Pet ownership is the most common form of human–animal interaction, and anecdotally, pet ownership can lead to improved physical and mental health for owners. However, scant research is available validating these claims. This study aimed to review the recent peer reviewed literature to better describe the body of knowledge surrounding the relationship between pet ownership and mental health. A literature search was conducted in May 2020 using two databases to identify articles that met inclusion/exclusion criteria. After title review, abstract review, and then full article review, 54 articles were included in the final analysis. Of the 54 studies, 18 were conducted in the general population, 15 were conducted in an older adult population, eight were conducted in children and adolescents, nine focused on people with chronic disease, and four examined a specific unique population. Forty-one of the studies were cross-sectional, 11 were prospective longitudinal cohorts, and two were other study designs. For each of the articles, the impact of pet ownership on the mental health of owners was divided into four categories: positive impact (n = 17), mixed impact (n = 19), no impact (n = 13), and negative impact (n = 5). Among the reviewed articles, there was much variation in population studied and study design, and these differences make direct comparison challenging. However, when focusing on the impact of pet ownership on mental health, the results were variable and not wholly supportive of the benefit of pets on mental health. Future research should use more consistent methods across broader populations and the development of a pet-ownership survey module for use in broad, population surveys would afford a better description of the true relationship of pet ownership and mental health.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the relationship between demographic diversity and veterinary professionals regarding their psychological distress and suicidal experiences. This study also aimed to determine what demographic factors were associated with psychological distress and suicidal experiences for veterinary professionals.Methods: This study used a cross-sectional web-based questionnaire to assess the prevalence of diversity, psychological distress, and suicidality in individuals over 18 working in the veterinary field within the United States. The study received 2,482 responses resulting in 2,208 responses that were included in the analysis. Descriptive statistics were performed to identify the categories with the highest rates of psychological distress, suicidal thoughts, and suicidal behaviors. Binomial logistic regressions were conducted to identify the strongest statistical predictors of psychological distress (Kessler-6-K6), suicidal thinking and suicide behaviors.Results: Of the 2,208 respondents included in the analysis, 888 (41%) were experiencing serious psychological distress and 381 (17.3%) had considered suicide in the past 12 months. Results of the binomial regressions indicate gender, social class, age, and disability status were the strongest predictors of psychological distress. When controlling for psychological distress, the strongest predictors of suicidal thinking were sexual orientation, marital status, and professional role.Implications: Limited research has been done to explore the relationship between demographic diversity of veterinary professionals and psychological distress, suicidal thoughts, and suicidal behaviors specifically. These results shed light on multiple demographic factors that promote and attenuate mental health, as well as the importance of asking respondents their demographic identities in veterinary medicine research. This research attempts to identify these mental health factors without collapsing categories with small sample sizes, which does cause a limitation in statistical power, yet also demonstrates how to increase inclusivity in research.

Individuals who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) faced multiple challenges in the COVID- 19 pandemic. One of these challenges was navigating the significant increase of communication barriers that masking and social distancing brought. This study explored how masking and metacognition affected the mental health of DHH. A web-based cross-sectional survey was used. Of the 190 respondents, 122 participants were included in the descriptive statistics and regression analyses. Results indicate that communicating in masked environments decreased listening comprehension by 25%. As the number of hours in masked conversations increased, depression and anxiety scores also increased. Metacognition also had a relationship to the mental health of DHH during the pandemic. As metacognition scores increased, depression and anxiety scores increased. In interactions with clients with hearing loss, professionals should be aware that their masked communication could trigger a heightened vulnerability to mental health problems and decreased cognitive efficiency. Additionally, masking may contribute to further inequity and increase exclusion for DHH. These findings are important as they help to raise awareness of the ways that masking– a practice that has significant health benefits– can also have a deleterious impact on clients who are DHH. Beyond reporting on the findings, this article provides some suggestions for best practice to avoid contributing to further inequity and increased exclusion in clinical settings.

PurposeThis study investigates social work practitioners' feasibility, attitudes, and familiarity with the Evidence Based Practice (EBP) process in their work and their ability to access and integrate research into their practice.Materials and MethodsSocial work practitioners (N = 256) were recruited through Reddit and Facebook and completed an online survey. Participants completed demographic questions (e.g. time in practice, degree type, practice role), research-seeking behaviors, and completed three subscales of the Rubin & Parish Evidence-Based Practice Process Assessment Scale.ResultsThe three EBP process subscales assessed participants' familiarity, attitudes, and perceived feasibility of the EBP process. The familiarity subscale could range from zero to 40, and the mean in this sample was 26.75 (SD = 5.55). The attitudes subscale could range from 0 to 56, and the mean in this sample was 37.03 (SD = 5.49). Finally, the feasibility subscale could range from zero to 20, and the mean in this sample was 12.18 (SD = 2.81). A linear regression was run to predict familiarity, feasibility, and attitudes toward the EBP process. Those who reported seeking out research more often found the process more familiar and feasible. Those who were in practice longer found the EBP process less familiar and had more negative attitudes.DiscussionStrategies to address research familiarity, feasibility, and attitudes toward the EBP process include continuing experiential learning in education, accessing research in social media, and the use of continuing education.ConclusionContinuing to address the research-practice gaps is an essential step toward delivering EBP to clients.

Social work education is mandated to provide inclusivity and accessibility to all students. Critical disability theory (CDT) challenges the notion that disabilities should be eradicated; rather, it declares that different abilities should be acknowledged and embraced as contributions. Universal design (UD), originating as a framework for accessible architectural building designs, has become a pedagogical approach in education. UD supports CDT and takes it farther by suggesting how to develop an inclusive environment. Through the lens of CDT and UD, this conceptual paper provides the rationale for educators to increase classroom inclusivity and accessibility by adding closed captions to all learning materials, presentations and videos, Closed captions, the text of verbal language, is beneficial for many different types of students, including those with processing disorder or hearing loss, those who did not learn English as their primary language, and those who have difficulty with focus. Further, this paper seeks to provide a step-by-step instruction manual to assist instructors with immediately including captions in their learning materials.

Purpose: Although hearing loss can have a substantial impact on mental health, relatively little research has focused on factors that predict mental health outcomes among adults with hearing loss. In this study, we examined the effects of self-perceived hearing difficulty and resilience on psychological distress in adults. Method: Adult patients with hearing loss ( N = 118) completed several questionnaires, including a demographic questionnaire, the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit, the Brief Resilience Scale, and Kessler 6 Psychological Distress Scale. The relationships between demographic characteristics, self-perceived hearing difficulty, resilience, and psychological distress were assessed using bivariate analyses and multiple regressions. Results: Self-perceived hearing difficulty and resilience both predict psychological distress in adults with hearing loss, while controlling for age and income. Conclusions: Findings suggest that both audiologic and mental health interventions support positive mental health outcomes in adults with hearing loss. Improving patients' resilience may be a particularly important goal for audiologists and mental health professionals who are working with adults with hearing loss.