Increasing access to mental health supports for 12-17-year-old Indigenous youth with the JoyPop mobile mental health app: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Indigenous youth in Northwestern Ontario who need mental health supports experience longer waits than non-Indigenous youth within the region and when compared to youth in urban areas. Limited access and extended waits can exacerbate symptoms, prolong distress, and increase risk for adverse outcomes. Innovative approaches are urgently needed to provide support for Indigenous youth in Northwestern Ontario. Using a randomized controlled trial design, the primary objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of the JoyPop app compared to usual practice (UP; monitoring) in improving emotion regulation among Indigenous youth (12-17 years) who are awaiting mental health services. The secondary objectives are to (1) assess change in mental health difficulties and treatment readiness between youth in each condition to better understand the app's broader impact as a waitlist tool and (2) conduct an economic analysis to determine whether receiving the app while waiting for mental health services reduces other health service use and associated costs. METHODS: A pragmatic, parallel arm randomized controlled superiority trial will be used. Participants will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to the control (UP) or intervention (UP + JoyPop) condition. Stratified block randomization will be used to randomly assign participants to each condition. All participants will be monitored through existing waitlist practices, which involve regular phone calls to check in and assess functioning. Participants in the intervention condition will receive access to the JoyPop app for 4 weeks and will be asked to use it at least twice daily. All participants will be asked to complete outcome measures at baseline, after 2 weeks, and after 4 weeks. DISCUSSION: This trial will evaluate the effectiveness of the JoyPop app as a tool to support Indigenous youth waiting for mental health services. Should findings show that using the JoyPop app is beneficial, there may be support from partners and other organizations to integrate it into usual care pathways. TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05898516 [registered on June 1, 2023].

A confirmatory factor analysis of a revised motives for playing drinking games (MPDG-33) scale among university students in the United States.

AIM: Participating in a drinking game (DG) is common practice among university students and can increase students' risk for heavy drinking. Given the theoretical link between motivations to drink and alcohol use, careful consideration should be given to students' motivations to play DGs. In this study, we examined the factor structure, internal consistency, and concurrent validity of a revised version of the motives for playing drinking games (MPDG) scale, the MPDG-33. METHODS: University students (n = 3345, Mage = 19.77 years, SDage = 1.53; 68.8% = women; 59.6% = White) from 12 U.S. universities completed a confidential online self-report survey that included the MPDG-33 and questions regarding their frequency of DG participation and typical drink consumption while playing DGs. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the 7-factor model fit the data adequately, and all items had statistically significant factor loadings on their predicted factor. All subscales had adequate to excellent internal consistency and were positively correlated with the frequency of DG participation and the typical number of drinks consumed while playing DGs (though the correlations were small). CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that the MPDG-33 can be reliably used in research and clinical settings to assess U.S. university students' motives for playing DGs.

Clarifying the pathway from anxiety sensitivity to binge eating: The mediating role of depressive symptoms in a 3-week, 3-wave longitudinal study of undergraduates.

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) - characterized by a persistent fear that arousal-related bodily sensations will lead to serious cognitive, physical, and/or social consequences - is associated with various psychopathologies, including depressive symptoms and binge eating. This 3-week, 3-wave longitudinal study examined the relation between AS (including its global AS factor and lower-order AS cognitive, physical, and social concern dimensions), depressive symptoms, and binge eating among 410 undergraduates from two universities. Using generalized estimating equation models, we found that global AS, AS social concerns, and depressive symptoms predicted binge eating during any given week. Mediation analyses showed that global AS (as a latent variable with its lower-order AS dimensions as indicators), AS cognitive concerns, and AS physical concerns at Wave 1 predicted subsequent increases in depressive symptoms at Wave 2, which, in turn, led to increases in binge eating at Wave 3. Findings contribute to a better understanding of the interplay between AS, depressive symptoms, and binge eating, highlighting the role of binge eating as a potential coping mechanism for individuals with high AS, particularly in managing depressive symptoms. This study underscores the importance of AS-targeted intervention and prevention efforts in addressing depressive symptoms and binge eating.

Comparing Drinking Game Motives, Behaviors, and Consequences Among Varsity Athletes, Recreational Athletes, and Non-Student-Athletes: A Multisite University Study.

OBJECTIVE: Among college students, student-athletes are at increased risk for heavy alcohol consumption, participation in risky drinking practices (e.g., playing drinking games [DG]), and adverse alcohol-related consequences relative to non-student-athletes. Within the student-athlete population, level of sports participation (e.g., recreational or varsity sports) can affect alcohol use behaviors and consequences, but our understanding of the extent to which level of sports participation influences engagement in DG is limited. Thus, in the present study, we examined differences in frequency of participation in DG, typical drink consumption while playing DG, negative DG consequences, and motives for playing DG among varsity, recreational, and non-student-athletes. METHOD: College students (n = 7,901 across 12 U.S. colleges/universities) completed questionnaires on alcohol use attitudes, behaviors, and consequences. RESULTS: Student-athletes (recreational or varsity sports) were more likely to have participated in DG within the past month than non-student-athletes. Among students who reported past-month DG play, recreational athletes played more often and endorsed more enhancement/thrills motives for playing DG than non-student-athletes, and student-athletes (recreational or varsity) endorsed higher levels of competition motives for playing DG than non-student-athletes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings shed light on some risky drinking patterns and motives of recreational athletes who are often overlooked and under-resourced in health research and clinical practice. Recreational and varsity student-athletes could benefit from alcohol screening and prevention efforts, which can include provision of competitive and alcohol-free social activities and promotion of alcohol protective behavioral strategies to help reduce recreational athletes' risk for harm while playing DG.

Engaging care partners of persons living with dementia in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) programs: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a relatively new type of psychotherapy effective for treating depression and anxiety amongst family care partners of persons living with dementia [PLWD]. However, care partner engagement in mental health services is low and specific guidelines for designing ACT programs for care partners of PLWD do not exist. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine patterns in care partner engagement in ACT programs to identify program factors potentially influencing engagement. METHODS: A comprehensive scoping review according to Arksey and O'Malley's framework was followed. Databases and grey literature were searched for primary studies of ACT programs with care partners of PLWD. Data were charted and synthesized. RESULTS: Ten studies met inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Amongst these, engagement was highest in three ACT programs that were delivered individually, remotely and were therapist-led or supported. Conversely, engagement was the lowest in two ACT programs that were self-directed, web-based and had minimal or no care partner-therapist interaction. Program factors perceived as influencing engagement included tailoring and personalization, mode of delivery and format, therapeutic support and connectedness, program duration and pace. CONCLUSION: Findings from this review suggest that care partners engagement may be promoted by designing ACT programs that focus on the therapeutic client-therapist relationship, are delivered remotely and individually. Future research should focus on evaluation of best implementation practices for engagement and effectiveness.