Cultural Bereavement and Resilience in Refugee Resettlement: A Photovoice Study With Yazidi Women in the Midwest United States.

This study explored how ethnic Yazidi refugee women overcome adversity to promote psychosocial health and well-being within the context of U.S. resettlement. Nine Yazidi women participated in two small photovoice groups, each group lasting eight sessions (16 sessions total). Women discussed premigration and resettlement challenges, cultural strengths and resources, and strategies to overcome adversity. Yazidi women identified trauma and perceived loss of culture as primary stressors. Participants' resilience processes included using naan (as sustenance and symbol) to survive and thrive as well as by preserving an ethnoreligious identity. Findings suggest that women's health priorities and resilience-promoting strategies center on fostering a collective cultural, religious, and ethnic identity postmigration. Importantly, women used naan (bread) as a metaphor to index cultural values, experiences of distress, and coping strategies. We discuss implications for this in promoting refugees' mental and psychosocial health in U.S. resettlement.

Improving Breastfeeding Environments and Feeding Practices in Family Child Care Homes with the Go NAP SACC Program.

PURPOSE: Breastfeeding and responsive feeding are important practices that support the health of infants and women. In the United States, breastfeeding continuation rates remain lower than recommended, and working women face additional challenges with breastfeeding continuation. Providers in a family child care setting are uniquely positioned to support and provide important resources to families in their breastfeeding and infant feeding practices. METHODS: The Go NAP SACC program was designed to improve the nutrition and physical activity environments and practices in child care settings serving infants and young children. This evaluation focuses on Breastfeeding and Infant Feeding in Nebraska Family Child Care Homes (FCCH). ASSESSMENT: Paired-sample t-tests were used to examine differences in pre-post evaluation scores. A repeated measure ANCOVA was used to examine differences between rural-urban settings. Nebraska FCCH met recommendations at pre-test, and exceeded recommendations at post-test (p < .05). Rural and urban FCCH performed equally well in 18 of 22 items, indicating little difference in the ability to provide supportive environments and adhere to best practices in both settings. Improvement in family engagement items were significant at the p < .001 level. Family engagement in FCCH is an important area for intervention that was well-received by provider participants. CONCLUSION: This evaluation shows that the Go NAP SACC program improves breastfeeding and infant feeding environments and practices in rural and urban FCCH. Interventions should continue to focus on basic and practical education and professional development for FCCH providers, with emphasis on intentional family engagement and support.

Collaborative Care at a Distance: Student Therapists' Experiences of Learning and Delivering Relationally Focused Telemental Health.

There is mounting evidence that telemental health is an effective delivery method for treating a variety of mental, emotional, behavioral, and relational health problems. While many of the therapeutic skills leading to the effectiveness of face-to-face treatments are transferable, the effectiveness of telemental health requires unique skills. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine the experience of learning how to use videoconferencing to deliver relationally focused mental health care. Participants included 10 graduates of a COAMFTE-accredited master's degree program emphasizing training in telemental health. Each student had practicum placements that required videoconferencing to deliver relationally based psychotherapy. Analysis of interview data revealed (a) personal reservations about distance delivery; (b) the importance of scaffolding student learning through curriculum, supervision, and mental health-care delivery protocols; (c) the technological barriers associated with this delivery method; and (d) overcoming technological barriers through intentionality.