Publications by authors named "Kathryne B Brewer"

This study employed an experimental vignette design in Jewish communities in the United States (n = 243) to investigate whether public stigma toward target individuals with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder presenting with either mania or depression was associated with their gender and symptomatology. The Mental Illness Stigma Scale (Day et al., in J Appl Soc Psychol 37(10):2191-2219, 2007) was used to measure the following dimensions of public stigma: (a) anxiety; (b) relationship disruption; (c) hygiene; (d) visibility; (e) treatability; (f) professional efficacy; and (g) recovery.

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Most people in need of mental health services in Mexico do not seek formal support or professional services to address their mental health needs. Understanding help-seeking behaviors is crucial to addressing underutilized mental health services and to leverage health promotion efforts. Data were collected as part of a larger research project on stigma and help-seeking for mental-health-related concerns in Mexico.

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This study examines the influence of cultural context on social distance and perceptions of stigma towards mental health conditions among Latino populations in Houston, TX, USA and Mexico City, Mexico. We employed a community-based experimental vignette survey to assess perceptions towards individuals experiencing symptoms of alcohol misuse, depression, and psychosis. Participants (n = 513) from Houston and Mexico City were asked about their willingness to accept community members experiencing mental health symptoms in various social roles, their perceptions of stigma related to these symptoms, anticipated danger, possible positive outcomes, and the community member's ability to change.

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: This study explored factors associated with public stigma toward individuals misusing alcohol in Mexico. : A randomized experimental vignette methodology was used to assess multiple domains of substance use-related stigma and their relationship to the gender of the vignette subject and the sociodemographic characteristics of respondents. : Although levels of stigma toward women who were misusing alcohol did not differ significantly from stigma toward men misusing alcohol, stigma levels and type of stigma reported varied with the sociodemographic characteristics of respondents.

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Public stigma toward those experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia in the general population is high; yet research into such stigma within the diverse Latino communities remains under-investigated. This study employed a randomized experimental vignette methodology to assess various domains of public stigma toward individuals experiencing psychosis and/or diabetes within Latino communities. A communitybased sample of 243 Latino adults participated.

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Stigma is a multifaceted barrier for individuals living with mental illness, contributing to negative stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination, and is underinvestigated in minority ethnic groups. This study examines the stigma within the US Jewish communities, specifically the following: a) differences in public stigma dimensions based on mental illness ( e.g.

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Objectives: Despite mental health disorders being a leading cause of disability among Latinos, treatment-seeking behaviors are very low. Latinos are confronted with significant disparities in mental health treatment. This research study sought to examine (1) what are the attitudes toward professional help-seeking for mental health concerns among Latino individuals and (2) what participant characteristics and demographic factors are associated with Latino individuals' help-seeking attitudes.

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Background: In China, mental health disorders are considered the leading causes of disability, yet treatment-seeking behaviors among individuals with mental health problems are deficient.

Aims: This study sought to examine attitudes and participant characteristics associated with help-seeking among adults residing in China's Shanghai metropolitan area.

Methods: This study employed a convenience cross-sectional sampling strategy and recruited 500 participants in public places in Shanghai.

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This study explores stigma-related beliefs within the Latino community concerning alcohol misuse. A community-based convenience sample of 251 self-identified Latino adults were recruited to participate in a research study using an experimental vignette methodology. Participants were randomly assigned one of four vignettes about alcohol misuse and asked to share their attitudes and stigma-related beliefs about the problem and the person in the vignette.

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Engaging vulnerable populations in research is a critical focus for researchers seeking to find ways to improve safety and well-being for broader populations. Vulnerabilities often co-occur, meaning that individuals may experience vulnerabilities in multiple facets of their life (e.g.

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Aim: The timely identification and treatment of psychosis are increasingly the focus of early interventions, with research targeting the initial high-risk period in the months following first-episode hospitalization. Ongoing treatment after stabilization is also essential in the years following a first-episode psychosis (FEP), but has received less research attention. In this study, variables that could impact continued psychiatric service utilization by adolescents following their FEP and temporal patterns in service utilization are examined.

