Testing the differential impact of an internet-based mental health intervention on outcomes of wellbeing and psychological distress during COVID-19 (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joep van Agteren ◽  
Kathina Ali ◽  
Daniel Fassnacht ◽  
Matthew Iasiello ◽  
Gareth Furber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Health Intervention ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Mental Health Intervention ◽  
Differential Impact ◽  
Reliable Change ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND During COVID-19, the mental health of the general population has been precarious, making it pivotal to determine the impact of complementary internet-based psychological interventions on psychological distress and mental wellbeing. Both types of outcomes represent distinct dimensions of our mental health and congruent changes in outcomes of distress and wellbeing do not necessarily co-occur within individuals. When testing intervention impact it therefore is important to assess change on both outcomes on the individual-level, rather than solely testing group differences in average scores on the group-level. OBJECTIVE The current study set out to investigate the differential impact of an internet-based group mental health intervention on outcomes of wellbeing (i.e., wellbeing, life satisfaction, resilience) and indicators of psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety and stress). METHODS A 5-week mental health intervention was delivered to 90 participants using the Zoom platform. Impact on outcomes of distress, wellbeing and resilience was assessed at the start and the end of the program, with MANOVA and Reliable Change Indices (RCI) being used to determine program impact on the group and the individual level respectively. RESULTS The intervention significantly improved all mental health outcomes measured, showing small to moderate effects sizes. Larger effect sizes could be noted for those with problematic mental health scores at baseline. A total of 92% of participants demonstrated reliable change in at least one mental health outcome. Differential response patterns using RCI revealed that more than half of the participants showed improvement in both mental wellbeing and psychological distress, almost one third in outcomes of wellbeing only, and almost a quarter in distress only. CONCLUSIONS Results provide evidence for the significant impact of an internet-based mental health intervention during COVID-19 and indicates the importance of assessing dimensions of wellbeing and distress when determining intervention effectiveness. CLINICALTRIAL Not applicable

The Evolution of the Role of U.S. School Nurses in Adolescent Mental Health at the Individual, Community, and Systems Level: An Integrative Review

2022 ◽  
pp. 105984052110681
Author(s):  
Ashwini R. Hoskote ◽  
Emily Croce ◽  
Karen E. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Adolescent Mental Health ◽  
School Nurse ◽  
School Nurses ◽  
Integrative Review ◽  
School Nursing ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

School nurses are crucial to addressing adolescent mental health, yet evidence concerning their evolving role has not been synthesized to understand interventions across levels of practice (i.e., individual, community, systems). We conducted an integrative review of school nurse roles in mental health in the U.S. related to depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress. Only 18 articles were identified, published from 1970 to 2019, and primarily described school nurses practicing interventions at the individual level, yet it was unclear whether they were always evidence-based. Although mental health concerns have increased over the years, the dearth of rigorous studies made it difficult to determine the impact of school nurse interventions on student mental health outcomes and school nurses continue to feel unprepared and under supported in this area. More research is needed to establish best practices and systems to support school nursing practice in addressing mental health at all levels of practice.

scholarly journals Psychological Distress during Ovarian Cancer Treatment: Improving Quality by Examining Patient Problems and Advanced Practice Nursing Interventions

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Kline O'Sullivan ◽  
Kathryn H. Bowles ◽  
Sangchoon Jeon ◽  
Elizabeth Ercolano ◽  
Ruth McCorkle
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Health Intervention ◽  
The Other ◽  
Advanced Practice ◽  
Mental Health Intervention ◽  
High Distress

