Getting through : children and youth post-disaster effective coping and adaptation in the context of the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010-1012 : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Wellington, Aotearoa/New Zealand

The study aims to understand how children cope effectively with a disaster, and to identify resources and processes that promote effective coping and adaptation. The context is the 2010–2012 Canterbury earthquake disaster in New Zealand. This qualitative study explores coping strategies in forty-two children from three age groups: five, nine and fifteen year-olds (Time 1). It draws on data from semi-structured interviews with the children, their parents, teachers and principals of five schools in Canterbury. Two schools in Wellington, a region with similar seismic risk, served as a useful comparison group. All children were interviewed twenty months after the first earthquake (T1) during an ongoing aftershock sequence, and six selected children from Christchurch were interviewed again (Time Two), three years after the initial earthquake. Findings have identified multiple inter-connected coping strategies and multi-level resources in the children and in their immediate contexts; these were fundamental to their post-disaster adaptation. Children who coped effectively used a repertoire of diverse coping strategies adapted to challenges, and in a culturally appropriate and flexible manner. Coping strategies included: emotional regulation, problem-solving, positive reframing, helping others, seeking support, and ―getting on‖. Although emotional regulation was important in the immediate aftermath of an earthquake, children adapting positively used heterogeneous combinations of coping strategies and resources. Proximal others provided coping assistance through modelling and coaching. Intra and interpersonal resources, such as self-efficacy and supportive parental and teacher relationships that promoted children‘s effective coping are identified and discussed. Children who coped effectively with the disaster appeared to have a larger coping repertoire and more practise in use than children in the Wellington comparison group, who were coping essentially with age appropriate challenges. By Time Two, all children in the cohort reported coping effectively, that they were stronger from their experience and had shifted their focus so that their coping skills were now employed for everyday challenges and for moving on with their lives, rather than focused on managing disaster events. Findings suggest that children can be coached to learn effective coping. Key recommendations are made for effective interventions for children and caregivers around children‘s effective coping and adaptation, and avenues for future research are detailed

Fabrication and in vitro testing of polymeric delivery system for condensed DNA

Polyethylenimine (PEI) was combined with plasmid DNA and freeze dried following the addition of sucrose as a lyoprotectant and pore-forming agent. Freeze-dried PEI DNA condensates were dry mixed with granular polylactideglycolic acid (PLGA) then compression molded and sponged to encapsulated PEI DNA. A measurement of the elastic modulus indicated that 91 wt% sucrose substituted for 95 wt% sodium chloride as a porogen, resulting in PLGA sponges with a mechanical modulus of 100 kPa. The PEI DNA was retained (80%) within PLGA sponges prepared with sucrose during the leaching and subsequent 2-week release studies, whereas sodium chloride PLGA sponges caused the premature release (100%) of PEI DNA within 2 days. In vitro gene transfer studies with PEI DNA PLGA sponges established that adherent and infiltrating fibroblasts expressed reporter gene for 15 days compared with the short, 3-day expression mediated by direct gene of PEI DNA on cells in culture. The results demonstrate an approach to encapsulate condensed DNA in a PLGA sponge for the purpose of retaining DNA within the matrices and creating efficient gene transfer during tissue engineering. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 67A: 1384–1392, 2003Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/34432/1/20036_ftp.pd

