Mental health screening amongst police officers: factors associated with under-reporting of symptoms

Abstract Background Mental health screening in the workplace aims to identify employees who are becoming symptomatic, in order to provide timely support and evidence-based interventions to those affected. Given the stigma associated with mental illness, accurate disclosure of mental health symptoms cannot be assumed. The present study sought to investigate factors associated with the accurate reporting of mental health symptoms amongst police officers. Methods A total of 90 serving police officers completed identical mental health screening surveys, one administered by the employer and the other anonymously by an independent organisation. Responses were then linked to compare differences in the number and severity of mental health symptoms reported on each questionnaire. Results Comparisons of matched self-report scores indicated that employees under-reported symptoms of mental health disorders when completing screening administered by their employer, with only 76.3% of symptoms declared. Under-reporting occurred regardless of gender and symptom type. Less senior staff (p = 0.05) and those with the most severe post-traumatic stress disorder and common mental disorder symptoms (p = 0.008) were significantly more likely to under-report symptoms. Conclusions Employer-administered mental health screening is not able to accurately capture all mental health symptoms amongst first responders. The fact that the severity of symptoms predicted the level of under-reporting means that simple changes to cut-off values cannot correct this problem.

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Cognitive therapy as an early treatment for children with PTSD: the outcomes for parents’ own PTSD, depression, anxiety and general mental health.

10.31234/osf.io/e657k ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Laura Hammond ◽

Richard Meiser-Stedman ◽

Anna McKinnon ◽

Tim Dalgleish ◽

Patrick Smith ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Cognitive Therapy ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Self Report ◽

Health Questionnaire ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Health Symptoms ◽

General Mental Health ◽

Post Traumatic

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experienced by children can have a large impact on the wider family. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2018) recommend that parents are involved in their child’s PTSD treatment. Studies have found that parents themselves also report high levels of PTSD and other mental health symptoms but few have explored whether these symptoms reduce following their child receiving trauma-focused CBT. In this study, parents (N=29) whose children (ages 8-17 years) were randomly assigned to either 10 sessions of Cognitive Therapy for PTSD (CT-PTSD) or a wait-list control condition (WL) completed the Post Traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale (PDS), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9; to measure depression), the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28; to measure general mental health) for pre-post comparison. Parents whose children were allocated to CT-PTSD reported greater improvements on self-report PTSD, depression, anxiety and general mental health, relative to the WL condition. This trial provides preliminary support for the efficacy of CT-PTSD delivered to children for reducing parent PTSD, depression, anxiety and general mental health symptoms. Replication is needed as well as further exploration of parent factors and frequency of parental involvement required to predict improvements.

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Assessing the Mental Health of Refugees Using the Refugee Health Screener-15

Western Journal of Nursing Research ◽

10.1177/0193945920906210 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 42 (11) ◽

pp. 910-917

Author(s):

Martha B. Baird ◽

Rebecca Cates ◽

Marjorie J. Bott ◽

Carol Buller

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Primary Care ◽

Primary Care Clinic ◽

Health Screening ◽

Mental Health Screening ◽

Refugee Health ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Care Clinic ◽

Health Symptoms

In 2017, 352 refugees were relocated to the Kansas City, Kansas area. As part of the relocation process, newly arrived refugees receive physical and mental health screenings. This study is a retrospective analysis of the results of 92 Refugee Health Screener-15 (RHS-15) surveys collected from February to December 2017 and interviews with the healthcare providers who administered the surveys in a primary care clinic. The most commonly reported mental health symptoms included the following: too much thinking or too many thoughts; muscle, bone, or joint pain; and crying easily. Thirty-seven refugee surveys (40%) indicated the need for follow-up mental health screening. A significant small correlation ( r = .22, p = .03) was found between female gender and the depression subscale of mental health symptoms. Provider interviews revealed challenges associated with conducting mental health screening of newly arrived refugees in a primary care setting.

