Helen Minnis
Biographic Data
| ID | 254438 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Helen Minnis |
| GIVEN NAMES | Helen |
| FAMILY NAME | Minnis |
| SIGNATURE | MINNIS H |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Glasgow |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2377-8945 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 31 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 59 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 31 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1999 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Pragmatic Language Differences in Conversation Might Differentiate between Autism and Trauma-related Disorders
Prenatal maternal infections and early childhood developmental outcomes: Analysis of linked administrative health data for Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Scotland
BACKGROUND: Previous research has linked prenatal maternal infections to later childhood developmental outcomes and socioemotional difficulties. However, existing studies have relied on retrospectively self-reported survey data, or data on hospital-recorded infections only, resulting in gaps in data collection. METHODS: This study used a large linked administrative health dataset, bringing together data from birth records, hospital records, presc…
Examining the Potential Mediating Role of Maternal Mental Health in the Association Between Socioeconomic Deprivation and Child Development Outcomes
The association between SED and children's developmental outcomes appears to be partially mediated by maternal mental health, although the proportional-mediated effect was very small
Everything is fear based: Mothers with experience of addiction, child removal and support services
Parental substance use can expose children to harm and risks to their wellbeing, and removal from parents’ care is sometimes necessary. This can result in feelings of grief and poor mental health in parents, and concerns about a lack of support to prevent child removal or to have their children returned. Previous research has mainly focused on children or foster and adoptive parents’ experiences rather than birth parents. This study, therefore, a…
With great (statistical) power comes great responsibility: A comment on the ethics of using administrative data to investigate marginalised populations
As health data infrastructure improves, we have the opportunity to link increasing volumes of data in order to investigate important health problems. This is perhaps most pertinent when looking at the experiences and outcomes of our most disadvantaged groups, who are often invisible in data obtained through primary research. Whilst these data offer enormous opportunity, there are also ethical implications in their use, which are less frequently d…
The BRIDGE project: A feasibility randomised controlled trial of brief, intensive assessment and integrated formulation for young people (age 14-24) with features of borderline personality disorder (P…
ClinicalTrial.gov, identifier NCT05023447
Investigating low birth weight and preterm birth as potential mediators in the relationship between prenatal infections and early child development: A linked administrative health data analysis
Low birth weight and preterm birth appear to mediate the relationship between prenatal infections and childhood development, but only to a small extent. Maternal immune activation mechanisms unrelated to low birth weight and preterm birth remain the most likely explanation for associations observed between prenatal infections and child developmental outcomes, although other factors (for example, genetic factors) may also be involved
Using the candidacy framework to conceptualize systems and gaps when developing infant mental health (IMH) services: A qualitative study
The development of infant mental health (IMH) services globally is still in its early stages. This qualitative study aims to understand the challenges of setting up IMH services and explores the views and experiences of 14 multi‐disciplinary stakeholders who are part of the IMH implementation group in a large Scottish health board. Six major themes were identified through thematic analysis. This paper examines the most prominent theme “Systems” a…
The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on intimate partner violence and mental health: Advancing mental health services, research, and policy
Gender, Addiction, and Removal of Children Into Care
Gender differences were apparent in prevalence and patterns of child removal. Mothers were six times more likely to have children removed compared to fathers. Child removal occurred alongside other risk factors suggesting that families need holistic support for their multiple areas of need. Services should be aware of the link between child removal and suicide and provide additional support to mothers during and after removal
Recruiting and exploring vulnerabilities among young people at risk, or in the early stages of serious mental illness (borderline personality disorder and first episode psychosis)
Young people early in the course of SMI are at an increased risk of experiencing multiple childhood adversities and our results indicate a high prevalence of NDDs amongst them. Emotional dysregulation emerged as a potentially significant early marker of future clinical severity. We suggest that the clinical implications of our findings include routine screening for NDDs and ACEs and an increased recognition of the significance of emotional dysreg…
