Psychology Commons^™

Differences In The Prevalence, Severity And Symptom Profiles Of Depression In Boys And Adolescents With An Autism Spectrum Disorder Versus Normally Developing Controls, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley

Vicki Bitsika

The prevalence, severity and symptom profiles for major depressive disorder (MDD) were compared in samples of boys and adolescents with and without an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Self-reports were obtained on the Depression subscale of the Child and Adolescent Symptoms Inventory (CASI-D) with 70 ASD and 50 non-ASD male participants between the ages of 8 and 18 from Queensland, Australia who were matched for age and IQ. Results indicated that the ASD participants had significantly higher total CASI-D scores, a greater proportion of participants who qualified for a diagnosis of MDD, and over 50% higher scores for 8 of the …

Is Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy A Causal Environmental Risk Factor For Adolescent Antisocial Behavior? Testing Etiological Theories And Assumptions, Brian M. D'Onofrio, Carol A. Van Hulle, Jackson A. Goodnight, Paul J. Rathouz, Benjamin B. Lahey

Jackson A. Goodnight

Background—Although many studies indicate that maternal smoking during pregnancy (SDP) is correlated with later offspring antisocial behavior (ASB), recent quasi-experimental studies suggest that background familial factors confound the association. The present study sought to test alternative etiological hypotheses using multiple indices of adolescent ASB, comparing differentially exposed siblings, and testing assumptions in the sibling-comparison design.

Mental Health Systems Transformation Through Participatory Research And Action: The Young Adult Appreciative Inquiry/Photovoice Project, Thomas M. Laporte, Mason G. Haber, Damie Jackson - Diop, Brittany Holt

Mason G. Haber

Participatory action research and evaluation methods (PAR) have been used to help individuals to address a variety of challenges and improve the responsiveness of service systems to these challenges. To the present, however, few studies have examined applications of PAR in systems change advocacy for youth with mental health needs in the transition to adulthood (transition-age youth [TAY]). PAR may be especially beneficial in systems transformation efforts for this population, which lacks resources of other mental health system consumers for advocacy such as formal settings, specialized professional attention, and well established consumer organizations. The present paper describes how specific strategies …

Role Of Peer Attachment And Normative Beliefs About Aggression On Traditional Bullying And Cyberbullying, K. Burton, Dustin Wygant, Dan Florell

Dustin B. Wygant

This study examined the effects of normative beliefs about aggression and peer attachment on traditional bullying, cyberbullying, and both types of victimization. Cyberbullying departs from traditional forms of bullying in that it is through forms of technology, such as the Internet, which increases situational anonymity. Eight hundred fifty students in Grades 6 through 8 completed a survey that assessed normative beliefs about aggression, peer attachment, and traditional bullying and cyberbullying behaviors, which suggested that students who are involved with traditional bullying are also involved in cyberbullying. Adolescents with higher normative beliefs about aggression are more likely to be traditional bullies, …

Thoughts Of Suicidality And Self-Harm In Middle Childhood: Relationship With Child Maltreatment And Maternal Substance Abuse And Depression, Tara Cossel, Natasha Elkovitch, David Hansen

David J. Hansen

Child maltreatment victims are at increased risk for a multitude of symptoms, including: internalizing problems (e.g., depression, anxiety), behavior problems (e.g., aggression) and post-traumatic stress symptoms (Paolucci, Genuis, & Violato, 2001). Not all maltreated children present with the same outcomes, and research consistently demonstrates child abuse does not have an inevitable pattern or a unified presentation of symptoms. Some youth may be asymptomatic following abuse; others display a myriad of symptoms at varying levels of severity (Kendall-Tackett, Williams, & Finkelhor, 1993). A small percentage of this group becomes suicidal.

