Religiosity and attitudes towards professional mental health services: analysing religious coping as a mediator among Mexican origin Latinas/os in the southwest United States

In this study, we examined the relationship between religiosity and attitudes towards professional mental health services. We further examined whether internal religious coping and external religious coping mediated both relationships. Results indicated a significant association with religiosity and negative attitudes towards mental health services, as well as external religious coping and internal religious coping. Results also showed a nonsignificant association with both religious coping and negative attitudes towards mental health services. Finally, external religious coping mediated the relationship between religiosity and negative attitudes towards mental health services for men but not for women.     

Religious Change and Stability: Seasonality in Church Attendance from the 1940s to the 2000s

Using attendance data from a declining Episcopal church and a growing Lutheran church in a medium‐sized midwestern city, we explore the issue of seasonality in church attendance from the 1940s to the late 2000s. Our central concern is whether month‐to‐month variation in church attendance has remained the same or changed over the period of time under consideration. We find remarkable consistency in the overall month‐to‐month attendance pattern over the course of the past seven decades but less variation in attendance from month to month in more recent decades in both churches. We argue that the findings demonstrate the presence of a “committed core” of church members who attend regularly and the departure of nominal members who have swelled the ranks of the “nones” in recent decades.     

Predictors of successful discharge from out-of-home care among children with complex needs

We examined the predictors for successful discharge from out-of-home care of children with complex needs placed in a novel comprehensive service intervention (Manatee Model) and compared their discharge experiences to their out-of-home counterparts from the same county. The study design consisted of a longitudinal two-year comparison of these two groups. A total of 147 cases were included in the analysis, and the propensity scoring technique was used to equate the groups. Among children admitted to the Manatee Model, boys, White children, younger children, those who came from a single-parent family, those who were abused, and those who had a disability (physical or emotional disability or medical condition) were found less likely to successfully exit within the two years when these predictors were examined separately. Multivariate analyses indicated that only age at the time of removal and health status were significantly associated with successful discharge. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

Reliability and Validity of the Vicarious Trauma Organizational Readiness Guide (VT‐ORG)

The Vicarious Trauma Organizational Readiness Guide (VT‐ORG) is an assessment of an organization's readiness to address vicarious trauma (VT), which is exposure to the traumatic experiences of people served. This study reports on the psychometric properties of the VT‐ORG. Employees of first responder agencies (e.g., law enforcement, fire, emergency services) and victim assistance agencies are at a high risk for vicarious traumatization, which can lead to PTSD, substance use, and suicidal ideation, among other negative impacts. Organizations that do not address VT may see such effects as employee turnover, reduced efficiency, and negative work environments. The VT‐ORG is an assessment tool designed to help organizations complete the first step of organizational change—conducting a needs assessment. Study participants were 3,018 employees across 13 first responder and victim assistance agencies who completed the 67‐item VT‐ORG and additional measures for evaluation of its validity and reliability. The VT‐ORG was found to have excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .98). A structural equation model demonstrated that the subscales of the VT‐ORG predicted criterion measures of turnover intention, compassion satisfaction, and organizational resilience, with an overall model fit of CFI = .99, RMSEA = .053. This study found the VT‐ORG to be a reliable and valid assessment of organizational responses to vicarious trauma.     

Trauma-Informed Knowledge and Practices in School Psychology: A Pilot Study and Review

Growing acknowledgement that adverse childhood experiences are widespread and can threaten healthy development has led to advocacy for schools to systematically incorporate trauma-sensitive practices and policies. While the background and training of school psychologists would seem to make them the ideal professionals to lead such work, little is known regarding their preparedness to engage in these school-based practices. The current pilot study examines the experiences, education and training, confidence and competence, current and desired roles, and perceived barriers and supports of school psychology trainers, trainees, and practitioners to engage in trauma-informed practices within schools. Results indicated that high majorities reported scant knowledge or competencies across domains of professional practice considered essential to trauma-informed care delivery. Findings and implications are discussed.     

