Paul Best
Biographic Data
| ID | 3886328 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Paul Best |
| GIVEN NAMES | Paul |
| FAMILY NAME | Best |
| SIGNATURE | BEST P |
| AFFILIATIONS | Queen's University Belfast |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-6947-8916 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 23 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 103 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 23 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2011 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Mental health outcomes of a peer support programme for prosthesis and orthosis users in Cambodia
People with physical disabilities in low- and middle-income countries experience elevated rates of psychological distress. This study explored the impact of a peer support intervention (‘friendship group’) for people with disabilities attending prosthetic and orthotic clinics in Cambodia. A total of 462 individuals were screened using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), 47 met inclusion criteria (scores 20–29). Of these, 27 enrolled i…
Healthy young adult relationships (Hyar)
The onus for educating and supporting young people in navigating romantic relationships often falls on professional youth work organizations; yet, evidence relating to healthy young adult relationship (HYAR) education programmes delivered within these settings remains limited. The present study sought to capture youth work professionals' views as part of a research programme focused on developing HYAR education resources for young people. Eleven …
Online mental health peer support use among young people in Northern Ireland and China
Online mental health peer support is a developing approach which appeals to young people and also contributes to central challenges and possible opportunities for social work practice. This quantitative study explored the use of online peer support and youth mental well-being in Northern Ireland and China and examined potential factors associated with the selection of online peer support. The findings revealed a country-specific disparity in the …
School-based mental health interventions
School examinations and assessments in the school setting can cause increased anxiety and may lead to the development of mental health issues. Early intervention has been suggested to combat stress and mental health issues in adolescents. The present study investigated the feasibility of implementing the multi-component R.E.A.C.T. (Reducing Exam Anxiety through Activity and Coping Techniques) intervention, an educational and physical activity-bas…
Typology of online mental health peer support for young people
Immersive virtual environments as a tool to improve confidence and role expectancy in prospective social work students
This paper explores the use of immersive technology in social work education, specifically through a virtual simulation called 'Branch-VR' designed for young people taking part in a Widening Participation Programme for entry into social work training.The study involved 24 participants aged 17-18, who interacted with a branching narrative simulation of a social work home visit, making decisions that influenced the outcome.Utilising a mixed-methods…
Development and modelling of a school-based mental health intervention
The lack of effective school-based interventions for addressing mental health issues and psychological well-being in young people, particularly those with stakeholder involvement, for reducing test anxiety in adolescents has caused a call for interventions to be developed through the process of co-production with the key stakeholders, i.e. teachers and students. The purpose of this paper is to present the development and modelling of a coproduced…
Rates and correlates of psychological distress and PTSD among persons with physical disabilities in Cambodia
Integration of mental health services within the disability sector is required to address psychological distress and PTSD symptoms among people with physical disabilities in Cambodia. Health system interventions, such as screening, referral, and the training of health providers, need to be strengthened. Further studies focussing on the psychosocial determinants of mental health of persons with disabilities in Cambodia are required
Screening children with a history of maltreatment for post‐traumatic stress disorder in frontline social care organizations
The use of standardized screening tools to identify trauma exposure and associated symptoms is commonly recommended as a key component in the development of trauma informed services and is seen as integral to facilitating access to evidence‐based therapies. However, there is limited evidence in the UK about the factors influencing the adoption of such tools into routine practice in children's social care. This paper presents the findings from a p…
Understanding adolescent mental health and well-being
There has been an increasing prevalence of mental health issues among adolescents. Early interventions in the school setting have been identified as a way to help reduce and prevent these issues. However, the input of key school stakeholders is largely neglected within the intervention development process. This study aims to address this deficit by exploring student and teacher perspectives on adolescent mental health and the barriers and facilit…
A novel approach for understanding trauma-related youth violence in low resource contexts
Adverse life events during childhood have been associated with increased rates of violence. Despite decades of violent conflict, there continues to be a paucity of contextually relevant data related to youth violence in Northern Ireland. Prospective studies are useful but these require time and resources that are not often available. In the absence of such studies, there remains a need to understand the prevalence and impact of serious youth viol…
Participatory theme elicitation
