The Role of Place Attachment in Promoting Refugees’ Well-Being and Resettlement: A Literature Review

Refugees are at great risk of developing mental health problems. Yet, little is known about how to optimally help this vulnerable group as there is a lack of evaluated refugee mental health interventions. The current article presents the results of a literature review which investigates the importance of place attachment for the promotion of refugees’ well-being in the resettlement process. This review concentrated on the most recent and current literature regarding the potential role, importance, and relevance of people–place bonds in the dynamic process of refugee resettlement. It examines literature from the field of positive and environmental psychology, highlighting key theoretical concepts and research findings as well as gaps in research. The review revealed that little is known about the dynamics of place bonding, while the debate rages on about the geometry of the psychological constructs of person–place relationships. Yet, knowing more about which needs should be satisfied for easing place bonding could be of crucial importance for facilitating refugee well-being. Ultimately, improving the knowledge and understanding of the phases of this dynamic process could be useful for a more successful implementation of refugee resettlement practices and activities.

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Supporting the emotional needs of young people in care: a qualitative study of foster carer perspectives

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033317 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. e033317

Author(s):

Rachel M Hiller ◽

Sarah L Halligan ◽

Richard Meiser-Stedman ◽

Elizabeth Elliott ◽

Emily Rutter-Eley

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young People ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Needs ◽

Depth Information ◽

Emotional Needs ◽

Mental Health Systems ◽

Mental Health Needs ◽

Qualitative Focus Groups

ObjectivesYoung people who have been removed from their family home and placed in care have often experienced maltreatment and there is well-developed evidence of poor psychological outcomes. Once in care, foster carers often become the adult who provides day-to-day support, yet we know little about how they provide this support or the challenges to and facilitators of promoting better quality carer–child relationships. The aim of this study was to understand how carers support the emotional needs of the young people in their care and their views on barriers and opportunities for support.Design and participantsParticipants were 21 UK foster carers, recruited from a local authority in England. They were predominantly female (86%), aged 42–65 years old and ranged from those who were relatively new to the profession (<12 months’ experience) to those with over 30 years of experience as a carer. We ran three qualitative focus groups to gather in-depth information about their views on supporting their foster children’s emotional well-being. Participants also completed short questionnaires about their training experiences and sense of competence.ResultsOnly half of the sample strongly endorsed feeling competent in managing the emotional needs of their foster children. While all had completed extensive training, especially on attachment, diagnosis-specific training for mental health problems (eg, trauma-related distress, depression) was less common. Thematic analysis showed consistent themes around the significant barriers carers faced navigating social care and mental health systems, and mixed views around the best way to support young people, particularly those with complex mental health needs and in relation to reminders of their early experiences.ConclusionsFindings have important implications for practice and policy around carer training and support, as well as for how services support the mental health needs of young people in care.

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Comparing the social networks of service users with long term mental health needs living in community with those in a general adult in-patient unit

International Journal of Social Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/00207640211017590 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 002076402110175

Author(s):

Roberto Rusca ◽

Ike-Foster Onwuchekwa ◽

Catherine Kinane ◽

Douglas MacInnes

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Networks ◽

Social Network ◽

Patient Group ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Problems ◽

Practical Support ◽

The Social

Background: Relationships are vital to recovery however, there is uncertainty whether users have different types of social networks in different mental health settings and how these networks may impact on users’ wellbeing. Aims: To compare the social networks of people with long-term mental illness in the community with those of people in a general adult in-patient unit. Method: A sample of general adult in-patients with enduring mental health problems, aged between 18 and 65, was compared with a similar sample attending a general adult psychiatric clinic. A cross-sectional survey collected demographic data and information about participants’ social networks. Participants also completed the Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale to examine well-being and the Significant Others Scale to explore their social network support. Results: The study recruited 53 participants (25 living in the community and 28 current in-patients) with 339 named as important members of their social networks. Both groups recorded low numbers in their social networks though the community sample had a significantly greater number of social contacts (7.4 vs. 5.4), more monthly contacts with members of their network and significantly higher levels of social media use. The in-patient group reported greater levels of emotional and practical support from their network. Conclusions: People with serious and enduring mental health problems living in the community had a significantly greater number of people in their social network than those who were in-patients while the in-patient group reported greater levels of emotional and practical support from their network. Recommendations for future work have been made.

