Research suggests that racial/ethnic minoritized individuals have elevated risk for experiencing trauma and developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but are less likely to utilize mental health treatment compared to their non-Hispanic White counterparts. However, possessing health insurance may mitigate these disparities. We investigated this issue using a subsample of data obtained from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (N = 2,339), to estimate the likelihood of utilizing PTSD-specific and general mental health treatment among a racially/ethnically diverse sample of individuals diagnosed with PTSD. Insurance status was included as a moderating factor. Across racial/ethnic groups, insured individuals had more than twice the odds of utilizing PTSD-specific and general treatment than those without insurance. Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander participants were significantly less likely to utilize PTSD-specific and general mental health treatment regardless of insurance status. These findings can inform targeted public health interventions to address mental health care disparities.

The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Child Version (OCI-CV), which was developed to assess OCD symptoms in children and adolescents, was recently revised (OCI-CV-R) after hoarding was removed as an OCD symptom dimension in the DSM-5. The study aimed to examine the validity of the OCI-CV-R for assessing OCD symptoms in Turkish culture. A total of 1,062 youths, aged 9 to 18 years, participated in this study to assess the OCI-CV-R's psychometric properties in the Turkish culture. Analysis included factor analyses and assessments of validity and reliability. Results demonstrated that the Turkish version of the OCI-CV-R had good model fit values for the five-factor structure of the scale. The revised scale also revealed measurement invariance between two age groups: children (ages 9-11) and adolescents (ages 12-18). The findings indicate that the OCI-CV-R is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing OCD symptoms among Turkish-speaking populations and thus can replace the previous version.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of the most popular health-related topics on TikTok but is often misrepresented. This study analyzed the accuracy (i.e., accurate, overgeneralizing, or inaccurate), reach (i.e., views, likes, comments, and shares), and content quality (i.e., understandability and actionability) of 117 informational TikTok videos about OCD. Content creator type (health care professionals [HCPs], individuals with lived experiences, and others) was determined. Of the 117 analyzed videos, 64 (54.7%) were accurate, 31 (26.5%) overgeneralizing, and 22 (18.8%) inaccurate. HCP-created videos were significantly more accurate (82.1% accurate) than non-HCP-created ones (individuals with lived experiences: 63.6% accurate; others: 35.7%). Reach metrics did not vary significantly across accuracy levels and creator types. Videos analyzed were moderately understandable, and accurate videos were significantly more understandable. However, actionability was low overall. Results suggest that misinformation about OCD on TikTok is common and is being disseminated almost as widely as accurate information. Clinical implications are discussed.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) combined with exposure and response prevention (ERP) is an effective treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Due to the influence of sociocultural factors on OCD symptomatology, it is crucial to customize and assess ACT within diverse cultural settings. We present an online group protocol for ACT-ERP, tailored for Brazilian adults with OCD, based on a prior pilot study and the work of Twohig and colleagues. The protocol adaptations for online use in a group format included technical arrangements, adjusted session frequency, and cultural adaptations with appropriate translations. These modifications addressed cultural analogies and socioeconomic challenges, enhancing accessibility and relevance for Brazilians. Adapting this intervention to the Brazilian context aims to optimize OCD treatment, offering a culturally sensitive approach for Brazilian patients.

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) Data Summary & Trends Report for 2011-2021 released in February 2023 showed higher rates among female high school students relative to their male peers in endorsements of experiencing poor mental health. This review provides a developmental orientation to promote a biopsychosocial conceptualization of these recent national findings. Young women have higher rates of depressed mood, suicidal ideation, and suicidal plans relative to men, and this gender discrepancy is widening. Higher rates of endorsed school and electronic bullying, social media use, substance use, sexual victimization, and school safety concerns among young women are considered in relation to their sex-specific impact. Recommendations for clinicians are offered to improve the awareness of these important factors and to guide tailored interventions.

Cultural competence is crucial for achieving health equity in mental health care, as systemic barriers and sociocultural factors significantly impact access, diagnosis, and treatment. This paper examines cultural competence and related concepts, including cultural humility, cultural safety, and structural competence, while addressing critiques and misconceptions. We examine its applications at micro, meso, and macro levels, emphasizing its role in diverse clinical settings. In mental health assessment, frameworks like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision's (DSM-5-TR) Outline for Cultural Formulation and the Contextual Formulation highlight the importance of understanding patients' cultural identities and values. In psychotherapy, cultural adaptations, including mindfulness-based interventions such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), can enhance effectiveness. At the systemic level, we advocate for inclusive organizational practices, ongoing training, and policies that address structural inequities. Integrating cultural competence into mental health care enables clinicians and institutions to better serve diverse populations.

Adolescents admitted as acute inpatients are a particularly vulnerable psychosocial population. This study aimed to examine their level of personality functioning in an acute psychiatric treatment setting.