Background/Significance. Ovarian cancer patients are prone to psychological distress. The clinical significance and best practices for distress among this population are poorly understood.Method. Secondary analysis of research records from a six month randomized control trial included 32 women with primary ovarian cancer. All received 18 advanced practice nurse (APN) visits over six months. Three sub-samples were determined by distress level (high/low) and mental health service consent for high distress. Demographic, clinical factors, patient problems and APN interventions obtained through content analysis and categorized via the Omaha System were compared.Results. Clinically-significant psychiatric conditions were identified in 8/18 (44%) high distress subjects consenting to mental health intervention. High distress subjects who refused mental health intervention had more income and housing problems than the other subjects, received the fewest interventions at baseline, and progressively more throughout the study, exceeding the other sub-samples by study completion.Conclusions. Highly-distressed women not psychologically ready to work through emotional consequences of cancer at treatment onset may obtain support from APNs to manage cancer problems as they arise. Additional studies may identify best practices for all highly-distressed women with cancer, particularly those who do not accept mental health services for distress, but suffer from its effects.

scholarly journals The Impact of a Digital Intervention (Happify) on Loneliness During COVID-19: Qualitative Focus Group

10.2196/26617 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. e26617
Author(s):  
Eliane M Boucher ◽  
Emily C McNaughton ◽  
Nicole Harake ◽  
Julia L Stafford ◽  
Acacia C Parks
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Health Intervention ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Mental Health Intervention ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
The Impact

Background Loneliness is a growing area of concern, attracting attention as a public health concern due to its association with a variety of psychological and physical health problems. However, interventions targeting loneliness are less common than interventions for other mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety, and existing interventions focus primarily on building social skills and increasing opportunities for social interaction despite research suggesting these techniques are not the most effective. Furthermore, although there is an increasing need for scalable and convenient interventions, digital interventions for loneliness are even less common. Objective Using a qualitative approach, we explore how adults (18-64 years of age) who express wanting to be more connected to others experience loneliness and react to a digital mental health intervention targeting loneliness. Methods A total of 11 participants were recruited from a pilot randomized controlled trial exploring the impact of a digital mental health intervention, Happify Health, on loneliness among adults aged 18-64 years who indicated wanting to feel more connected to others when signing up for the platform. Participants were invited to participate in a 3-day asynchronous focus group about their experiences with loneliness, with Happify Health, and with social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. All 11 participants completed the focus group in May 2020. Results Participants’ responses were coded using thematic analysis, which led to identifying five themes, each with separate subthemes, that could be applied across the 3-day focus group: loneliness, relationships, social distancing, skill acquisition, and coping. Overall, we observed variability across participants in terms of the source of their loneliness, their perceptions of their social connections, and their motivation to reduce feelings of loneliness; however, participants commonly referred to negative self-perceptions as a cause or consequence of loneliness. Participants also varied in the extent to which they felt social distancing increased or decreased feelings of loneliness. In regard to the intervention, participants showed evidence of adopting skills they used to address their loneliness, particularly mindfulness and gratitude, and then using these skills to shift toward more active coping strategies following the intervention, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions The heterogeneity in participants’ experiences with loneliness described during this focus group emphasizes the subjective and complex nature of loneliness. This highlights the importance of developing loneliness interventions that use a variety of strategies, including both direct and indirect strategies for reducing loneliness. However, based on our data, a key component to loneliness interventions is incorporating strategies for addressing underlying negative self-perceptions that stem from, but also contribute to, loneliness. This data also provides preliminary evidence that digital platforms may be an effective tool for disseminating loneliness interventions while providing the added benefit of offering a productive distraction when feeling lonely.

scholarly journals Trauma, Research, and EMDR: A Disaster Responder’s Wish List

2008 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Gelbach
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Health Intervention ◽  
Mental Health Intervention ◽  
Trauma Research ◽  
Health Response ◽  
Neuropsychological Factors ◽  
The Impact

Disasters, both natural and “man-made,” affect a large portion of the Earth’s population and can be expected to increase in intensity over the coming decades. The impact of disasters on mental health of affected populations is substantial and likely to be insufficiently addressed in the overall context of disaster response. While successful mental health intervention has been demonstrated in a variety of cases, including through the use of EMDR treatment, this problem needs more attention. Effective mental health response will be greatly supported by increased research on questions related to the incidence, form, and prognosis of disaster-generated traumatic stress, as these are affected by type of disaster, culture of affected population, sociological conditions, and neuropsychological factors, and the interactions among these. A brief summary of desirable research is presented that could help responders meet these challenges.

