scholarly journals Enhancing Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) with Parenting Skills: RCT of TRT + Parenting with Trauma-Affected Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Utilising Remote Training with Implications for Insecure Contexts and COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 8652
Author(s):  
Aala El-Khani ◽  
Kim Cartwright ◽  
Wadih Maalouf ◽  
Karin Haar ◽  
Nosheen Zehra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Children’S Mental Health ◽  
Children's Mental Health ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Parenting Skills ◽  
Waitlist Control ◽  
Recovery Techniques ◽  
Remote Training

Child psychosocial recovery interventions in humanitarian contexts often overlook the significant effect that caregivers can have on improving children’s future trajectory. We enhanced the well-established, evidenced-based child trauma recovery programme Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) intervention with parenting sessions, i.e., TRT + Parenting (TRT + P), which aims to improve parent mental health and their ability to support their children’s mental health. We describe the findings of a three-arm randomised controlled trial comparing enhanced TRT + P vs. TRT and waitlist. The primary aim was to test if children in the enhanced arm of the programme show improved child and caregiver mental health. We recruited 119 Syrian refugee children and one of their caregivers in Beqaa Valley in Lebanon. They were randomised to the TRT, TRT + P, or waitlist control group. Data were collected at baseline and 2 weeks and 12 weeks post intervention. Training of facilitators was via remote training from the United Kingdom. Results showed a highly consistent pattern, with children in the enhanced TRT + P group showing the greatest levels of improvement in behavioural and emotional difficulties compared to children in the TRT or waitlist control groups. Caregivers in the TRT + P group also reported significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress. Findings indicate that the addition of the evidence-based parenting skills components has the potential to enhance the effects of interventions designed to improve children’s mental health in contexts of trauma, conflict, and displacement. Implications for COVID-19 remote learning are also discussed.

Co-Parenting

2017 ◽  
pp. 774-778
Author(s):  
Annette Rotter
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Children’S Mental Health ◽  
Children's Mental Health ◽  
Parental Conflict ◽  
Parenting Skills ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Professional Advice ◽  
Niche Area

Co-parenting therapy is a niche practice area that focuses on providing parents with tools to diminish conflict and develop their co-parenting skills before, during, and after divorce. Co-parenting therapists work to fortify parental cooperation with the goal of diminishing the long-term negative effects of parental conflict on children’s mental health. Few clinicians are trained in this area. The author describes this niche area of practice and how she became interested in this challenging and impactful area. She covers the joys and challenges of a practice focused on co-parenting therapy, discusses the business aspects of this niche area, and offers professional advice about pursuing this specialty. Resources are listed to assist interested clinicians.

scholarly journals Eclectic approach to anxiety disorders among rural children

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 88-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atefeh Ahmadi ◽  
Mohamed Sharif Mustaffa ◽  
Ali Akbar Haghdoost ◽  
Syed Mohamed Shafeq Mansor
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Children’S Mental Health ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Children's Mental Health ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Group Guidance

Abstract Introduction Anxiety disorders in primary school-aged children negatively affect their mental health and psychological development. Available non-medical treatments for these conditions are time-consuming and expensive. In this context, eclectic therapy is a therapeutic approach that incorporates some therapeutic techniques and philosophies to create the ideal treatment. In this study, eclectic therapy consisted of art therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy designed for children suffering from high level of anxiety in their middle childhood years. The therapy also included group guidance sessions for their mothers. The effectiveness of this intervention was examined in the study. Methods 61 students aged 9-12 years with high levels of anxiety participated in the study. Intervention A (n = 20) consisted of 9-hour eclectic therapy for children with 3-hour group guidance sessions for their mothers. Intervention B (n = 20) consisted of 9-hour eclectic therapy for children. There was also a control group (n = 21). Results Teacher ratings of children’s mental health difficulties and self-report ratings of anxiety disorders indicated a significant difference from pretest to posttest, revealing a large effect size between the two interventions. Higher levels of pretest scores significantly predicted higher posttest scores for all domains of anxiety and mental health difficulties. Furthermore, age, gender, mothers working a 15-hour day, mother’s educational level, parental divorce rates, parental death, and family monthly income predicted therapy outcomes. Conclusion Results provide support for the effectiveness of eclectic art and CBT to improve children’s mental health and reduce anxiety through changing thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and behaviors that may cause fear and anxiety.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of an Internet- and App-Based Intervention for College Students With Elevated Stress: Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathias Harrer ◽  
Sophia Helen Adam ◽  
Rebecca Jessica Fleischmann ◽  
Harald Baumeister ◽  
Randy Auerbach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
College Students ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Waitlist Control ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Waitlist Control Group

