Reducing the harms of cannabis use in youth post-legalization: insights from Ontario youth, parents, and service providers.

Background: Canada has one of the highest prevalence of cannabis use globally, particularly among young adults aged 20-24 (50%) and youth aged 16-19 (37%). In 2018, Canada legalized recreational cannabis with the aim of protecting youth by restricting their access and raising public awareness of health risks. However, there has been limited qualitative research on the perceptions of harms associated with youth cannabis use since legalization, which is crucial for developing effective harm reduction strategies.

Setting the Game Agenda: Reviewing the Emerging Literature on Video Gaming and Psychological Well-Being of Sexual and Gender Diverse Youth.

Video gaming is a popular youth pastime that has prompted scholarship into its relationship with psychological well-being. However, sexual and gender diverse youth (SGDY) who play video games are largely overlooked in this research. SGDY experience significant mental health challenges, but utilize coping strategies mediated by digital technologies, necessitating an examination of their video game playing and its effects on well-being.

Understanding youth and young adult cannabis use in Canada post-legalization: a scoping review on a public health issue.

Background: Canada legalized recreational cannabis in 2018, and one of the primary objectives of the Cannabis Act was to protect youth by reducing their access to cannabis and providing public education. Canada has the highest prevalence of cannabis use worldwide, particularly among youth and young adults under the age of 25. Cannabis use is linked with many adverse effects for youth and young adults including psychosis, anxiety, depression, respiratory distress, cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, and impaired cognitive performance.

Protocol for a scoping review on technology use and sexual and gender minority youth and mental health.

Introduction: Research indicates that sexual and gender minority youth [SGMY] may engage more with information communication technologies [ICTs] more than their non-SGMY counterparts Craig SL et al. 2020. While scholarship generally explores youth's use of ICTs, there are gaps in scholarship that connect SGMY, their ICT engagement and influences to mental health.

Sexual orientation and cognition in aging populations: Results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

The current study utilized the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) data to investigate the relationship between sexual orientation and cognitive health of the aging population. Cognitive flexibility and verbal fluency were examined as outcome variables in the study. A total of 45,993 respondents were included in the analyses.

Perceived Social Support and Mental Health Indicators of a Mexican LGBT Sample During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic created mental health challenges for LGBTQ + communities worldwide, however there is a paucity of research on Mexican populations. Existing data show that LGBTQ + people in Mexico experience acute forms of violence and discrimination that impact their mental health. This article explores the relationship between social support, discrimination, and mental health for LGBTQ + populations in Mexico (N = 1525) during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Impact of Neighborhood Deprivation on Aging Sexual Minority People's Depression: Results from the CANUE and CLSA data.

As the aging population grows across the world, exploring the impact of social environment on minority populations' aging and well-being would be an essential step towards building an inclusive society. Using the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) and Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium (CANUE) data, the study investigated the relationship between deprivation and depression level in aging sexual minority people to examine how neighborhood level social and material deprivation influence mental health. 48,792 survey respondents were included in our analyses and the average age was 62.

Assessing the Fidelity of an Affirmative Cognitive Behavioral Group Intervention.

Purpose: Support implementation fidelity in intervention research with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and sexual and gender diverse (LGBTQ+) populations, this study explores the systematic development of a fidelity process for AFFIRM, an evidence-based, affirmative cognitive behavioral therapy group intervention for LGBTQ+ youth and adults.

Method: As part of a clinical trial, the AFFIRM fidelity checklist was designed to assess clinician adherence. A total of 151 audio-recorded group sessions were coded by four trained raters.

Experiences of COVID-19 pandemic-related stress among sexual and gender minority emerging adult migrants in the United States.

There is a dearth of research that examines COVID-19-related stress among multiply marginalised individuals who are in the developmental phase of emerging adulthood. This qualitative study investigated how the intersection of emerging adulthood, sexual and gender minority (SGM) identity, and migrant status were reflected in the experiences of SGM individuals (n = 37; ages 20-25 years old) who migrated to various parts of the United States in the last 5 years. Data were collected online using semi-structured interviews.

Demonstrating LGBTQ+ Affirmative Practice in Groups:: Developing Competence through Simulation-Based Learning.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and/or gender minority (LGBTQ+) populations experience significant mental and behavioral health disparities. Social workers are uniquely positioned to address these vulnerabilities. However, clinical graduate education has not effectively promoted or taught competent practice with LGBTQ+ populations.

Bridging the Gap Between Practice Guidelines and the Therapy Room: Community-Derived Practice Adaptations for Psychological Services with Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults in the Central United States.

Individuals who identify as transgender or gender diverse (TGD) are presenting at mental health clinicians' offices with increasing frequency. Many TGD clients are seeking care related to affirming their gender identity but also may present with anxiety, depression, trauma, substance abuse, or other problems for which a clinician may commonly provide services. Some clinicians may hesitate to accept TGD clients into their practice if they have little specialized training to work with this population in an affirming manner, especially in more underserved areas where a generalist practice is the norm.

