scholarly journals Loneliness as an active ingredient in preventing or alleviating youth anxiety and depression: a critical interpretative synthesis incorporating principles from rapid realist reviews

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eiluned Pearce ◽  
Pamela Myles-Hooton ◽  
Sonia Johnson ◽  
Emily Hards ◽  
Samantha Olsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Young People ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Social Strategies ◽  
Critical Approach ◽  
Quantitative Evidence ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Positive Attitudes

Background Loneliness is a common problem in young people (14-24 years) and predicts the onset of depression and anxiety. Interventions to reduce loneliness thus have significant potential as active ingredients in strategies to prevent or alleviate anxiety and depression among young people. In this review, we aimed to combine qualitative and quantitative evidence with stakeholder views to identify interventions that appear worth testing for their potential effectiveness in achieving this.Methods We conducted a critical interpretative synthesis, a systematic review method that iteratively synthesises qualitative and quantitative evidence and is explicitly focused on building theory through a critical approach to the evidence that questions underlying assumptions. Literature searches were performed using nine databases, and eight additional databases were searched for theses and grey literature. Charity and policy websites were searched for content relevant to interventions for youth loneliness. We incorporated elements of rapid realistic review approaches by consultating with young people and academic experts to feed into search strategies and the resulting framework, in which we aimed to set out which interventions appear potentially promising in terms of theoretical and empirical underpinnings and fit with stakeholder views.Findings Through synthesising 27 studies (total participants n=105,649; range 1-102,072 in different studies) and grey literature and iteratively consulting with stakeholders, a conceptual framework was developed. A range of Intrapersonal (e.g. therapy that changes thinking and behaviour), Interpersonal (e.g. improving social skills), and Social Strategies (e.g. enhancing social support, providing opportunities for social contact) seem worth testing further for their potential to help young people address loneliness, thereby preventing or alleviating depression and/or anxiety. Such strategies should be co-designed and personalised to fit individual needs. Plausible mechanisms of action are facilitating sustained social support, providing opportunities for young people to socialise with peers who share similar experiences, and changing thinking and behaviour, for instance through building positive attitudes to themselves and others.Interpretation Strategies to address loneliness and prevent or alleviate anxiety and depression need to be co-designed and personalised. Promising elements to incorporate into these strategies are social support, including from peers with similar experiences, and psychological therapy.

scholarly journals Loneliness as an active ingredient in preventing or alleviating youth anxiety and depression: a critical interpretative synthesis incorporating principles from rapid realist reviews

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eiluned Pearce ◽  
Pamela Myles-Hooton ◽  
Sonia Johnson ◽  
Emily Hards ◽  
Samantha Olsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Young People ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Mechanisms Of Action ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Quantitative Evidence ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Stakeholder Views ◽  
Randomised Controlled

AbstractLoneliness is a relatively common problem in young people (14–24 years) and predicts the onset of depression and anxiety. Interventions to reduce loneliness thus have significant potential as active ingredients in strategies to prevent or alleviate anxiety and depression among young people. Previous reviews have focused on quantitative evidence and have not examined potential mechanisms that could be targets for intervention strategies. To build on this work, in this review we aimed to combine qualitative and quantitative evidence with stakeholder views to identify interventions that appear worth testing for their potential effectiveness in reducing loneliness, anxiety and depression in young people aged 14–24 years, and provide insights into the potential mechanisms of action. We conducted a Critical Interpretative Synthesis, a systematic review method that iteratively synthesises qualitative and quantitative evidence and is explicitly focused on building theory through a critical approach to the evidence that questions underlying assumptions. Literature searches were performed using nine databases, and eight additional databases were searched for theses and grey literature. Charity and policy websites were searched for content relevant to interventions for youth loneliness. We incorporated elements of Rapid Realistic Review approaches by consulting with young people and academic experts to feed into search strategies and the resulting conceptual framework, in which we aimed to set out which interventions appear potentially promising in terms of theoretical and empirical underpinnings and which fit with stakeholder views. We reviewed effectiveness data and quality ratings for the included randomised controlled trials only. Through synthesising 27 studies (total participants n = 105,649; range 1–102,072 in different studies) and grey literature, and iteratively consulting with stakeholders, a conceptual framework was developed. A range of ‘Intrapersonal’ (e.g. therapy that changes thinking and behaviour), ‘Interpersonal’ (e.g. improving social skills), and ‘Social’ Strategies (e.g. enhancing social support, and providing opportunities for social contact) seem worth testing further for their potential to help young people address loneliness, thereby preventing or alleviating depression and/or anxiety. Such strategies should be co-designed with young people and personalised to fit individual needs. Plausible mechanisms of action are facilitating sustained social support, providing opportunities for young people to socialise with peers who share similar experiences, and changing thinking and behaviour, for instance through building positive attitudes to themselves and others. The most convincing evidence of effectiveness was found in support of Intrapersonal Strategies: two randomised controlled studies quality-rated as ‘good’ found decreases in loneliness associated with different forms of therapy (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or peer network counselling), although power calculations were not reported, and effect sizes were small or missing. Strategies to address loneliness and prevent or alleviate anxiety and depression need to be co-designed and personalised. Promising elements to incorporate into these strategies are social support, including from peers with similar experiences, and psychological therapy.

