The move toward reducing the prison population was driven by an increase in the number of reentry programs that focused on the needs of the offender, such as the provision of stable housing, employment, education, and sustaining strong familial bonds. While the literature supported these areas as being effective in reducing recidivism, there was no consensus that they were effective for offenders with mental illness (OMI). The purpose of this qualitative study was to analyze the impact of prerelease services for the OMI population from the perspective of former correctional mental health professionals who provided these services. The research questions were focused on understanding the needs of OMIs in a correctional setting, and in the community and how the ability or inability to meet these needs impacted their successful reentry. The conceptual framework for this qualitative phenomenological study was based on social construction of reality framework and the risk, needs, responsivity theory. Based on thematic analysis of data collected from interviews with former correctional mental health professionals, qualitative findings showed that reentry programming is offered at the same rate for non-OMI and was not specific to OMI risks and needs. The social change implications affect the OMI population as well as every community they reintegrate back into. The direct impact of social change for the OMI population could be a fiscal impact which affects all tax-paying citizens. An increase in the allocation of state and federal dollars to be directed to prerelease specific programming could have the potential to reduce the rate of homelessness, crime, and victimization by increasing the ability to meet the needs of the OMI population before they were released back to the community.

Integrated behavioral health care within primary care has become a popular style of health care delivery within the United States. However, individuals with a behavioral health concern face several barriers in using these services. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify key factors accounting for individuals' utilization and intensity of behavioral health services. Andersen's behavioral model of health care use and the integrated theory of health behavior change served as the theoretical framework. It was hypothesized that gender, age, race, ethnicity, family size, payer type, poverty level, and certain preexisting medical conditions (obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and tobacco use) would determine behavioral health care utilization and intensity. A secondary data analysis of 315 individuals who used behavioral health services within primary care was performed; the study setting was at the Center for Health, Education, Medicine, and Dentistry, located in Lakewood, New Jersey. Among the individual variables examined, only a preexisting condition of hypertension reached statistical significance, showing that those individuals were more likely to attend multiple sessions, Ï?2 (1) = 5.77, p = .02. Payer type was also found to be predictive of behavioral health care intensity. Medicare recipients were more likely to attend multiple behavioral health care sessions (74%) than were Medicaid recipients (59%) and those who were uninsured (25%). By providing insights about the barriers faced by individuals, study findings may help patient advocates and health care professionals to provide individuals with better health care. This study has implications for positive social change, as study findings may assist the United States health care system in its shift toward an integrated behavioral health care style of health care delivery.

Education during recovery could impact a forensic psychiatric patient's community reintegration; however, individual education goals for patients can be difficult due to the lack of available parameters. The purpose of this study was to test whether age at first hospitalization is predictive of educational attainment among forensic psychiatric patients and to determine which ages of first hospitalization best predict 8 levels of educational attainment. Cattell's intelligence theory served as the theoretical framework for this study because mental illness requiring early hospitalization may affect education and learning. This quantitative, nonexperimental study involved a predictive design with data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information database. The sample of patients from 2011-2016 consisted of 16,639 diagnosed with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder and 2,227 diagnosed with mood disorder. Multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated age at first hospitalization to be a predictor of educational attainment among both categories of diagnoses. Odds ratio analyses identified which ages of first hospitalization best predict 8 levels of educational attainment. Increased rates of education levels were indicated when age at first hospitalization increased. Patients were more likely to attain a high school diploma than drop out between 9th to 11th grade unless first hospitalized at age 14 or under. Based on the results from this study, completion of a general equivalency diploma or a life skills program may provide additional opportunities for independent living and employment, which can improve the lives of patients and those in the community. Therefore, this project can lead to social change by encouraging changes through the results and recommendations presented in a white paper.

In state psychiatric hospitals in the United States, many patients are admitted with a history of trauma. Although trauma-focused interventions are offered within these psychiatric facilities, there remain issues with the higher-than-average length of treatment and rehospitalization rates for patients with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder or for those who are suffering with a history of trauma. This study investigated between group differences for measured levels of attendance and type of group intervention (which included the men's trauma recovery empowerment model, dialectical behavior therapy, and art and healing) on the risk for violence as measured by scores on the historical, clinical, and risk-20 (HCR-20 v2) checklist. Participants had documented trauma history as well as mental health disorders including schizophrenia, schizoaffective, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse. Cognitive behavioral and social learning theory comprised the theoretical foundations for the study. Archival data from the past 6 years included 16 participants from the M-TREM group, 15 participants from the DBT group, and 15 participants from the Art and healing group. Data were used to complete a nonequivalent control group design and data analysis included an ANOVA, correlation, and regression analysis. The results of this study identified a statistically significant difference in risk for violence based on level of attendance but not by type of group intervention. The findings of this study will assist psychiatric hospital administrators and mental health professionals in the development and implementation of effective trauma programming to lower the risk for violence for patients with trauma.

Researchers indicate women succumb to relational abuse as seen with maladaptive attachment, identity enmeshment, and implicit maltreatment. Implicit violence and nonviolence, bonding victims to victimizers remains unstudied, although the domestic abuse phenomenon continues. Intimate partner abuse was examined through qualitative inquiry. There is much to learn about female victim perspectives describing attachment bonds, identity conflicts, and implicit maltreatment experiences. Traumatic bonding theory served as the lens through which female participant responses were examined in this study. Research questions were developed to focus on female attachment bond perceptions, views concerning self-esteem, self-identity, or self-reference, and implicit aggression, coercive control, or manipulation experiences. The foundation for the qualitative research design was phenomenological constructivism. The Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory served as the standardized assessment instrument for data collection. Participant responses from the questionnaire and semistructured interview questions were organized through analytic coding, resulting in meaningful, composite categories for thematic conclusions. Data from 10 female participants who previously experienced intimate abuse were collected and analyzed. Thematic coding resulted in survivor experiences categorized by caustic, deceptive, emotional, implicit, and oppressive traumatization. Themes involved psychological entanglement with the abuser due to humiliation, or physical entrapment by the abuser due to opposition. Victim perspective and experience can potentially improve how the law, law enforcement, or health care professionals, view, treat, and protect abuse victims.