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Dual impacts of coronavirus anxiety on mental health in 35 societies

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-87771-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sylvia Xiaohua Chen ◽

Jacky C. K. Ng ◽

Bryant P. H. Hui ◽

Algae K. Y. Au ◽

Wesley C. H. Wu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Psychological Adaptation ◽

Well Being ◽

Subjective Health ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Emotional Symptoms ◽

Perceived Vulnerability

AbstractThe spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected both physical health and mental well-being around the world. Stress-related reactions, if prolonged, may result in mental health problems. We examined the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in a multinational study and explored the effects of government responses to the outbreak. We sampled 18,171 community adults from 35 countries/societies, stratified by age, gender, and region of residence. Across the 35 societies, 26.6% of participants reported moderate to extremely severe depression symptoms, 28.2% moderate to extremely severe anxiety symptoms, and 18.3% moderate to extremely severe stress symptoms. Coronavirus anxiety comprises two factors, namely Perceived Vulnerability and Threat Response. After controlling for age, gender, and education level, perceived vulnerability predicted higher levels of negative emotional symptoms and psychological distress, whereas threat response predicted higher levels of self-rated health and subjective well-being. People in societies with more stringent control policies had more threat response and reported better subjective health. Coronavirus anxiety exerts detrimental effects on subjective health and well-being, but also has the adaptive function in mobilizing safety behaviors, providing support for an evolutionary perspective on psychological adaptation.

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Coping Strategies by University Students in Response to COVID-19: Differences between Community and Clinical Groups

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10112499 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 2499

Author(s):

Víctor-María López-Ramos ◽

Benito León-del-Barco ◽

Santiago Mendo-Lázaro ◽

María-Isabel Polo-del-Río

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Clinical Sample ◽

Characteristic Curve ◽

Well Being ◽

Clinical Group ◽

Cognitive Avoidance ◽

Coping Response ◽

Community Group

Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic had severe consequences on the health and well-being of millions of people. Different studies try to identify the main effects that the crisis and several lockdowns have had on the citizens’ mental health. This research analyses the coping strategies generated by students from a community group and a clinical group in response to this crisis, using the Coping Responses Inventory—Adult Form (CRI-A) by Moos with a sample of 1074 students of Universidad de Extremadura. Multivariate analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis have been carried out, revealing, amongst other things, a greater predisposition of the clinical sample towards factors such as seeking guidance and support, cognitive avoidance or emotional discharge. Results show that students with prior mental health problems perform an unhealthy coping response based on avoidance strategies. This group of students suffers a double source of distress and anxiety, one derived from their prior psychopathologic problems and the stress of the lockdown and another one originating from an inefficient coping response, which makes coping strategies raise levels of distress and anxiety.

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Evidence for implementation of interventions to promote mental health in the workplace: a systematic scoping review protocol

Systematic Reviews ◽

10.1186/s13643-020-01570-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Charlotte Paterson ◽

Caleb Leduc ◽

Margaret Maxwell ◽

Birgit Aust ◽

Benedikt L. Amann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Evaluation Studies ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Mental Health Promotion ◽

Successful Implementation ◽

Health Promotion Interventions ◽

Promote Mental Health

Abstract Background Mental health problems are common in the working population and represent a growing concern internationally, with potential impacts on workers, organisations, workplace health and compensation authorities, labour markets and social policies. Workplace interventions that create workplaces supportive of mental health, promote mental health awareness, destigmatise mental illness and support those with mental disorders are likely to improve health and economical outcomes for employees and organisations. Identifying factors associated with successful implementation of these interventions can improve intervention quality and evaluation, and facilitate the uptake and expansion. Therefore, we aim to review research reporting on the implementation of mental health promotion interventions delivered in workplace settings, in order to increase understanding of factors influencing successful delivery. Methods and analysis A scoping review will be conducted incorporating a stepwise methodology to identify relevant literature reviews, primary research and grey literature. This review is registered with Research Registry (reviewregistry897). One reviewer will conduct the search to identify English language studies in the following electronic databases from 2008 through to July 1, 2020: Scopus, PROSPERO, Health Technology Assessments, PubMed, Campbell Collaboration, Joanna Briggs Library, PsycINFO, Web of Science Core Collection, CINAHL and Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). Reference searching, Google Scholar, Grey Matters, IOSH and expert contacts will be used to identify grey literature. Two reviewers will screen title and abstracts, aiming for 95% agreement, and then independently screen full texts for inclusion. Two reviewers will assess methodological quality of included studies using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool and extract and synthesize data in line with the RE-AIM framework, Nielson and Randall’s model of organisational-level interventions and Moore’s sustainability criteria, if the data allows. We will recruit and consult with international experts in the field to ensure engagement, reach and relevance of the main findings. Discussion This will be the first systematic scoping review to identify and synthesise evidence of barriers and facilitators to implementing mental health promotion interventions in workplace settings. Our results will inform future evaluation studies and randomised controlled trials and highlight gaps in the evidence base. Systematic review registration Research Registry (reviewregistry897)

