Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVES:During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual and telephone visits rapidly replaced most in-person care within the Veterans Health Administration (VA) to reduce the virus spread. To address the emerging mental health needs of older Veterans (e.g., social isolation) in the context of chronic underlying mental health needs (e.g., trauma), we developed an 8-week virtual group treatment manual. This article describes the results from a survey of geriatric mental health clinicians who used the COVID group manual to determine its acceptability and feasibility in these settings. METHODS:Clinicians across three VA integrated care settings (home-based primary care, community living centers, and geriatric primary care) were surveyed about their experiences implementing this treatment (n = 21). RESULTS:Clinicians found this intervention to be effective with their patients and useful and adaptable beyond the early pandemic period. CONCLUSIONS:This group teletherapy intervention was feasible and acceptable when treating Veterans in integrated geriatric healthcare settings. Despite technical challenges experienced by older Veterans, clinicians found this manual to be effective in addressing COVID-related worry and social isolation. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS:This rapid response manual has remained clinically useful in geriatric mental health care settings beyond the initial weeks of the pandemic.

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:smartphone expertise relative to variants of anxiety (e.g., trait, social, tech-related). METHODS:), was used to evaluate older adults' knowledge of a range of smartphone functions. Self-report measures of anxiety symptoms and perceived digital proficiency were also administered. RESULTS:STOA scores were relatively low (x = 8.26, s.d. = 5.65) and showed negative relations with tech-anxiety and in-vivo frustration, but not social or trait anxiety. A hierarchical regression model indicated that tech-related anxiety and in-vivo frustration contributed significantly to STOA scores, above and beyond established predictors such as education. CONCLUSIONS:Tech-anxiety and frustration while learning new smartphone functions may characterize the next cohort of older adults who have not effectively mastered the use of smartphones. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS:Anxiety management skills derived from cognitive behavior therapy and other self-regulation tools could help those who experience tech-anxiety or frustration during smartphone training, facilitating the development of expertise.

The purpose of this study was to test the association between arousal in response to psychological stress, as measured by standardized maximum decrease in high-frequency heart rate variability (HF HRV) during a stressful laboratory task, and current suicide ideation (SI). 81 emerging adult college students completed a stressful laboratory task consisting of the computerized Stroop and Cyberball while having their heart activity recorded. Spectral analysis and Fast Fourier transformations were used to decompose and transform the recording into the high (0.15 Hz-0.4 Hz) frequency component. After the task, participants completed the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation to measure current SI, the Beck Depression Inventory-II to assess depressive symptom severity, and a brief medical history. Multivariate negative binomial regression analysis showed that the negative association between SI and arousal in response to psychological stress remained statistically significant when suicide attempt history, depressive symptom severity, female gender, and current smoking behavior were controlled. Identification of potential biomarkers for SI is important for suicide behavior prevention given limits to self-report SI assessment. Our results suggest arousal in response to psychological stress merits further consideration as a biomarker for current SI.