Escaping the inescapable: Risk of mental health disorder, somatic symptoms and resilience in Palestinian refugee children
Exposure to war, conflict and forced migration puts children at risk of mental health problems. The present study examined the levels of psychological distress and resilience factors among 106 Palestinian refugee children aged 11 to 17 in the West Bank. In a cross-sectional, mixed method design along with qualitative interviews, three questionnaires were administered: the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and Patient Health Questionnaire-15…
Practitioner Review: Twenty years of research with adverse childhood experience scores – Advantages, disadvantages and applications to practice
BACKGROUND: Adverse childhood experience (ACE) scores have become a common approach for considering childhood adversities and are highly influential in public policy and clinical practice. Their use is also controversial. Other ways of measuring adversity - examining single adversities, or using theoretically or empirically driven methods - might have advantages over ACE scores. METHODS: In this narrative review we critique the conceptualisation …
Partnership approaches to the evaluation of complex policy initiatives: Qualitative research as key to building effective relationships
We argue that major health and social care policy initiatives are not too complex for randomised controlled trial (RCT) methodology and illustrate this using the example of the Best Services Trial (BeST ? ): a RCT of an infant mental health intervention for maltreated children. We suggest that qualitative research, as a core part of the trial process from conception and development through to implementation and evaluation, is crucial in building,…
Primary schools and the amplification of social differences in child mental health: A population-based cohort study
BACKGROUND: This paper examines socioeconomic inequalities in mental health at school entry and explores changes in these inequalities over the first 3 years of school. METHODS: The study utilises routinely collected mental health data from education records and demographic data at ages 4 and 7 years, along with administrative school-level data. The study was set in preschool establishments and schools in Glasgow City, Scotland. Data were availab…
Development of a radical foster care intervention in Glasgow, Scotland
Services for maltreated children are inadequate and lack infant mental health input in many parts of the world. A recent audit of Glasgow services revealed that children frequently 'revolve' between maltreating birth parents and various temporary foster placements for many years. Addressing infant mental health in this population will require radical change to current services. The New Orleans programme developed by the Tulane Infant Team in Loui…
Randomisation before consent: Avoiding delay to time-critical intervention and ensuring informed consent
Obtaining informed consent can be challenging in stressful and urgent circumstances. One example is when potential participants have recently had their child removed into care; intervention is urgent and mandatory whereas participation in associated research is voluntary. Using a nested qualitative study, we examined experiences of consent processes in a randomised controlled trial of a family assessment and intervention service for maltreated yo…
Exploring the social, emotional and behavioural development of preschool children: Is Glasgow different
At 46 months, there does not appear to be any difference in Glasgow with regards to social, emotional and behavioural development. Glaswegian children appear to have slightly fewer conduct problems at this age, once demographics are taken into account. A range of theories are put forward as to why no differences were found, including the inclusion of areas adjacent to Glasgow City in the analysis, sleeper effects, and rater bias
Factors Associated With Indiscriminate Friendliness in High-Risk Children: Indiscrimnate Friendliness in High-Risk Children
Indiscriminate friendliness (IF) refers to a lack of reticence with strangers and is well-documented in neglected children. This risky behavior is distinct from attachment insecurity, and persists when parenting/caregiving improves. A previous review has suggested that caregiving quality is not associated with IF. This review aimed to explore factors associated with IF and whether quality of caregiving is important. Ten articles were reviewed usi…
Associations between social isolation, pro-social behaviour and emotional development in preschool aged children: A population based survey of kindergarten staff
Social isolation does have a significant association with reported child social and emotional difficulties, independent of demographic characteristics. The analysis highlights the complexity of measuring social isolation in young children. Different types of social isolation were found to have relationships with specific areas of social and emotional functioning
What do child characteristics contribute to outcomes from care: A PRISMA review
Risk factors for vulnerable youth in urban townships in South Africa: The potential contribution of reactive attachment disorder
Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) is a psychiatric disorder developing in early or middle childhood as a consequence of significant failures in the caregiving environment. RAD results in children failing to relate socially, either by exhibiting markedly inhibited behaviour or by indiscriminate social behaviour and is associated with significant socio-behavioural problems in the longer term. This study examined RAD in South Africa, a setting with…