This review focuses on chronic pediatric skin conditions-vitiligo, psoriasis, alopecia, and eczema-and their profound psychosocial impact on children and adolescents. Currently, a comprehensive comparative analysis across these conditions is absent, and comparisons between diverse psychosocial measures are lacking. This review aims to bridge that gap through a systematic review analyzing studies from PubMed and Embase up to April 2023 according to PRISMA. The findings emphasize that psoriasis and vitiligo significantly diminish the quality of life (QoL) of young individuals, heightening their risk for concurrent mental health issues. Eczema also reduces QoL, while alopecia increases vulnerability to anxiety and depression. Severity of psoriasis, vitiligo, and eczema correlates with worsened QoL, but longer disease duration leads to better physical functioning. Effective interventions identified include UVB light treatment and virtual support groups, notably improving vitiligo patients' QoL, while psychologist consultations enhance self-image and psychological well-being in those with psoriasis and eczema.

Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is the first-line treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While previous literature supports the effectiveness of higher levels of specialized ERP-based care for OCD (i.e., partial hospital, residential), little is known about how outcomes for these levels of care compare to each other, or who is accessing different levels of specialized care. The present study compared treatment outcomes and baseline demographic, clinical, and prior treatment characteristics between adults with OCD or a related disorder accessing a virtual partial hospital program (VPHP; n = 63) or a residential (n = 128) program. Analyses revealed no significant clinical differences between the programs at either baseline or across treatment. Programs significantly differed on whether patients had children or not. Findings suggest that both VPHP and residential treatment for OCD are effective forms of care, and future research should consider how demographic factors may influence treatment access and preferences.

Greater therapist experience is not necessarily associated with superior treatment outcomes, but some data suggest that experience with a specific disorder or treatment protocol is helpful. This study conducted a secondary analysis of one such finding, in which therapists with previous experience treating trichotillomania (TTM) achieved better outcomes than did TTM-novice therapists in a randomized controlled trial of the Comprehensive Behavioral (ComB) model. Sixty session recordings from this trial were randomly selected for coding on rationally-selected dimensions of therapist competence, of which seven proved sufficiently reliable for between-groups analysis. Sessions conducted by experienced therapists were superior in management of session time and most indicators tapping complex ComB-specific skills, whereas they were inferior to novice therapists on addressing patient nonadherence. Discussion focused on possible explanations for these results and proposed testing a sequence in which TTM therapists could begin with less complex interventions and implement ComB only after developing improved expertise.

Behavioral health research is guided by ethical principles that seek to improve the well-being of individuals and communities. Traditional research approaches, however, may fall short when they fail to account for the sociocultural and structural contexts shaping mental health outcomes, particularly for historically underserved populations. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) offers a promising framework for addressing these gaps by fostering equitable academic-community partnerships, co-developing research questions, and emphasizing shared ownership of findings. This commentary presents an overview of CBPR and its associated benefits and challenges, and illustrates the application of CBPR in the Standing Up for Mental Health study, a targeted, cross-age peer mentoring intervention designed to support racially and ethnically minoritized youth. Our experience demonstrates how CBPR enhances cultural responsiveness, ecological validity, and translational potential, aligning research processes with the goal of advancing health equity.

The Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) program addresses the growing mental health crisis among children and adolescents by providing accessible, school-based telehealth services. With over 18 million youth in t he U.S. experiencing mental health issues, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, TCHATT offers free, short-term therapy, medication management, and case management to students in Texas public schools. The program serves a diverse population, with 53% Hispanic, 28% non-Hispanic White, 12% Black, and 5% Asian students, reflecting the state's demographics. Strengths include universal access, reduced school absences, and educational outreach to school staff and families. However, challenges remain, such as ensuring culturally responsive care, recruiting a diverse workforce, and addressing broadband access disparities in rural areas. TCHATT exemplifies a scalable program for increasing mental health access, particularly for underserved populations, while highlighting the need for systemic investments in telehealth infrastructure and workforce diversity.

This study assessed the validity and reliability of the Youth and Parent Forms of the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) in the Turkish population. The patient group comprised 298 young patients aged 8 to 18 with any anxiety disorder, while 107 healthy young people formed the control group. Participants completed assessments, including the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Disorders and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), alongside the WSAS, while parents also completed the PedsQL and the WSAS. After 2 weeks, 100 individuals from the patient group were reevaluated for test-retest reliability. Results showed satisfactory validity and reliability, supported by statistical analyses, including Rasch analysis and Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The WSAS demonstrated validity across all evaluations and reliable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: parent form = .755, youth form = .750), test-retest reliability (correlation coefficients: parent form = 0.934, youth form = 0.937). Overall, the WSAS proved valid and reliable in the Turkish language.

The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire - Short Form (FFMQ-15) measures the tendency to be mindful and is proposed as an alternative to the original 39-item version. This study examines the psychometric properties of the FFMQ-15 in a clinical sample to provide further support for a short-form version.

