Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Telehealth Experiences In Canadian Veterans: Associations, Strengths And Barriers To Care During The Covid-19 Pandemic., Deanna L Walker, M S Nouri, R A Plouffe, J J W Liu, T Le, C A Forchuk, D Gargala, K St Cyr, A Nazarov, Don Richardson

MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre

INTRODUCTION: Identifying barriers to care in veteran populations is critical, as veterans face increased social isolation, relationship strains and financial insecurities. For Canadian veterans experiencing barriers to accessing healthcare, telehealth may be a promising alternative with comparable effectiveness to in-person services; however, the potential benefits and limitations of telehealth require further examination to determine its long-term utility, and to inform health policy and planning. The goal of the present research was to identify predictors and barriers to telehealth usage in Canadian veterans in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS: Data were drawn from baseline data of a longitudinal survey …

What Are We Doing? Is Exporting Anti-Depressants Answer The Mental Health Needs Of The Global South?, Gojjam Limenih

Africa Western Collaborations Day 2020 Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Preventing Adolescent Dating Violence: An Outcomes Protocol For Evaluating A Gender-Transformative Healthy Relationships Promotion Program, Deinera Exner-Cortens, Alysia Wright, Debb Hurlock, Roseline Carter, Pam Krause, Claire Crooks

Journal Articles

Adolescent dating violence (ADV) is a pressing public health problem in North America. Strategies to prevent perpetration are needed, and a substantial body of research demonstrates the importance of applying a gender lens to target root causes of adolescent dating violence as part of effective prevention. To date, however, there has been limited research on how to specifically engage boys in adolescent dating violence prevention. In this short communication, we describe the protocol for a longitudinal, quasi-experimental outcome evaluation of a program called WiseGuyz. WiseGuyz is a community-facilitated, gender-transformative healthy relationships program for mid-adolescent male-identified youth that aims to reduce …

The Power Of Community: Reflections From The Education Commissioner Of Active Minds Western, Josh Thompson-Persaud

SASAH 4th Year Capstone and Other Projects: Presentations

As a mental health advocate, Josh is passionate about advancing mental health reform and increasing mental health literacy in their communities. Feeding from this passion, Josh worked with Active Minds Western (AM), a USC-regulated mental health advocacy club, as the Education Commissioner this year. Josh decided to use the second half of the term in this role as a Community Engaged Learning (CEL) project as they recognized the value in academically structuring and critically assessing their progress toward increased mental health literacy at Western University.

A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Evaluation Of A Universal Healthy Relationships Promotion Program For Youth, Deinera Exner-Cortens, David Wolfe, Claire Crooks, Debbie G. Chiodo Ms.

Journal Articles

Bullying and mental health problems are pressing concerns for adolescents. Given their burden, we need to find efficacious ways to prevent these experiences. However, existing prevention programs tend to be single-issue and may not focus on the universal capacities required to reduce these problems among youth. To this end, we evaluated the universal, small groups Healthy Relationships Plus (HRP) program, which focuses on the promotion of positive mental health and the reduction of bullying and substance misuse. A sample of 212 youth from Southwestern Ontario were randomly assigned to the HRP or an attention-control condition over an 8-day period during …

Research Snapshot: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Evaluation Of A Universal Healthy Relationships Promotion Program For Youth, Centre For School Mental Health

Research Snapshots

This study evaluated the Health Relationships Plus program (HRP) with a group of Canadian youth. HRP aims to promote positive mental health and reduce bullying and substance misuse. Researchers found that HRP participation significantly reduced the odds of physical bullying victimization at one-year follow-up compared to the control group.

"Integrated Science 3002a: Big Bike Giveaway: Changing London's Environment, Health, And Economy One Bike At A Time", Jermiah Joseph, Katelyn Melo, Devanshi Shukla, Tony Nguyen, Katherine Teeter

Community Engaged Learning Final Projects

There are significant benefits that manifest when an individual chooses to ride a bicycle as their primary mode of transportation. To investigate these benefits, the environmental, health, economic, and social impacts of biking were evaluated through research and data analyses. This revealed that numerous advantages can be obtained at an individual and local scale through citizens choosing to adopt a biking lifestyle. However, it was found that many Londoners are deterred from biking due to poor biking infrastructure. This paper calls into question the current cycling framework in London and it’s limitations on achieving the numerous benefits that biking offers. …

Gsa Members' Experiences With A Structured Program To Promote Well-Being, Alicia A. Lapointe, Claire Crooks

Journal Articles

LGBT2Q+ youth experience significant oppression in schools and there are few evidence-informed programs to promote well-being. This study describes the experiences of youth who participated in a 17-session structured mental health promotion program through their GSAs. Focus groups were conducted with 15 youth. Results indicated that the program helped youth validate and affirm their identities and expressions. The program also afforded youth structured opportunities to identify and process minority stressors, and develop essential coping strategies to bolster their well-being and manage their toxic relationships.

