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BackgroundOne in 5 young people grow up in a family where one parent has experienced a mental health problem or substance use concern. Compared with their same-aged peers, these youth are at a higher risk of academic failure and acquiring a substance abuse and/or mental health issue. There is a paucity of accessible, age-appropriate interventions that address their needs. ObjectiveA 6-week, web-based intervention, “mental illness: supported, preventative, online, targeted” (mi.spot), was developed based on previous research and the competence enhancement model. This paper describes the protocol for a randomized controlled trial and details how the usage, safety, acceptability, and feasibility of the intervention will be determined. MethodsParticipants will be recruited through social media and clinician referral. A total of 70 Australians, aged 18 to 25 years, who grew up with parents with a mental illness or substance use concern will participate in a 2-arm parallel randomized controlled trial. The assessment will consist of a baseline measurement and 2 follow-up periods, posttest and 6-week follow-up, using the Mental Health Continuum short form; the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale; the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced inventory; the General Help Seeking Questionnaire; the Social Connectedness Scale; the Mental Health Literacy Scale; the General Self-Efficacy Scale; and the Attribution of Responsibility for Parental Mental Illness Measure. Impact will be examined at pre, post, and follow-up time periods using analyses of variance that will include a within-subjects factor (time) and a between-subjects factor (intervention/control). Facilitator interviews will ascertain intervention feasibility. Participant interviews will ascertain intervention acceptability. Interview data will be analyzed within a qualitative framework. Usage (data analytics) across site features and several indicators of clinical safety will also be reported. ResultsThe impact of mi.spot will be examined at pre, post, and follow-up time periods using analyses of variance on each of the measures outlined above. There will be a within-subjects factor (time) and a between-subjects factor (intervention/control). Data analysis will employ the intention-to-treat principle by including all participants in the analyses. Qualitative interview data will be analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis along with respondent validation. The Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (reference number: 2019-18660-30434) approved the trial on April 17, 2019. As of October 2, 2019, 30 participants were enrolled in the control group and 34 participants were enrolled in the intervention group. Result are expected to be submitted for publication in December 2020. ConclusionsStudy results will provide reliable evidence on a web-based intervention that has the potential to make a difference to the lives of many vulnerable young adults. Implementation guidelines are needed to embed the intervention in different service sectors. Trial RegistrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12619000335190; https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12619000335190 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/15626

A quarter of all children grow up in a family where a parent experiences a mental illness (FaPMI). Research activity in this area is growing rapidly and it is now critical to better understand the extant knowledge in the field. This scoping review of quantitative FaPMI literature parallels a qualitative literature review and a series of Delphi studies with key stakeholders (e.g. lived experience and clinicians), that is part of a larger program of research to achieve consensus regarding the direction of FaPMI research; including making recommendations about outcomes and measures. The programme of research aims to promote and facilitate greater comparison and learning across studies and settings. Initially this scoping review summarises the quality and focus (e.g. country and sampling) of 50 quantitative studies from 2000 to 2023 and then classifies studies according to outcomes for parents, children and families. Six to eleven years were the most common child sample group and girls were slightly underrepresented (49/51) and parents were 88% mothers. Analogous parent and child outcomes were; mental illness/psychopathology, wellbeing, mental health literacy, trauma and stressful experiences, coping, help seeking/service need, within family relationships and supports, outside family relationships and supports. Additional outcomes for parents were; parenting skills, parent competence and parenting stress and for children in relation to their; cognitive functioning and caregiving. The family related outcomes were the within and outside family relationships and supports. Since 2000 there have been 136 different survey instruments employed with approximately 80% used in only one study. This suggests that the broader goals of the program of research are warranted as there is a need for less heterogeneity in measures used. Suggested areas for future research include a sampling focus on fathers, economic evaluations of programs, parent mental health literacy, trauma, genetics and integrating well‐being concepts into research designs. Child research should focus on mental health literacy, the level and impact of caring responsibilities, assessing past trauma and the roles of close family and external supports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Mental health concerns among youth represent a critical global public health issue. Research has found that youth with mental health concerns are often reliant on their caregivers while being isolated from peers. Guided by the recovery model of mental health care, this study investigates the often-overlooked role of caregivers in fostering 'connectedness' in youth; Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine caregivers of youth with mental health issue; Results: Thematic analysis underscored three tasks in the role of caregivers in promoting connectedness in youth: (a) understanding the nature and quality of social networks, (b) supporting readiness to engage in social relationships, and (c) promoting their youth's social problem solving and self-efficacy; Discussion: These tasks highlight the complex dialectics faced by caregivers in supporting youth recovery. The findings hold key implications for developing interventions, resources and policies designed for caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disaster response and recovery researchers and policy makers are increasingly attempting to represent the views of children and adolescents alongside those of adults and other community members following disasters. Children's and adolescents' perspectives regarding the impacts and complications of the 2014 Hazelwood coal mine fire and ongoing smoke pollution event were investigated. Sixty-nine children and adolescents (aged 8-16 years) were interviewed using a semi-structured interview methodology and thematic analysis used to analyse the interviews. The children and adolescents revealed that the smoke and the response of schools, family members and community impacted the social, emotional and academic wellbeing of some children, while others experienced little impact from the event. Some reported awareness of the event complications on their parents and the community, and demonstrated skills to care for themselves and others, and to participate in disaster risk reduction efforts. The perspective of children and adolescents about the consequences of the fire and ensuing circumstances yield important insights which could incorporated into trauma-informed practices and disaster preparation, response and rehabilitation programs to reduce children's and adolescents' vulnerability and to increase their agency following disasters.

