Emilie Hestbaek , Pernille Aakjær Mikkelsen , Rebecca Engel Thomas , Michelle Sleed , Charlotte Holm , Anne Blom Corlin , Per Sørensen , Mette Skovgaard Væver , Sebastian Simonsen
{"title":"A mentalization-based parenting intervention (Lighthouse Parenting Programme) for parents with various mental disorders in adult mental health service: A feasibility study","authors":"Emilie Hestbaek , Pernille Aakjær Mikkelsen , Rebecca Engel Thomas , Michelle Sleed , Charlotte Holm , Anne Blom Corlin , Per Sørensen , Mette Skovgaard Væver , Sebastian Simonsen","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200415","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200415","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Parental mental health problems have a detrimental impact on parenting thereby affecting the development and mental health of the child. Despite the clear need for parenting support within adult mental health services (AMHS), few interventions have been developed and evaluated in this context. The Lighthouse Parenting Program is a mentalization-based intervention aimed at reducing stress related to parenting, improving caregiving abilities, thereby preventing child adversity. This feasibility study aimed to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of the Lighthouse Parenting Program, including recruitment, enrolment, retention, and acceptability of the program in AMHS for parents with mental disorders.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Seven parents with various mental disorders were included. The intervention consisted of an individual assessment session, followed by 12 parenting group sessions. Data were collected using data from an e-journal system and via semi-structured qualitative interviews conducted post-intervention.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>70 % of the referred parents were included in the study, indicating good recruitment. The program demonstrated good feasibility, with six out of seven parents completing the program and an average session attendance of 77.5 %. Qualitative findings showed that parents experienced enhanced awareness of mental states, increased self-compassion, and greater parental confidence. However, parents also described initial challenges with trust-building within the group and challenges related to a perceived lack of structure and clear goals in the program.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The preliminary findings suggest that offering a mentalization-based parenting program as a transdiagnostic intervention is both feasible and acceptable to parents with mental disorders in AMHS. Potential areas for improvement are discussed. These findings warrant further investigation in randomised clinical trials to establish the effectiveness of the program.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 200415"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143838483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Katharina Szota , Hanna Christiansen , Nele Dippel , Julia Asbrand
{"title":"Let's talk about mental health! – Pilot study on school-based mental health literacy interventions for adolescents in Germany","authors":"Katharina Szota , Hanna Christiansen , Nele Dippel , Julia Asbrand","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200416","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200416","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Despite the high prevalence of mental disorders in childhood and adolescence, only a subset of affected youths seeks and receives professional help. Mental health literacy (MHL) is an important facilitator of mental health service utilization. Besides knowledge and competencies, MHL encompasses decreased stigma and fears of stigmatization. We conducted so-called <em>Living Library</em> interventions at schools with adolescents in Germany, enabling direct social contact with experienced students of psychology. The present pilot study aims to evaluate these interventions with regard to their effects on adolescents’ MHL and reduced barriers to utilize mental health care.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The interventions were part of the university education in Psychology. Students prepared to transfer knowledge and discuss prevalent prejudices about common mental disorders using interactive formats. A within-subjects survey was conducted. Adolescents’ ratings on their MHL and on the Adolescent Barriers to Accessing Psychotherapy (ABAP) Questionnaire were assessed before and after the interventions. A total of <em>N</em> = 133 participants (<em>M</em> = 14.70 years, 48.1 % male) were included in the analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Adolescents reported increased MHL (<em>d</em> = 0.62) and reduced Help-seeking stigma (<em>d</em> = -0.23) after the interventions compared to before. No changes appeared on the ABAP subscales Fear of public stigma, Problem denial and Fear of psychotherapy setting.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Our pilot study indicates that our interventions increase adolescents’ MHL and reduce reservations towards seeking professional help. Potential adaptations of the interventions, for example the involvement of school staff and caregivers, might increase their effects on additional barriers towards mental health care utilization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 200416"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143829957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abigail Juras , Nicola Reavley , Minahil Abbas Mehr , Shixin Wang , Thao Duyen Nguyen , Sankara Santosa , Duc-Binh Tran , Wangpeng Gui , Stephanie Dumuid , Sam Phung , Edward Satria Antony , Alison Turner , Lakshmi Neelakantan
