Evaluation of a Web-Based Training Model for Family Peer Advocates in Children's Mental Health.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare knowledge gains from a new online training program with gains from an existing in-person training program for family peer advocates.

Methods: Data were used from a pre-post study of individuals who enrolled in the Web-based Parent Empowerment Program training; 144 participants completed the training and pre-post tests, and 140 were admitted to the analyses. Knowledge was assessed with 34 questions, 29 of which were common to the online and in-person trainings.

Perceived Benefits of a Multiple Family Group for Children with Behavior Problems and their Families.

Multiple family groups (MFG) have shown to have promising results for children with behavioral difficulties. The 4Rs and 2Ss is a curriculum-based multiple family group model for families of children with disruptive behavior disorders, who live in poverty-impacted communities. This study aimed to explore group processes and caregiver perceptions of the benefits of participating in the 4Rs and 2Ss MFG.

South African adult caregivers as "protective shields": Serving as a buffer between stressful neighborhood conditions and youth risk behaviors.

Low-income youths in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, face elevated risks to their well-being from exposure to neighborhood conditions correlated with engaging in risky behaviors. These risks can be mitigated through adult caregivers who serve as protective shields, buffering adverse conditions. However, this protective role is dependent on the caregivers' mental health and well-being.

CHAMP+ Thailand: Pilot Randomized Control Trial of a Family-Based Psychosocial Intervention for Perinatally HIV-Infected Early Adolescents.

Within Asia, HIV prevalence is highest in Thailand, including thousands of children and adolescents. Care for children born with HIV [perinatal transmission of HIV (PHIV)] will need to focus on adolescents for the foreseeable future. Thai PHIV adolescents experience significant mental health and psychosocial challenges, including treatment adherence.

Disseminating clinical and fiscal practices across the New York State behavioral healthcare system.

In order to facilitate the adoption of innovative practices in the mental health service system, providers require access to both new information and methodologies, and ongoing training, supervision and consultation. Technical Assistance centers have been proposed as a way to disseminate effective interventions through the provision of resources including information, ongoing training and consultation. The purpose of this study is to describe the New York State Technical Assistance Center's reach across the child public mental health service system and variations in characteristics of training activities, including dosage, content and method of format.

The Influence of Treatment Engagement on Positive Outcomes in the Context of a School-Based Intervention for Students with Externalizing Behavior Problems.

We examined the stability of and cross-influences between externalizing behaviors and intervention engagement among children participating in a randomized clinical trial of an intervention for disruptive behavioral youth. Analyses also accounted for the influence of caregiver depression, family relationship quality, and sociodemographic factors (race, income) on the relationship between behaviors and intervention engagement. Analyses were based on 118 children participating in the Coping Power intervention.

An Assessment of The New York State Behavioral Health System's Readiness to Transition to Medicaid Managed Care.

New York State has one of the most richly funded Medicaid programs in the United States. In an effort to achieve the triple aim New York State is undergoing a significant redesign of its Medicaid program including transitioning nearly all Medicaid funded behavioral health services into Medicaid managed care. In preparation for this transition, a state funded technical assistance center assessed the behavioral health care system's readiness to undergo this reform across 11 domains.

A Game-Based Repeated Assessment for Cognitive Monitoring: Initial Usability and Adherence Study in a Summer Camp Setting.

The current feasibility study examined the adherence, reliability, and assessment potential of an evidence-based game-like mobile Monitoring Tool (Akili Interactive Labs), to monitor 100 participants' cognition for eight sessions at a summer camp for children with special needs. A validated measure of attention was administered at baseline. In the last session, participants completed an exit questionnaire.

A Review of Treatments for Young Black Males Experiencing Depression.

The objective was to qualitatively examine the treatment effects of depression interventions on young, Black males (YBM) across treatment providers and settings via a review. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) seeking to ameliorate depressive symptomology in Black males ages 12-29 were eligible for inclusion. After review of 627 abstracts and 212 full-text articles, 12 studies were selected.

Racial/ethnic measurement invariance of the School Success Profile (SSP)'s future orientation scale.

Future orientation (FO) has received increasing attention for its positive effects on adolescent well-being and successful transition to adulthood. Although numerous measures of FO exist, most are not developmentally appropriate for diverse populations of adolescents, do not assess all theoretical components of FO, and/or were not developed for administration in schools. Additionally, the invariance of existing measures across racial/ethnic groups has not been examined using appropriately rigorous procedures.

A Qualitative Exploration of Psychosocial Challenges of Perinatally HIV-Infected Adolescents and Families in Bangkok, Thailand.

