Psychosocial predictors of anxiety among immigrant Mexican migrant farmworkers: implications for prevention and treatment

This study examined predictors of anxiety symptomatology among immigrant Mexican migrant farmworkers in the Midwest. Its purposes were to assess the prevalence of anxiety symptoms, to examine the relationship between acculturative stress and anxiety, and to determine the variables that best predict anxiety. Heightened levels were found for overall anxiety and in the cognitive, affective, and physiological expressions of anxiety. Elevated acculturative stress, low self-esteem, ineffective social support, lack of control and choice in living a migrant farmworker lifestyle, low religiosity, and high education were significantly related to high anxiety. Findings suggest that migrant farmworkers who experience elevated acculturative stress are susceptible to the development of anxiety-related disorders and highlight the importance of establishing prevention and treatment services for migrant farmworkers.     

Introduction to the Special Section: Advances in psychological prevention and treatment interventions to promote children's mental health

This paper introduces the Special Section on Advances in Psychological Prevention and Treatment Interventions to Promote Children's Mental Health. The three articles in the Special Section provide perspectives on the adaptation, evaluation, and implementation of evidence‐based psychological interventions for children in countries in Northern and Eastern Europe, and Latin America. The articles highlight disparate methodologies for the examination of intervention data, including addressing causal inference in the absence of availability of true experiment data (i.e., randomised controlled trial data), randomised trial data from a school‐based prevention programme, and predictors of change in an evidence‐based treatment programme. Together, the articles highlight the movement of evidence‐based practices into routine care settings and emerging strategies for settings in which randomised trial data are not yet available. They demonstrate the contribution of psychological research to the advancement of practices for improving children's mental health.     

The mental health of children of migrant workers in Beijing: The protective role of public school attendance

The present study aims to understand the mental health status of an understudied group of migrant children – children of migrant workers in China. A total of 1,466 children from Beijing participated in the study that compared migrant children (n = 1,019) to their local peers (n = 447) in public and private school settings. Results showed that overall, migrant children reported more internalizing and externalizing mental health problems and lower life satisfaction than local peers. However, public school attendance served as a protective factor for migrant children's mental health. The mental health status of migrant children attending public schools, including externalizing problems as well as friend and school satisfaction, was not different from local children. In addition, our data indicates that the protective effect of public school attendance for migrant children may be even more salient among girls than boys, and for younger children than older children.     

Exploring the Mental Health of Mexican Migrant Farm Workers in the Midwest: Psychosocial Predictors of Psychological Distress and Suggestions for Prevention and Treatment

The purposes of the present study were threefold: (a) to assess the prevalence levels of anxiety and depression in a sample of Mexican migrant farm workers in the midwestern United States; (b) to explore the relationships among acculturative stress, anxiety, and depression; and (c) to examine the variables that best predict anxiety and depression. The overall sample revealed elevated levels of anxiety and depression. Migrant farm workers with heightened levels of acculturative stress were more likely to report high levels of anxiety and depression. Family dysfunction, ineffective social support, low self-esteem, lack of agreement with the decision to migrate, high education levels, high levels of acculturative stress, and high levels of anxiety were significantly associated with high depression levels. The overall findings suggest that migrant farm workers who experience elevated levels of acculturative stress may be at risk for experiencing high levels of anxiety and depression. The findings highlight the importance of establishing prevention and treatment services for migrant farm workers that aim to increase levels of emotional support, self-esteem, and coping skills.     

Examining associations among factor-analytically derived components of mental health stigma, distress, and psychological flexibility

Mental health stigma can be detrimental not only for the recipient, but also for the stigmatizer. As mental health stigma is often conceptualized as a multidimensional construct, Study 1 first examined the factor structure of mental health stigma as assessed by the Stigmatizing Attitudes-Believability (SAB; Masuda, Price, Anderson, Schmertz, & Calamaras, 2009). Study 2 investigated differential relations between the factor-analytically derived components of mental health stigma and psychological distress and psychological flexibility. Results of Study 1 revealed that mental health stigma consisted of two related, yet separable components: Exclusion and Course/Origin. The Exclusion component was characterized by negative emotions and cognitions associated with an increased desire for social distance. Course/Origin was marked by pessimistic views toward treatment prognosis and recovery. Results of Study 2 suggested that these two components have differential associations with psychological distress and flexibility. The Course/Origin component of stigma, but not Exclusion, was associated with psychological distress of the stigmatizer. Furthermore, this association was fully mediated by lower levels of psychological flexibility. These findings suggest the importance of conceptualizing mental health stigma multidimensionally.     