Recent studies have presented accumulating evidence that suicidality and self-harm warrant …

Different Roles And Different Results: How Activity Orientations Correspond To Relationship Quality And Student Outcomes In School-Based Mentoring, Julia Pryce

Julia Pryce

Brief Report: Need For Autonomy And Other Perceived Barriers Relating To Adolescents’ Intentions To Seek Professional Mental Health Care., Coralie J. Wilson, Frank P. Deane

Coralie J Wilson

The current study examined the relationship between belief-based barriers to seeking professional mental health care and help-seeking intentions in a sample of 1037 adolescents. From early adolescence to adulthood, for males and females, the need for autonomy was a strong barrier to seeking professional mental health care. Help-seeking fears were weaker in the older age groups. Having lower perceived need for autonomy and believing that prior mental health care was helpful was significantly associated with higher intentions to seek future professional mental health care. Implications for prevention and overcoming barriers to seeking mental health care are suggested.

The Role Of Problem Orientation Cognitive Distortions In Depression And Anxiety Intervention For Young Adults., Coralie Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Interventions that aim to improve social problem-solving skills can significantly reduce the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms in young people. Anxious and depressed individuals often have a negative orientation to problem solution which acts as a barrier to implementing problem-solving skills. Research with older adults suggests that symptoms impair problem-solving abilities through cognitive processes associated with the development of anxiety and depression. In this study we extend previous investigations by assessing the extent to which specific cognitive distortions and symptoms of anxiety and depression are associated with negative problem orientation in a sample of 285 young adults aged 18 …

Early Access And Help Seeking: Practice Implications And New Initiatives., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Seeking appropriate help for early signs and symptoms of psychological distress can reduce the long-term impact of many mental disorders. This article describes practice implications and new initiatives for promoting early access and help-seeking among young people. Relevant help-seeking research is reviewed, and prominent help-seeking barriers are discussed. Prominent barriers for young people include: incomplete mental health and emotional literacy, beliefs about having little need for help versus having a need for autonomy, and the process of help-negation for different symptoms of psychological distress. To improve early access to appropriate help and mental health services, barriers that can be reduced, …

The Effects Of Need For Autonomy And Preference For Seeking Help From Informal Sources On Emerging Adults’ Intentions To Access Mental Health Services For Common Mental Disorders And Suicidal Thoughts., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Emerging or early adulthood is the life stage spanning 18-25 years of age. In Australia, anxiety and affective disorders (often classified as ‘common mental disorders’) are prevalent in this age group and suicide is also a concern. Professional mental health care can reduce the long-term impact of these mental health problems and protect against the development of severe forms of these disorders. However, up to three-quarters of young people with mental health needs do not seek professional help for their condition. This study aimed to examine the extent to which belief in the need for autonomy and intentions to seek …

General Psychological Distress Symptoms And Help-Seeking Intentions In Young Australians, Coralie Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Epidemiological studies suggest that young people might have a tendency to avoid help when they experience symptoms of psychological distress. There is growing evidence that many young people prefer no help from anyone for their mental health problems. The current study examined the association between symptoms of general psychological distress and intentions to seek help from friends, family and professional mental health sources in a sample of 109 trade (TAFE) students from regional and rural Australia. Participants were 67% male and aged from 15-25 years. Higher levels of general psychological distress symptoms were associated with stronger intentions to not seek …

Adolescents' Suicidal Thinking And Reluctance To Consult General Medical Practitioners, Coralie Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Appropriate help-seeking is widely recognized as a protective factor, and vital for early treatment and prevention of mental health problems during adolescence. General medical practitioners (GPs), that is, family doctors, provide a vital role in the identification of adolescents with mental health problems and the provision of treatment as well as access to other specialists in mental health care services. The current study is part of a larger multi-cite study developed and led by the first author. It examines the association between suicidal ideation and intentions to seek help from a GP for suicidal thoughts, emotional problems and physical health …

Help-Negation And Suicidal Ideation: The Role Of Depression, Anxiety And Hopelessness., Coralie J. Wilson

Frank Deane

Help-negation is expressed behaviorally by the refusal or avoidance of available help and cognitively by the inverse relationship between self-reported symptoms of psychological distress and help-seeking intentions. The current study is part of a larger multi-cite research program developed and led by the first author. It examines the association between suicidal ideation and intentions to seek help from friends, family and professional mental health sources in a sample of 302 Australian university students. Participants were 77.5% female and aged from 18-25 years old, with 85.4% aged 21 years or younger. Higher levels of suicidal ideation were related to lower help-seeking …

