Evaluating the Efficacy of an Attachment-Informed Psychotherapeutic Parenting Program for Incarcerated Parents

An attachment-based, psychotherapeutic parent education course was created for incarcerated mothers and fathers to improve their ability to provide positive parenting and a more stable home environment for their children. The current study assessed the effects of this parenting curriculum on parents’ tendencies to be abusive, their sense of efficacy and satisfaction as a parent, their psychological distress, and their knowledge of child development and positive child guidance strategies. Results of pre-post assessments showed a significant improvement in parents’ sense of efficacy and satisfaction in the parenting role; their knowledge, skills, and behavior as a parent; their understanding of child development; their knowledge of alternatives to using corporal punishment; establishing appropriate parent-child boundaries; and they were less likely to view their child’s independence as a threat. Females showed a significant decrease in distress symptoms. Results are discussed in terms of the critical need for effective, high-quality parent education to break the intergenerational cycle of poor parenting for this at-risk population

Associations between interpretation bias and depression in adolescents

Interpretation biases have been shown to play a role in adult depression and are a target in cognitive behavioural therapy. Adolescence is a key risk period for the development of depression and a period of rapid cognitive and emotional development but little research has investigated the relationship between interpretation biases and depression in adolescents. This study adapted a measure of interpretation bias, the Ambiguous Scenarios Test for Depression, for adolescents and evaluated its reliability and validity. A community sample of 206 young people aged 12 to 18 years completed a validated measure of depression symptoms (Mood and Feelings Questionnaires) and the adapted Ambiguous Scenarios Test. The Ambiguous Scenarios Test for Depression in Adolescents had good internal consistency and split half reliability. Depression symptoms were associated with participants’ ratings of the valence of ambiguous situations and with interpretation biases. Importantly, symptoms of depression and anxiety were independently associated with interpretation bias. This research suggests that interpretation biases can be measured in this age group, that negative interpretation biases exist in adolescents and that these are associated with depression symptoms

Clinical characteristics of adolescents referred for treatment of depressive disorders

Background: Adolescence is a period of increased risk for the development of depression. Epidemiological and clinical studies suggest that the phenomenology of depression may differ during childhood and adolescence. However, participants in these studies may not reflect depressed young people referred to routine clinical services. The aim of this paper is to describe referrals for depression to a UK routine public healthcare service for children and adolescents with mental health difficulties. Method: This paper describes a consecutive series of adolescents (N = 100, aged 12-17 years), referred for depression to a routine public healthcare child and adolescent mental health service, in the south of England. Young people and their caregivers completed a structured diagnostic interview and self report measures of anxiety and depression. Results: Fewer than half of young people referred for depression met diagnostic criteria for a depressive disorder. The key symptoms reported by those with depression were low mood or irritability, cognitive disturbances, sleep disturbances and negative self-perceptions. Suicidal ideation was common and was considerably higher than reported in other studies. Caregiver and young person’s accounts of adolescent symptoms of depression and anxiety were uncorrelated. Caregivers also reported fewer symptoms of depression in their child than adolescents themselves. Conclusions: These data have direct relevance to the design and delivery of public mental health services for children and adolescents. However, we do not know how representative this sample is of other clinical populations in the UK or in other countries. There is a need to collect routine data from other services to assess the needs of this group of high risk adolescents

A Real-World Implementation-Effectiveness Study of Cognitive Enhancement Therapy for People with Schizophrenia

