Quality Improvement Project: Social Supports Screening of the Adolescent Population in the Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital
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Authors
Tristant, Amelie
Issue Date
2024-04-30
Type
Manuscript
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Presentation
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Keywords
adolescent , mental health , intervention , education , social support
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Abstract
Background: Adolescent mental health is a pressing public health concern, with social support playing a crucial role in preventing psychiatric hospitalization. Existing literature emphasizes the importance of assessing social support to enhance coping mechanisms and resilience in adolescents. Problem Statement: Currently there is a lack of standardized screening tools to assess adolescents' support systems within psychiatric settings. This hinders healthcare providers' ability to identify social support deficits and tailor interventions to improve patient outcomes. Rationale: Implementing a social support screening tool can address this problem by enabling healthcare providers to systematically assess adolescents' support networks, correlate these with mental health status, and identify areas for intervention. Participants: The study involved adolescent patients aged 12 and above admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit at a large Midwestern hospital. Methods: Data collection utilized the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), alongside demographic information including age, ethnicity, and gender identity. Findings: Over six weeks, 56 MSPSS tools were completed, revealing trends including white females reporting the least social support and transgender individuals exhibiting low to medium levels. Most patients were female, with family-related questions scoring lowest. Conclusion: The project underscores the relationship between social support and adolescent psychiatric hospitalization. Recommendations include incorporating family therapy and emotional expression education during hospitalization. Implications: Implementing standardized social support screening tools can enhance healthcare providers' ability to identify and address social support deficits in psychiatric settings, ultimately improving patient outcomes and well-being. Continued research and practice refinement are crucial to further refine interventions for this population.
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Publisher
Creighton University
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Copyright is retained by the Author. A non-exclusive distribution right is granted to Creighton University