Breathe and Let Be : Improving Posttraumatic Stress and Neurobiological Dysregulation with Game-Based Meditation Therapy among Traumatized Adolescents in Residential Care

The aim of the current dissertation is three-fold. First, we aimed to provide insight with regard to the alterations of traumatized youths’ neurobiological stress systems (PART I). We investigated sympathetic, parasympathetic, and HPA axis parameters among traumatized adolescents in residential care and a nontraumatized comparison sample. Both basal activity during rest and reactivity to acute social stress were evaluated. The outcomes of this study are described in Chapter 2.

 

Parental post-traumatic stress and psychiatric care utilisation among refugee adolescents

Parental psychiatric morbidity related to experiences of war and trauma has been associated with adverse psychological outcomes for children. The aim of this study was to investigate parental post-traumatic stress in relation to psychiatric care utilization among children of refugees with particular attention on the child’s own refugee status, sex of both child and parents, and specific psychiatric diagnoses.

 

Unravelling psychiatric heterogeneity and predicting suicide attempts in women with trauma-related dissociation using artificial intelligence

Background: Suicide is a leading cause of death, and rates of attempted suicide have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The under-diagnosed psychiatric phenotype of dissociation is associated with elevated suicidal self-injury; however, it has largely been left out of attempts to predict and prevent suicide.

 

Objective: We designed an artificial intelligence approach to identify dissociative patients and predict prior suicide attempts in an unbiased, data-driven manner.

 

Leaving child and adolescent mental health services in the MILESTONE cohort : a longitudinal cohort study on young people’s mental health indicators, care pathways, and outcomes in Europe

Background: The configuration of having separate mental health services by age, namely child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and adult mental health services (AMHS), might be a barrier to continuity of care that adversely affects young people’s mental health. However, no studies have investigated whether discontinuity of care in the transition period affects mental health.

Partner Alcohol Use and Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence : Independent and Synergistic Effects on Intimate Partner Violence Across 19 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Although partner alcohol use and acceptance of intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) are critical determinants of IPVAW, little is known about their interaction. We explored how partner alcohol use and attitudes toward IPVAW act independently and jointly at the individual and community levels to influence women’s reports of experiencing IPVAW across low- and middle-income countries.

 

The effects of child encounters during military deployments on the well-being of military personnel : a systematic review

Background: Military members report higher instances of trauma exposure and subsequent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) relative to civilians. Encounters with children in war and conflict settings may have particularly unsettling consequences. However, the nature of these consequences has yet to be systematically examined.

 

Can developmental trauma disorder be distinguished from posttraumatic stress disorder? A symptom-level person-centred empirical approach

Background:
Developmental Trauma Disorder (DTD) is a proposed childhood psychiatric diagnosis for psychopathological and developmental sequela of victimization and attachment trauma extending beyond posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

 

Objective:
To determine whether a sub-group of trauma-impacted children is characterized by symptoms of DTD that extend beyond, or co-occur with, the symptoms of PTSD.

 

The Accumulating Evidence-Base Regarding Child Friendly Spaces : Policy and Practice Implications

For over 25 years child friendly spaces (CFS) have been at the forefront of humanitarian response. Initially there was a weak evidence-base informing this approach, but the last 10 years have seen a substantial increase in research and evaluation in this area. This accumulating evidence has informed the evolution of guidance and training on implementing effective CFS interventions, but there remains uncertainty about the key messages emerging from studies.

Mechanisms of Change for Child Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Conflict Settings : A Systematic Review

There is a growing evidence-base for the effectiveness of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) programmes for children affected by conflict for a range of mental health and wellbeing outcomes, but with limited evidence for how these interventions produce change. This study aimed to review the evidence for mechanisms of change of MHPSS interventions for children affected by conflict.

 

A longitudinal investigation of psychological distress in children during COVID-19 : the role of socio-emotional vulnerability

Background: Although the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the incidence of distress in youth, some children show increased resilience, emphasizing the need to better understand the predictors of distress in youth.

 

Objective: This longitudinal study aimed to assess the combined impact of known socio-emotional predictors of stress-related psychopathology, namely anxiety sensitivity, anxiety trait, intolerance to uncertainty, and rumination, on COVID-related distress in healthy youth.

 

Pages