Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Youth
Special Issues
Strategies to Support Mental Health and Provide Access to Mental...
share announcement

Strategies to Support Mental Health and Provide Access to Mental Health Services for Youth during Crises

A special issue of Youth (ISSN 2673-995X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2023) | Viewed by 22908

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Nicolette Vanessa Roman

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Children, Families and Society, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
Interests: family; family wellbeing; human development; mental health and wellbeing
Dr. Edna Rich

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Children, Families and Society, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
Interests: family; parenting; family functioning; family well-being; the factors that put families at risk such as substance abuse by youth and within families as well as human trafficking

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

According to the World Health Organization (2021)

  • Globally, one in seven 10–19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 13% of the global burden of disease in this age group.
  • Depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.
  • Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15–19-year-olds.
  • The consequences of failing to address adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults.

During the pandemic, UNICEF conducted a rapid assessment among 8444 youth. The results show that 27% reported anxiety and 15% depression within the past 7 days of participating in the assessment, 46% were less motivated to do activities they enjoyed and 36% were less motivated to do chores. Even though participants felt the need to ask for help, 2 out 5 did not do so. While COVID-19 literature provides insight into how youth coped during the pandemic, based on the UNICEF study, it is not clear which evidence-based strategies are used to support youth or how they cope with other forms of crises such as problems with the family, in school, in work, unemployment, or in any other traumatic event. Notably, mental health is a crucial factor amongst youth with evidence mainly located in prevalence studies in terms of levels, determinants, risk and protective factors, etc. There is much less information regarding solutions, interventions or access to mental health support and shifting to mental well-being amongst youth.

For the proposed Special Issue, we welcome studies which focus on these aspects of mental health strategies amongst youth. Furthermore, we welcome various methodological approaches (quantitative, qualitative, mixed and reviews) to provide insight into the topic of evidence-based strategies to support the mental health of youth living in or experiencing a crisis or crises. The key findings will provide stakeholders (youth, government, families, practitioners) with insight into how to assist and provide access to support for youth to improve their mental health within and across various contexts.

Prof. Dr. Nicolette Vanessa Roman
Dr. Edna Rich
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Youth is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • youth
  • adolescents
  • young adults
  • mental health
  • mental well-being
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • stress
  • stakeholders
  • families

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review, Other

12 pages, 282 KiB  
Article
Family Social Support and Children’s Mental Health Resilience during COVID-19—Case of Morocco
by Mohamed Kadiri
Youth 2023, 3(2), 541-552; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth3020037 - 14 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4326
Abstract
This research aims to investigate the impact of the family on the social support for children with mental health disorders in a vulnerable environment such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the ability of parents to provide consistent care giving using their social support. [...] Read more.
This research aims to investigate the impact of the family on the social support for children with mental health disorders in a vulnerable environment such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the ability of parents to provide consistent care giving using their social support. The main question of this research paper is: what is the impact of the family in the situation of COVID-19 on the diversity of the processes actors provided in creating social adaptability for children with mental health? The previous question was treated via the following hypotheses: H1: the more the whole family is committed to the social support of the child with a mental health disorder, the less independent the achievement of resilience on an individual basis; H2: the more the child with a mental illness belongs to the family, the greater the family’s involvement in social support, even for low-income families. This quantitative field study was conducted in southern Morocco by contacting a sample of respondents (86 respondents) from health institutions, civil society, and the children’s parents and relatives. The study reflected two main findings: that the majority of children were with their families during the pandemic; and the lack of independence of parents and children in the adjustment process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies to Support Mental Health and Provide Access to Mental Health Services for Youth during Crises)
18 pages, 1234 KiB  
Article
Adaptation, Innovation and Co-Production: Meeting the Mental Wellbeing Needs of a Digital Generation
by Michelle Jayman, Jay Ayliffe and Cecilia Essau
Youth 2023, 3(1), 447-464; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth3010031 - 17 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2287
Abstract
In the aftermath of a global health pandemic, youth mental health is a public-health emergency. The acceleration of digital technologies, catalysed by COVID-19, has seen the growing significance of online support and social media for promoting health behaviours. This exploratory study utilised a [...] Read more.
In the aftermath of a global health pandemic, youth mental health is a public-health emergency. The acceleration of digital technologies, catalysed by COVID-19, has seen the growing significance of online support and social media for promoting health behaviours. This exploratory study utilised a participatory-action research (PAR) design to investigate adolescents’ (N = 10; aged 16–18) perceptions and experiences of social media with respect to mental-wellbeing content. Data were collected using a focus-group method. Young people (YP) also evaluated digital resources adapted from the Super Skills for Life (SSL-A) intervention. Thematic analysis elicited three thematic categories: young people’s relationship with social media, perceptions and experiences of support pathways, and cultivating mental-health and wellbeing provision for a digital generation. Findings revealed that YP were discerning digital citizens and willing to use technologies for support. Although exposure to social-media images and videos can convey social norms and shape normative perceptions of healthy wellbeing, mental-health literacy was a critical factor prompting change. Future co-production research is needed to design, develop, and evaluate digital resources adapted from evidence-based programmes to contribute to hybrid models of mental-wellbeing provision that can offer YP timely and appropriate support and a choice of delivery modalities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies to Support Mental Health and Provide Access to Mental Health Services for Youth during Crises)
13 pages, 297 KiB  
Article
Why Don’t Young People Seek Help for Mental Illness? A Cross-Sectional Study in Greece
by Katerina Koutra, Varvara Pantelaiou and Georgios Mavroeides
Youth 2023, 3(1), 157-169; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth3010011 - 06 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 6023
Abstract
Young adults are less likely to seek professional help even though they are most likely to experience mental health problems. The aim of the present study was to investigate young adults’ attitudes towards mental illness and self-stigma of help-seeking, identify possible determinants of [...] Read more.
Young adults are less likely to seek professional help even though they are most likely to experience mental health problems. The aim of the present study was to investigate young adults’ attitudes towards mental illness and self-stigma of help-seeking, identify possible determinants of attitudes and self-stigma, and examine the association between attitudes towards mental illness and self-stigma of help-seeking. The sample consisted of 485 Greek young adults (24.5% men, 75.5% women) aged 18–25 years (M = 19.54, SD = 1.83) who completed the Attitudes towards Severe Mental Illness (ASMI) and the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH). The results indicated that Greek young adults hold mostly positive attitudes towards severe mental illness and help-seeking, while their unfavorable attitudes are mainly related to difficulties with viewing people with a severe mental disorder as similar to other people, and fear that by seeking professional help a person’s worth will be diminished. Gender, age, familiarity with mental health difficulties, education, and relationship status were found to be associated with young adults’ attitudes towards severe mental illness and self-stigma of help-seeking. Finally, stereotyping, pessimistic beliefs, and negative beliefs about coping with mental illness were identified as key determinants of self-stigma of help-seeking. These findings suggest a need for age- and gender-sensitive psychoeducational interventions specifically designed to promote young adults’ mental health literacy and to ameliorate unfavorable attitudes towards mental illness in order to increase help-seeking behavior. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies to Support Mental Health and Provide Access to Mental Health Services for Youth during Crises)

