Social Media and Youth Mental Health: Assessing the Impact Through Current and Novel Digital Phenotyping Methods
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe effect of social media use on youth mental health is a primary public concern. Despite extensive research on the topic, social media use ’s impact on adolescent mental health remains unclear with study results often contradicting each other. This narrative review examines recent literature on the relationship between social media use and youth mental health, highlights disparities in study results, and offers a novel approach for f uture research.Recent FindingsThree conclusions were drawn from our review. First, contrasting usage patterns may affect mental health outcomes. Second, social med...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - February 29, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research

Social Media Use and Mental Health: A Review of the Experimental Literature and Implications for Clinicians
AbstractPurpose of ReviewSocial media use is widespread. Because social media can yield both positive and negative mental health effects, it is critical for clinicians to consider how their clients use social media. The purpose of this review is to examine the extant experimental literature on the positive and negative effects of social media, with an eye towards how clinicians can (1) assess use, (2) educate on harmful use, and (3) promote skills that encourage healthier use.Recent FindingsThe existing literature suggests that active social media use that promotes positive connection, reminiscing, or warmth can be benefic...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - February 24, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research

A Scoping Review of the Components of Moral Resilience: Its Role in Addressing Moral Injury or Moral Distress for High-Risk Occupation Workers
AbstractPurpose of reviewHigh-risk occupation workers (HROWs) are often exposed to potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) which can contribute to moral distress (MD) or moral injury (MI). Moral resilience (MR) has been proposed as a protective or moderating factor to protect HROWs from harm caused by PMIE exposures. The current review was designed to (1) update the definition of MR to a broader context of HROWs, (2) identify components of MR for HROWs, and (3) determine demographic variables that may impact MR development.Recent findingsThe existing research on MR primarily focuses on healthcare workers; research on ...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - December 14, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research

Digital Interventions for Relapse Prevention, Illness Self-Management, and Health Promotion In Schizophrenia: Recent Advances, Continued Challenges, and Future Opportunities
AbstractPurpose of ReviewSchizophrenia presents a significant mental health challenge requiring innovative solutions for relapse prevention, self-management, and health promotion. Patients face an excess mortality gap, driven by increased rates of chronic health conditions, exacerbated in low-resource settings. Digital interventions are a promising avenue to address the multifaceted needs of individuals with schizophrenia. This narrative review synthesizes evidence from digital intervention trials for schizophrenia published from January 2020 to June 2023.Recent Findings23 studies were identified, encompassing smartphone a...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - December 4, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research

Psychostimulant Augmentation of Antidepressant Therapy in Depression: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
AbstractPurpose of ReviewTo evaluate the effectiveness of psychostimulant augmentation of antidepressants in the treatment of depression in adults.Recent FindingsIn our analysis of 13 RCTs involving 2478 participants, psychostimulant augmentation demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in depressive symptom severity compared to placebo augmentation (N = 1827; SMD =  − 0.18; 95% CI (− 0.36, − 0.01);p = 0.04,I2 = 65%). However, we did not observe a significant increase in remission rates (N = 1709; OR = 1.30; 95% CI (0.97, 1.75);p = 0.08,I2 = 32%).SummaryDepression, ...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - November 18, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research

Addressing Religious and Spiritual Diversity in Moral Injury Care: Five Perspectives
Abstract  Purpose of ReviewMoral injury is increasingly recognized as a problem across various populations. Moral injury symptoms can occur when an individual ’s action, lack of action, or witness of an event violates their moral beliefs, and include dysphoric emotions such as guilt, shame, and disgust; loss of meaning and purpose; withdrawal from valued relationships and groups; and religious/spiritual struggle (e.g., feeling abandoned or punished by t he divine, loss of faith in a previously held belief system). Spiritually oriented moral injury interventions are sometimes delivered by mental health clinicians, chapla...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - November 14, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research

The Role of Health Systems in Black Maternal Mental Health Care Delivery: a Socio-Ecological Framework
(Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry)
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - October 17, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research

Moral Injury: Need and Development of a Measurement Scale for Firefighters
The objective of this study aims to address the gap in available instruments by developing a moral injury assessment scale for firefighters. Through this project, a psychometrically accepted moral injury scale will be available to researchers, clinicians, and fire organizations to assess moral injury in trauma-exposed firefighters. Military studies found that moral injury and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are distinct constructs and can co-exist. PTSD is prevalent in firefighters and despite subject experts expressing the need to expand research efforts to first responders (e.g., firefighters), no moral injury scale...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - October 4, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research