Treating infants and mothers in psychic distress: A mental health program for infancy

Our purpose is to outline a program of mental health for mothers and infants up to the age of 3. The theoretical background of the program refers to the psychoanalytical genetic point of view developed by French and American authors. The therapeutic objectives consist of promoting the infant's self-development and the mother's reflective self-capacity to improve the infant's resiliency. These objectives aim to have preventive purposes. The program has clinical, research and training activities and a multidisciplinary staff. The clinical population is referred by medical services, from families with a middle-low socioeconomic status. With the data collected during the assessment phase, we establish a diagnosis based on a psychodynamic analysis of the pathological process and the evaluation of the risk and protective factors. Our multidisciplinary approach combines individual therapeutic modalities focused on mothers, child or mother-child relationship, with family interventions in our Unit or in the community. An evaluation of our intervention based on Parent-Infant Relationship-Global Assessment Scale (PIR-GAS) is presented. © 1997 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health     

Health-related quality of life in chronic fatigue syndrome: predictors of physical functioning and psychological distress

This study investigated health-related quality of life (HRQoL; physical functioning and psychological distress) in an Australian chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) population. The aims of the study were to compare HRQoL in those with CFS to the normal population, and to investigate the extent to which sociodemographic (age, gender, partner status, education), illness-related (illness duration, symptom frequency), and fatigue severity (physical, mental) variables predicted HRQoL. A total of 139 people meeting CFS criteria completed questionnaires. HRQoL was assessed using standardised measures of distress and physical functioning. Compared with norms, those with CFS obtained significantly lower scores on all physical functioning areas, whereas 63% of participants reported clinically significant psychological distress. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that physical fatigue severity and symptom frequency were the strongest predictors of deficits in physical domain HRQoL. Physical HRQoL outcomes were also predicted by mental fatigue severity, older age, and female gender. All predictors were unrelated to psychological distress apart from weak positive associations with physical fatigue and symptom frequency. Results identify a potent set of predictors of HRQoL and show that CFS has a pervasive negative impact on quality of life, particularly physical and psychological functioning.     

Correlates and predictors of positive mental health for school going children

The relationship between positive mental health and well-being was examined in 604 North Indian high school and secondary high school going children aged 11–18 years. The study employed various scales such as Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF; Keyes, 2005), Scale of Positive and Negative Experiences (SPANE) and Flourishing Scale (FS; Diener et al., 2010), World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF, 1996) and Personal Well-being Index Scale-School Going Children (PWI-SC; Cummins & Lau, 2005). The MHC-SF predicted the positive mental health and the various predictors used in this study were SPANE, FS, WHOQOL-BREF and PWI-SC. Positive mental health was found positively correlated with SPANE P, life satisfaction, personal well-being, flourishing and all four domains of quality of life (physical health, psychological well-being, social relationships and environmental health) and negatively correlated with SPANE N. Well-being measures of flourishing, SPANE P, SPANE-N, all four domains of quality of life (physical health, psychological well-being, social relationships and environmental health) significantly predicted children’s positive mental health (49% of variance) and its dimensions like emotional well-being (41% of variance), social well-being (24% of variance) and psychological well-being (47% of variance).     

Exploring the mental health of circus artists: Circus factors,psychological resilience,and demographics predict disordered eating and exercise addictions

There are similarities in the performance demands of circus and other performance domains such as leanness sports and dance, yet little is known about the mental health of circus artists. We explored self-reported disordered eating and exercise addictions in a sample of 500 circus artists. The sample consisted of aerial acrobats (71%), floor acrobats (13%), object manipulators (9%), and equilibrists (6%) who participate in circus at a range of performance levels (amateur 50%, part/full-time professional 41%, student 6%, retired 3%). Similar to elite athletes in leanness sports, approximately 36% of the circus artists in our sample were classified as ‘at risk’ of an eating disorder. A binomial logistic regression model suggested that being ‘at risk’ of an eating disorder was negatively related to participants’ age and trait resilience, positively related to exercise addictions, and differences among circus categories were found (i.e., higher among equilibrium and aerial acrobatics). Using a Bayesian estimation procedure, a linear regression model suggested that exercise addiction scores were positively related to participants’ weekly training time and being ‘at risk’ for an eating disorder, negatively associated with their years of experience in circus, and differences between circus categories (high levels in equilibrium) and modality of engagement in circus (higher levels among amateurs) were identified. Consequently, these exploratory study findings indicate that a complex interaction of factors might impact the development of disordered eating and exercise addictions among circus artists. Implications for discipline-specific and experience-specific interventions to address these maladaptive behaviours are discussed.     