BACKGROUND Mental health problems are highly prevalent among college students. Most students with poor mental health, however, do not receive professional help. Internet-based self-help formats may increase the utilization of treatment. OBJECTIVE The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the efficacy of an internet-based, app-supported stress management intervention for college students. METHODS College students (n=150) with elevated levels of stress (Perceived Stress Scale 4-item version, PSS-4 ≥8) were randomly assigned to either an internet- and mobile-based stress intervention group with feedback on demand or a waitlist control group. Self-report data were assessed at baseline, posttreatment (7 weeks), and 3-month follow-up. The primary outcome was perceived stress posttreatment (PSS-4). Secondary outcomes included mental health outcomes, modifiable risk and protective factors, and college-related outcomes. Subgroup analyses were conducted in students with clinically relevant symptoms of depression (Center for Epidemiological Studies’ Depression Scale >17). RESULTS A total of 106 participants (76.8%) indicated that they were first-time help-seekers, and 77.3% (intervention group: 58/75; waitlist control group: 58/75) showed clinically relevant depressive symptoms at baseline. Findings indicated significant effects of the intervention compared with the waitlist control group for stress (d=0.69; 95% CI 0.36-1.02), anxiety (d=0.76; 95% CI 0.43-1.09), depression (d=0.63; 95% CI 0.30-0.96), college-related productivity (d=0.33; 95% CI 0.01-0.65), academic work impairment (d=0.34; 95% CI 0.01-0.66), and other outcomes after 7 weeks (posttreatment). Response rates for stress symptoms were significantly higher for the intervention group (69%, 52/75) compared with the waitlist control group (35%, 26/75, P<.001; number needed to treat=2.89, 95% CI 2.01-5.08) at posttest (7 weeks). Effects were sustained at 3-month follow-up, and similar findings emerged in students with symptoms of depression. CONCLUSIONS Internet- and mobile-based interventions could be an effective and cost-effective approach to reduce consequences of college-related stress and might potentially attract students with clinically relevant depression who would not otherwise seek help. CLINICALTRIAL German Clinical Trial Register DRKS00010212; http://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do? navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00010212 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6w55Ewhjd)

scholarly journals ‘Make The Connection’ Parenting Skills Program: A Controlled Trial of Associated Improvement in Maternal Attitudes

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy O'Neill ◽  
Kimberley Swigger ◽  
Valerie Kuhlmeier
Keyword(s):  
Parental Attitudes ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Medium Effect ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Parenting Skills ◽  
Waitlist Control ◽  
Maternal Attitudes ◽  
Health Initiatives ◽  
Medium Effect Size ◽  
Waitlist Control Group

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of Make the Connection (MTC), an attachment focused parent training program, in fostering positive maternal attitudes thought to underlie sensitive responding. Background: Effective early intervention programs for ‘at risk’ parents are likely to promote healthy development and mitigate various negative outcomes associated with insecure attachment in infancy. Negative maternal attitudes and cognitions are thought to underlie insensitive parenting behaviour, and thus constitute a promising target for intervention.Methods: 180 mothers of infants between 3 and 8 months of age were assigned to experimental or waitlist control groups based on program availability in their region. Mothers completed questionnaires assessing parental attitudes at baseline, and again either after participating in MTC or after a 9-week waitlist period.Results: Participants who completed MTC showed significant improvement in overall attitude with a medium effect size relative to the waitlist control group, which showed no change. A small but significant interaction with infant age was noted, such that mothers of younger infants showed slightly more attitude improvement relative to those with older infants. Relative to the control group, participation in Make the Connection was associated with significant improvement in all attitudes except for self efficacy as a parent, which improved with time regardless of program participation.Conclusion: Make the Connection is effective in promoting positive parent-to-infant attachment and is a strong candidate for public health initiatives targeting parenting skills.

scholarly journals Impact of a Single School-Based Intervention for COVID-19 on Improving Mental Health

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takahiro Kubo ◽  
Akihiro Masuyama ◽  
Hiroki Shinkawa ◽  
Daichi Sugawara
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Junior High School ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
First Grade ◽  
Children’S Mental Health ◽  
Children's Mental Health ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
School Based Intervention ◽  
School Based