Participatory Theme Elicitation (PTE) is a new approach to increasing user-involvement in qualitative data analysis. In this five-step method, participants independently identify themes in the data using open card sorting, and are supported in their development of a set of themes that reflect all participant views. We describe and evaluate PTE with a case study, where nine lay researchers identified five core themes in qualitative data from an on…
An exercise intervention for people with serious mental illness
BACKGROUND: People with severe mental illness (SMI) often have poorer physical health than the general population. A coproduced physical activity intervention to improve physical activity for people with SMI in Northern Ireland was evaluated by co-researchers (researchers with lived experience of SMI) and academic researchers using a new approach to participatory data analysis called participatory theme elicitation (PTE). OBJECTIVE: Co-researcher…
The relationship between highly visual social media and young people’s mental health
Adapting Digital Social Prescribing for Suicide Bereavement Support
This paper describes a consultation exercise to explore the acceptability of adapting digital social prescribing (DSP) for suicide bereavement support. Bereavement by suicide increases the risk of suicide and mental health issues. Social prescribing improves connectedness and empowerment and can provide digital outcomes-based reporting to improve the capacity for measuring the effectiveness of interventions. Our aim was to consult on the acceptab…
Brief Standing Desk Intervention to Reduce Sedentary Behavior at a Physical Activity Conference in 2016
Objectives. To examine the impact of environmental restructuring on attendees at a physical activity conference when provided with standing tables and given point-of-decision prompts (PODPs; e.g., health messages). Methods. This randomized controlled trial took place at the Health-Enhancing Physical Activity Europe 2016 conference in Belfast, United Kingdom, September 2016. We randomly allocated 14 oral sessions to either the intervention group (…
Time to ‘re-think’ physical activity promotion for young people? Results from a repeated cross-sectional study
Knowledge did not appear to be an important predictor of PA in young people. Consequently, threshold based messaging containing recommended minimum PA guideline information may not be appropriate for this age group. Re-branding PA promotion to include the use of humour may offer a new direction for public health messaging based around fun and enjoyment
With Their Back to the Mountains
Book Review| December 01 2017 With Their Back to the Mountains: A History of Carpathian Rus’ and Carpatho-Rusyns Paul Robert Magocsi, With Their Back to the Mountains: A History of Carpathian Rus’ and Carpatho-Rusyns, (Budapest, New York: Central European Press, 2015), 511 pp., plates (photos). ISBN 978-615-5053-46-7. Paul Best Paul Best Southern Connecticut University (Emeritus) Director, Carpathian Institute/Lemko Association Higganum, Connecti…
Social Work and Social Media
Current global concerns regarding the mental well-being (MWB) of young males have called for fresh approaches to social work service delivery. This study investigates the efficacy of adopting more ‘online’ approaches within social work practice by examining the current impact of online help-seeking behaviours on the MWB of adolescent males. A survey questionnaire comprised of validated scales measuring mental well-being and self-efficacy, combine…
Seeking Help From Everyone and No-One
Online help-seeking is an emerging trend within the 21st century. Yet, despite some movement toward developing online services, little is known about how young people locate, access, and receive support online. This study aims to conceptualize the process of online help-seeking among adolescent males. Modified photo-elicitation techniques were employed within eight semi-structured focus group sessions with adolescent males aged 14 to 15 years ( n…
Online communication, social media and adolescent wellbeing
Lemko Studies
Book Review| December 01 2013 Lemko Studies: A Handbook Bogdan Horbal, Lemko Studies: A Handbook, (New York: East European Monographs, distributed by Columbia University Press, 2010), 718 pp., appendices, index, map. ISBN 978-0880336390. Paul Best Paul Best Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google The Polish Review (2013) 58 (4): 125–126. https://doi.org/10.5406/polishreview.58.4.0125 Cite Icon Cite Share Icon Share Twitter Perm…
World War One in the Carpathian Mountains
Book Review| October 01 2011 WORLD WAR ONE IN THE CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS PAUL BEST PAUL BEST Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google The Polish Review (2011) 56 (3): 249–259. https://doi.org/10.2307/41550437 Cite Icon Cite Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Permissions Search Site Citation PAUL BEST; WORLD WAR ONE IN THE CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS. The Polish Review 1 October 2011; 56 (3): 249–259. doi: https://doi.org/1…
Online communication, social media and adolescent wellbeing
Social Work and Social Media
Current global concerns regarding the mental well-being (MWB) of young males have called for fresh approaches to social work service delivery. This study investigates the efficacy of adopting more ‘online’ approaches within social work practice by examining the current impact of online help-seeking behaviours on the MWB of adolescent males. A survey questionnaire comprised of validated scales measuring mental well-being and self-efficacy, combine…
Seeking Help From Everyone and No-One
Online help-seeking is an emerging trend within the 21st century. Yet, despite some movement toward developing online services, little is known about how young people locate, access, and receive support online. This study aims to conceptualize the process of online help-seeking among adolescent males. Modified photo-elicitation techniques were employed within eight semi-structured focus group sessions with adolescent males aged 14 to 15 years ( n…