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Cardiovascular disease and meaning in life: A systematic literature review and conceptual model

Palliative & Supportive Care ◽

10.1017/s1478951520001261 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Joel Vos

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Literature Review ◽

Conceptual Model ◽

Psychological Stress ◽

Systematic Literature Review ◽

Meaning In Life ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Meaningful Life ◽

Psychological Treatments

Abstract Objectives Previous studies have shown that psychological stress and mental health problems increase the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, such as heart attack or stroke. Furthermore, after CVD events, the majority of patients report large stress. However, psychological treatments have only modest effects in CVD patients. Therefore, it has been argued that new conceptual models are needed to understand the aetiology of stress and mental health problems in CVD patients. Therefore, this study included a systematic literature review and a conceptual model on the role of meaning in life for psychological stress, mental health, and CVD risks. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted on relationships between CVD and meaning in life. PRISMA/MOOSE review guidelines were followed. These findings were used to build a conceptual model. Results The literature review included 113 studies on meaning and CVD. The included studies described meaning as a predictor of cardiovascular risks and health, meaning-centered needs of patients in conversations with medical staff, meaning-centered changes after CVD events, meaning-centered coping with CVD, meaning as motivator of CVD-related lifestyle changes, and meaning as an element in psychological treatments of CVD patients. In sum, the literature showed that a central clinical concern for patients is their question how to live a meaningful life despite CVD. Meaning-centered concerns seem to lead to lower motivation to make lifestyle changes, more psychological stress, lower quality-of-life, worse physical well-being, and increased CVD risk. The ability to live a meaningful life after CVD events is related with lower stress, better mental health, and several biomarkers. Significance of results An evidence-based conceptual framework was developed for the relationship between meaning and CVD. It may be hypothesized CVD patients may benefit from psychological therapies focused on meaning.

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Embitterment as a Specific Mental Health Reaction during the Coronavirus Pandemic

Psychopathology ◽

10.1159/000517447 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Beate Muschalla ◽

Clio Vollborn ◽

Anke Sondhof

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Online Survey ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Affective State ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Problems ◽

Social Consequences ◽

High Rate ◽

Perceived Injustice

Introduction: Embitterment can occur as a reaction to perceived injustice. During the pandemic and restrictions in daily living due to infection risk management, a range of many smaller or severe injustices have occurred. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate what characterizes persons with high embitterment, mental illness, embitterment and mental illness, and those without embitterment or mental health problems. Methods: We conducted an online survey including persons from the general population in November 2020 and December 2020, the phase during which a second lockdown took place, with closed shops, restaurants, cultural and activity sites. 3,208 participants (mean age 47 years) gave self-ratings on their present well-being, burdens experienced during the pandemic, embitterment, wisdom, and resilience. Results: Embitterment occurred among 16% of the sample, which is a high rate in comparison with 4% during pre-pandemic times. Embitterment was weakly correlated with unspecific mental well-being. There were more persons with embitterment than those with embitterment and a mental health problem. Persons with embitterment reported less coronavirus-related anxiety than persons without embitterment. However, embittered persons reported more social and economic burdens and more frequent experiences of losses (job loss and canceling of medical treatments). Embittered persons perceive their own wisdom competencies on a similar level as persons with mental health problems or persons without mental health problems. Conclusion: Embitterment is a specific potentially alone-standing affective state, which is distinguishable from general mental health and coping capacities (here: wisdom). The economic and social consequences of pandemic management should be carefully recognized and prevented by policy.

