Meghan K. Hamwey

The development of sibling relationships across the life course can be context and culture specific. The current study aimed to adapt and validate a new measure of sibling relationship quality the Emerging Adults’ Relationship with Sibling Scale (EARSS) to assess Turkish emerging adults’ sibling relationships. In Sample 1 ( n = 407), factor structure with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was investigated. In Sample 2 ( n = 283), the factor structure of EARSS was determined by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). EFA results showed that EARSS had four-factor structure: closeness, parent-mediated relationship, ill-wishes, and conflict. CFA results indicated that four-factor structure model showed acceptable fit. Convergent validity analysis demonstrated strong correlations between depression, life satisfaction, and the sub-scales of EARSS. Findings show that sibling relationships are influenced by developmental stage and cultural context, impacting dimensions such as closeness and parent-mediated interactions.

Background: Adolescence is a developmental period marked by changes that increase susceptibility to mental health problems. Rising rates of depression among United States adolescents underscore the need to identify contributing factors. Dietary behaviors, lifestyle habits, and food insecurity have been linked to poor mental health outcomes, with structural and systemic inequities shaping access to healthy behaviors. Therefore, we examined the association between self-reported depressive symptoms with dietary behaviors, lifestyle habits, and food insecurity risk among New York City (NYC) public high school students, and variations within and across racial and ethnic groups. Methods: Data from the 2023 NYC Youth Risk Behavior Survey was utilized. Bivariate analyses assessed differences in self-reported depressive symptoms, dietary behaviors, lifestyle habits, and food insecurity risk across racial and ethnic groups and examined how these factors were associated with self-reported depressive symptoms. Logistic regression models controlling for sex, sexual identity, gender identity, age group, and borough of residence assessed these associations in the overall sample and within racial and ethnic groups. Results: Higher prevalences of not eating fruit or vegetables, sugary drink consumption, not eating breakfast, not participating in physical activity, and being at risk for food insecurity were seen among Black and Latino/a students. However, associations between self-reported depressive symptoms with dietary behaviors, lifestyle habits, and food insecurity risk varied within racial and ethnic groups. Despite Black students having the highest prevalence for food insecurity risk and sugary drink consumption, neither was associated with self-reported depressive symptoms. Food insecurity risk was associated with increased odds of self-reported depressive symptoms among White (AOR 2.42; 95% CI 1.21–4.85), Latino/a (AOR 2.09; 95% CI 1.50–2.90), Asian (AOR 1.83; 95% CI 1.04–3.23) and students of another race (AOR 3.04; 95% CI 1.11–8.34). The absence of associations among Black students warrants further research into potential underlying factors. Conclusion: Dietary behaviors, lifestyle habits, and food insecurity risk are differentially associated with self-reported depressive symptoms within racial and ethnic groups. High prevalences of insufficient sleep and food insecurity risk highlight those as key targets for intervention. Addressing these factors, alongside upstream social determinants is necessary for promoting mental health equity among NYC public high school students.

Natural and man-made disasters are occurring more frequently, making household emergency preparedness essential for an effective response. Enrollees of the World Trade Center Health Registry have been found to be less prepared than the US national average despite their prior disaster exposure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of two interventions—a mailed brochure and a structured phone call—for increasing emergency preparedness knowledge among this population. We conducted a two-arm parallel group trial between February 2019 and August 2020. Participants were Registry enrollees who completed the Wave 4 Registry (2015–2016) survey, whose primary language was English or Spanish, who lived in New York City, and who did not report being a rescue and recovery worker affiliated with FDNY or NYPD. Enrollees were randomized to receive either a brochure by mail summarizing the components of emergency preparedness or a 15 min phone call describing the same. The primary outcome measure was the number of “yes” responses to the ten-item CDC CASPER emergency preparedness questionnaire, measured at baseline and post-intervention. Enrollees were sequentially alternatively assigned to either the brochure or phone call groups. In total, 705 enrollees were assigned to the brochure (n = 353) or phone call (n = 352) groups, and a total of 702 enrollees were analyzed. The Incident Rate Ratio (IRR) for the effect of time was 1.17 (95% CI = (1.14, 1.20)) and for intervention was 1.00 (95% CI = (0.95, 1.05)) Both the brochure and phone call interventions improved knowledge of emergency preparedness from baseline to post-intervention assessment, and to the same extent.

Objectives. To explore the association between persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness and violence-related experiences, in-school bullying, cyberbullying, and screen time. Methods. We used data from the 2021 New York City Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Overall and sex-stratified bivariate and logistic regression models were constructed to examine the relationship of persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness with violence-related experiences, in-school bullying, cyberbullying, and elevated screen time usage. Results. Persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness were associated with violence-related experiences, in-school bullying, and cyberbullying among both male and female students, with the prevalence being higher among female students. There was an association between elevated screen time and persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness only among female students (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.87; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.20, 2.90). Conclusions. Sex-based differences existed in the association between persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness and violence-related experiences, in-school bullying, cyberbullying, and elevated screen time. There is a need for interventions, programs, and resources promoting violence- and bullying-free environments and addressing the potential negative effects of screen time. ( Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print May 29, 2025:e1–e11. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2025.308051 )

Following exposures to traumatic events on 9/11, survivors have reported heightened levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Multiple factors contribute to both the exacerbation and amelioration of PTSD symptoms, including social integration and support. This cross-sectional study aimed to understand and identify associations of embeddedness and psychosocial risk factors by PTSD status for survivors and first responders of 9/11. Results indicate that those with chronic PTSD had the lowest prevalence of both social and emotional embeddedness and many who reported no PTSD symptoms following 9/11 reported moderate levels of social and emotional embeddedness. Overall, our findings suggest those individuals who reported little to no PTSD also reported the most social/emotional embeddedness; whereas those individuals who report greater or chronic PTSD report the least social/emotional embeddedness. As such, it may be beneficial for clinicians across multiple care disciplines and contexts to consider and address the social lives and needs of those individuals experiencing symptoms of PTSD to ensure their emotional and physical needs are truly being met.