scholarly journals “You’re just there, alone in your room with your thoughts” A qualitative study about the impact of lockdown among young people during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison R. McKinlay ◽  
Tom May ◽  
Joanna Dawes ◽  
Daisy Fancourt ◽  
Alexandra Burton
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Young People ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Quantitative Evidence ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBackgroundAdolescents and young adults have been greatly affected by quarantine measures during the coronavirus-19 pandemic. Quantitative evidence suggests that many young people have struggled with their mental health throughout “lockdown”, but little is understood about the qualitative impact of social distancing restrictions on mental health, wellbeing and social life. We therefore sought to elicit the views and experiences of adolescents and young adults living in the UK during the pandemic.MethodsSemi-structured qualitative interviews were undertaken with 37 participants aged 13-24.ResultsWe identified 4 superordinate themes most commonly described by participants about their experiences during the pandemic, including: a) missing social contact during lockdown, b) disruption to education, c) changes to social relationships, and d) improved wellbeing during lockdown. Although we identified some positive experiences during the pandemic, including an increased awareness of mental health and stronger relationship ties, many said they struggled with loneliness, a decline in mental health, and anxiety about socialising after the pandemic.ConclusionsFindings suggest that some young people may have felt less stigma talking about their mental health now compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many are worried about how the pandemic has affected their education and social connections and may require additional psychological, practical and social support. Our findings highlight the important role that education providers play in providing a source of information and support to adolescents and young adults during times of uncertainty.

A therapeutic group for young people with diverse gender identifications

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-257
Author(s):  
Sarah Davidson ◽  
Annabelle Morrison ◽  
Elin Skagerberg ◽  
Ian Russell ◽  
Anna Hames
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Young People ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Peer Relationships ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Therapeutic Group ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Psychosocial Difficulties ◽  
Psychological Difficulties

Young people are presenting to specialist gender services in higher numbers than before and many with significant psychosocial difficulties. Negative experiences of stigma, difficult peer relationships and discrimination exacerbate distress and psychological difficulties, negatively impacting wellbeing and resilience. Social support is advocated as a means of supporting young people with diverse gender identifications, such as through peer support groups. This article describes the establishment of a young persons’ group in 2011 within the United Kingdom’s Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), for those attending the service as a means of enabling their coping with difficult experiences and facilitating their wellbeing and resilience through effective social support. The group was evaluated using qualitative and quantitative measures and has subsequently run each year. Now in its sixth year, the authors reflect on their learning and experiences.

scholarly journals Coping Styles of Young People Dealing with Traumatic Events Reflected in Fairy Tales

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 90-104
Author(s):  
M.A. Odintsova ◽  
N. Radchikova ◽  
M.G. Kulyatskaya
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Young People ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Fairy Tales ◽  
Coping Style ◽  
Fairy Tale ◽  
Coping Styles ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Support Strategy ◽  
Age Range

The study examines the coping styles of adolescents (young people) (N=43, 37 f/6 m, age range 17-20, median age = 18) in deal with a traumatic life event, as reflected in standardized questionnaires and fairy tales written by themselwes, through the use of projective technique called "А person in the rain". Several types of traumatic life events in youth assessments were distinguished. It was found out that respondents with the victimized coping style use: the strategy of search for social support; strategy of social contact; cautious, aggressive, antisocial and indirect actions; avoidance; getting stuck in the situation and focusing on emotions; and passivity. The respondents with a hardiness coping style use the strategy of search for social support; strategy of social contact; acceptance of the situation; growth; development; renovation; assertive and careful actions. The respondents with an unformed coping style use the strategies of adoption, growth and development; updates; activity; a strategy of experience acquisition; focusing on emotions; loss of self; and escape into fantasy. The study shows that today’s young people are able to withstand the events associated with the trauma, using a fairly extensive arsenal of coping strategies. The fairy tale is an indicator allowing to diagnose styles and coping strategies specific to adolescents (young people) as well as contributing to the gentle and careful reduction of acute negative emotional experiences, encouraging the search for constructive ways to overcome them.

MINIMUM CONSUMER BASKET: WHAT SHOULD IT BE IN TODAY’S RUSSIA?

