Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Mental health and associated risk factors of Dutch school aged foster children placed in long-term foster care
- Authors:
- MAASKANT Anne M., ROOIJ Floor B. van, HERMANNS Jo M.A.
- Journal article citation:
- Children and Youth Services Review, 44, 2014, pp.207-216.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
This study focused on the mental health of 239 foster children (aged 4–12) living in long-term placements in the Netherlands. Their behaviour was assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, which was completed by their foster parents. The results revealed a wide range of problem behaviour (ranging from none to very serious problem behaviour), and showed that a third of the children have total difficulty scores (TDS) in the clinical range. Higher TDS appear to have a positive univariate association with age of the foster child, age upon entering the current foster family, number of prior foster placements, non-kinship placement, and fostering experience of the foster parents. The more risk factors, the higher the TDS. These findings suggest the importance of the early detection of problems and potential risk factors in foster families, and the need to support a substantial number of foster children and foster families. (Edited publisher abstract)
Victims’ influence on intimate partner violence revictimization: an empirical test of dynamic victim-related risk factors
- Authors:
- KUIJPERS Karlijn F., VAN DER KNAAP Leontien M., WINKE Frans Willem
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 27(9), June 2012, pp.1716-1742.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Previous research has reported that not only characteristics of the perpetrator but also characteristics of the victim influence risk for intimate partner violence (IPV). This would suggest that prevention of repeat abuse could benefit from a focus on both perpetrator and victim characteristics. The aim of this study was to examine to what extent prior IPV and, in particular, dynamic victim-related factors influence the risk for future IPV. Specifically, the study examined how 3 key factors (partner violence, victims’ psychological difficulties, and victims’ resilience) relate to risk for IPV revictimisation. The participants were 156 female, help-seeking IPV victims recruited from various victim support services in the Netherlands in 4 large and 4 medium-sized cities. The participants completed questionnaires at 3 timepoints: at baseline, 2 months, and 6 months. The findings show that victim-related variables significantly contributed to the prediction of any physical IPV revictimisation and the severity of psychological IPV revictimisation and, moreover, that they did so in addition to the influence of any prior violence committed by a partner against the victim (i.e., any prior IPV victimisation). Knowledge on these factors might help victims of IPV to end the abuse they experience at the hands of their partners.
The influence of thoughts of death and suicidal ideation on the course of depression in older depressed patients
- Authors:
- BOGERS Ista C.H.M., et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 32(8), 2017, pp.882-891.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Objective: Thoughts of death are not regularly included in diagnostic instruments and rarely examined separately from thoughts of suicide. This exploratory study examined whether thoughts of death and thoughts of suicide affect the course of late-life depressive disorders. Methods: In 378 depressed older persons, thoughts of death and thoughts of suicide were assessed using questions from the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. After 2 years, the presence of a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of minor or major depression or dysthymia was assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. The Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology was administered every 6 months up till 3-year follow-up. Results: Multinomial logistic regression showed that thoughts of death as well as thoughts of suicide predicted double depression at follow-up (OR = 2.14 [95% CI: 1.04–4.40] and OR = 6.47 [95% CI: 2.22–3.02], respectively), compared with patients without these thoughts. Results became non-significant when adjusted for baseline depression severity (OR = 1.17 [95% CI: 0.52–2.63] and OR = 2.57 [95% CI: 0.79–8.84], respectively). Mixed linear models showed that severity of depression was lowest in the reference group, while symptoms decreased more over time in those with either thoughts of death or suicide. Conclusions: Patients with thoughts of death or with thoughts of suicide were more severely depressed at baseline and follow-up, with the highest risk of being depressed at follow-up for patients with thoughts of suicide. These associations could be explained by baseline depression severity. The results suggest that thoughts of death and thoughts of suicide are important risk markers in predicting the course of depression. (Publisher abstract)
Is the naturalistic course of depression in older people related to received support over time? Results from a longitudinal population-based study
- Authors:
- HOUTJES Wim, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 32(6), 2017, pp.657-663.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Objectives: To test the interrelation of the naturalistic course of depression in older people with long-term support received. Design: Longitudinal cohort study. Methods: A sample of 277 adults age 55–85 years participating in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, with clinically relevant depressive symptoms at baseline (scores ≥16 on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale) were followed up over a period of 13 years. General estimating equations were used to examine the relation between depression course and emotional/instrumental support received over time. In addition, partner status, gender, and age were tested as modifiers. Results: A 2-way interaction between depression courses types and time showed significant differences in instrumental support received over time in older people with a late-life depression. Three-way interactions showed that associations between depression course and support variables were modified by gender and partner status. Conclusion: Both men and singles, with a chronic course of depression may be at risk to lose emotional and instrumental support over time. Professional attention is needed to prevent a chronic course of late-life depression, and to preserve personal social networks. (Publisher abstract)
