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Objective: The current study aims to validate the PERMA-Profiler, a well-known well-being measure, among a sample of student veterans. Participants: A sample of 205 student veterans were recruited from universities across the United States. Method: Cross-sectional research design was used in this study. Measurement structure of the PERMA-Profiler was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Convergent, divergent, and criterion-related validity was tested using Pearson correlation coefficients and Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: The EFA results yielded a two-factor solution for student veterans. Factors are named as emotional character strengths and performance character strengths. Conclusions: The PERMA-Profiler is a multidimensional scale with good reliability and acceptable levels of convergent, divergent, and criterion-related validity. The PERMA-Profiler can help researchers and practitioners better gauge well-being in student veterans. Implications will be discussed.

Background: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a short form of the "Perceived Stress Questionnaire" (PSQ) in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: The sample consisted of 274 individuals with SCI. Measures administered were the "PSQ-20, Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale," and "Rand Short-Form 36 General Health Scale." Results: Results showed that after selecting two items from each subscale of the PSQ-20, factor analysis results supported a unidimensional measure for the PSQ-8. The PSQ-8 total score demonstrated a high correlation with the PSQ-20 total score. The reliability of the PSQ-8 was adequate and similar to the PSQ-20. The PSQ-8 measurement correlated well with the external correlates of depression and health status. The mediation analysis indicated depression as a partial mediator for the relationship between perceived stress and health status, indicating people with higher levels of perceived stress had poorer health outcome in this study. Conclusions: This study provides evidence to support the psychometric properties of PSQ-8 in people with SCI. The PSQ-8 is a brief, reliable, unidimensional, and psychometrically sound measure of perceived stress that can be used in clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling research and practice.

Individuals living with severe mental illness (SMI) experience extremely high rates of secondary health conditions and premature mortality, at least partially attributable to high levels of sedentary lifestyles. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the commonalities and unique associations of social-cognitive theory, self-determination theory, and the theory of planned behavior for predicting physical activity participation for individuals living with SMI. Sixty individuals with SMI were recruited from an assertive community treatment (ACT) program in a mid-western city. Each participant completed a questionnaire focusing on levels of physical activity and constructs described in each health behavior theory. Simultaneous regression analyses were used to explore the phenomena of interest. Results indicated that aspects of each theory may be useful for describing the physical activity behaviors of this group, particularly people with SMI's expectations about the outcomes of physical activity participation. Information about the clinical and research implications are provided as well. Keywords: Health promotion, severe mental illness, health behavior theory, physical activity, People living with severe mental illness (SMI) have high rates of secondary health problems, along with significantly decreased longevity (e.g., Colton & Manderscheid, 2006; Happell, Ewart, Platania-Phung, & Stanton, 2016). [...]

BackgroundPrior to the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), telemental health to support mental health services was primarily designed for individuals with professional clinical degrees, such as psychologists, psychiatrists, registered nurses, and licensed clinical social workers. For the first the time in history, peer support specialists are offering Medicaid-reimbursable telemental health services during the COVID-19 crisis; however, little effort has been made to train peer support specialists on telehealth practice and delivery. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore the impact of the Digital Peer Support Certification on peer support specialists’ capacity to use digital peer support technology. MethodsThe Digital Peer Support Certification was co-produced with peer support specialists and included an education and simulation training session, synchronous and asynchronous support services, and audit and feedback. Participants included 9 certified peer support specialists between the ages of 25 and 54 years (mean 39 years) who were employed as peer support specialists for 1 to 11 years (mean 4.25 years) and had access to a work-funded smartphone device and data plan. A pre-post design was implemented to examine the impact of the Digital Peer Support Certification on peer support specialists’ capacity to use technology over a 3-month timeframe. Data were collected at baseline, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months. ResultsOverall, an upward trend in peer support specialists’ capacity to offer digital peer support occurred during the 3-month certification period. ConclusionsThe Digital Peer Support Certification shows promising evidence of increasing the capacity of peer support specialists to use specific digital peer support technology features. Our findings also highlighted that this capacity was less likely to increase with training alone and that a combinational knowledge translation approach that includes both training and management will be more successful.

BackgroundPeer support is recognized globally as an essential recovery service for people with mental health conditions. With the influx of digital mental health services changing the way mental health care is delivered, peer supporters are increasingly using technology to deliver peer support. In light of these technological advances, there is a need to review and synthesize the emergent evidence for peer-supported digital health interventions for adults with mental health conditions. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify and review the evidence of digital peer support interventions for people with a lived experience of a serious mental illness. MethodsThis systematic review was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) procedures. The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles published between 1946 and December 2018 that examined digital peer support interventions for people with a lived experience of a serious mental illness. Additional articles were found by searching the reference lists from the 27 articles that met the inclusion criteria and a Google Scholar search in June 2019. Participants, interventions, comparisons, outcomes, and study design (PICOS) criteria were used to assess study eligibility. Two authors independently screened titles and abstracts, and reviewed all full-text articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Discrepancies were discussed and resolved. All included studies were assessed for methodological quality using the Methodological Quality Rating Scale. ResultsA total of 30 studies (11 randomized controlled trials, 2 quasiexperimental, 15 pre-post designs, and 2 qualitative studies) were included that reported on 24 interventions. Most of the studies demonstrated feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of peer-to-peer networks, peer-delivered interventions supported with technology, and use of asynchronous and synchronous technologies. ConclusionsDigital peer support interventions appear to be feasible and acceptable, with strong potential for clinical effectiveness. However, the field is in the early stages of development and requires well-powered efficacy and clinical effectiveness trials. Trial RegistrationPROSPERO CRD42020139037; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID= 139037

