Task-shared psychological treatments play a critical role in addressing the global mental health treatment gap, yet their integration into routine care requires further study. This study evaluated the causal association between an implementation factor of a task-shared psychological treatment and participant outcomes to strengthen the implementation-to-outcome link within global mental health. This secondary analysis utilized cohort data from the Program for Improving Mental Health Care (PRIME) implemented in Sehore, India where trained non-specialist health workers delivered treatment for depression and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Propensity scores and inverse probability of treatment weights examined the impact of mental health service users’ treatment attendance on users’ symptom severity (PHQ-9 scores for depression; AUDIT scores for AUD) at 3 and 12-month follow-ups. Among the 240 patients with depression, higher treatment session attendance led to 1.3 points lower PHQ-9 scores (vs. no attendance) and 2.4 points lower PHQ-9 scores (vs. low attendance) at 3 months, with no significant effects at 12 months. Among the 190 AUD patients, treatment session attendance did not have a significant impact on AUDIT scores. Our findings have implications for enhancing treatment session attendance among those with depression within task-shared psychological treatments.

High rates of trauma exposure among patients with severe mental illness (SMI) in Botswana highlight the need for appropriate interventions. Culturally adapted interventions have been reported to be more acceptable, effective and feasible. This study aimed to culturally adapt the Brief Relaxation, Education and Trauma Healing (BREATHE), a brief psychological intervention to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among people with SMI in Botswana. The cultural adaptation process followed the steps outlined by previous research. They included a community assessment to identify needs, selecting an appropriate intervention and consultations with experts and stakeholders. Individual interviews and focus groups were conducted with patients living with SMI and mental health professionals, respectively, to inform domains of the intervention to be adapted. BREATHE was adapted to be culturally congruent to Botswana by following the ecological validity model framework and using data from the interviews. Examples of the adaptation include language that was translated to Setswana, and spoken English and the content that was revised to reflect the traumatic experiences and demographics of the Botswana population. The study underscores the utility of using evidence-based frameworks to culturally adapt interventions. The adaptation process resulted in a culturally relevant BREATHE for patients with comorbid PTSD and SMI in Botswana.

This study aims to discern similarities and differences associated with the impact of war on Ukrainian and Israeli women. We hypothesize that country affiliation significantly determines their mental health and psycho-emotional well-being. A total of 1,071 Ukrainian (N = 601) and Israeli (N = 470) women were surveyed online from September to December 2022 in Ukraine and November 2023 to March 2024 in Israel. Valid and reliable survey instruments were used to gather data about the fear of war, depression, loneliness, suicidal ideation and substance misuse. Fear of war and depression were higher among Israeli respondents. However, Ukrainian women reported more loneliness, substance use and psycho-emotional deterioration. Respondents from both countries did not show a different level of suicidal ideation. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) results show fear of war associated with country and depression; and depression linked to country and increased alcohol use, especially among Ukrainian respondents. Comparative results partially confirm the study hypothesis. The impact of the war on Ukrainian and Israeli women has similar effects; however, differences exist that may be attributed to culture and adaptation to war length. Further research, including uniform data collection and analysis, is needed to determine the impact of war on women as well as their familial and work-related responsibilities that tend to increase during such conditions.

The current study aimed to test the association between traumatic events and psycholgocial wellbeing among Palestinians, and to explore whether mattering, anti-ant-mattering, and posttraumatic growth (PTG) moderate the association between these two variables. A total of 610 Palestinian adults participated in the study, comprising 220 males and 390 females. Participants were recruited using online methods, including emails, social media, and advertisements. Results of correlational analysis revealed that traumatic events showed a negative correlation with PTG (r = −.19, p < .01), psychological well-being (r = −.22, p < .01), and mattering (r = −.17, p < .01). In contrast, traumatic events were positively associated with anti- mattering (r = .18, p < .01). Results of regression analysis showed that psychological well-being was negatively predicted by traumatic events and anti-mattering, while it was positively predicted by mattering and PTG. The current study emphasizes the importance of creating interventions that promote PTG, allowing Palestinians to transform their traumatic experiences into opportunities for personal and communal development. Additionally, enhancing self-mattering is strongly associated with psychological well-being and resilience. Encouraging Palestinians to feel valued and connected to their communities may help mitigate the negative effects of prolonged trauma, ultimately leading to better mental health outcomes.