Centre for Youth Mental Health - Research Publications
Permanent URI for this collection
Search Results
1 - 10 of 20
-
ItemIntegrating family work into the treatment of young people with severe and complex depression: a developmentally focused model(WILEY, 2018-04)AIM: Although models of family intervention are clearly articulated in the child and early adolescent literature, there is less clarity regarding family intervention approaches in later adolescence and emerging adulthood. METHODS: This study provides the rationale and intervention framework for a developmentally sensitive model of time-limited family work in the outpatient treatment of complex youth depression (15-25 years). RESULTS: Derived from current practice in the Youth Mood Clinic (YMC) at Orygen Youth Health, Melbourne, a stepped model of family intervention is discussed. YMC aims to provide comprehensive orientation, assessment and education to all families. For some, a family-based intervention, delivered either by the treating team or through the integration of a specialist family worker, offers an important adjunct in supporting the recovery of the young person. Developmental phases and challenges experienced by the young person with respect to family/caregiver involvement are discussed in the context of two case studies. CONCLUSIONS: A developmentally sensitive model is presented with particular attention to the developmental needs and preferences of young people. Formal evaluation of this model is required. Evaluation perspectives should include young people, caregivers, the broader family system (i.e. siblings) and the treating team (i.e. case manager, doctor and family worker) incorporating outcome measurement. Such work determines how best to apply a time-limited family-based intervention approach in strengthening family/caregiver relationships as part of the young person's recovery from severe and complex depression.
-
ItemModerated online social therapy for depression relapse prevention in young people: pilot study of a "next generation' online intervention(WILEY, 2018-08)AIM: Implementation of targeted e-mental health interventions offers a promising solution to reducing the burden of disease associated with youth depression. A single-group pilot study was conducted to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, usability and safety of a novel, moderated online social therapy intervention (entitled Rebound) for depression relapse prevention in young people. METHODS: Participants were 42 young people (15-25 years) (50% men; mean age = 18.5 years) in partial or full remission. Participants had access to the Rebound platform for at least 12 weeks, including the social networking, peer and clinical moderator and therapy components. RESULTS: Follow-up data were available for 39 (92.9%) participants. There was high system usage, with 3034 user logins (mean = 72.2 per user) and 2146 posts (mean = 51.1). Almost 70% of users had ≥10 logins over the 12 weeks, with 78.5% logging in over at least 2 months of the pilot. A total of 32 (84%) participants rated the intervention as helpful. There was significant improvement between the number of participants in full remission at baseline (n = 5; none of whom relapsed) relative to n = 19 at 12-week follow-up (P < 0.001). Six (14.3%) participants relapsed to full threshold symptoms at 12 weeks. There was a significant improvement to interviewer-rated depression scores (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS); P = 0.014, d = 0.45) and a trend for improved strength use (P = 0.088, d = 0.29). The single-group design and 12-week treatment phase preclude a full understanding of the clinical benefits of the Rebound intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The Rebound intervention was shown to be acceptable, feasible, highly usable and safe in young people with major depression.
-
ItemAddressing mental health in elite athletes as a vehicle for early detection and intervention in the general community(WILEY, 2019-12)Recent scientific literature in addition to increased media attention has highlighted the important role of mental health in elite athletes. Often defined by terms such as "mental toughness", athletes are now becoming more open to discussing the role of anxiety, depression and other psychologically distressing processes that are intertwined with their time both during and after elite sport. In line with this, recent international position statements regarding the mental health of athletes have been released. The current New Hypothesis article follows on from these statements and proposes that further work must be performed to better understand this aspect of elite sport in addition to developing sport-specific interventions for athletes, their families, and support staff. Furthermore, we propose that by better understanding and treating the mental health of elite athletes a follow-on effect may occur, whereby help-seeking in the general community will increase. In particular, young adults who were previously hesitant to seek help may take strength from this shift, maximizing the success of early intervention occurring.
-
ItemDoes reason for referral to an ultra-high risk clinic predict transition to psychosis?(WILEY, 2019-04)AIM: To examine reasons for referral to a specialist ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis clinic and whether these reasons are associated with risk for subsequent transition to psychosis. METHODS: Data for 127 patients referred to the Personal Assessment and Crisis Evaluation clinic were collected by medical record audit. Time to transition to psychosis was calculated from date of referral to time at which the young person was judged by their treating team to be experiencing onset of first episode psychosis. RESULTS: Patients were primarily referred due to attenuated psychotic symptoms and depression (40.2%). There was an association with transition, with those in the attenuated psychotic-symptom-only category being more likely to transition. CONCLUSION: As well as attenuated psychotic symptoms, depression and anxiety were also important reasons for referral indicating that there is a broad clinical phenotype of young people presenting to UHR clinics. Clinical reason for referral may index level of risk for subsequent transition to psychosis.
