End-of-Life Planning: Normalizing the Process.

End-of-life (EOL) planning occurs across the United States at a frequency of below 50%, suggesting a new approach to encourage action is in order, especially as COVID-19 and other potentially lethal conditions emerge. Utilizing data from a multi-year survey of 2,614 adults in Nebraska, this study examined demographic factors related to completion of EOL planning documents, and identified people with whom EOL wishes could, and had been discussed. Logistic regression estimates indicated more reliance on non-health care providers for EOL discussions.

The impact of victimization and mental health symptoms on recidivism for early system-involved juvenile offenders.

Although research has linked mental health symptoms and prior victimization to recidivism for youth on probation or in detention, little attention has been given to these risk factors for early system-involved youth. We conducted a survival/hazard model to estimate the impact of official records of abuse/neglect, crime victimization, and mental health issues (mood, anxiety, disruptive, and substance use disorders) on recidivism in a sample of 2,792 youth in a large Midwestern diversion program. Results indicated that youth with official records of abuse/neglect, person crime victimization, and property crime victimization were more likely to recidivate sooner than those without these victimization experiences (hazard ratio: 1.

Problem signs in law school: Fostering attorney well-being early in professional training.

Attorneys suffer from high rates of stress, alcoholism, and mental health problems that are costly for the legal system and impair their abilities to serve their clients. There is some indication that these problems begin in law school. The present study assessed a cohort of law students at an American law school for their reported levels of stress, depression, anxiety, substance use, and overall adjustment/coping.

Differing Perspectives on Older Adult Caregiving.

Informal older adult caregiving allows older adults to stay in their homes or live with loved ones, but decisions surrounding older adult care are fraught with complexities. Related research and case law suggest that an older adult's need for and refusal of help are important considerations; the current study is the first to examine these factors experimentally. Two samples (potential caregivers and care recipients) provided responses regarding anticipated emotions, caregiver abilities, and allocation of daily caregiving decision making based on a vignette portraying an older adult who had a high or low level of autonomy and who accepted or refused help.