Participatory theme elicitation
Participatory Theme Elicitation (PTE) is a new approach to increasing user-involvement in qualitative data analysis. In this five-step method, participants independently identify themes in the data using open card sorting, and are supported in their development of a set of themes that reflect all participant views. We describe and evaluate PTE with a case study, where nine lay researchers identified five core themes in qualitative data from an on…
A novel approach for understanding trauma-related youth violence in low resource contexts
Adverse life events during childhood have been associated with increased rates of violence. Despite decades of violent conflict, there continues to be a paucity of contextually relevant data related to youth violence in Northern Ireland. Prospective studies are useful but these require time and resources that are not often available. In the absence of such studies, there remains a need to understand the prevalence and impact of serious youth viol…
World War One in the Carpathian Mountains
Book Review| October 01 2011 WORLD WAR ONE IN THE CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS PAUL BEST PAUL BEST Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google The Polish Review (2011) 56 (3): 249–259. https://doi.org/10.2307/41550437 Cite Icon Cite Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Permissions Search Site Citation PAUL BEST; WORLD WAR ONE IN THE CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS. The Polish Review 1 October 2011; 56 (3): 249–259. doi: https://doi.org/1…
Lemko Studies
Book Review| December 01 2013 Lemko Studies: A Handbook Bogdan Horbal, Lemko Studies: A Handbook, (New York: East European Monographs, distributed by Columbia University Press, 2010), 718 pp., appendices, index, map. ISBN 978-0880336390. Paul Best Paul Best Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google The Polish Review (2013) 58 (4): 125–126. https://doi.org/10.5406/polishreview.58.4.0125 Cite Icon Cite Share Icon Share Twitter Perm…
Online communication, social media and adolescent wellbeing
Social Work and Social Media
Current global concerns regarding the mental well-being (MWB) of young males have called for fresh approaches to social work service delivery. This study investigates the efficacy of adopting more ‘online’ approaches within social work practice by examining the current impact of online help-seeking behaviours on the MWB of adolescent males. A survey questionnaire comprised of validated scales measuring mental well-being and self-efficacy, combine…
Seeking Help From Everyone and No-One
Online help-seeking is an emerging trend within the 21st century. Yet, despite some movement toward developing online services, little is known about how young people locate, access, and receive support online. This study aims to conceptualize the process of online help-seeking among adolescent males. Modified photo-elicitation techniques were employed within eight semi-structured focus group sessions with adolescent males aged 14 to 15 years ( n…
Time to ‘re-think’ physical activity promotion for young people? Results from a repeated cross-sectional study
Knowledge did not appear to be an important predictor of PA in young people. Consequently, threshold based messaging containing recommended minimum PA guideline information may not be appropriate for this age group. Re-branding PA promotion to include the use of humour may offer a new direction for public health messaging based around fun and enjoyment
With Their Back to the Mountains
Book Review| December 01 2017 With Their Back to the Mountains: A History of Carpathian Rus’ and Carpatho-Rusyns Paul Robert Magocsi, With Their Back to the Mountains: A History of Carpathian Rus’ and Carpatho-Rusyns, (Budapest, New York: Central European Press, 2015), 511 pp., plates (photos). ISBN 978-615-5053-46-7. Paul Best Paul Best Southern Connecticut University (Emeritus) Director, Carpathian Institute/Lemko Association Higganum, Connecti…
Brief Standing Desk Intervention to Reduce Sedentary Behavior at a Physical Activity Conference in 2016
Objectives. To examine the impact of environmental restructuring on attendees at a physical activity conference when provided with standing tables and given point-of-decision prompts (PODPs; e.g., health messages). Methods. This randomized controlled trial took place at the Health-Enhancing Physical Activity Europe 2016 conference in Belfast, United Kingdom, September 2016. We randomly allocated 14 oral sessions to either the intervention group (…
Adapting Digital Social Prescribing for Suicide Bereavement Support
This paper describes a consultation exercise to explore the acceptability of adapting digital social prescribing (DSP) for suicide bereavement support. Bereavement by suicide increases the risk of suicide and mental health issues. Social prescribing improves connectedness and empowerment and can provide digital outcomes-based reporting to improve the capacity for measuring the effectiveness of interventions. Our aim was to consult on the acceptab…
An exercise intervention for people with serious mental illness
BACKGROUND: People with severe mental illness (SMI) often have poorer physical health than the general population. A coproduced physical activity intervention to improve physical activity for people with SMI in Northern Ireland was evaluated by co-researchers (researchers with lived experience of SMI) and academic researchers using a new approach to participatory data analysis called participatory theme elicitation (PTE). OBJECTIVE: Co-researcher…
The relationship between highly visual social media and young people’s mental health
A novel approach for understanding trauma-related youth violence in low resource contexts