-
ItemExternalizing depression symptoms among Canadian males with recent suicidal ideation: A focus on young men(WILEY, 2019-04)AIM: The primary aim was to quantify, relative to older men, young men's externalizing of depression symptoms and past-month suicidal ideation. METHODS: A non-probability national sample of 1000 Canadian men self-reported internalizing and externalizing symptoms of depression and past-month suicidal ideation. Stratification quotas reflected Canadian census data to age and region. RESULTS: Young men (18-25 years) were at markedly higher risk of past-month suicidal ideation than were older men. When controlling for internalizing depression, a multivariate age × recent suicidal ideation interaction indicated higher externalizing of depression symptoms in young men relative to older men, especially for those reporting recent suicidal ideation (P < .001). Interactions were observed for drug use, anger and aggression, and risk-taking domains. A sizable proportion of younger men were uniquely identified by the MDRS-22. CONCLUSIONS: Screening tools that include assessment of externalizing symptoms may assist in improving detection of distress and suicide risk in young men.
-
ItemEngaging Men in Psychological Treatment: A Scoping Review(SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC, 2018-11)Tailoring psychological treatments to men's specific needs has been a topic of concern for decades given evidence that many men are reticent to seek professional health care. However, existing literature providing clinical recommendations for engaging men in psychological treatments is diffuse. The aim of this scoping review was to provide a comprehensive summary of recommendations for how to engage men in psychological treatment. Four electronic databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO) were searched for articles published between 2000 and 2017. Titles and abstracts were reviewed; data extracted and synthesized thematically. Of 3,627 citations identified, 46 met the inclusion criteria. Thirty articles (65%) were reviews or commentaries; 23 (50%) provided broad recommendations for working with all men. Findings indicate providing male-appropriate psychological treatment requires clinicians to consider the impact of masculine socialization on their client and themselves, and how gender norms may impact clinical engagement and outcomes. Existing literature also emphasized specific process micro-skills (e.g., self-disclosure, normalizing), language adaption (e.g., male-oriented metaphors) and treatment styles most engaging for men (e.g., collaborative, transparent, action-oriented, goal-focused). Presented are clinical recommendations for how to engage men in psychological treatments including paying attention to tapping the strengths of multiple masculinities coexisting within and across men. Our review suggests more empirically informed tailored interventions are needed, along with formal program evaluations to advance the evidence base.
-
ItemDepression and Prostate Cancer: Examining Comorbidity and Male-Specific Symptoms(SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC, 2018-11)Depression in men with prostate cancer is a significant and complex issue that can challenge clinicians' diagnostic efforts. The objective of the current study was to evaluate prototypic and male-specific depression symptoms and suicidal ideation in men with a diagnosis of prostate cancer relative to those with and without comorbidity. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Male Depression Risk Scale-22 (MDRS-22) were completed online along with demographic and background variables by 100 men with a diagnosis of prostate cancer ( n = 54 prostatectomy, n = 33 receiving active treatment). Hierarchical logistic regression was used to examine recent (past 2 weeks) suicide ideation. Over one-third of the sample (38%) reported a comorbidity, and this group had significantly higher total depression scores on the PHQ-9 (Cohen's d = 0.65), MDRS-22 emotion suppression ( d = 0.35), and drug use subscales ( d = 0.38) compared to respondents without comorbidity. A total of 14% reported recent suicidal ideation, of which 71.4% of cases were identified by the PHQ-9 "moderate" cut-off, and 85.7% of cases were identified by the MDRS-22 "elevated" cut-off. After control variables, MDRS-22 subscales accounted for 45.1% of variance in recent suicidal ideation. While limited by the exclusive use of self-report data, findings point to the potential benefits of evaluating male-specific symptoms as part of depression and suicide risk screening in men with prostate cancer and the need to be mindful of the heightened risk for depression among men with prostate cancer who have comorbidity.