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Background: To assess the mental health and behavioral problems of children in institutional placements in Jordan to inform understanding of current needs, and to explore the effects of placement change on functioning and staff perceptions of goodness-of-fit.

Methods: An assessment was completed of 134 children between 1.5-12 years-of-age residing in Jordanian orphanages.

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Stigma is a fundamental barrier to seeking and engaging in mental health treatment for individuals managing depression. This study examines stigma perceptions of mental health treatment for Arab adolescents managing depression using a vignette survey completed by adults in public spaces in Amman, Jordan (n = 108). The vignette was systematically changed across four different conditions that varied the described youth's gender and whether or not they were receiving treatment for their depression.

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For children residing in institutional settings, staff act as primary caregivers and often provide assessment of child psychopathology. Minimal research exists on how and when staff-caregivers are best positioned to report on youth mental health. This study examines differences between 60 staff-reported and 60 adolescent-reported Child Behavioral Checklist/Youth Self-Report (CBCL/YSR) scores in Jordanian care centers, and the associations between adolescent-staff agreement, demographic characteristics and child-caregiver relationship factors.

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Objective: This study reports the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems among youths placed in juvenile correctional facilities in Jordan and describes the effect of length of stay on mental health outcomes.

Method: The Youth Self Report (YSR) was administered to 187 adolescent males (mean age=16.4, SD=1.

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Objectives: This study aimed to establish the prevalence rates of mental health and behavioral problems of Arab youths residing in Jordanian care centers due to family disintegration, maltreatment, or abandonment and to examine how functioning varies by child characteristics and placement history.

Methods: Child Behavior Checklist and case history data were collected for 70 youths across four Jordanian care centers.

Results: Approximately 53% of the adolescents were identified as experiencing mental health problems, and 43% and 46% had high internalizing and externalizing scores, respectively.

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Stigma is a fundamental barrier to individuals seeking out mental health treatment in the Middle East. The impact of stigma may be amplified if the engagement in and utilization of mental health services for psychosis further stigmatizes individuals and their families. One hundred four Jordanians (N = 104) participated in an experimental vignette survey examining stigma perceptions and social exclusion related to adolescents with psychosis, with the vignettes varying in sex of the youth and whether their family had sought mental health services.

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Aim: All too often, efficacious psychosocial evidence-based interventions fail when adapted from one culture to another. International translation requires a deep understanding of the local culture, nuanced differences within a culture, established service practices, and knowledge of obstacles and promoters to treatment implementation. This research investigated the following objectives to better facilitate cultural adaptation and translation of psychosocial and mental health treatments in Arab countries: (1) identify barriers or obstacles; (2) identify promoting strategies; and (3) provide clinical and research recommendations.

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Objective: Utilizing an experimental vignette design, this study assessed attitudes in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan toward the implementation of foster care as an alternative to institutions for children in need of care and protection.

Methods: A sample of 111 adults were surveyed in Amman and presented with a vignette describing a 14-year-old boy who came into the care of the Ministry of Social Development when he was a baby after being placed by the grandfather because of shame surrounding the mother being unwed. The vignettes systematically varied as to whether the child was described as raised in an orphanage, with a relative in a kinship foster placement, or with a nonkin foster family.

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Objective: Research to establish an evidence-base for the treatment of conduct problems and delinquency in adolescence is well established; however, an evidence-base for interventions with offenders who are diverted from the juvenile justice system has yet to be synthesized. The purpose of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of experimental studies testing juvenile diversion programs and to examine the moderating effect of program type and implementation quality.

Method: A literature search using PsycINFO, Web of Science, and the National Criminal Justice Reference Service data-bases and research institute websites yielded 28 eligible studies involving 57 experimental comparisons and 19,301 youths.

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