Apathy is an independent risk factor for incident cardiovascular disease in the older individual: a population-based cohort study
- Authors:
- EURELINGS Lisa S.M., et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 29(5), 2014, pp.454-463.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Objective: Although depression is considered to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), specifically symptoms of apathy have been strongly associated with a history of CVD in recent studies. In this study, the authors prospectively assess whether symptoms of apathy and depression are independent risk factors for incident CVD and stroke. Methods: The authors carried out a prospective cohort study of 1810 community-dwelling older individuals (70–78 years) without a history of CVD or stroke. Symptoms of apathy and depression were assessed with the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. Incident CVD and stroke were assessed after 2 years follow-up. The associations of symptoms of apathy and depression with incident CVD and stroke were analysed separately using logistic regression analysis. Results: Symptoms of apathy and depression were present in 281 (15.5%) and 266 (14.7%) participants, respectively. Incident CVD occurred in 62 (3.5%) participants and stroke in 55 (3.1%) participants. Apathy was associated with incident CVD after adjustment for demographics and cardiovascular risk factors (odds ratio (OR) = 2.60, 95% CI = 1.46–4.65). Exclusion of subjects with depressive symptoms yielded a similar OR (2.94, 95% CI = 1.45–5.96, n = 1544). No association was found between depressive symptoms and incident CVD. Neither apathy symptoms nor depressive symptoms were associated with incident stroke. Conclusions: Apathy, but not depression, is a strong, independent risk factor for incident CVD. It may be a marker of underlying vascular disease. By its nature, apathy may cause non-adherence to a healthy lifestyle, diminished activities, and possibly even withdrawal from clinical care aimed at improving vascular risk profiles. (Edited publisher abstract)
Factors promoting mental health of adolescents who have a parent with mental illness: a longitudinal study
- Authors:
- LOON L.M A.van, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child and Youth Care Forum, 44(6), 2015, pp.777-799.
- Publisher:
- Springer
Background: Children of parents with mental illness have an elevated risk of developing a range of mental health and psychosocial problems. Yet many of these children remain mentally healthy. Objective: The present study aimed to get insight into factors that protect these children from developing internalising and externalising problems. Methods: Several possible individual, parent–child, and family protective factors were examined cross-sectionally and longitudinally in a sample of 112 adolescents. A control group of 122 adolescents whose parents have no mental illness was included to explore whether the protective factors were different between adolescents with and without a parent with mental illness. Results: Cross-sectional analyses revealed that high self-esteem and low use of passive coping strategies were related to fewer internalising and externalising problems. Greater self-disclosure was related to fewer internalising problems and more parental monitoring was related to fewer externalising problems. Active coping strategies, parental support, and family factors such as cohesion were unrelated to adolescent problem behaviour. Longitudinal analyses showed that active coping, parental monitoring, and self-disclosure were protective against developing internalising problems 2 years later. The authors found no protective factors for externalising problems. Moderation analyses showed that the relationships between possible protective factors and adolescent problem behaviour were not different for adolescents with and without a parent with mental illness. Conclusions: The findings suggest that adolescents’ active coping strategies and parent–child communication may be promising factors to focus on in interventions aimed at preventing the development of internalising problems by adolescents who have a parent with mental illness. (Edited publisher abstract)
Assertive community treatment in Amsterdam
- Authors:
- DEKKER J., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Community Mental Health Journal, 38(5), October 2002, pp.425-436.
- Publisher:
- Springer
In Amsterdam in 1993, an intensive case management project was initiated. This article describes this Dutch project as it was tested in a randomised clinical trial using regular outpatient and inpatient care as the control conditions. All the patients in this project are very ill and most of them suffer from schizophrenia. The new form of care has the same effect on everyday problems as regular care. The basis of this data is too narrow for the drawing of conclusions about the risk of suicide. Longer follow-up would be advisable in order to improve understanding of this problem.
Children of mentally ill or addicted parents participating in preventive support groups
- Authors:
- SANTVOORT Floor van, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 15(4), 2013, pp.198-213.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The large number of children with mentally ill or addicted parents calls for efficient provision of preventive support: interventions should be offered to children most at risk and attune to their risk levels and needs. This study provided insight in the (heterogeneous) needs of children participating in preventive support groups. Questionnaires were filled out by 170 children (8–12 years) and their ill parent on children's psychosocial problems, parental illness-related cognitions and various risk factors. Outcomes show that 55.7% of the children had clinical psychosocial problems, 13.3% had subclinical problems and 31% functioned relatively well. Eighty-three percent experienced multiple risk factors. A linear cumulative relation was found between the number of risk factors and intensity of child problems. Children were classified into four risk profiles according to their own functioning and family risk level. The heterogeneity in the support group participants might call for interventions of different intensity and content. (Publisher abstract)