ABSTRACT Adolescent mothers experience high levels of psychological distress due to social disadvantage, adversities, and limited supports. These issues were exasperated by the requirement of pandemic stay-at-home orders and the closing of in-person programs and services. Given the risks associated with adolescent mothering and the impact on their children’s developmental functioning, it is imperative that intervention programs are implemented to support these young mothers. There is a dearth of research that explores the feasibility of using online programming with adolescent mothers. This article describes our experiences delivering an arts-based mindfulness program online to adolescent mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several challenges were encountered with respect to engagement and facilitation including high attrition rates and numerous disruptions during programming. Although the participants were motivated and interested in the program, they experienced numerous barriers to attendance and participation. Challenges with respect to technology, parenting, and family life significantly impacted the feasibility of online delivery. Future studies could attempt to address the social inequalities experienced by adolescent mothers to improve engagement and the effectiveness of online programs.

Exploring the Feasibility and Acceptability of an Online Arts-Based Mindfulness Program for Adolescent Mothers

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2022.100599

Development and usage of a health recommendation web tool (HeaRT) designed to inform women of personalized preventive health recommendations

The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of group Compassion-Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and group Schema Therapy on depression, stress, psychological well-being, and resiliency in female intimate partner violence (IPV) victims in Iran. For this purpose, a sample of 60 women who reported ongoing experiences of IPV were selected. Out of these 60 women, 20 were randomly assigned to the ACT treatment group, 20 to the Schema Therapy group, and 20 to the no-treatment control group. Five participants withdrew from each group. For both the ACT and Schema groups, depression and stress decreased, and overall well-being and resiliency scores significantly increased between pre-test and post-test, and there was not a significant difference in depression levels between post-test and the follow-up for either group. For the control group, depression and resiliency scores did not significantly change between pre-test and post-test or between the post-test and follow-up. Stress scores significantly decreased between pre-test and post-test, but stress scores significantly increased between the post-test and the follow-up. Well-being scores significantly increased between pre-test and post-test and did not significantly change between post-test and follow-up. One-way analyses of variance examining change scores of depression, stress, overall well-being, and resiliency between the pre-test and the follow-up found that the ACT and Schema group's depression and stress levels lowered, and resiliency levels increased significantly more than the control group. There was no significant difference in depression and resiliency change score for the ACT and Schema group. The ACT group's overall well-being increased significantly more than the control group.

Effectiveness of Compassion-Based Acceptance Therapy and Schema Therapy on Intimate Partner Violence Victims' Psychological Health.

Both media and academic reports have highlighted COVID-19's negative impacts on mental health and safety in the United States, yet care and service gaps persist. Evidence suggests that a default to in-person service delivery did not meet clients' needs before the pandemic, and that unmet needs have ballooned since COVID-19 spread throughout the United States due to a combination of increased stress, social isolation, and fewer available services during lockdowns. This article reviews literature on online interventions' utility and effectiveness in preventing and treating problems likely exacerbated under pandemic conditions, including mental health conditions, anger, couple dynamics, parenting, and alcohol misuse. The article also describes barriers to evidence-based e-interventions' wider and more consistent use, highlights some vulnerable populations' unique service needs, outlines service gaps that online programs might effectively mitigate, and offers a path by which social workers can lead an interdisciplinary charge in researching, developing, and implementing e-interventions during the current pandemic and beyond.

Chelsea M Spencer

Papers

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Can and Must Expand Social Worker e-Interventions for Mental Health, Family Wellness, and Beyond.