Exploring correlations between positive psychological resources and symptoms of psychological distress among hematological cancer patients: a cross-sectional study

Hematological cancer patients experience high levels of psychological distress during diagnoses and intensive treatments. The aim of the present study is to explore the effects of positive psychological resources on depressive and anxiety symptoms in hematological cancer patients. This survey was conducted in a hospital during the period from July 2013 to April 2014. A total of 300 inpatients were recruited and finally 227 of them completed the questionnaires. Questionnaires included demographic and clinical variables, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, the Life Orientation Scale-Revised, the General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Resilience Scale-14. Results showed that the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms was 66.1 and 45.8%, respectively. Both optimism (β = ?.479, p < .001) and resilience (β = ?.174, p < .05) were negatively associated with depressive symptoms, and optimism (β = ?.393, p < .001) was negatively associated with anxiety symptoms. However, resilience (β = ?.133, p > .05) was not significantly associated with anxiety symptoms, and self-efficacy was not significantly associated with depressive (β = ?.032, p > .05) or anxiety symptoms (β = ?.055, p > .05). The results suggest that hematological cancer patients who possess high levels of positive psychological resources may have fewer symptoms of psychological distress. The findings indicate that enhancing positive psychological resources can be considered in developing intervention strategies for decreasing depressive and anxiety symptoms.     

Structural characteristics of the macroeconomy and mental health: Implications for primary prevention research

Recent research on the impact of economics on mental and physical health has raised fundamental questions about structural elements in the macro-economy. Specifically, five characteristics of our current economic system: instability in the business cycle, unemployment, inequality in income distribution, capital mobility, and fragmentation of the work process, appear to play some pathogenic role in the incidence of behavioral and physical disorders. These macroeconomic elements require intervention at the social policy level since they seem to be more powerful than the individual coping mechanisms of some demographic subgroups. Psychologists can play an important role in policy decisions by providing data on the relative impact of structural economic variables on human functioning. Examples of structural research are presented and the implications for primary prevention are discussed.     

A transgenerational conceptualization of psychosomatic distress during pregnancy: Implications for infant mental health

A conceptualization of psychosomatic distress during pregnancy is suggested, stemming from a developmental psychopathology framework and based on contributions from the psychosomatic and attachment literature. A link is suggested between psychosomatic distress during pregnancy, patterns of representational activity, and transgenerational risks of relationship disturbances. Developmental transformations during pregnancy are reviewed, with an emphasis on the vicissitudes of integrating internalized relationships with a person's family of origin. Psychosomatic theory is used to generate hypotheses about the representational activity of mothers who experience psychosomatic distress during pregnancy. Attachment theory is used to discuss the link between maternal representational activity and the transgenerational transmission of relationship patterns. As an example of psychosomatic distress during pregnancy, relevant literature on severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is reviewed, and clinical vignettes are presented to illustrate how this condition may sometimes be a forerunner of mother-infant difficulties.     

Blended courage: Moral and psychological courage elements in mental health treatment seeking by active duty military personnel

We propose that seeking mental health care in an environment with heightened stigma may combine elements of both psychological and moral courage. Interviews of 32 active duty US Army personnel about their process of seeking current mental health care were analyzed for themes of voluntary action, personal risk, and noble or worthwhile goals (benefits). Risks and benefits were divided into internal risks and benefits, characteristic of psychological courage; and external risks and benefits, characteristic of moral courage. Concerns about external risks were themes in all narratives, while concerns about internal risks were themes in only about half of narratives. Both internal and external benefits of treatment were themes in approximately three-quarters of the narratives, whereas doubts about internal (but not external) benefits were also expressed at a similar rate. Thus, participants described an act of blended courage, with social risks of moral courage taken for wellness goals of psychological courage.     

