Parent-child relationship outcomes in a randomized controlled trial of housing first for indigenous and non-Indigenous parents experiencing homelessness, mental illness, and separation from their children.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impacts of Housing First (HF) on parent-child relationships for Indigenous and non-Indigenous parents experiencing homelessness and mental illness. METHOD: Data on parent-child relationships were obtained through baseline and 18-month narrative interviews with parents (N = 43). Participants were randomly assigned to HF (N = 27) or treatment as usual (TAU; N = 16). Parent-child relationship changes were coded as positive or no change. Comparisons between HF and TAU groups were examined for Indigenous parents (N = 21) and non-Indigenous parents (N = 22). RESULTS: Parents in HF reported more positive changes, proportionally, in their relationships with their children, when compared with parents in the TAU group. Among Indigenous parents, proportionally more in HF (eight of 13 parents) reported positive changes in their relationships with their children, compared with those in TAU (one of eight parents). For non-Indigenous parents, however, those in HF (five of 14 parents) reported proportionally similar positive changes in relationships with their children to those in TAU (two of eight parents). Narratives of Indigenous parents in HF showed that they made considerable progress over 18 months in reconciling with their children. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Findings underscore the potential of HF to promote positive parent-child relationships. For Indigenous parents, HF programs that are designed, implemented, and staffed by Indigenous service-providers; guided by Indigenous worldviews; and employ culturally relevant and culturally safe practices are exemplars for understanding how HF programs can be adapted to positively impact parent-child relationships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Neurotoxicology Syndromes Associated with Drugs of Abuse.

Substance use disorders-and their associated neurologic complications-are frequently encountered by neurologists as well as emergency room physicians, internists, psychiatrists, and medical intensivists. Prominent neurologic sequelae of drug abuse, such as seizure and stroke, are common and often result in patients receiving medical attention. However, less overt neurologic manifestations, such as dysautonomia and perceptual disturbances, may be initially misattributed to primary medical or psychiatric illness, respectively. This article focuses on the epidemiology, pharmacology, and complications associated with commonly used recreational drugs, including opioids, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and hallucinogens.

Fibrosing Inflammatory Pseudotumor Presenting as Cranial Neuropathy.

We report two cases of biopsy-corroborated "fibrosing inflammatory pseudotumor" to illustrate that the entity, rarely described in the neurological literature, should be included in the differential diagnosis of either a cranial mononeuropathy or, certainly, in the case of progressive cranial neuropathies. A broad differential diagnosis arises in certain contexts. Early steroid treatment can be effective, and perhaps later-generation immune-modulating agents may confer further options, although there is no known definitive treatment.

Attachment, childhood abuse, and IBD-related quality of life and disease activity outcomes.

BACKGROUND: This study examined attachment style as a moderator of the relationship between childhood abuse and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-related outcomes. METHODS: Study participants were 205 patients with IBD from Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. Participants completed self-report questionnaires regarding personal relationships, abuse history, and IBD-related information. Multiple regression models were fit using 3 outcome variables: disease-related quality of life (QOL), disease activity for ulcerative colitis, and disease activity for Crohn's disease. RESULTS: Patients reporting less severe abuse and low levels of avoidant attachment had the highest levels of QOL, whereas patients reporting high levels of avoidant attachment had the lowest levels of QOL, regardless of abuse severity. Patients reporting greater anxious attachment had lower QOL scores. Patients reporting less severe abuse and low levels of avoidant attachment had the lowest levels of disease activity, whereas patients reporting high levels of avoidant attachment had the highest levels of ulcerative colitis-related disease activity, regardless of abuse severity. However, for anxious attachment, there was no significant main effect or significant interaction of abuse by anxious attachment on ulcerative colitis-related disease activity. Childhood abuse and attachment style were not found to be associated with Crohn's disease-related disease activity. CONCLUSIONS: Adult attachment style may moderate the relationship between childhood abuse and IBD-related outcomes, by impacting one's QOL and disease activity. Distinct types of insecure attachment styles may impact these relationships differently. Psychological interventions focusing on attachment styles of patients with IBD have the potential to improve IBD-related QOL and disease activity.