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P376 Prevalence and treatment of severe mental health symptoms at 120 cystic fibrosis centres: clinician preparation to intervene and sustain mental health screening

Journal of Cystic Fibrosis ◽

10.1016/s1569-1993(20)30704-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 ◽

pp. S161

Author(s):

A. Quittner ◽

S. Hussain ◽

E. Muther ◽

J. Abbott ◽

L. Tillman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Cystic Fibrosis ◽

Health Screening ◽

Mental Health Screening ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Health Symptoms

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Perceptions of Recidivism Among Incarcerated Youth: The Relationship Between Exposure to Childhood Trauma, Mental Health Status, and the Protective Effect of Mental Health Services in Juvenile Justice Settings

Advances in Social Work ◽

10.18060/21305 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 250-269 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jamie R. Yoder ◽

Kelly Whitaker ◽

Camille R. Quinn

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Status ◽

Service Delivery ◽

Juvenile Justice ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Health Problems ◽

Health Screening ◽

Mental Health Screening ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Health Symptoms

Research suggests that youth involved the juvenile justice system have trauma histories that are two times higher than the general youth population. Juvenile justice-involved youth also have high rates of mental health symptoms. Fewer studies have examined how trauma links to mental health symptoms among youth offenders, and even less research focuses on how mental health status and service delivery can impact their perceived likelihood for success. This study examines the effects of mental health screening and service delivery on perceived future criminal justice interactions— arrest and incarceration—among adjudicated youth (n=7,073) housed in correctional facilities. Secondary data were used to examine trauma histories, mental health needs, and mental health screening and service delivery. Significant relationships between traumatic events and mental health problems were found, along with relationships between mental health problems and mental health screening and service delivery. Most interestingly, results pointed to the strong inverse relationship between mental health service delivery and youth’s perceived likelihood for recidivism. These findings show the promise of juvenile justice systems appropriately responding to the mental health concerns of youth.

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Camouflaging in non-autistic adults is associated with poorer mental health

10.31234/osf.io/myp4g ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Mark Somerville ◽

Sarah E. MacPherson ◽

Sue Fletcher-Watson

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Executive Function ◽

Autistic Traits ◽

Self Report ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Health Symptoms ◽

Autistic People ◽

Autistic Adults ◽

The Relationship

Camouflaging is a frequently reported behaviour in autistic people, which entails the use of strategies to compensate for and mask autistic traits in social situations. Camouflaging is associated with poor mental health in autistic people. This study examined the manifestation of camouflaging in a non-autistic sample, examining the relationship between autistic traits, camouflaging, and mental health. In addition, the role of executive functions as a mechanism underpinning camouflaging was explored. Sixty-three non-autistic adults completed standardised self-report questionnaires which measured: autistic traits, mental health symptoms, and camouflaging behaviours. In addition, a subset (n=51) completed three tests of executive function measuring inhibition, working memory, and set-shifting. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyse data. Results indicated that autistic traits are not associated with mental health symptoms when controlling for camouflaging, and camouflaging predicted increased mental health symptoms. Camouflaging did not correlate with any measure of executive function. These findings have implications for understanding the relationship between autistic traits and mental health in non-autistic people and add to the growing development of theory and knowledge about the mechanism and effects of camouflaging.

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Who should we ask about mental health symptoms in adolescents with CFS/ME? Parent-child agreement on the revised children’s anxiety and depression scale

Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/1359104521994880 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 367-380

Author(s):