Changes In Depression And Positive Mental Health Among Youth In A Healthy Relationships Program, Natalia Lapshina, Claire Crooks, Amanda Kerry

Journal Articles

Mental health promotion programming in schools and community settings is an important part of a comprehensive mental health strategy. The goal of this study was to identify and explore meaningful classes of youth based on their pre- and post-intervention depression symptoms scores with 722 youth involved in a 15-week healthy relationships and mental health promotion program. We utilized latent class growth analysis to identify depression class trajectories, controlling for group clustering effects. A three-class solution identified high decreasing, moderate stable, and low stable trajectories. Gender, age, and reported experience of bullying victimization predicted trajectory class membership. The low stable class …

Depression And The Relationship Between Sleep Disturbances, Nightmares, And Suicidal Ideation In Treatment-Seeking Canadian Armed Forces Members And Veterans, Don Richardson, Lisa King, Kate St. Cyr, Philippe Shnaider, Maya L. Roth, Felicia Ketcheson, Ken Balderson, Jon D. Elhai

MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre

Background: Research on the relationship between insomnia and nightmares, and suicidal ideation (SI) has produced variable findings, especially with regard to military samples. This study investigates whether depression mediated the relationship between: 1) sleep disturbances and SI, and 2) trauma-related nightmares and SI, in a sample of treatment-seeking Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel and veterans (N = 663). Method: Regression analyses were used to investigate associations between sleep disturbances or trauma-related nightmares and SI while controlling for depressive symptom severity, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity, anxiety symptom severity, and alcohol use severity. Bootstrapped resampling analyses were used to …

A Feasibility Trial Of Mental Health First Aid First Nations: Acceptability, Cultural Adaptation, And Preliminary Outcomes, Claire Crooks, Andrea Lapp, Monique Auger, Kim Van Der Woerd, Angela Snowshoe, Billie Jo Rogers, Samantha Tsuruda, Cassidy Caron

Journal Articles

The Mental Health First Aid First Nations course was adapted from Mental Health First Aid Basic to create a community‐based, culturally safe and relevant approach to promoting mental health literacy in First Nations contexts. Over 2.5 days, the course aims to build community capacity by teaching individuals to recognize and respond to mental health crises. This feasibility trial utilized mixed methods to evaluate the acceptability, cultural adaptation, and preliminary effectiveness of MHFAFN. Our approach was grounded in community‐based participatory research principles, emphasizing relationship‐driven procedures to collecting data and choice for how participants shared their voices. Data included participant interviews ( …

Feasibility And Fit Of A Mental Health Promotion Program For Lgbtq+ Youth, Alicia A. Lapointe, Caely I. Dunlop, Claire Crooks

Journal Articles

This study evaluated the feasibility and fit of a mental health promotion and violence prevention program adapted for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 14-18). The pilot program included 16 30-minute sessions and was implemented in 8 gender and sexuality alliances (GSAs) and one community youth group setting. Extensive feedback was collected from 11 facilitators via session tracking sheets, ongoing email communication, an implementation survey, and a focus group; and from 7 youth who participated in a variety of feedback activities during a 2-day post-program workshop. Results indicated a strong interest in formalized programming, challenges related to its delivery in GSAs, and significant …

Research Snapshot: Changes In Depression And Positive Mental Health Among Youth In A Healthy Relationships Program, Centre For School Mental Health

Research Snapshots

This study explored and identified meaningful groups of youth based on their depression symptoms over time. Researchers found that youth who reported high levels of depression prior to the program experienced a significant decline in depressive symptoms and improved mental well-being following the program.

