeutic Approaches ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Mental Health Interventions ◽

Industry Peers

Professional popular musicians are at increased risk of psychological distress, substance use problems, and suicide, yet little evidence is available on effective psychotherapeutic practices to address these issues. This scoping review aims to understand how professional popular musicians perceive, engage with, and respond to mental health interventions. Four databases were searched, garnering a total of 310 articles. Of these, six met inclusion criteria. Four thematic categories were explored: (1) amenability of professional popular musicians to particular therapeutic approaches; (2) attribution of treatment outcomes to tailored approaches; (3) professional popular musicians’ perceived barriers to treatment; and (4) recommendations for treatment approaches. The scoping review supports the importance of considering the characteristics of professional popular musicians as a distinct group with unique well-being needs, challenges, and strengths. There is a clear preference for tailored, affordable, and accessible approaches that consider the uniquities of musicianship and the need to explore the role of nonclinical support, such as friends, family, and industry peers.

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Performers of the night: Examining the mental health of electronic music artists

Psychology of Music ◽

10.1177/0305735620976985 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 030573562097698

Author(s):

Jolan Kegelaers ◽

Lewie Jessen ◽

Eline Van Audenaerde ◽

Raôul RD Oudejans

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Sleep Disturbance ◽

Electronic Music ◽

Music Performance ◽

Well Being ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Music Performance Anxiety ◽

Symptoms Of Depression ◽

Levels Of Functioning

Despite growing popular interest for the mental health of electronic music artists, scientific research addressing this topic has remained largely absent. As such, the aim of the current study was to examine the mental health of electronic music artists, as well as a number of determinants. Using a cross-sectional quantitative design, a total of 163 electronic music artists participated in this study. In line with the two-continua model of mental health, both symptoms of depression/anxiety and well-being were adopted as indicators for mental health. Furthermore, standardized measures were used to assess potential determinants of mental health, including sleep disturbance, music performance anxiety, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, occupational stress, resilience, and social support. Results highlighted that around 30% of participants experienced symptoms of depression/anxiety. Nevertheless, the majority of these participants still demonstrated at least moderate levels of functioning and well-being. Sleep disturbance formed a significant predictor for both symptoms of depression/anxiety and well-being. Furthermore, resilience and social support were significant predictors for well-being. The results provide a first glimpse into the mental health challenges experienced by electronic music artists and support the need for increased research as well as applied initiatives directed at safeguarding their mental health.

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Research Trends on Mobile Mental Health Application for General Population: A Scoping Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052459 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2459

Author(s):

Won Ju Hwang ◽

Ji Sun Ha ◽

Mi Jeong Kim

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Rapid Development ◽

Adult Population ◽

Well Being ◽

Stress Theory ◽

Scoping Reviews ◽

General Adult Population ◽

Health Related

Background: Scoping reviews of the literature on the development and application of mental health apps based on theoretical suggestions are lacking. This study systematically examines studies on the effects and results of mental health mobile apps for the general adult population. Methods: Following PICOs (population, intervention, comparison, outcome, study design), a general form of scoping review was adopted. From January 2010 to December 2019, we selected the effects of mental health-related apps and intervention programs provided by mobile to the general adult population over the age of 18. Additionally, evaluation of methodological quality was assessed using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) checklist. Results: Fourteen studies were analyzed of 1205 that were identified; duplicate and matching studies were excluded. One was a descriptive study and 13 were experimental, of which randomized control trials (RCTs) accounted for 71.4%. Four of the mobile apps were developed based on cognitive behavior theory, one based on stress theory, and one on ecological instant intervention theory. These apps included breathing training, meditation, and music therapy. Stress, depression, and anxiety decreased using these apps, and some were effective for well-being. Conclusion: With the rapid development of technology related to mental health, many mobile apps are developed, but apps based on theoretical knowledge and well-designed research are lacking. Further research and practices should be conducted to develop, test, and disseminate evidence-based mHealth for mental health promotion. RCT studies are needed to expand the application to mental health services to various populations.

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Mental health and sleep habits/problems in children aged 3–4 years: a population study

BioPsychoSocial Medicine ◽

10.1186/s13030-021-00213-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Fumie Horiuchi ◽

Kentaro Kawabe ◽

Yasunori Oka ◽

Kiwamu Nakachi ◽

Rie Hosokawa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Status ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Status ◽

Control Group ◽

Sleep Habits ◽

Psychological Burden ◽

Wake Time ◽

Health Group

Abstract Background Sleep is essential for mental health at all ages, but few studies have investigated the importance of sleep for mental health in early childhood. Therefore, this study examined the association between mental health and sleep habits/problems in children aged 3–4 years. Methods Children aged 3 to 4 years who were living in the community (n = 415; 211/204 boys/girls) were recruited for this study. Their mental health was assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and their sleep habits/problems were evaluated using the Child and Adolescent Sleep Checklist. Results Based on the total difficulties score of the SDQ, the children were divided into two groups: a poor mental health group (n = 76) and a control group (n = 339). In terms of sleep habits, which included total sleep time, bedtime, wake time, and nap conditions, there were no differences between the two groups. Regarding sleep-related problems, however, anxiety before going to sleep (p = 0.026), circadian rhythm abnormalities (p = 0.014), and sleepiness during classes outside of naptimes (p = 0.031) were significantly higher in the poor mental health group than in the control group. Multiple regression analysis showed that poor mental health status was significantly associated with sleepiness and snoring (p = 0.017 and p = 0.018, respectively). Conclusions The mental health status of 3–4-year-old children was associated with sleep-related problems, namely sleepiness and snoring. Healthcare providers should pay attention to children’s irregular sleep-wake patterns; moreover, interventions for appropriate sleep hygiene will reduce the psychological burden on both children and their families.

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Parent Psychological Distress in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Within the Context of the Social Ecological Model: A Scoping Review

Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association ◽

10.1177/1078390318765205 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 24 (6) ◽

pp. 495-509 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Kristy Loewenstein

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Intensive Care ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care ◽

Family Cohesion ◽

Ecological Model ◽

Well Being

BACKGROUND: Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents are at risk for psychological distress and impaired mental health, and statistics related to parent psychological distress vary. OBJECTIVE: To determine the scope of literature regarding the mental health and psychosocial well-being of parents in the NICU. DESIGN: A scoping review within the Arksey and O’Malley framework and the SEM was undertaken to answer, “What factors contribute to parent’s mental health in the NICU?” A systematic review of the literature was performed using the PRISMA methodology. RESULTS: Common socioeconomic factors and infant and parent characteristics may place parents at a greater risk for developing distress. History of mental illness, family cohesion, birth trauma, altered parenting role, gestational age, birth weight, and severity of prematurity/illness emerged as themes. CONCLUSION: Further research is required to provide a standard for the screening and assessment of parents’ mental health and psychosocial well-being during a NICU hospitalization. The experiences of nonbirth parents in the NICU should be explored to examine the effects of the hospitalization on all types of parents.

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