Adverse life events during childhood have been associated with increased rates of violence. Despite decades of violent conflict, there continues to be a paucity of contextually relevant data related to youth violence in Northern Ireland. Prospective studies are useful but these require time and resources that are not often available. In the absence of such studies, there remains a need to understand the prevalence and impact of serious youth viol…
Participatory theme elicitation
Participatory Theme Elicitation (PTE) is a new approach to increasing user-involvement in qualitative data analysis. In this five-step method, participants independently identify themes in the data using open card sorting, and are supported in their development of a set of themes that reflect all participant views. We describe and evaluate PTE with a case study, where nine lay researchers identified five core themes in qualitative data from an on…
Understanding adolescent mental health and well-being
There has been an increasing prevalence of mental health issues among adolescents. Early interventions in the school setting have been identified as a way to help reduce and prevent these issues. However, the input of key school stakeholders is largely neglected within the intervention development process. This study aims to address this deficit by exploring student and teacher perspectives on adolescent mental health and the barriers and facilit…
Development and modelling of a school-based mental health intervention
The lack of effective school-based interventions for addressing mental health issues and psychological well-being in young people, particularly those with stakeholder involvement, for reducing test anxiety in adolescents has caused a call for interventions to be developed through the process of co-production with the key stakeholders, i.e. teachers and students. The purpose of this paper is to present the development and modelling of a coproduced…
Rates and correlates of psychological distress and PTSD among persons with physical disabilities in Cambodia
Integration of mental health services within the disability sector is required to address psychological distress and PTSD symptoms among people with physical disabilities in Cambodia. Health system interventions, such as screening, referral, and the training of health providers, need to be strengthened. Further studies focussing on the psychosocial determinants of mental health of persons with disabilities in Cambodia are required
Screening children with a history of maltreatment for post‐traumatic stress disorder in frontline social care organizations
The use of standardized screening tools to identify trauma exposure and associated symptoms is commonly recommended as a key component in the development of trauma informed services and is seen as integral to facilitating access to evidence‐based therapies. However, there is limited evidence in the UK about the factors influencing the adoption of such tools into routine practice in children's social care. This paper presents the findings from a p…
Immersive virtual environments as a tool to improve confidence and role expectancy in prospective social work students
This paper explores the use of immersive technology in social work education, specifically through a virtual simulation called 'Branch-VR' designed for young people taking part in a Widening Participation Programme for entry into social work training.The study involved 24 participants aged 17-18, who interacted with a branching narrative simulation of a social work home visit, making decisions that influenced the outcome.Utilising a mixed-methods…
School-based mental health interventions
School examinations and assessments in the school setting can cause increased anxiety and may lead to the development of mental health issues. Early intervention has been suggested to combat stress and mental health issues in adolescents. The present study investigated the feasibility of implementing the multi-component R.E.A.C.T. (Reducing Exam Anxiety through Activity and Coping Techniques) intervention, an educational and physical activity-bas…
Typology of online mental health peer support for young people
Mental health outcomes of a peer support programme for prosthesis and orthosis users in Cambodia
People with physical disabilities in low- and middle-income countries experience elevated rates of psychological distress. This study explored the impact of a peer support intervention (‘friendship group’) for people with disabilities attending prosthetic and orthotic clinics in Cambodia. A total of 462 individuals were screened using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), 47 met inclusion criteria (scores 20–29). Of these, 27 enrolled i…
Healthy young adult relationships (Hyar)
The onus for educating and supporting young people in navigating romantic relationships often falls on professional youth work organizations; yet, evidence relating to healthy young adult relationship (HYAR) education programmes delivered within these settings remains limited. The present study sought to capture youth work professionals' views as part of a research programme focused on developing HYAR education resources for young people. Eleven …
Online mental health peer support use among young people in Northern Ireland and China
Online mental health peer support is a developing approach which appeals to young people and also contributes to central challenges and possible opportunities for social work practice. This quantitative study explored the use of online peer support and youth mental well-being in Northern Ireland and China and examined potential factors associated with the selection of online peer support. The findings revealed a country-specific disparity in the …
Psychology (14 works) · Mental health (11 works) · Psychiatry (11 works) · Medicine (10 works) · Applied Psychology (9 works) · Computer Science (9 works) · World Wide Web (7 works) · Social Psychology (6 works) · Medical education (5 works) · Sociology (5 works)