Disturbed Eeg Sleep, Paranoid Cognition And Somatic Symptoms Identify Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Harvey Moldofsky, Lorne Rothman, Robert Kleinman, Shawn G. Rhind, Don Richardson

MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre

Background

Chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) behavioural symptoms and medically unexplainable somatic symptoms are reported to occur following the stressful experience of military combatants in war zones. Aims

To determine the contribution of disordered EEG sleep physiology in those military combatants who have unexplainable physical symptoms and PTSD behavioural difficulties following war-zone exposure. Method

This case-controlled study compared 59 veterans with chronic sleep disturbance with 39 veterans with DSM-IV and clinician-administered PTSD Scale diagnosed PTSD who were unresponsive to pharmacological and psychological treatments. All had standardised EEG polysomnography, computerised sleep EEG cyclical alternating pattern (CAP) as a measure of sleep …

Medical Sciences 4300: London-Middlesex Suicide Prevention Council, Harshith Bhaskar, Adnan Husein, Ramin Javaheri-Poya, Sabrina Jetly, Christopher Nguyen, Serena Tejpar

Community Engaged Learning Final Projects

Suicide is an issue that affects people of all backgrounds, and takes the lives of many individuals every year. The London-Middlesex Suicide Prevention Council (LMSPC), an organization established in 1990, seeks to provide suicide prevention training to members of the community. They seek to engage community members in prevention and intervention by recognizing warning signs that may exist among the London-Middlesex region. The three main programs that strive to deliver these skills are ASIST, ASK, and safeTALK, each with a slightly different focus. LMSPC’s current goal is to increase access to these services through external grants and potential partnerships. Our …

Hockey Fans In Training: A Pilot Pragmatic 1 Randomized Controlled Trial, Robert Petrella, Dawn P. Gill, Guangyong Zou, Ashleigh De Cruz, Brendan Riggin, Cassandra Bartol, Karen Danylchuk, Kate Hunt, Sally Wyke, Cindy M. Gray, Christopher Bunn, Merrick Zwarenstein

Lifestyle Research Team

Introduction Hockey Fans in Training (Hockey FIT) is a gender-sensitized weight loss and healthy lifestyle program. We investigated 1) feasibility of recruiting and retaining overweight and obese men into a pilot pragmatic randomized controlled trial and 2) potential for Hockey FIT to lead to weight loss and improvements in other outcomes at 12 wk and 12 months.

Methods Male fans of two ice hockey teams (35–65 yr; body mass index ≥28 kg·m−2) located in Ontario (Canada) were randomized to intervention (Hockey FIT) or comparator (wait-list control). Hockey FIT includes a 12-wk active phase (weekly, coach-led group meetings including provision of …

Estimating Costs And Benefits Associated With Evidence-Based Prevention: Four Case Studies Based On The Fourth R Program, Claire Crooks, Jennifer Zwicker, Lana Wells, Ray Hughes, Amanda Langlois, J.C. Herb Emery

Journal Articles

Teen violence in dating and peer relationships has huge costs to society in numerous areas including health care, social services, the workforce and the justice system. Physical, psychological, and sexual abuse have long-lasting ramifications for the perpetrators as well as the victims, and for the families involved on both sides of that equation. An effective violence prevention program that is part of a school’s curriculum is beneficial not only for teaching teenagers what is appropriate behaviour in a relationship, but also for helping them break the cycle of violence which may have begun at home with their own maltreatment as …

Health Relationships Plus Program Facilitator Implementation Experience Feedback, Debbie G. Chiodo Ms.

Healthy Relationships Plus Program Implementation Study

The Fourth R Healthy Relationships Plus Program (HRPP) is an evidence-informed small groups program that aims to equip students with the skills they need to build healthy relationships and help themselves and their peers reduce risky behaviours. The HRPP consists of 14 one-hour sessions covering topics such as peer pressure, helpseeking, media literacy, healthy and unhealthy peer and dating relationships, healthy communication, mental health and wellbeing, suicide prevention, and the impacts of substance use and abuse.

