Dissemination and Implementation of Alternative Treatment Methods into Idaho’s Unipolar Mood Disorder Treatment

Research has documented the effects of some alternative methods on mood: exercise (Legrand & Heuze, 2007), diet (Appleton et al., 2007) and supplementation with micronutrients such as iron (Beard et al., 2005), fatty acids (Nemets et al, 2002) and St. John’s wort (Mulrow, 2005), for example, have all demonstrated an ability to positively affect mood. It is unknown to what extent this research has been disseminated or implemented into practice. Procedure: Mental health care practitioners (n = 306) in Idaho were randomly surveyed. Items measuring knowledge and use of the following three methods were asked: exercise, diet, supplementation. Results: Sixty-eight percent of respondents had encountered exercise as a mood disorder treatment option in professional discussion within the last 2 years, 44.7% had encountered dietary methods and 46.5% had encountered supplemental methods in the same context. Sixty-six percent (n=204) of respondents indicated that they used exercise methods to treat mood disorders, 35% (n=108) reported using dietary measures and 19% (n=60) reported using supplemental methods. Specific types of exercise, dietary and supplemental methods used-e.g. yoga, St. John’s wort, etc-are also discussed. Conclusions: The use of some alternative methods for the treatment of mood disorders is common in mental health care practitioners

The Relation Between Parental Status and Alcohol Use Patterns and Attitudes About Underage Drinking

In a sample of 143 adults from a population of households in Idaho, significant differences in patterns of alcohol use and attitudes about underage drinking were found as a function of parental status. Non-parents reported drinking alcohol more frequently than parents. Parents were significantly more likely than non-parents to report that it is never acceptable for minors to drink alcohol, that minors should not be allowed to drink alcohol at parties with no parents present, and that “sting” operations by police are warranted. Surprisingly, non-parents were significantly more likely than parents to that report stores and bars are not careful enough about selling alcohol to minor

Mending Broken Fences

Tears streamed freely down my face as I watched waves crash on the beach. My husband put his arms around me. For what it\u27s worth, he said, I\u27m sorry this is happening to us. So was I. We\u27d been through so much in our twenty-one years together: the loss of both of our fathers and two dogs, six surgeries for my endometriosis, four failed rounds of fertility treatments, the loss of his job thirteen years prior that had placed all our financial burdens squarely on my shoulders. Despite—or maybe because of—all of these things, I knew my marriage was over

Gender Differences in CAM Usage in Undergraduates

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently opened a center for the study of the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). While the NlH has conducted a few random sampling studies, none have examined the knowledge and use of CAM among undergraduates and whether these differ by gender. 111 college students were asked about the usage of a variety of CAM techniques, as well as about beliefs and opinions about CAM techniques. Several gender differences emerged. Implications for college wellness centers will be discussed

The Relation Between Attachment to Opposite Sex Parents and Attachment to Romantic Partners

This study examined the relation between attachment to opposite sex parents and attachment to romantic partners. Previous research has indicated that attachments to parents closely resemble attachments to romantic partners (Hazan & Shaver, 1987). However, little research has examined whether attachment to the mother or father is more predictive of attachment to romantic partners, and whether this varies by gender. The present study surveyed 236 college students about their attachment to parents, as well as romantic partners. We hypothesized that attachment to opposite sex parents would be significantly related to attachment with romantic partners. Results indicated that those who exhibit trust, communication, or alienation with opposite sex parents show significant positive correlations with fearful attachment styles to romantic partners. Furthermore, attachments to same sex parents showed similar results. This study can provide an important contribution to the understanding of how trust, communication, and alienation from parents influences adult romantic relationships

Student Trauma in the Classroom

Trauma-related disruptive student behavior has risen sharply. With the increase in the number of students experiencing traumatic events, and the number of U.S. veterans entering college, disruptive behavior may worsen. The purpose of the present study was to explore faculty experiences with student traumatic behavior, as well as their training to deal with such behavior