The study purpose was to determine how self-reported lifestyle physical activity levels, exercise self-efficacy and outcome expectancies, and health status differ by body mass index for persons with chronic pain. From U.S. clinics and community networks, 209 adults reporting chronic musculoskeletal pain were recruited for the cross-sectional survey. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance. Participants with self-described obesity reported the lowest physical activity, reduced exercise self-efficacy and positive outcome expectancies, and poorer health status. Promoting graded activity while addressing motivational factors from health behavior theory for people with chronic pain and obesity should be encouraged in rehabilitation programs.Keywords: chronic illness, health and well-being, health promotion, Chronic musculoskeletal pain refers to over a hundred conditions with the most common diagnoses including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and low back pain (Hootman, Helmick, & Brady, 2012; Turk & [...]

The study purpose was to evaluate pain catastrophizing and psychological distress as mediators for the relationship between perceived mindfulness and depressive symptoms in people with chronic pain. We conducted an online cross-sectional survey with 211 adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain recruited from U.S. clinics and community networks. A serial multiple mediation analysis was performed using ordinary least-squares regressions and a bootstrap testing approach. Pain catastrophizing and psychological distress, independently and jointly, mediated the relationship between mindfulness and depressive symptoms. Rehabilitation counseling professionals should consider targeting mindfulness, pain catastrophizing, and psychological distress in psychosocial treatment for people with chronic pain., Two of the most frequent complaints of adults presenting to rehabilitation counseling sessions and other healthcare visits include chronic pain and depression. Nearly one out of three people experience chronic [...]

Background: Physical activity benefits have been extensively studied. However, the public health guidelines seem unclear about the relationships between steps and movements with healthy biomarkers for people with (PWD) and without disabilities (PWOD), respectively. While public health guidelines illustrate types of exercise (eg, running, swimming), it is equally important to provide data-driven recommended amounts of daily steps or movements to achieve health biomarkers and further promote a physically active lifestyle. Methods: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2006 were used. The authors conducted sensitivity, specificity, and receiver-operating-characteristic curve analyses regarding cut points from ActiGraph 7164 of daily steps and movements for health biomarkers (eg, body mass index, cholesterol) in PWD (2178 participants) and PWOD (4414 participants). The authors also examined the dose relationships of steps, movements, and healthy biomarkers in each group. Results: The authors found significant differences in the cut points of daily steps and movement for health biomarkers in PWD and PWOD. For daily steps, cut points of PWD were ranged from 3222 to 8311 (area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve [AUC] range = 0.52–0.93) significantly lower than PWOD's daily steps (range = 5455–14,272; AUC = 0.58–0.87). For daily movement, cut points of PWD were ranged from 115,451 to 430,324 (AUC = 0.53–0.91) significantly lower than the PWOD's daily movements (range = 215,288–282,307; AUC = 0.60–0.88). The authors found strong but different dose relationships of many biomarkers in each group. Conclusions: PWD need fewer daily steps or movement counts to achieve health biomarkers than PWOD. The authors provided data-driven, condition-specific recommendations on promoting a physically active lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite recent concerns over the increase in opioid misuse among aging adults, little is known about the prevalence of lifetime nonmedical opioid use in underserved, vulnerable middle-aged and older patients with psychiatric disorders. This study aims to determine the lifetime prevalence of nonmedical opioid use among underserved, vulnerable U.S. adults aged ≥45 years with psychiatric disorders. A nationally representative sample (n = 3,294) was obtained from the 2014 Health Center Patient Survey which collects data on psychiatric disorders, opioid use, and other health information from underserved, vulnerable U.S. primary care populations. Predictor variables included self-reported panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder. The outcome variable was self-reported lifetime nonmedical opioid use. Frequencies, counts, and unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were conducted with the cross-sectional survey dataset. Patients with bipolar disorder had the highest lifetime nonmedical opioid use rate (20.8%), followed by schizophrenia (19.3%), panic disorder (16.5%), and generalized anxiety disorder (14.5%). Nonmedical opioid use was significantly associated with bipolar disorder (OR 3.46, 95% CI [1.33, 8.99]) and generalized anxiety disorder (OR 2.03 95% CI [1.08, 3.83]). Our findings demonstrate a high prevalence of lifetime nonmedical opioid use in underserved, vulnerable middle-aged and older health center patients with psychiatric disorders. Given the prevalence, health center professionals should monitor, prevent, and treat new or reoccurring signs and symptoms of nonmedical opioid use in this high-risk group of aging patients with psychiatric disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Certified peer specialists refer to a category of trained mental health professionals who self-disclose serious mental illness to support the rehabilitation and recovery goals of others with serious mental illnesses. The purpose of the current study was to better understand certified peer specialists' perceptions of: (a) the role of self-determination in vocational rehabilitation programs, (b) experiences with vocational rehabilitation services, and (c) the conceptualization of mental health and vocational recovery. A total of 12 participants completed the qualitative interviews in-person or over the phone. This study utilized a Consensual Qualitative Research approach. Study participants described self-determination as an important component in attaining work, as well as overall mental health and vocational recovery. Overall, our findings indicated that certified peer specialists have unique descriptions for self-determination and recovery, as well as diverse experiences with vocational rehabilitation services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]