ABSTRACT

Caregivers involved in the child welfare system are at heightened risk for depression, which has innumerable, deleterious effects upon the family. Screening and active outreach can facilitate identification and service use, yet there are considerable obstacles to detection and help-seeking. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a peer-delivered detection and active outreach program upon depression and engagement in mental health services. Twenty-four caregivers participated in this four-session intervention (Mage? = ?32.5?±?7.46 years). Caregivers evidenced significant reductions in depressive from baseline to posttest and from baseline to follow-up; scores moved from clinically significant levels of depressive symptoms (M = 26.33) to the subclinical range (M = 14.4 at follow-up). A notable increase in treatment engagement over time, as well as the stability of caregivers involved in treatment was detected. Finally, the number of perceived barriers to help seeking were similar among caregivers who were engaged versus not engaged in services. The findings suggest that the active components of the intervention, when delivered by a peer, can effectively reduce depressive symptoms among high-risk caregivers.

摘要

参与儿童福利系统的照顾者患抑郁症的风险更高，这对家庭产生了无数的有害影响。筛查和主动外展可以促进识别和服务使用，但在发现和寻求帮助方面存在相当大的障碍。本研究的目的是检查同伴提供的检测和积极外展计划对抑郁症和参与心理健康服务的影响。24 名护理人员参与了这项为期四次的干预（Mage? = ?32.5?±?7.46 岁）。照料者证明了从基线到后测以及从基线到随访的抑郁显着减少；评分从临床显着的抑郁症状水平（M = 26.33）转移到亚临床范围（M = 14.4 随访）。随着时间的推移，治疗参与度显着增加，参与治疗的护理人员的稳定性也被检测到。最后，参与和不参与服务的看护人在寻求帮助方面的感知障碍数量相似。研究结果表明，当由同伴提供干预措施的积极成分时，可以有效减少高危护理人员的抑郁症状。