Voices that matter: A community-driven intervention framework for Black women who have experienced traumatic loss.

Although Black women face disproportionately high rates of gun violence and incarceration loss, there is a scarcity of culturally relevant interventions for this population. The aims of this study were to (a) examine the need for a culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and evidence-based grief intervention and to (b) identify key program components and considerations. Using a community-based participatory research framework, co-collaborators interviewed and surveyed 13 Black women who experienced gun violence and/or incarceration loss. Thematic analysis of interview data confirmed a need for this type of intervention due to the traumatic impact of losing a loved one, the inadequacy of available resources, and the personal and communal importance of addressing their grief. Critical intervention components included relationships and social support, help in "moving beyond" the experience, opportunities for emotional expression and validation, acknowledgment of spirituality and self-care, personal freedom in the grieving process, and addressing "underlying issues." The participants also completed a survey with 24 proposed intervention activities. The 22 they identified as "very important" largely corresponded with interview codes. Barriers to treatment included judgment and invalidation, lack of trust, disinterest, feeling stuck, mental health stigma, and lack of knowledge. Opinions about combining women with different types of loss in the same group and the importance of the group developers' lived experience were mixed. Overall, our findings support the need for culturally relevant, trauma-informed interventions in this population and provide a foundation for developing such an intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Eating disorder behaviors as a form of non-suicidal self-injury.

Nonsuicidal Self-Injury (NSSI), the purposeful harming of one's body tissue without suicidal intent. NSSI frequently co-occurs with other self-destructive forms of psychopathology, such as eating disorders (ED); however, it remains unclear if ED behaviors are used as a form of NSSI. This exploratory study examined the occurrence of Self-Injurious Disordered Eating Symptoms (SIDES), as well as differences in clinical correlates and treatment outcomes between NSSI patients with and without SIDES. Participants included 1,327 patients admitted for partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient treatment for NSSI (87.4% female; 75.3% Non-Hispanic White). Data were collected at admission and discharge as part of routine clinical outcome assessment. Results indicate that 29.5% of the sample engaged in SIDES, while most were not diagnosed with an ED. Patients that engaged in SIDES reported greater clinical severity at baseline, including greater general psychopathology, lower quality of life, and worse functional impairment, as well as more clinically severe NSSI (e.g., greater number of methods, higher urge to self-injure, greater intrapersonal functions). No differences in treatment outcomes were found. These findings suggest that some NSSI patients perceive ED behaviors as a form of NSSI and that SIDES may be a marker for a more severe clinical presentation.

A pilot study of a school lunchroom intervention in a predominantly Latinx sample.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to assess the feasibility of an environmental school lunchroom intervention ('Smarter Lunchrooms') and test initial efficacy within a predominantly Latinx population. DESIGN: We collected baseline and intervention lunchroom food consumption and waste data in a pre-post, single group design. Meal consumption data was analyzed using Nutrition Data System for Research software to obtain estimates of nutritional content. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Feasibility. SECONDARY MEASURES: Plate Waste, Nutrient Intake. RESULTS: Participants were 88 1st-4th graders (51% female; 77% Latinx). Our recruitment rate was 45%, we were able to implement 8 Smarter Lunchroom strategies, and we were able to collect 82 baseline plate photos (93%) and 80 intervention photos (90%) of school lunches. On average, students threw away more than half of their meals on both days. Fruit consumption and fiber per 1000 kcal were significantly poorer at intervention compared to baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight challenges in collecting consumption data in a real-world setting. We describe directions for future research taking into consideration our "lessons learned" from this formative work.

A systematic review examining the relationship between food insecurity and early childhood physiological health outcomes.

Food insecurity, or limited access to nutritious foods, is a significant public health concern especially among vulnerable populations including infants and young children in low-income households. While literature to date has thoroughly examined the psychological and behavioral impacts of food insecurity on children, no known study to date has specifically synthesized the literature exploring the relationship between food insecurity and physiological health outcomes during early childhood. The purpose of this study was to review the literature on physiological health outcomes associated with food insecurity during early childhood among children aged 0-5 years in developed countries. Our literature search sources included PubMed, PsycInfo, CINAHL, and Embase databases. A total of 657 articles published up to September 2019 were reviewed for eligibility by two coders, with a third reviewer in cases of disagreement. Eighty-three articles remained after screening by abstract, with a final 27 studies ultimately included in the final synthesis. This review is registered with PROSPERO and adhered to PRISMA guidelines. In total, 20 articles (74%) noted significant relationships between food insecurity and physiological health outcomes in young children. Findings included an association with overweight or obesity (n = 9), anemia (n = 3), poor child health (n = 3), low birth weight (n = 3), chronic illness (n = 1), special health care needs (n = 1), and increased cortisol (n = 1), in young children who experience food insecurity. Identifying relationships between food insecurity and health outcomes during early childhood has the potential to inform future prevention interventions to reduce health disparities in these vulnerable populations.