{"title":"“No co-design process can ever truly cater to every single person”: Perspectives of young people in Australia on co-design for the prevention of mental health challenges","authors":"Abigail Juras , Nicola Reavley , Minahil Abbas Mehr , Shixin Wang , Thao Duyen Nguyen , Sankara Santosa , Duc-Binh Tran , Wangpeng Gui , Stephanie Dumuid , Sam Phung , Edward Satria Antony , Alison Turner , Lakshmi Neelakantan","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200414","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200414","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Young people's mental health has become a critical global issue. Co-design with young people to deliver and adapt mental health services and programmes has become increasingly widespread. However, there remains relatively little guidance on undertaking co-design for universal prevention strategies to address mental ill-health among young people.</div></div><div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>This study aimed to explore the concept of co-design in universal mental health prevention (UMHP) efforts with young people and generate recommendations to support co-design practice in mental health prevention research.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Eight participatory co-design workshops were completed online with 21 young people (aged 16–24 years old) in Australia. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to generate key themes from the young people's perspectives and contributions.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Four main themes were generated to synthesise how co-design could be undertaken with young people in UMHP efforts: (1) Participation; (2) Inclusion; (3) Synergy; and (4) Process. Subthemes included examining power dynamics critically, exploring relationships between different stakeholders as well as the mechanics of co-design practices. Young people emphasised the need for diversity of both youth and non-youth individuals, accessible methods of recruitment and participation, and upholding young people's lived experience knowledge, as essential factors in UMHP co-design practice.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study offers new insights into young people's perspectives on how the principles of co-design may be adapted to UMHP research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 200414"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143768549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kylie Maidment, Alexis E. Whitton, Helen Christensen
{"title":"Mental health prevention in Australia: Establishing a Preventative Mental Health Task Force to evaluate and recommend mental health prevention initiatives","authors":"Kylie Maidment, Alexis E. Whitton, Helen Christensen","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200413","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200413","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mental health conditions are increasingly prevalent in Australia, necessitating targeted prevention initiatives to mitigate their impact. Effective mental health prevention requires large-scale public health responses, collaborative action, and long-term financial commitment. Yet, there are considerable challenges to implementing prevention initiatives in Australia, including the complex causes of mental health conditions, influences of social determinants, lack of scientific consensus on best prevention methods, short-term policy focus, and no clear mechanism to determine which prevention strategies should be recommended, funded, and delivered at scale. This paper describes the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) as a potential model for guiding mental health prevention initiatives in Australia. We propose the creation of a government-supported Preventative Mental Health Task Force to rigorously evaluate mental health prevention initiatives and make tiered recommendations, supported by mental health organisations, lived experience advisors, First Nations people, and experts in the field. As the first step, we recommend the establishment of an expert advisory group to determine how the task force would operate. Establishing a mechanism to consider, implement, and fund the task force's recommendations is also essential. This type of evidence-based, coordinated approach to mental health prevention would add immense value to Australia's existing focus on early intervention, suicide prevention and recovery support, providing a new tool to tackle rising rates of mental ill-health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 200413"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143681054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lucy Biddle , Laura Kennedy , Lydia Grace , Jane Derges , Zoë Haime
{"title":"Reflective journaling on suicide and self-harm related online use: An intervention approach for reducing online harm and mental health impact","authors":"Lucy Biddle , Laura Kennedy , Lydia Grace , Jane Derges , Zoë Haime","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200412","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200412","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Self-harm and suicide-related online use can bring harms and benefits for users. Research suggests a need to improve user metacognition around online engagement to manage these conflicting effects, but behavioural interventions to achieve this are lacking. We aimed to analyse data from a 6-month longitudinal qualitative study, in which participants journalled about their self-harm and suicide-related online use as part of the study.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Participants were interviewed at three timepoints (<em>n</em> = 9 participants, 25 interviews) and completed a daily reflective diary between interviews. Experiences of diary use were explored qualitatively during interviews and in free-text diary entries.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>All participants derived benefits from journalling about their engagements with self-harm and suicide-related online content, such as increased insight about the nature and impact of their online use. Some in turn reported positive behaviour changes. However, daily completion was burdensome and some participants reported potential costs, including increased attention to self-harm content.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Journalling about online activity should be explored as potential individual-level intervention to tackle harmful online use and reduce linked mental health morbidity, both within and outside of clinical setting. Co-designed research with lived-experience users and practitioners will be essential for maximising safety and likely success.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 200412"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143590357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Christiane E. Kehoe, Clair Bennett, Ann Harley, Alessandra Radovini, Sophie S. Havighurst
