Examination of a social-learning program implemented in a maximum-security state hospital setting.
The present study examines the extent to which clients with serious mental illnesses (SMI) enrolled in a social-learning program (SLP) within a maximum-security state hospital were able to achieve discharge to less restrictive settings without requiring a return to maximum security. Retrospective analyses were undertaken to examine several time periods of the SLP’s operation within maximum security. From 1988 to 2019, 248 clients were discharged from the SLP. Only 20 were readmitted to maximum security, primarily for violence in less restrictive facilities. The proportion of clients who were discharged from one 19-bed wa...
Source: Psychological Services - May 27, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
To disclose or not to disclose? Peer workers impact on a culture of safe disclosure for mental health professionals with lived experience.
This article explores the presence of peer workers within multi-disciplinary environments, with a specific focus on the possible impact of this presence on the culture of disclosure for mental health professionals with lived experiences of mental health challenges. Semi-structured focus groups and interviews were conducted with 132 participants at five organizations across the United States. Participants self-identified as being employed in a range of roles including management, mental health professionals, designated peer workers, and designated peer leadership positions. Findings suggest intentionally employing peers and...
Source: Psychological Services - May 27, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Atypical jobs series: An interview with Dr. Rose Sokol-Chang.
Psychological Services, Vol 19(4), Nov 2022, 684-687; doi:10.1037/ser0000554Dr. Rose Sokol-Chang is a social psychologist and the Journal Publisher at the American Psychological Association (APA), which makes her job atypical. In this interview, Dr. Rose Sokol-Chang discusses how she came to be Journal Publisher, what makes her job so important, and challenges that she faces within her career. Furthermore, she speaks of her daily life with the Association, detailing no 2 days are alike, and provides insight into journal publishing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: Psychological Services)
Source: Psychological Services - May 20, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Atypical jobs series: An interview with Dr. Rose Sokol-Chang.
Dr. Rose Sokol-Chang is a social psychologist and the Journal Publisher at the American Psychological Association (APA), which makes her job atypical. In this interview, Dr. Rose Sokol-Chang discusses how she came to be Journal Publisher, what makes her job so important, and challenges that she faces within her career. Furthermore, she speaks of her daily life with the Association, detailing no 2 days are alike, and provides insight into journal publishing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: Psychological Services)
Source: Psychological Services - May 20, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Cohesiveness in previously deployed Army National Guard units: Implications for postdeployment behavioral health.
A major health policy concern of deployed U.S. military personnel has been the observed high occurrence of postdeployment behavioral health problems. Unit cohesiveness is considered one of several protective factors against the negative effects of combat exposure. Studies, however, have not examined cohesiveness’ group-level effects on the relationship of combat stressors to behavioral health problems. These relationships were examined both at the soldier level and unit level using hierarchical linear modeling. Recently, returned deployed Army National Guard soldiers (N = 4,567 in 50 companies) responded to questions abo...
Source: Psychological Services - May 6, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Disentangling associations between military service, race, and incarceration in the U.S. population.
The current study examined (a) how veteran status, race, and other individual characteristics are associated with any lifetime incarceration in the U.S. adult population; and (b) differences between veterans and other adults with any incarceration histories on sociodemographic, health, and psychosocial characteristics. Data from structured interviews conducted in 2012–2013 on a nationally representative sample of 36,121 U.S. adults were analyzed. Results showed that male gender, U.S. born, history of homelessness, antisocial and borderline personality disorders, and various substance use disorders were independently asso...
Source: Psychological Services - April 22, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Understanding suicide: Development and pilot evaluation of a single-session inpatient psychoeducation group.
Suicide is a considerable public health concern, particularly among U.S. veterans. Despite inpatient psychiatric hospitalization being a primary recommended treatment for acute suicidality, available inpatient group treatments remain limited. The current quality improvement project (QIP) aimed to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a newly developed single-session suicide-focused psychoeducation for veterans during psychiatric hospitalization. This project was conducted in two phases among veterans hospitalized for suicidal thoughts or behaviors. The first phase (n = 56) aimed to refine the group content and explo...