2020 ◽  
pp. 54-73
Author(s):  
V.N. Bobkov ◽  
A.A. Gulyugina ◽  
Ye.V. Odintsova
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Statistical Method ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Russian Population ◽  
Entire System ◽  
Quantitative Structure ◽  
Social State ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Subsistence Minimum

The article argues for a proposal for such a step in the direction of strengthening social support for the least protected groups of the Russian population and the development of the entire system of social state guarantees as a whole, as the introduction of a socially acceptable consumer basket instead of a consumer basket of the subsistence minimum. The advantages of the normative method of forming consumer baskets over the normative-statistical method are revealed. Based on the analysis of actual consumption of both food and non-food products and services, the qualitative and quantitative structure of the socially acceptable consumer basket is determined (using natural and value indicators).

The Relationship Between Highly Visual Social Media and Young People’s Mental Health: A Scoping Review (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alanna McCrory
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Young People ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
The Impact

UNSTRUCTURED Users of highly visual social media (HVSM), such as Snapchat and Instagram, share their messages through images, rather than relying on words. A significant proportion of people that use these platforms are adolescents. Previous research reveals mixed evidence regarding the impact of online social technologies on this age group’s mental wellbeing, but it is uncertain whether the psychological effects of visual content alone differ from text-driven social media. This scoping review maps existing literature that has published evidence about highly visual social media, specifically its psychological impact on young people. Nine electronic databases and grey literature from 2010 until March 2019 were reviewed for articles describing any aspect of visual social media, young people and their mental health. The screening process retrieved 239 articles. With the application of eligibility criteria, this figure was reduced to 25 articles for analysis. Results indicate a paucity of data that exclusively examines HVSM. The predominance of literature relies on quantitative methods to achieve its objectives. Many findings are inconsistent and lack the richness that qualitative data may provide to explore the reasons for theses mixed findings.

scholarly journals Sociodemographic and Psychological Risk Factors for Anxiety and Depression: Findings from the Covid-19 Health and Adherence Research in Scotland on Mental Health (CHARIS-MH) Cross-sectional Survey

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gill Hubbard ◽  
Chantal den Daas ◽  
Marie Johnston ◽  
Diane Dixon
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Illness Representations ◽  
Gender Effects ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Perceived Threat ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Psychological Risk Factors ◽  
Psychological Risk

Abstract Background Investigations about mental health report prevalence rates with fewer studies investigating psychological and social factors influencing mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic. Study aims: (1) identify sociodemographic groups of the adult population at risk of anxiety and depression and (2) determine if the following social and psychological risk factors for poor mental health moderated these direct sociodemographic effects: loneliness, social support, threat perception, illness representations. Methods Cross-sectional nationally representative telephone survey in Scotland in June 2020. If available, validated instruments were used, for example, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4) to measure anxiety and depression. Simple linear regressions followed by examination of moderation effect. Results A total of 1006 participants; median age 53 years, 61.4% female, from all levels of area deprivation (i.e., 3.8% in the most deprived decile and 15.6% in the most affluent decile). Analyses show associations of anxiety and depression with sociodemographic (age, gender, deprivation), social (social support, loneliness) and psychological factors (perceived threat and illness representations). Mental health was poorer in younger adults, women and people living in the most deprived areas. Age effects were exacerbated by loneliness and illness representations, gender effects by loneliness and illness representations and deprivation effects by loneliness, social support, illness representations and perceived threat. In each case, the moderating variables amplified the detrimental effects of the sociodemographic factors. Conclusions These findings confirm the results of pre-Covid-19 pandemic studies about associations between sociodemographics and mental health. Loneliness, lack of social support and thoughts about Covid-19 exacerbated these effects and offer pointers for pre-emptive action.

Formerly Detained Adolescents’ Narratives: On the Interplay between Quality of Life and Desistance

2021 ◽  
pp. 0306624X2110239
Author(s):  
Nele Van Hecke ◽  
Florien Meulewaeter ◽  
Wouter Vanderplasschen ◽  
Lore Van Damme ◽  
Jan Naert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Young People ◽  
Good Life ◽  
Individual Responsibility ◽  
Barriers And Opportunities ◽  
Ambivalent Relationship ◽  
Desistance From Crime ◽  
Good Lives

In recent years, a growing trend to consider strengths and protective factors in studies on desistance from crime has emerged. The present study explores three formerly detained adolescents’ narratives, aiming to tease out how Quality of Life (QoL) and desistance interact in pathways towards a “better life.” The narratives suggest that the journey towards a better life is highly individual, and may unfold via multiple pathways characterized by an ambivalent relationship between QoL and desistance. Alongside the importance of individual aspects and social support, societal barriers and opportunities play a significant role in creating new chances to re-build a life and prosocial identities. This reflects earlier findings that desistance is not an individual responsibility. It is essential to support young people to overcome societal barriers that impede participation in society and living a good life. This research adds to growing evidence of strengths-based approaches to rehabilitation, such as the Good Lives Model (GLM).

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