Barriers between mental health services and Mexican Americans: An examination of a paradox

The paradox of underutilization of mental health services by Mexican Americans is critically examined. It is argued that Mexican Americans live under high levels of psychological and environmental stress that would ordinarily lead to mental health problems and an increased utilization of mental health services. A number of barriers to the use of mental health services by Mexican Americans are examined. Included among these barriers are such factors as the relationship between social class and treatment offered, stereotypes concerning Mexican American folk psychiatry, limitations imposed by language differences, and the effects of stereotypes between Anglo Americans and Mexican Americans. Paradoxical findings in some studies which show a positive perception of mental health services by Mexican Americans are seen to further underscore the need for more research on the Mexican American's position. Stereotypes and generalizations about Spanish-speaking and bilingual Mexican American's approaches to psychotherapy are challenged in the light of recent empirical findings. Recommendations for future research directions and for improving the delivery of mental health services are presented.     

Exploring the associations between coping patterns for everyday stressors and mental health in young schoolchildren

The purposes of this study were to explore the structure of coping with everyday stressors in a young nonclinical population and examine the relationship between coping and mental health. A total of 1324 children from 91 second-grade classes in 35 schools participated. Mental health was assessed using the parent and teacher forms of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 1997), and coping was assessed by the Kidcope (Spirito et al., 1988) self-report checklist. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested a three-factor structure of coping. Latent-variable regression analysis indicated that coping categories including both active and emotional strategies were associated with fewer mental health problems, whereas withdrawal and oppositional coping strategies were associated with greater mental health problems. With some important exceptions, the results replicated previous studies of adults and adolescents. The need for new, more comprehensive coping assessments is highlighted.     

Person-centered approaches to primary prevention in mental health: Situation-focused and competence-enhancement

Summary Situation-focused and competence-enhancement approaches represent different pathways toward a richer person-centered primary prevention in mental health. Each is valid in its own right. The utility of developing both strands rests precisely on the fact that they are different means to a common end. Thus, although the approaches have somewhat different conceptual footings (one is proactive, the other reactive), differ in immediate goals and tactics, and have characteristically different target groups and times of application, they come together around the shared ultimate goal of strengthening people's psychological well-being.How much good will accrue from energetic exploration and development of these two strands remains a moot point, around which some skepticism has already been voiced (Rappaport, 1981). The two approaches singly or in combination, do not substitute for the type of social reform and provision of life opportunities (based on the concepts of justice and distribution of power) that Rappaport advocates. Nor do they compete with it. During the long period in which informed social change will remain an ideal, surrounded by uncertainty about procedural steps and outcomes, effective development of the two person-centered primary prevention strategies considered in this article can at least help to achieve a shorter-term objective, i.e., replacing aspects of traditional mental health practice known to have limited potential for advancing psychological wellness.This paper was written under support of grants from the New York State Department of Education and NIMH (MH 14547-07), for which the author expresses appreciation. Thanks also to Dr. Richard Price, who read and contributed constructively to earlier drafts of the article. I lay exclusive claim, however, to all of its remaining sins.     

流动儿童歧视知觉与心理健康关系的元分析

本研究基于心理健康双因素模型,通过运用元分析技术探讨流动儿童歧视知觉与各项心理健康指标的关系,以及调节变量对二者关系的影响,以期为提升流动儿童心理健康提供有效借鉴。经过文献检索和筛选,共纳入原始文献30篇,含49个独立样本,被试总数达到40351名。根据同质性检验结果,选择随机效应模型分析发现,流动儿童歧视知觉与积极心理健康指标存在中等程度的负相关(r=-0.323,95%CI为[-0.378,-0.266]),与消极心理健康指标存在中等程度的正相关(r=0.41,95%CI为[0.36,0.458])。流动儿童歧视知觉测量工具、学龄段对流动儿童歧视知觉与积极心理健康的关系存在显著的调节效应,而对流动儿童歧视知觉与消极心理健康的关系不存在显著的调节效应。同时,元回归分析结果发现,性别对二者的关系不存在显著的调节效应。后续研究应该进一步探索流动儿童歧视知觉与心理健康间的调节变量,结合中国流动儿童心理发展特点,探索提升流动儿童心理健康水平的新路径。