Source: Psychological Services - April 22, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
“The highest values are individual”: The life and times of Eleanor Harris Rowland Wembridge.
Eleanor Harris Rowland Wembridge, one of the first women psychologists in the country, advocated tirelessly for the delivery of psychological services to enhance the lives of marginalized girls and women. Eleanor launched forward professionally with her doctorate at the young age of 22 and began work 5 years later at the Bedford reformatory that would ultimately lead to the first published correctional psychology research study. This precedent sets the historical marker at the interface of offender assessment, programs, and reentry. A harbinger of the scientist–practitioner model in clinical psychology, Eleanor retained ...
Source: Psychological Services - April 15, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Perceived barriers to mental healthcare among spouses of military service members.
Barriers to mental healthcare services are reported among military service members. However, little is known about these barriers among the spouses of military personnel, who face unique stressors and may subsequently be at high-need for mental health services. Understanding barriers to care among this vulnerable population may help improve access to psychological services. The current study utilized data from the Millennium Cohort Family Study. Participants were referred by their military spouses or through targeted mailers. Participants completed self-report measures of mood, psychosocial functioning, and perceived barri...
Source: Psychological Services - April 15, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
The role of PTSD symptom clusters and criterion in predicting future high-risk drug and alcohol use among returning veteran men and women.
In this study we explored the prospective associations between PTSD symptom clusters, symptoms, and future SUD risk and use of specific drug classes. Returning veterans (N = 1,295; Mage = 42.3, SD = 9.89; 51% female; 66.8% White) completed structured diagnostic interviews to assess PTSD symptoms and self-report measures of substance use 14–36 months later (M = 24.59, SD = 2.97). Hyperarousal and reckless/self-destructive symptoms specifically predicted future high-risk drug use and binge drinking behavior, and avoidance of internal stimuli (i.e., of trauma memories, thoughts, and feelings) differentiated individuals clas...
Source: Psychological Services - April 12, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Mental health treatment and the role of tele-mental health at the veterans health administration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To quantify overall trends in patients treated for mental health disorders and adverse events, including via tele-mental health (TMH) and psychopharmacology during pandemic-related health care transformation. Longitudinal observational study including veterans receiving mental health treatment at a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facility from January 1, 2017 to June 16, 2020. Observed and expected patient care for on-going and new treatment of depression, posttraumatic stress, substance use disorder, severe mental illness diagnoses, overdose, and suicide attempts, and psychotropic prescriptions for antidepressant, an...
Source: Psychological Services - April 8, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Impact of intensive treatment programs for posttraumatic stress disorder on suicidal ideation in veterans and service members.
In conclusion, both PE- and CPT-ITPs effectively treat PTSD and reduce SI among veterans in as little as 2 weeks of intensive PTSD treatment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: Psychological Services)
Source: Psychological Services - April 8, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Implementation of peer support in mental health services: A systematic review of the literature.
Peer support within mental health services has a growing evidence base and aligns with current policies of recovery-oriented care. Despite these advantages, widespread implementation of peer support remains limited, likely due to various methodological and implementation issues. Researchers have noted the importance of utilizing an implementation framework to understand best practices for implementation. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to synthesize the existing literature on the implementation of peer support interventions and identify barriers and facilitators using an implementation framework. The Consol...
Source: Psychological Services - April 1, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
Psychological distress among medically complex veterans with a recent emergency department visit.
Medical complexity and psychological distress are associated with frequent emergency department (ED) use. Despite this known association, our understanding is limited about which patients are at risk for persistent psychological distress and what patterns of distress emerge over time. A secondary data analysis was used to examine self-reported psychological distress (defined as ≥14 unhealthy days due to poor mental health in the past month) at 30 and 180 days following enrollment in a randomized control trial of 513 medically complex Veterans after a nonpsychiatric ED visit. We used a multivariable ordered logistic regre...
Source: Psychological Services - April 1, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research