{"title":"Can an emotion-focused intervention improve emotion socialization in secondary school teachers? A group randomized control trial","authors":"Christiane E. Kehoe, Clair Bennett, Ann Harley, Alessandra Radovini, Sophie S. Havighurst","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200410","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200410","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Teachers vary in how they socialize emotions in day-to-day teaching, including during delivery of social emotional learning content. Teachers’ difficulties in managing their own emotions can impact negatively on teaching, teacher wellbeing, teacher-student relationships, as well as teachers’ capacity to be supportive with adolescents. Improving emotion socialization skills in teachers has shown benefits for primary teachers, students and the broader school community, however, there have been limited evaluations of intervention programs that aim to improve teacher emotion socialization in the secondary school setting, a critical time for students’ emotion regulation development.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>This group randomized controlled study examined outcomes, feasibility and acceptability of the <em>Tuning in to Students</em> program <em>(TIS),</em> a variant of the evidence-based <em>Tuning in to Teens®</em> parenting program, designed to enhance teacher emotional competence and supportive responses to students’ emotions.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Four secondary schools (matched pairs) were randomized to intervention or 12-month waitlist-control conditions. Teachers (<em>N =</em> 117; 68 intervention) self-reported on program acceptability post-intervention, and on wellbeing, emotional competence, and emotion socialization responses pre-intervention and 12-months later.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Participating teachers reported high acceptability and greater improvements in teacher emotional competence and reductions in emotion dismissing responses, when compared with control teachers who reported no change at 12-month follow-up.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These findings provide initial support for <em>TIS</em> as an acceptable teacher intervention for improving teacher emotion socialization, supporting its use as part of a whole school multisystemic intervention of <em>Tuning in to Teens.</em></div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 200410"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143509171","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Naw Lar Paw , Kyaw Min Htike , Rajitra Nawawonganun , Roshan Kumar Mahato
{"title":"Exploring the association of depression and post traumatic stress disorder among humanitarian aid workers along the Thai-Myanmar border","authors":"Naw Lar Paw , Kyaw Min Htike , Rajitra Nawawonganun , Roshan Kumar Mahato","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200409","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200409","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Humanitarian aid workers (HAWs) are exposed to high levels of stress, resulting in substantial risks for mental health issues such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression and PTSD among HAWs along the Thai-Myanmar border and identify factors influencing these conditions.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This cross-sectional study surveyed 424 HAWs from four Thai-Myanmar border provinces from October 2023 to September 2024, using stratified random sampling. Logistic regression was applied to analyze factors associated with depression and PTSD.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Depression was identified in 19.8 % (95 % Confidence Interval: 16.28–23.89) of participants and PTSD symptoms were observed in 26.4 % (95 % CI: 22.43–30.83) of HAWs. Depression was associated with homeownership, dysfunctional family relationships, and roles in job sectors while PTSD was linked to poor sleep, moderate family support, secondary traumatic stress and poor quality of life. High burnout, stress and depression were also significant risk factors.Workers with a lower quality of life were 3.45 times (Adjusted Odds Ratio 3.45, 95 % CI: 1.61–7.40) more likely to experience depression and 2.27 times (AOR 2.27, 95 % CI: 1.25–4.13) more likely to experience PTSD.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Nearly 20 % of humanitarian aid workers experienced depression, and over 25 % reported PTSD. Depression was linked to homeownership, family relationships and job sectors. PTSD was associated with poor sleep, moderate family support, secondary traumatic stress and low quality of life. High burnout, stress and depression were significant risks. Improving quality of life and providing mental health support are essential interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 200409"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143420226","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Vaccination and mental health: Evidence from ASEAN countries","authors":"Duc Hong Vo, Ngoc Duc Lang","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200407","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200407","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study examines whether vaccination is associated with improved mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), addressing a critical gap in the literature.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study utilizes data from the 2021 Gallup World Poll (GWP), including approximately 8,000 individuals across eight ASEAN countries, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. Mental health was assessed using the Negative Experience Index, which captures stress, anger, sadness, anxiety, and pain.