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

9 pages, 652 KiB  
Review
Exploring Strategies to Support Adolescent Mental Health after Parental Divorce: A Scoping Review
by Edna Rich, Letitia Butler-Kruger and Nicolette Roman
Youth 2023, 3(1), 428-436; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth3010029 - 13 Mar 2023
Viewed by 6091
Abstract
The recent acceleration in divorce rates and diversification of nuclear families has resulted in an increase in single-parent households. Divorce is one of the most adverse events in a child’s life. Various literature highlights the detrimental effects of parental divorce on children and [...] Read more.
The recent acceleration in divorce rates and diversification of nuclear families has resulted in an increase in single-parent households. Divorce is one of the most adverse events in a child’s life. Various literature highlights the detrimental effects of parental divorce on children and adolescents, but few studies have emphasized possible support strategies or interventions available to assist in the mental health of adolescents after divorce. The objective of this study was to gain an overview of the strategies and interventions available to adolescents exposed to parental divorce. The current study employed a scoping review method to evaluate the coverage of literature on strategies available to support adolescent mental health after parental divorce. The following databases were searched: Academic Search Premier, Africa-Wide Information, African Journal Online, CINAHL, and JSTOR. A total of eight studies were included in this review. The results show that most mental health interventions target the known mediator of risk, such as parenting problems or family conflict. Although the parents, caregivers, or teachers of these adolescents reported improvement after the intervention, the adolescents reported no effect. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies to Support Mental Health and Provide Access to Mental Health Services for Youth during Crises)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

10 pages, 404 KiB  
Systematic Review
Associations between Traumatic Experience and Resilience in Adolescent Refugees: A Scoping Review
by Solomon D. Danga, Babatope O. Adebiyi, Erica Koegler, Conran Joseph and Nicolette V. Roman
Youth 2022, 2(4), 681-690; https://doi.org/10.3390/youth2040048 - 01 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2415
Abstract
Research on adolescent refugee resilience is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of adaptation to resettlement areas and integration into a new country. However, the current literature does not provide clear evidence on the determinants of resilience factors and the association between traumatic experiences [...] Read more.
Research on adolescent refugee resilience is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of adaptation to resettlement areas and integration into a new country. However, the current literature does not provide clear evidence on the determinants of resilience factors and the association between traumatic experiences and resilience among adolescent refugees. Four electronic databases were searched to identify relevant articles. Inclusion criteria for articles were (i) potential traumatic experience was the independent variable and resilience was an outcome variable of the study, (ii) association between traumatic experiences and resilience was reported, (iii) participants of the study included adolescent refugees or asylum seekers and (iv) to be peer-reviewed publications based on primary data, written in English and published between 1 January 2010 and 20 January 2022. Eight articles were included in this scoping review. The review found that most of the included studies identified individual, relational/family and contextual/cultural factors as determinants of resilience. However, there were inconsistencies in the association between traumatic experiences and resilience. This review suggests that intervention strategies implemented among adolescent refugees should focus on enhancing individual, family/relational, and cultural/social factors to protect adolescents from possible poor mental health consequences after exposure to trauma. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies to Support Mental Health and Provide Access to Mental Health Services for Youth during Crises)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop