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Calear AL, McCallum SM, Kazan D, Torok M, Werner-Seidler A, O'Dea B, Morse A, Farrer L, Shand F, Batterham PJ. Randomised controlled trial of an online mental health and suicide gatekeeper resource for parents and caregivers: study protocol. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e082963. [PMID: 39019636 PMCID: PMC11256068 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-082963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Rates of help-seeking for mental disorders and suicide are low among children and adolescents. Parents are viewed as gatekeepers for their care, yet they may lack the knowledge and skills to identify needs or facilitate service access. The primary aim is to test the effect of a new gatekeeper resource for parents and caregivers on their self-efficacy to recognise, respond and access support for mental health problems and suicide risk in their child. METHODS AND ANALYSIS A two-arm randomised controlled trial will compare an online mental health and suicide gatekeeper resource for parents and caregivers to a waitlist control. Australian parents of children aged 5-17 years recruited through social media and community advertising will participate in an online trial. Participants randomised to the intervention condition will be emailed the resource to work through at their own pace. The resource consists of three sections providing parents and caregivers with confidence, knowledge and skills to recognise and respond to mental health problems and suicide risk in their child, as well as support them in accessing professional help. The primary outcome measure is self-efficacy to recognise, respond and provide support for mental health problems and suicide risk, while secondary outcomes include perceived knowledge, stigma, literacy, help-seeking attitudes, intentions and barriers. Data will be collected at preintervention, postintervention (4 weeks after accessing the resource) and 12-week follow-up. Primary analyses will compare changes in self-efficacy in the intervention condition relative to the waitlist control using mixed-model repeated measures analyses. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The ethical aspects of the study were approved by the Australian National University Human Research Ethics Committee (Protocol 2023/195). If effective, the resource will fill an important gap in resources for parents, with the potential for dissemination through school groups, community organisations and clinical settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12623000933651.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison L Calear
- Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Sonia M McCallum
- Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Dominique Kazan
- Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Michelle Torok
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Aliza Werner-Seidler
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Bridianne O'Dea
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alyssa Morse
- Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Louise Farrer
- Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Fiona Shand
- Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Philip J Batterham
- Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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Causier C, Johns L, Radez J, Hassan H, Maughan D, Waite F. Experiences of Help-Seeking for Severe Mental Health Problems in Young Pakistani Women: A Preliminary Qualitative Study. JOURNAL OF CROSS-CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 55:429-443. [PMID: 38766627 PMCID: PMC11101305 DOI: 10.1177/00220221241236944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Almost three quarters of mental illnesses start by the age of 25, yet youth (18-25-year-olds) are often underrepresented in U.K. services. This is particularly true for those of ethnic minorities. In this study, we aimed to understand how young Pakistani women and their parents make decisions to seek help for severe mental health problems, and the barriers and facilitators to accessing professional help. Young Pakistani women with experience of severe mental health problems and their parents were recruited from a community sample. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six young people and two parents. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Pakistani culture and its interplay with British culture strongly influenced the decisions and ability of young Pakistani women and their parents to help-seek, largely through the role of stigma. Low mental health literacy, stigma, and a lack of culturally informed services were identified as the most common barriers to accessing care. These barriers fed into the internalized stigma these young women experienced which, through fear of damaged reputation and personal prejudices, posed further barriers to seeking help. Participants highlighted recommendations for both individual-level (e.g., increased education and awareness) and service-level (e.g., greater choice over care) change to facilitate accessibility of professional help. Young Pakistani women face multiple culturally related challenges to accessing care for severe mental health problems at both the individual- and service-level. Novel suggestions to address these challenges, such as including youth peer support workers in services, may facilitate more inclusive and accessible services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Causier
- University of Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - Louise Johns
- University of Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - Jerica Radez
- University of Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - Hibah Hassan
- University of Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | | | - Felicity Waite
- University of Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, UK
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Han J, Ahn JS, Kim MH, Chang SJ, Kim JK, Min S. Impact of Parental Mental Health and Help-Seeking on Adolescents' Suicidal Ideations and Help-Seeking Behaviors. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6538. [PMID: 37569077 PMCID: PMC10419277 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20156538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of parental mental health on adolescent offspring. Data regarding 6512 families from the 2010-2021 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed; among them, 428 were placed in the suicidal ideation (SI) group and 421 were placed in the matched control (MC) group. This number was selected for the use of the propensity score matching method. The findings highlighted significant associations between parental mental health and adolescent suicidal ideation, with mothers in the SI group having higher odds of Diagnosed Depression (OR 2.109, 1.023-4.350 95% CI), Depressive Mood (OR 2.155, 1.224-3.793 95% CI), and Suicidal Ideation (OR 2.532, 1.322-4.851 95% CI) compared to the MC group. Regarding the fathers, paternal Suicidal Ideation (OR 4.295, 1.747-10.599 95% CI) was the only significant factor for adolescent suicidal ideation. In contrast, maternal depressive symptoms and help-seeking behavior significantly impacted adolescent help-seeking; Maternal Depressive Mood increased with adolescent Help-Seeking (OR 4.486, 1.312-15.340 95% CI) while Maternal Suicidal Ideation reduced the probability of Help-Seeking in the SI group (OR 0.15, 0.031-0.721, 95% CI). Chronic and severe depressive symptoms in mothers could make adolescents less likely to seek help for their suicidal ideations. Therefore, clinicians working with adolescents should prioritize a family-oriented approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaehyun Han
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 26426, Republic of Korea; (J.H.); (J.-S.A.); (M.-H.K.)
