The effect of time perspectives on mental health information processing and help-seeking attitudes and intentions in younger versus older adults.

Socioemotional selectivity theory posits that changes in time perspective over the lifespan are associated with distinct goals and motivations. Time perspectives and their associated socioemotional motivations have been shown to influence information processing and memory, such that motivation-consistent information is more likely to be remembered and evaluated more positively. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of motivation-consistent mental health information on memory for and evaluations of this information, as well as help-seeking attitudes and intentions to seek mental health services. METHOD: We randomly assigned an Internet-based sample of 160 younger (18-25) and 175 older (60-89) adults to read a mental health information pamphlet that emphasized time perspectives and motivations relevant to either young adulthood (future-focused) or late adulthood (present-focused). Participants completed measures assessing their time perspective, memory for and subjective evaluation of the pamphlet, and help-seeking attitudes and intentions. RESULTS: The time perspective manipulation had no effect on memory for pamphlet information or help-seeking attitudes and intentions. There was, however, a significant interaction between time perspective and pamphlet version on the rated liking of the pamphlet. CONCLUSION: Although motivation-consistent information only affected perceptions of that information for present-focused (mostly older) individuals, this finding has important implications for enhancing older adults' mental health literacy.

Trends in suicidal behaviour and use of mental health services in Canadian military and civilian populations.

BACKGROUND: In the context of the Canadian mission in Afghanistan, substantial media attention has been placed on mental health and lack of access to treatment among Canadian Forces personnel. We compared trends in the prevalence of suicidal behaviour and the use of mental health services between Canadian military personnel and the general population from 2002 to 2012/13. METHODS: We obtained data for respondents aged 18-60 years who participated in 4 nationally representative surveys by Statistics Canada designed to permit comparisons between populations and trends over time. Surveys of the general population were conducted in 2002 (n = 25 643) and 2012 (n = 15 981); those of military personnel were conducted in 2002 (n = 5153) and 2013 (n = 6700). We assessed the lifetime and past-year prevalence of suicidal ideation, plans and attempts, as well as use of mental health services. RESULTS: In 2012/13, but not in 2002, military personnel had significantly higher odds of both lifetime and past-year suicidal ideation than the civilian population (lifetime: adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17-1.50; past year: adjusted OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.09-1.66). The same was true for suicidal plans (lifetime: adjusted OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.35-1.99; past year: adjusted OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.18-2.33). Among respondents who reported past-year suicidal ideation, those in the military had a significantly higher past-year utilization rate of mental health services than those in the civilian population in both 2002 (adjusted OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.31-3.13) and 2012/13 (adjusted OR 3.14, 95% CI 1.86-5.28). INTERPRETATION: Canadian Forces personnel had a higher prevalence of suicidal ideation and plans in 2012/13 and a higher use of mental health services in 2002 and 2012/13 than the civilian population.

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AS A PROTECTIVE FACTOR FOR PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS: FINDINGS FROM A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE LONGITUDINAL STUDY.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between educational attainment and psychiatric disorders (i.e., mood, anxiety, substance use, and personality disorders) using a nationally representative survey of US adults. METHOD: We used data from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (N = 34,653). Bivariate and multiple logistic regressions examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between educational attainment and a variety of past-year and incident anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders, controlling for sociodemographics and psychiatric disorder comorbidity. RESULTS: Adjusted cross-sectional data indicated that educational attainment below a graduate or professional degree at Wave 2 was associated with significantly higher odds of substance use and/or dependence disorders (adjusted odds ratio range (AORR = 1.55-2.55, P < 0.001). Longitudinal adjusted regression analyses indicated that individuals reporting less than a college education at Wave 1 were at significantly higher odds of experiencing any incident mood (AORR 1.49-1.64, P < 0.01), anxiety (AORR 1.35-1.69, P < 0.01), and substance use disorder (AORR 1.50-2.02, P < 0.01) at Wave 2 even after controlling for other sociodemographic variables and psychiatric comorbidity. CONCLUSION: Findings lend support to other published research demonstrating that educational attainment is protective against developing a spectrum of psychiatric disorders. Mechanisms underlying this relationship are speculative and in need of additional research.

Psychiatrists' and Psychiatry Residents' Attitudes Toward Transgender People.

OBJECTIVE: Gender minority groups, such as transgender individuals, frequently encounter stigma, discrimination, and negative mental health outcomes, which can result in contact with mental health professionals. Recent studies suggest that negative attitudes toward transgender individuals are prevalent and measurable within the general population. The Genderism and Transphobia scale (GTS) measures anti-transgender feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. The purpose of this study was to use the GTS to conduct an investigation of psychiatrists' attitudes toward transgender individuals. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of n = 142 faculty members and residents from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Manitoba was conducted. Respondents completed an online survey consisting of demographic questions and the GTS. Responses were analyzed descriptively and compared to previously published data on the GTS. RESULTS: There was a trend for psychiatrists and psychiatry residents within this sample to endorse less negative attitudes toward transgender people compared to other published data using a sample of undergraduate students. Descriptive analyses suggest that psychiatrists' and psychiatry residents' GTS scores may be related to gender identity, political ideology, religiosity, and levels of both professional and personal contact. CONCLUSIONS: These data evoke optimism regarding psychiatrists' and psychiatry residents' attitudes toward transgender individuals. Additional larger-scale studies comparing this medical specialty group with other specialty groups will further elucidate factors that modify physician attitudes toward this patient population. These findings may contribute to the development of educational strategies to ensure that the transgender population receives medical treatment without stigma or attitudinal compromise.

Risk factors for post-injury mental health problems.

