Evidence for Relationships Between Hope, Resilience, and Mental Health Among Youth

Developing a hope-focused intervention to prevent mental health problems and improve social outcomes for young women who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET): A qualitative co-design study in deprived coastal communities in South-East England

Young women who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) experience poorer health and social outcomes compared to non-NEET young women and to NEET young men, especially in deprived areas with intersecting inequalities. The evidence on effective public health approaches is scarce. Interventions that target hope, which NEET young women notably lack, offer a promising theory-driven and intuitive means to prevent mental health problems and improve social outcomes. Hope can be defined as a goal-focused mindset comprising self-agency (motivation and self-belief) and pathways (identifying routes to achieving goals). Hope is implicated in a variety of evidence-based psychosocial interventions for young people, but is not directly targeted by existing prevention programmes for NEET populations. The current study used a phased qualitative research design and participatory methods to model a hope-focused intervention for NEET young women. Phase 1 investigated population needs and intervention parameters through semi-structured interviews with 28 key informants living or working in disadvantaged coastal communities in South-East England. The sample comprised eight NEET young women, four family members, and 16 practitioners from relevant support organisations. Phase 2 refined intervention parameters and outcomes through co-design sessions with four NEET young women, followed by a theory of change workshop with 10 practitioners. The resulting intervention model is articulated as a mentor-supported, in-person psychosocial intervention that builds hope by enhancing positive sense of self and time spent in meaningful activities, before explicitly teaching the skills needed to identify, set, and pursue personally meaningful goals.

The influence mechanism underlying meaning in life on career adaptability among college students: a chain intermediary model

Introduction

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed a huge challenge to the career situation of college students. This study aimed to understand the mechanism underlying meaning in life on career adaptability among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A quantitative method was adopted. In total, 1,182 college students were surveyed using the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, the Adult General Hope Scale, and the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale.

Results

There was a significant positive correlation between meaning in life, positive coping styles, hope, and career adaptability. Positive coping styles and hope play a separate mediating role and a chain mediating role.

Discussion

The findings of this study emphasize the importance of meaning in life among college students to improve their career adaptability. Furthermore, positive coping styles and increased levels of hope contribute to the development of career adaptability among college students.

Cross-Sectional and Descriptive Study on the Challenges and Awareness of Hispanic Parents Regarding Their Adolescents' Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Research has shown that during the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 20% of children and adolescents in the United States experienced mental health issues that became a significant social concern. However, recent studies have demonstrated that the majority of adolescents maintain positive emotions despite the crisis. This cross-sectional and descriptive study delves into the emotional states of adolescents during the pandemic, considering the viewpoints of both adolescents and their parents, with a specific focus on Hispanic adolescents. Survey results revealed that most adolescents reported positive and happy moods. However, a percentage of adolescents experienced worry, significant changes in feelings, and loneliness as a result of the physical and social isolation associated with virtual learning. Unfortunately, most surveyed Hispanic parents did not adequately recognize their adolescents' mood changes well. This lack of awareness, caused by factors such as an insufficient understanding about the importance of adolescent mental health, cultural reasons, language barriers, low education, unstable jobs, and more, could lead to missed opportunities for timely mental health interventions. This study seeks to provide a comprehensive discussion on the mental health of adolescents, while also advocating for the emotional wellbeing of Hispanic adolescents.

Enabling structural resilience of street-involved children and youth in Kenya: reintegration outcomes and the Flourishing Community model

Introduction

Millions of children and youth live on city streets across the globe, vulnerable to substance use, abuse, material and structural neglect. Structural resilience, the re-establishment of access to structural goods within a society such as housing, education, and healthcare following some interruption, provides an orientation for research and interventional efforts with street-involved children and youth (SICY). Further, a structural resilience framework supports organizing interactions between levels and sectors of a socio-ecology.

Methods

Following the expressed interests of Kenyan SICY, and consistent with emerging policy interests at national and global levels, we assess reintegration trajectories of Kenyan SICY (n = 227) participating in a new program intervention and model. The intervention combines two coordinated, parallel programs - one focused on the rescue, rehabilitation, reintegration and resocialization of SICY, and the other focused on empowering families and communities to provide better care for children and youth who are reintegrating from life on the streets to the broader community. Data were collected and analyzed from multiple stages across SICY involvement with the intervention.

Results

We found 79% of SICY participants reintegrated with the broader community, and 50% reintegrated with families of origin and returned to school. Twenty-five percent of participants reintegrated to a boarding school, polytechnical school, or began a business. Probability of reintegrating successfully was significantly improved among participants whose families participated in the family- and community-oriented program, who were younger, with less street-exposure, expressed more personal interests, and desired to reintegrate with family.

Discussion

To our knowledge, these are the first quantitative data published of successful reintegration of SICY to the broader, non-institutionalized community in any low- or middle-income country. Future research should (1) identify factors across socio-ecological levels and sectors contributing to health and developmental outcomes of reintegrated children and youth, (2) mechanisms to support SICY for whom the interventional strategy did not work, (3) methods to prevent street-migration by children and youth, and (4) system development to coordinate follow-up and relevant investment by institutions, organizations and community leaders to continue reintegration work.