| | - Joung-Sook Ahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 26426, Republic of Korea; (J.H.); (J.-S.A.); (M.-H.K.)
| | - Min-Hyuk Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 26426, Republic of Korea; (J.H.); (J.-S.A.); (M.-H.K.)
| | - Sei-Jin Chang
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 26426, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jong-Koo Kim
- Department of Family Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 26426, Republic of Korea;
| | - Seongho Min
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 26426, Republic of Korea; (J.H.); (J.-S.A.); (M.-H.K.)
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Fong TCT, Cheng Q, Pai CY, Kwan I, Wong C, Cheung SH, Yip PSF. Uncovering sample heterogeneity in gaming and social withdrawal behaviors in adolescent and young adult gamers in Hong Kong. Soc Sci Med 2023; 321:115774. [PMID: 36796169 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The current study aimed to examine the latent heterogeneity of gaming and social withdrawal behaviors in internet gamers and their associations with help-seeking behaviors. METHOD The present study recruited 3430 young people (1874 adolescents and 1556 young adults) in Hong Kong in 2019. The participants completed the Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) Scale, Hikikomori Questionnaire, and measures on gaming characteristics, depression, help-seeking, and suicidality. Factor mixture analysis was used to classify the participants into latent classes based on their latent factors of IGD and hikikomori in separate age groups. Latent class regressions examined the associations between help-seeking and suicidality. RESULTS Both adolescents and young adults supported a 4-class, 2-factor model on gaming and social withdrawal behaviors. Over two-third of the sample were classified as healthy or low-risk gamers with low IGD factor means and low prevalence of hikikomori. Around one-fourth was moderate-risk gamers with elevated prevalence of hikikomori, higher IGD symptoms and psychological distress. A minority of the sample (3.8%-5.8%) belonged to high-risk gamers with the highest IGD symptoms and prevalence of hikikomori and heightened suicidal risks. Help-seeking in low-risk and moderate-risk gamers was positively associated with depressive symptoms and negatively associated with suicidal ideation. Perceived usefulness of help-seeking was significantly linked with lower likelihoods of suicidal ideation in the moderate-risk gamers and suicide attempt in the high-risk gamers. CONCLUSIONS The present findings explicate the latent heterogeneity of gaming and social withdrawal behaviors and associated factors on help-seeking and suicidality among internet gamers in Hong Kong.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ted C T Fong
- Centre on Behavioral Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Qijin Cheng
- Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - C Y Pai
- HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Isabelle Kwan
- HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Clifford Wong
- HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | | | - Paul S F Yip
- HKJC Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Dept of Social Work & Social Administration, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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Zhang X, Jambon M, Afifi TO, Atkinson L, Bennett T, Duku E, Duncan L, Joshi D, Kimber M, MacMillan HL, Gonzalez A. Mental Health Help-Seeking in Parents and Trajectories of Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms: Lessons Learned From the Ontario Parent Survey During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Psychol 2022; 13:884591. [PMID: 35783808 PMCID: PMC9243663 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.884591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tracking parents’ mental health symptoms and understanding barriers to seeking professional help are critical for determining policies and services to support families’ well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed enormous challenges to parents’ mental health and the access to professional help, and there are important public health lessons that must be learned from the past 2 years’ experiences to inform future mental health responses to social- and family-level stressful events. This study examines the trajectories of parents’ depressive and anxiety symptoms over a year during the pandemic as related to their mental health help-seeking. Data were collected from a sample of parents residing in Ontario, Canada at baseline (May–June, 2020; Wave 1) and again 1 year later (Wave 2; referred to as W1 and W2 below). Parents (n = 2,439; Mage = 39.47, SD = 6.65; 95.0% females) reported their depressive and anxiety symptoms at both waves. Mental health help-seeking, including self-reported contact with professional help and perceived unmet mental health needs, was measured at W2. Parents were classified into four groups by mental health help-seeking. Inconsistent seekers and non-seeking needers, both reporting perceived unmet needs for professional help, showed greater increases in depressive and anxiety symptoms, whereas parents with no need or needs met showed smaller increases in depressive symptoms and decreases in anxiety symptoms. Belief in self-reliance and time constraints were the leading reasons for not seeking help. These findings suggest that over a year into the pandemic, parents with perceived unmet mental health needs were at greater risk for worsening depressive and anxiety symptoms. Recognizing the demands for mental health services when families experience chronic stressors and targeting the identified barriers may promote family well-being during and beyond this pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xutong Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Marc Jambon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Tracie O. Afifi
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Leslie Atkinson
- Department of Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Teresa Bennett
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Eric Duku
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Laura Duncan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Divya Joshi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Melissa Kimber
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Harriet L. MacMillan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Andrea Gonzalez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Offord Centre for Child Studies, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Andrea Gonzalez,
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