Provider Satisfaction with an Integrative Adolescent Depression Program in a Pediatric Setting

Adolescent depression affects approximately 11% of adolescents by the age of eighteen. Depression in adolescents can lead to low school performance, strained interpersonal relationships, low self-esteem and may increase the likelihood of adolescents engaging in risky health behaviors and suicide. Primary care is the first stop for many adolescents seeking treatment for depression. However, primary care providers have expressed discomfort in diagnosing and treating adolescent depression. The EMERALD program is an integrative adolescent depression program within a pediatric primary care setting that provides specialty support to primary care providers in diagnosing and treating adolescent depression. This study sought to determine providers’ opinions regarding the program through the use of four longitudinal quantitative and qualitative surveys conducted from July 2011 to January 2014 including an expanded current survey and in-person interviews. Results indicate a steady increase in respondents’ reports of their comfort levels both diagnosing and treating adolescent depression over four years. Participants also expressed the value of the increased access to specialty support for both themselves and their patients. Furthermore, participants indicate the integrative model, especially as it relates to the value of the role of care coordinator, was very beneficial to their practices in diagnosing and treating adolescent depression

Provider Satisfaction with an Integrative Adolescent Depression Program in a Pediatric Setting

Adolescent depression affects approximately 11% of adolescents by the age of eighteen. Depression in adolescents can lead to low school performance, strained interpersonal relationships, low self-esteem and may increase the likelihood of adolescents engaging in risky health behaviors and suicide. Primary care is the first stop for many adolescents seeking treatment for depression. However, primary care providers have expressed discomfort in diagnosing and treating adolescent depression. The EMERALD program is an integrative adolescent depression program within a pediatric primary care setting that provides specialty support to primary care providers in diagnosing and treating adolescent depression. This study sought to determine providers’ opinions regarding the program through the use of four longitudinal quantitative and qualitative surveys conducted from July 2011 to January 2014 including an expanded current survey and in-person interviews. Results indicate a steady increase in respondents’ reports of their comfort levels both diagnosing and treating adolescent depression over four years. Participants also expressed the value of the increased access to specialty support for both themselves and their patients. Furthermore, participants indicate the integrative model, especially as it relates to the value of the role of care coordinator, was very beneficial to their practices in diagnosing and treating adolescent depression

Community Leadership: What Does it Take to See Results?

This archival publication may not reflect current scientific knowledge or recommendations. Current information available from the University of Minnesota Extension: https://www.extension.umn.edu

Divorce : a guide for counselors assisting children of divorce

Clinicians must be aware of the presenting problems of children of divorce and effective techniques and interventions when working with this targeted population. The purpose of this paper was to provide various interventions and practical guidelines when working with children of divorce

Examining the effects of psychological flexibility training on correctional staff’s attitudes and approach

Best practices in working with and promoting behavior change in justice-involved clients have been well-researched, and the relationship between the client and staff member is essential to good outcomes. However, methods to improve correctional staff’s relationship with clients are noticeably less studied. Traditional correctional training has focused on adherence to evidence-based practices, but formal training alone is quite possibly not enough, and we can continue to improve client outcomes. This study examined the effects of a novel training – called psychological flexibility training (PFT) – on correctional staff's attitudes and behaviors toward clients. Correctional staff across eight community-based judicial districts in Iowa were eligible to participate voluntarily in PFT. A sample of 106 correctional staff enrolled in PFT, which consisted of 3 sessions conducted over the course of two months. Participants were invited to complete a series of self-report measures pre and post-PFT assessing psychological flexibility, coach-like behaviors, attitudes towards correctional clients, and responses to correctional vignettes. Although results indicated no significant changes on the self-report measures from pre to post, the training was well received, with participants reporting high satisfaction, indicating a great need for innovative training that uniquely engages staff. PFT may be explored as a means to improve overall well-being and as a possible burnout prevention measure. This study is the first to explore psychological flexibility among correctional staff. Further research is needed to explore how increasing psychological flexibility may aid correctional staff in navigating their challenging roles. Keywords: correctional staff, correctional staff attitudes, correctional roles, psychological flexibility, correctional training, correctional approache

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social work students.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was a time of abrupt and widespread change for social work students in the United States. This work seeks to illuminate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on social work students’ experiences of stress, loss, and grief through quantitative, mixed methods, and qualitative methodological studies. The findings indicate students experienced elevated academic stress related to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple and varied losses. Students identify a sense of continual adjustment due to ongoing changes throughout the pandemic alongside pervasive loss. Programmatic support through adaptation of coursework, community-building activities in the classroom and through academic resources were noted as helpful to students in reducing stress during this time as well as providing support. This work has offers recommendations for classroom management, programmatic responses, and policies in higher education to support students in times of educational disruption