Since borderline personality disorder was identified as a distinct psychiatric syndrome in the 1970s, it has been recognized as a disorder marked by disturbance in interpersonal functioning. Understanding the borderline patient's characteristic modes of relating to self and others is therefore of significant theoretical and clinical importance. This article seeks to examine multiple facets of borderline personality disorder believed to contribute to interpersonal dysfunction, including: common communication patterns observed in borderline patients, such as double-bind communication; the primitive or paleologic thinking that results in misperception of benign interpersonal phenomena; and the destabilizing effect of a persistent pattern of stimulation and frustration (idealization and devaluation) on human relationships. This discussion of communication dilemmas and paradoxes is believed to represent a novel contribution to the literature on borderline psychopathology. It is argued that a broader recognition of these psychodynamic processes will yield improvement in psychotherapeutic models and treatment of this severe and disabling disorder.

This study examined discrepancies between child and parent reports of pediatric anxiety, depression, and anger, as well as how parental anxiety differentially influenced these reports across clinical manifestations. Participants were recruited from clinical centers in Brazil specializing in anxiety disorders, comprising 47 children aged 7 to 17 years and their parents. Parent-child agreement was moderate to high for anxiety and depression symptoms but nonsignificant for anger. Parental anxiety was significantly associated with child anxiety and depression in parent-reported measures, while child-reported measures showed significant associations only between parental anxiety and child anxiety. Multivariate analyses identified parental anxiety as a significant predictor for child anxiety but not for child depression. These findings emphasize the influence of parental anxiety on parental perceptions of pediatric anxiety, highlighting the need to account for this potential bias in clinical assessments and treatment planning.

Social support is widely beneficial for individuals suffering from mental health disorders. Preliminary work suggests that it is influential in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but no studies have investigated the importance of social support as it relates to readiness to change (RTC, a relevant variable in treatment-seeking populations. The present study aimed to investigate this relationship as well as broadly characterize support-seeking experiences in those with OCD. Results indicated that, on average, participants with OCD have positive experiences of sharing their symptoms, that others tend to react well to such sharing, and sharing tends to positively affect one's relationship to their diagnosis. We further found that subjective experience of sharing symptoms and internalized stigma moderately predicts RTC. This study suggests nonprofessional social support may be a practical and impactful adjunct to OCD treatment by influencing motivation to change, though future work is needed to validate this pilot study.

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a cognitive factor linked to various mental health disorders, especially anxiety, in children and adolescents. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Intolerance of Uncertainty Index-A for Children (IUI-A-C) into Turkish. A sample of 552 participants aged 10 to 19 years (M = 13.84, SD = 2.29) completed the Turkish version of the IUI-A-C and measures of anxiety. The study assessed confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency reliability, criterion validity, item discrimination, and test-retest reliability. The adapted scale showed good psychometric properties, with confirmatory factor analysis indicating a good fit to the data. Internal consistency reliability was adequate (Cronbach's α = .73), and criterion validity was supported by a moderate positive correlation with anxiety measures. Item discrimination analysis demonstrated the scale's ability to differentiate between high and low levels of IU, and test-retest reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient = .92). Thus, the Turkish IUI-A-C is a valid and reliable tool for assessing IU in children and adolescents.

The term "phubbing" is a combination of the words "phone" and "snubbing" and is explained as preferring the virtual environment to real communication by engaging with a smartphone during social interaction. Our study included 191 children aged 3-6 attending preschool education. The parents of the children were contacted via an online survey to provide information about their sociodemographic, general phubbing, digital game addiction tendencies, and social skills scale scores. The results showed a positive correlation between parental phubbing level and children's digital game addiction tendencies. Furthermore, the regression analysis revealed that parental phubbing was an increasing factor in children's tendency toward digital game addiction and a decreasing factor in children's social skill levels. In addition, we found that children's social skills may play a mediating role in the relationship between parental phubbing level and digital game addiction tendencies. Understanding the effects of parents' phubbing behaviors on children can help raise awareness and take measures to improve parent-child relationships.

Medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) address social determinants of health by integrating legal services into health care settings. This study examines associations between health-harming legal needs (HHLNs) and mental health quality among family medicine clinic patients screened for MLP referral. A retrospective cohort of 475 patients completed an HHLN screening instrument, including a measure of mentally unhealthy days (MUDs). Zero-inflated negative binomial models assessed associations between HHLNs and MUDs, adjusting for demographics. Patients with any HHLN had 65% lower odds of reporting zero MUDs. Worrying about housing instability was the strongest independent predictor of increased MUDs, associated with a 56% increase. Black race was associated with greater odds of reporting zero MUDs. Housing concerns are a key driver of mental health quality, highlighting the need for targeted legal interventions. Integrating MLP screening into primary care may help identify and address legal issues impacting patient mental health.