No abstract

This study examined outcome measures of a home-visitation program that provided services to first-born children and their parents. Home-visitation workers conducted pretest-posttest assessments for prenatal and postpartum periods for 109 families. Families were assessed using the Revised North Carolina Family Assessment Scale. Paired sample t tests were used to assess effect. Ordinary least squares regression measured effect of increased home-visitation services on family well-being. In this study, program participants displayed significantly higher posttest scores on social support, caregiver characteristics, family interaction measures, and a reduction in personal problems affecting parenting. Improved scores were significantly related to increased numbers of home-visitation services. The results are promising as participants were observed to make positive improvements in family resiliency.

The conspicuous absence of validated screening measures specific to mental health symptomology in collegiate athletes has negatively affected clinical practice in this population. Therefore, this study was performed to develop a sport specific measure to optimally identify collegiate athletes who are particularly likely to benefit from mental health programming. Participants were 289 collegiate-athletes who were assessed for mental health symptomology using the Global Severity Index of Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (GSI), factors that interfere with sport performance using the Problems in Sport Competition Scale (PSCS) and Problems in Sport Training Scale (PSTS), and motivation to pursue professional counseling using the Desire to Pursue Sport Psychology Scale (DSPS). As hypothesized, a hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that PSCS, PSTS and DSPS scores significantly predicted GSI scores, controlling gender and sport status (NCAA, club, intramural). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that high-risk athletes (GSI T-scores ≥ 60) could be correctly classified by PSTS and PSCS scores. Results suggest the PSCS and PSTS may assist identification of collegiate athletes who are especially appropriate for mental health programs. These scales additionally identify factors directly relevant to athletes’ sport performance.