Sleep disturbance in adopted children with a history of maltreatment
This study aimed to investigate whether children with a history of maltreatment and current behaviour problems demonstrate greater sleep disruption than controls; and also whether sleep disturbances are associated with these behavioural problems using standardised carer report measures. Sixty-three participants were assessed using the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) (Owens, Spirito and McGuinn, 2000) and the Strengths and Difficultie…
The impact of a new service for maltreated children on Children’s Hearings in Scotland: A qualitative study
In Scotland, the Children’s Hearing system determines the placement of maltreated children. A locally tailored version of the New Orleans Intervention for such children is about to be introduced in Glasgow. As part of an evaluation of its impact, an exploration was conducted of decision-making by children’s panel members, their possible role in the new intervention and their attitudes towards the changes. Interviews were held with focus groups an…
Using the Adult Attachment Interview to inform foster carer assessment
This study reports on findings from research carried out with Barnardo’s, a voluntary sector (not-for-profit) fostering agency, on its experience of using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) to assess foster carers’ attachment style. Despite growing interest in the application of standardised assessment tools to the selection and support of carers, there is currently very little research that focuses on the implementation of these tools and thei…
The Effect of Foster Carer Training on the Emotional and Behavioural Functioning of Looked after Children
The Foster Carers' Training Project was a three-year research project which examined the effect of training foster carers on the emotions and behaviour of the children they were looking after. The research produced useful quantitative findings, outlined in a paper recently published in Archives of Disease in Childhood (Minnis et al, in press), but the training itself also provided rich information about foster carers' communications and interacti…
Mental Health Services for Looked after Children: Implications from Two Studies
Two recent studies by Glasgow researchers have highlighted the high level of emotional and behavioural difficulties experienced by looked after children. One was a survey of children entering the care system (Dimigen et al, 1999) while the other was a randomised controlled trial of a training programme for foster carers. The survey was carried out in Glasgow, while the trial was carried out across another part of the Central Belt of Scotland. Des…
Research Review: Transracial Placements: A Commentary on a New Adult Outcome Study
The publication of a new follow-up study of a transracial sample deserves special attention because the volume of longitudinal research in this field is fairly small. Alan Rushton and Helen Minnis provide a critical review of a recent North American paper by Brooks and Barth, and consider the quality of the evidence presented, the methodological limitations, what can be safely concluded from the study and the implications that can be drawn for pr…
Escaping the inescapable: Risk of mental health disorder, somatic symptoms and resilience in Palestinian refugee children
Exposure to war, conflict and forced migration puts children at risk of mental health problems. The present study examined the levels of psychological distress and resilience factors among 106 Palestinian refugee children aged 11 to 17 in the West Bank. In a cross-sectional, mixed method design along with qualitative interviews, three questionnaires were administered: the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and Patient Health Questionnaire-15…
Foster Carers Speak about Training
Helen Minnis, Clare Devine and Tony Pelosi describe the qualitative pilot study of a new training programme for foster carers in Scotland. The study forms part of a larger research project which will examine the effect of the training on the emotions and behaviour of looked after children, due for completion in 1999. The aim of the training programme was to help foster carers develop their skills in communication and increase their confidence in …
Randomisation before consent: Avoiding delay to time-critical intervention and ensuring informed consent
Obtaining informed consent can be challenging in stressful and urgent circumstances. One example is when potential participants have recently had their child removed into care; intervention is urgent and mandatory whereas participation in associated research is voluntary. Using a nested qualitative study, we examined experiences of consent processes in a randomised controlled trial of a family assessment and intervention service for maltreated yo…
Primary schools and the amplification of social differences in child mental health: A population-based cohort study
BACKGROUND: This paper examines socioeconomic inequalities in mental health at school entry and explores changes in these inequalities over the first 3 years of school. METHODS: The study utilises routinely collected mental health data from education records and demographic data at ages 4 and 7 years, along with administrative school-level data. The study was set in preschool establishments and schools in Glasgow City, Scotland. Data were availab…