Mental health nurses (MHNs) experience a range of stressors as part of their work, which can impact their well‐being and turnover intention. There is no prior evidence, however, on MHNs' mental health, well‐being, resilience, and turnover intention during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The aims of this online survey‐based cross‐sectional study, conducted during the pandemic, were to explore the psychological distress, well‐being, emotional intelligence, coping self‐efficacy, resilience, posttraumatic growth, sense of workplace belonging, and turnover intention of n = 144 Australian mental health registered and enrolled nurses; and explore relationships between these variables, in particular, psychological distress, well‐being, and turnover intention. There was a higher percentage of MHNs with high (27.78%) and very high psychological distress (9.72%) compared to population norms as measured by the K10. Emotional intelligence behaviours were significantly lower than the population mean (GENOS‐EI Short). Coping self‐efficacy was mid‐range (CSES‐Short). Resilience was moderate overall (Brief Resilience Scale), and posttraumatic growth was mid‐range (Posttraumatic Growth Inventory; PTGI). Sense of workplace belonging was moderate, and turnover intention was low. Higher levels of psychological distress were associated with higher turnover intention, and lower workplace belonging, coping self‐efficacy, well‐being, resilience, and emotional intelligence behaviours. Despite the levels of psychological distress, nearly half the sample (n = 71) was 'flourishing' in terms of well‐being (Mental Health Continuum Short‐Form). To help prevent staff distress in the post‐pandemic period, organisations need to proactively offer support and professional development to strengthen staff's psychological well‐being, emotional intelligence, and resilience skills. These strategies and group clinical supervision may also support lower turnover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family‐focussed practice is an important component of mental health care. In Australia, service users' views about their experience of service are collected using instruments such as the Your Experience of Service (YES) survey. This study examined 10,579 Queensland (Australia) service users' experiences of mental health services during 2019–2021, with a particular focus on their perspectives of how family and carers are involved in their care. The study examined if family‐focussed practice is welcomed by service users and if it is important in terms of predicting recovery‐related outcomes (e.g., hopefulness, managing day‐to‐day life, well‐being, and experience of care) and which demographics (e.g., age, gender, and Indigenous status) and service characteristics (e.g., time in service, duration, year of service, and setting type) are associated with these outcomes and with family member involvement. A substantial majority of service users reported a positive experience of care (very good or excellent), feeling they had opportunities for family involvement and that their opinions about family involvement were respected (usually or always). Chi‐square tests and nonlinear regression models showed that family involvement predicts care outcomes. Specifically, where individuals felt that their perspectives were recognised, their outcomes were consistently rated as more positive. The results also revealed that setting, age group, time in service, and admission status were significantly correlated with all user experience outcome variables and family‐oriented variables. Future research has the potential to further strengthen this understanding of service users' preferred opportunities and opinions about family involvement and how to improve family engagement and better meet the needs of service users and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature on the role of higher education distance instructors mostly focuses on their teaching role, involving tasks such as curriculum design, instruction, and facilitating student learning. What is missing is the role of the "person" of the instructor, defined as his or her personality, identity, integrity, emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and values. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether distance students want a personal presence from their instructors, and if so, how an instructor's personal presence might impact on teaching and learning in the higher education sector. Qualitative analyses of 68 surveys and a focus group interview found that, while a minority of students report not wanting instructors to have a personal presence, most highlight the need for engaging, passionate, and understanding instructors who show these attributes through self disclosure, relationship building, humor, and individualized feedback. At the same time, instructors' personal qualities need to be mediated through learning. Various modes were identified that might encourage a personal mode of distance teaching, though the teaching medium did not appear to matter as much as having an instructor who, in the words of one participant, was "human."