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Child maltreatment, cognitive functions and the mediating role of mental health problems among maltreated children and adolescents in Uganda

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health ◽

10.1186/s13034-021-00373-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Herbert E. Ainamani ◽

Godfrey Z. Rukundo ◽

Timothy Nduhukire ◽

Eunice Ndyareba ◽

Tobias Hecker

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Working Memory ◽

Child Maltreatment ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Problems

Abstract Background Child maltreatment poses high risks to the mental health and cognitive functioning of children not only in childhood but also in later life. However, it remains unclear whether child maltreatment is directly associated with impaired cognitive functioning or whether this link is mediated by mental health problems. Our study aimed at examining this research question among children and adolescents in Uganda. Methods A sample of 232 school-going children and adolescents with a mean age of 14.03 (SD = 3.25) was assessed on multiple forms of maltreatment using the Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology Exposure—Pediatric Version (pediMACE). Executive functions were assessed by the Tower of London task and working memory by the Corsi Block Tapping task, while mental health problems were assessed using the Child PTSD Symptom Scale for PTSD and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC). Results In total, 232 (100%) of the participant reported to have experienced at least one type of maltreatment in their lifetime including emotional, physical, and sexual violence as well as neglect. We found a negative association between child maltreatment and executive functions (β = − 0.487, p < 0.001) and working memory (β = − 0.242, p = 0.001). Mental health problems did not mediate this relationship. Conclusions Child maltreatment seems to be related to lower working memory and executive functioning of affected children and adolescents even after controlling for potential cofounders. Our study indicates that child maltreatment the affects children’s cognitive functionality beyond health and well-being.

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Identifying as American Indian/Alaska Native in Urban Areas: Implications for Adolescent Behavioral Health and Well-Being

Youth & Society ◽

10.1177/0044118x19840048 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 53 (1) ◽

pp. 54-75 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ryan A. Brown ◽

Daniel L. Dickerson ◽

David J. Klein ◽

Denis Agniel ◽

Carrie L. Johnson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Identity Development ◽

American Indian ◽

Behavioral Health ◽

Alaska Native ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Well Being ◽

Racial Ethnic ◽

Health And Well Being

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth exhibit multiple health disparities, including high rates of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, violence and delinquency, and mental health problems. Approximately 70% of AI/AN youth reside in urban areas, where negative outcomes on behavioral health and well-being are often high. Identity development may be particularly complex in urban settings, where youth may face more fragmented and lower density AI/AN communities, as well as mixed racial-ethnic ancestry and decreased familiarity with AI/AN lifeways. This study examines racial-ethnic and cultural identity among AI/AN adolescents and associations with behavioral health and well-being by analyzing quantitative data collected from a baseline assessment of 185 AI/AN urban adolescents from California who were part of a substance use intervention study. Adolescents who identified as AI/AN on their survey reported better mental health, less alcohol and marijuana use, lower rates of delinquency, and increased happiness and spiritual health.

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Leveraging Twitter Using Artificial Intelligence to Explore Mental Health Insights in the UK During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.32449 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Christopher Marshall ◽

Kate Lanyi ◽

Rhiannon Green ◽

Georgie Wilkins ◽

Fiona Pearson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Artificial Intelligence ◽

Language Processing ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Well Being ◽

Research Activity ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Key Topics ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND There is increasing need to explore the value of soft-intelligence, leveraged using the latest artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) techniques, as a source of analysed evidence to support public health research activity and decision-making. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to further explore the value of soft-intelligence analysed using AI through a case study, which examined a large collection of UK tweets relating to mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS A search strategy comprising a list of terms related to mental health, COVID-19, and lockdown restrictions was developed to prospectively collate relevant tweets via Twitter’s advanced search application programming interface over a 24-week period. We deployed a specialist NLP platform to explore tweet frequency and sentiment across the UK and identify key topics of discussion. A series of keyword filters were used to clean the initial data retrieved and also set up to track specific mental health problems. Qualitative document analysis was carried out to further explore and expand upon the results generated by the NLP platform. All collated tweets were anonymised RESULTS We identified and analysed 286,902 tweets posted from UK user accounts from 23 July 2020 to 6 January 2021. The average sentiment score was 50%, suggesting overall neutral sentiment across all tweets over the study period. Major fluctuations in volume and sentiment appeared to coincide with key changes to any local and/or national social-distancing measures. Tweets around mental health were polarising, discussed with both positive and negative sentiment. Key topics of consistent discussion over the study period included the impact of the pandemic on people’s mental health (both positively and negatively), fear and anxiety over lockdowns, and anger and mistrust toward the government. CONCLUSIONS Through the primary use of an AI-based NLP platform, we were able to rapidly mine and analyse emerging health-related insights from UK tweets into how the pandemic may be impacting people’s mental health and well-being. This type of real-time analysed evidence could act as a useful intelligence source that agencies, local leaders, and health care decision makers can potentially draw from, particularly during a health crisis.

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