Family-Based Support as Social Determinants of Health Protective Factor on Depression of Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

All parents experience challenges in their caregiving roles (Barańczuk & Pisula, 2020). However, parents raising a child/children with disabilities experience different social barriers (Oliver, 1996) that may also contribute to additional stressors in their caregiving role (Tomeny, 2016). Although these parents, on average, have reported greater symptoms of depression than parents of typically developing children, research shows that parents who reported receiving social support had lower symptoms of depression and stress (Das et al., 2017; Singh et al., 2017). Through the social determinants of health (SDOH) framework (ODPHP, 2022), the present study investigated informal/family-based support and its protective impact on depression reported by parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study used existing data (N = 199) for a non-experimental, multivariate, cross-sectional design that utilized a convenience sampling approach. On average, participants self-identified as a biological parent, female, White, Non-Hispanic, college educated, and married. I used factor analyses to examine the psychometric properties of the Family Adjustment Measure family-based support subscale (FAM; Daire et al., 2014) and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS; Zimet et al., 1988), including family, friend, and significant other support as manifest variables for informal/family-based support. I then used a structural equation model (SEM) to examine the association between informal/family-based support with depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-8; Kroenke et al., 2009) to conceptualize social determinants of health-protective factor (SDHPF) as a latent variable that predicts depression. Finally, in moderation analyses, I examined how a parent’s income and a child\u27s symptom severity influenced the strength of the association between SDHPF and depression. Findings showed a single-factor structure, good model fit, and internal reliability for the FAM and MSPSS. Informal/family-based support significantly predicted the presence of depression in parents of children with ASD, whereas higher informal and family-based support predicted lower depression. Income and CSS did not significantly moderate the relationship between informal/family-based support and depression. Results of the present study inform implications for counselor educators, practicing counselors, policy, and research that may help enhance the lives of families that include a child with ASD

Motivated But Challenged: Counselor Educators’ Experiences Teaching About Social Determinants of Health

A phenomenological study was conducted to understand eight counselor educators’ experiences teaching about social determinants of health. The analysis yielded three themes: educator identity, motivations, and challenges. Implications for counselor educators preparing future counselors to be leaders in multiculturalism, social justice, and advocacy are provided

Utilization of the Social Determinants of Mental Health Framework with Older Adults for Assessment, Case Conceptualization, and Treatment Planning

This conceptual paper will aid counselors and mental health professionals in obtaining insight to utilizing a Social Determinants of Mental Health Framework with older adult clients. Further, the article incorporates the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies to further contextualize the therapeutic alliance. The authors utilize the Social Determinants of Mental Health Framework to frame counseling assessment, case conceptualization, and treatment planning to improve the mental health outcomes of older adults. The article utilizes a specific case example to assess, conceptualize, and plan treatment for an older adult client contextualized in their environment