Moving Evidence-Based Mental Health Interventions into Practice: Implementation of Digital Mental Health Interventions
Opinion statementDigital mental health interventions (DMHIs) offer a modern solution to increase access to mental health services, by supporting existing services or providing new services to those who are not as accessible to traditional mental healthcare. DMHIs, however, often face challenges transitioning from research to practice. Implementation science aims to enhance and establish frameworks to help identify barriers and facilitators towards implementing DMHIs in different communities. We analyze the barriers and facilitators towards successful implementation using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Resear...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - October 3, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research

Addressing the Impact of Racial Trauma on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color ’s (BIPOC) Mental, Emotional, and Physical Health Through Critical Consciousness and Radical Healing: Recommendations for Mental Health Providers
This article provides mental health professionals with information about the impact of racism and racial trauma on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Mental health professionals are poised to be sources of support and healing for BIPOC that are impacted by racism and racial trauma. However, to best support survivors of racial trauma, mental health professionals must confront the racist roots of their fields and develop their own critical consciousness of racism in their personal and professional lives.Recent FindingsRacial trauma can have significant impacts on BIPOC, individually and collectively, including i...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - September 23, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research

Emerging Interventions for Moral Injury: Expanding Pathways to Moral Healing
AbstractPurpose of ReviewOver the past decade, empirical efforts have deepened and broadened to develop, evaluate, and refine effective interventions for moral injury. Much of the early work primarily made use of individual therapy in cognitive-behavioral models that had demonstrated effectiveness in the treatment of trauma. However, treatment development has moved beyond adaptations of trauma treatments to specifically target responses to moral pain and facilitate moral healing. In this paper, we present four distinct interventions while highlighting similarities across the approaches that point to potential shared qualit...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - September 15, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research

A Review of Research on Moral Injury and Suicide Risk
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis review summarizes empirical studies investigating the associations between moral injury and suicide-related outcomes.Recent FindingsA total of 47 studies met inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Samples included military, veteran, and civilian populations. Overall, more exposure to potentially morally injurious events (PMIE) and greater morally injurious symptom severity were both related to increased risk for suicide-related outcomes, including suicidal ideation and suicide attempt[s], and composite suicide-related variables. The strength of the association depended on the population, assess...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - September 15, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research

Does Videoconferencing-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxious Youth Work? A Systematic Review of the Literature
Opinion statementWhile videoconferencing has become a common tool for remote communication in health-related services such as psychotherapy, scientific evidence for its outcomes is scarce in the population of youth with problematic anxiety. This paper reviews the primary and secondary outcomes of cognitive behavioral therapies (CBT) delivered via videoconferencing for youth with subclinical or clinical anxiety. Quantitative and qualitative studies focusing on youth (aged 7 to 20), anxiety, CBT, and videoconferencing were systematically searched on Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO, and ERIC databases. Eight studies met the inclusio...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - September 2, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research

The Engagement Problem: a Review of Engagement with Digital Mental Health Interventions and Recommendations for a Path Forward
Abstract      Purpose of the reviewDigital mental health interventions (DMHIs) are an effective and accessible means of addressing the unprecedented levels of mental illness worldwide. Currently, however, patient engagement with DMHIs in real-world settings is often insufficient to see a clinical benefit. In order to realize the potential of DMHIs, there is a need to better understand what drives patient engagement.Recent findingsWe discuss takeaways from the existing literature related to patient engagement with DMHIs and highlight gaps to be addressed through further research. Findings suggest that engagement is inf...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - August 25, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research

A Systematic Review and Exploration of Smartphone App Interventions for Perinatal Depression With Case Study
AbstractPurpose of reviewIn this review, we aim to summarize the availability and features of smartphone apps in both the commercial marketplace and academic literature for perinatal depression with the goal of informing patients and clinicians along with giving clinical recommendations related to the integration of mobile apps into perinatal care.Recent findingsThere are few apps targeted towards perinatal depression, and of those that exist, most lack evidence and a robust privacy policy. Recent reviews have also highlighted the dearth of quality apps for perinatal mental health care.SummaryUsing keywords, searches of th...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - August 25, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research