Rona Miles | Brooklyn College of CUNY (original) (raw)

Papers by Rona Miles

Methods in psychology, Dec 1, 2022

Psychiatry Research-neuroimaging, Jun 1, 2021

Despite increasing rates of mental health disorders among college students, there are a limited n... more Despite increasing rates of mental health disorders among college students, there are a limited number of validated mental health literacy measures that can be quickly administered and scored in this population. We developed a 54-item multiple-choice measure, consisting of three forms with 18 items on each form. Our items focus on knowledge of more than 20 mental health disorders including their etiology, risk factors, diagnoses, symptoms, treatment, course, and outcome, as well as the application of this knowledge to real world situations. Data were collected on three independent samples of undergraduate students enrolled at an urban public university system in the northeast United States: pilot (n=292), test refinement (n=1,272), and validation (n=683). Basic demographics for the combined test refinement and validation samples were: age=22 ± 4.9 years; 62.2% female; 71.7% non-White. We report on the development of the Mental Health Literacy Assessment-college (MHLA-c) and provide support for its reliability and validity. We also provide descriptive statistics, stratified by gender, college major, and personal experience with a mental health issue to enable its use in diverse settings. The MHLA-c may be useful in measuring knowledge of mental health disorders and related topics among college students. Moreover, the availability of parallel forms will facilitate its use within educational or interventional studies that employ pre-post testing designs.

Journal of Affective Disorders, Oct 1, 2019

Background: Recent years have seen a steady increase in college students reporting mental health ... more Background: Recent years have seen a steady increase in college students reporting mental health issues, though only approximately one-third of these students seek treatment. The present study examines: a) students' perceptions of access to campus provided mental health care; b)

Journal of prevention and health promotion, 2023

Research indicates that mental health literacy (MHL) can promote adaptive health behaviors and re... more Research indicates that mental health literacy (MHL) can promote adaptive health behaviors and reduce stigma toward mental health problems. However, few studies have examined MHL among sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals, a population that is disproportionately affected by negative mental health outcomes due to experiences with minority stress. This study aimed to fill this gap in the literature by investigating the association between MHL and SGM identity in a sample of demographically diverse college students in New York City. In addition to using a comprehensive measure of MHL, we recorded participants’ self-reported history of a psychological disorder. Results indicated that SGM identity was associated with higher MHL than non-SGM identity over and above other sociodemographic characteristics. This association was fully driven by participants’ self-reported history of a psychological disorder, which was more frequently reported by SGM participants as compared to non-SGM participants. These findings suggest that SGM college students may have higher MHL than non-SGM college students due to their relatively greater likelihood of having personally experienced a psychological disorder. Early MHL intervention with SGM individuals may be warranted to increase MHL prior to a potential onset of psychopathology, with the larger goal of facilitating more positive mental health outcomes. Implications for interventions in school-based settings and future research initiatives are also discussed.

Review of Religious Research

Studies investigating disaffiliation from Orthodox Judaism typically utilize samples composed of ... more Studies investigating disaffiliation from Orthodox Judaism typically utilize samples composed of disaffiliated individuals, without a comparison group of affiliated individuals for reference. This research investigation measured 21 social, psychological, and intellectual experiences in disaffiliated and affiliated Orthodox Jewish individuals primarily in the United States to determine which factors were predictive of disaffiliation, a type of religious change. Experiences were measured with Yes/No questions and a Likert rating scale to indicate the extent to which respondents believed each factor contributed to their disaffiliation. Participants were 730 individuals who grew up practicing Orthodox Judaism and had either stopped or continued practicing (disaffiliated N = 387; affiliated N = 343). Based on regression analysis, factors predictive of disaffiliation were: (1) emotional abuse, (2) feelings that Orthodoxy is restrictive, (3) diagnosis of/treatment for a psychological disor...

Journal of Prevention and Health Promotion

Religions, Mar 13, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

BMC Psychiatry, Nov 16, 2022

Background: Mental Health Literacy (MHL) has become a focus of research in recent decades, as a p... more Background: Mental Health Literacy (MHL) has become a focus of research in recent decades, as a prerequisite for early identification and intervention for mental health problems. Although several instruments have been developed for assessing MHL, there is a need for brief and psychometrically sound measures to capture important aspects of MHL in large and diverse adult samples. The present study aimed to: (1) provide a revised and shorter version of a previously validated questionnaire for assessing MHL; and (2) examine the psychometric properties of the MHLq-SVa in student samples from six different countries (China, India, Indonesia, Portugal, Thailand, and United States). Methods: The study involved 2180 senior school and undergraduate students, aged between 17 and 25 years old, from China, India, Indonesia, Portugal, Thailand, and the United States. Participants responded to the Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire for young adults (MHLq-ya), in their native language, following its translation and adaptation for each culture. The MHLq-ya comprises 29 items, organized into four dimensions: Knowledge of mental health problems; Erroneous beliefs/stereotypes; First-aid skills and help-seeking behavior; Self-help strategies. Confirmatory factor analyses and internal consistency analyses were performed on the combined data. Results: Data from the different countries supported a shorter version of the questionnaire (MHLq-SVa), composed of 16 items that fit with previously defined dimensions. Internal consistency and between-factor correlations further supported the adequacy of the instrument's psychometric properties. Conclusion: The study provided preliminary support for the construct validity and reliability of the MHLq-SVa as a measure for assessing MHL in young adults from six different countries and languages. Future studies are needed to further validate the measure and undertake multicultural comparisons of MHL in diverse samples from around the globe.

Additional file 1. The items in Additional file 1 are multiple-choice questions that are similar ... more Additional file 1. The items in Additional file 1 are multiple-choice questions that are similar in content and structure to items on the MHLA-c.

BMC Public Health, 2020

Background Investigating variables associated with mental health literacy in the college-age popu... more Background Investigating variables associated with mental health literacy in the college-age population takes us one step closer to providing intervention for this vulnerable group, where growing rates of psychological disorders are a serious public concern. This study adds to the existing literature by incorporating, within a single model, multi-faceted variables (demographic, psychological, and academic) that contribute to mental health literacy in demographically and ethnically diverse college students. Methods Participants were undergraduate students enrolled at nine different colleges that are part of a large, urban, public university system. A total of 1213 respondents (62.0% female, 73.3% non-white) completed an in-person assessment of mental health literacy and answered questions about demographics, college experience, and mental health experience. Data were analyzed to identify which variables best discriminated between high, mid-level, and low performers on this assessment...

Journal of Affective Disorders, 2019

Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, 2020

ABSTRACT Given the growing rates of psychological disorders in college settings, the current stud... more ABSTRACT Given the growing rates of psychological disorders in college settings, the current study investigated student perspectives about how to end mental health stigma, a hindrance to help seeking. Participants were 1,255 demographically diverse undergraduate students from a large city university system (Mage = 22.4, 73.9% non-White). Students completed a questionnaire that assessed their knowledge and perspectives about mental health-related issues including an open-ended question that elicited suggestions for how to end mental health stigma. Responses were coded using qualitative thematic analysis, of which the top three were: education (n = 325, 20.5% of responses), awareness (n = 271, 17.1% of responses), and positive atmosphere (n = 178, 11.2% of responses). Notably, students who reported having been diagnosed or treated for a mental health disorder were more likely to suggest curriculum changes and reconceptualization of mental health themes. We hope that results will be used to inform targeted interventions for combatting stigma in diverse college settings and beyond.