Impact of web-based cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia on stress, health, mood, cognitive, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative outcomes in rural dementia caregivers: Protocol for the NiteCAPP CARES and NiteCAPP SHARES randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Chronic insomnia affects up to 63% of family dementia caregivers. Research suggests that chronic insomnia prompts changes in central stress processing that have downstream negative effects on health and mood, as well as on cognitive, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative functioning. We hypothesize that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) will reverse those downstream effects by improving insomnia and restoring healthy central stress processing. Rural caregivers are particularly vulnerable, but they have limited access to CBT-I; therefore, we developed an accessible digital version using community input (NiteCAPP CARES). OBJECTIVE: This trial will evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and short-term and long-term effects of NiteCAPP CARES on the sleep and stress mechanisms underlying poor caregiver health and functioning. METHODS: Dyads (n=100) consisting of caregivers with chronic insomnia and their coresiding persons with dementia will be recruited from Columbia and surrounding areas in Missouri, United States. Participant dyads will be randomized to 4 weeks (plus 4 bimonthly booster sessions) of NiteCAPP CARES or a web-based sleep hygiene control (NiteCAPP SHARES). Participants will be assessed at baseline, after treatment, and 6- and 12-month follow-ups. The following assessments will be completed by caregivers: 1 week of actigraphy and daily diaries measuring sleep, Insomnia Severity Index, arousal (heart rate variability), inflammation (blood-derived biomarkers: interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein), neurodegeneration (blood-derived biomarkers: plasma amyloid beta [Aβ40 and Aβ42], total tau, and phosphorylated tau [p-tau181 and p-tau217]), cognition (Joggle battery, NIH Toolbox for Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function, and Cognitive Failures Questionnaire), stress and burden, health, and mood (depression and anxiety). Persons with dementia will complete 1 week of actigraphy at each time point. RESULTS: Recruitment procedures started in February 2022. All data are expected to be collected by 2026. Full trial results are planned to be published by 2027. Secondary analyses of baseline data will be subsequently published. CONCLUSIONS: This randomized controlled trial tests NiteCAPP CARES, a web-based CBT-I for rural caregivers. The knowledge obtained will address not only what outcomes improve but also how and why they improve and for how long, which will help us to modify NiteCAPP CARES to optimize treatment potency and support future pragmatic testing and dissemination. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04896775; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04896775. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/37874

Perceived quality of life and mental health status of Irish female prisoners.

Mental health status and quality of life of female prisoners, the majority of whom are drug-users, was examined as part of a larger, cross-sectional, general healthcare study of the Irish prisoner population. Comparisons were made with drug using and non-drug using male prisoners and females from the general population. Instruments include the GHQ-12 and the WHOQOL-BREF. While their quality of life profile was closer to drug-using male prisoners than other comparison groups, female prisoners still had significantly poorer physical and psychological Quality of Life scores. While poorer quality of life scores may be associated with the more severe drug use patterns of female prisoners it is likely that other factors also contribute. Before resorting to drugs/crime women may have already experienced adversity. There may also be gender differences in response to the combined dimensions of environmental distress. If women are to be imprisoned appropriate comprehensive mental health promotion approaches must address their specific needs

Surviving and Thriving: An Introduction to Childhood and Youth Post-Disaster Recovery in the Context of the Canterbury Earthquakes of 2010-2012

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.Potentially traumatic experiences, such as disasters, represent particularly complex experiences. While generally agreed that adversity has definite effects at a population level, the nature of these effects is open to debate. Past research has tended to focus on vulnerability and trauma. However, recent research suggests that experiencing adversity can sometimes be resolved in terms of enhanced well-being, and capacities to adapt. The specific focus of this paper is on children and youth, as there has been minimal research on how models of adaptation and accommodation in adults may apply to young people. The study seeks to further understanding of factors and processes that promote positive coping, adaptation, and wellbeing. It will examine adaptation using a study of experience over the course of a recovery process. A repeated measures approach will examine recovery processes, including resilience and post-traumatic growth. It is hoped that results will inform future preparation for adversity, and increase support to children and youth recovering from challenging life experiences, including disasters

Rencontrer les besoins en situation de crise. Accueillir et soutenir les victimes

Au cours de l=été 2004 et à la suite des terribles conséquences des attentats commis à Madrid en mars de la même année, est né un projet pilote ayant pour ambition de fédérer les ressources européennes en matière d=aide aux victimes d=actes terroristes. Baptisé EURESTE, ce projet, initié par la Croix-Rouge de Belgique et soutenu par la Commission européenne, a mis en place des initiatives, non seulement en matière de mobilisation de professionnels de la crise et de la victimologie, mais également dans le monde éducatif, afin d=engager des réflexions et des échanges favorisant une compréhension mutuelle et de faire part d=opinions démocratiques sur le phénomène du « terrorisme ». Pour de plus amples informations sur ce projet, nous invitons le lecteur à consulter le site: www.eureste.org Le présent manuel est l=un des outils conçus dans le cadre du projet Eureste. Il se veut avant tout un outil pratique et donc synthétique. En partant d=une analyse des besoins des victimes d=actes terroristes et grâce aux nombreux échanges sur les différentes approches mises en oeuvre en Europe, il nous a semblé important que ce manuel s=adresse à toute personne ayant un rôle à jouer pour répondre aux besoins des acteurs de la crise, dont les décideurs et les personnes en première ligne

HLA-DQ alloantibodies directly activate the endothelium and compromise differentiation of FoxP3high regulatory T lymphocytes

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