Whose Rights Count? Negotiating Practice, Policy, and Legal Dilemmas Regarding Infant–Parent Contact When Infants are in Out‐of‐Home Care
This article takes a human rights perspective with a view to articulating the infant's perspective when the infant has been subjected to abuse, neglect, or both and is reliant on the state to ensure his or her health and well‐being. When a young child is removed from parental care, important and often difficult decisions have to be made about subsequent contact between child and parent. We consider a number of dilemmas which may arise for practit…
Everything is fear based: Mothers with experience of addiction, child removal and support services
Parental substance use can expose children to harm and risks to their wellbeing, and removal from parents’ care is sometimes necessary. This can result in feelings of grief and poor mental health in parents, and concerns about a lack of support to prevent child removal or to have their children returned. Previous research has mainly focused on children or foster and adoptive parents’ experiences rather than birth parents. This study, therefore, a…
Partnership approaches to the evaluation of complex policy initiatives: Qualitative research as key to building effective relationships
We argue that major health and social care policy initiatives are not too complex for randomised controlled trial (RCT) methodology and illustrate this using the example of the Best Services Trial (BeST ? ): a RCT of an infant mental health intervention for maltreated children. We suggest that qualitative research, as a core part of the trial process from conception and development through to implementation and evaluation, is crucial in building,…
Sleep disturbance in adopted children with a history of maltreatment
This study aimed to investigate whether children with a history of maltreatment and current behaviour problems demonstrate greater sleep disruption than controls; and also whether sleep disturbances are associated with these behavioural problems using standardised carer report measures. Sixty-three participants were assessed using the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) (Owens, Spirito and McGuinn, 2000) and the Strengths and Difficultie…
The impact of a new service for maltreated children on Children’s Hearings in Scotland: A qualitative study
In Scotland, the Children’s Hearing system determines the placement of maltreated children. A locally tailored version of the New Orleans Intervention for such children is about to be introduced in Glasgow. As part of an evaluation of its impact, an exploration was conducted of decision-making by children’s panel members, their possible role in the new intervention and their attitudes towards the changes. Interviews were held with focus groups an…
Using the Adult Attachment Interview to inform foster carer assessment
This study reports on findings from research carried out with Barnardo’s, a voluntary sector (not-for-profit) fostering agency, on its experience of using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) to assess foster carers’ attachment style. Despite growing interest in the application of standardised assessment tools to the selection and support of carers, there is currently very little research that focuses on the implementation of these tools and thei…
Foster Carers Speak about Training
Helen Minnis, Clare Devine and Tony Pelosi describe the qualitative pilot study of a new training programme for foster carers in Scotland. The study forms part of a larger research project which will examine the effect of the training on the emotions and behaviour of looked after children, due for completion in 1999. The aim of the training programme was to help foster carers develop their skills in communication and increase their confidence in …
Research Review: Transracial Placements: A Commentary on a New Adult Outcome Study
The publication of a new follow-up study of a transracial sample deserves special attention because the volume of longitudinal research in this field is fairly small. Alan Rushton and Helen Minnis provide a critical review of a recent North American paper by Brooks and Barth, and consider the quality of the evidence presented, the methodological limitations, what can be safely concluded from the study and the implications that can be drawn for pr…
Mental Health Services for Looked after Children: Implications from Two Studies
Two recent studies by Glasgow researchers have highlighted the high level of emotional and behavioural difficulties experienced by looked after children. One was a survey of children entering the care system (Dimigen et al, 1999) while the other was a randomised controlled trial of a training programme for foster carers. The survey was carried out in Glasgow, while the trial was carried out across another part of the Central Belt of Scotland. Des…
The Effect of Foster Carer Training on the Emotional and Behavioural Functioning of Looked after Children
The Foster Carers' Training Project was a three-year research project which examined the effect of training foster carers on the emotions and behaviour of the children they were looking after. The research produced useful quantitative findings, outlined in a paper recently published in Archives of Disease in Childhood (Minnis et al, in press), but the training itself also provided rich information about foster carers' communications and interacti…
What do child characteristics contribute to outcomes from care: A PRISMA review