An underlying concern about the COVID-19 pandemic is that the mental health of children will decline. The present study aimed to investigate whether a single school-based intervention, including self-monitoring and psychoeducation for COVID-19, effectively achieved its aim to promote children’s mental health. The study was conducted in a junior high school. We assigned the third grade as the intervention group, second grade as the announcement group, and first grade, the control group. We hypothesized that the intervention group would experience improved mental health and reduced fear of COVID-19, when compared to the announcement and control groups. Interaction effects were observed only for depression, indicating a significant intervention effect in the intervention group. These findings suggest that a single school-based intervention that includes self-monitoring and psychoeducation for COVID-19 can help to improve children’s mental health. It is suggested that school-based interventions that intend to raise children's awareness of COVID-19 promote healthy development and adaptation within the school.

Prolonged grief in refugees, parenting behaviour and children’s mental health

2020 ◽  
pp. 000486742096742
Author(s):  
Richard A Bryant ◽  
Ben Edwards ◽  
Mark Creamer ◽  
Meaghan O’Donnell ◽  
David Forbes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Emotional Problems ◽  
Children’S Mental Health ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Children's Mental Health ◽  
Refugee Children ◽  
Psychological Disturbance ◽  
Prolonged Grief Disorder ◽  
Prolonged Grief ◽  
Parenting Behaviour

Background: Many refugees experience bereavement, and as a result they suffer elevated rates of prolonged grief disorder. Evidence also indicates that elevated rates of psychological disturbance in refugee children can be associated with parental mental health. This study examined the extent to which prolonged grief disorder in refugees is associated with their parenting behaviour and in turn with their children’s mental health. Methods: This study recruited participants from the Building a New Life in Australia prospective cohort study of refugees admitted to Australia between October 2013 and February 2014. The current data were collected in 2015–2016 and comprised 1799 adults, as well as 411 children of the adult respondents. Adult refugees were assessed for trauma history, post-migration difficulties, harsh and warm parenting, probable prolonged grief disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. Children were administered the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. The current analyses on bereaved refugees comprise 110 caregivers and 178 children. Results: In this cohort, 37% of bereaved refugees reported probable prolonged grief disorder. Path analysis indicated that caregivers’ grief was directly associated with children’s emotional difficulties. Caregiver warmth was associated with reduced emotional problems in children of refugees with minimal grief but associated with more emotional problems in caregivers with more severe grief. More harsh parenting was associated with children’s conduct problems, and this was more evident in those with less severe grief. Conclusion: Severity of prolonged grief disorder is directly linked to refugee children’s mental health. The association between parenting style, grief severity and children’s mental health highlights that managing grief reactions in refugees can benefit both refugees and their children.

scholarly journals IDTWO: A Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial of a Web-Based Mental Health Intervention for Australians with Intellectual Disability

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2473
Author(s):  
Peter A. Baldwin ◽  
Victoria Rasmussen ◽  
Julian N. Trollor ◽  
Jenna L. Zhao ◽  
Josephine Anderson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
World Health ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Waitlist Control ◽  
Cognitive Behaviour ◽  
Randomised Controlled

People with intellectual disability (ID) experience higher rates of mental illness and reduced access to appropriate care and treatment. Tailored electronic mental health (eMH) programs offer opportunities to address these disparities. The aim of this study is to examine whether a fully automated and self-guided eMH program tailored to the needs of people with ID can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve daily functioning in people with borderline-to-mild ID. Australians with borderline-to-mild ID, aged 16 years and older with mild-to-moderate depression and/or anxiety symptoms will be eligible to participate with the help of a nominated carer, if necessary. A randomised controlled trial with a sample size of 150 participants divided into treatment and waitlist control arms will be conducted. Participants randomised to the intervention group will have full access to the Healthy Mind program for eight weeks. The waitlist control group will gain full access to the program following the eight-week treatment period. Efficacy will be assessed on the Anxiety, Depression, and Mood Scale; Kessler-10; and the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 across three time-points (baseline, eight weeks, and three months). We expect that people who use the intervention will report reduced depression and anxiety, relative to the control group. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effectiveness of a fully automated eMH program for improving mental health in people with ID. We expect our study to render new knowledge on the delivery and effects of internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) tools for people with ID.

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