Introduction: Multiple aspects of interpersonal dynamics can help or hinder the success of teams, particularly those in a Military Interprofessional Healthcare Team (MIHT). One specific mechanism for MIHTs’ success is camaraderie and how these military teams are able to achieve, maintain, and enable the development of this important characteristic. Despite our understanding of military service members as being bonded like a family, we have a limited understanding of how this bond is translated into their MIHT experiences. Materials and Methods: This study conducted interviews among 30 individuals who had participated in, led individual, and/or led many MIHTs, using a grounded theory methodology. Participants represented 11 different health professions, including officers and enlisted military members, and three branches of the U.S. military (e.g., army, navy, and air force). Data were collected and analyzed in iterative cycles until saturation was achieved. Results: We identified six themes that shaped the overarching concept of camaraderie in MIHTs. These themes were (1) confidence in competent peers, (2) shared goals, (3) mutual respect, (4) desire to help one another improve, (5) personal is professional, and (6) bonds of military service. This paper describes each of these themes, provides illustrative examples from the data, and describes how these components contribute to MIHTs’ team dynamics. We present a model for how to understand these themes. Conclusions: Through the identification and exploration of these aspects of camaraderie, we are able to better understand how MIHTs are able to be successful. MIHTs that demonstrated confidence in their brother/sister in arms possessed shared goals and missions, while maintaining mutual respect, a desire to help one another do better, and creating a personal and professional overlap tended to form stronger bonds of military service. Critically, these six aspects support a more nuanced understanding of the spirit of camaraderie and how it underpins MIHT success.

Military interprofessional healthcare teams (MIHTs) are foundational to the care provided to military members and their families. However, to date, very little research has investigated MIHTs. Notably, we have few insights into what distinguishes successful MIHTs. This manuscript presents findings from a program of research that was carried out to address this gap. We review what is known about MIHTs to date and the Uniformed Services University’s (USU) focused efforts to ensure that greater understanding of MIHTs was developed. We provide an overview of the USU-supported research and of the findings that were generated by that inquiry. After summarizing the manuscripts included in this special edition of Military Medicine, we close by acknowledging and thanking key members of the U.S. military healthcare system who supported this research.

The success of the military is significantly supported by highly effective collaborative teams. While much is known about successful military teams outside the context of healthcare delivery, considerably less attention has been paid to teams working in patient care. Thus, this supplement has explored the features of successful military interprofessional healthcare teams (MIHTs). In this summary paper, the authors discuss what this supplement’s investigations have taught us about MIHTs and offer a series of proposed future investigations of MIHTs and their role in military healthcare.

Introduction: Military healthcare providers working in military interprofessional healthcare teams (MIHTs) require situational awareness (SA) to ensure safe and efficacious patient care. This study aimed to explore SA in MIHTs to understand how SA can be reinforced and maintained in MIHTs. The research team set out to answer two questions: “What aspects of individual and team SA are particularly important for MIHTs?” and “How can we enable military healthcare providers to be effective MIHTs members with robust SA?”. Methods: This study used Grounded Theory methodology collecting perspectives from 30 study participants from various backgrounds, including 11 different healthcare professions from the U.S. Army, Air Force, and Navy. Each study participant had experiences participating in, leading one, or leading many MIHTs. Data were collected in three cycles and analyzed within each cycle until saturation was reached. Results: Five themes were robustly represented in the data set regarding SA: (1) contextually informed adaptability, (2) readiness, (3) trust, (4) communication, and (5) mission focus. Conclusions: The urgency often faced by MIHTs brings SA and the principles that underpin SA into sharper focus. The SA themes identified in this research may provide insight into training effectiveness, team strengths and weaknesses, and team performance.

Introduction: Perseverance—doing something despite difficulty—is an asset to healthcare professionals, yet not all providers display this trait. The literature offers no conceptualization of perseverance as it relates to military caregivers. This research sought to explore the perseverance displayed by members of military interprofessional healthcare teams (MIHTs) and to construct a framework for explaining the role of perseverance in MIHTs’ collaborative work. Methods: Using Grounded Theory, this interview-based study collected insights from 30 individuals who had participated in MIHTs and/or led MIHTs. Participants represented 11 different health professions, both officers and enlisted military members, and three branches of the U.S. military (i.e., Army, Navy, and Air Force). Data were collected and analyzed in iterative cycles until theme saturation was achieved. Results: We identified practices through which perseverance was exhibited by members of MIHTs: (1) humility, (2) mission focus, (3) team effort, (4) failure is not an option, (5) comfort with discomfort, and (6) continuous improvement. We then clustered these practices into three subcategories, reflecting how certain practices may connect to support MIHT perseverance. Conclusions: These six practices appear connected in significant ways to support the MIHTs’ efforts. Humility, mission focus, and team effort can help team members collaborate as a unified and mutually supportive team. From this base, MIHTs seemed able to become comfortable with discomfort and to refuse failure as an option. These orientations then allowed the team to engage in continuous improvement. Together, these practices may enhance team perseverance and ultimately team performance.