Risk factors for vulnerable youth in urban townships in South Africa: The potential contribution of reactive attachment disorder
Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) is a psychiatric disorder developing in early or middle childhood as a consequence of significant failures in the caregiving environment. RAD results in children failing to relate socially, either by exhibiting markedly inhibited behaviour or by indiscriminate social behaviour and is associated with significant socio-behavioural problems in the longer term. This study examined RAD in South Africa, a setting with…
Sleep disturbance in adopted children with a history of maltreatment
This study aimed to investigate whether children with a history of maltreatment and current behaviour problems demonstrate greater sleep disruption than controls; and also whether sleep disturbances are associated with these behavioural problems using standardised carer report measures. Sixty-three participants were assessed using the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) (Owens, Spirito and McGuinn, 2000) and the Strengths and Difficultie…
The impact of a new service for maltreated children on Children’s Hearings in Scotland: A qualitative study
In Scotland, the Children’s Hearing system determines the placement of maltreated children. A locally tailored version of the New Orleans Intervention for such children is about to be introduced in Glasgow. As part of an evaluation of its impact, an exploration was conducted of decision-making by children’s panel members, their possible role in the new intervention and their attitudes towards the changes. Interviews were held with focus groups an…
Using the Adult Attachment Interview to inform foster carer assessment
This study reports on findings from research carried out with Barnardo’s, a voluntary sector (not-for-profit) fostering agency, on its experience of using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) to assess foster carers’ attachment style. Despite growing interest in the application of standardised assessment tools to the selection and support of carers, there is currently very little research that focuses on the implementation of these tools and thei…
Whose Rights Count? Negotiating Practice, Policy, and Legal Dilemmas Regarding Infant–Parent Contact When Infants are in Out‐of‐Home Care
This article takes a human rights perspective with a view to articulating the infant's perspective when the infant has been subjected to abuse, neglect, or both and is reliant on the state to ensure his or her health and well‐being. When a young child is removed from parental care, important and often difficult decisions have to be made about subsequent contact between child and parent. We consider a number of dilemmas which may arise for practit…
What predicts persistent early conduct problems? Evidence from the Growing Up in Scotland cohort
BACKGROUND: There is a strong case for early identification of factors predicting life-course-persistent conduct disorder. The authors aimed to identify factors associated with repeated parental reports of preschool conduct problems. METHOD: Nested case-control study of Scottish children who had behavioural data reported by parents at 3, 4 and 5 years. RESULTS: 79 children had abnormal conduct scores at all three time points ('persistent conduct …
Associations between social isolation, pro-social behaviour and emotional development in preschool aged children: A population based survey of kindergarten staff
Social isolation does have a significant association with reported child social and emotional difficulties, independent of demographic characteristics. The analysis highlights the complexity of measuring social isolation in young children. Different types of social isolation were found to have relationships with specific areas of social and emotional functioning
Exploring the social, emotional and behavioural development of preschool children: Is Glasgow different
At 46 months, there does not appear to be any difference in Glasgow with regards to social, emotional and behavioural development. Glaswegian children appear to have slightly fewer conduct problems at this age, once demographics are taken into account. A range of theories are put forward as to why no differences were found, including the inclusion of areas adjacent to Glasgow City in the analysis, sleeper effects, and rater bias
Factors Associated With Indiscriminate Friendliness in High-Risk Children: Indiscrimnate Friendliness in High-Risk Children
Indiscriminate friendliness (IF) refers to a lack of reticence with strangers and is well-documented in neglected children. This risky behavior is distinct from attachment insecurity, and persists when parenting/caregiving improves. A previous review has suggested that caregiving quality is not associated with IF. This review aimed to explore factors associated with IF and whether quality of caregiving is important. Ten articles were reviewed usi…
Development of a radical foster care intervention in Glasgow, Scotland
Services for maltreated children are inadequate and lack infant mental health input in many parts of the world. A recent audit of Glasgow services revealed that children frequently 'revolve' between maltreating birth parents and various temporary foster placements for many years. Addressing infant mental health in this population will require radical change to current services. The New Orleans programme developed by the Tulane Infant Team in Loui…
Randomisation before consent: Avoiding delay to time-critical intervention and ensuring informed consent