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We find that vaccination is significantly associated with improved mental health for the entire ASEAN region (β = -3.828, 95 % CI: [-6.085, -1.572]). After taking endogeneity into account, this association remains significant. We find that increased opportunities to make friends in the living area is a pathway through which vaccination can improve mental health. Notably, the association between vaccination and mental health is significant among both urban (β = -3.583, 95 % CI: [-5.674, -1.492]) and rural (β = -3.275, 95 % CI: [-6.142, -0.409]) populations, as well as among females (β = -5.918, 95 % CI: [-7.380, -4.457]), but it is not significant among males (β = -1.242, 95 % CI: [-4.107, 1.624]). Furthermore, at the country's level, the association between vaccination and mental health is significant in Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand but not significant in Malaysia, Indonesia. and Vietnam. These findings are robust across various robustness checks.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>These findings underscore the role of vaccination in improving mental health amidst health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic in the ASEAN region. Implications for policymakers derived from our findings are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 200407"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143429010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rebecca Martland , Lucia Valmaggia , Vigneshwar Paleri , Alison Mulligan , Anna Hildebrand , Grace Williams , Anni Raz , Natalie Steer , Simon Riches
{"title":"Multi-session virtual reality relaxation for mental health staff: a feasibility and acceptability study","authors":"Rebecca Martland , Lucia Valmaggia , Vigneshwar Paleri , Alison Mulligan , Anna Hildebrand , Grace Williams , Anni Raz , Natalie Steer , Simon Riches","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200408","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200408","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Mental health staff may experience high levels of psychological stress, burnout, and poor wellbeing.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>This study explores the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a course of virtual reality (VR) relaxation sessions for mental health professionals, to improve their mental wellbeing.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Mental health staff were recruited to 5-weeks of VR relaxation. Recruitment numbers, completion and attendance rates were collected, and satisfaction with each session was measured. Mental wellbeing parameters were assessed following a single session, and over the course of five sessions.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>38 staff were recruited. Most participants were nurses and support workers (<em>n</em> = 22). Participants completed a mean of 3.93 ± 1.51 sessions. Mean satisfaction across all sessions was 8.26/10 ± 1.64. From baseline to 5-weeks there were improvements in subjective wellbeing, perceived stress, perceived worry, burnout, and daytime sleep dysfunction. There were improvements in wellbeing following a single session of VR.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>It is feasible and acceptable to implement VR relaxation within workplace settings for healthcare professionals. Implementation considerations are indicated such as flexible timetabling and exploring self-help models of delivery to maximise attendance.</div></div><div><h3>Implications for Practice</h3><div>The research supports the development of a large-scale trial of VR relaxation to determine its efficacy for staff wellbeing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 200408"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143377700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shu Yen Ang, Geshina Ayu Mat Saat, Olusoga Tasiru Shittu
{"title":"Prison-based psychological and social interventions to improve the well-being of women prisoners: A systematic review","authors":"Shu Yen Ang, Geshina Ayu Mat Saat, Olusoga Tasiru Shittu","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200405","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200405","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Women prisoners face numerous psychological and social challenges during imprisonment. This systematic review evaluates prison-based psychological and social interventions designed to enhance the well-being of women prisoners.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This systematic review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and searched across four databases: Scopus, Sage, Web of Science, and PubMed, covering studies from 1st January 1992 to 20th October 2024. The inclusion criteria were randomised controlled trial (RCT) or quasi experimental design research involving women prisoners over 18 in prison settings, targeting psychological or social outcomes, with pre- and post-intervention results, and published in English. The exclusion criteria were case studies, pilot studies, non-prison settings, mixed gender samples without separate women analysis, mental disorders focused research, medication-only treatments, unclear intervention details, post-intervention-only outcomes, studies on recidivism or substance relapse, grey literature, and non-English publications. The mixed methods appraisal tool (MMAT) was used to evaluate risk of bias, and a narrative synthesis was conducted due to data heterogeneity.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Out of 8233 documents, 15 studies examining psychological and social interventions were included. Behavioural methods effectively managed anger, dog-assisted interventions provided emotional support, transactional analysis and reality therapy enhanced self-esteem and self-efficacy, logotherapy boosted hope, video-based learning fostered inner peace, and Choice Theory Connections supported overall well-being among women prisoners. Effective parenting interventions incorporated parenting education, curriculum with children, and sufficient duration of programme.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The review's limitations include high attrition rates due to prison rules and regulations, non-randomised comparison studies, and reliance on self-report measures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 200405"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143346011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}