The problem of racial microaggressions in the United States has important implications for counseling due to the mental and physical health concerns individuals who experience them may develop. Although the current literature addresses racial microaggressions among Black individuals and implications for counseling, no qualitative studies that included the voices of Black individuals using relational cultural theory were found. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of Black individuals who have encountered racial microaggressions and learn their perspectives on what counselors can do to help them in counseling. Adding this perspective will help fill this gap in counseling literature and aid counselors in promoting mental wellness among Black clients. Through semi structured interviews, 7 Black adults living in Florida shared their lived experiences with racial microaggressions and gave perspectives on how counselors can serve Black clients in counseling. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was the research design used in the study, in concordance the 6-step approach used to analyze the data, and relational cultural theory was the theoretical framework. The following 7 themes emerged from the study: lived experiences with racial microaggressions, emotional responses to racial microaggressions, intersectionality, coping with racial microaggressions, advocacy and social justice, neighborhood and community social support, and implications for counseling. These results provided implications for social change because they can add to counselors' knowledge on how to improve services to Black clients, which can improve their lives.

Despite a mandated 1-month rotation in developmental-behavioral pediatrics (DBP), pediatric residents report inadequate training in behavioral health care. As a first step in much needed curriculum development in this area, this study sought to assess learner experiences regarding the management of behavioral health problems during residency. Four focus groups were conducted for residents in years 1-3 of training in 2 residency programs in a northeastern state. Transcripts were analyzed and coded by researchers through qualitative classical content analysis. The exploratory analysis revealed 9 key themes: time requirements, rapport building, resources and referrals for behavioral health, psychiatric medications, diagnosis vs. treatment, working with families, the importance of behavioral health, fears of working with a pediatric population, and training issues. These qualitative data further identify gaps in the behavioral health training of pediatric residents and may inform future innovations in training curricula.

Binge drinking (BD) entails excessive alcohol intake in a short time period. Despite numerous negative outcomes associated with BD and efforts to curtail it, rates remain steady. Thus, it is important to identify "who" binge drinks and "why" it occurs. Drawing from past research, I sought to replicate the link between trait narcissism and BD; moreover, I examined if overconfidence and confidence-based risk-taking assessed via the Georgia Gambling Task (GGT), explained why they did so. The results generally supported my hypotheses. As expected, narcissism related to poor GGT performance and high levels of BD; likewise, poor GGT performance related to BD. GGT performance accounted for (i.e., mediated) the narcissism-to-BD relation, but only partially, in subsequent regression analyses. In the discussion I focus on the social and clinical relevance of these findings especially for university interventions, parents, and therapists. I also discuss avenues for future research including other potential mediators.

This study attempted to measure mental health status of Vietnamese refugees in Utah County, Utah. The test instrument used was the Cornell Medical Index (CMI). Two subproblems were considered: First, to see if refugee complaints on the CMI were predominantly physiological or psychological. Second, to see if there was a relationship between CMI scores and a related list of demographic variables.Results showed the mean CMI score for the sample under study was well above the suggested score indicative of possible psychological dysfunction. For 80% of participants, psychological complaints were predominant over physical complaints. The only variables showing a relationship to CMI score were age, feelings about life in the U.S., location of spouse, amd relationship with sponsor.

Purpose To examine the effects of Animal Assisted Therapies with Farm Animals (AATF) with domesticated ducks on depression and anxiety. Aim The proposed study will use single-group time series design and collect survey data to explore the changes in anxiety and depression in patients exposed to AATF. The study will be guided by the Self-Efficacy Theory. The study will involve 30 patients with TBI living in The Crumley House Rehabilitation Center in Limestone, TN. Hypothesis. Engaging in AATF with domesticated ducks will be associated with decrease in anxiety and depression. Approach - Theoretical Framework. Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory will be used to guide this study examining AATF effects on anxiety and depression in patients with TBI. Salutogenesis, Social Support, and Self-Efficacy theories were compared in order to select the best theoretical framework for this study. Methods Time series Quasi-experimental design. The study will examine the effects of AATF on anxiety and depression among patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Because of the unique characteristics of the patient population (all patients have history of TBI) in this facility no other rehabilitation center can be utilized for comparison. Time series design will ensure that all of the participants will be exposed to the therapeutic intervention, it will not be affected by the conventional treatments the participants are receiving. Projected Results and Anticipated Limitations It is expected that AATF will be effective in reduction of Anxiety and Depression symptoms in the patient with TBI Limitations • Possibility of dropouts may compromise sample size and lead to lower statistical power. • AATF based intervention is impossible to conduct in blinded environment. That in turn may contribute to participant’s expectation of positive outcomes of the interventions in this study. This may be considered an example of subject bias. • AATF treatment cannot be completely standardized. Because the treatment is based on interaction with live animals, animal behavior may be different during each visit to the duck pen. Because of that there is a possibility that the study cannot be exactly replicated. • The participants may have different duration or complexity of treatments for anxiety and depression. This may present a confounding factor that we are not able to control in this study. Conclusion This is a pilot study to examine the effects of AATF with domesticated ducks. This study may serve as a basis in developing more research on this topic with expanding the methodology and sampling in the future.