Anticipated reward and time estimation in young Navajo children.

Time estimations of 1-min. intervals using the method of reproduction by 112 Navajo children were measured under neutral and reward conditions in a repeated-measures design. Anticipated reward (a piece of candy) significantly reduced the accuracy of time estimations. In contrast to previous research the girls were more accurate than the boys; however, the effect of reward was more pronounced for girls than for boys. These data suggest that motivating factors play an important role in the reproduction of time by Navajo children.

Stressful life events and co-occurring depression, substance abuse and suicidality among American Indian and Alaska Native adolescents.

Depression, suicidality and substance abuse disorders are examined with special emphasis on the role of stressful life events in predicting severity and patterns of comorbidity among American Indian and Alaska Native adolescents in boarding school environments. Both amount and severity of comorbidity increase with age and specific patterns of comorbidity are associated with gender. Different types and amounts of stressful life events predict specific combinations of comorbidity. These outcomes are interpretable with respect to associated cultural dynamics and the ecology of mental health services delivery for Indian and Native adolescents. Theoretical and methodological issues are discussed in relation to the use of stressful life events in examining cultural factors related to comorbidity among culturally different populations.

Prevalence of depressive symptoms among established Vietnamese refugees in the United States: detection in a primary care setting.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms among Vietnamese refugees who have lived in the United States for at least two months. DESIGN: A prospective and descriptive study using the Vietnamese Depression Scale (VDS). Scores of > or = 13 on the VDS were considered indicative of depression. SETTING: Ten public health clinics in four states. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred seventy-six consecutive adult Vietnamese refugees presenting for primary care. INTERVENTIONS: The VDS, an 18-item culture-specific self-report measure, was used to screen for depressive symptoms. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Twenty percent of these patients had scores of 13 or above. Although being female; being older; being divorced, separated, or widowed; and being poorly educated were significant univariate risk factors for screening positive, only the latter two were significant in a multivariate model. Physical complaints were common and induced considerable anxiety about health status, but psychological and emotional symptoms were even more prevalent. Patients scoring 13 or higher had a higher rate of endorsement for every item in the scale than did those scoring lower than 13. CONCLUSIONS: This study substantiates the feasibility and importance of screening for depressive symptoms among Vietnamese refugees, particularly in primary care settings where they are most likely to seek care for both medical and psychological problems.

Screening for depression among newly arrived Vietnamese refugees in primary care settings.

A brief, culture-specific, self-report screening measure for depression, the Vietnamese Depression Scale, was used to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms among 1,998 consecutive adult Vietnamese refugees who presented at 10 public health clinics within 2 months of their arrival in the United States. Of these patients, 6% met the criterion for a probable case of depression ("positive"). Being divorced, separated, or widowed and poorly educated were strongly associated with a greater likelihood of screening positive. Somatic complaints were common and induced considerable anxiety about physical health status. Nearly a third of the patients reported sadness and dysphoria; culture-specific symptoms of depression also were prevalent. Our findings document the feasibility of screening for depression using the Vietnamese Depression Scale among Vietnamese refugees, particularly in primary care settings where they are first likely to be seen by health professionals after arrival in their host country.