Help-Negation And Suicidal Ideation: The Role Of Depression, Anxiety And Hopelessness., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Help-negation is expressed behaviorally by the refusal or avoidance of available help and cognitively by the inverse relationship between self-reported symptoms of psychological distress and help-seeking intentions. The current study is part of a larger multi-cite research program developed and led by the first author. It examines the association between suicidal ideation and intentions to seek help from friends, family and professional mental health sources in a sample of 302 Australian university students. Participants were 77.5% female and aged from 18-25 years old, with 85.4% aged 21 years or younger. Higher levels of suicidal ideation were related to lower help-seeking …

Gatekeeper Training For Youth Workers: Impact On Mental Health Help-Seeking And Referral Skill, Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

The Youth Empowerment Series (YES!) Workshops (Wilson et al, 2000) were developed to improve gatekeepers' mental health literacy and skills for promoting effective help-seeking and social problem-solving among adolescents and young people. The curent study the skills of those attending the YES! Workshops 9 months after training.

Depressive Symptoms And Help-Seeking Intentions In Young People., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Whether the help-negation effect as demonstrated for suicidal thoughts was also evident for depressive symptoms was investigated in three studies of young people from diverse urban areas. The studies comprised a large sample of younger high school students (years 7-10), a sample of older high school students (years 8-12), and first year university students. A self-report questionnaire that measured help-seeking intentions, prior help-seeking experiences, and depression was administered. Results revealed the strongest inverse association between level of depressive symptoms was with intentions to seek help from parents across all three samples. There was a consistent trend for students to report …

When And How Do Young People Seek Professional Help For Mental Health Problems?, Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Despite the high prevalence of mental health problems and disorders that develop in adolescence and early adulthood, young people tend to not seek professional help. Young men and young people from Indigenous and ethnic minority groups tend to be those most reluctant to seek help. Young people are more inclined to seek help for mental health problems if they: have some knowledge about mental health issues and sources of help; feel emotionally competent to express their feelings; and have established and trusted relationships with potential help providers. Young people are less likely to seek help if they: are experiencing suicidal …

Supporting Young People To Seek Professional Help For Mental Health Problems: Cover Feature., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

No abstract provided.

Help Seeking For Mental Health Problems In Adolescence And Early Adulthood., Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Adolescence and young adulthood are critical life stages for mental health, as this is the period when most mental health problems and mental disorders have their peak incidence. It is also a time of increased suicidal ideation and frequency of suicide attempts. Despite the importance of adolescence and young adulthood in the aetiology of mental disorders, there is evidence that young people may be poorly informed about mental health and are unlikely to consult a professional for their mental health problems. Help-seeking is a term used to refer to the behaviour of actively seeking help from other people. …

Desecrating The Ark: Animal Abuse And The Law's Role In Prevention, Margit Livingston

Margit Livingston

Suicidal Ideation And Help-Negation: Not Just Hopelessness Or Prior Help., Coralie Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Few distressed young people seek professional psychological help and little is known about what sources of help young people seek for different problems. In suicidal youth, poor help-seeking may be exacerbated by the process of help-negation. The current study is the first of a larger program of PhD research developed and led by the second author. In the current study, three hundred and two undergraduate university students completed a questionnaire measuring suicidal ideation, hopelessness, prior help-seeking experience, and help-seeking intentions. Participants indicated they would seek help from different sources of help for different types of problems, but friends were consistently …

Suicidal Ideation And Help-Negation: Not Just Hopelessness Or Prior Help., Coralie J. Wilson

Frank Deane

Few distressed young people seek professional psychological help and little is known about what sources of help young people seek for different problems. In suicidal youth, poor help-seeking may be exacerbated by the process of help-negation. The current study is the first of a larger program of PhD research developed and led by the second author. In the current study, three hundred and two undergraduate university students completed a questionnaire measuring suicidal ideation, hopelessness, prior help-seeking experience, and help-seeking intentions. Participants indicated they would seek help from different sources of help for different types of problems, but friends were consistently …