Thailand has the highest HIV prevalence in Asia, with 9,600 HIV+ adolescents and thousands additional younger HIV+ children (World Bank, 2015; UNICEF, 2015). Studies from other settings suggest perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV+) adolescents are at high risk for mental health problems and engagement in risk behaviors that threaten individual and public health. Yet, few studies exist in Thailand, and few evidence-based psychosocial interventions have been developed for and studied in this population, despite great need.

Social support and school outcomes of adolescents orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS living in South Western Uganda.

The goal of this study is to examine the role of social support from multiple sources, including the extended family, caregivers, classmates, peers and teachers, in improving the school outcomes (grades and attendance) of children orphaned by AIDS in Uganda. Data for this study comes from a 4-year randomized control trial, called (Hope for families), conducted in the Southwestern part of Uganda from 2008 to 2012. Using multivariate regression modeling - controlling for several individual-level and school-level characteristics, we find that social support (perceived emotional and information support received from parents, classmates and teachers), caregiver's acceptance and warmth, and family cohesion have positive effects on children's school grades and attendance.

Barriers to Service Utilization and Child Mental Health Treatment Attendance Among Poverty-Affected Families.

Objective: The majority of children who initially engage in mental health treatment in the United States drop out prematurely, a problem further exacerbated among children living in poverty. This study examined the relationships between sociodemographic characteristics, barriers to treatment use, and session attendance.

Methods: Data were obtained from participants (N=225) in the 4R2S field trial.

Person-Centered Care and the Therapeutic Alliance.

Person-centered care has been gaining prominence in behavioral health care, and service planning has shifted towards "person-centered care planning" (PCCP), where individuals, in partnership with providers, identify life goals and interventions. A strong therapeutic alliance has been identified as key to a person-centered approach, but little is known about how the therapeutic relationship influences person-centered processes and outcomes. Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, this study investigated: (1) the association between the therapeutic alliance and PCCP, and (2) how the therapeutic relationship influences the process and outcomes of PCCP.

Who is accessing family mental health programs? Demographic differences before and after system reform.

Childhood mental health disorders are on the rise in the United States. To ensure equitable access to care, it is important to examine the characteristics of children and families who access services. This study compares the demographic characteristics of two samples of families who participated in National Institute of Mental Health-funded studies of a Multiple Family Group model, entitled the 4Rs and 2Ss Multiple Family Group (4Rs and 2Ss) in New York City.

Testing the 4Rs and 2Ss Multiple Family Group intervention: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a major mental health concern and highly prevalent among children living in poverty-impacted communities. Despite that treatments for ODD are among the most effective, few children living in poverty receive these services due to substantial barriers to access, as well as difficulties in the uptake and sustained adoption of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in community settings. The purpose of this study is to examine implementation processes that impact uptake of an evidence-based practice for childhood ODD, and the impact of a Clinic Implementation Team (CIT)-driven structured adaptation to enhance its fit within the public mental health clinic setting.

Cultural Adaptation of an Evidence-Informed Psychosocial Intervention to Address the Needs of PHIV+ Youth in Thailand.

Globally, pediatric HIV has largely become an adolescent epidemic. Thailand has the highest HIV prevalence in Asia (1.2%), with more than 14,000 children living with HIV.

A Protective Association between SNAP Participation and Educational Outcomes Among Children of Economically Strained Households.

With the recent cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), more information is needed to assess the impact these policies have on vulnerable children. As such, this study assesses the potential moderating effect of SNAP participation on the association between material deprivation and educational outcomes among children living in poverty ( = 10 971, and = 14 928). SNAP participation was found to moderate the association between material deprivation and grade retention, indicating that SNAP may be contributing to grade retention among children living in poverty, which can have positive lifelong consequences.

Familial and Contextual Influences on Children's Prosocial Behavior: South African Caregivers as Adult Protective Shields in Enhancing Child Mental Health.

Background: The mental health of children is too frequently overlooked in resource scarce low and middle-income countries. South Africa represents one of many country contexts struggling to meet the mental health needs of large numbers of young people. Family caregivers have been identified as potential protective influences on child mental health, even for those children being reared with high exposure to poverty.

Effects of mind-body interventions on depressive symptoms among older Chinese adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of mind-body interventions in depressive symptoms treatment among older Chinese adults (>60 years of age).

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Chongqing VIP for eligible studies until September 2016. We reviewed randomized controlled trials investigating the efficacy of mind-body interventions for depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults.

Examining the Efficacy of a Family Peer Advocate Model for Black and Hispanic Caregivers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects individuals across all racial and ethnic groups, yet rates of diagnosis are disproportionately higher for Black and Hispanic children. Caregivers of children with ASD experience significant stressors, which have been associated with parental strain, inadequate utilization of mental health services and lower quality of life. The family peer advocate (FPA) model has been utilized across service delivery systems to provide family-to-family support, facilitate engagement, and increase access to care.