-
ItemHORYZONS trial: protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a moderated online social therapy to maintain treatment effects from first-episode psychosis services(BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP, 2019-06)INTRODUCTION: Specialised early intervention services have demonstrated improved outcomes in first-episode psychosis (FEP); however, clinical gains may not be sustained after patients are transferred to regular care. Moreover, many patients with FEP remain socially isolated with poor functional outcomes. To address this, our multidisciplinary team has developed a moderated online social media therapy (HORYZONS) designed to enhance social functioning and maintain clinical gains from specialist FEP services. HORYZONS merges: (1) peer-to-peer social networking; (2) tailored therapeutic interventions; (3) expert and peer-moderation; and (4) new models of psychological therapy (strengths and mindfulness-based interventions) targeting social functioning. The aim of this trial is to determine whether following 2 years of specialised support and 18-month online social media-based intervention (HORYZONS) is superior to 18 months of regular care. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study is a single-blind randomised controlled trial. The treatment conditions include HORYZONS plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone. We recruited 170 young people with FEP, aged 16-27 years, in clinical remission and nearing discharge from Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre, Melbourne. The study includes four assessment time points, namely, baseline, 6-month, 12-month and 18-month follow-up. The study is due for completion in July 2018 and included a 40-month recruitment period and an 18-month treatment phase. The primary outcome is social functioning at 18 months. Secondary outcome measures include rate of hospital admissions, cost-effectiveness, vocational status, depression, social support, loneliness, self-esteem, self-efficacy, anxiety, psychological well-being, satisfaction with life, quality of life, positive and negative psychotic symptoms and substance use. Social functioning will be also assessed in real time through our Smartphone Ecological Momentary Assessment tool. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Melbourne Health Human Research Ethics Committee (2013.146) provided ethics approval for this study. Findings will be made available through scientific journals and forums and to the public via social media and the Orygen website. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12614000009617; Pre-results.
-
ItemIncorporating animal-assisted therapy in mental health treatments for adolescents: A systematic review of canine assisted psychotherapy(PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE, 2019-01-17)INTRODUCTION: As interest in Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) grows, there is increasing need to differentiate informal activities from formal and professionally directed therapies, including mental health focussed Canine-Assisted Psychotherapy (CAP). There have been no reviews focusing exclusively on CAP and the distinct developmental period of adolescence. The aims of this study were to identify the characteristics of CAP interventions, their impacts and their acceptability, tolerability and feasibility for adolescents with mental health disorders. METHOD: A systematic review identified studies incorporating canines into mental health treatments for adolescents aged 10-19 years. Studies reporting qualitative or quantitative psychological or psychosocial outcomes were included. RESULTS: Seven studies were scrutinised. Intervention characteristics varied, including a range of formats, settings, locations, doses, and facilitators. Information on the role of the canines in sessions was sparse. CAP had a positive impact on primary diagnoses and symptomatology, conferring additional benefits to standard treatments for internalising disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and equivalent effects for anxiety, anger and externalising disorders. CAP was associated with positive impacts on secondary factors including increased engagement and socialisation behaviours, and reductions in disruptive behaviours within treatment sessions. Global functioning also improved. There was insufficient evidence that CAP improved factors associated with self-esteem, subjective wellbeing, or coping. Good attendance and retention rates indicated high levels of acceptability. Moderate to high tolerability was also indicated. Feasibility may be limited by additional training and logistical requirements. RECOMMENDATIONS: We recommend the development of theoretically informed, standardised (manualised) intervention protocols that may subsequently form the basis of efficacy and effectiveness testing. Such protocols should clearly describe canine-participant-facilitator interactions via a formalised nomenclature; spontaneous (animal-led), adjunctive (facilitator-led), and experiential (participant-led). CONCLUSIONS: There is emerging evidence to suggest that CAP improves the efficacy of mental health treatments in self-selected adolescent populations via reductions in primary symptomatology, and via secondary factors that improve therapeutic processes and quality, such as engagement and retention.
-
ItemOccurrence of mental health symptoms and disorders in current and former elite athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis(BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP, 2019-06)OBJECTIVES: To present an overview of the existing epidemiological evidence regarding the occurrence of mental health symptoms and disorders among current and former elite athletes. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Five electronic databases were searched from inception to November 2018: PubMed (MEDLINE), SportDiscus via EBSCO, PSycINFO via ProQuest, Scopus and Cochrane. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: We included original quantitative studies that were written in English, were conducted exclusively among current or former elite athletes, and presented incidence or prevalence rates of symptoms of mental disorders. RESULTS: Twenty-two relevant original studies about mental health symptoms and disorders among current elite athletes were included: they presented data especially on symptoms of distress, sleep disturbance, anxiety/depression and alcohol misuse. Meta-analyses comprising 2895 to 5555 current elite athletes showed that the prevalence of mental health symptoms and disorders ranged from 19% for alcohol misuse to 34% for anxiety/depression. Fifteen relevant original studies about mental health symptoms and disorders among former elite athletes were included: they similarly presented data especially about symptoms of distress, sleep disturbance, anxiety/depression and alcohol misuse. Meta-analyses comprising 1579 to 1686 former elite athletes showed that the prevalence of mental health symptoms and disorders ranged from 16% for distress to 26% for anxiety/depression. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analyses showed that the prevalence of mental health symptoms and disorders ranged from 19% for alcohol misuse to 34% for anxiety/depression for current elite athletes, and from 16% for distress to 26% for anxiety/depression for former elite athletes.