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Biological research involving people with lived experience of childhood trauma: a trauma-informed approach
In this Perspective, we highlight the growing need for trauma-informed practices as researchers increasingly work across disciplines to study the effects of childhood trauma. We emphasise that trauma-informed principles must be embedded not only to protect participants, but also to safeguard interdisciplinary researchers conducting biological psychology and psychiatry research with people who have lived experience of trauma. We offer practical recommendations and ethical considerations for minimising risk during trauma research, together with example content for trauma-informed researcher training. We uncovered an unmet need to systematically review what training is already available and identify the training and knowledge gaps that exist within trauma research. Understanding these realities will help shape practical, evidence-based approaches that support both participants and researchers.
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Physical activity following discharge from inpatient adult mental health settings
Background: People with severe mental illness are considerably less physically active than the general population and experience a premature mortality of 10–20 years, often attributed to modifiable behaviours, including physical activity. Inpatient environments provide opportunities for people with SMI to become more physically active, however evidence is limited on its sustainability following discharge to community settings.
Objective: This review aimed to summarise the published evidence relating to physical activity interventions following discharge from inpatient adult mental health settings.
Design: MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and AMED databases were searched to identify articles considering physical activity interventions taking place following discharge from an adult (>18) inpatient mental health setting, published after 2007.
Results: Of 3412 unique results, 5 studies were eligible for inclusion. Despite all included studies involving some transition between inpatient and community mental health settings, to-date no study has focused exclusively on physical activity interventions delivered following discharge from inpatient mental health settings.
Conclusions: This review has found insufficient evidence to guide the delivery of physical activity following discharge from inpatient mental health services. Future research is required to improve our knowledge of the optimal forms and delivery of physical activity interventions during this time, alongside quantifying the impact on readmission rates and clinical presentation. -
Updates on digital mental health interventions for children and young people: systematic overview of reviews.
Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) are increasingly recommended for children and young people (CYP) as a promising way to prevent and treat mental health problems. Here, we summarised and consolidated findings from existing systematic reviews to provide an overview of what is known, and which areas need further investigation. Systematic searches were conducted until January 2024 using PubMed, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus and Google Scholar. Records were screened against predefined criteria and quality assessed using A MeaSurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR-2) and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist for Systematic Reviews. A study protocol was co-developed with key stakeholders and registered on the Open Science Framework. From 941 records, 51 systematic reviews published between 2000 and 2023 of generally moderate quality, targeting CYP 0 to 25 years, were included in our narrative summary. DMHIs were delivered in a variety of ways, including online video calls, apps and various combinations, underpinned mostly by cognitive behaviour therapy. DMHIs supported different mental health problems, but mostly symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. Although generally effective, some studies reported mixed results with limited evidence when focusing on longer-term outcomes. Other benefits of DMHIs included reduced costs and time investments for families, and increased accessibility and acceptability of support. Practitioner preparedness and unclear ethics/safety measures were identified as factors impacting engagement and potential effectiveness. The findings suggest that DMHIs can be a valuable tool for supporting CYP. However, realising the full potential of DMHIs for all CYP may require more high-quality research utilising DMHIs that are diverse in theoretical underpinnings and target audiences.
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Social determinants of distress in South Asian men with long-term conditions: a qualitative study in primary care
Background: People with long-term physical conditions are more likely to experience distress, depression, or anxiety. Physical–mental comorbidity is associated with lower quality of life, poorer clinical outcomes, and increased mortality than physical conditions alone. People of South Asian origin are the largest minority group in the UK, and more likely to have long-term conditions (LTCs) such as diabetes and heart disease.
Aim: To explore how men of South Asian origin with LTCs understand and experience emotional distress as well as the experiences of GPs supporting them.
Design and setting: A UK qualitative study interviewing South Asian men with diabetes or coronary heart disease, and GPs working at practices with higher proportions than average in the UK of people of South Asian origin.
Method: Online semi-structured interviews with South Asian men and GPs were undertaken. Data were analysed via reflexive thematic analysis. Topic guides were modified iteratively as data collection and analysis progressed. An ethnically appropriate patient advisory group of South Asian men was involved in all stages of the research.
Results: Seventeen South Asian men with LTCs and 18 GPs were interviewed. Participants described contextualising distress, including LTCs influencing distress and the intersections of social determinants of distress including ethnicity, poverty, and perceptions of prejudice. Participants understood distress as different from depression with the need to negotiate multiple identities as well as integrative paradigms of health.
Conclusion: This study highlights the influence of social determinants of distress in South Asian men with LTCs. It provides an insight into how primary care has the potential to address health inequalities by considering the intersection of these factors.
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Advancing mixed methods in mental health research
In the mental health research field, there is a need for effective and robust methodological approaches that are able to address complexity. In this article, we reassert the importance of mixed methods, an approach increasingly applied within mental health research, and examine the ongoing challenges in the field. We provide worked examples from our own research to demonstrate the diverse range of designs and benefits afforded by mixed methods approaches, along with personal reflections on barriers navigated. We outline pathways towards advancing mixed methods in mental health research, advocating for a shift from fragmentation to integration, improved publication routes for mixed methods studies and effective resourcing. To truly realise the potential of mixed methods, we call for a commitment from individual researchers, leaders, institutions, editors, funders and training providers to further these pathways.
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Meeting of minds: imagining the future of child and youth mental health research from an early career perspective
| Ruth Knight, Ola Demkowicz , Eva Sprecher , Aislinn Gomez Bergin , Hazel Marzetti , Kimberly Petersen , Buket Kara , Vilas Sawrikar , Hannah White , Jackie Parsonage-Harrison , Jeanne Wolstencroft , Tessa Reardon , Anna March , Leanne McIver , Hannah Jones , Tim Clarke , Josefien Breedvelt , Eleanor Chatburn | | GROWChild and youth mental health is an international public health and research priority. We are an interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral network of UK-based early career researchers (ECRs) with an interest in child and youth mental health research. In this paper, we reflect on ongoing challenges and areas for growth, offering recommendations for key stakeholders in our field, including researchers, institutions and funders. We present a vision from an ECR perspective of what future child and youth mental health research could look like and we explore how the research infrastructure can support ECRs and the wider research field in making this vision a reality. We focus specifically on: (a) embracing complexity; (b) centring diverse voices; and (c) facilitating sustainable research environments and funding systems. We present recommendations for all key partners to consider alongside their local contexts and communities to actively and collaboratively drive progress and transformative change.