A study by Dr Sally Merry, an associate professor of child and adolescent psychiarty at New Zealand’s Auckland University School of Medicine found that a 3D animated fantasy game, called “Sparx,” proved more effective in treating depression in adolescents than face-to-face therapy. A randomized clinical trial showed that the remission rate among adolescents with mild […]
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Incorporating Community Groups into Depression Care Can Improve Coping among Low-Income Patients
Improving care for depression in low-income communities — places where such help is frequently unavailable or hard to find — provides greater benefits to those in need when community groups such as churches and even barber shops help lead the planning process, according to a study published online by the Journal of General Internal Medicine. […]
Intimate Partner Violence among Asian Americans and their Use of Mental Health Services
Studies have been conducted on intimate partner violence (IPV) among Asian Americans, but knowledge on their use of mental health services is limited. This study seeks to fill this gap by using a national sample to examine Asian victims’ use of mental health services. The authors analyzed data from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys. The dependent variable was […]
How do Tobacco Laws and Density of Tobacco Stores Influence Youth Smoking?
A new study investigating the association between local tobacco policies, the density of tobacco sales outlets, and young people smoking was published by the Mentor Foundation recently. Researchers surveyed 1,491 US children (mean age 14.7 years) and found that those who lived in areas with many tobacco-licensed retail stores smoked more frequently. There was no […]
Disparities in Substance Abuse Outpatient Treatment Completion Rates for Minorities
A state-by-state analysis of substance abuse treatment programs finds that in many states, minorities are less likely than whites to successfully complete substance abuse programs. The analysis found significant disparities among states with regard to racial and ethnic differences. The study appears in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence. It included data from 940,058 participants […]
Substance Use Disorders in Child Welfare: What Works for Children and Families
On June 6, 2013, First Focus, along with the National Council for Behavioral Health and 13 other organizations, cosponsored a congressional briefing on “Substance Use Disorders in Child Welfare: What Works for Children and Families.” The briefing was intended to spark a dialogue with Congressional members, national partners, and others about the need for public policy changes that […]