Healthy Relationships Plus Program Facilitator Training Feedback, Amanda J. Kerry, Claire Crooks

Healthy Relationships Plus Program Implementation Study

The Fourth R Healthy Relationships Plus Program (HRPP) has the capacity to positively impact youth; however, program content alone does not lead to benefits. Delivering effective programs requires facilitators to feel comfortable and prepared to implement the program with their students. Additionally, it is important that facilitators maintain program fidelity and implement the program as it was designed. Facilitators’ confidence, competence, and understanding of fidelity can be developed through well designed trainings. Quality training provides facilitators with the opportunity to understand the program objectives, learn the content, and enhance their knowledge of program fidelity. As part of the evaluation project, …

Healthy Relationships And Wellbeing Among Youth Offenders, Amanda J. Kerry

Healthy Relationships Plus Program Implementation Study

Historically, the perception of youth offender treatment programs was “nothing works” (Andrew & Bonta, 2010). Fortunately, we have since shifted from that view and current research suggests that effective programs for youth offenders should aim to reduce re-offending by targeting multiple risk factors and promoting the development of healthy, prosocial skills. Consistent with the effective ingredients of programming, the Fourth R and HRPP programs target multiple risk factors (i.e., substance use, risky sexual behaviour) and promote social and cognitive skill building (i.e., communication skills, help seeking). The goal of this research project was to examine the feasibility and fit of …

Teen Relationship Violence And Wellbeing Among Lgbtq+ Youth, Alicia A. Lapointe

Healthy Relationships Plus Program Implementation Study

Many LGBTQ+ youth experience mental health challenges (e.g., depression, anxiety, self-harm, attempting or dying by suicide, etc.) due to homophobia, heterosexism, heteronormativity, transphobia, cissexism, and cisnormativity, and other interlocking oppressions (e.g., racism, colonialism, ableism, sexism, etc.). Due to prejudicial attitudes and beliefs, LGBTQ+ youth may experience interpersonal issues with family members, peers, classmates, co-workers, etc. The HRP for LGBTQ+ Youth was designed to support queer, trans, and gender diverse youth as they navigate and cope with LGBTQ+-based oppression. Since youth groups and GSAs are ‘safer’ venues for LGBTQ+ youth to find support and develop relationships with like-minded folks, they are …

The Healthy Relationships Plus Program: National Implementation Summary, Claire Crooks

Healthy Relationships Plus Program Implementation Study

There is a clear need for evidence-based approaches to promote mental health and prevent violence among youth. These programs need to be flexible enough to be implemented in diverse settings. Ideally, they would also address multiple outcomes at once. We know that there is a significant overlap among violence, substance misuse, and unhealthy sexual behaviour (i.e., the adolescent risk triad). These problem behaviours are linked in several ways: they co-occur, they share risk factors, and they frequently emerge within the context of dating and peer relationships. More recently, researchers have identified mental health as an issue that overlays all of …

Research Snapshot: Gsa Members' Experiences With A Structured Program To Promote Well-Being, Centre For School Mental Health

Research Snapshots

The Fourth R's HRP for LGBT2Q+ Youth helps bolster positive mental wellness and encourage skill development among queer, trans, and gender diverse youth. It was adapted from the Healthy Relationships Plus Program (HRPP) - an evidence-informed, small group universal prevention program for youth that promotes positive mental health and well-being, and prevents risky behaviours. The HRP for LGBT2Q+ Youth was developed in consultation with academics, educators, and youth, and consists of 17 sessions, each lasting 45 minutes.

Insomnia, Psychiatric Disorders And Suicidal Ideation In A National Representative Sample Of Active Canadian Forces Members, Don Richardson, A. Thompson, Lisa King, B. Corbett, P. Shnaider, K. St Cyr, C. Nelson, J. Sareen, Jon Elhai, M. Zamorski

MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre

Background

Past research on the association between insomnia and suicidal ideation (SI) has produced mixed findings. The current study explored the relationship between insomnia, SI, and past-year mental health status among a large Canadian Forces (CF) sample.

Method

Data was obtained from the 2013 Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey (CFMHS), and included a large representative sample of Canadian Regular Forces personnel (N = 6700). A series of univariate logistic regressions were conducted to test individual associations between past-year mental health status, insomnia, and potential confounds and SI. Mental health status included three groups: 0, 1, or two or more …

Two Years Of Relationship-Focused Mentoring For First Nations, Metis, And Inuit Adolescents: Promoting Positive Mental Health, Claire Crooks, Deinera Exner-Cortens, Sarah B. Burm, Alicia Lapointe, Debbie G. Chiodo Ms.

Journal Articles

First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) youth are disproportionately affected by a range of negative health outcomes including poor emotional and psychosocial well-being. At the same time, there is increasing awareness of culturally-specific protective factors for these youth, such as cultural connectedness and identity. This article reports the findings of a mixed-methods, exploratory longitudinal study on the effects of a culturally-relevant school-based mentoring program for FNMI youth that focuses on promoting mental well-being and the development of cultural identity. Participants included a cohort of FNMI adolescents whom we tracked across the transition from elementary to secondary school. We utilized data …

Positive Allosteric Modulator Of Gabab Receptor Alters Behavioral Effects But Not Afterdischarge Progression Induced By Partial Hippocampal Kindling., L Stan Leung, Miao Jin, Liangwei Chu, Jingyi Ma

Physiology and Pharmacology Publications

Hippocampal seizures decreased the function of GABAB receptors, which may further increase seizure susceptibility and contribute to development of schizophrenia-like behaviors. Recent literature indicates that GABAB receptor agonist may normalize schizophrenia-like behaviors and prevent drug-induced behavioral sensitization. We hypothesized that positive modulation of GABAB receptor function during seizure induction will reduce seizure-induced schizophrenia-like behaviors. Using a partial hippocampal kindling model, afterdischarges were induced after injection of saline or dimethyl sulfoxide (vehicle-kindled rats), or a GABAB receptor positive allosteric modulator CGP7930, at 1 mg/kg i.p. (CGP1-kindled) or 5 mg/kg i.p. (CGP5-kindled). The increase in the primary afterdischarge duration during kindling was …

A Review Of The Relation Between Dissociation, Memory, Executive Functioning And Social Cognition In Military Members And Civilians With Neuropsychiatric Conditions, Margaret C. Mckinnon, Jenna E. Boyd, Paul A. Frewen, Ulrich F. Lanius, Rakesh Jetly, Don Richardson, Ruth A. Lanius

MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre

Dissociative experiences, involving altered states of consciousness, have long been understood as a consequence or response to traumatic experiences, where a reduced level of consciousness may aid in survival during and after a traumatic event. Indeed, the dissociative subtype of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD-DS) was added recently to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5). Dissociative symptoms are present across a host of neuropsychiatric conditions, including PTSD, psychotic spectrum illnesses, anxiety and mood disorders. Transdiagnostically, the presence of dissociative symptoms is associated with a greater illness burden and reduced treatment outcomes. Critically, dissociative symptoms are related …

Brain Maturation, Poverty And Social Exclusion: Shifting Paradigms Of Psychopathology, Amresh Srivastava

Psychiatry Presentations

Abstract for lecture

Poverty is a major risk factor for mental disorders. Neuroimaging studies show path are breaking findings to explain why ppeople living in poverty suffer from improper development and maturation of brain due to neuronal loss. It sets in much before the child is born and leads to increased vulnerability for mental disorders.

Recent findings show that changes in brain structure and function due to lack of brain maturation is directly related to poverty. A number of these changes are end result of neuronal survival in the most fundamental neuronal matrix. These findings along with other biological correlates …

Comparing The Experiences And Withdrawal Considerations Of Treatment And Regular Foster Care Parents: The Canadian Perspective, Jessica Smith, Susan Rodger, Jason Brown, Laurel E. Pickel, Wendy Den Dunnen, Alan W. Leschied Dr.

Journal Articles

This study investigated differences in the experiences of Canadian foster parents providing regular and treatment foster care and their consideration to withdraw from their position. Survey responses from 852 foster parents were analyzed subsequent to separating the participants into two groups based on the primary type of care they provided (regular N = 454; treatment N = 398). Results revealed that treatment foster care parents considered withdrawing at a higher rate compared to regular foster care parents. Subsequent analysis revealed numerous differences between the two groups regarding foster parents’ experiences in fostering and reasons to withdraw. The results are discussed …

Promoting First Nations, Metis, And Inuit Youth Wellbeing Through Culturally-Relevant Programming: The Role Of Cultural Connectedness And Identity, Claire Crooks, Dawn V. Burleigh, Ashley Sisco

Journal Articles

Objectives: Although culturally relevant programming has been identified as a promising practice for promoting resiliency among First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) youth, the specific ways in which these programs contribute to wellbeing are unclear. The Fourth R: Uniting Our Nations programs include an array of strengths-based culturally relevant programs for FNMI youth that have been found to increase wellbeing. The purpose of this study was to explore how culturally relevant programming provides a forum for intrapersonal and interpersonal growth.

Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 adult FNMI community and education stakeholders who have had extensive involvement with the …