<p> The linkages between intimate partner violence, posttraumatic stress disorder, and insomnia have only recently been the subject of inquiry. Until this study, research about the relationship between insomnia and posttraumatic stress disorder in the lives of intimate partner violence victims has been non-existent. This study begins to address a gap in the literature by analyzing associations between intimate partner violence, clinical level insomnia, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, age, race, employment status, and intimate partner violence victims' return to court. </p><p> In particular, this exploratory study examines whether clinical level insomnia, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, or both are associated with a greater probability that a victim of intimate partner violence will not return to court to pursue a permanent civil order of protection. Data were collected through surveys, interviews, and reviews of court records on 112 women who resided in upstate New York. Study participants initiated actions to obtain orders of protection from the Domestic Violence Intensive Intervention Court, a specialized domestic violence civil court, from 2007 to 2008. The following factors were analyzed to determine their impact on whether a woman returned to court: (a) age, (b) race, (c) employment status, (d) perceived danger, (e) posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and (f) clinical level insomnia. This study finds significant relationships between several factors: clinical level insomnia and perceived danger, clinical level insomnia and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, race and return to court, and severe danger level and return to court. However, in the final logistic regression models, only race emerged as a predictor of whether a woman returned to court. Specifically, women of color were a third less likely to return court than white women. These results have significant implications for future research and clinical intervention.</p>

<p>Considerable attention has been paid to the impacts of disasters on affected populations, with special attention to disaster mental health on vulnerable populations. When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005, 80% of the city was flooded forcing a mandatory evacuation. At-risk and marginalized communities are the most vulnerable to the impacts of this disaster. The musicians of New Orleans are representative of such a community, and are dispersed across the city representing a wide range of disaster experiences. The experiences of musicians as an at-risk community in a disaster context across evacuation, displacement, and returning to the city have significant impacts on mental health and stress, but also on the social and cultural aspects of life as a musician. While being a member of an at-risk population increases vulnerability to the impact of a disaster, some musicians have proven resilient. This study sought to better understand the factors of resilient musicians in an effort to better inform how to assist this socially and culturally important population in subsequent disasters. Using a Variable-Generating Activity (VGA), 10 musicians were interviewed about their lived experiences before, during and after Hurricane Katrina to create items for a scale of musician resilience. Musicians were nominated as being resilient from a list of 502 musician contacts from the New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to assisting musicians since Hurricane Katrina. The VGA uses qualitative tenets of triangulation in videotaped interviews of musicians to identify factors associated with musician resilience. Analysis of the musician interviews yielded 155 original truisms associated with factors of musician risk and resilience in a post-Katrina context. 28 truisms were removed as duplicates or redundant, leaving 127 unique truisms spanning the themes of the musician experience including: Risk Factors, Stress and Mental Health; Protective Factors; Social Support; Psychological Impact of Music; and, Community Connection and Mentoring. Discussion of findings supported previous research on musicians, disaster mental health, and associated topics of disaster resilience, including community connection, social support, access to resources, and personal interpretation of disaster outcomes. This study further supports the appropriateness of Conservation of Resources as a useful model with at-risk populations affected by disaster. </p>

<p> An analysis was conducted to examine the prevalence and risk factors for depressive symptoms and the factors associated with accessing healthcare among 2 groups of immigrant postnatal Mexican women living in California less than 10 years. Using Andersen's Behavioral Model for Health Care Utilization, this study's findings are consistent with prior research. The demographic variables of the women who lived in the United States less than 5 years and women who lived in the United States less than 10 years did not differ. Recent immigrants were more likely to see the doctor more frequently or wait less time between visits. Over 90% of participants experienced limited English proficiency. The percentage of women experiencing depression symptoms was 12.6%. The fmdings underscore the need for social workers to assess the risk factors associated with postpartum depression and evaluate the predisposing, enabling and need factors of Mexican immigrant women associated with accessing care.</p>

<p>Divorce can significantly and negatively impact a child's well-being (Emery, Otto, &amp; O'Donohue, 2005; Kelly, 2000; Kushner, 2009). Although the majority of divorce disputes are settled with minimal court involvement, approximately 10% of divorcing couples require child custody evaluations. Typically, parents undergoing child custody evaluations are labeled "high-conflict," but some anecdotal evidence suggests that one parent may be driving the conflict while the other is reluctantly dragged into battle (Friedman, 2004; Kelly, 2003). Custody litigants (N = 137; 69 males, 68 females) were classified into categories of high- and low-conflict based on the presence or absence of certain variables, using archived data from a forensic psychology practice, and a rating system developed for the purposes of this study. Groups were then compared separately on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III), using three different methods of high- and low- conflict group distribution. Custody litigants tended to demonstrate profiles that were not elevated on clinical scales. Multiple t-tests did not reveal significant differences between high-conflict and low-conflict parents on MMPI-2 and MCMI-III Clinical scales. However, correlational analysis of MMPI-2 scales and Conflict Scores did show significance for a few of the scales (Scales F, 3, 6, and 8), whereas only one MCMI- III scale (Scale 7) was significant. Results were discussed in relation to a profile of MMPI-2 and MCMI-III respondents and conflict valence. </p>

