The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on peer specialists.

OBJECTIVE: Individuals with mental health challenges are at particularly high risk of experiencing negative outcomes (e.g., worsening of mental health, increased risk of mortality) due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Peer specialists may have the benefit of several protective factors, including higher levels of social support and better illness self-management skills that buffer against negative effects of the pandemic. In this study, we compared the differences in the impact of COVID-19 on those trained as peer specialists (e.g., certified peer specialists, recovery coaches) to those not trained in this role. METHOD: Participants with self-reported mental health and/or substance use challenges completed an online survey to collect information on their experiences during COVID-19 (Epidemic-Pandemic Impacts Inventory [EPII]), loneliness (3-item Loneliness Scale), and access to and satisfaction with mental health support. Respondents self-identified as peer specialists or not. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-three U.S. resident participants from 23 states were included in the final analysis: 109 were peer specialists and 64 were nonpeer specialists. Those who were trained as peer specialists reported fewer negative outcomes during the pandemic, including less disruption in employment, less loneliness, and less worsening of mental health, while reporting more positive attitudes in the face of difficulties. Peer specialists were also likely to report more access to and satisfaction with mental health services. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Possibly as a function of their role, peer specialists reported better mental health outcomes during COVID-19, providing key, empirical evidence to support the benefits of helping others. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

One Diagnosis, Two Perspectives: Lived Experiences of Persons With Young-Onset Dementia and Their Care-Partners.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Young-onset dementias (YODs) are a set of progressive illnesses that are stressful for both persons with the diagnosis and their care-partners. Although the stressors differ based on their roles and individual experiences, both individuals are at risk for heightened emotional distress (e.g., depression and anxiety). Understanding the unique stressors for each partner and adaptive coping strategies to manage these stressors is important for informing individual and couples-based psychosocial interventions. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted open-ended individual interviews with persons with YOD (N = 12) and their care-partners (i.e., romantic partner; N = 17) over live video. We utilized a hybrid of deductive and inductive analysis techniques to extract individual-level themes and subthemes regarding stressors and adaptive coping strategies. RESULTS: Persons with YOD identified stressors including burden of YOD symptoms, loss of familial roles, resentment toward partner, isolation, and fear of the future. Care-partners identified stressors including managing their partners' symptoms, increased responsibilities, caregiving role, loss of intimacy, social isolation, and grief. For adaptive coping strategies, persons with YOD endorsed use of acceptance, promotion of independence, social support, and engaging in pleasurable activities. Care-partners endorsed value of learning about the diagnosis, using resources, optimism, social support, and self-care. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Findings highlight the unique experiences of persons with YOD and their care-partners. Identified themes can be used to inform role-specific psychosocial interventions for both individuals and couples coping with YOD.

In It Together: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis of Common and Unique Psychosocial Stressors and Adaptive Coping Strategies of Persons With Young-Onset Dementia and Their Caregivers.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The common and unique psychosocial stressors and adaptive coping strategies of people with young-onset dementia (PWDs) and their caregivers (CGs) are poorly understood. This meta-synthesis used the stress and coping framework to integrate and organize qualitative data on the common and unique psychosocial stressors and adaptive coping strategies employed by PWDs and CGs after a diagnosis of young-onset dementia (YOD). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Five electronic databases were searched for qualitative articles from inception to January 2020. Qualitative data were extracted from included articles and synthesized across articles using taxonomic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 486 articles were obtained through the database and hand searches, and 322 articles were screened after the removal of duplicates. Sixty studies met eligibility criteria and are included in this meta-synthesis. Four themes emerged through meta-synthesis: (a) common psychosocial stressors experienced by both PWDs and CGs, (b) unique psychosocial stressors experienced by either PWDs or CGs, (c) common adaptive coping strategies employed by both PWDs and CGs, and (d) unique adaptive coping strategies employed by either PWDs or CGs. Within each meta-synthesis theme, subthemes pertaining to PWDs, CGs, and dyads (i.e., PWD and CG as a unit) emerged. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The majority of stressors and adaptive coping strategies of PWDs and CGs were common, supporting the use of dyadic frameworks to understand the YOD experience. Findings directly inform the development of resiliency skills interventions to promote adaptive coping in the face of a YOD diagnosis for both PWDs and CGs.