Recovery-oriented practice is the dominant framework for mental health services in Australia. However, evidence demonstrating recovery processes outside public services is scant. This study explores how key processes from the Connectedness, Hope, Identity, Meaning, and Empowerment (CHIME) personal recovery conceptual framework related to service-user experiences of a rural mental health service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative telephone or video-conference interviews were conducted with 19 service users. Deductive and inductive data analysis was employed, applying the CHIME framework as a predetermined organisational structure. Themes were constructed according to the CHIME framework categories. The data reflected all five categories; connectedness and empowerment were salient. Participants' service-delivery experiences could either enhance or hinder connectedness, the cultivation of hope, a positive identity, meaning in life, and empowerment. Nonclinical aspects of their experience were viewed as an extension of treatment. Opportunities exist for mental health practitioners to intentionally prioritise and strengthen recovery-oriented practice. Trauma-informed approaches are consistent with and complement personal recovery principles. Accountability structures are needed to monitor recovery-oriented practice in mental health settings. Family-focused interventions also need strengthening to build connectedness, meaning, and hope. IMPLICATIONS Recovery can be promoted and enhanced within primary care mental health services through intentional focus on the key processes. Trauma-informed principles and care are congruent with a recovery-oriented approach and support connectedness and empowerment. Social workers are well placed to lead and drive recovery-oriented practices in private settings that move beyond an individualistic focus to include holistic care and family-focused practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children and adolescents are among the most vulnerable to developing posttraumatic stress in the aftermath of a disaster. This study investigated posttraumatic stress among students attending surrounding primary and secondary schools following the 2014 Hazelwood mine fire in the Latrobe Valley region of Australia. Posttraumatic stress levels of students (n = 323) attending smoke-exposed schools (n = 20) were assessed 16–21 months after the event using the Children's Revised Impact of Events Scale (CRIES). The mean CRIES total score of students attending these schools was 17.22, suggesting an overall moderate level of posttraumatic stress associated with the mine fire. Across the sample, 22% of the students (n = 23) had a CRIES score of ≥30, indicative of posttraumatic stress at a level warranting clinical concern. Students attending schools located closer to the mine (Morwell Schools) experienced significantly greater levels of posttraumatic stress (CRIES M = 21.63) compared with students attending schools located further away (Non-Morwell Schools; CRIES M = 14.70). This difference appeared to have been primarily driven by higher scoring among Morwell students on the Arousal symptom domain of the CRIES. The mean CRIES score of primary school students (M = 23.18) was over double that of secondary school students (M = 10.30) regardless of the proximity of their school to the smoke event; however, this difference did not reach statistical significance. These findings highlight the need for public health responses following disasters that include targeted mental health support for child and adolescent age-groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Family‐focused practice has become an emerging paradigm in mental health services. However, little is known about family‐focused practice and associated factors in Chinese mental health workers. Aim: To examine family‐focused practice and associated factors in Chinese mental health workers. Method: A cross‐sectional survey was conducted in a convenience sample of mental health workers (n = 515) in Beijing, China. The Family‐Focused Mental Health Practice Questionnaire was used to measure family‐focused practice, as well as worker, workplace and client factors that might influence family‐focused practice. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to investigate the factors associated with family‐focused practice. Results: On average, the participants exhibited a moderate level of engagement in family‐focused practice. The factors that most significantly influenced family‐focused practice in Chinese mental health workers were skill and knowledge, worker confidence and time and workload. Moreover, psychiatrists were found to engage more in family‐focused practice than psychiatric nurses, and community mental health workers were more active in family‐focused practice than hospital‐based ones. Discussion: This study provided important data concerning family‐focused practice and associated factors in Chinese mental health workers. Implications for Practice: The varying level of Chinese mental health workers to engage in family‐focused practice has advocacy, training, research and organizational implications for mental health services in China and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]