Innovations in the Identification and Referral of Mothers at Risk for Depression: Development of a Peer-to-Peer Model

This paper describes a feasibility study of a peer-delivered prevention intervention to identify mothers at high risk for depression and facilitate engagement in mental health services for their emotional health. Sixteen family peer advocates and their supervisors partnered with academic researchers over a period of 6 months to develop a four-session intervention that focused on identifying symptoms of depression, providing education about depression and treatment, actively linking caregivers to treatment for their own emotional health, and assisting caregivers in becoming active participants in their mental health care. Collaborating with peers to develop the model enhanced its perceived relevance and utility, and resulted in an intervention that was complimentary to their roles and the mission of peer-delivered support services. Peer/professional partnerships may be beneficial for enhancing the feasibility and acceptability of research efforts; the impact of peers’ participation in the current project and the need for future research to develop and study peer-delivered models is discussed.     

Teachers’ Changing Subjectivities: Putting the Soul to Work for the Principle of the Market or for Facilitating Risk?

Studies in Philosophy and Education - Here we reconsider teachers’ changing subjectivities as autonomous agents whose practices acknowledge risk as an essential element in intellectual...     

Family Peer Advocates: A Pilot Study of the Content and Process of Service Provision

Professional family peer advocates are increasingly employed by public mental health systems to deliver family-to-family support that reduces barriers families face in accessing children’s mental health care. These services, however, are neither uniformly available nor standardized. This pilot study describes the process, content and context of family-to-family support services. Simulating a parent seeking services, a trained standardized parent participated as a client in meetings with advocates in four programs and collected data through structured observations, a structured survey, and session audiotapes. The “walk-through” process was determined to be feasible and acceptable to family peer advocates as a way of evaluating services. Four family peer advocates provided an average of 25 services during each 2-session simulation with the standardized parent, including the following: information and educational support, instruction and skills development, emotional and affirmational support, instrumental support, and advocacy. Findings also revealed variability in the range of services provided and identified challenges in aspects of service provision, such as boundaries of advocate roles, availability of confidential service environments, and addressing crises and parent concerns about child safety. This paper provides the first in-depth look at services provided by this emerging workforce.     

A longitudinal study of the social and academic competence of economically disadvantaged bilingual preschool children

This longitudinal study was conducted to gain understanding of the social-emotional and academic development of economically disadvantaged bilingual preschool children. In Study 1, the authors combined cognitive, psychosocial, and cultural-linguistic factors to determine profiles of social competence as measured by peer play. A person-centered analysis of 207 Hispanic American preschoolers (ages 4 and 5 years) yielded 6 distinct profiles, 2 of which were socially competent and 1 of which was vulnerable. Findings revealed profile differences in social competence and a significant relationship between bilingualism and social-emotional development. In Study 2, the authors determined which profiles were associated with later academic achievement and growth of English proficiency. Findings indicated a significant relationship of early social-emotional development to later academic success and English acquisition, highlighting the role of bilingualism.     

A comparative study of family therapy in the treatment of opiate users in a London drug clinic

This study presents the results of a randomized treatment trial of family therapy and two control treatments for 119 outpatient opiate users. All treatments were combined with a methadone reduction programme. The control treatments were: (1) a 'standard' treatment (supportive psychotherapy) and (2) a 'low contact' intervention. Treatment outcome was evaluated six and twelve months after the initial assessment. Both the family therapy and minimal intervention groups had a significantly higher number of drug–free days at six and twelve months, compared to the standard treatment, despite receiving fewer treatment sessions. Across all treatments there was evidence for a gender difference in response to therapy in users who were in a couple relationship. In couples where both partners were using drugs women did significantly better than men. Men living with a non–drug–abusing partner fared better than men living with a drug–using partner. Across the treatment groups diminution in drug use was accompanied by improvements in psychosocial functioning. Unemployment, sharing needles and injecting drugs were predictive of poor outcome.     

Juror Responses to Direct and Mediated Presentations of Expert Testimony1

One hundred twenty-one King County (Washington) jurors viewed one of four videotaped versions of medical testimony relevant to the determination of a claim for damages against an employer in an industrial accident case. Two versions presented the claimant's physician (direct testimony), and two presented an attorney reading the physician's testimony verbatim (mediated testimony). Two professional actors (one female, one male) portrayed the physician in one version and the attorney in the other. Videotape presentations were introduced by written material and followed by a questionnaire in which Ss answered a number of legal, attitudinal, and factual questions. Responses to direct testimony differed from those to mediated testimony on several dimensions: number of items listed as significant to the determination of a cash award, estimates of sufficiency of material presented to determine an award, estimates of physician's competence, estimates of confidence in ratings of physician's competence, and number of correct items in a factual retention test. Significant correlations were found between scores on some of these dimensions and number of dollars awarded as compensation. Differences between the actors produced no significant effects, nor were there any significant interactions. It is concluded that, ceteris paribus, direct testimony is to be preferred to mediated testimony.