Suchergebnisse

Generalized social trust is correlated with increased levels of civic engagement, lower crime rates, and greater economic growth. Many scholars believe that equality provides the conditions in which social trust can flourish. Thus, welfare programs might be one way to generate social trust. However, the relationship between social spending and trust is contested: Some argue it is negative, while others argue it is positive. This study examined the effects of total social welfare expenditures on social trust in 18 OECD countries, holding constant individual characteristics, country characteristics, and country and year effects. Fixed effects analyses indicate that every additional percent of gross domestic product spent on social expenditures 5 years prior is associated with a 4.7 percent increased likelihood that respondents of that country will endorse trusting other people. Further testing for reverse causality found no significant association between trust and later social expenditures, supporting the claim that expenditures drive trust instead of the reverse.

The Community-Family Integration Teams (C-FIT) diversion program was developed to address behavioral and mental health treatment for justice-involved adolescents. The C-FIT pilot study, implemented in Jordan, aimed to (1) evaluate intervention fidelity and (2) assess intervention effectiveness. Adolescent males ( n = 19) and their families participated in the C-FIT study. Pre and post data were collected through interviews and standardized instruments. The mean fidelity score was 31.4 out of 46 (68%), indicating reasonable fidelity. Data suggest declining levels of internalizing problems. The C-FIT program holds promise for improving adolescent mental health outcomes and decreasing recidivism youths who are at risk of detention center placement.

Adolescent girls who become pregnant outside of marriage in the Middle East experience increased stigma, risk of social exclusion, and family violence. This study examined whether community-based foster care has the potential to reduce the stigma attached to pregnant girls placed in protective institutional care within an Arab context. Using data from a public survey of adults in Jordan, this study found that stigma was significantly lower when the pregnant girl was described as placed in foster care rather than institutional care. Findings indicate that foster care models may have the potential to lessen the stigma attached to these girls.

Stigma toward families with members managing mental health problems remains underresearched in Latino communities. Using community-based surveys on mental health stigma and help-seeking attitudes, this study examined the associations between family-level stigma and participant sociodemographic characteristics. Only education level and spirituality significantly predicted family-level stigma. Individuals with higher education levels exhibited lower stigma scores. High spirituality levels were associated with minimal increases in stigma. The study underscores the influence of education on family-level stigma among Latino individuals. Given the importance of family in Latino culture, reshaping community narratives around mental health to support affected families can promote inclusivity and support, reducing stigmatization.

The Center for Mental Health Research and Innovation in Treatment Engagement and Service (MH-RITES Center) at the Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston is an international multidisciplinary research center focused on improving treatment engagement and outcomes for those experiencing mental health concerns. Established in 2017, the mission of the MH-RITES Center is to drive empirically supported and evidence-based innovation that achieves optimal treatment access and engagement in mental health services by individuals and families who need them, specifically in historically marginalized communities. This article describes the history and guiding principles, organizational structure, funding sources, and physical resources of the MH-RITES Center while highlighting completed, ongoing, and future projects supporting the Center's mission.

Aim: All too often, efficacious psychosocial evidence-based interventions fail when adapted from one culture to another. International translation requires a deep understanding of the local culture, nuanced differences within a culture, established service practices, and knowledge of obstacles and promoters to treatment implementation. This research investigated the following objectives to better facilitate cultural adaptation and translation of psychosocial and mental health treatments in Arab countries: (1) identify barriers or obstacles; (2) identify promoting strategies; and (3) provide clinical and research recommendations. Methods: This systematic review of 22 psychosocial or mental health studies in Middle East Arab countries identified more barriers (68%) than promoters (32%) to effective translation and adaptation of empirically supported psychosocial interventions. Results: Identified barriers include obstacles related to acceptability of the intervention within the cultural context, community and system difficulties, and problems with clinical engagement processes. Whereas identified promoter strategies centre on the importance of partnering and working within the local and cultural context, the need to engage with acceptable and traditional intervention characteristics, and the development of culturally appropriate treatment strategies and techniques. Conclusions: Although Arab cultures across the Middle East are unique, this article provides a series of core clinical and research recommendations to assist effective treatment adaptation and translation within Arab communities in the Middle East.