The Effectiveness of EMDR in Reducing Psychological Distress in Survivors of Natural Disasters: A Review

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 157-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fehmida Natha ◽  
Anna Daiches
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Clinical Significance ◽  
Humanitarian Assistance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Disaster Survivors ◽  
Cost Efficient ◽  
The Impact

Natural disasters affect whole communities both at an individual level as well as economically and socially. However, the impact of natural disasters on an individual’s mental health is substantial; yet, the response to one’s mental health needs after a disaster is underdeveloped. Nevertheless, the Humanitarian Assistance Programme has attempted to address these needs by providing eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) to natural disaster survivors. This systematic review provides evidence for the effectiveness and efficacy of EMDR in the treatment of psychological distress in survivors of natural disasters. Of the 8 studies reviewed, 4 were controlled trials and 1 study part-controlled. All the studies demonstrated statistical and clinical significance in reducing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, anxiety, depression, and other distress experienced by survivors of natural disasters. In addition, 4 of the 8 studies demonstrated clinical significance after just 1 session, presenting EMDR as resource-, time-, and cost-efficient intervention. Theoretical framework, adaptation in intervention, methodological issues, and quality assessment of studies are discussed. Implications for future research and clinical practice are also discussed.

scholarly journals Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Health Care Workers in Ebonyi State, Southeast, Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (09) ◽  
pp. 400-406
Author(s):  
Okechukwu B. Anozie ◽  
Johnbosco I. Nwafor ◽  
Ephraim I. Nwokporo ◽  
Chidi U. Esike ◽  
Richard L. Ewah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcome ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Mental Health Outcome ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers ◽  
The Impact

Background: Globally, mental health issues have become one of the predominant public health concerns as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of frontline healthcare workers has not been fully described in Nigeria. Aim: To determine the mental health impact of COVID-19 pandemic and its associated factors among frontline healthcare workers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Materials and methods: This was an online cross-sectional study conducted among 315 frontline healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The mental health outcome of the participants was assessed using the short form of the Mental Health Continuum (MHC-SF). Results: The prevalence of mental health outcome for different categories was 47% (n = 148) for flourishing, 28.3% (n = 89) for moderate and 24.7% (n = 78) for languishing mental health. The predictors of languishing mental health outcome were being married (OR = 3.12, 95%CI 1.67 - 4.09, p = 0.035), a physician (OR = 4.09, 95%CI 1.98 - 5.61, p = 0.002), a nurse (OR = 2.21, 95%CI 0.05 - 0.24, p < 0.001), limited access to personal protective equipment (OR = 3.25, 95%CI 1.62 - 6.22, p = 0.043) and self-isolation and quarantine due to SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR = 3.03, 95%CI 0.02 - 0.95, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Nigeria’s frontline healthcare workers, especially physicians and nurses, are experiencing COVID-19 related psychological distress. There is need to develop and implement interventions to reduce the impact of prolonged psychological distress on long-term mental wellbeing in healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients.