Obtaining informed consent can be challenging in stressful and urgent circumstances. One example is when potential participants have recently had their child removed into care; intervention is urgent and mandatory whereas participation in associated research is voluntary. Using a nested qualitative study, we examined experiences of consent processes in a randomised controlled trial of a family assessment and intervention service for maltreated yo…
Partnership approaches to the evaluation of complex policy initiatives: Qualitative research as key to building effective relationships
We argue that major health and social care policy initiatives are not too complex for randomised controlled trial (RCT) methodology and illustrate this using the example of the Best Services Trial (BeST ? ): a RCT of an infant mental health intervention for maltreated children. We suggest that qualitative research, as a core part of the trial process from conception and development through to implementation and evaluation, is crucial in building,…
Primary schools and the amplification of social differences in child mental health: A population-based cohort study
BACKGROUND: This paper examines socioeconomic inequalities in mental health at school entry and explores changes in these inequalities over the first 3 years of school. METHODS: The study utilises routinely collected mental health data from education records and demographic data at ages 4 and 7 years, along with administrative school-level data. The study was set in preschool establishments and schools in Glasgow City, Scotland. Data were availab…
Practitioner Review: Twenty years of research with adverse childhood experience scores – Advantages, disadvantages and applications to practice
BACKGROUND: Adverse childhood experience (ACE) scores have become a common approach for considering childhood adversities and are highly influential in public policy and clinical practice. Their use is also controversial. Other ways of measuring adversity - examining single adversities, or using theoretically or empirically driven methods - might have advantages over ACE scores. METHODS: In this narrative review we critique the conceptualisation …
Escaping the inescapable: Risk of mental health disorder, somatic symptoms and resilience in Palestinian refugee children
Exposure to war, conflict and forced migration puts children at risk of mental health problems. The present study examined the levels of psychological distress and resilience factors among 106 Palestinian refugee children aged 11 to 17 in the West Bank. In a cross-sectional, mixed method design along with qualitative interviews, three questionnaires were administered: the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and Patient Health Questionnaire-15…
The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on intimate partner violence and mental health: Advancing mental health services, research, and policy
Gender, Addiction, and Removal of Children Into Care
Gender differences were apparent in prevalence and patterns of child removal. Mothers were six times more likely to have children removed compared to fathers. Child removal occurred alongside other risk factors suggesting that families need holistic support for their multiple areas of need. Services should be aware of the link between child removal and suicide and provide additional support to mothers during and after removal
Recruiting and exploring vulnerabilities among young people at risk, or in the early stages of serious mental illness (borderline personality disorder and first episode psychosis)
Young people early in the course of SMI are at an increased risk of experiencing multiple childhood adversities and our results indicate a high prevalence of NDDs amongst them. Emotional dysregulation emerged as a potentially significant early marker of future clinical severity. We suggest that the clinical implications of our findings include routine screening for NDDs and ACEs and an increased recognition of the significance of emotional dysreg…
Using the candidacy framework to conceptualize systems and gaps when developing infant mental health (IMH) services: A qualitative study
The development of infant mental health (IMH) services globally is still in its early stages. This qualitative study aims to understand the challenges of setting up IMH services and explores the views and experiences of 14 multi‐disciplinary stakeholders who are part of the IMH implementation group in a large Scottish health board. Six major themes were identified through thematic analysis. This paper examines the most prominent theme “Systems” a…
With great (statistical) power comes great responsibility: A comment on the ethics of using administrative data to investigate marginalised populations
As health data infrastructure improves, we have the opportunity to link increasing volumes of data in order to investigate important health problems. This is perhaps most pertinent when looking at the experiences and outcomes of our most disadvantaged groups, who are often invisible in data obtained through primary research. Whilst these data offer enormous opportunity, there are also ethical implications in their use, which are less frequently d…
Psychology (30 works) · Medicine (25 works) · Psychiatry (21 works) · Child Abuse and Trauma (16 works) · Mental health (13 works) · Child Welfare and Adoption (12 works) · Nursing (11 works) · Developmental psychology (10 works) · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development (8 works) · Clinical Psychology (8 works)