Assessment and Promotion of Partner Support: A Prevention-Focused Intervention for Perinatal Depression in Primary Care

Perinatal depression significantly impacts the mother, her partner, the unborn fetus, and the infant/child after delivery. A review of the literature supports the need for preventive intervention methods as research has shown that even with successful treatment, disruptions in attachment, temperament, and cognitive development often remain. Primary care settings are ideal targets for prevention given that they can reach a number of people at low-cost without the stigma associated with seeking help in a mental health facility. This paper purposes a preventive intervention method for perinatal depression that can be implemented in primary care settings in both Western and non-Western countries. The intervention targets two of the primary risk factors for perinatal depression; partner support and relationship quality. The intervention is structured around key target periods in gestational development and during the early weeks after delivery. Suggestions for each target visit are based on prior research that has demonstrated how psychoeducation about the transition to parenthood, as well as increased communication, can positively affect partner support and relationship quality. The ultimate goal of the intervention is not only to prevent perinatal depression but also to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the entire family system.

Remaking Movie Making: The Environmental Impacts of the Film Industry in Southern California

The film and television industry is integral to the economics and culture of the Southern California region. It is also a major contributing factor to the environmental problems in the region. Currently the Motion Picture, Television, and Commercial Industries Act of 1984 is the only regulation written specifically for the entertainment industry. This regulation was created with the purpose of streamlining the film permitting process to prevent run-away production, taking production out of state, and encourage growth. A change in this regulation is needed since studios routinely fail to meet environmental standards or work towards improvement during on-location filming. Amendments to this regulation requiring permits to contain environmental conditions would improve environmental conditions and stay true to the original purpose of the act.