scholarly journals The impact of a maternal mental health intervention on intimate partner violence in Northern Ghana and the mediating roles of social support and couple communication: secondary analysis of a cluster randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiepin Cao ◽  
John A. Gallis ◽  
Mohammed Ali ◽  
Margaret Lillie ◽  
Safiyatu Abubakr-Bibilazu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Maternal Mental Health ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Health Intervention ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Mechanisms Of Change ◽  
Mental Health Intervention ◽  
Couple Communication ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Backgrounds Diverse intervention efforts are implemented to address intimate partner violence (IPV) against women. Via a syndemics theory lens and emerging empirical evidence, mental health interventions demonstrate promise to partially ameliorate IPV. However, the mechanisms of change underlying many IPV interventions are not well understood. These gaps impede our efforts to strengthen or integrate effective components into the current mental health resources, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aims to examine the impact of a maternal mental health intervention called Integrated Mothers and Babies Course & Early Childhood Development (iMBC/ECD) on IPV and whether social support and/or couple communication mediates the intervention effects among women in rural, Northern Ghana. Methods The current study is a secondary data analysis of a cluster randomized controlled trial. IPV was measured at baseline and 8 months post-intervention (~ 19 months post-baseline). At baseline, 84.8% of the women enrolled in the study (n = 374) reported some type of IPV in the past 12 months. Logistic regression models and multiple mediation analyses were used to address the study aims. Results iMBC/ECD did not reduce IPV in the intervention group compared to the control group. Social support and couple communication did not mediate the intervention effects on IPV as indicated by the indirect effects of the multiple mediation models. However, increase in social support reduced women’s odds of experiencing emotional violence by 7%, odds ratio (OR) = 0.93, p = 0.007; b = − 0.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) = (− 0.13, − 0.02), and improvement in couple communication demonstrated promise in reducing women’s odds of experiencing controlling behaviors by 7%, OR = 0.93, p = 0.07; b = − 0.07, CI = (− 0.14, 0.005), though the improvements were not due to the intervention. Conclusion This maternal mental health intervention did not reduce IPV; however, the findings extend our knowledge about the impact of such interventions on IPV and the potential mechanisms of change via social support and couple communication. Future research evaluating the impact of mental health interventions on IPV and mechanisms of change is essential for the development of effective interventions. Future programs addressing IPV in LMICs should consider risk factors beyond relationship level (e.g. poverty and gender inequity). Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov # NCT03665246, Registered on August 20th, 2018.

scholarly journals E-mental health mindfulness-based and skills-based ‘CoPE It’ intervention to reduce psychological distress in times of COVID-19: study protocol for a bicentre longitudinal study

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. e039646
Author(s):  
Alexander Bäuerle ◽  
Johanna Graf ◽  
Christoph Jansen ◽  
Venja Musche ◽  
Adam Schweda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Health Intervention ◽  
Analysis Of Covariance ◽  
Mental Health Intervention ◽  
Study Results

IntroductionThe SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic poses immense challenges for national and international healthcare systems. Especially in times of social isolation and governmental restrictions, mental health should not be neglected. Innovative approaches are required to support psychologically burdened people. The e-mental health intervention ‘CoPE It’ has been developed to offer manualised and evidence-based psychotherapeutic support adapted to COVID-19-related issues in order to overcome psychological distress. In our study, we aim to assess the efficacy of the e-mental health intervention ‘CoPE It’ in terms of reducing distress (primary outcome), depression and anxiety symptoms as well as improving self-efficacy, quality of life and mindfulness (secondary outcomes). Furthermore, we want to evaluate the programme’s usability, feasibility and participants’ satisfaction with ‘CoPE It’ (tertiary outcome).Methods and analysisThe e-mental health intervention ‘CoPE It’ consists of four 30 min modules, conducted every other day, involving psychotherapeutic techniques of mindfulness-based stress reduction and cognitive–behavioural therapy. The widely applied and previously established content has been adapted to the context of the COVID-19 pandemic by experts in psychosomatic medicine and stress prevention. In our longitudinal study, adult participants—with adequate German language and computer skills, and who have provided informed consent—will be recruited via emergency support hotlines in Germany. Flyers will be distributed, and online channels will be used. Participants will complete a baseline assessment (T0), a postintervention assessment (T1) and assessments 1 and 3 months later (T2 and T3, respectively). We will perform repeated measures analysis of covariance, mixed linear models, standard analyses of variance and regression, and correlation coefficients. In case of binary outcome variables, either mixed logistic regression or χ² tests will be used.Ethics and disseminationThe Ethics Committees of the University of Duisburg-Essen (20-9243-BO) and University of Tübingen (469/2020BO) approved the study. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.Trial registration numberDRKS00021301.

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