Risk and protective factors for resilience among adolescents and young adults with beta-thalassemia major

BACKGROUND

Resilience is the ability to overcome adversity in response to a potentially traumatic event. It can relieve people's discomfort and build personal capacity when facing a stressful situation such as beta thalassemia major. Resilience is a complex and multidimensional concept and is influenced by protective and risk factors. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to (1) investigate the relationship between protective (social support and hope) and risk (uncertainty and defensive coping) factors with resilience and (2) examine the mediating role of courageous coping between these protective and risk factors in resilience.

METHODS

This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 312 adolescents and young adults with beta-thalassemia major aged 12-24 years; they were selected using purposeful sampling from two different outpatient thalassemia clinics in the south of Iran. Data were collected in a face-to-face survey using Zimmet Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Herth Hope, Stewart Uncertainty in Illness scale, Jalowiec Coping, and Connor-Davidson resilience Scale from April 2022 to November 2022. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive tests, Pearson correlation, and a structural equation model.

RESULTS

According to the main findings of mediation analysis, courageous coping partially mediated the relationship between social support and resilience [(β = 0.042; 95% BC CI (0.003, 0.131)] and fully mediated the relationship between hope and resilience [(β = 0.166; 95% BC CI (0.031, 0.348)]. In other cases, uncertainty and defensive coping had a direct and indirect effect on resilience, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Based on these results, health professionals and healthcare policymakers should consider this mediator in developing programs to improve resilience. Also, the use of courageous coping could modulate the effect of defensive coping on resilience. Therefore, teaching the use of courageous coping can play an important role in improving resilience.

Exploring the Relationship Between Modifiable Protective Factors and Mental Health Issues Among Children Experiencing Adverse Childhood Experiences Using a Resilience Framework

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (NSCDC) resilience framework statistically predicted whether a child with 4 or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) ever had a mental health issue. The study also explored which NSCDC modifiable resilience factors had the strongest relationship with mental health issues among children with 4 or more ACEs. Utilizing the 2019 National Survey of Children's Health, secondary data analysis was conducted using a sample of 1,225 children between 6 and 17 years old that had experienced 4 or more ACEs. Logistic regression examined whether the NSCDC framework was associated with a lower likelihood of mental health issues in school-aged children. Analysis found that the NSCDC framework predicted whether children with 4 or more ACEs ever had a mental health issue. Self-regulation had the strongest relationship with whether a child with 4 or more ACEs ever had a mental health issue. A supportive parent/caregiver relationship was also associated with a lower likelihood of ever having a mental health issue. The results demonstrate the promise of the NSCDC framework and modifiable protective factors to mitigate the impact of ACEs on mental health outcomes. Interventions that teach children skill-based self-regulation and parent/caregiver co-regulation while providing safe and supportive environments can build self-regulation to overcome ACEs. Promoting resilience-building parent-child relationships also have the potential to build resilience to mitigate ACEs.

Internationally educated nurses and resilience: A systematic literature review

Aim

To synthesize knowledge extracted from the literature about protecting factors and challenges to resilience, among migrant nurses, and specifically how knowledge synthesized through the process of the literature review is relevant to nursing and health policy.

Background

How nurses, in general, face challenges is well documented and is often linked to the concept of resilience; however, there seems to be a lack of systematic knowledge synthesis focusing on the resilience of internationally educated nurses following migration.

Method

The review was guided by the PRISMA guidelines, and a systematic search of peer‐reviewed qualitative and mixed‐method articles reporting empirical research was performed in the MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Academic Search Ultimate databases. Methodological rigour was assessed by the Joanna Briggs’ checklist, and a structured theme‐based ecological framework, inspired by Ungar's model of resilience, was chosen.

Results

Following critical appraisal, 37 studies were included that identified both challenges and individual, contextual and structural protective factors in host countries and are linked to resilience.

Discussion

Resilience of internationally educated nurses depends on a combination of individual and contextual protective factors, with the major emphasis being placed on individual protective factors. It is crucial to consider resilience in ensuring that internationally educated nurses’ experience is appreciated, as this is necessary if nurses are to deliver the best possible health service while integrating into their host country.

Implication for nursing and health policy

Authorities, managers in clinical practice and education, trade unions and nurses in general should be aware of the coping strategies, the strengths and supportive factors that can promote resilience and be aware of the challenges that undermine resilience and negatively impact internationally educated nurses’ practice and social interactions.

The 5Cs of Positive Youth Development, Purpose in Life, Hope, and Well-Being Among Emerging Adults in Malaysia

A substantial body of evidence supports Lerner and colleagues' 5Cs model of positive youth development (PYD) in the United States (U.S.). Nonetheless, it remains unclear whether the 5Cs can be used to identify positive development in the under-researched Asian contexts, such as Malaysia. Thus, this study examined the 5Cs of PYD (competence, confidence, character, connection, and caring) and their importance to purpose in life, hope, and well-being in a sample of emerging adult undergraduate university students in Malaysia. Data were collected from 400 participants from 15 Malaysian universities (132 males, 268 females; ages ranged from 18 to 26 years old, M = 22). A hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that two of the 5Cs of PYD (confidence and connection) as well as hope were important to explaining variation in well-being. The findings imply that there are strong links between PYD, especially confidence and connection, and well-being, while purpose in life and hope were indirectly related to the 2Cs (confidence and connection) of PYD and well-being. Therefore, mental health professionals are encouraged to review and redefine their treatment design to include confidence, connection, purpose in life and hope when working with Malaysian emerging adult university students.