Tech Connect: An Intervention to Promote Treatment Engagement for Adolescents with Depression.

Poor treatment engagement remains a challenge in effectively treating adolescents with depression. This exploratory 2-arm RCT aimed to test the feasibility and acceptability of Tech Connect for promoting treatment engagement among adolescents. Twenty youth with depression were randomized to Tech Connect (treatment) or standard community-based mental health care (control). Study aims included: (1) assess the feasibility and acceptability of Tech Connect between-session contacts for adolescents, their parents, and treatment providers and (2) conduct a preliminary analysis of engagement and mental health outcomes. Significant differences were found between the number of treatment sessions attended by the Tech Connect and control group (t = 2.00; p < .05). Adolescents receiving Tech Connect attended 91.3% (mean = 7.5 sessions; SD = 1.58) of their initial eight sessions, while 66.3% (mean = 5.3 sessions; SD = 3.09) attended in the control condition. Tech Connect is a novel, technologically-driven intervention that proved effective in improving treatment engagement among adolescents with depression.

Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychopathic Features Among Juvenile Offenders: Does it Matter Which Traits?

Psychopathic traits and a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) are common among imprisoned individuals. Although previous research has examined correlates of TBI among juvenile offenders, little research has explored the relationship between psychopathic traits and TBI among this population. Study objectives included: (1) examine the association between the history of a TBI and psychopathic traits among juvenile offenders and (2) determine if the history of a TBI predicts the manifestation of different psychopathic factors among juvenile offenders. Cross-sectional data from the Multidimensional Youth Residential Inventory consisted of 226 juvenile offenders. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. Results of linear regression analyses showed that history of a TBI significantly predicted callous unemotional and impulsive irresponsible traits. Clinical implications suggest early intervention is needed to treat the potential long-term effects of TBIs and the development of psychopathic traits. Recommendations for further research are discussed.

An Exploratory Study on the Role of Burnout and Devaluation among Staff in Psychiatric Correctional Facilities.

Correctional staff work in demanding job environments that can lead to increased burnout. Research aims were to determine the prevalence of burnout and devaluation of consumers (i.e., individuals in their care) and their families among correctional staff, examine associations between burnout and devaluation of consumers and their families, and determine significant predictors of burnout. This exploratory study investigated 30 correctional staff in a specialized psychiatric correctional facility for individuals with mental illness in Mexico City. Correctional staff experienced low to moderate burnout, reported high levels of devaluation of consumers (DCS), and low levels of devaluation of consumers' families (DCFS). The implications of burnout on DCS and DCFS warrant large scale research and should compare burnout and devaluation in specialized psychiatric correctional facilities versus general correctional facilities.