<p> This interpretative phenomenological analysis research study illuminates the experience of involuntary commitment for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia in order to better understand the patient's perspective of forced hospitalization and the effects of that experience as related to future treatment. Data analyses led to the emergence of several themes regarding participants' experience during the period of involuntarily commitment: Stigmatization, Treatment by Professionals, Experience While Committed, Facilities, Effectiveness of Treatment, and Improving Treatment. Findings indicated a need to improve the practice of execution of involuntary commitment, as all participants indicated that benefits of commitment were marginal and resulted in an iatrogenic influence of commitment. However, in spite of symptomatological exacerbation, participants were able to identify various means of improving treatment, which generally entailed more compassionate care, illuminating a need for a treatment model reflective of moral care. Participants also expressed a desire for therapeutic services with an entrusted practitioner, indicating that therapy could be efficacious for treatment. Participants explicitly conveyed a desire only to see a clinician not associated with their psychiatrist, as all participants expressed mistrust of their psychiatrists. Given that participants had a desire for therapy, utilizing therapeutic modalities deemed effective for treating individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia is essential. Accordingly, depth and humanistic psychological modalities have been empirically validated as efficacious in treating individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. Research further indicates that client-centered and object-relations therapeutic approaches, with modifications, are most efficacious in order to adaptively treat individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to analyze the correlation between depression, alcohol use, and drug abuse among military veterans. The researcher examined secondary data from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). The study focused on veterans 18 years and older. The data retrieval form used consisted of questions on alcohol use, smoking and demographics. </p><p> The study found a relationship between veterans and depression, feelings of worthlessness and feelings of hopelessness. Results from this study indicated that the younger veterans tended to feel more worthlessness. The study determined that veterans felt more hopelessness when serving less time compared to those who served for 20 years or more.</p>

<p> The purpose of this research was to explore depression among older Chinese American adults. Secondary data from the California Health Interview Survey were used to explore factors that impact depression among older Chinese-American adults living in California. This study utilized several bivariate analyses to employ results including frequency, <i>t</i>-tests, one-way ANOVA, and correlation. The study found that language spoken by the respondent is directly correlated to depression. However, the study found that language barriers did not exist among the respondents within the healthcare setting due to similar languages spoken by their primary care provider. Furthermore, a significant relationship was found between older Chinese Americans and depression when the respondent had heart disease, arthritis, gout, and/or lupus. Although, there were results consistent with the literature, there were numerous insignificant relationships between the factors explored and depression.</p>

<p> What often stands out in people's life stories is the presence of one person who seemed to change the course of their life. Although such life-changing relationships are portrayed in literature, and can be found all around us, there has been limited research on what makes these experiences possible. Many relevant studies have been conducted within the field of mentoring, however the transformational elements of such relationships have remained elusive. This study, through phenomenological qualitative research, involving semi-structured dyadic interviews, explores mentorships that have been identified as "transformational" and aims to discover the key attributes common in these relationships. Thirteen mentees, whose lives have been significantly changed by their mentorships, agreed to participate, along with their mentors. Several themes emerged from these narratives of transformational relationships: Commitment and Caring, Involvement, Affirmation/ Recognition of Mentee, the mentor being a Role Model and Contextualizing the Relationship, and the mentee having a Unique Experience. These common elements may provide a way to enhance mentoring efforts and facilitate life-changing relationships between adults and youth in need. </p>

<p> Auditory hallucinations or hearing voices is one symptom that individuals with schizophrenia may experience. Although the majority of people with schizophrenia may hear voices, the vast majority of voice hearers do not have schizophrenia. </p><p> This study interviewed 15 voice hearers residing in and around Long Beach, California. Each voice hearer participated in an in-depth interview to explore how they perceive their voices and to gather voice hearers' recommendations for mental health professionals.</p><p> The present study found that many voice hearers expressed a desire for mental health professionals and social workers just to "listen" to them without asserting opinions and judgment. This study also discusses social stigma as a treatment barrier to individuals who hear voices. The findings in this study suggest that more education on voice hearing is needed within the field of social work and mental health.</p>

<p> A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), their typically developing siblings (TDS), and parents. The literature was assessed for demonstration of evidence-based practice (EBP). A comprehensive search of the literature between 1998 and 2014 generated 87 studies; 54 articles were excluded, and 33 were included in the systematic review. Behavioral and psychosocial interventions for children with ASD most commonly demonstrated EBP in achieving optimal outcomes. Support groups, counseling, and parent-as-therapist interventions suggested EBP for increasing quality of life, but support groups for TDS did not. Parent-as-therapist interventions demonstrated EBP in achieving optimal outcomes for children with ASD, and improvements in quality of life and empowerment for parents. Interventions should therefore be created and studied for EBP most often in order to improve the quality of life for the whole family.</p>