Riding the wave: pandemic social work in hospitals.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted social work practice globally. Using a cross-sectional survey, we examined the experiences of hospital social workers (N = 230) in Ontario, Canada during the second wave of the pandemic. Nearly three quarters (73%) of respondents reported workload changes, and 82% had increased responsibilities due to patient care demands.

Cannabis use among youth in Canada: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Canadian youth (aged 15-24) have the highest rates of cannabis use globally. There are increasing concerns about the adverse effects of cannabis use on youth physical and mental health. However, there are gaps in our understanding of risks and harms to youth.

Emotions, Agency, and Materiality: Embodiment of Homophobic Discrimination Amongst Mexican LGBTQ+ Youth.

Embodiment refers to understanding the body as the object and subject of culture, a process that allows an understanding of political, cultural, social, and emotional processes in the assemblage of a particular identity. We describe a qualitative-narrative study utilizing focus groups and interviews in three Mexican cities with 75 LGBTQ+ youth to understand the effects of discrimination and how this impacts subjectivity through embodied affection. Through axial and line-by-line analysis, we describe the process of embodiment through four dimensions: violence, emotions, agency, and materiality.

Cultural consideration for cognitive-behavioural therapy for sexual minority young people in Chinese societies: Perspectives from practitioners and target users.

Although cognitive-behavioural therapy has demonstrated effectiveness in improving mental health outcomes for sexual minority young people (SMYP), existing interventions are primarily designed and evaluated in Western contexts, and their acceptability and responsiveness to culturally relevant issues in the Chinese contexts is uncertain. This study aimed to address this gap by exploring how a manualised community-based cognitive-behavioural intervention (AFFIRM) could be culturally reconsidered for SMYP in Taiwan and Hong Kong and suggest recommendations for future adaptation. Following an empirical, community-based participatory approach, qualitative data were collected between August and September 2018 through five focus groups with 15 SMYP and 18 frontline practitioners in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Preparing social workers to address health inequities emerging during the COVID-19 pandemic by building capacity for health policy: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought tremendous changes in healthcare delivery and exacerbated a wide range of inequities. Social workers across a broad range of healthcare settings bring an expertise in social, behavioural and mental healthcare needed to help address these health inequities. In addition, social workers integrate policy-directed interventions and solutions in clinical practice, which is a needed perspective for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Towards an integrative self: a digital photo elicitation study of resilience among key marginalized populations of sexual and gender minority youth.

Sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) experience unique challenges related to identity and disclosure, and cope in vibrant ways. Qualitative research has not yet fulsomely explored the risk, resilience, and identity intersections that impact vulnerable SGMY wellbeing. Methods: This digital photo-elicitation study (QueerView) recruited thirty SGMY (aged 14-29) from priority populations that had one or more of the following experiences:  trans and gender diverse, homelessness, child welfare, and immigration.

Training Peers to Ease Hospital Discharge: A Community-Clinical Partnership in Complex HIV Care.

Background: Since many people now live with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as a complex, chronic health condition that may require frequent medical and psychosocial services, a potential new role for HIV-positive peers involves support during an inpatient admission that extends past discharge to improve the transition home from hospital. We sought to begin outlining scope of peer support in complex HIV care, by detailing a training curriculum alongside experiences and recommendations by Peer Volunteers.

Methods: A community-clinical partnership designed a personalized peer intervention for people living with HIV who were acutely hospitalized and struggling with antiretroviral adherence and substance use.

The Self-Identification, LGBTQ+ Identity Development, and Attraction and Behavior of Asexual Youth: Potential Implications for Sexual Health and Internet-Based Service Provision.

While often included in the spectrum of sexual minority identities, asexuality receives comparatively little attention. Awareness and understanding remains limited, and knowledge has been generated primarily from adult populations. This paper employs a sample of 711 self-identified asexual youth (aged 14-24, M = 17.

Efficacy of affirmative cognitive behavioural group therapy for sexual and gender minority adolescents and young adults in community settings in Ontario, Canada.

Objective: This study tested the efficacy of AFFIRM, a brief affirmative cognitive-behavioural group intervention tailored to reduce psychosocial distress and improve coping among sexual and gender minority adolescents and young adults (SGMY).

Method: SGMY (n = 138; M age = 22.44) were allocated to immediate 8-week AFFIRM intervention delivered at 12 community-based organisations or an 8-week waitlisted control.

Trauma-informed and affirmative mental health practices with LGBTQ+ clients.

People with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expression are at greater risk for trauma, discrimination, and victimization than heterosexual and cisgender populations. Trauma-informed care (TIC) provides a framework for providing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ +) mental health services. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)'s principles of TIC guide practitioners to create safety, trust, transparency, collaboration, and empowerment in helping relationships, and to ensure that services have cultural and gender relevance.

Critical reflections and reflexivity on responding to the needs of LGBTQ+ youth in a global pandemic.

The global community has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 global pandemic. LGBTQ+ (i.e.

Adapting Clinical Skills to Telehealth: Applications of Affirmative Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with LGBTQ+ Youth.

Online social work services (e.g., telemental health; telebehavioral health; virtual care; telehealth) present significant opportunities for clinical social workers to provide effective care to marginalized populations, such as LGBTQ+ youth.