移动健康的理论基础与效果评估

移动健康(mHealth)本质上是基于移动信息技术而开发的移动健康技术。在对电子健康(eHealth)和移动健康做出区分的基础上, 通过一系列实证研究的回顾, 总结出了移动健康技术的五大理论基础, 即认知行为理论、社会支持理论、行为转变理论、行为学习理论和扎根理论。进一步分析发现, 移动健康技术在心理问题解决、生理疾病管理、健康行为促进方面具有一定效果, 但仍需要更加坚实的证据。未来研究要着重探讨移动健康干预的有效性影响因素, 进一步找出影响干预有效性的作用机制, 为实现人性化的以及良好的干预效果提供证据支撑。     

Discussion: Application of Psychoanalytic Developmental Understanding to Three Early Intervention Programs

Discussion is made of the application of psychoanalytic developmental understanding to three early intervention programs. One program that was highly ambitious in its aim of preventing aggressive behavior in children attending elementary school was effective but may have attempted to achieve too much. One, involving an assistance program in a public school for boys who had lost their fathers, was extremely successful in helping the boys to express and deal with their feelings verbally rather than through undesirable behavior. The third program provided services for very young children that developmentally were extremely useful to them. Discussion is made of the value of these programs not only to the children involved but also to the teachers and mental health care personnel who worked with them.     

Quality dimensions for school psychology services

Varying standards and quality among Norwegian school psychology services (SPS) have resulted in national SPS support and developmental programs. The present study aimed to reveal SPS quality dimensions to suggest a basis for development of service standards. Teachers (333) and administrators (136) responsible for corresponding cases referred to the SPS responded to a questionnaire including indices of case service quality and collaboration between schools and SPS. The statistical analyses included factor analyses and a multiple regression analysis. The data and results from an earlier study of parents' quality dimensions were included in an items analyses. The result suggests five central SPS quality dimensions: availability, participation, consideration, effectiveness and security. While effectiveness has the strongest effect on the evaluation of case service quality both for parents and school personnel, the dimensions have different significance for different consumer groups. Relations to general service quality dimensions and consequences of the findings are discussed.     

Improving day-treatment services for adults with severe disabilities: a norm-referenced application of outcome management

We evaluated an outcome management program for working with staff to improve the performance of adults with severe disabilities in a congregate day-treatment setting. Initially, observations were conducted of student task involvement and staff distribution of teaching interactions across students in four program sites. Using recent normative data to establish objective goals for student performance, management intervention was warranted in two of the sites. A six-step outcome management program was then implemented in the two sites. The program involved defining desired student and staff outcomes, systematic monitoring of the outcomes, staff training, and supportive and corrective feedback. The outcome management program was accompanied by increases in student on-task behavior and staff distribution of teaching interactions in both sites. The increases brought the levels of on-task behavior above the normative average; on-task behavior was maintained above the baseline average for over 1 year in both sites. These results are discussed in terms of the benefits of relying on normative data for objectively evaluating and improving service delivery systems. Discussion of future research needs focuses on applying the outcome management program to other settings and services for people with disabilities.     

中国社会心理服务体系的建设构想

社会心理服务体系更准确的名称应是公共心理服务体系,其主要内容包括心理健康服务、社会心态培育、共同体认同建构这三大模块,其主要功能分别为预防和治疗心理疾病、提升全民族的心理健康水平,培育自尊自信、理性平和、积极向上的社会心态,以及塑造中华民族的统一文化认同和人类命运共同体认同。今后应进一步明确社会心理服务的基本公共服务的定位,明确社会心理服务体系建设的责任主体,发展中国特色的健康心理学、社会心理学和文化心理学学科,培养社会心理服务亟需的科研与实务人才,创新社会心理服务的供给方式,联合政府、高校、社区和第三方部门等多元力量,建设能够符合中国国情的,专业化、多类型、多层次、可持续的社会心理服务体系。