Teona Serafimova ◽

Maria Loades ◽

Daisy Gaunt ◽

Esther Crawley

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Parent Report ◽

Self Report ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Child Report ◽

Health Symptoms ◽

Children’S Anxiety ◽

Parent Child

Background: One in three adolescents with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) have mental health problems. Multi-informant perspectives are key to psychological assessment. Understanding parent-child agreement is crucial to accurate diagnosis, particularly where severe fatigue limits self-report. Methods: Agreement on the revised children’s anxiety and depression scale (RCADs) was assessed between parents and children with CFS/ME ( n = 93) using Bland-Altman plots, cross tabulations and regression analyses. Results: Diagnostic thresholds were met more frequently based on child-report. Parent- and child-report had similar sensitivity and specificity on RCADS compared to gold-standard diagnostic interviews. Regression analysis found similar accuracy between both reports. For anxiety diagnoses, odds ratio (OR) for child-report was 1.10 (CI = 1.06–1.14), and 1.10 (CI = 1.05–1.14) for parent-report. For depression, OR for child report was 1.26 (CI = 1.11–1.43), while for parent-report is was 1.25 (CI = 1.10–1.41). For total score, OR for child-report was 1.10 (CI = 1.05–1.13) while OR for parent-report was 1.09 (CI = 1.05–1.13). Conclusions: Reasonable agreement was observed between parent- and child-report of mental health symptoms in paediatric CFS/ME. While parent-report can facilitate psychological evaluation in CFS/ME, this is not a substitute for a child’s own report.

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Mental health and its association with coping strategies and intolerance of uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic among the general population in Saudi Arabia: cross-sectional study

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s12888-021-03370-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ahmad N. AlHadi ◽

Mohammed A. Alarabi ◽

Khulood M. AlMansoor

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Self Report ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Health Symptoms

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on people’s lives globally. The outbreak in Saudi Arabia worsened when the number of cases and deaths rose in March and April of 2020, leading to a national lockdown. This study aimed to assess the factors associated with mental health symptoms in a sample of people residing in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We conducted an observational cross-sectional study using an online survey distributed via social media, completed by 3032 respondents from all Saudi regions. We collected demographic data, illness history, and scores of validated self-report scales to assess mental health symptoms, intolerance of uncertainty, and coping strategies. Results In total, respondents indicated moderate to very severe symptoms during the pandemic as follows: 20.9% for depression, 17.5% for anxiety, and 12.6% for stress. Younger age, female gender, and history of mental illness were associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia. Intolerance of uncertainty and certain coping strategies (such as denial or self-blame) were associated with more severe symptoms. Conclusions Mental health is a key concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for the identified vulnerable groups. Agencies concerned with mental health during crises may use the studied associated factors of mental health symptoms to generate targeted policies or interventions.

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Prevalence and Risk Factors of COVID-19 Symptoms among U.S. Adults with Allergies

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052231 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2231

Author(s):

Marlene Camacho-Rivera ◽

Jessica Yasmine Islam ◽

Denise Christina Vidot ◽

Sunit Jariwala

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Dynamics ◽

Adult Population ◽

Physical Symptoms ◽

Economic Security ◽

Self Report ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Health Symptoms ◽

Physician Diagnosis

Background: This study sought to evaluate COVID-19 associated physical and mental health symptoms among adults with allergies compared to the general U.S. adult population. Methods: Data for these analyses were obtained from the publicly available COVID-19 Household Impact Survey, which provides national and regional statistics about physical health, mental health, economic security, and social dynamics among U.S. adults (ages 18 and older). Data from 20–26 April 2020; 4–10 May 2020; and 30 May–8 June 2020 were included. Our primary outcomes for this analysis were physical and mental health symptoms experienced in the last seven days. The primary predictor was participants’ self-report of a physician diagnosis of an allergy. Results/Discussion: This study included 10,760 participants, of whom 44% self-reported having allergies. Adults with allergies were more likely to report physical symptoms compared to adults without allergies including fever (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.44–1.99), cough (aOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.60–2.26), shortness of breath (aOR 2.04, 95% CI 1.71–2.43), and loss of taste or sense of smell (aOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.58–2.28). Adults with allergies were more likely to report feeling nervous (cOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.13, 1.60), depressed (cOR 1.32, 95% CI 1.11–1.57), lonely (cOR 1.23, 95% CI 1.04–1.47), hopeless (cOR 1.44, 95% CI 1.21–1.72), or having physical reactions when thinking about COVID-19 pandemic (cOR 2.01, 95% CI 1.44–2.82), compared to those without allergies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, adults with allergies are more likely to report physical and mental health symptoms compared to individuals without allergies. These findings have important implications for diagnostic and treatment challenges for allergy physicians.

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