Serious nonfatal physical injuries and burns are common occurrences that can have substantial implications for personal, social, and occupational functioning. Such injuries are frequently associated with significant mental health issues, and compromised quality of life and well-being. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current literature on physical, psychological, and social risk factors for mental health issues post-injury and to contextualize findings using Engel's biopsychosocial framework. We distinguish between pre-injury, injury-related, and post-injury risk factors for mental health problems. Female sex, history of mental health problems or trauma, type of injury, and level of pain are among the strong risk factors for mental health problems post-injury. We highlight inconsistent findings in the literature, identify directions for future research, and explore the implications of the risk factors identified for treatment and prevention.

Changes in attitudes toward seeking mental health services: a 40-year cross-temporal meta-analysis.

Although rates of treatment seeking for mental health problems are increasing, this increase is driven primarily by antidepressant medication use, and a majority of individuals with mental health problems remain untreated. Helpseeking attitudes are thought to be a key barrier to mental health service use, although little is known about whether such attitudes have changed over time. Research on this topic is mixed with respect to whether helpseeking attitudes have become more or less positive. The aim of the current study was to help clarify this issue using a cross-temporal meta-analysis of scores on Fischer and Turner's (1970) helpseeking attitude measure among university students (N=6796) from 1968 to 2008. Results indicated that attitudes have become increasingly negative over time, r(44)=-0.53, p<0.01, with even stronger negative results when the data are weighted (w) for sample size and study variance, r(44)=-0.63, p<.001. This disconcerting finding may reflect the greater emphasis of Fischer and Turner's scale toward helpseeking for psychotherapy. Such attitudes may be increasingly negative as a result of the unintended negative effects of efforts in recent decades to reduce stigma and market biological therapies by medicalizing mental health problems.

Associations between anxiety disorders, suicide ideation, and age in nationally representative samples of Canadian and American adults.

Suicidal behaviors are of significant concern for the individuals displaying such behavior and for service providers who encounter them. Using nationally representative samples of Canadian and American adults, we aimed to examine: whether age moderates the relationship between having any anxiety disorder and suicide ideation (SI), the prevalence of SI among younger and older adults, and whether age and individual anxiety disorders were differentially associated with SI. Age moderated the relationship between any anxiety disorder and SI among Americans only. Past-year SI was less prevalent among older, compared to younger, adults; though, nearly every anxiety disorder was associated with increased odds of SI among younger and older Canadian and American adults after controlling for covariates. Effect sizes were particularly large for older American adults, but were coupled with large confidence intervals. Findings contribute to a growing literature suggesting that SI in the context of anxiety is a highly prevalent and complex mental health problem across the adult lifespan.

A sex-specific comparison of major depressive disorder symptomatology in the canadian forces and the general population.

OBJECTIVE: To compare major depressive disorder (MDD) symptomatology within men and women in a large, representative sample of Canadian military personnel and civilians. METHOD: We used the Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health and Well-Being (Cycle 1.2 and Canadian Forces Supplement) (n = 36 984 and n = 8441, respectively) to compare past-year MDD symptomatology among military and civilian women, and military and civilian men. Logistic regression models were used to determine differences in the types of depressive symptoms endorsed in each group. RESULTS: Men in the military with MDD were at lower odds than men in the general population to endorse numerous symptoms of depression, such as hopelessness (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.44; 99% CI 0.23 to 0.83) and inability to cope (AOR 0.53; 99% CI 0.31 to 0.92). Military women with MDD were at lower odds of thinking about their death (AOR 0.52; 99% CI 0.32 to 0.86), relative to women with MDD in the general population. CONCLUSION: Different MDD symptomatology among males and females in the military, compared with those in the general population, may reflect selection effects (for example, personality characteristics and patterns of comorbidity) or occupational experiences unique to military personnel. Future research examining the mechanisms behind MDD symptomatology in military personnel and civilians is required.

Internet use and psychological wellness during late adulthood.

An aging population is best served by social, personal, and health support focused on maintaining and maximizing personal independence. The Internet affords numerous opportunities for individuals of all ages to communicate, access information, and engage in recreational activities. A community-based sample of 122 adults over 60 years of age completed a questionnaire which assessed three clusters of characteristics: (a) frequency and patterns of Internet use, (b) well-being (loneliness, life satisfaction, self-efficacy, social support, and depression), and (c) demographics (age, income, education). Significant correlations emerged between the three clusters of measured variables. Controlling for demographic differences, Internet use and self-efficacy remained significantly related. Among the sample of older adults, individuals who used the Internet more had higher perceptions of self-efficacy than those who used the Internet rarely or not at all.

Well-being in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white survivors of breast cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To test a well-being model on Hispanic and non-Hispanic white survivors of breast cancer by comparing responses about variables hypothesized to predict well-being. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Healthcare orientation, uncertainty, social support, resourcefulness, self-esteem, and well-being. DESIGN: Descriptive and comparative. SAMPLE: 50 Hispanic and 50 non-Hispanic white women who completed treatment for breast cancer and were disease-free. SETTING: Regional cancer center in southwestern United States. METHODS: Subjects completed the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale-Health Care Orientation Subscale, Mishel Uncertainty Illness Scale, Personal Resource Questionnaire, Self-Control Schedule, Self-Esteem Inventory, and Index of Well-Being. FINDINGS: Both groups of women reported high well-being. Sample characteristics were not related significantly to well-being in either group. No statistically significant differences were found between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women on any variables. CONCLUSIONS: Comparison of well-being models revealed similarities between the two groups, including variables entering each regression equation, and explained variance. Further research is needed to explore whether commonalities in women's responses to breast cancer exist independent of ethnicity. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Nurses should continue encouraging both Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women to share concerns and seek information from healthcare providers while strengthening feelings of self-worth because these factors directly affect well-being.