Title from PDF of title page viewed June 8, 2020Dissertation advisor: Melisa V. RempferVitaIncludes bibliographical references (pages 93-117)Thesis (Ph.D.)--Department of Psychology. University of Missouri--Kansas City, 2020The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation and effectiveness of Cognitive Enhancement Therapy (CET) within a real-world, community mental health program. Evidence-based programs for people with schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses are not widely available for eligible clients. Thus, real-world research is essential to address this underutilization of needed programs. This study intended to describe implementation of a 12-month version of CET, including descriptive participant, clinician, and setting information, as well as to test the program effectiveness. Thirty-four individuals who engaged in CET participated in the study. The majority of participants had a schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder diagnosis. Results indicated that eligible participants attended and engaged with the program, and the majority reported high satisfaction. Implementation of CET was bolstered with funding to support clinician training and utilization of a train-the-trainer model. Using an intent-to-treat model, effectiveness was partially supported; Participants improved in attention, verbal memory, and visual memory, as well as several domains of positive and negative symptoms. This study was the first comprehensive evaluation to demonstrate that CET was successfully and effectively implemented in a real-world program. Research and clinical implications are discussed.Overview -- Review of the literature -- Methodology -- Results -- Discussion -- Tables and figures -- Appendix A. CET Satisfaction Survey -- Appendix B. Perceptions of CET intervie

Identifying Factors to Increase the Adoption of Integrated Pest Management Practices: An Audience Segmentation Study

Tailoring programs based on audience needs and priorities is a critical component of effective programs. Audience segmentation research provides an opportunity to identify subgroups based on characteristics that affect their willingness to adopt a certain behavior and allows extension programs to fulfill a variety of needs and target the most important groups within a population. Currently there is minimal research exploring the factors that influence the sustained adoption of environmentally responsible pest management practices. As a result, the purpose of this study was to explore potential extension audience segmentation strategies by evaluating factors related to differences in residents’ intentions to use integrated pest management (IPM) practices.We used online surveys to collect data from a sample of 3,588 residents. We found relatively high intentions to adopt IPM practices but there remains room to increase adoption levels. Responses of undecided ranged from 14.7% to 23.1% across all pest management practices, which demonstrates the potential for an audience to be influenced to adopt an IPM approach. We also found that demographics, complementary conservation behaviors and engagement with the natural environment characterize meaningful subgroups to guide extension program design. Interestingly, we found an interrelationship between the intention and actual adoption of other environmentally responsible practices and the intention to adopt IPM practices. Respondents with greater intent to engage in IPM were also more engaged in general conservation, water conservation and fertilizer best practices. This demonstrates that previous engagement with other environmentally responsible practices may influence the adoption of IPM. Respondents with greater intent to engage in IPM also had less negative experiences with water quality and availability, implying the possible role negative consequences can play as teaching tools in extension program

The State and Future of the National Social Sector Infrastructure

This report examines the state of the national social sector infrastructure—which we define as the support system that helps the social sector thrive—and discusses how to strengthen it. We explore the challenges and opportunities of growth in the social sector infrastructure, inequities and disparities in the social sector and its infrastructure, and the importance of well-being. Within these themes, we offer suggestions for the future. We hope our findings will help social sector infrastructure providers, funders, and users understand the current state of the national social sector infrastructure and gain insight into how they can help strengthen it

Social Sector Infrastructure

This infographic visually represents our broad definitions of the social sector and its infrastructure. These definitions reflect their diversity, scope, and impact. We hope our definition and framework will inspire future research, as well as inform the way we think about, talk about, and support the social sector and its infrastructure. To learn how we developed these definitions, please read our report, The Social Sector Infrastructure: Defining and Understanding the Concept. To explore our definitions further, please visit our feature, Exploring the Social Sector Infrastructure

The Social Sector Infrastructure: Defining and Understanding the Concept

This report seeks to deepen understanding of the social sector infrastructure, which we define as the support system that helps the social sector thrive. In this report, we detail how we developed broad definitions that capture the full breadth of both the social sector and its infrastructure to reflect their diversity, scope, and impact. We hope our definition and framework will inspire future research, as well as inform the way we think about, talk about, and support the social sector and its infrastructure

An Overview of the Financing of National Social Sector Infrastructure Providers

In this report, we provide an overview of the financing of national social sector infrastructure providers incorporated as nonprofits by exploring their overall size, revenue structures, and financial health from 2014 to 2019, which constitutes the most recent six-year data released by the Internal Revenue Service. We also make initial observations about the gifts that MacKenzie Scott made to national social sector infrastructure providers in 2021. We hope our findings will help social sector infrastructure funders, providers, and users learn more about infrastructure financing and the steps they can take to strengthen infrastructure providers' financial health