Addressing the Need for Anger Management in Young People

Author(s):  
Tanya Heasley

Anger in young people is on the increase worldwide and effective anger treatment services are in demand. However, the lack of research on the construct of anger and little evidence-based practice makes it difficult to ascertain the best service for these angry young people. Moreover, there is a lack of extensive evidence and qualitative research in the combination of psychoeducation and positive psychology interventions in anger management programmes for young people. Therefore, this chapter will summarise a phenomenological study of an existing psychoeducational anger management programme in the UK and discuss its findings. This chapter will present anger and positive psychology in the context of developing an effective anger management programme and provide a simple anger management strategy to use as a foundation for developing anger management programmes in schools.

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Pass ◽  
Carl W. Lejuez ◽  
Shirley Reynolds

Background: Depression in adolescence is a common and serious mental health problem. In the UK, access to evidence-based psychological treatments is limited, and training and employing therapists to deliver these is expensive. Brief behavioural activation for the treatment of depression (BATD) has great potential for use with adolescents and to be delivered by a range of healthcare professionals, but there is limited empirical investigation with this group. Aims: To adapt BATD for depressed adolescents (Brief BA) and conduct a pilot study to assess feasibility, acceptability and clinical effectiveness. Method: Twenty depressed adolescents referred to the local NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health service (CAMHs) were offered eight sessions of Brief BA followed by a review around one month later. Self- and parent-reported routine outcome measures (ROMs) were collected at every session. Results: Nineteen of the 20 young people fully engaged with the treatment and all reported finding some aspect of Brief BA helpful. Thirteen (65%) required no further psychological intervention following Brief BA, and both young people and parents reported high levels of acceptability and satisfaction with the approach. The pre–post effect size of Brief BA treatment was large. Conclusions: Brief BA is a promising innovation in the treatment of adolescent depression. This approach requires further evaluation to establish effectiveness and cost effectiveness compared with existing evidence-based treatments for adolescent depression. Other questions concern the effectiveness of delivery in other settings and when delivered by a range of professionals.


10.2196/21145 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. e21145
Author(s):  
Toni Michel ◽  
Franziska Tachtler ◽  
Petr Slovak ◽  
Geraldine Fitzpatrick

Background Digital instantiations of positive psychology intervention (PPI) principles have been proposed to combat the current global youth mental health crisis; however, young people are largely not engaging with available resources. Objective The aim of this study is to explore young people’s attitudes toward various PPI principles to find ways of making digital instantiations of them more engaging. Methods We conducted an explorative workshop with 30 young people (aged 16-21 years). They rated and reviewed 29 common PPIs. Ratings and recorded discussions were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Some interventions were conflicting with young people’s values or perceived as too difficult. Participants responded positively to interventions that fit them personally and allowed them to use their strengths. Conclusions Values, context, strengths, and other personal factors are entangled with young people’s attitudes toward digital instantiations of PPI principles.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle H Lim ◽  
Lily Thurston ◽  
Robert Eres ◽  
Thomas L Rodebaugh ◽  
Mario Alvarez-Jimenez ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Young people are vulnerable to experiencing problematic levels of loneliness which can lead to poor mental health outcomes. Loneliness is a malleable treatment target and preliminary evidence has shown that it can be addressed with digital platforms. Peer Tree is a strengths-based digital smartphone application aimed at reducing loneliness. The study aim is to reduce loneliness, and assess the acceptability, usability, and feasibility of Peer Tree in young people enrolled at university. Methods: This will be a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing a strengths-based digital smartphone application (Peer Tree) with a treatment as usual (TAU) condition. Forty-two young people enrolled at university will be recruited for this pilot RCT. Participants with suicidality risk, acute psychiatric symptoms in the past month, or a current diagnosis of a mood or social anxiety disorder will be excluded. Allocation will be made on a 1:1 ratio and will occur after the initial baseline assessment. Assessments are completed at baseline, post-intervention, and at follow-up. Participants in the TAU condition complete the same three assessment sessions. The primary outcomes of the study will be self-reported loneliness as well as the acceptability, usability, feasibility and safety of Peer Tree. Depression, social anxiety, and quality of life variables will also be measured as secondary outcomes. Discussion: This trial will report the findings of implementing Peer Tree, a smartphone application aimed at reducing loneliness in university students. Findings from this trial will highlight the initial efficacy, acceptability and feasibility of using digital positive psychology interventions to reduce subthreshold mental health concerns. Findings from this trial will also describe the safety of Peer Tree as a digital tool. Results will contribute evidence for positive psychology interventions to address mental ill-health.Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry, ACTRN12619000350123. Registered 6th March 2020


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 637-647
Author(s):  
Liana S Lianov ◽  
Grace Caroline Barron ◽  
Barbara L Fredrickson ◽  
Sean Hashmi ◽  
Andrea Klemes ◽  
...  

Abstract Lifestyle-related diseases have common risk factors: physical inactivity, poor diet, inadequate sleep, high stress, substance use, and social isolation. Evidence is mounting for the benefits of incorporating effective methods that promote healthy lifestyle habits into routine health care treatments. Research has established that healthy habits foster psychological and physiological health and that emotional well-being is central to achieving total well-being. The Happiness Science and Positive Health Committee of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine aims to raise awareness about strategies for prioritizing emotional well-being. The Committee advocates for collaborative translational research to adapt the positive psychology and behavioral medicine evidence base into methodologies that address emotional well-being in nonmental health care settings. Another aim is to promote health system changes that integrate evidence-based positive-psychology interventions into health maintenance and treatment plans. Also, the Committee seeks to ameliorate health provider burnout through the application of positive psychology methods for providers' personal health. The American College of Lifestyle Medicine and Dell Medical School held an inaugural Summit on Happiness Science in Health Care in May 2018. The Summit participants recommended research, policy, and practice innovations to promote total well-being via lifestyle changes that bolster emotional well-being. These recommendations urge stakeholder collaboration to facilitate translational research for health care settings and to standardize terms, measures, and clinical approaches for implementing positive psychology interventions. Sample aims of joint collaboration include developing evidence-based, practical, low-cost behavioral and emotional assessment and monitoring tools; grants to encourage dissemination of pilot initiatives; medical record dashboards with emotional well-being and related aspects of mental health as vital signs; clinical best practices for health care teams; and automated behavioral programs to extend clinician time. However, a few simple steps for prioritizing emotional well-being can be implemented by stakeholders in the near-term.


2002 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Carter

Within the UK NHS (National Health Service) there is an increasing emphasis on evidence based practice in psychological therapies. This article discusses the political challenges and practical dilemmas this raises for group analysis, first by examining questions that might be asked by the principal stakeholders in group analysis as practised within the NHS. Such questions relate to one central issue: `What is the point of group analysis?' and might be regarded as different angles on this shared, core question, as seen from the perspectives of outcome, process and theory. The literature relating to outcome and process in group analysis will be discussed and the current state of group-analytic theory examined, with emphasis on group analysis as a `broad church'. The article will discuss issues of research, and argue that, due to the relatively undeveloped state of group-analytic theory, it is necessary to look to qualitative research methods as a means of helping to build a more clearly defined group-analytic theory and proving its worth.


2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Clark-Kazak

This paper explores the power dynamics inherent in qualitative research involving migration narratives. Drawing on the author’s experiences collecting life histories and constructing narratives of Congolese young people in Uganda, this article addresses the ethical and methodological issues of representivity, ownership, anonymity and confidentiality. It also explores the importance of investment in relationships in migration narrative research, but also the difficulties that arise when professional and personal boundaries become blurred.


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